Date played: March 3rd and 4th
Platform: Switch
Nintendo's 7th home console is finally here!
The Nintendo Switch is out, and it's a weird little device. When I received my Switch, I was surprised at the small size of the box. The device itself is very small, similar to a tablet. It can be connected to a TV via the included dock, but it can also be played as a portable! Build quality seems really nice and the device feels fast and high tech.
It's got a lot of fancy bells and whistles too. There's the now famous "HD Rumble", motion controls, micro-SD card slot, game cards that feel like 3DS cards, a high quality screen and decent speakers. Then of course, there's the controllers...
The Joy Con are very unique controllers. They are basically two tiny controllers that can be used individually, or combined to create a full-fledged, traditional controller. When used in the included "grip" accessory, it's almost like holding a normal controller. When using the console in portable mode, the two Joy Con slide onto the edges of the console to create a weird, giant portable. That position was definitely not as comfortable as when using the grip. The console can also be placed on a solid surface to act as a small monitor. Finally, the Joy Con can be used as individual controllers for multiplayer. It's clearly not an ideal control method, but it works well enough to be usable and enjoyable.
The user interface is refreshingly simple. There's almost nothing on screen... There's the games of course, then the eshop, settings, controller management and a news app. There's also a profile page where you can see your friends and such. It's a very elegant UI and it works wonderfully. The machine is snappy and responsive too, so that's always welcome.
So far, I'm really happy with the Switch, but it's got a few little problems too. This thing just might be the first real hybrid gaming device ever made. It works well as both a portable and as a home console. However, since it's a hybrid, that comes with some concessions. For example, in portable mode, the battery life isn't that great. In console mode, it lacks power and punch for graphics and audio. Don't get me wrong, the games I've played look fantastic, but it's clear that the Switch isn't going to match Horizon Zero Dawn or Forza Horizon 3 in it's lifetime. Then again, there isn't a portable anywhere that can match the Switch's graphics and performance.
I love it though. Modifying the control scheme is easy, transition from TV mode to portable mode is seamless and the controllers feel pretty damn good. Good job Nintendo! Now we just have to wait and see if they will have lots of great games, or if it's going to be a slow trickle as it was on the Wii U.
Platform: Switch
Nintendo's 7th home console is finally here!
The Nintendo Switch is out, and it's a weird little device. When I received my Switch, I was surprised at the small size of the box. The device itself is very small, similar to a tablet. It can be connected to a TV via the included dock, but it can also be played as a portable! Build quality seems really nice and the device feels fast and high tech.
It's got a lot of fancy bells and whistles too. There's the now famous "HD Rumble", motion controls, micro-SD card slot, game cards that feel like 3DS cards, a high quality screen and decent speakers. Then of course, there's the controllers...
The Joy Con are very unique controllers. They are basically two tiny controllers that can be used individually, or combined to create a full-fledged, traditional controller. When used in the included "grip" accessory, it's almost like holding a normal controller. When using the console in portable mode, the two Joy Con slide onto the edges of the console to create a weird, giant portable. That position was definitely not as comfortable as when using the grip. The console can also be placed on a solid surface to act as a small monitor. Finally, the Joy Con can be used as individual controllers for multiplayer. It's clearly not an ideal control method, but it works well enough to be usable and enjoyable.
The user interface is refreshingly simple. There's almost nothing on screen... There's the games of course, then the eshop, settings, controller management and a news app. There's also a profile page where you can see your friends and such. It's a very elegant UI and it works wonderfully. The machine is snappy and responsive too, so that's always welcome.
So far, I'm really happy with the Switch, but it's got a few little problems too. This thing just might be the first real hybrid gaming device ever made. It works well as both a portable and as a home console. However, since it's a hybrid, that comes with some concessions. For example, in portable mode, the battery life isn't that great. In console mode, it lacks power and punch for graphics and audio. Don't get me wrong, the games I've played look fantastic, but it's clear that the Switch isn't going to match Horizon Zero Dawn or Forza Horizon 3 in it's lifetime. Then again, there isn't a portable anywhere that can match the Switch's graphics and performance.
I love it though. Modifying the control scheme is easy, transition from TV mode to portable mode is seamless and the controllers feel pretty damn good. Good job Nintendo! Now we just have to wait and see if they will have lots of great games, or if it's going to be a slow trickle as it was on the Wii U.
