Everything You Need to Know About the Nintendo Switch
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Another year for the Nintendo Switch is almost over. 2019 brought us not just plenty of great games for the console/handheld hybrid, but also an entirely new piece of hardware in the form of the portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite. So if you need some help during your holiday shopping, let our Nintendo Switch reviews from the past year guide you.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Review
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Review
Luigi’s Mansion 3, Vampyr Review
Mario and Sonic Olympics, New Super Lucky’s Tale Review
Fire Emblem Three Houses Review
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Review
Play These Games on Your Switch Lite
Play These Switch Games in 2019
Play These Spooky Switch Indie Games
Play These Switch Games Before Pokemon
Play These Zelda Games on Switch
10 Best Cases For Your Nintendo Switch
We’re halfway through 2019, and just like last year, it seems as if the Nintendo Switch has spent a relatively light first half of the year preparing to knock our socks off in the second half. Super Mario Maker 2 is our current obsession but Nintendo’s unreal E3 2019 showcase gave us plenty of reasons to be excited for the console/handheld hybrid for the rest of the summer, the holidays, and into 2020.
And it’s not just games we’re excited about. Nintendo also finally confirmed a new Switch revision, the cheaper portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite, coming this September. So that’s another option to choose from when considering a Switch. However, while the original Switch is quietly getting some slightly new internal components, a full-on upgraded Nintendo Switch Pro won’t be coming until 2020 at the earliest. Keep reading for everything else you need to know about the Nintendo Switch.
After a decent 2018, which finished strong with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Pokemon Let’s Go, fans have been looking to 2019 for the Nintendo Switch to gain back a bit of its momentum from its legendary 2017 debut. And the most recent Nintendo Direct gave them some reason to hope again. While we didn’t see anything more from previously announced titles like Animal Crossing and Luigi’s Mansion 3, we did get more details on Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Yoshi’s Crafted World, Daemon X Machina, and the Switch version of Dragon Quest XI. Even better, we got exciting new announcements for games like Super Mario Maker 2, a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, new title Astral Chain from Platinum Games, and even a dang Tetris battle royale. See for yourself and keep reading to learn everything else you need to know about Nintendo Switch, from new hardware rumors to our game reviews.
As you all surely know by now, when it comes to “Everything You Need To Know About Nintendo Switch,” the first thing you need to know is that it’s basically two video game machines in one. Take the tablet with you as a powerful portable handheld. Slot it in the dock to enjoy the same games on the TV like a home console. Two uses. One device.
But in 2019 there may be more than one Nintendo Switch model to consider. Japanese news outlet Nikkei is reporting that Nintendo may release a smaller, cheaper, portable-only version of the Switch this year. This backs up earlier Wall Street Journal reporting suggesting a new model of Switch may arrive in 2019.
While some fans were hoping the new Switch would be a more powerful Pro model, and that may still be the case, a Switch with fewer features but more portability makes more sense. A cheaper price means more sales, especially since Nintendo just announced it won’t quite make its ambitious Switch sales targets this year even as the best-selling console in 2018. A portable, less fragile Switch could finally replace the 3DS as Nintendo’s entry-level device, something that’s a long time coming. And big Switch games this year like Animal Crossing and Pokemon shine on the go.
But that’s all on the horizon. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch available right now!
Almost two years into its life, there’s a lot to talk about the Nintendo Switch, and not just the fact the handheld/console hybrid is basically two video game machines in one. We’ve spent a lot of time covering the Switch, writing news, reviews, and features about its biggest or most overlooked games and hardware features. And this very page contains a lengthy rundown of the hardware itself as well as particularly big pieces of news in the months since. But if you’re looking to get a Nintendo Switch this Black Friday and holiday season (which you should because it’s really cool), you and need advice that’s a little faster, here are some of our favorite 2018 articles that truly tell you everything you need to know about what makes Nintendo Switch special: the games.
