Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo have released their new console we have been calling the NX for the last year. As the eagle eyed among you may have already caught on thanks to the title, it’s called the Nintendo Switch. A trailer has been released for the Switch showing off a unique controller-tablet hybrid. Don’t worry that’s only half of the time so no more Wii U’s, think of the Switch as the Wii U Nintendo meant to make. 

As a normal console, you can play the Switch via your TV with a normal controller. The tablet previously mention sits in a dock supposedly streaming your game to the TV, as the Switch runs cartridge games inserted into the tablet. The Switch’s innovation is revealed when you want to go on the move, at which point you slide the sides off your controller and onto the sides of your tablet. Seamless transition from TV screen to tablet means no stopping and starting, you can just slide them into place and off you go. Maybe you’re going to meet a friend? The Switch is perfect. You can both play, each player holding one half of the controller sideways, like a Wii mote, and the fun gets better with two Switches with up to four players.

As of yet, there aren’t really any games announced for the Switch, but the trailer showed off the upcoming Zelda: Breath of the Wild, NBA 2K17, Skyrim and some sort of Mario game. There hasn’t been release date or price announced either, but upon inspection of the trailer, it is thought the Switch has roughly a 6.5-inch tablet screen and runs at 720p, resulting in a better resolution meaning smoother gaming and that’s on the move! Nintendo have also released a list of partners supporting the Switch and will be telling us more during their presentation which will be live streamed globally on the 12th of January next year. 

My main worry would be the durability of the tablet. Everyone is going to drop it or knock it at least once, but I suppose there will be cases released for it, although that may make it difficult to connect the controller to the tablet. Screen damage would also be a worry, but hopefully its multi-touch screen will be slightly reinforced.

As always with Nintendo, I’m hoping for the best and this sounds like it could create a very good gaming experience both solo or with friends. I’ll be watching the Nintendo live stream next year to find out more, and keeping an eye out for any extra information Nintendo might drop in the meantime so watch this space. For now, I’m just going to be envisioning all those rooftop parties I’ll be invited to when I buy a Switch.