Nintendo's Switch 2 Prioritizes Accessibility

Following months of fervent anticipation fueled by speculation and leaks, Nintendo officially revealed the Switch 2 through a dedicated Direct presentation. We were treated to trailers for new titles such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bonanza, alongside exclusive Nintendo GameCube titles for Switch 2 Online. Crucially, we received a comprehensive look at the console itself. I'm pleased to note that from an accessibility standpoint, the Switch 2 represents a clear, multi-faceted upgrade over its predecessor.

Several months prior, I outlined my accessibility predictions for Nintendo's forthcoming console. My hopes included more robust accessibility features, enhanced Joy-Con functionality, and inclusive design innovations. To my surprise, Nintendo not only addressed each of these points but exceeded them. This edition of Access Designed will explore the exciting, confirmed accessibility enhancements of the Switch 2.

New Accessibility Settings

The Direct presentation itself revealed few concrete accessibility options, aside from fully customizable controls for each virtual GameCube title, which respect the system settings. However, Nintendo subsequently published a dedicated accessibility webpage outlining a wide array of returning and new features.

Fully customizable controls return, functioning identically to the original Switch. The option to adjust text size across three variants is also back, now augmented with the ability to enable High Contrast mode and alter general display colors. The essential Zoom functionality for blind and low-vision players makes a comeback as well. Perhaps the most significant surprise is the introduction of a new "Screen Reader" setting.

Blind and low-vision users often rely on Text-to-Speech to navigate menus and settings. While this feature is currently confirmed for the HOME menu and system settings, it is a vital tool that empowers disabled players to operate the Switch 2 independently. The Screen Reader includes options to select different voices, adjust reading speed, and control volume. It remains to be seen whether individual games will support these system tools or offer their own accessibility options. Nonetheless, Nintendo's explicit acknowledgment of its disabled audience is a welcome development that heightens my interest in the company's future accessibility initiatives.

Innovative Design

Beyond dedicated system menus, Nintendo showcased a novel inclusive tool that significantly enhances cognitive, physical, and blind/low-vision accessibility within a beloved franchise. The rebranded Nintendo Switch App now includes Zelda Notes, a companion application for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Its Navigation feature allows players to pinpoint shops, points of interest, and even elusive Koroks using a GPS-style interface. The app provides audio cues and spoken directions to guide players directly to their selected destination. While not a perfect solution—it doesn't assist with precise navigation or enemy encounters—it greatly aids blind and low-vision players in traversing the vast overworld and reduces cognitive load.

A particularly valuable feature for cognitively, physically, and blind/low-vision disabled players is the Autobuild Sharing tool within the app. It enables users to share their custom Zonai device creations via a scannable QR code. With the necessary materials, disabled individuals can automatically construct these machines. Personally, I found the control scheme and button combinations for building Zonai machinery in Tears of the Kingdom immensely challenging. This new tool means I only need to gather resources, bypassing the intricate building process entirely. This exemplifies the inclusive design principles for which I have consistently praised Nintendo.

Finally, the Item Sharing feature operates similarly to Autobuild Sharing, allowing disabled players to exchange items via QR codes. This significantly reduces physical strain by eliminating the need to constantly scour the world for weapons and food. Do these features make Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom fully accessible? Not entirely. However, they represent an incredible stride forward.

Wheelchair Sports

The most surprising announcement for me was undoubtedly Drag X Drive, a Rocket League-inspired game where players control characters in manual wheelchairs on a basketball court. This reveal is a fantastic example of positive disability representation and highlights one of the Switch 2's few new hardware innovations: mouse-style control.

By placing a Joy-Con on its side, players can glide it across any surface, mimicking the function of a computer mouse. While the precise force required for cursor movement is still unknown—for context, my ultrawide monitor mouse operates at 6400 DPI—any novel input method undoubtedly holds accessibility potential for a wide range of disabled players. It's exciting to speculate how Nintendo will leverage this feature, but more importantly, it provides another tool for disabled individuals. Coupled with the extensive array of controller types already compatible with the Switch and Switch 2, Nintendo continues to innovate in controller usage.

As a lifelong Nintendo fan, my excitement for the Switch 2 is immense. While the prospective $450 price point gives me pause, my passion for gaming originated with Nintendo. Each new console brings compelling accessibility advancements that reinforce Nintendo's commitment to inclusive design. Although a first-party accessible device akin to the Xbox Adaptive Controller or PlayStation Access Controller is not yet offered, Nintendo is forging its own path by innovating new ways for disabled individuals to play. Combining these innovations with the recent news of Nintendo collaborating on standardized accessibility tags, I am confident we will see the company continue to elevate accessibility standards for the better.