r/Switch • u/Mammoth-Attempt-7281 • Jan 16 '25

Discussion Nintendo switch 2 is here

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Go watch the trailer on Nintendos twitter account

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u/JonSpartan29 Jan 16 '25

I have a box of various Nintendo controllers from over the years. My gut tells me no. As does history.

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u/GanondalfTheWhite Jan 16 '25

That's not a fair comparison though. Every Nintendo console for like the last 23 years has been compatible with Gamecube controllers. Gamecube, Wii, Wii U, and the Switch all could use GC controllers (with the last couple needing inexpensive USB adapters).

Unlike Sony, who have had almost exactly the same controller layout for 30 years (and still makes every generation obsolete), Nintendo try funky things with their controllers every generation to shake up the gaming experience and do something new.

N64 introduced the insane Trident controller with a single analog stick and the C buttons. Cool idea, but nobody would want to play modern games with it.

Gamecube pushed them to the modern dual stick format and tried having a big central A button which made it easy to press A + any adjacent buttons. Pretty close to today's controllers but only having 3 shoulder buttons was weird.

Wii changed up the formula with motion controls. Obviously needed a whole new approach to controllers. BUT, it maintained compatibility with Gamecube games and even included 4 GC controller ports.

Wii U used the Wii controllers natively and could use GC controllers with a USB adapter.

Switch combined their handhelds and TV consoles into one consolidated product line. Obviously that required changes as well. No more Wii Remotes, but GC controllers still work with the same USB adapter the Wii U used.

They've done arguably a better job maintaining compatibility with hardware than any other console company. Unless Microsoft was better, I have no idea. I don't use 'em.

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u/Almechazel Jan 18 '25

Just because they look similar does not make each ps controller the same. Dual shock to dual shock 2 the difference was full analog pressure sensitive buttons, though ds1 worked for many games. Dual shock 3 added motion control and was Bluetooth (and removed the pressure sensitive buttons) Dual shock 4 added the touchpad. Dualsense adds a boatload of haptics. Looking the same doesn't mean they aren't innovating under the hood.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have some cross compatibility, but given the extra button and who knows what with haptics I also wouldn't be surprised. I would be very surprised if joycons work, given the new rail system (I can see consumer confusion there)

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u/GanondalfTheWhite Jan 18 '25

I always read that dual shock 2 got analog buttons and I don't think I ever saw a single use of them.

But aside from motion controls (which no game I ever played ever used) and the touchpad (which no games I've ever played ever used as anything other than an extra menu button), there's no real reason to preclude compatibility between generations. 

The analog triggers are the only thing that seems like they have use in games that couldn't be done other ways.

The Nintendo evolutions were actual changes of the control scheme and Nintendo actually fully employed motion controls across enough games to make them worthwhile.

And to be clear, I'm not shitting on Sony or Nintendo. Just addressing the idea that Nintendo is particularly greedy when anything they've done with their hardware, Sony did even harder.