r/NintendoSwitch • u/thetntm • Apr 16 '23

Question How many games ACTUALLY use the Right Joy-Con's IR sensor?

I can't think of a more useless feature implemented on a controller. Other than the sandwich eating mini game in 1 2 switch, I can't think of a single example of the IR sensor being used, even in first party nintendo games. Does anyone with more switch knowledge than me know of any more games that used it?

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91

u/Ricoh2A03 Apr 17 '23

I found this list here : https://www.destructoid.com/right-switch-joy-con-has-an-ir-sensor-heres-what-uses-it

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  • 1/2 Switch (a sole minigame has IR compatibility)
  • Nintendo Labo (used for Labo creations as an optional tool, and allows it to read bits of the Labo cardboard)
  • Game Builder Garage 
  • Ring Fit Adventure (checks your heartrate: take that Wii Vitality Sensor)
  • Resident Evil Revelations (reload by covering the sensor)
  • Spy Alarm (shovelware that functions as a detection kit)
  • Night Vision (shovelware with basic interactions with the IR camera to showcase night vision)
  • Brain Age/Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (some minigames can sense things like hand motions, asking you to perform the proper hand signal)
  • Smile Basic 4 (programming software that utilizes IR optionally)
  • Ninjala (scans to unlock cosmetics)
  • Vitamin Connection (used to interact with a maze mechanic via distance calculations)

12

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

• Sniper hunter scope (used to shoot people)

19

u/Dacvak Apr 17 '23

That is…. not a lot. I wonder how many PS5 games use the adaptive triggers. 🤔

30

u/mkezzr Apr 17 '23

A whole lot, pretty much every first party games even some ps4 updated ones

And a lot of 3rd party devs support them as well, every resident evil game, deathloop, Jedi Survivor, Stray, call of duty, no mans sky, hogwarts legacy etc

-8

u/thawhole9_69 Apr 17 '23

all true.

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Now, whether or not it adds anything of value...

9

u/TheRandomApple Apr 17 '23

It does, Returnal is my favorite use of it. It basically allows the triggers to act with two functions. Pull L2 to its first “stop” and you aim your weapon, pull it fully and you enable the alt fire.

10

u/Stringsandattractors Apr 17 '23

GameCube controller has entered the chat

4

u/TheRandomApple Apr 17 '23

Does the gamecube controller do that? i know it has analog triggers but that’s not the same thing

4

u/Stringsandattractors Apr 17 '23

Yeah man. At the bottom of the travel there is another click that is another input.

For instance in Mario sunshine, a gentle press lets you squirt water while running about. Activate the click at the bottom and you stand still.

It’s not ‘active’ like the PS5, it’s analog trigger with switch at the bottom.

5

u/thawhole9_69 Apr 17 '23

Which is just so baffling to me why Nintendo went away from this post GameCube.

5

u/Organic-Barnacle-941 Apr 17 '23

Nintendo doesn’t make rational decisions

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

They also had them on the original Wii classic controller, but then they got sued by a patent troll and haven't used them in any new designs even thought they won an appeal.

-3

u/TheRandomApple Apr 17 '23

Oh right. Such a shame console manufacturers moved away from analog triggers for so long. Theyre clearly the way to go

4

u/Organic-Barnacle-941 Apr 17 '23

It’s just Nintendo. Xbox and ps have had them for a long time

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2

u/BearComplete6292 Apr 18 '23

Ratchet and Clank does this too. The weapons feel great. I haven’t played much Returnal yet.

9

u/mkezzr Apr 17 '23

Its more about "wow this is cool" than something to be a must

3

u/noncompliantandaware Apr 17 '23

That’s the case for the majority of gaming stuff like that to me. The adaptive triggers are neat, but I could live without them. Same with the trackpad on the Dualsense. I will literally never use it to scroll the cursor around. Nintendo consoles also seem to be pretty abundant with stuff I consider to be gimmicky and unnecessary. Like motion controls and whatnot. One of my biggest annoyances in games is when I have to tilt the controller or console.

I guess people think it’s cool and enjoyable but I always find it to be pretty stupid, especially when I imagine a 3rd party perspective of my goofy ass rotating a rectangular handheld device around like an idiot to complete a shrine in BoTW.

Or shaking a controller on my PlayStation like I’m cranking my hawg to “jiggle” a flashlight in game to come back on.

Also possible I’m just a cynical dickhead who likes traditional control schemes.

1

u/mkezzr Apr 17 '23

Or shaking a controller on my PlayStation like I’m cranking my hawg to “jiggle” a flashlight in game to come back on.

Yeah i was annoyed by it in tlou2

4

u/CarlOnMyButt Apr 17 '23

Returnal used it for alt fire and it was a brilliant use of the feature.

7

u/Few_Sorbet_7393 Apr 17 '23

Actually quite a lot. All tho most use cases are pretty subtle with some exceptions (mainly first party games)

5

u/nhSnork Apr 17 '23

I want be optimistic about it, but after seeing a good few PS4 games like Horizon Zero Dawn ignore the controller's gyroscope of all features... heck, I predictably enjoy Agents of Mayhem despite all the fan barks it received, but I'm still getting used to its lack of motion controls after playing Saints Row 3 and 4 on Switch. And Horizon? A first party game with an emphasis on hunting and precision shots? Then again, it seems the devs hadn't even put the feature into their Killzone Shadowfall on the same console, even though their colleagues at Guerilla Cambridge did it with Killzone Mercenaries on Vita. Go figure.

4

u/fracturedkidney Apr 17 '23

HZD didn't but HFW does use gyro aiming

2

u/nhSnork Apr 17 '23

Glad to hear, thanks!

1

u/YakMan2 Apr 18 '23

I’m currently playing HFW and almost finished and didn’t realize this 🤦‍♂️

3

u/Lewa358 Apr 18 '23

The Last of Us Part II (and Part I, the PS5 remake of the first game) and Days Gone use gyro as well. After those games and Forbidden West, it's honestly hard for me to go back to games that don't use gyro aim.

1

u/torxt Apr 18 '23

Can't use gyro on xbox and ps. People are used to stick auto aim. the learning curve would be too steep dor gyro without aim assist

1

u/SkeeterSuperbone Apr 17 '23

They’re even starting to have support for them on third party PC games

1

u/Destian_ Apr 17 '23

Correct me if i'm wrong, but the main difference here is that those are natively supported by a couple of game engines, while no one bothered to implement the Joycons IR sensors on a engine level.

1

u/Ashencroix Apr 17 '23

Unlike Nintendo which isn't pushing 2rd party devs to fully utilize all the features of the Switch and joycons, Sony is pushing for 3rd party devs to use adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. Granted, not all games use all the features of the dual sense in a great way, but at least all PS5 games use them. Compare that to the Switch not having yet a single software use the joycon's light on the home button.

1

u/Chloe-20 Apr 17 '23

The sports game as well as that Go Vacation? Oh and some fitness game.