Nintendo Switch part 2

Launching on the 3rd of March 2017, the Nintendo Switch has a price point sitting at $299.99, which is about £250. The launch console will contain left and right Joycon pads and a main grip to attach them too, as well as wrist straps to make sure they don't fly off anywhere while using them, A dock for the Switch to sit in with an HDMI cable and AC adapter.

Two other version of the Joycon controller will be released to add some style to the Switch; A grey Joycon for you Boeing people out there, and a version with one neon blue and one neon red Joycon for the fans of Mario and Sonic at the Olympics.

The battery life is said to last for more then six hours but does depend on the software and usage conditions, EG: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can run for about three hours on a single charge. Fear not as the Switch can be charged away from home using the AC adapter plugged into the console's USB type C connector.

As you may already know, the Joycon pads can be used independently for playing with friends. They also come with some additional features like accelerometer and gyro sensor, to creator left and right independent motion control possible. It doesn't stop there however, the left Joycon contains a capture button so you can show off the those screenshots to your friends on social media. The right Joycon contains two things, an NFC (Near field communication) touch point for Amiibo figure interaction, and an IR (Infrared) motion camera with the ability to make out the distance, shape and motion of an object. Both Joycon pads also include advanced HD Rumble so detailed that the player could feel the sensation of individual ice cubes colliding inside a glass when shaking the Joycon.

To the Switch's connectivity and, all jokes aside, it sounds pretty good. Up to eight systems can be connected for local wireless multiplayer play, or of course placing the Switch screen on its built in stand and splitter the Joycon pad to play two player games with a friend. The system will support wifi online multiplayer gaming and Nintendo have unveiled a new subscription service with the Switch that begins with a free trial at launch. This will allow players to invite and chat to one another while playing games and set gaming appointments, all of this is included with a smart-device application available in summer 2017.

As you may have seen, the Switch has a lot of third party support behind it including Bethesda, EA, Activision and Warner Bro's, but what's even better than that? The fact that all that lovely software won't be region locked.

Lastly, a little bit about some launch titles.

Zelda has been a big Nintendo franchise for a long time now and Breath of the Wild looks to be capitalising in that. A big, expansive open world scenario that I'm sure will use every part of the Switch's processing power to being you an unforgettable experience.

1-2-Switch, a core Switch feature-based game, wherein you stare the other player, rather than the screen, to imitate them. From Wild West gunslinging to dance moves, 1-2-Switch makes use of the Switch's features to create a fun party game.

ARMS looks very interesting. A mix of boxing and first person shooters, players use both pads of the Joycon, holding one in each hand, to throw punches at your opponents with your left or right hands. You can jump and dash out of the way of an oncoming punch or bend your punches by twisting your hands as you swing. 

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, not much different from MK8 except the ease of connectivity allows for a bigger party of gaming.

Snipperclips, an action-puzzle game where you and your fellow players communicate to cut shapes out of paper to progress. May not sound like much, but the challenge of organising yourselves as a team and not griefing each other is the hard part, as tempting as it can be to ruin your fellow players day as the latest Super Mario Bro's U platform placement mechanic taught us. 

Super Mario Odyssey is an open world Mario game which may sound weird but, is the trailer is anything to go on looks like it will play in the Sonic 2006 mould. Not as bad as Sonic 2006's gameplay but a hub town where you can pick up side missions and collectibles, while you travel to different worlds that all look Mario inspired as opposed to rip off 3D versions of Mario 2 levels. The advantage Mario has over Sonia is that he moves at regular speed, thus moving along a 3D plane works, although from the look of the NPCs in the hub town, they look like they've been taken straight out of Sonic 2006 hopefully without the stupid Charlie Brown-esc mumble speech thing.

So that concludes my look at the Switch press release, hopefully this has given you a bit more information on the new console or maybe even the desire to buy one. Mark the date of the 3rd of March for the release but until then keep checking Game Changers for more news and updates.

Upcoming Games In 2017

This week, I'm going to be taking a look at whats to come this year, giving us something to look forward to after 2016 may have left some of us feeling a bit blue.

