Even before Nintendo is forced to formalize his Switch 2 because of the too many leaks he was the victim, we already knew that the console was going to offer an unprecedented and innovative functionality: that of being able to use the joy-con as a mouse . Leaks from Chinese factories had indeed been able to identify this original approach to use the joystick of the Switch 2. At that time (we were in early December 2024), people did not believe it, but the official video of Nintendo made it possible to have a beginning of confirmation, with these Joycon who slipped (failing to drive) on a Sirface Plane. A lot of debates have therefore started to emerge on this new function, while keeping the rigor tweezers. But finished talking to the conditional with the publication of the patents that Nintendo has filed, since it is now official that the Kyoto firm will offer its small innovation with its next console, to whom we have criticized however not to rein so much water hot.
By taking a look at the sketches of these patents which were made public, we see perfectly a hand holding the joy-con placed on the edge like a mouse, with in particular the index and the middle finger placed on the two triggers of the controller, While the thumb can use the analog stick. No need to get out of Saint-Cyr to see that this is the same position when using a mouse, with this system of left click and right click, and cursor to move for mice equipped with additional stick . In any case, the text that accompanies the images of this patent explains that “The optical sensor of the mouse detects the light reflected by a dedicated surface». We immediately imagine the possibility of making use of it on FPS and RTS type games, but it is also a way to navigate more easily in the menus. We can then say that in Mario Maker, Mario Paint, Warioware and her inventive mini titles, we could increase interest (and sensations). Moreover, recent rumors announce the arrival of Civilization VII on Nintendo Switch 2, which could increase the interest of this functionality.
Is Nintendo revolutionizing the use of its Joy-Con, however? Not really, since in an already very competitive market, the Chinese manufacturer Lenovo has already offered the same system with its Legion Go portable console for almost a year. This use as a mouse, however, works differently with the Lenovo laptop, since the controller must be inserted into a magnetic base and thus be able to move the object as a mouse. Another peculiarity of the Lenovo Legion Go, only the right controller has an optical beam, while on the Nintendo Switch 2, the two Joy-Con will have the same capacities. It remains to be seen if at stake, it will work well, because on the Lenovo Legion Go, this feature has often been pointed out so as not to work very well, not to mention its inexpensive ergonomics.
Other details that can be discovered in the patents of Nintendo which have been made public and which allows to already confirm what the leaks and the mock-ups pressed, it is that the Joy-Con advancing well to the console via A double magnetic lock system. To detach the controllers, it is mandatory to support two physical buttons simultaneously to detach a joy-con. A kind of double security to avoid untimely dropouts which was one of the subjects of debate on the solidity of this magnetic system. All you have to do is wait for the Hands-on sessions scheduled for early April almost around the world to find out how Nintendo will put this in place.
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