My First Impressions of the Nintendo Switch
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

My First Impressions of the Nintendo Switch

Yes, I did lick the game cartridge.

20
My First Impressions of the Nintendo Switch
Business Insider

Since March 3rd, many avid Nintendo fans have gotten their hands on the Switch, Nintendo’s new home…and handheld…console.

The Switch was first unveiled last fall via an announcement video, and had one livestream event earlier this year that shared more information about the system and its upcoming games. The stream left many feeling unsure about the Switch, as there were hardly any launch titles and Nintendo has been trying to recover from the Wii U, which had been somewhat of a failure.

The Wii U was released back in 2012 and hasn’t seen much success in its five years of life. The technological advances were not nearly as impressive as its predecessor, the Wii, so it hardly touched the non-gamer demographic. Because of that leading to less sales, it was hard for Nintendo to attract support from third party companies to create games for the Wii U.

In my own experience, my Wii game library is massive compared to my Wii U library. Additionally, I was the only person in my family playing the Wii U; when my parents first bought the Wii as a Christmas surprise, they would sneakily play it at night after my sister and I had gone to bed in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Naturally, the lack of games for the Wii U had left many of us feeling skeptical for the Switch, but Nintendo made sure to publicize all the companies that had already signed on to work with them for the Switch, bringing titles such as “Skyrim” to our libraries.

Nintendo also emphasized the new tech coming to us in the Switch, dedicating several minutes of the announcement to some “HD vibration” feature (I don’t really remember besides it just being weird). I came off with the idea that the Wii U had been a prototype for the Switch or the line connecting Point A (the Wii) to Point B (the Switch).

Now that I’ve had the ability to play with it for a week, I’m actually pretty impressed.

The system itself worked out better than I had expected. The JoyCons are basically tiny Wii remotes, but despite the smaller size, they fit pretty comfortably in my hands. The screen on the Switch is a definite step up from the Wii U Gamepad, as the Switch’s screen is HD.

You can play it like a home console or a handheld device; put the Switch in the dock and plug it into the TV to play games on the big screen, or take it out of the dock and play it like a DS. It’s pretty awesome. The lifespan of the battery in handheld mode depends on the game you play; a data-heavy game such as “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, the only title available at launch and therefore carrying the system until “Splatoon 2” and “Super Mario Odyssey” later this year, will run the battery down in about three hours.

Aside from “Breath of the Wild” I’ve played a little bit of “1-2-Switch!”, which is basically a lower quality, yet more expensive, “Wii Sports.” It really should’ve come with the system free of charge, as “Breath of the Wild” isn’t a 2-player game, thus forcing the hand of people sharing a Switch to purchase “1-2-Switch!” for a multiplayer experience.

(Side note: yes, I did lick the game cartridge and, yes, it did taste very gross. My sister and dad also tried it and came to the same conclusion as me.)

“Breath of the Wild” has attracted lots of attention, receiving some of the highest review scores ever compared to previous games. It’s my first open-world style game so I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by it, but it’s definitely fun; I’ve spent a couple hours a day playing it since launch. It’s also really challenging, giving me a plethora of “game over” screens every time I sit down to play it.

It’s a bit buggy, though. The frame rate drops pretty epically at some points, especially during big fight scenes, which is literally the worst time to drop the frame rate. Additionally, the game will freeze altogether sometimes—luckily only a few seconds at a time for me, but indefinitely for other players. I’ve even had the controls stop responding completely, if only for a few seconds! Despite that, I still find myself addicted to the game, which is only the third “Zelda” title I’ve owned and played through (the other two being “Wind Waker” and “Triforce Heroes”).

Overall, I’m definitely more pleased about the Switch than I had anticipated. There is a lot of potential for it to be revered as a great system. As great as the original Wii? Unlikely, though the Switch recently beat out the Wii's initial sales, making it the fastest-selling console for Nintendo ever. Better than the Wii U? Hopefully.

Here’s to hoping we receive much more third party support this time around in addition to other first party games as great as “Breath of the Wild”.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

937557
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

114417
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

89496
​different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments