Switch 2 has a secret feature that's perfect for an overlooked genre
Aside from its docked, handheld, and tabletop modes, Nintendo has unintentionally created a fourth way of playing games on Switch 2.
Everyone knows the Nintendo Switch can be played in one of three different ways: connected to your TV via the dock, as a handheld, and in tabletop mode where you use its kickstand to rest it on a table.
This all applies to the Nintendo Switch 2 as well, but it has a different and more versatile stand, which anyone who's played Welcome Tour will know is made of a special high strength metal.
As such, it's been discovered that there's a secret fourth way of playing the Switch 2; one Nintendo probably didn't even mean to make and yet is an ideal set up for playing vertical shooters… and Donkey Kong 3.
If you remove the Joy-Con 2 controllers and turn the kickstand 90° you can stand the Switch 2 on your desk or table vertically. It's extremely stable, and just leans a little, back because the stand isn't flush with the end of the console.
As regular readers will know, we love our vertical shooters and the Switch 1 is home to a decent number of them, even if there are even more in the Japanese eShop than here.
This includes the likes of genre classic Ikaruga, the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha and Bravo collections, and Vasara Collection; all of which can run on Switch 2 through backwards compatibility.
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
These games already came with TATE (*tate* is Japanese for 'vertical') mode support, which allows them to be played when the Switch is rotated vertically. This was something certain older TVs used to be able to do, for the same reason. 1942 series (as part of Capcom Arcade Stadium)
AngerForce: Reloaded
Arcade Archives Alpha Mission
Arcade Archives Argus
Arcade Archives Donkey Kong 3
Arcade Archives Front Line
Arcade Archives Heroic Episode
Arcade Archives Image Fight
Arcade Archives Omega Fighter
Arcade Archives Star Force
Arcade Archives Terra Cresta
Arcade Archives Xevious
Atari Flashback Classics
Commando (as part of Capcom Arcade Stadium)
Contra Anniversary Collection
Danmaku Unlimited 3
DoDonPachi Resurrection
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou (unconfirmed)
Downwell
Dragon Blaze
Ghost Blade HD
Gunbarich
Gunbird
Gunbird 2
Horizon Shift '81
Ikaruga
Konami Anniversary Collection: Arcade Classics
Namco Museum
Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha & Bravo collections
Psyvariar Delta
Raiden 4 X Mikado Remix
Samurai Aces
Sega Ages: Gain Ground
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection
Sol Cresta
Strikers1945 For Nintendo Switch
ACA NEOGEO Strikers 1945 Plus
Strikers 1945 2 for Nintendo Switch
Strikers 1945 3 for Nintendo Switch
Vasara Collection
There may well be more, so if you know that TATE mode works with a Switch game do let us know and we'll update this list.
While these games could be played like this on Switch 1, you couldn't rest it on a table with the kickstand, which prompted someone to design an accessory called the Flip Grip, which can be slotted into the Joy-Con rails.
This accessory isn't compatible with Switch 2, since the Joy-Con 2s attach via magnets, but it's arguably no longer necessary since the Switch 2 feels tailor made for TATE mode.
We first spotted this over on ResetEra but had to test it for ourselves and are pleased to report that it works incredibly well with the sturdier stand. More Trending
Ikaruga automatically detects when the Switch 2 is vertical and reorients itself, which is great, though we also tried Raiden 5 which, tragically, lacks a TATE mode and thus won't change no matter how many times you spin the console.
We've half a mind to believe this was intentional on Nintendo's part, but the company has never acknowledged this as a potential function for the console. Although Donkey Kong 3 does have a TATE mode, so it's not like they've never made their games that way.
Regardless, this could make the Switch 2 the go-to console for vertical shooter fans and encourage studios to ensure any new vertical shooters or retro collections get a Switch 2 release and come with a TATE mode option.
At the very least, we'd love to see Japan exclusive games receive dedicated Western releases. There are a number of vertical shooters that are regrettably only available on the Japanese Nintendo eShop, including gems like 1998's ESP Ra.De. Psi.
