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The most interesting report so far suggests that at least one of the Switch's detachable Joy-Con controllers will be usable as a Wii Remote-style pointer. The idea is that the Switch tablet itself houses infrared lights near the top, which can turn on when the system is sticking out partially from its TV dock. The Joy-Con controller will then be able to see those lights for positional tracking, much like the Wii Remote tracks the system's Sensor Bar. This kind of point-and-click functionality could be used as a stand-in for the touch screen functions that still haven't been confirmed but which many believe will be available when the Switch is not docked.

The IR pointer theory started gaining some traction when trailer investigators noticed what looks like an IR receiver near the bottom of at least one of the Joy-Con controllers (Fig. 1). The rumor gained new credence this morning when Laura Kate Dale of Let's Play Video Games reported that "sources within Ubisoft" have led her to believe this pointer feature is real. Dale previously reported months ago that what was then known as the NX would also support basic motion controls, a la the Wii Motion Plus controllers, though no such functionality was shown in the teaser trailer.

In addition to hidden pointer technology, eagle-eyed trailer viewers are suggesting that the Joy-Cons might have additional, hidden shoulder buttons on their inside edge (i.e. the portion that slides into the tablet base). These "side" shoulder buttons would be usable when the Joy-Cons are detached and held horizontally for local multiplayer gaming.

You can see evidence of what looks like shoulder buttons in this screen grab from the rooftop party scene in the trailer (Fig. 2). In another scene when users are playing Mario Kart in the van, one player definitely looks like he's tapping one of these buttons. Additional shoulder buttons would certainly be welcome for players that would otherwise be forced to get by with just one analog stick and four face buttons when using a single Joy-Con.

A few other controller-related tidbits we noticed when examining the trailer: