5 Ways the Switch 2 Can Set Itself Apart from the Original

The Switch 2 has been an open secret for months if not years, but many were still surprised to learn that it’s almost identical to the original. Despite lacking some sort of Nintendo gimmick, the Switch 2 could still introduce a few long-awaited features.

The Switch UI is simple yet functional, but it severely lacks the customization options of prior Nintendo consoles. Ever since the release of the Wii, most Nintendo’s consoles have provided multiple ways to organize or personalize your home screen.

The menu panels of the Wii and Wii U allow you to easily arrange games and other apps on the home screen. The 3DS expanded this customization with the addition of menu themes (which featured unique music and artwork), decals, and the ability to resize app icons.

These features aren’t just for show, as they help avoid a problem that was unfortunately reintroduced with the Switch. Although the Switch’s simpler menus are fine for managing small libraries, they’re much harder to navigate when you have dozens of digital games installed or archived on your console. To resolve this issue, the Switch 2 could revive the tile-based menus of prior Nintendo consoles, albeit with one major difference.

Whereas the earlier Nintendo menus were far more customizable, they also had to be shared between users. This wasn’t much of a problem on a 3DS—which usually belonged to a single user—but it did present an issue for home consoles. If you have multiple people sharing the console, giving users too many customization options could be frustrating for those who prefer a simpler layout.

The Switch 2 can avoid this problem by allowing each user to customize the home screen for their own account, similar to how the PlayStation 4 (and PS5, to a lesser extent) allow users to attach a custom theme to their profile’s home menu. This would not only allow users to freely change their home menu layout without affecting other players, but it would also provide a reason for Nintendo to bring back menu themes for the Switch 2.

More Social Features

Nintendo has dabbled with creating its own social platforms in the past, and the Switch is home to some of its most successful attempts. Games like Super Mario Maker 2 and Miitopia fostered a sizable community by providing the tools for you to share custom levels and characters with thousands of other players around the world.

Likewise, the Splatoon games let players post messages to share artwork or show support for their favorite teams during the seasonal Splatfest events, adding a limited yet memorably creative way for players to interact outside competitive matches.

The Switch 2 could bring these creative communities to other games by providing a social platform that revolves around player-made creations. A console-based social platform would provide a convenient way for users to share screenshots, artwork, or custom Miis—especially if the Switch 2 introduces an updated Mii Maker—and potentially bring more attention to lesser-known titles.

This isn’t even a new idea for Nintendo. Previous Nintendo consoles have featured similar apps, such as the Wii’s Check Mii Out Channel and the 3DS or Wii U’s Miiverse. While these services failed due to their niche appeal and a general lack of users, the Switch 2 will likely have a larger userbase and a broader appeal.

Moreover, its service will likely be more successful if it’s treated exclusively as a platform for sharing custom-made content rather than trying to compete against standard social media apps.

Even without a dedicated social app, the Switch 2 should still focus on improving its multiplayer features. The original Switch was a massive leap forward for online multiplayer in Nintendo games, which helped the console become a massive success.

Games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 3 already prove that some of Nintendo’s most popular franchises depend on the strength of its console’s online functionality. With further improvements to online connection and the inclusion of in-game voice chat for first-party games—which would be far better than relying on external apps—the Switch 2 can deliver the best online experience on a Nintendo console.

More Non-Gaming Apps

The absence of many major streaming apps on the Switch represents one of the console’s biggest missed opportunities. While there’s no shortage of other devices that support streaming services, the Switch is unique in its functionality as both a handheld and docked console. The simplicity of swapping screens isn’t just great for gaming; it also allows you to easily alternate between watching media on a TV screen or the handheld display.

Just as Sony and Microsoft’s consoles have gradually expanded their catalog of streaming services, Nintendo should focus on making the Switch 2 into a more versatile entertainment system by adding a larger variety of streaming apps to its eShop.

Better Storage Options

Compared to other consoles, the original Switch is severely lacking in storage options. You can use a microSD card to expand the console’s memory but cannot transfer save data between consoles without a cloud storage—which is only available for Nintendo Switch Online members.

Additionally, the Switch is also incompatible with external storage devices. Without an SD card, the Switch has very little internal storage space, which isn’t helped by the console’s lack of support for other devices.

Nintendo will hopefully resolve these issues with the Switch 2. The company had previously announced plans to add external memory support to the Switch, but it’s possible that those plans will instead be applied to the Switch 2. Additionally, Switch owners will likely want to transfer their games and save data to the Switch 2, which makes these additional storage options even more important.

Connecting More Controllers to One Console

The Switch 2’s reveal trailer teased a brand new Mario Kart game that may potentially support up to 24 players at once. While we still don’t know much about the next Mario Kart, its increased player count might be hinting at more than the Switch 2’s improved online functionality.

With its (slightly) more powerful hardware, the Switch 2 could also support an increased player count for local multiplayer games. The original Switch featured games that allowed up to 8 players on the same console, such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Bomberman R. If the Switch 2 allows for even more players to compete in offline multiplayer modes, it can deliver one-of-a-kind party games that can’t be found on any other console.

This is speculation for now. Nintendo hasn’t mentioned anything about the Switch 2 being able to support more players locally, and it’s more likely that the upcoming console will prioritize its online features over its offline multiplayer. Despite this, it wouldn’t be impossible for Nintendo to expand local multiplayer support for its next console, and this change would undoubtedly be a defining feature for the Switch 2.

While there are still many questions surrounding the Switch 2, the console’s recent teaser trailer and accompanying press announcements have given a fairly clear idea of what to expect next from Nintendo. The Switch 2 initially seemed like an unusually unambitious console given Nintendo’s history, but I still think that the Switch 2 still has a few surprises in store for us.

For now, we can only wait for Nintendo to unveil more information at the next Nintendo Direct event on April 2, 2025.