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Hori's Piranha Plant Switch 2 camera is a work of art

Hori's Piranha Plant Switch 2 camera is a work of art

Yahoo03-04-2025

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
Yesterday, we learned a lot about the Switch 2 we didn't know before, including the fact Nintendo that will offer a webcam alongside the new console. As far as accessories go, the $50 Switch 2 Camera looks boring, and judging from the footage the company shared on Wednesday, not particularly great at its intended purpose of, you know, capturing moving pictures.
The good news? Nintendo is allowing third-party manufacturers to make their own webcams for the new console. Enter the Hori Piranha Plant Camera.
Hori's Switch 2 camera has a couple of features you won't find on Nintendo's first-party offering. First, the pot the Piranha Plant sits in functions as both as a stand and USB extension for the device. The part of the Piranha that houses the webcam can detach from the pot, allowing you to, ahem, plant it directly on the top of the Switch 2. In that way, you can take your new buddy on the road. Want to trash talk your friends over video in GameChat while on a domestic flight? With the Piranha Plant and in-flight Wi-Fi, you can.
Second, the Piranha Plant camera has a built-in privacy shutter. You can simply close its mouth to obscure the lens. If that's not clever, functional design, I don't know what is.
Hori has yet to list the Piranha Plant camera on its US website, but over in Germany, retailer Media Markt has the accessory priced at €40 or €20 less than the official Switch 2 Camera from Nintendo. Practical, stylish and affordable, what's not to love?

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The Nintendo Switch 2 is a refinement rather than a reinvention. Is that enough?
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Nintendo is in many ways a different company now than it was back in 2017 when it released the Switch. For one, it has sold more than 150 million units of its hybrid TV/on-the-go console, making it the defining game device of the last decade. Nintendo also expanded its universes beyond its game consoles. At long last, 'Super Mario Bros.' became a blockbuster animated film, and there are now three Super Nintendo World theme park properties, including one here in Los Angeles at Universal Studios Hollywood. That makes the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 something of an event, and arguably the most important tech instrument of the year. So, the good news. The pricey Switch 2 is a worthy successor to the original. And unlike the motion-controlled Wii in 2006 or the dual-screen Nintendo DS in 2004, this play-it-somewhat-safe console takes an if-it-ain't-broke philosophy to gaming, continuing Nintendo's legacy rather than redefining it. While it's bigger, stronger, better feeling, higher-res and comes with a couple new tricks, overall it's primarily a refinement of the original Switch's ideas. The first game company to make interactive characters household names — Donkey Kong, Mario, Link, take your pick — Nintendo has become a full-fledged, cross-media storytelling company. And it has done so via a medium that in its most mainstream form is only about four decades old. The Switch 2, officially released June 5 and selling for $449.99, is the vessel for which Nintendo will reveal its play-focused worlds for likely the next decade. The reception from consumers may be inspiring but brings with it a host of questions. The Switch itself is far from obsolete, despite being significantly less powerful than Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox consoles, due largely to its hybrid design. And consumers may be forgiven for wondering why — or when — they should upgrade to a machine that looks, feels and plays similar to the one they currently own, especially when Nintendo is unleashing only one new core game for it this month, the dazzling 'Mario Kart World.' Valid, but I believe those who make the leap will be happy in their investment, even if its lineup of exclusive games is relatively barren for now. There are enough improvements to make the Switch 2 feel fresh. I'm eager, for one, to see how its controllers, the detachable 'Joy-Cons,' evolve, as they now have the ability to act as a mouse. This has already come in handy in the strategy game 'Civilization VII,' a title I waited for the Switch 2 to play and one that can utilize the more precise maneuvers mouse controls provide. First-person shooters should benefit even more. And then there are its chat features, which can be enhanced with an optional Nintendo camera ($54.99). 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In handheld mode I was able to get about two hours of 'Mario Kart World' before needing to recharge. The console fared better with independent and smaller games. But the real reason to buy a new gaming console is for its next-generation games. Nintendo is counting on 'Mario Kart World' to be enough initially to entice buyers. It's a safe bet, when one considers that 'Mario Kart 8' is one of the bestselling games of all time, having sold more than 67 million copies. Many an original Switch was likely a 'Mario Kart'-focused machine, and though I prefer my plump plumber when he's exploring the Mushroom Kingdom on foot — running, jumping and power-upping his way to rescue his friends — I am not immune to the charms of 'Mario Kart World.' 'Mario Kart 8' was released back in 2014, meaning these cute-but-vicious races are now nostalgia bait for another generation. And 'World' marries some Nintendo weirdness — you can now race as a cow — with its penchant for playful world building. 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