A Modest Review of Nintendo Switch Online
Play These Nintendo Switch Games Before Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Single-Player Is a Glorious Grind
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are For Your Heart, Not Your Brain
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze Is Very Funky on Nintendo Switch
Bayonetta 2 Is Still a Perfect Game on Nintendo Switch
Octopath Traveler Is An Epic RPG Anthology for Nintendo Switch
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Proves The Potential of Nintendo Switch
Crash Bandicoot And Wolfenstein II Are Very Different Nintendo Switch Ports
Sushi Striker Is A Tastier Puzzle Game on Nintendo Switch
Diablo III and Civilization VI Bring PC Hits To Nintendo Switch
The World Ends With You On Nintendo Switch Makes Me Want A Sequel
Super Mario Party Is Exactly How I Remember It
Mario Tennis Aces Is The Most Hype Mario Sports Game
Geek Pick- Starlink: Battle For Atlas
After being delayed a week following a tragic earthquake in Japan, Nintendo pulled back the curtains on its Nintendo Switch plans for holiday 2018 and beyond in a new Nintendo Direct. Amidst the dozens of headlines there was lots of cool little stuff you might have missed like Cities: Skylines available now, a Katamari Damacy HD remake, Town: The Game (from Game Freak), a collection of Capcom beat’em ups, and an ungodly amount of Final Fantasy ports. We also got some more news on the Nintendo Switch Online service launching September 18, although we already knew pretty much everything important.
But the heavy hitters at Nintendo Directs are Nintendo games. Here we got updates on Yoshi’s Crafted World and Daemon X Machina, a new Wii U port in the form of New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, and two bombshells to bookend the show: Luigi’s Mansion 3 and a new Animal Crossing both on track for 2019. Take a look!
E3 2018 has been full of obvious highs and subtle lows for the Nintendo Switch. On one hand we got a massive blowout for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate featuring every character ever in the series and then some. It looks incredible and we can’t wait to play.
But besides that, things are looking a little light for the console/handheld hybrid until the one-two-three punch of Super Mario Party, Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee, and Smash hit in October, November, and December. Meanwhile, Fire Emblem Three Houses has slipped in 2019 while there’s still no firm details on the likes of Metroid Prime 4, Yoshi, and Bayonetta 3. But Smash Bros. hype is a hell of a thing. So we can’t blame you for letting it overpower everything else.
While Smash isn’t coming until December, multiplayer games in general on Switch are in for a change when Nintendo launches the paid Nintendo Switch Online service in January. And we heard most of the details for that before E3 even started.
You’ll have to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online to keep playing online multiplayer in games like Mario Kart and Splatoon 2. You’ll also have to keep using that ridiculous mobile app for voice chat (or maybe not since it’s been confirmed Fortnite on Switch can now do voice chat over headsets plugged into the headphone jack). We already knew that. However, your subscription will now also let you back up saves online to protect them in case your Switch breaks. It’s absurd we can’t back up saves locally but it is a godsend to be able to back up saves at all.
The most curious and potentially cool part of your online Switch subscription though is access to an expanding library of classic Nintendo games. At launch, you’ll be able to play 20 NES games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Ice Climber. You can play offline as well as online, competing with friends or taking turns playing cooperatively. This is pretty nifty, a good potential foundation for the collective dream of a Netflix-style successor to the Virtual Console. But it all depends on how quickly Nintendo adds new games and consoles to the service.
The real saving grace of Nintendo Switch Online though is the pricing. $20 per year ($35 for a family plan of up to eight people) is significantly cheaper than the competition, and makes the significantly lessened functionality easier to swallow. You’ll also get exclusive deals on buying digital games. But we hope this is just the humble beginning for Nintendo’s planned online services on Switch.
The Nintendo Switch has been one of if the biggest stories of 2017 in video games. Since its reveal in January and launch in March, we’ve have had a lot to say about Nintendo’s smash hit handheld/console hybrid. This feature alone contains thousands of words detailing everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch.
But not everyone has time for that, especially with the busy holiday shopping season fast approaching. The Nintendo Switch is bound to be a hot item, with gamers either picking it up for themselves and their rooftop parties or parents buying them for their kids (since it’s time to abandon the 3DS already). Finding and purchasing a Switch is just the beginning, though. You also need to research games and accessories and just how to work the thing. That’s why we’re here to help.
This story below features our exhaustive review of the Nintendo Switch hardware as well as various other updated aspects of the device, like its online voice chat and TV streaming functionality. But for anyone picking up a Switch this Black Friday and beyond, we just wanted to give you a quick and handy list of links to key game reviews, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, as well as product recommendations.
