Image: Nintendo LifeAssuming the postie doesn't deprive us on launch day, we're less than three weeks away from having a brand new Nintendo console in our hands! This 24th edition of the Nintendo Life Mailbox will be the final spread with the original Switch as Nintendo's flagship console! Yes, we've been rifling through our inbox and publishing select contents in our monthly letters page for a whole two years now, and we'll be back next month with an entirely different console sitting on the desk. And, presumably, a whole pile of Switch 2-related correspondence to sort through. It's a busy time in Nintendo land, so let's crack on. Got something you want to get off your chest? We're ready and waiting to read about your game-related ponderings. Each month we’ll highlight a Star Letter, the writer of which will receive a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Check out the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page. Let's sit back with a warm beverage and go through our dispatch box... Nintendo Life Mailbox - May 2025 "Smells like...electronic...raspberries." — Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life "for those who want it" (***STAR LETTER***) What are your thoughts on the innovations of Switch 2 in relation to generations past? Nintendo's gimmicks have historically proven to be hit and miss, but I see a shift ever since the Switch launched in 2017. Sure, it still had the IR sensor but hybrid gaming and gyro aiming (which technically already existed, but Switch established it as a mainstay) were legitimate forward progressions, and Switch 2 seems to offer even more legitimate innovation with both gameshare and mouse mode. I foresee both of these features becoming permanent fixtures in future consoles, and much like gyro aiming, changing the way we engage with video games. I truly believe mouse mode is something gamers will never want to give up once they've experienced it's benefits (especially since, unlike innovations of yesteryear, it doesn't replace the traditional experience, it merely enhances it as an option for those who want it). Thoughts? JaxonH More and different ways to play are exciting, especially if they're built into the hardware. For me, Drag x Drive was one of the highlights of the Switch 2 event at the start of April. I'm all for mouse mode options, whether they're cute and complementary or integral to a game, but it's on Nintendo to make it indispensable. The tech is certainly cheap enough to integrate into any Joy-Con-style controller from now on. I'm not convinced it's going to fundamentally change how we approach gaming, though. Will Mouse Mode be comfortable for multiple hours? They work like mice, sure, but ergonomically, that's not their main function. I also remember thinking every pad would have a built-in pointer after the Wiimote. It's affordable, intuitive tech, so why not include that option? And yet we live in a world where the Xbox pad still doesn't have gyro. - Ed. "out of the running" I recently finished Ace Attorney Investigations 2 on Switch, and wow, what a ride! I’m so happy it finally got localized for the West, even if it did take 13 years. Got me thinking about other games that haven’t seen the light of day outside Japan. Yes, there are some obvious frontrunners like Mother 3 and Dragon Quest 10 that I’m sure we all would love to see get localized, but I’m talking more about lesser-known gems. As a big fan of adventure games, that new Tokimeki Memorial remaster caught my eye, but unfortunately I’m no Japanese speaker at this stage, so I guess that puts me out of the running for now. I’m also still waiting for Yo-kai Watch 4, as well as my pipe dream Starfy 1-4 localizations… How about you all? Any Japan-exclusives you’ve been eager to see come West? BandeeOfTheStars I wrote a little feature back in 2020 on the subject, and looking at it now, I'd probably take Marvelous above anything else at this stage. I've never gotten around to playing the fan patch. Team? - Ed. "I'd love to see Square's last Super Famicom game, Treasure of the Rudras, get a rerelease. I've heard so many good things about the creativity of this one, but at this point, given the complicated magic system, this might be an impossible dream." - Alana "I’ll go for Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem. We’ve missed out on a lot of Fire Emblem games in the West, but this 2010 DS remake not coming our way always stings the most. The series is big enough now that surely