Switch 2 GameShare Feature is a Throwback to the Nintendo DS

Summary

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct revealed the upcoming GameShare feature, which many feel is similar to Nintendo DS Download Play.
GameShare lets players enjoy multiplayer titles locally across different systems, with only one user needing to have the game installed.
The Switch 2 will be released on June 5, 2025.

The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct revealed GameShare, a function that seems a lot like Nintendo DS Download Play. With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company appears to be putting a strong focus on social aspects through the use of GameChat, enabled by the system’s C button, and GameShare, which is planned to facilitate local and online play for a portion of Nintendo’s catalog.

Some gamers have asked that Nintendo bring back their favorite features from older systems, and DS Download Play is a common request. On hits like Mario Kart DS, other players who didn’t own the game could join the host’s session. Single-card Download Play magnified the accessibility of the Nintendo DS, which seemed to make it more popular among groups of gamers. Although the feature showed up on the 3DS, it wasn’t present during the Nintendo Switch generation. Now, Download Play appears to be making a comeback in a different form.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Finally Reveals What the C Button Does

The Nintendo Switch 2’s C Button mystery has been solved courtesy of the Nintendo Direct aimed at explaining the upcoming console.

During the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct on April 2, a new GameShare feature was shown off for the system. Many feel that GameShare is a distinct throwback to the Nintendo DS era, reminding faithful gamers of the classic DS Download Play feature. The trailer for GameShare revealed that with the Switch 2, players will once again be able to use a single copy of a video game to share the experience with others.

Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare Revealed

GameShare will allow Switch 2 users to share with up to three other players at a time locally, regardless of what Switch system the receiver owns. For online play, Switch 2 users with access to GameChat via Nintendo Switch Online will be able to share and receive content through GameShare. Use of the GameShare feature will be restricted to select compatible titles, with Nintendo implementing it through updates, beginning with NDcube’s underrated party game Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics.

It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that GameShare is reminiscent of this classic feature. The GameShare logo even pays homage to the original DS Download Play icon, rotating it while keeping the bars to indicate the necessity of communication. Although some aspects of GameShare are more intricate, like online play through GameChat, the core concept that many remember from the DS era is back, and gamers are thrilled to try it out. It’s unclear what titles outside of Clubhouse Games will be utilizing GameShare, but Mario Kart World could be a strong multiplayer contender among others, adding a tinge of nostalgia for players who enjoyed Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7 through Download Play.