Protect Your Nintendo Switch With These Awesome Cases
Essential Acessories for Your Nintendo Switch
Game of the Year: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey is a Camp Classic
Switch Games That Aren’t Zelda (ongoing reviews of smaller Switch games)
Doom, Skyrim, and L.A. Noire: Nintendo Switch’s Hardcore Holiday Hitters
Every Switch Port Deserves the Mario Kart 8 and Pokken Tournament Deluxe Treatment
Splatoon 2 is a Modern Video Game Sequel
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is the Best Bootleg Mario Game
Play These Nintendo Switch Indie Games
Nintendo Switch Now Has A Virtual Console… Sort Of
While the Nintendo Switch has undoubtedly had a fantastic first year, some believe Nintendo rushed the device to market in order to kill the failing Wii U as fast as possible and therefore neglected to fully finish the console/handheld hybrid. While the core “switching” premise works beautifully, features like fleshed-out online, a Virtual Console, video capture, save transferring, and media apps that aren’t games were missing. Even the Wii U had Netflix at launch.
Fortunately, Nintendo has steadily rectified most of these issues, with the biggest upgrade being next year’s launch of the Switch’s paid online service. But right now, you can expand your entertainment options on the platform beyond games thanks to the surprise release of a Hulu app for Nintendo Switch.
As one of the biggest online streaming TV services, Hulu lets subscribers watch all sorts of TV shows and movies and sports, including acclaimed original shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, starting at $8 per month. Part of what makes streaming services so convenient is that they let you watch whatever you want anywhere. You aren’t bound to a traditional TV schedule. Meanwhile, the Switch is all about letting you enjoy content however you want, on a big screen at home or portably on the go, so it’s a perfect fit for services like Hulu, arguably more so than any other console. Our brief testing showed the app works as well as you’d hope (although touch screen support is weirdly absent).
With Hulu now on Switch, hopefully this is just the first of many streaming apps to hit the system. I can wait to hop between Super Mario Odyssey and the latest escapades in the Marvel Cinematic Sex Netflix Universe.
About a year ago the Nintendo Switch was first revealed, and with system version 4.0 the console/handheld has gotten arguably its most substantial update yet. As promised during the Switch event in January, you can now use the capture button to not only take screenshots but also record 30-second video clips. Just hold the button instead of pressing it.
Taking screenshots is one of the secret most addictive and enjoyable parts of the Switch. It’s so memeworthy. Thankfully, it’s similarly easy to edit and share videos (even if the video quality is lower presumably to save space). However, right now the functionality is limited to a handful of Nintendo games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Arms. Hopefully all games on the system will be able to access this neat feature sooner rather than later.
The 4.0 Switch system update includes a smattering of other features like support for wireless USB headphones and more specific play time hours. It also might temporarily break compatibility with some third-party accessories. But the other big change is the ability to finally transfer save data between systems.
When the Switch first launched, all of your save data was tied not to your account or the game cartridge but to the system itself. You couldn’t, say, back up saves to the MicroSD card and move them around. In our opinion, it was the single biggest and most inexcusable initial failure of the portable system, especially if you made a ton of progress on a friend’s Switch before buying your own. This new solution isn’t perfect. You can transfer the saves of a profile from one Switch to another. But the data can only exist on one Switch at a time. It’s wiped from the Switch left behind. And you still can’t back anything up. But it’s better than absolutely nothing. Hopefully Nintendo will continue to expand transfer options.
As far as games goes, the Switch’s library is expanding quite nicely. But that doesn’t mean the platform is without issues. The full online functionality for Nintendo Switch doesn’t arrive until September 2018. However, to go along with the release of its excellent team shooter Splatoon 2, Nintendo has released a preliminary version of the smartphone app needed for certain online features. There’s still time to fix things, but now that we’ve used the app, the best thing we can say about it is that it is unnecessary.
Let’s start with what works. Within the larger Switch online app are sub-apps dedicated to different games. Splatoon 2 is the only supported game so far but it’s a cool experience for fans of the series. The fresh undersea aesthetic is ripped out of the game and you can easily view information like your own stats, the map schedule, and even how much ink you need to splat a real pyramid.
