As much as the Nintendo Switch has gained popularity, and as successful as the Switch 2 is expected to be, I believe there won’t be a Nintendo console that I will cherish more than the DS. Nostalgia definitely plays a role in this sentiment, with many hours spent playing Mario Kart with friends during car rides to school. But who cares, approaching my thirties, now is the time to reminisce about my childhood.
Nonetheless, I cannot deny my love for the Switch as well. It has seen the release of some incredible games, and the industry is clearly catching up with it after some delays likely caused by COVID, by introducing various portable consoles (such as the Steam Deck, PlayStation Portal, etc.). The Switch will always be a highly influential console, and even though it is designed for shared play with friends through the Joy-Cons, I still feel it lacks the DS’s greatest feature: download play.
For those unfamiliar with the DS or those who have forgotten about the feature, download play was a simple concept. If your friend owned Mario Kart DS and you didn’t, you could use download play to play together in local co-op. This feature worked for a variety of other games with co-op modes, offering a convenient way to play with friends who had different gaming preferences.
Now, you might be thinking, why do we need this when we have Joy-Cons? Just grab one and start playing together instantly! While that works for games with split-screen functionality, it’s not always ideal. Games like Mario Kart 8 can get crowded on the screen, making it harder to see and enjoy the gameplay, especially in undocked mode.
Take Splatoon, for example – maybe you want to play with a friend who doesn’t own the game, using download play to let them join in, teaming up with computer-controlled teammates. Splatoon wouldn’t work well in split-screen mode, as it would compromise the tactical element of the game.
The introduction of Joy-Cons expanded local co-op possibilities, but they are more suitable for home play and simpler games like Mario Kart. Portable consoles are personal devices that are challenging to share, making a feature like download play a welcome addition, even though it may be unlikely to return.
With the Switch 2 being larger, some of my concerns about playing games undocked with friends may be alleviated. However, I can’t help but look back to a time when sharing a game was effortless. While it may not boost game sales, I’m feeling nostalgic for that simplicity.
Perhaps Nintendo has some unique and intriguing features in store that will make me forget about this minor grievance. I hope that’s the case, as I understand why some may be underwhelmed by the Switch 2 so far. Bringing back the Virtual Console would be a great move, though.
