Refining the Design: Nintendo Switch 2

An important part of the design process is refining the design of a product. The purpose of refinement is to improve a product so that it better meets the customer’s needs and wants. Without this, innovation is stunted. Consider: if the rotary phone had never been improved, that might have been the same phone used today. However, thanks to improvements in product designs over the past few decades, there are now smart phones that can be used for so many different tasks. This demonstrates that refining the design is critical to making life better and more interesting and there is always room for further innovation. This is even the case with entertainment technology. For those who enjoy video games, life is definitely more interesting with the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, an upgraded version of its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch.

The first Nintendo Switch was a quick success, with 2.7 million units being sold in its first month when it was launched in March 2017. The Nintendo Switch 2 has experienced even greater success, with 3.5 million consoles sold in its first four days when it was launched [1]! Around the time of the first Nintendo Switch’s launch, then President of Nintendo America Reggie Fils-Aimé said “Why should you purchase this device? Well, it’s because you can play this great content, anywhere, anytime with anyone” [2]. Nintendo proved this through the Nintendo Switch’s and Nintendo Switch 2’s unique designs. 

Design Elements of the first Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch’s revolutionary hybrid design instantly captivated audiences. Nintendo recognized that they could reach more people if they designed a console that could be used by anyone, no matter the demands of life. With a small screen that can be docked and connected to a larger TV, the Nintendo Switch can be played either on the go or in the comfort of one’s home. For some people, they may only have time to play when commuting, while others may have more flexibility in their daily life. This design innovation gives all players greater flexibility as to when, where, and with whom they play. 

Figure 1. A docked Nintendo Switch, connected to a TV. In this configuration, the Joy-Cons (the blue and red controllers) are attached to the Switch console [3].

Figure 2. Joy-Cons attached to the Joy-Con grip. The Joy-Con grip helps players to have a more traditional controller experience [4]. 

The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are a critical reason the Nintendo Switch appealed to many different audiences. When playing on a TV, the Joy-Cons can be removed from the Switch and serve as independent controllers that enable multiplayer games, which are perfect for family and party settings. They can also be used together with the Joy-Con grip to enable a more traditional controller experience, a feature that is great for those playing one-player games. Furthermore, with a satisfying click, the Joy-Cons can also be slid onto the Switch to then undock it and play on the go. These very unique and adaptable controllers make it easy to “switch” between where and with whom one plays.

The Nintendo Switch also features a kickstand. When away from the TV, people can either play having the Joy-Cons attached to the Switch or they can remove them and deploy the kickstand to prop the Switch up. The first version of the Nintendo Switch featured a flimsy kickstand, while a later edition spanned most of the length of the Switch, providing greater support [5]. The kickstand also helps enable the adaptability of the Switch to all play styles, which is another reason why the Switch was a hit.

The Nintendo Switch 2’s Refined Design

With the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo took the beloved design elements of the first Nintendo Switch and sought to improve upon them. 

First and foremost, the Switch 2 follows a design trend seen in many other electronics: it is larger and seems sturdier than its predecessor in every regard, including the screen and Joy-Cons [5].

Figure 3. A Nintendo Switch 2, featuring both larger Joy-Cons and a larger screen than its predecessor [5].

Along with the size, the Joy-Cons have received major changes. Instead of sliding them onto the Switch like before, they can now be attached to the Switch 2 by powerful magnets. Additionally, the larger Joy-Cons make playing on the system a more comfortable experience. The Joy-Cons now also feature a mouse mode where one can place the magnetic side on a surface to then use the controller like a computer mouse. This feature can be very helpful in games that require great precision, such as Fortnite [5,6]. These changes to the Joy-Cons are all considerably minor but do enhance user experience, highlighting that refinement in the design process often includes a series of small changes over time. 

Figure 4. A Joy-Con being used like a mouse to play on the Nintendo Switch 2 [5].

The Switch 2 also features an additional USB-C port on the topside, making it possible to charge the Switch 2 when it is propped up by its stand [5,6]. This is a massive improvement from the Switch 1, which only features a port on the bottom of the Switch. This previous design made it basically impossible to charge the Switch when it was propped up. Now one can always play with a Switch 2 propped up, no matter its battery level! This improvement demonstrates empathetic design - Nintendo recognized a user frustration and sought to alleviate that by including this feature.

Figure 5. A Nintendo Switch 2 propped up by its kickstand. Unlike the Switch 1, the Switch 2 can be charged while in this play mode thanks to the additional USB-C port on the top of the console [5].

Final Thoughts

The Nintendo Switch 2’s changes from the Nintendo Switch highlights that successful products are not just invented once – they are continuously improved. Anyone can learn from the refinements manifested in the Nintendo Switch 2 that every product and current solution can be improved, whether that be smart phone technology, cars, medical devices, or anything else. It is clear that refinement is key to making good designs better.  

AI Statement

I used AI to help me know how I could revise my article so that it approached this topic from a broader perspective. I used AI’s suggestions to rewrite some parts of this article, as well as to include a few sentences and ideas. I accept these revisions from AI as my own.

References

[1] Haworth, Jon. “Nintendo Switch 2 Races to Record Sales, Driven by Mario Kart World’s Blockbuster Debut.” ABC News, ABC News Network, abcnews.go.com/Technology/nintendo-switch-2-races-record-sales-driven-mario/story?id=122726415#:~:text=Nintendo%20sold%20an%20estimated%202.7,shorter%20period%2C%20the%20company%20said. Accessed 21 July 2025.

[2] Evangelho, Jason. “Why Is Nintendo’s Switch so Successful? It’s All about the Marketing.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 18 Nov. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2018/06/20/why-is-nintendos-switch-so-successful-it-s-all-about-the-marketing/.

[3] “How to Connect a Nintendo Switch to Your TV.” Asurion, Asurion, 18 Mar. 2025, www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/how-to-connect-nintendo-switch-to-tv/.

[4] “Joy-Con Grip - Hardware - Nintendo - Nintendo Official Site.” Nintendo, www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/joy-con-grip-105703/?srsltid=AfmBOooiXE4hQMnmQoPCcNYjYGzupezP7KZHzwlW6nnH94K6_xIE0HBL. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

[5] Andronico, Mike. “Is the Nintendo Switch 2 Worth It? Here’s What I Think after Nearly Two Months of Playing.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 July 2025, www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/nintendo-switch-2-review.

[6] “Nintendo Switch 2: System Features and Play Modes - Nintendo US.” Nintendo Switch 2: System Features and Play Modes - Nintendo US, Nintendo, www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/features/?srsltid=AfmBOor7C6BBdszxgB1AhI0mC-b1JRatX7fNc1dY6sZV14re97R7nbtk. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

To cite this article:
Hardman, Nicholas. “Refining the Design: Nintendo Switch 2.” The BYU Design Review, 25 August 2025, https://www.designreview.byu.edu/collections/refining-the-design-nintendo-switch-2.