Unfortunately, the app is also needed for voice chat, which is where things falls apart. First you need to set up an online lounge in the game itself. This sends a notification to your phone where you then create a room. You can see which friends already have the app and invite them to your lobby. You’ll all then be able to talk to each other in a shared lobby before being separated into teams.
The whole process is very fussy, making you to fiddle with different screens. If you quit out of the app or lock your phone screen you can no longer hear your friends until you get back in, which is annoying and presents battery issues. As we’ve already seen, you also need a spaghetti bowl’s worth of cables to use a headset and hear game audio (like Splatoon 2’s banging music). Just look at the Frankenstein’s monster/late-period Sega Genesis we cobbled together for a “streamlined” voice chat solution using the Astro A10 headset and Nyko Clip Grip Power controller. Also notice how the app is portrait-orientation only.
Again, the Nintendo Switch Online app is free through the rest of the year, hopefully giving Nintendo time to improve it. You also don’t really need to use it. Splatoon 2 already lets you create matches with friends through the game itself. Just do that and talk to buddies on Discord instead. Or don’t because Splatoon brilliantly presents all vital information through visuals. And while paying $20 per year for this voice app as it is now is definitely pointing, keep in mind that in the future that relatively low price will also pay for things like a Netflix-style catalog of retro games and the ability to play online at all, which is a pretty good deal.
Online app aside, we’re still feeling pretty great about the Nintendo’s handheld/console hybrid in general, especially after a fantastic E3 featuring Super Mario Odyssey, Metroid Prime 4, Yoshi, Kirby, Pokémon, Rocket League, and more Nintendo Switch Games That Aren’t Zelda. Keep reading for all of our thoughts on the Switch as a product so far.
Reviewing the Nintendo Switch now feels weirdly premature considering the features that won’t come to the device until after launch, features like the complete online multiplayer service and Virtual Console games on the eShop.
However, it’s hard to worry about any of that while you’re holding The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in front of your face in bed instead of sleeping.
For years I’ve believed the ideal way to experience the breadth of what video games have to offer with as few devices as possible is to own a gaming PC for third party games, a Nintendo console for first party games, and an iPhone for nifty mobile games. Plus, you already need a computer and a phone for real-life stuff, too. The Nintendo Switch makes that triumvirate even more appealing. For as many small annoyances surround the system, from iffy kickstands to occasional controller connection issues, the core hybrid concept is very strong and incredibly well-executed.
Nintendo can’t justify making as much hardware as it used to. The market has changed, and sooner or later the company needs to admit the 3DS and dedicated handhelds with their own game libraries are finished. But with the Switch, the company has combined nearly all of its hardware ideas and philosophies into a final, elegant, focused, singular form. One device for all of Nintendo’s studios and partners to make of all of their amazing games for one library. Once again, Nintendo has reminded us how essential it is as both a software and hardware maker. The Switch just is really that cool.
Inside the box are the tablet, two Joy-Con controllers, a grip, a dock, an HDMI cable, and a USB-C cable for charging. Honestly, that’s enough to get you going, but if you’re interested in more Switch accessories check out our list.
The first thing you’ll see after opening up the box and powering on the tablet is the user interface. Sure it’s a little empty right now before launch, but it’s fast and modern and straightforward in a way Nintendo’s interfaces haven’t been in a while. It’s a joy to scroll through and look at on the gorgeous 6.2-inch capacitive touch screen. The company should be proud! Games are displayed as a prominent row of squares. You can also access other systems features like the Mii Maker (with added options like blue hair), amiibo and controller settings, lock screen settings and other usability preferences, your album of captured screenshots, and, the eShop, and a feed of game news. The eShop uses a similarly sleek design, making it simple to browse through the (currently limited) list of digital games to purchase.
The Switch’s major online features are still in the works, but thanks to the day one update players are now able to create a 300-person friends list. Yes, the dreaded friend codes have returned. Each system (not each game) has a code that can be swapped with another player to become friends. But that’s not the only option. Users in the same physical space can easily friend each other. You can friend strangers you’ve already played with online. You can even add friends from other Nintendo software that uses your Nintendo account like Miitomo or Super Mario Run. I’ve already built up a decent friends list without typing in a single friend code.
