The Nintendo Switch Should Have Borrowed 3DS StreetPass Functionality
The Nintendo Switch turns five years old in 2022, yet it still has a certain charm that distinguishes it from other consoles. Several years ago, a gaming platform that functions as both a portable handheld and a home console would have been unthinkable, but Nintendo dreamed one up. The Switch may not be as powerful as the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, but its on-the-go capabilities make it a great device for road trips, long commutes, and so on. Its modular design makes the Switch a worthy successor to Nintendo's parallel lines of handheld devices and home consoles.
Still, one wonders if the Switch could have borrowed more from Nintendo handhelds like the 3DS. While the Switch is easy to transport and plays games smoothly in handheld mode, it doesn't do much to actively encourage handheld play. The Nintendo 3DS was notoriously good at motivating fans to carry it around thanks in-large part to StreetPass, where players could earn rewards and play minigames after passing other users. Adding no feature similar to StreetPass seems like a missed opportunity for the Switch, which is otherwise a really strong console.
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StreetPass was a simple but effective way for 3DS users to make brief connections. As long as one's 3DS was on, it would detect nearby players and send a notification. This user detection system found its way into quite a few 3DS games. For example, in Bravely Default, new citizens would move into Norende Village whenever the player got a StreetPass Tag, giving the player more people to assign tasks when rebuilding Norende. Systems like these made players feel rewarded for taking their 3DS along while they were out.
Nintendo offered built-in ways to engage
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