On August 7, a patent filed by Nintendo in February 2024 for a Joy-Con controller peripheral surfaced online and quickly went viral on social media. The patent reveals a conceptual hand crank attachment for Joy-Con controllers, sparking speculation about potential gameplay applications on the upcoming Switch 2.
The design—illustrated in the official filing—shows a side-mounted accessory that could work with the Joy-Con’s built-in mouse operation sensors. This suggests integration with games that use “mouse mode,” such as the Mario Paint SNES app, or upcoming titles like Drag X Drive (mandatory mouse mode) and Metroid Prime 4: Echoes (optional mouse mode).
According to GameSpot and the official patent filing, the accessory could feature:
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Full rotational movement via the crank handle
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Magnetic or mechanical attachment to the Joy-Con
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Interaction with mouse sensors for precision input
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Detachable crank handle for versatility
While the patent doesn’t confirm production plans, the concept opens doors to fishing minigames, novel puzzle mechanics, and even experimental control schemes reminiscent of Panic’s Playdate handheld console, which also features a crank as a key input method.
Historically, Nintendo has not shied away from unique accessories—ranging from the Wii Balance Board to the Ring-Con. Whether this crank makes it to market or remains a fascinating “what if” will depend on development priorities for the Switch 2 era.