The Nintendo Switch 2 camera is trying to emulate PS2’s EyeToy magic

If you could’ve heard me as I watched the Nintendo Switch 2 camera be revealed, you would’ve heard an audible yawn. I’m not a very social person, online or offline, and a camera that lets my friends see me mouth curse words for losing matches for $50 / £50 isn’t exactly a must-have purchase on my list. That was my thought process until I got a nostalgic blast in the Super Mario Party Jamboree TV trailer.

While I may prefer to play single-player games when it comes to the new Nintendo Switch 2, I can’t help but love a bit of Mario Party. The co-op party experience is second to none, and while Wii Sports Resort is the party game that holds the biggest place in my heart, Mario Party has brought me more than its fair share of joy, too.

Nonetheless, you won’t catch me playing Mario Party Jamboree (or any upcoming Nintendo Switch games) with a camera in my face. It’s not happening, Nintendo, and while I’m happy with the fact I can use any USB-C camera, the last thing people need to see is my frustration in multiplayer games. However, Nintendo, you sold me at the very last moment.

Jamboree TV, a new mode coming with the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade for Mario Party Jamboree, uses you as the player character, thanks to the camera allowing you to take center stage. I saw it and fell in love with the idea, but I couldn’t place why until I woke up in the middle of the night, screaming because of the revelation.

Back in the early 2000s, when I was but a toddler, PlayStation released the EyeToy for the iconic PS2. It was a color webcam for the now-retro console that, at a very basic level, recognized motion and gestures. By today’s standards, it’s not as impressive, but at the time, I remember my little five-year-old brain at Nursery falling in love with EyeToy Play – a series of minigames that used the EyeToy in clever and silly ways.

Let me tell you, seeing Jamboree TV in action felt like I was seeing a window into the past. At that moment, I had never felt more like I was experiencing the same vibe as Anton Ego in Ratatouille, getting a nostalgia blast back to around 2005. I can’t be certain that Nintendo was trying to emulate EyeToy’s magic, especially for such a niche product, but I can’t help but feel seen just by that short trailer in the packed Nintendo Direct library.

There were plenty of titles that excited me way more than Jamboree’s upgrade. The Duskbloods? I’m there from day one. Mario Kart World? Sign me up. That new Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion looks awesome, too, even if I haven’t played the first one. Even then, I’m still smiling, thinking about the silly, laugh-out-loud moments I’ll have when Jamboree TV arrives.

Am I going to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera for that reason? No. But you can bet that I’ll be making my Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders with a smile on my face, knowing I’ll be setting up my webcam to try and recapture my childhood memories in the modern era. It’s hilarious that the Switch 2 is looking to do something similar, especially when it’s a second generation of the Switch, much like the PS2 was a second generation of… well, you get it.

Some of the best Switch games continue to capture and innovate Nintendo’s magic, so while I doubt any of the greatest games the new handheld console will be exclusive to using a camera, I imagine some of my favorite memories when I look back as the Switch 3 approaches will include those camera moments. I guess that’s why Nintendo makes these nifty accessories (don’t look at Labo, don’t look at Labo).

If you’re looking to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 camera, check out the retailers below:

Interested in Nintendo’s upcoming console? Well, our Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on will give you our thoughts on the anticipated predecessor. Sadly, I’m now going to return to the boring old eight-year-old handheld to go play the best RPGs and wait for the new console to arrive at my door.