There’s a light theme and a dark theme to choose from, and you can set up multiple accounts on the same system with different profile pictures and game save data. I just hope moving saves off the 25 GBs of usable storage onto a microSD card is easy. Having multiple users on one device is great for writers sharing systems in an office, but I imagine it’ll be even better for families when paired with the system’s powerful parental features. However, save data is currently locked to the system, which is a serious bummer that should be fixed immediately.
While launch titles are limited, just fiddling around with the Switch is kind of a game in and of itself. If you don’t already know, the Switch’s main trick is that it is a tablet that can also plug into a dock to output to a TV. It’s a handheld and home console. Meanwhile, the controllers (or Joy-Con, a word I kind of never want to type again) attach and detach from the tablet and have a variety of functionality. It’s a more fully realized take on Nintendo’s previous underrated but financial failure of a home console the Wii U.
The hardware itself also feels more realized, and not just because the custom Nvidia Tegra chip is vaguely more powerful. The matte finish and solid but not overwhelming weight give the feel of a premium product. But sliding controllers on and off the side to sync, fitting them into a controller grip, attaching (somewhat finicky) wrist straps with extra buttons, or slotting the tablet into the dock provides the toy-like joy of transforming Optimus Prime from truck to robot. Put the Switch in my chest. The speakers even play a little “click” sound when you attach the controllers again. And being able to break off a piece of that Nintendo Switch for easy and convenient multiplayer is a dream. It sounds backwards, but the small size of the controllers actually mitigates the seemingly awkward button configurations when the controllers are held sideways.
While I never experienced any left Joy-Con connections issues. Other have. Fortunately, Nintendo is offering free repairs through customer support.
The tablet has fans and can get a little hot after you take it out of the dock since it’s running at higher settings. But overall I enjoy the hardware in a physical and tactile way, which I usually can’t say about video game consoles. I don’t care about my Xbox One. To me, it’s a big dumb black brick that just happens to play some games I like out of obligation. It’s a means to an end. But the Switch itself is so cool it makes we want to play games on it, even if those games aren’t necessarily here yet. Plus, the discreet dock just looks a lot nicer next to my TV, even with the bright blue and red controllers jutting off of it. I’m glad we didn’t get the gray one.
You can read more detailed Zelda impressions here, but even though the game was developed for and is still coming out on the Wii U, it does a pretty good job of selling the convenience Switch concept. The dense open world offers rewarding, uninterrupted gameplay whether you’re playing for hours on your TV or just a few minutes waiting for a bus. Plus, the game loads quite quickly off of the cartridge format. It’s a great game, but it’s not the only Switch game. Check out our column Switch Games That’s Aren’t Zelda for more.
I played in all three modes: handheld mode in my bed, tabletop mode with the kickstand on my desk using detached controllers like a Wii remote and nunchuck, and TV mode using the controllers slotted into the grip. The Switch is great as a handheld system. Think PlayStation Vita but with a life ahead of it. It’s wide but not that unwieldy compared to a larger smartphone or 3DS, and much of the size comes from the beautiful screen.
Tabletop mode is a cool option, but I would have appreciated more viewing angles and the ability to charge the system while it’s propped up. Moving to the universal USB-C cable is nice, but you’re going to want to be able to charge the Switch as often and as easily as you can to make up for the three-hour battery life with a game like Zelda.
On the TV in the dock the Switch is just any other game console. Sliding the tablet into the dock isn’t quite as satisfying as sliding on the controllers. There’s no click! But I was surprised how comfortable the included (non-charging) grip is. If you’re wary about spending $70 on the Pro Controller right away, you may be surprised by how usable this grip is for hardcore games. Even the left cluster of buttons felt closer to an actual D-pad than I expected.
Not all games will support all of these modes. But while some see this as a negative, I think it’s good Nintendo isn’t limiting what kinds of games come to the system. If a game like a good mobile port wants to take advantage of the multitouch screen at the expense of the TV, I say let them. It just grows the library. Most of the greatest Wii U ignored the GamePad, but Super Mario Maker relies on it. They can coexist. Not every game is going to support the sideways controllers, but they work just fine for a simple and fast multiplayer game like a plethora of indie content or the consistently fun, if overpriced, Super Bomberman R.