Intelligent Systems could get away with releasing a bundle, right?" - Jim Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life Nintendo games that never officially left Japan Forever with you; never with us "special kudos" Is Nintendo Life planning to do full/short reviews to Switch 2 Edition games? It would be great to decide which upgrades are worth it. Congratulations to all on the Switch 2 news coverage with special kudos to Alex, Felix and Zion! Love to watch their discussion videos. RenanKJ Thank you, Renan - I've passed on the message to the video chaps! One sent me a teary-eyed smiling emoji as a reply. Yes, we will be reviewing all the major NS2 Editions, with the upgrades and additions being the main focus (the original Switch reviews will still be there for reference). Whether they'll be full or mini will be a case-by-case thing. - Ed. "mildly disappointed" Hi, I am mildly disappointed in the game chat feature for Switch 2 because I normally play games alone, with friends in person, or on the NintendoLife discord; Plus, it records you. So, I'll probably never use it. But, since they're bringing back Download Play, which is my favorite feature, they should bring back another DS feature PictoChat. OswaldTheLuckyGamer It's a strange one - ever since writing a little thing about GameChat, the idea has been slowly growing on me, despite news that it's hogging system resources and, you know, it's just video chat. We'll see how it works, but I do have plans to conduct NL staff meetings over GameChat. Moderating anatomically exaggerated doodles is something Nintendo never wants to do again, so I don't see Pictochat returning. But StreetPass is the (3)DS feature we really need, Oswald. StreetPass! - Ed. Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life "that big playtest thing" With all the leaks and news of lawsuits coming out I just thought about one thing: Whatever happened to that big playtest thing everyone had to be quiet about or face the Ninty ninja's? I actually never saw footage of it, so I'm guessing it never truly leaked? What do you guys think about it now that we have the new system in our paws soon? What was it made for, did we already see that or is something still in the works? garfreek Testing it on Switch 1 suggests it will be a cross-platform thing, whatever it ends up being. There was nothing in it that suggested the power of Switch 2 was needed to realise its ultimate potential. It'll be coming. Whether anybody's really bothered is the bigger question. - Ed. Bonus Letters "Regarding a potential Switch 2 Lite, Nintendo has not officially announced such a version." - Trinny G This is true. Aside: If you're in the market for a brand-new Switch Lite, now's the time to be looking for a bargain! - Ed. "I think we’re all missing the true potential of the Switch 2 microphone: Odama 2" - Munchlax Pff. It's panpipe time. - Ed. Image: Nintendo Life That's all for this month! Thanks to everyone who wrote in, whether you were featured above or not. Got something you'd like to get off your chest? A burning question you need answered? A correction you can't contain? Follow the instructions below, then, and we look forward to rifling through your missives. Nintendo Life Mailbox submission advice and guidelines Letters, not essays, please - Bear in mind that your letter may appear on the site, and 1000 words ruminating on the Legend of Heroes series and asking Alana for her personal ranking isn't likely to make the cut. Short and sweet is the order of the day. (If you're after a general guide, 100-200 words would be ample for most topics.) Don't go crazy with multiple correspondences - Ideally, just the one letter a month, please! Don't be disheartened if your letter doesn't appear in the monthly article - We anticipate a substantial inbox, and we'll only be able to highlight a handful every month. So if your particular letter isn't chosen for the article, please don't get disheartened! How to send a Letter to the Nintendo Life Mailbox Head to Nintendo Life's Contact page and select the subject "Reader Letters" from the drop-down menu (it's already done for you in the link above). Type your name, email, and beautifully crafted letter into the appropriate box, hit send, and boom — you're done! Advert Free Share:0 1 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...

Plus: Nothing confirms over-ear headphones, there’s a new Xperia phone, and a striking transparent turntable from Audio-Technica catches our eye.