Mass Effect Andromeda

Probably the most awaited game of 2017, Mass Effect Andromeda is the fourth Mass Effect game brought to us by Bioware. Bioware are very good at writing games and it seems that they have really latched on to the space exploration theme wherein you meet many a person of different races, creeds and origins. A lot to go deep on the writing with, the problem that shows its head with Andromeda is, the smell of retreading old ground. Not always a complaint to go back to what worked, the names are all changed as well as the main character, but in a world so rich as the Mass Effect world I'm sure there will always be another story to tell.

Resident Evil VII

Resident Evil - or in this games case "Resident EVII" evoking roman numerals in a short sighted attempt to get the number into the title, although I guess its better than Fe3ar or Thi4f at least - has always been a fun, if a little cooky, survival horror game. Wandering through towns, routinely smashing crates and boxes looking for ammo and herbs, all the while popping the heads of whichever inhabitants or Residents if you will, that are under some sort of manipulation or virus, thus turning them Evil. The name has always kind of made sense, but in this installment its gone more literal. After coming to the middle of nowhere to find your wife, you end up in this mansion that wants nothing more than to see you dead, so now you are located in an evil residence rather than shooting at the oncoming hoard of evil residents. As a fan of the Resident Evil series, I've been looking forward to this for a while, it is the first Resident Evil game from a first person perspective, from other games that wouldn't have made sense because you need to be able to see around you when the camera wont behave. In this case its more for immersion, as well as this game being designed for use with VR (Virtual Reality) which looks very interesting. Staples like puzzles, inventory management and of course herbs are all going to be present in this installment, however I wouldn't go into this expecting as many opportunities to shoot heads off with a shotgun as in previous games, as this is more about survival horror in a sense of running and hiding not in the sense of "someones trying to kill me, better shoot their kneecaps out and suplex them to death."

Scalebound

Another one I've been keeping my eye on. It looked like an intriguing premise to me, a mix of Japanese role playing games (JRPS) such as Final Fantasy, spectacle fighters like Devil May Cry and western role playing games like Skyrim. You get to run around an fantasy open world environment, slashing through enemies, oh and did I forget to mention you can command a big, fire-breathing dragon to swoop down on your opposition and gobble them up. Sounds great doesn't it? Well, by the end of 2017 Scalebound will have hit the shelves and I have a feeling might become one of the games of the year. 

Death Stranding

Hideo Kojima's new IP after Metal Gear Solid is set to make some waves in 2017. Not much is known about the game itself, but with a name like Kojima's behind it, you would imagine it has a lot to offer in both story and game-play, especially if Metal Gear Solid is anything to go by - a lot of words and the talky talk without actually saying anything, and many mechanics introduced throughout game time resulting in almost a Swiss army knife attempt at game-play. This could be the start of a big new series for Kojima, but until we see what the game is, nothing can really be said.

For Honor

I'm sure you've heard or seen something about For Honor. After its announcement last year at E3, it feels like its gone from strength to strength, finally to be release this year. As it looks, For Honor is very detailed and finely tuned actions hack and slasher, featuring historical soldiers for you to play as in a medieval fantasy setting. Pick from Knights, Samurai and Vikings to utilize their speed, cunning and sheer brute force to overcome your opponents. Seems simple to understand but I'm sure will turn out to be very hard to master. This is a very interesting game in my opinion;  I like only having three main playable character types, all with four sub-types each, as it keeps it easily balanced, especially in comparison to something like Overwatch. The setting is another plus point for me as I feel mythical fantasy is such a rich vein that granted many have tapped in to, but the detail that lies within, if captured and portrayed correctly, can really make a game come to life.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

  This is going to be my reason for buying a Nintendo Switch as I have been keeping my eye on Breath of the Wild for a long time now. Originally set for a Wii U exclusive release in 2015, it was delayed twice over the upcoming years and had to settle for a 2017 release instead. Don't worry though, even with six years between this and the last Zelda game on the Wii, from the look of the trailers at least, its keeping true to the feel of the Zelda universe. Nineteenth in the series but the first Zelda game in HD, Breath of the Wild brags a huge, expansive open world environment and advanced physics engine to go with those gorgeous graphics that have been teased out over the last couple of years. I'm sure this will draw players in like many a Zelda game before it and I for one cant wait to be playing this over and over, discovering every little detail and mechanics used.

So that's been my look at some of the games to come and what I think could be some of the picks of the year. I'm sure I'll be taking a look at these in more detail over the next twelve months in addition to others - cough cough Red Dead Redemption 2, but until then keep checking back to Game Changers for more news and updates.