Nintendo Switch 2's Impressive Features Hinted At In Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Code

Summary Recent findings in Paper Mario could confirm a 4K option for the Nintendo Switch 2, aligning with long-standing rumors.

Leaked info suggests the Switch 2 may support 4K resolutions when docked, with an improved battery for handheld play.

Speculation about Switch 2 includes a redesign of Joy-Cons and full backward compatibility.

Some of the longest-standing reports about the next iteration of the Nintendo Switch 2 may have just been confirmed by the release of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Following confirmation that a follow-up to the Switch would be announced before the end of 2025's first quarter, the rumor mill regarding Nintendo's next console has spun out of control as speculation runs rampant across social media. While next to nothing has been confirmed about the so-called Nintendo Switch 2, it seems more and more likely that a massive prediction may come true.

Posted to X (formerly Twitter) by dataminer RibShark, a line of code in the recent Switch remaster of the classic Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door suggests that the game allows an option to run in a 4K resolution, making it the first game on the system that offers such a feature.

It's also notable since the Nintendo Switch doesn't actually support 4K outputs, suggesting that it could have been implemented to ensure it works natively with Nintendo Switch 2. While not confirmation by itself, rumors have alleged for years that the second iteration of the Switch would allow 4K resolutions.

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Could The Nintendo Switch 2 Offer 4K?

It Sounds More And More Possible

The discovery of a 4K option for Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door aligns with reports that when docked, the Switch 2 would use an upscaled 4K resolution for all games built to support it. It seems unlikely that such an option would be possible when playing in handheld mode given the amount of power required to pull off such an upgrade. Having said that, leakers have claimed that the Switch 2 will also sport a substantially larger battery to help facilitate longer undocked play times, so an improved resolution may not be out of the question.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is still clouded in mystery but some of the more credible reports paint a picture of a revamped hybrid console that's fixing many of the original system's biggest faults. It may still largely be speculation, but several insiders have suggested that Joy-Cons may be redesigned to attach to the console with magnets rather than the integrated slide clasp. Additionally, it's also widely believed that it will include full backward compatibility so consumers will be able to play their collections on the upgraded device.

Whether or not the Nintendo Switch's successor boasts these impressive features remains to be seen but fans won't need to wait too long to find out. As mentioned above, the company confirmed that the console will be announced before the end of March 2025. In the interim, Nintendo is also planning a major Direct showcase in June but the contents will largely be focused on upcoming games rather than hardware.

Source: RibShark/X