The Nintendo Switch is now available and as is usual with the company’s release trends, it seems like a device that does not conform to shape, use or any form of identity. It is a self-reliant device. Everything that anyone would ever need from a console is neatly packed inside it. Here’s everything anyone needs to know about the Switch before buying arguably this generation’s most innovative consoles.
Battery life
The most useful thing about the Switch is that it has multiple form factors. This also makes a portable console, with the user being able to take it anywhere they want. On a single charge, the battery is expected to last anywhere between 2.5 and 6.5 hours. The Joy-Cons have a more extended battery life at 20+ hours.
What’s inside the box
There is the console itself, the controllers with their respective wrist straps, the dock for the console, the HDMI cable and the power adaptor. There are grips for the controllers included as well. It should be noted that there is a version of the grips available that actually allow the user to simultaneously play with it and charge it as well. It’s going to be sold separately and will not come out of the box.
The UI
The UI of the Switch is pretty straight-forward. Unlike the competition, this particular console is made solely for games and nothing else much. It’s got a separate launcher to show the games installed in the device, so users can play their titles. There’s a built-in gallery and a newsfeed by Nintendo. Since this is the first ever version of the software, we are expecting the console to grow as time passes, adding newer features.
The Joycons
Probably the best part about the console, the Joycons are small, but have quite a bit of functionality in them built-in. Inside them are gyroscopes, NFC chips, IR sensors and vibration motors that now have a reputation for being the finest in the business. They can be split from the main device and used as different controllers separately for two players and be attached to various controller docks for better control reach. All the buttons are in the right place. Even when split, each controller has everything it needs, even that small form-factor.
What to play
Right now, there are quite a few games on the shelves to pick from. The 1-2 Switch seems to be the most innovative and really shows what the Switch is capable of. It actually makes the players face each other while they are playing different mini-games. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is a beautiful game that provides players with a great backdrop to go on Link’s next adventure.
Skylanders Imaginators, Just Dance 2017, Super Bomberman R, Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+, I am Setsuna, World of Goo, Little Inferno, Human Resource Machine, Snipperclips will be games that will be available physically. When the eShop for the Switch arrives, it will also include titles such as Fast RMX, Shovel Knight, Specter of Torment and Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. By the end of the year, the company claims that there will be 60 more indie games that will be available for purchase on the digital store. Some big titles to expect in the coming months would be Mario Odyssey, Lego City Undercover as well as Splatoon 2.
Owing to the compact nature of the Switch, it will come as a surprise to many that the console does not support Bluetooth for headphones, meaning users will have to make do with wired headsets. But that in no way makes this a deal breaker. For the asking price, and for what it offers, there’s nothing like this. Nintendo have never brought in fun the way that will, with the Switch and buying one right now would be a great investment.
All of this, at just $380, it’s a great time to be alive. PS4 Pro who?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uik5fgIaI