Since we haven’t yet played famous baby simulator 1-2 Switch outside of the preview event, I haven’t gotten to further test the Switch’s more unique features like the enhanced motion control, IR camera, and HD Rumble. But having a button for capturing screenshots right on the controller makes preserving your craziest moments very addictive. Being able to add text to screenshots and share them on social media makes the Switch a killer meme machine. That was the best part of Miitomo.
The strength of Nintendo’s first party games alone makes its hardware at least worth looking at. But even without the brand the Switch is a sleek, impressive piece of hardware, from its screen to its build quality to its variety of uses to the fun of clicking and sliding everything around. In a way, it takes what has always been intriguing about the Android microconsole concept (Ouya, Nvidia Shield) like ease of development and mobile chips and a compact design but applies enough actual knowledge about how people want to enjoy video games along with video games people actually want to play. It brilliantly fills in that space between phones and consoles that might as well PCs.
The Nintendo Switch as it is now is an extremely cool system for straight up playing games, and I have faith future updates will flesh out its other features nicely. But the best thing I can say about the Switch is that even if Nintendo doesn’t fully deliver on things like online multiplayer or Virtual Console (the SNES Classic doesn’t count) or third party support or even a consistent schedule of games, I would still try to find ways to play the system. It’s just that fun to use. Like the analog stick or rumble pak or any other past Nintendo innovation, I would not be surprised in the slightest if this ends up being a new paradigm shift, a switch, in what video game hardware is. More power is great, but chasing power alone leads to stagnation. We have to be willing to constantly rethink what video games and the machines we play them with are. The Nintendo Switch is good for video games.
Keep reading for everything else you need to know about the Nintendo Switch!
The future of Nintendo will soon be now. Watch the Nintendo Switch livestream and learn everything you could possibly want to imagine about Nintendo’s handheld/console hybrid. And keep coming back to this page as we update it with news, videos, hands-on impressions, and everything else you need to know about the Nintendo Switch.
What Does Playing the Nintendo Switch Feel Like?
So how does playing the Nintendo Switch actually feel? Well considering the variety of ways to approach the system, it takes a little longer than you’d think to figure that out. However, after getting three solid hours of hands-on time with the thing, I have a pretty good idea.
For an old-fashioned gamer who doesn’t want to bother with a new twist on their game controls, just leave the Switch in the dock and pick up a Pro Controller. Despite the weird translucent plastic, the Pro Controller is totally traditional and feels hefty yet comfortable, which it should given its price. You can easily bust out Violent Ken combos in Ultra Street Fighter II or blast friends to smithereens in the new Konami(!) not free-to-play(!!) Super Bomberman R.
However, the more pressing question is what does it feel like to break off a piece of that Nintendo Switch and use the Joy-Con? Again, this depends on the game. Using the Joy-Con slotted into the Pro Grip feels close enough to using a regular controller, only much lighter. But I preferred foregoing the grip entirely and holding the Joy-Con freely like a Wii remote and nunchuk. It made The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild much more comfortable compared to the E3 Wii U version.
Using individual Joy-Con is when the situation gets a little trickier. Holding one on its side and attaching the shoulder-button strap makes the controller bigger than I imagined, but still noticeably undersized. That said, controlling a 2D platformer like the surprisingly competent Sonic Mania or a racing game like the now-perfect Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with Battle Mode is no problem.
Where things get truly weird though is when you’re asked to use the Joy-Con’s bevy of extra features. The stretchy-limb fighting game Arms is visually pleasing, and its gameplay, which is basically a more elaborate version of Wii Boxing, is intriguing. Plus fake Tron Bonne from Mega Man Legends is in it. But I felt I needed more time to learn the intricacies of the motion controls. I suppose that’s better than the controls having no depth at all.
The other big showcase of Joy-Con motion controls is the party game 1 2 Switch. These minigames combine cleverness and absurdity in a way that made me wish it was a WarioWare game. There’s even dumb FMV! Use the Joy-Con to milk a cow or eat a sandwich or gun down your partner or swing a sword or guess how many balls are rumbling in your hand. Geek’s box expert Will Greenwald and I really bonded over this one. Not making this a pack-in game feels like a mistake.
