There’s been chatter on the web lately about “tHE nEXT sWITCH” or whatever Nintendo will call the Switch successor. Now that it’s over 6 years old — and with joycon drift still an issue for many — it seems about time for such plans to be in the works. A new Nintendo machine would be cool…or would it? A more modern device should be better, technically, but it kind of depends. So excitement is tempered.

The Wii was a major hit for Nintendo. Its successor — the Wii U — not so much. Surely Nintendo learned valuable lessons from that experience, so the Switch replacement should do much better in comparison. (For the record, I still own a Wii U and will not let it go since my Xenoblade Chronicles X works only on it…it should port over!)

So what might a Super Switch Pro 2 feature?

Backwards Compatibility

The Switch is undeniably a success for Nintendo, developers, and players alike. It’s a well established system with many of my now beloved games that I don’t want to lose access to. I hope no Switch games will be platform-locked (like XCX). Backwards compatibility seems like it should be a must-have. Fingers-crossed?

Joycon Drift

This should be forever eliminated. I mean, we can land people on the moon, so…

Joycon Compatibility

What if Switch joycons can also play on a Switch 2? This could mean a newer Switch keeps the same basic body design and only upgrades the internal brain chips. Hmmmm, I think that might be a good idea — if drift is solved of course.

MOAR POWER!

If Nintendo only swaps the internals out for modern ones, we’re sure to at least see higher frame rates, higher screen refresh rates, higher resolution (4K?), longer battery life, or a combo of those. But why have more power?

Of course, newer Switch games would look or run better, maybe both. And while that’d be cool, most games already look or run great. Tears of the Kingdom and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are just two good examples. Yet maybe more important, modern PS5 and XBX games would be able to port and run decently on a Switch 2.

Console or Handheld

Lastly, this one seems obvious, but it’s not a given: the Switch 2 should still switch between console (docked) or handheld mode. Else, it wouldn’t be a Switch! This seems to be the key feature that has made Nintendo’s current game device a hit. Developers don’t need to choose what Nintendo platform to make games for and players don’t have to choose which machine to buy: they’re all one in the same. Don't change the winning formula.

In closing, there are other ideas I’m sure Nintendo is likely to try. Maybe the Switch 2 will be more modular, allowing for more accessories or attachments to change gameplay. Or maybe we’ll finally get fun hardware colors for the body and not only the controllers. I think it’s time for translucent neon colors like those of the Nintendo 64 from the late 90s!

Looks great!