Why I’m still not sold on the Nintendo Switch 2’s mouse controls

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you probably know that the Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way. For the most part, Nintendo’s follow-up console is pretty similar to the original, with a recognizable hybrid form factor and the return of detachable Joy-Cons. However, there’s one big difference. The Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 controllers double as mice, like computer mice, offering a whole new way to play Switch games. It’s an innovation, sure, but having given it a go myself, I don’t know if it’s one I can get behind.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still incredibly excited for the new console, and I’m already getting ready to add it to our list of the best handheld consoles when the Nintendo Switch 2 release date rolls around. I just have my concerns, three concerns, to be precise. So, I thought, as is the done thing these days, I’d share my thoughts with the world to give you a better idea of what to expect from the Joy-Con 2 controllers’ mouse functionality before you go ahead and put in your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order. Of course, it’s all subjective, but from seeing other coverage, I don’t think I’m alone in my doubts.

My main issue with the Nintendo Switch 2’s mouse functionality is its practicality. Simply put, who’s playing their Switch at a desk? I think I understand what Nintendo is going for. In offering mouse controls, the hybrid Switch 2 has another dimension. It’s not something I feel I need, though. If I wanted to play with a mouse, I’d have a gaming PC. I’m getting a Switch 2 so I can sit on my sofa and play endless hours of Mario Kart World without having to move except to grab snacks. Mario’s kart might not need fuel to keep coming in first place, but I do.

Given the practicality problem, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some third-party accessory brands introduce Nintendo Switch 2 lap trays so you can use the mouse functionality without sitting at a desk. Still, unless you’re willing to buy four lap trays, that doesn’t solve what I’m calling the ‘Mario Party problem,’ where you might have three friends round, all with a Joy-Con 2 controller each. What are you going to do, pass the tray around, or each take turns sitting at the desk for every minigame? Sure, the mouse control works on any material, but have you ever tried using a mouse on your pants leg? It feels awful.

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Practicality aside, having tried out the mouse controls for myself, it doesn’t feel as fluid as using a mouse on a PC. There’s a bit of a stability problem with the Joy-Con 2s lacking the heft of a traditional mouse. I’m not the only one who’s noticed this, as in my editor’s Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on preview, she pointed out that the controllers are so slim they feel like they could tip over whenever you’re having to react quickly.

This isn’t a cause for concern in a game like Civilization VII, where you’re rarely testing your reaction speeds, but in something like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, where you’re having to shoot aliens on sight, it could make for some frustrating gameplay. Though in saying that, I played a bit of Samus’ next adventure during the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in London, using the right Joy-Con 2 as a mouse and the left as a normal controller, and honestly, I could get used to that. It’s using both controllers as mice that I’m not a fan of, which leads me nicely onto my final point.

Having spent most of my adult life using a mouse and keyboard combination for work every day, my last point of contention with the Switch 2 mouse controls is that they might mess with my muscle memory. I’m right-handed, and having a mouse in my left hand while I’ve also got one in my right just feels weird.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: I’ll adjust to it in time. The issue with that is that it then won’t feel right when I’m using just one mouse, and I’ll have to recalibrate my brain again between work and play. I’m 30 years old. I don’t want to spend any time calibrating my brain just so I can play a couple of point-and-click games without feeling like I’m behind the controls of an alien starship. That’s an exaggeration, yes, but it does feel alien, at least for a little while.

In saying all of this, there’s still a good chance I could change my tune when I get to spend a bit more time with the Switch 2’s mouse functionality. I’m always a bit skeptical about controller innovations; even ten-year-old me had his doubts about the Wii’s motion controls.
Despite my initial hesitation, I still ended up spending hours wiggling around a nunchuck in Wii Sports and Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo has earned my trust over the years, and while a couple of hours using the mouse functionality didn’t win me over, it might be more of a slow burn, and this time next year, I could be writing a piece on how the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls are gaming’s best innovation in years.

For me, it all depends on whether Nintendo chooses to force mouse controls on me or whether they’re just an alternative option for those looking for it. The big test will likely come with the Switch 2’s first 3D Mario platformer, the follow-up to Mario Odyssey, which famously forced you into occasionally using motion controls, but not quite to the point of irritation. Nintendo, if you’re listening, I really don’t want to have to play any new Mario games at a desk.

It’s hard to feel joy and wonder when I’m sitting in the same place where I work. Don’t get me wrong, I like my job, but when I’m at my desk, I’m in work mode, and there’s no amount of wahoo-ing from the man in the red cap that can change that. Still, the Switch 2’s Mario game could be years away, and again, there’s always a chance I could become a mouse controller convert in the meantime. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Those are my thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2’s mouse controls, having tried the new console out for myself. For more on this year’s most anticipated console launch, be sure to check out our Nintendo Switch 2 hub and Nintendo Switch 2 price guide. Or, if you’re looking for something new to play while you wait for the release date, see our guide to the best Nintendo Switch games.