The Nintendo Switch is marketed as capable of delivering three gaming modes for players: traditional home console play, handheld mode, and a table mode thanks to its kickstand. But lo and behold, the Switch can actually support one more mode: vertical.
Nintendo Switch Vertical Mode
The Nintendo Switch at present, especially its digital store, is fairly incipient. As such, its virtual console collection is still quite a measly sight, though a number of emulated classics have already made their way onto the eShop.
This week, as Ars Technica reports, fans noticed that few of the current slate of '80s and '90s titles on the system held one surprising feature that could have gone unnoticed, and this is indeed the vertical mode. At present, one of the only few classic games available to download from the eShop is Neo Turf Masters, released originally for the Neo Geo.
Going through the display settings in Neo Turf Masters reveals an option for the "orientation of the display," which one Reddit user tested. The display option, as uncovered by HandsomeCostanza, lets users rotate the screen 90 degrees.
But it looks like the functionality isn't limited to Neo Turf Masters. Wanting to find out if other emulated games also featured such an option, Ars Technica bought Metal Slug 3. Surprise, surprise: the game does also feature a vertical display option.
Is Playing The Switch On Vertical Mode Ideal?
While the vertical mode does spell for nifty little tricks in the future, there are also questions about the mode's actual usefulness. First off, when in vertical mode, holding the Nintendo Switch feels awkward, with the main unit supported by the bottom Joy-Con. Polygon notes that holding the Switch this way makes balancing it difficult; it had to adjust the Switch recurringly.
This means that a vertical mode for emulated Switch games only make sense if there's some sort of stand that can make the Switch stand upright, with players taking out both Joy-Con controllers. The Switch's inbuilt kickstand can't support this, however, because it's only designed for tabletop mode, which places the system horizontally. For future vertical modes, players would have to look for a third-party stand altogether. Still, it's not like Nintendo is actively pursuing to force all games to support vertical modes of play. Maybe it's just a neat little extra tucked away inside the Neo Geo games.
The Kind Of Games Perfect For Vertical Modes
That said, it's easy to see which kind of games can shine if given such a mode. Shoot-em-'up titles, for example, can really benefit from having ample vertical screen space. If a developer makes a game that utilizes a vertical mode, and it ends up working well, what's to stop others from exploring the same thing? Granted, it isn't ideal, but heck, it's certainly not impossible.
To be honest, while the vertical mode is a cool little add-on, it runs the risk of possibly messing with the Switch's core marketing message: play as you like, in a home console or handheld modes. In its reveal video, Nintendo didn't even showcase the Switch's touchscreen, which was seen as a smart marketing move, so as not to garble the main message of the console's hybrid capabilities.
The Nintendo Switch was released on March 3, retailing for $299. As of mid-March, 1.5 million units have already been sold, according to reports, which is just 500,000 short of the company's total initial allocation for March.
