Cliff Notes – Nintendo Switch 2 dev reveals new feature of console’s mouse controls
- Koei Tecmo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 supports USB mouse connectivity, enhancing gameplay flexibility for users.
- The console allows seamless switching between Joy-Con and USB mouse controls, as demonstrated in the upcoming game Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition.
- While previous Switch models had limited mouse support, the Switch 2’s built-in functionality could significantly benefit first-person shooter titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Nintendo Switch 2 dev reveals new feature of console’s mouse controls
Or use an actual mouse (Nintendo)
Koei Tecmo has revealed a new detail about the Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s a win for anyone excited about mouse controls.
After Nintendo’s big blowout for the Switch 2 last month, there were perhaps more questions than answers around some aspects of the console.
Some of these have been answered since, like what the revamped eShop looks like, what the actual upgrades are for original Switch titles, and how those Game-Key cards exactly work, but there are still several unknowns around the hardware’s functionality.
While Nintendo was perhaps holding back some of these surprises for when the Switch 2 launches worldwide on June 5, developer Koei Tecmo has let the cat out of the bag in regards to one feature – the console supports regular USB mice.
Last week, Koei Tecmo posted a deep dive on its Switch 2 port of strategy game Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition, which utilises the Joy-Con controller’s mouse controls.
During the video, game producer Michi Ryu demonstrated the mouse controls using the Joy-Con, which is used to move the on-screen cursor. However, later in the video, he reveals a USB mouse can be connected to the console and used in the game.
‘You can also connect a USB mouse and it will work seamlessly,’ Ryu said. ‘Once you connect the USB mouse, a message will appear in the top left indicating that the mouse is connected. When the USB mouse is connected, it takes priority over the Joy-Con 2.’
The developer also showed off how you can ‘switch instantly’ between the two control options, by operating the Joy-Con and the mouse simultaneously.
‘It’s very smooth,’ Ryu added. ‘You can operate with both the controller and the mouse interchangeably. The switching speed is incredibly fast.’
USB keyboards and mice could be technically plugged into the original Switch as well, but not many Switch games supported their use. As such, considering the Switch 2 has mouse support built into the Joy-Con, this extra flexibility is a far more appealing feature.
It’s unclear if every Switch 2 game with mouse functionality will support a USB mouse, but it could go a long way to making first-person shooters like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond a huge selling point for the system.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition comes out on June 5 as part of the Switch 2’s launch line-up, alongside Mario Kart World.
We’re less than two weeks away (Nintendo)
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