Unless you follow the latest video game news, you may not know that Nintendo announced a new gaming console in October. Set to release sometime in March, the Nintendo Switch is the newest addition to the wide world of video games.
Because Nintendo keeps pretty much everything under wraps until a week or two before the release date, it's not surprising if you haven't heard about the Switch. There's been little to no advertising surrounding it, and even now they still have not set a specific date for release. Which they're definitely allowed to withhold information until a further time, and they have the money to do so, but as a fan it's really annoying.
Pictured above is what I assume Nintendo executives to look and act like.
Because I myself am frustrated by the lack of information, I have decided to compile a definite list of everything you need and want to know concerning the Nintendo Switch.
1. What is it?
The late Satoru Iwata first announced the Nintendo Switch (codenamed Nintendo NX) in March of 2015. Not much was told, just that Nintendo was working on something new and that it was to be "a brand-new concept." It was officially announced as the Nintendo Switch on October 20, 2016.
2. When is it being released?
Right now, there is not a definite release date. It will be formally announced at a presentation on January 13, 2017. At that presentation, Nintendo said they will reveal "full game demonstrations, a launch of list window titles, product configuration and related specifics." The official in-store date right now is March 2017.
3. How much will it be?
Being that it will be so different from other consoles and gaming systems on the market right now, it's hard to guess a price. Right now, experts are guesstimating around $245. This would make it cheaper than the Wii U was when launched, that was priced at $300 initially but was then lowered. Other reports put it closer to $400, but no one knows for sure. We'll find out more on January 13.
4. What will it look like?
Nintendo's trailer pretty much revealed all. The Switch will use cartridges instead of discs, like their classic consoles and DS systems. Essentially, the Switch is composed of one base unit with a 720p screen that you can then add on to. The two controllers, called Joy-Cons, clip onto each side when portable, similar to the Wii U's GamePad. They then come off when the console is placed into its docking station. You can then attach the Joy-Cons to a completely separate device to create a full fledged gamepad. Each Joy-Con can also be used individually, allowing for two player games.
5. What do the specs look like?
While we do get to see what it looks like, we officially have yet to find out the Switch's actual compatibility. Tech company Nvidia has previously said that they are making the processor to go inside the console, and a recent leak claims that the CPU and GPU will be heavily based on a Nvidia chipset. Essentially, this means it will have 256-core Maxwell graphics processor and an octa-core processor. It will also be capable of 4K Ultra HD video playback, however it's been said to only have an HDMI 1.4 output. In layman's terms, it can play in 4K, but only at 30fps.
6. What will the software be like?
A rumor that emerged in the middle of 2015 is that the Switch operating system will work a lot like an Android. This may not be that far off, because the chipset found in the Switch's processor is the same one used in the Android Shield TV.
7. What games will be available/can I use my old Wii or DS games?
The Switch will not be backwards compatible with any physical media. It will use cartridges instead of discs, so Wii and Wii U games are out. You may point out that all of the DS systems use cartridges, as do the classic consoles. However, the Switch will have a whole new kind of cartridge specific to itself. The only option for backwards compatibility would be digital, and there is no news on that yet. Only one game has been officially confirmed for the Switch (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild), however many were featured in the trailer including Splatoon, an enhanced version of Mario Kart 8, what looked like (and could very well be) Super Mario 3D World, a Switch version of Skyrim and NBA 2k17.
