Nintendo proudly revealed their new GameChat feature in the official Switch 2 Direct that dropped yesterday, showcasing their new USB camera that attaches to the top of the console when in tabletop or docked mode. It gives me the same feeling as the first time when I saw the Wiimotes, championing Nintendo's continual yearning to promote togetherness in gaming and to make us all feel connected, and I'm all for it.
It does look a little clinical, however, like the final evolution of the Worm Light that you guys know I hate so much. Well, German/Austrian retailer MediaMarkt have listed a new peripheral from HORI that mixes things up with a Mushroom Kingdom twist, turning the new camera into one of Mario's oldest nemeses - the Piranha Plant.
According to Media Markt and VGC who spotted the new gadget, it's an officially licensed product that costs €20 less than Nintendo's official camera, with a price tag of €39.99 instead of €59.99. It will certainly look a lot cooler next to your Switch 2 when playing games like Mario Party, especially when you're getting all of your coins stolen by a Pirhana Plant in the game. And as Nintendo have already explained that GameChat is going to be free for everyone to use until March 31st 2026 without signing up for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, it's definitely worth snapping one up for that cheap price.
The only thing that remains to be seen is if the quality of HORI's camera compares to Nintendo's official offering. The price difference does lead me to believe that it might not provide the same quality of images, but HORI could also be 'taking one for the team' as it were and providing a more affordable alternative for us all.
The Piranha Plant camera will be available on the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2 launches, so look out for a review here on Retro Dodo!