But what impressed me most about the Nintendo Switch (don’t let the sadness above fool you) was how fantastic it feels to use as a portable device. Transitioning from the TV to the tablet is as seamless and elegant in practice as it is as a concept. It’s big, but because it’s mostly a thin screen, it doesn’t feel as ungainly as the Wii U GamePad. It’s sturdy, too. Everything locks nicely into place and the weight is fairly evenly distributed. But most importantly, it just feels like a cool piece of technology. Even on a 720p screen, Splatoon 2 looks gorgeous, and pulling off the game’s deceptively complex set of moves with the side controllers is a breeze. I was dual-wielding and side-dashing and paint-rolling and turning from kid to squid with ease in 4v4 local multiplayer matches.
With the exception of Zelda, the games at this Nintendo Switch event were a little slight. But they were also all incredibly, immediately fun, and seeing them in one concentrated blast went a long way towards making up for the awkward live unveiling of the system. And launch lineups are always questionable anyway. The real crucial thing I learned about the Switch is that the hardware itself is high quality, a sweet spot between toy and tech. It’s something I want to keep using. I want to carry it with me and play it on a plane. I want to dock it and play on a TV with a Pro Controller or Pro Grip or detached Joy-Con. I want to play more weird Joy-Con games. I didn’t get to pop out the kickstand due to security reasons, but I imagine I want to do that, too. I desperately want to go to New Donk City. With the Nintendo Switch, I want to believe. Now just give me more games.
For more Nintendo Switch info, keep reading.
What Is It?
The Nintendo Switch, formerly known as NX, is Nintendo’s next gaming platform. It merges the company’s handheld and home gaming consoles into one device. You can “switch” between playing on the go or playing at home on a TV.
When Can I Get It? How Much Does It Cost?
The Nintendo Switch Launches March 3 for $299.99. Nintendo is shipping two million units to retailers for launch, so if you want one you better pre-order.
What Does It Do?
The Nintendo’s Switch’s main gimmick is that you can switch between handheld and home console modes. The brains of the system, powered by a custom Nvidia Tegra chip for beefy mobile devices, live inside the 6.2-inch 720p capacitive touchscreen tablet you can carry anywhere. The battery ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 hours and you can charge over USB-C.
Prop up the kickstand to enjoy the Switch on a plane. Slide off the Joy-Con controllers for quick and easy local multiplayer or connect up to eight Switches wirelessly. Games come on cartridges so no need to worry about fragile spinning discs. At home, simply slide the tablet into the dock to enjoy games on your big and beautiful television screen. In TV mode the Switch can output 1080p visuals at 6o framers per second. Expand the 32GB of internal storage with microSD cards. Any microSD card up to 2TB will be supported. Don’t feel the need to go buy overpriced, branded cards.
The Joy-Cons themselves also have a range of functionality including motion control, shape-detecting IR camera sensors, “HD” rumble, an NFC scanner for amiibo, and a share button for capturing screenshots and video. The included strap also makes the shoulder buttons more prominent. Joy-Cons in color sets like red and blue can be purchased for $80 or as a set or $50 individually. Other accessories include the $30 Joy-Con Charging Grip controller (the included grip doesn’t charge), a $15 steering wheel shell, and the $70 Pro controller (which also has motion controls, HD rumble, and an amiibo NFC scanner).
Patents have suggested the Switch may one day introduce a VR headset, but that day is not today.
Parents interested in parental controls should just watch this PSA starring the Bowser family.
Moving away from the channels of the Wii and Wii U, the home menu displays games and apps as a simple string of tiles, as you can see below. On the home screen you can also access the eShop digital store, your album of captured screenshots, account settings, controller settings, and apparently a news feed of Nintendo Switch game info.
Also, thanks to some recent leaks, we now have a better idea of what the Switch’s user interface is like. Here’s what you can expect to see after booting up your Nintendo Switch for the first time. At last, digital purchases are tied to your account rather than hardware. Previous eShop funds will transfer over.
What Are The Games?
