Technologies

The Switch 2’s Mouse Controls Could Make it an FPS-Friendly Console

Nintendo consoles have never had the strongest suite of shooters. The Switch 2 has the power to change that.

The last time Nintendo truly broke ground in the first-person shooter (FPS) genre was with GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64 — and that was in 1997. Since then, other consoles took the lead with better controllers for shooters, with Nintendo’s trailing. Now, the reveal of the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons are giving the publisher a real chance to compete in the shooter market once again.

Nintendo hasn’t strayed from porting major FPS games to the Switch. Classic games Doom and Quake are available alongside contemporary titles like Superhot and Dusk. The hybrid console even runs Overwatch 2 (albeit poorly), allowing gamers to take player-vs-player hero shooter action on-the-go.

But many other major FPS series didn’t make it onto the Switch. Perhaps this is because the family-friendly perception of the console or the hardware limitations compared to more powerful Xbox and PlayStation consoles. What’s equally likely is that the Joy-Con design just doesn’t support an FPS control scheme for long play sessions, making these shooters less desirable on the console.

The Switch 2’s Joy-Cons introduce a mouse control feature that could elevate FPS games past usual console limitations. If these new Joy-Cons can match the aiming precision of a keyboard and mouse — or at the very least, surpass that of joystick-packing controllers like those on rival Xbox and PlayStation consoles — then there’s a chance for the next Nintendo console to become a fan-favorite handheld for shooter aficionados.

We’ll soon see how the mouse controls perform in action. The feature will have an early trial by fire with a returning first-party series that might make or break the hardware’s adoption by third-party developers.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond could be the FPS trendsetter for the Switch 2

One of the Switch 2 Nintendo Treehouse streams showcased some hands-on gameplay with the newest entry in the Metroid Prime series, which has been dormant since Metroid Prime 3 launched on the Wii in 2007.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond still uses the series’ signature lock-on aim feature with an outsized focus on other mechanics like Samus’ visor scanner and morph ball modes but now on the Switch 2, players also will have the ability to seamlessly switch to Joy-Con mouse controls as they play the game.

The swap from the gamepad to the mouse controls looks quick and easy — the Treehouse presenter didn’t even have to root around in the game’s menus to transition from controller aim to mouse aim. Whether players will have a desk nearby when playing on their couch is another question.

The accuracy on display afterward certainly wasn’t great but it remains to be seen whether this is because the Joy-Con mouse controls are cumbersome to use or if there’s a higher skill ceiling than what we saw on stream.

If it’s really this easy and intuitive to swap between the different Switch 2 Joy-Con control schemes, this might be a rare Nintendo hardware feature that third-party developers opt to build their ports around.

The performance of Metroid Prime 4 Beyond could be one of the key proverbial battlegrounds that dictate whether mouse controls for FPS games will make the console a serious home for shooters — but it won’t be the true deciding factor.

Mouse controls adoption is in the hands of third-party developers — and players

Nintendo has already made a strong statement about their support for third-party development for their new console. We know the Switch 2 will have ports for some of the biggest AAA games published in the past few years, including Hogwarts Legacy, Split Fiction and even Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition.

That doesn’t mean that every third-party developer is going to want to port their game to Switch 2. Overwatch and Apex Legends are already here but that doesn’t guarantee that other developers will want to expend time and resources creating a Switch 2 port for their shooter.

How audiences choose to engage with the first batch of FPS games on the new console could also change how third-party developers approach the Switch 2 and whether they choose to account for the Joy-Con mouse control scheme.

It’s not a guarantee that the Switch 2’s mouse controls will be a hit for FPS players at this point, because few people have hands-on experience with them. It’s hard to say whether dragging the Joy-Con across the table will truly approximate the fine-motor control of aiming with a mouse. In games that require precision accuracy, the console’s mouse mode has a lot to live up to for shooter enthusiasts.

Do the new Joy-Con sensors smoothly track your physical movements? That’s between Scott Stein and God. We don’t even know if there’s a way to change the dots per inch (DPI) of these controllers to account for different people’s look sensitivity preferences.

Frankly, it’s unclear whether it’ll even be comfortable to use the Joy-Con mouse controls for a prolonged period of time. These are pretty small pieces of equipment, and it looks like it could be uncomfortable to curl your finger up around the trigger to fire weapons — which would be a win for claw grip users, and everyone else will just have to cope.

There are just too many variables at work to say for certain whether the Switch 2’s new hardware feature will revitalize FPS gaming on Nintendo consoles, or if it’ll just be another underused gimmick.

But one thing is certain: The usually family-friendly publisher is primed to take shooters seriously on the console and I’m embracing their experiment with open arms.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Dec. 26

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 26.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Some of the clues are tough today — I thought maybe 1-Across was referring to the Grinch, or even Oscar the Grouch, but was I ever wrong! Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Furry and green, say
Answer: MOSSY

6A clue: State known for its potatoes
Answer: IDAHO

7A clue: Like a faithful friend
Answer: LOYAL

8A clue: Had a beverage
Answer: DRANK

9A clue: Pronoun frequently paired with «her»
Answer: SHE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Not spicy, as salsa
Answer: MILD

2D clue: Reasons for wrinkled noses
Answer: ODORS

3D clue: Words from a doctor checking your tonsils
Answer: SAYAH

4D clue: Comedian Gillis
Answer: SHANE

5D clue: Part of an egg used to make hollandaise sauce
Answer: YOLK

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 26, #459

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 26, No. 459.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. That purple category once again has players looking for a different, but related, hidden word in four of the clues. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Big Apple jock.

Green group hint: College football fun.

Blue group hint: On the road.

Purple group hint: Hunt down a word in other words.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: A New York athlete.

Green group: Bowl games.

Blue group: Associated with a team road trip.

Purple group: Ends in a movement verb.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is a New York athlete. The four answers are Islander, Net, Ranger and Yankee.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is bowl games. The four answers are Alamo, Gator, Liberty and Pinstripe.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with a team road trip. The four answers are bus, flight, hotel and visiting locker room.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends in a movement verb. The four answers are foxtrot (trot), newsprint (sprint), terrace (race) and thunderbolt (bolt).

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 26, #929

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Dec. 26 #929

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is full of fun pop-culture references. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Golden state cliches.

Green group hint: Funny films.

Blue group hint: Rock on.

Purple group hint: Not white.