After several days of speculation, it has today been revealed that the Nintendo Switch does not have analogue triggers – putting the console’s rumoured GameCube Virtual Console games in doubt.
We at Power Up Gaming have just returned from the Switch’s official media event in London, and can confirm that both the Switch Joy-Cons and official Pro controller use digital-only triggers, debunking a previous report to the contrary by gaming journalist Laura Kate Dale.
While the news will come as a disappointment to fans of racing sims, which make extensive use of pressure-sensitive controls offered by analogue triggers, it also raises possibly an even more pertinent question: will the Switch be able to support Gamecube titles via the Virtual Console after all?
Prior to Thursday night’s presentation, it had long been rumoured that the console would offer up some of Nintendo’s classic Gamecube titles, such as Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion and Super Smash Bros. Melee, via the eShop, but without analogue triggers – which many of these first-party titles in particular made extensive use of – how will the company be able to port them over to, or indeed emulated them, on the Switch?
It seems unlikely that Nintendo would release yet another controller specifically to play Gamecube titles; although as we saw with the Wii, it does have form for creating a convoluted ecosystem of peripherals.
