5 Underrated Innovations of the Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo's modern masterpiece. It was released worldwide on March 3, 2017, and in the short time it has been in consumers' hands, it has become one of the best-selling video game consoles of all time.

Upon release, it was praised for its potential, and now, eight years later, most of that potential has been realized. However, there are numerous under-discussed ways in which Nintendo innovated in console gaming with the Nintendo Switch. Here are some of the Nintendo Switch's biggest innovations.

When considering the Nintendo Switch and its design aspects that have gone under the radar, the IR Motion Camera is one innovation that is often under-discussed. The feature is explicitly located on the right Joy-Con and can detect shapes, distance, and even thermal images. This design enables the creation of unique games and serves as the driving force behind the quirkiness of 1-2 Switch and Nintendo Labo. While this is one of the more fascinating aspects of the Nintendo Switch, it was underutilized; here's hoping the Nintendo Switch 2 taps into its full potential.

The HD Rumble haptic technology was introduced in the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons and Pro Controller. Vibration is nothing new in gaming, but the HD Rumble is vibration so precise you could feel something as small as an individual ice cube in a glass. Similar to the IR Motion Camera, this function wasn't used as much, with most developers opting for normal basic vibration. Players can experience this sort of feedback in early Switch titles like 1-2 Switch and Super Mario Odyssey.

One of, if not the most obvious, innovations of the Nintendo Switch is the Joy-Con itself. These controllers enable the Switch's true portability. Players can enjoy multiplayer games anywhere with these detachable controllers. Before the Switch, this sort of thing was unheard of, and the clever design choice to allow for the Joy-Cons to be used by anyone, anywhere makes it stand out amongst other consoles. While it's now taken for granted, in retrospect, this was groundbreaking.

Nintendo is known for making it easier to share the joy of their games with others. While the Joy-Con allows for multiplayer on the go, the Nintendo Switch can link directly with other Switch consoles, eliminating the need for an internet connection. Fans of titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Splatoon 2 may already be familiar with this feature, as it enables them to play together in the same room on their screens with minimal latency. This feature brings the LAN party into the modern age, and while most players are just playing with friends online, the fact that we have this option is worth celebrating.

The Nintendo Switch has numerous under-the-hood features that consumers may not even be aware of. One feature that is a godsend for players is the Find Controllers feature. This feature allows you to ping paired Joy-Cons, causing them to vibrate. Joy-Cons are small, so it's very easy to misplace one in a couch cushion or something. Another significant, underrated feature is the ability to customize your controller layouts for ANY GAME. Sony and Microsoft can learn from this flexibility, and any Xbox gamers who are accustomed to the A and B buttons being swapped can adjust this setting accordingly.