Nintendo Today app shows how Switch 2 Joy-Con mouse mode benefits menu navigation

So far, much focus has been on how the Switch 2 Joy-Con mouse mode enhances gaming. Players can target enemies more precisely during intense Metroid Prime 4 action. However, a new Nintendo Today app demo shows how the Switch 2 controller adapts for menu navigation.

The Nintendo Today app features regular videos highlighting the Switch 2 specs. In the latest clip, viewers see a Joy-Con moving a cursor on the handheld's home menu. Nintendo makes it clear how the analog sticks still function and can scroll through menus. Gamers can also activate mouse control by setting the Joy-Con 2 flat on a surface. Lifting the accessory up reverts to the standard controller mode.

Directional inputs are more than sufficient if the Switch 2 home screen remains uncluttered. The simplistic interface doesn't resemble an operating system like Windows with multi-layered menus. Still, mouse control could accommodate new versions of games like Mario Paint. Some Nintendo titles encourage creativity and blur the lines between gaming and productivity. The SNES edition of Mario Paint actually shipped with a mouse and a mouse pad.

While Switch 2 Joy-Cons are more versatile, not everyone is convinced of their advantages. During hands-on sessions, some testers questioned their ergonomics. The shape of the peripherals makes it more difficult to access the buttons compared to a traditional mouse. Shooters showcase the enhanced precision of mouse mode, but repeated swiping in Drag x Drive can become fatiguing.

Mouse functionality isn't the only improvement with the Switch 2 controller. Using a quick-release button and magnetic contacts, gamers can easily detach and reattach the Joy-Cons. Even so, the lack of Hall effect analog sticks makes Nintendo's claim of enhanced durability seem dubious.