Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con Controller Patent Details A Crank And Click Wheel

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There's an interesting Nintendo Switch 2 patent for a couple of Joy-Con 2 features that could potentially arrive on a future iteration of the handheld's controllers. Nintendo has been all about the interaction between the player and the console, with various out-of-the-box ideas in the past for how its controllers are used. The Wii introduced interesting elements, but we can go all the way back to the unique Nintendo 64 controller if looking at unique designs compared to what other console makers have done. 

This time, Nintendo has a patent for a crank and clickable wheel that is attached on the side of a Joy-Con. The Joy-Con 2 already has some interesting features, such as its usability as a trackable mouse. This patent shows a rotary disc, which interacts with the mouse sensor. The clickable wheel is also here, which could open up various possibilities for game interaction. 
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While patents may never see the light of day in a usable product, Nintendo arguably has a better chance than anyone at making these type of unusual attachments work. First, Nintendo has full control over its first-party game titles and thus can closely align the game mechanics with that of its hardware. 

For example, I could see this type of crank and wheel attachment working very well in a game like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. With the myriad of ways you can interact in the environment in that title, including motions similar to what a crank and wheel would offer, it'd be fun to try.

Secondly, the most fitting example would likely be the Mario Party series. Mario Party already has plenty of fun and wacky ways to use the Joy-Cons, and the mini-games could easily be adapted to suit a crank and wheel type feature. It seems like Nintendo is okay with having features on its hardware that are only used occasionally, such as the mouse sensor on the current Joy-Con 2. 

While the Joy-Con 2 has some attachments, such as the wrist cord, this would make for an interesting addition. The magnetic Joy-Con 2 way to attaching to the console is well done, so we're sure Nintendo could pull something like this crank and wheel off. (P.S. Please Nintendo, give us 'magnetic' Hall effects or TMR on these Joy-Con thumbsticks before other gizmos are introduced.)