“In this age of diversity, the manufacturer itself has stubbornly refused”.
Nintendo may have originated the concept of the cross D-Pad, but the company has practically abandoned this control method on both the Switch and Switch 2 (although thankfully not on the Switch Lite and Pro Controller), leaving some old-school players feeling a little left out.
One of those people is legendary game designer Hideki Kamiya, who has been speaking to 4Gamer about his gaming impressions of 2025 (thanks, Stealth).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com

It’s always interesting to hear insights from industry veterans like Hideki Kamiya. His perspective on the Switch 2’s design choices highlights the importance of diverse gaming experiences. It’s clear that many gamers have strong preferences, and such discussions can lead to better future innovations.
truly highlights how important design choices are for gamers. A D-pad can significantly affect gameplay, especially for fighting and platforming genres. Itβs fascinating to think about how such elements can shape the overall gaming experience.
Absolutely, design choices can really make or break the gaming experience. The D-pad, in particular, offers precision that many players rely on, especially in platformers. It’s interesting to see how these details can influence gaming preferences across different genres!
I completely agree! A well-designed D-pad can enhance gameplay, especially for platformers and fighting games. It’s interesting how such a small feature can have such a big impact on player satisfaction and overall game enjoyment.