Currently, seven games are planned for the Switch launch on March 3:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Bomberman R
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ (pushed to later this March)
I Am Setsuna
1 2 Switch
Skylanders Imaginators
Just Dance 2017
World of Goo
Little Inferno
Human Resource Machine
Snipperclips (possibly)
Fast RMX
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment and Treasure Trove
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the promising Wii U open-world reinvention of the classic series, is also releasing on the Switch on launch day, March 3. Check out this gorgeous new trailer.
Also at launch will be the minigame collection 1 2 Switch, which shows off Joy-Con functionality. Anyone who has played hipster PlayStation Move game Johann Sebastian Joust may experience deja vu. The video opened with a quick-draw cowboy shootout that just made us want a new Mad Dog McCree.
The new 3D Mario game teased in the Switch reveal is the absolutely bonkers Super Mario Odyssey. Bowser is trying to marry Princess Peach so Mario travels around the world in a hat-shaped airship. Also he can throw his hat and jump on it. Also his hat has eyes. And did we mention he goes to a fake New York City full of realistic human people called New Donk City?!?!. See for yourself how ludicrous yet awesome this return to Mario 64 sandbox 3D platforming looks.
Coming this Spring is the bluntly named Arms, a strange new Nintendo fighting game where all the characters, from Spring Man to Ribbon Girl, have big stretchy arms. Sure!
It wasn’t detailed in the presentation, but an enhanced port of Mario Kart 8 called Mario Kart 8 Deluxe hits the Switch this April. The new game features added characters like King Boo and Bowser Jr, returning items like the feather, an improved Battle Mode, and characters and maps taken from Splatoon.
Speaking of Splatoon, beloved new Nintendo franchise Splatoon returns as Splatoon 2 this summer. The sequel features new weapons, new moves, and most importantly, new hairstyles.
JRPG fans have a ton of Switch titles to look forward to. Dragon Quest X and XI and Heroes 1 and 2. A new Shin Megami Tensei running on Unreal Engine 4. A sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles (no, not Xenoblade Chronicles X) called Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Disgaea 5. And something called Octopath Traveler. These games can be played anywhere thanks to the Switch been region free.
Also from Japan we can expected the new Project Sonic 2017 and Sonic Mania, a Fire Emblem/Dynasty Warriors mashup (along with a real Fire Emblem game in 2018), and some mysterious new Suda 51 project featuring No More Heroes’s Travis Touchdown. Tucked away in a montage was some kind of Street Fighter II remake called Ultra Street Fighter II, Puyo Puyo Tetris, Super Bomberman R, and shape-cutting game called Snipperclips.
As for western developers, we got a confirmation that Skyrim is coming to the Switch as well as the new FIFA from EA Sports and NBA 2k18 from 2K. Lego City Undercover, Minecraft, Skylanders (you can scan the toys with the controller, no portal needed), Steep, Just Dance, and Rayman Legends are also on their way.
Finally, a boatload of indie games are being announced for the Switch. Right now we know about Shovel Knight, The Binding of Isaac, Stardew Valley, Rime, Seasons of Heaven, a sequel to F-Zero homage Fast Racing NEO, and Has-Been Heroes and dozens more.
Online?
Nintendo didn’t detail its Switch online plans too much. We don’t know exactly what role My Nintendo plays or what the Virtual Console situation is like. However, we do know this fall Nintendo is rolling out a paid subscription service. Certain features will be free to anyone but subscribers gain access to online gameplay, lobbies and voice chat, smartphone integration, and free game giveaways like SNES games but with added online play. Premium features will be free to all for a short time. Premium features might cost between $17 and $27 per year, much cheaper than the competition.
We also now know that the Miiverse social network and Street Pass are not returning. Meanwhile, Netflix won’t be available at launch. But Nintendo says apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video are coming at some point.
Anything Else?
As more Nintendo Switch news drops we’ll let you know, but in the meantime enjoy these other stories we’ve written about the device.
Port These Lost Nintendo Games to the Switch
Please Save These Wii U Games
Gadgets to Scratch Your Nintendo Switch Itch
9 Ways Nintendo Can Make the Switch a Success
10 Ways Nintendo Could Still F*ck Up The Switch
The Nintendo Switch: Why a Portable System Still Matters in 2017
Mario is Supposed to be Weird
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