Stuff We Want: HORI Piranha Plant Camera for Switch 2, the Webcam That Looks Like It Wants to Eat You
"switch 2 black friday" is rising on Google Trends as early sales kick off. If a Switch 2 is already in the house, this is the accessory people actually text their friends about.
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Google Trends has switch 2 black friday rising in the US: 2K+ searches, up 100%, still Active. Walmart black friday ad is climbing too, and Walmart's early Black Friday event opens online tonight (12:01 AM ET Thursday, 9 PM PT tonight). Translation: a lot of people are about to own a Switch 2, gift one, or already have one and want something fun to wrap with it.
Enter the HORI Piranha Plant Camera, an officially licensed Nintendo Switch 2 camera shaped like the plant that has been chomping Mario since the '80s. It is a USB video camera for live video chat and the camera features in games, and it is the only webcam we know of that looks ready to bite the person on the other end of the call.
The camera sits on a flexible neck, so you can aim it at the couch crowd. The mouth opens and closes, and closing it covers the lens for privacy. That means your webcam privacy shutter is a cartoon plant snapping its jaws shut, which is the funniest version of that feature anyone has made.
There are three ways to use it. Stand-alone: plug the camera into its Warp Pipe base, connect it to the Switch 2 dock, and set it wherever. Mounted: an adjustable clip on the base sits on top of your TV. Attached: the camera unit connects directly to the top of the Switch 2 in handheld mode for playing on the go. It works in TV, tabletop, and handheld modes.
In the box: the camera unit, the base, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and a 3.5mm stereo right-angle adapter for headphone jack compatibility. Specs are 640 x 480 at 30fps with an 85° view angle, so think "party cam," not "streaming studio."
Who it's for
- New Switch 2 owners who want video chat with family across the country on game night.
- Mario fans who already own every plush and need the one thing that bites.
- Gift shoppers wrapping a Switch 2 for the holidays who want the add-on that gets the bigger laugh.
Who should skip it
- You want high-resolution streaming video. It is 640 x 480. Get a real webcam.
- No internet or Nintendo Switch Online. HORI notes chat features may require internet, a Nintendo Account, and a Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately).
- You only have an original Switch. It is designed for the Nintendo Switch 2.
FAQ
Is it official?
Yes, it is officially licensed by Nintendo and made by HORI.
How does the privacy cover work?
The Piranha Plant's mouth closes over the lens.
Can I use it in handheld mode?
Yes. The camera unit attaches directly to the top of the Switch 2 in handheld mode.
How it compares
More Switch 2 gifts: the Game Traveler Hylian Shield Switch 2 case is the travel case for Zelda fans.
More holiday shopping: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas gifts.
The verdict
The verdict: hand-picked for Switch 2 Black Friday shoppers. It is a working video chat camera, a privacy shutter, and a Mario joke in one, and it will be the most-photographed thing under the tree.
#ad. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hand-picked by The Deez List.
