All the things Nintendo didn’t tell us about the Switch 2

So what’s up with that new dock?

Using your old Switch Joy-Cons in portable mode is a different matter, as the Switch 2 seems to lack the physical plastic “rail” needed to slide those controllers into place. But since the Switch 2 comes packaged with new, larger Joy-Cons, there aren’t many situations where you would need to physically connect your old controllers anyway.

The Switch 2 teaser trailer briefly showed a more rounded Switch 2 dock, suggesting that the new console might not be able to connect via docks designed for the original console. What’s currently unclear is whether that dock upgrade is primarily cosmetic or houses some new internal circuitry necessary for upscaling Switch 2 games on the big screen.

Improved performance for old games?

If you own a Switch, you’re probably used to stuttering frame rates and other performance issues on the system’s more taxing 3D titles. The additional hardware power of the Switch 2 could theoretically help these legacy games run more smoothly, much as it does for backward-compatible software on recent Sony and Microsoft systems.

Nintendo will likely follow its competitors’ lead in this regard to some extent. The biggest question is how much work developers will need to put in to unlock the best performance for original Switch games on the Switch 2.

Doom on Nintendo Switch runs well below 1080p resolution, but it’s still suitably creepy.

Credit:
Nintendo / Bethesda

On the PlayStation 5 Pro, for instance, developers have needed to patch in “Enhanced” versions to take full advantage of the console’s power. Titles without those specially designed patches simply get a less optimized “PS5 Pro Game Boost,” which can still offer some significant improvements.

Switch Online?

Nintendo has confirmed your current Switch Online account will still work with the Switch 2. But the company hasn’t confirmed which perks from that subscription will carry over to the new system.

What good is the Switch 2 if it doesn’t play Super Mario Bros. 3?

The expansive Switch Online classic game library is the biggest perk in question here. Since the Switch 2 is backward-compatible with old Switch software, it would be a bit odd to suddenly cut off the emulated game library that is a core of the Switch Online experience. But Nintendo has shut down access to officially emulated games in the past, so it’s not out of the question.

It’s also worth remembering that Switch Online subscriptions haven’t increased in price since they started in late 2018, despite years of higher-than-normal inflation. The launch of a new console could serve as a good excuse for Nintendo to foist a price increase onto consumers.