Table of Contents Table of Contents Another step toward a true Sonos alternative Between HomePod and Era 100 Still no AirPlay Tomorrow, Wiim will announce its first wireless speaker, the Wiim Sound. It looks like a lot like Apple’s HomePod, with an almost cylindrical shape that’s wrapped in a fabric grille and topped with a set of touch controls. But the detail that will likely get the most attention is its built-in, 1.8-inch circular touchscreen. The hi-res screen offers the same album displays and controls as the one on the front of the Wiim Ultra, the company’s flagship network music streamer. As with all of Wiim’s products, its core feature set is designed to work seamlessly with the rest of the affordable Wiim ecosystem, giving Sonos owners even more reason to make a switch. Recommended Videos The Wiim Sound is set to debut at High End Munich 2025, an audiophile-centric audio show in Germany. Wiim hasn’t released pricing or specific availability yet, noting only that the Wiim Sound will arrive in “Q3 2025 on Amazon and at select retailers.” For now, it’s only available in black. Related Wiim The Wiim Sound isn’t the first Wiim-compatible wireless speaker. Earlier in 2025, the company announced it had partnered with Swedish brand, Audio Pro to create Wiim Edition versions of its A10 Mk II and C10 Mk II wireless speakers, which can be discovered and controlled natively within the Wiim Home app. However, the Wiim Sound marks an important milestone in the company’s evolution as it begins to build out an ecosystem of in-house designed products that let it compete more directly with Sonos. It’s not difficult to imagine that Wiim will continue this expansion, eventually working its way into the rest of Sonos’ categories, such as soundbars, Bluetooth speakers, and possibly headphones. Wiim Physically, the Wiim Sound straddles the line between the Apple HomePod and the Sonos Era 100. Its footprint (5.7 x 5.7 inches) is almost exactly the same as the HomePod, while its height, at 7.5 inches is slightly taller than the Era 100 (7.18 inches). The presence of the circular touchscreen will no doubt renew speculation about Apple’s next HomePod, which has been widely rumored to include some kind of display. Internally, the Wiim Sound is much closer to Sonos’ speaker, with a 4-inch woofer and two balanced-mode radiator (BMR) tweeters. Thanks to those dual tweeters, Wiim says the Sound can reproduce two-channel stereo, though like the Era 100, getting true stereo separation may be tricky. Wiim hasn’t revealed the amplifier layout details, but it claims there’s 100 watts of combined power on tap. On the bottom of the speaker are ports for power, and 10/100 Ethernet, plus a 3.5mm jack for analog inputs. Wireless connectivity is supported by both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Wiim calls the Sound a smart speaker, but since there’s no built-in mic and no native voice assistant, that might be stretching the term. You can, however, use it as Amazon Alexa device via the included voice remote. For the Wiim Sound, the company has created a modified version of it Siri-remote clone, the Wiim Voice Remote 2. Alternatively, the Wiim Sound is compatible with Google Assistant and can respond to those voice commands if you own an Assistant-capable smartphone or other device. As with the rest of Wiim’s ecosystem, the Wiim Sound has an impressive array of streaming and EQ features, including: Hi-res audio support up to 24-bit/192 kHz Chromecast (Google Cast), Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA, or Alexa Cast 24 preset EQ profiles, a 10-band graphic equalizer, and an optional parametric EQ interface Room correction via a smartphone running the Wiim Home app You can control the Wiim Sound as part of a larger multiroom audio system within the Wiim Home app. This includes grouping the Sound with other Wiim components for synchronized playback as well as the ability to stereo-pair two Wiim Sounds. Interestingly, a single Wiim Sound can be used as center channel speaker, or two can be used as surround speakers within a 5.1 configuration. To do this, you’ll need a 5.1 source of sound — either a 5.1 audio recording that lives in your personal library on your home network, or from a TV plugged into one of Wiim’s HDMI-ARC compatible devices (Wiim Ultra, Wiim Amp, Wiim Amp Pro). For reasons known only to Wiim and Apple, the Wiim Sound is now the third Wiim streaming product to launch without support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 wireless streaming protocol. When the Wiim Ultra debuted without AirPlay, it was believed to be a temporary omission — one that would be rectified with a firmware update. This failed to happen, and then Wiim launched the Amp Pro, also without AirPlay. While AirPlay is a useful feature for iPhone users, letting them stream audio on their home Wi-Fi networks from any any app that supports it, its popularity among Wiim’s users is unclear. AirPlay 2 introduces lossy compression, which audiophiles consider an unacceptable tradeoff. Moreover, the trend toward streaming apps building their own version of AirPlay (Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect) plus the availability of Google Cast, reduces the need for AirPlay under most circumstances. Even on an iPhone when streaming Apple Music, Bluetooth can serve as an acceptable AirPlay alternative on Wiim’s products.