Switch Games - Mouse Controls
Image: Nintendo Life

Prior to the official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, one of the late-game leaks revealed that the Joy-Con controllers would now house an optical sensor on the side, leading many to theorise that the console would support mouse functionality.

Fast forward to the debut trailer, and yes, it seems that this may well be the case. Though not officially confirmed yet, the trailer featured both Joy-Con sliding across a surface dragging wristbands (which, in true Nintendo fashion, resembled mice tails), thus heavily implying that the rumours were true.

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We're incredibly excited to see what kind of tricks Nintendo has up its sleeve for the Switch 2's native games and how they might implement optical sensors into their gameplay, but we've also been pondering which OG Switch titles might benefit from added 'Mouse Mode' support via backward compatibility. It's by no means a given that Nintendo will patch its back catalogue — you might argue that it's unlikely — but it's possible.

So, we've assembled a handful of Switch games which could be a good fit for some mouse-like functionality. We're limiting this to actual, current Switch titles, not hypothetical future releases (so you won't find that Kid Icarus: Uprising remaster or a Mario Paint port here - although we'd love them too, of course).

Let's start with a game that always felt like it was built with 'Mouse Mode' in mind...

Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)

If we're being honest, creating custom Mario levels with the Switch's touch screen never felt quite as satisfying as it did on the Wii U and the 3DS. Thanks in large part to the shift from resistive touchscreens to capacitive, using your finger instead of a stylus was noticeably less precise (not to mention leaving greasy marks all over your Switch screen).

Moving over to a mouse-like solution would not only mitigate this entirely, but it would allow for more precise creation across both docked and tabletop scenarios. Controls could be slightly altered to allow for quick access to critical shortcuts ('Undo', 'Favourites'), and if paired with some sweet HD-Rumble feedback, it could make for an incredibly satisfying, tactile experience.

Splatoon 3 (Switch)

If you come across someone who's especially skilled at Splatoon 3, then chances are they're using a combination of analogue and gyro controls. Truly mastering this setup makes Splatoon 3 an absolute joy, giving you total precision over your shots and movement. That said, it can sometimes be a bit awkward twisting your controller around during heated battles. Mouse controls would effectively mimic the gyro setup in classic PC style, but you simply use the right Joy-Con as a mouse while keeping the left solely for analogue movement.

Now, a big caveat here would be a potential haves and have-nots situation. Who's going to want to play competitively on the OG Switch if Switch 2 players are rocking a potentially more advantageous control scheme?

So perhaps it's a bit late for Splatoon 3. Splatoon 4, on the other hand...

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (Switch eShop)

We have very few problems with the excellent Disco Elysium on Switch, but one of the drawbacks of the console release was having to cycle through interactable objects until you stumble upon the one you actually want. Sometimes you'd get lucky and land on it straight away, others you'd be fumbling with the right analogue stick, moving it up, down, left, and right for ages.

It should be obvious how mouse controls along the lines of the original PC and Mac releases would alleviate this: simply slide an onscreen cursor directly over an item or NPC. Simple! It's one of few minor issues that hold the Switch version back from true perfection.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (Switch eShop)

When we recently reviewed Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic, we lamented the lack of touchscreen controls for a game that otherwise depended solely on an onscreen cursor (something that Atari has said it's keen to address). But goodness, could you imagine using mouse controls instead?

Touchscreen functionality would certainly improve the game, but using 'Mouse Mode' (look, we like the alliteration) to move the cursor would be immeasurably more enjoyable. The game is, after all, bringing back a PC classic from 1999 (and 2002); one that veteran fans are intimately familiar with. Why not make the transition over to the Switch 2 as easy as possible? Makes sense to us.

Return to Monkey Island (Switch eShop)

Pretty much any point-and-click adventure game on Switch would probably benefit from mouse controls; Return to Monkey Island was simply the first that came to mind!

Games like Loco Motive, Grim Fandango, Thimbleweed Park, The Darkside Detective... They all stick close to the classic blueprint, so implementing mouse controls would easily make them more approachable for players looking to transition from the PC versions. The touchscreen made this genre a natural fit for Switch, so adding this functionality for TV play would make it the ultimate point-and-click machine.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI (Switch)

Civilization VI did a good job at translating the series' to Switch, with the left analogue stick allowing for movement of the onscreen indicator, while the right lets you pan across the scenery and jump the cursor over to the centre of the screen.

Let's be honest, though, any strategy game worth its salt is best used with proper mouse controls. You could shift the camera pan to a single analogue stick and boom. It's a slightly stripped-back version of the classic mouse and keyboard setup on PC, but it would certainly allow for more intuitive navigation.

Quake II (Switch eShop)

FPS games flourished on PC with traditional mouse and keyboard setups, and we reckon the Switch 2 could simulate this well with the new Joy-Con. And let's not forget, Quake already supports mouse control on Switch!