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.
To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
MORE: Irem Collection Volume 1 and 2 review – classic 2D shmups from the 90s
MORE: Switch 2 third party games sold 'below our lowest estimates' says publisher
MORE: Every Nintendo Switch 2 launch game reviewed – all 25 games so far
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Square Enix should hire the Expedition 33 team for Final Fantasy 17
A reader imagines what would happen if Sandfall Interactive made the next mainline Final Fantasy game and created a more old school experience. It's always sad when you feel yourself losing touch with something you used to love. Whether it's a film series or a hobby, sometimes you grow out of the thing or sometimes it evolves in a way that no longer interests you. That's where I am with Final Fantasy at the moment, at least in terms of the mainline games. If I'm honest with myself, I haven't truly enjoyed any of them since Final Fantasy 12 and it's only the surprisingly good Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy that hasn't made me completely cynical about the whole series. The final straw, so to speak, for me was Final Fantasy 16, which was the first one I actively hated and never finished. I do not want my Final Fantasy games to be some weird attempt to copy Games Of Thrones. These are Japanese games, and I'd like them to reflect that. If I wanted to play The Witcher 3 I'd go ahead and do so, not put up with a bad copy. It's not even a question of whether 16 is a good game or not, it's just not a Final Fantasy game, in my opinion. And what's worse is that they've stripped so much out of what makes the series unique that I worry they're going to go even further with the next one, so that it's totally unrecognisable as being part of the franchise. That's why I'd like to see Sandfall Interactive, the people behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, make the next Final Fantasy. I realise they're not Japanese, but I feel we'd get a more authentic experience if we let them make Final Fantasy 17 then if we had Square Enix do it. You'd get a game that had a strong Western influence, probably lots of new and original ideas, but also a team that appreciate the older Final Fantasy games. One of the reasons I love Expedition 33 is that it has an old school overworld map and turn-based battles. Square Enix would never do that and yet Expedition 33 will probably end up outselling Final Fantasy 16 in the end. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. That alone is crazy to me and all the reason Square Enix needs to talk to them. After all, if they don't they could end up becoming close competition. I think it's probably unlikely to happen though, because Sandfall (kind of a boring name, don't you think?) will want to make their own games now. I imagine they'll want to have a career like Larian Studios but remember that their biggest hit was Baldur's Gate 3, a licensed game, so maybe Sandfall would be interested in making a Final Fantasy at least once, just to get some money rolling in. Of course, Square Enix could just do it themselves, take Expedition 33 as proof that an older school approach can work and make it internally, but I'm just not sure they have the nerve. Final Fantasy 16 was their big experiment and as much as I'm enjoying the Final Fantasy 7 remakes they're not turn-based at all really. More Trending But I do think that the answer for most of these big franchises, that are getting too expensive to make nowadays, is to go back to what they used to be, just with modernised graphics and features. Not only would it give fans what they want but they'd be cheaper to make and more profitable. After the failure of Final Fantasy 16, what have they go to lose? By reader Lusk The reader's features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@ or use our Submit Stuff page and you won't need to send an email. MORE: I bought GTA 5 for the third time and it's still one of the best games ever - Reader's Feature MORE: We have to accept the Nintendo Switch 2 is not for hardcore gamers - Reader's Feature MORE: The 90s and 2000s were the best time for video game creativity – Reader's Feature
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Scotsman
Dylan Adler brings unhinged musical vomedy to the Fringe
