Nintendo has finally announced the Nintendo Switch 2 and it already has one very subtle change from the original Nintendo Switch. Nintendo is one of the greatest companies in the gaming industry and have had their flag planted since gaming was in its infancy. The company made a name for itself not only with its hardware, but incredible games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and more. To this day, no one else really does it like Nintendo (for better or worse, in some instances), and that’s why they’ve been able to stay relevant while other competitors like Sega have had to shift gears to survive. However, that doesn’t mean Nintendo hasn’t had some missteps.
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Nintendo nearly crumbled a little over a decade ago when it followed up one of its most successful consoles, the Wii, with one of its biggest failures: the Wii U. Although the console had some amazing games, there was a lack of interest from mainstream audience. The name was confusing to some who thought it was an accessory to the Wii, the tablet for the console was uninteresting to others, and ultimately, it came out a year before the PS4 and Xbox One which were more appealing options for the next-generation of consoles. Regardless, it prompted Nintendo to stage a large scale comeback with the Nintendo Switch, a console that has totally redefined gaming in the last decade and inspired companies like Steam to make their own powerful handhelds.
With that said, many have been eager to see what Nintendo will do for its next console. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been plentiful for the last few years and the Japanese gaming giant ended speculation today with a proper reveal. The first trailer showcased our first official look at the console, though there were plenty of leaks that gave fans an idea of what to expect ahead of time. Although there was no commentary, it highlighted new buttons, revisions to the Joy-Cons, and even teased a brand new Mario Kart game. While we will have to wait a while to learn more specifics about the Nintendo Switch 2, there was one other detail that largely got overlooked amidst all the excitement.
Nintendo Switch fans are likely very familiar with the now iconic snap noise that can be heard anytime the Switch logo is displayed in a video. It’s synonymous with the console and has conditioned players to expect a new look at a great game thanks to its use in Nintendo Directs and various trailers. However, the Switch 2 will have a very different noise. Nintendo is now using more of a clap noise. This difference comes from the fact that the snap noise was born out of the noise the Joy-Cons make when snapped into place on the Nintendo Switch.
Now, the Nintendo Switch 2 uses magnets to lock its Joy-Cons into the screen. As such, instead of sliding in on rails, they get shoved in sideways and it makes the clap noise. It’s a very small change, but it is one of many ways that Nintendo is trying to differentiate the two consoles. Given the Nintendo Switch 2 is visually very similar to the Switch 1, it’s important to find ways to create different identities for the console. Having two different noises is one of a few ways Nintendo is doing this.
With all of that said, it’ll be interesting to see how else Nintendo tries to distinguish the consoles. Will Nintendo have notably different colors or box art for the Nintendo Switch 2? The Nintendo Switch 1 made use of the color red for a lot of its imagery and it does seem Switch 2 will still utilize that. It’ll be interesting to see if Nintendo makes any notable changes to the box art for games beyond having the number 2 in the corner. The Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible, but not all Switch games will be playable on the new console. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until April for the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct to find out more.