The game already boasts a pretty flawless control setup that includes optional gyro aiming, but there's no denying that the movement of a mouse would introduce even more precision. Nightdive has been great about post-launch patches and support, and we could totally imagine the devs going back and adding this to the first two entries. Or perhaps to a hypothetical port of Quake III Arena?

Naturally, the benefits of mouse control could apply to most FPS games on Switch, including the likes of DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Killing Time: Resurrected, and yes, perhaps even Metroid Prime Remastered.

Akka Arrh (Switch eShop)

Akka Arrh requires lightning-fast reflexes and precise aiming at all times. Despite its somewhat relaxed visual aesthetics, the later levels in particular can descend into utter chaos, and if you're not careful you'll wind up back on the main menu time and time again.

It has you moving an onscreen cursor to shoot down invading enemies and defend your central tower. Developer Llamasoft fine-tuned the movement speed well enough that it feels relatively zippy without losing too much accuracy, but it's still no replacement for traditional mouse input.

Just imagine the kind of high scores you can achieve with 'Mouse Mode'.

The World Ends with You: Final Remix (Switch)

Games that focus so heavily on the Switch's touchscreen can be a bit tricky to translate into other control methods. The general consensus around The World Ends with You: Final Remix is that while it's a fine port of an excellent DS game, the move to capacitive touchscreen (or an onscreen pointer in docked mode) in addition to condensing all of the action onto a single display makes it a slightly lesser version of the original.

A lot of the action obscured by your finger could be revealed nicely if we made the pointer controls the default option while docked and used a Yoy-Con mouse to move it around. It might be a bit finicky since there are a lot of gestures to contend with during heated battles, but making the action easier to parse would be a huge step in the right direction.

Danganronpa Decadence (Switch)

You may not think that Danganronpa or other games in the visual novel category would necessarily need mouse controls to be enjoyable, and to give it credit, it does work well as it is. But in our opinion, almost every core gameplay mechanic could potentially benefit from mouse input.

Think about it: you need to investigate scenes within the school with an onscreen cursor, navigate the hallways in first-person mode, and quickly select moving words or phrases during the courtroom sessions. All of these scenarios would be easier with a mouse setup.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake (Switch eShop)

Much like the earlier entries from Koei Tecmo, Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake relies heavily on menu navigation and selection as you manage an obscene number of unique characters. The game does a good job of presenting relevant information without completely overwhelming you, but cycling through options threatens to become tedious after a while.

But what's the answer!? asked absolutely nobody at this point in the article. Next game.

World of Goo 2 (Switch eShop)

World of Goo 2 (and indeed, its predecessor) has an onscreen cursor, yet unlike other games that feature similar control methods, its gooey gameplay feels incredibly tactile in the way you manipulate goo balls to create structures. Thanks to the pointer controls of the Switch's Joy-Con — which often needs recentring, unlike the IR pointer of the original WiiWare version — this gem never shined quite as bright as it could have on Switch.

Yes, you can play with a Pro Controller or via the touchscreen if you like, but mouse controls would offer remarkable speed and accuracy. Add in cute little jiggle feedback from the HD Rumble whenever you add a new blob of goo, and we reckon you're onto a winner.

Stardew Valley (Switch eShop)

Last one, and an obvious one, but certainly a game that could benefit greatly from mouse support. Do you really need us to explain why?

Okay, we will anyway. Stardew Valley places a lot of emphasis on its onscreen cursor to complete objectives, manage your inventory, and generally keep your farm running. So naturally, moving this with a mouse would prove infinitely more intuitive than an analogue stick.

Also, one of the more common complaints with this beloved game is that the indicator used to show the patch of land you're about to interact with can sometimes go haywire - especially frustrating when you're performing more delicate tasks. 'Mouse mode' to the rescue.

Switch 2 Joy-Con Optical Sensor
Image: Nintendo

We can only dream of the myriad ways in which this new functionality will be used for the new console, and we can't wait to hear more from Nintendo.

Might it provide a legitimate way to accurately control DS games in docked mode, for instance? (Yes, we're hoping there's a Nintendo Switch Online NDS app on the way!) Games like Castlevania Dominus Collection have incorporated workarounds, but precise input emulating the accuracy of a stylus on a distant screen could make the world of difference. How about the direct manipulation of light or measuring distance? Imagine controlling Luigi's torch with the optical sensors in Luigi's Mansion 3. So cool.

Accessibility advantages are a big plus, too; mouse-like control options could open up more games to people of differing abilities. Even if 'just' adding mouse support to existing games strikes you as unimaginative, the benefits could be enormous for many players.

While these are pipe-dream ideas for the moment, Nintendo will shed more light on the idea soon as we inch toward the Switch 2's eventual launch. For now, why not cast your vote in our poll and let us know which Switch games you think could benefit from mouse-like support, and leave a comment elaborating on your choice down below.

Which Switch games do you think would benefit from the Switch 2's mouse support?

(You may select up to 3 answers)

Switch 2 Joy-Con Mouse Mode
Image: Nintendo