Topic: Joy-con, mouse like functionality?

NL's recent vod talking about the Switch 2 unveiling pointed this out. Looking at the interior portion of the joy-con. At the bottom end, below the connection port to the console, looks like a mini track pad. Does Nintendo want us to use the joy-con like a mouse?

The return of Mario Paint confirmed?

If done right, it might mean I'll pick up the next Mario Maker. A big factor in why I didn't pick up 2 was because it didn't look very fun to make levels using only the sticks.

If you look very closely at 1:16 in the reveal, it looks like the mouse function is added with an accessory with a strap.

If it functions like a mouse, I want it to be used for FPS games. Just imagine, having precise mouse aiming like PC gamers do. I like using the mouse in FPS games I play on PC, wouldn't mind if it was on Switch 2 as a control option.

Aren't people playing FPSs with a mouse going to want a keyboard to use along side it? Perfectly achievable, but drifting from the simplicity of a console in my eyes.

I'm actually mildly surprised by the mouse functionality. When they were talking about it they mainly only talked about the sensor, making me believe it was more like a Wii Remote sort of thing. But it can actually lay on a surface and move around like a mouse? That's kind of cool. I'm not sure it's going to be a good gimmick, I don't see this opening up too much (it might help a bit with the DS/3DS/Wii U functionality we're missing, but still probably not entirely covering those and not much new), but I do think it's a good idea for the sake of control flexibility and accessibility. Even if it doesn't open up new gameplay mechanics I could see a lot of people preferring to use this control scheme. Might be good for some shooters like Splatoon and Prime 4, or for menu selection in RPGs like Pokemon, Xenoblade, and Fire Emblem. So not the gimmick I wanted but it might be a good addition.

I always thought a keyboard accessory would be cool. Tablets do have some clip on keyboard addons, maybe Nintendo could get in on that too with the Switch 2. I could see a Labo-esque (meaning a neat little addon with some fun smaller games, not as in it's made of cardboard) add on for Switch 2 that has some typing based gameplay mechanics.

For familiarity maybe. But the main advantage of KB/Mouse is and has always been the mouse. Replace WASD with an analogue stick and give us buttons in fairly easy to access positions? I don't see the need for a Keyboard except for some RTS type games with deep keybindings

Ehhh, kind of but there's some extra advantages a keyboard brings. For one, it has more buttons which means you can put more actions on it (I don't think Nintendo would capitalize on this, but the option is there if they need it). But there's also the advantage that you can also use it to type words and the QoL improvements that could bring. You could use it for searching menus and inventory, imagine how much quicker and easier it would be to navigate the eShop, or to search for items in your inventory for example if you could just type them directly instead of needing to use a Control Stick to select letters in a virtual keyboard.

In the end I don't think Nintendo would do more with a keyboard than they would do with something like Labo, but it is something they can dip into and see if they can find fun little things to use it for. And I do think it would add some QoL to the Switch 2.

@Bolt_Strike
I'm fairly sure Nintendo home consoles have had general OS support for keyboards since the Wii. I haven't tested it since the Wii I think but we can test it easily. Plug one in and give it a go

But typing in a search term or username/password is a bit of a different use case than using it in game. Especially for something like an FPS. I'm not sure the KB has much if anything over a single JoyCon in that scenario

@Bolt_Strike dunno if typing is an advantage, I usually turn off all chats on every game I play online, and there's a very good reason for that

Also something to consider. There are two JoyCon, both can be a mouse. There's nothing stopping them from making some crazy WarioWare type game or similar that has dual mouse input. Or doing some kind of dual analogue type setup but with mouse precision for something like StarFox.

For a WarioWare game it could be something like pinch/zoom of some 2D item or some kind of balancing type game where the fun is in the unwieldy controls. For a StarFox like game I could see a setup where the left mouse controls thrust speed and directionality while right deals with rotation

@skywake In terms of actual, in the heat of the action gameplay, yeah I agree with you there. I'd rather have standard controller buttons in that scenario. I'm speaking more generally in terms of whether or not Nintendo could give Switch 2 a KB accessory. I definitely think there's a market for one, even if it is more for QoL menu navigation and gimmicky minigames than meaty, hardcore gameplay.

Maybe GRID Autosport can have mouse controls patched in. It's got pretty much every other control scheme going. I accelerate and break with the thumbstick, so what's the diff?

Side note, if this is real I think this is a good argument to make Prime 4 cross gen. Just putting it on Switch 1 and playing through BC means it might not be able to take advantage of the mouse controls, and a Switch 2 version of Prime 4 would be an excellent game to help sell people on why the mouse functionality could be useful.

This is what I was actually thinking of. Using the joystick to move, and the joy-con as a mouse. Though, keyboard support would be nice, but also could be done with a joystick on one Joy-con. Also, it could work for both left and right handed players.

Funny, because I've never cared for and generally actively avoided FPS games on consoles because analogue sticks suck for aiming. The only real exception being during the Wii era when we had pointer controls

Of course gyro does close that gap considerably and for less competitive games it doesn't matter nearly as much. But still, mouse wins out. By default. It allows fast movement, precision AND stability. What more could you want?

Really curious how this could work out for something like the Switch 2. I've never cared for mice in games - feels too much like using a PC for work for me, and really takes me out of the experience. Only exception is games where it's basically a necessity, like Civ VI.

More thank anything I wonder how this would work for a system attached to a TV. Surely you need a desk for a mouse to be effective?

I'm the same way. I can't get used to WASD + Mouse. But my kid and her friends say they prefer this. ?

I'm thinking that you just need a little flat surface to make the mouse work. So someone will make a wrist-strap with a flat surface on it that you can strap to your other wrist, and then you just hold the mouse up to it. Or . . . someone will make a Joy-con strap attachment that includes a flat surface to use with the mouse.

???

Maybe there will be other Labo-like attachments to turn your Joy-cons into other wierd and wonderful adhoc controllers. LOL.

Thinking about this "mouse" replacing touch screen, that could mean that we see more ports of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series.