Dylan Adler brings his unique blend of musical comedy and personal storytelling to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August with Haus of Dy-lan, performing at the Pleasance Courtyard's Beside space from 30 July to 24 August (not 11th) at 7.30pm. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Making his Edinburgh debut, Adler offers an hour of high-energy stand-up, original songs and unfiltered anecdotes drawn from his life as a gay, Japanese-Jewish performer growing up in San Francisco. His show is a whirlwind of piano, punchlines, and personal revelations – with the occasional bout of acrobatics thrown in for good measure. Adler, a classically trained pianist turned 'unhinged gay musical comic,' dives headfirst into his own life for comic material. Expect songs, sweat, and sincerity as he unpacks growing up as an identical gay twin, navigating racial identity ('double JAP,' as he puts it), and the very real chaos of therapy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Think theatre kid meets trauma dump – with jazz hands,' Adler jokes. Dylan Adler The show touches on everything from playground bullying (in two languages, no less) to his grandfather's stint training as a kamikaze pilot during WWII – a figure he says he feels connected to 'whenever I feel mentally ill or spiteful of the USA.' Adler's comedy doesn't shy away from the dark stuff – he confronts past sexual trauma, failed relationships and the bizarre mundanity of adult life ('stealing your therapist's toilet paper') with disarming honesty and blistering wit. Whether riffing on heteronormative habits in a gay relationship or screaming at his therapist in song, Adler masterfully blends sharp punchlines with theatrical flair. Already a familiar face stateside, Adler has written and performed for The Late Late Show with James Corden and appeared twice on After Midnight alongside comedy heavyweights Margaret Cho and Atsuko Okatsuka. He also starred in Chelsea Peretti's First Time Female Director and lent his voice to a supervillain role on Disney's Hamster and Gretel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad No stranger to the stage, Adler has opened for Atsuko Okatsuka on her US and European tours, including stops at London's Eventim Apollo and Glasgow's O2 Academy. His previous shows have earned critical acclaim – his 2022 collaboration Rape Victims Are Horny Too with Kelly Bachman was ranked #2 in Paste Magazine's Best Comedy Albums of the Year, and last year's Haus of Dy-lan wowed audiences at Netflix Is A Joke Festival. Also a gifted composer, Adler co-wrote Good Morning New York, which played Off-Broadway, and received the Alan Menken Scholarship for emerging musical theatre talent. With an hour packed with camp, catharsis and chaos, Haus of Dy-lan promises to be one of the more distinctive and daring debuts at this year's Fringe.
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26crop%3D3%3A2%2Csmart%26trim%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
12 hours ago
- Scotsman
M&S unveils brand-new ‘dessert sandwich'
It's inspired by the Japanese 'fruit sando' 🍓 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... M&S has unveiled a brand-new 'dessert sandwich' The sandwich is inspired by the Japanese 'fruit sando' The fruit sandwich is a new take on the British dessert classic of strawberries and cream Marks & Spencer has launched a brand-new sandwich, which has a unique, fruity twist. The limited-edition' dessert sandwich' is named the Strawberry & Creme and features Red Diamond strawberries and a thick layer of whipped cream cheese on sweetened bread. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The new sandwich from M&S is inspired by Japanese 'fruit sando', which are otherwise known as fruit sandwiches. M&S unveils a brand-new 'dessert sandwich' and it's already a hit with customers | Facebook - M&S However, strawberries and cream is a British dessert classic, usually enjoyed during the warmer months. Despite the sandwich including sweet foods, the Strawberry & Creme sandwich will actually be found in the savoury section at the M&S' Foodhall. M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich has already received praise from the public, including those who have already tried the sandwich, and those who haven't. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad M&S unveiled the brand-new sweet treat to its customers via a Facebook post, showcases an image of the sandwich. In the post, M&S wrote: 'New in the M&S Foodhall – WARNING: this summer stunner is going to be BERRY popular.' What has been the public reaction to M&S' new sweet sandwich? The reaction to M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich has been positive from customers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Facebook user said: 'I will definitely try this. Looks delicious.' Another wrote: 'Is it socially acceptable to go to my local store and buy all of them?' Other members of the public have urged M&S to make new variations of the Strawberry & Creme sandwich. Requests included; a gluten-free version, a vegan version, different bread types and different fruits. M&S' Strawberry & Creme sandwich is priced at £2.60 and is available to purchase at M&S Foodhall's across the UK now. If you have a food and drink story to share with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
