Last Thursday, the world was treated to a presentation on the Nintendo Switch, the next console from the Japanese game company. Important specifics, including price and launch date, and upcoming games were revealed. Having watched it live, I’ve decided to discuss my impressions of the Switch and its lineup.
First, it launches March 3 for $299.99, which is a little more than I would like to pay for a console not launching with a bundled game, like Nintendo’s last two home consoles did. That 1-2 Switch game, which consists of micro-minigames, would have been a perfect Wii Sports-like game to bundle, and I’m actually surprised that there is no bundle with the new Zelda game.
Next, Nintendo announced a paid online service and an end to region locking. The end of region locking is great news, but the paid online service is questionable. While PlayStation and Xbox do it too, Nintendo didn’t have to begin doing so as well; it’s a company known for doing its own thing while Sony and Microsoft duke it out.
Nintendo doesn’t have the greatest record with online functionality either; it's been able to maintain online well for its games, but it always felt a few steps behind. From the trailers released for the Switch, the console seems to be targeting a more local multiplayer approach rather than online, but what about for a game like Splatoon, which is really only playable when connected to the internet? Hopefully the company doesn’t do anything drastic with this paid service and reveals more information before launch.
Also, the controller. The removable Joy-cons look small and somewhat uncomfortable to play sideways, but I trust that they feel better than they look. The red and blue colors are awesome; hopefully Nintendo can make more different color Joy-cons. I am worried about how durable the controller is; for a controller that is meant to be portable, cracking or scratching its screen is a legitimate fear. And for those that don’t want to use the gimmicky controller, the Pro Controller is expensive, priced at $69.99.
Finally, there is a lot of software to be excited for. Nintendo announced big titles including Super Mario Odyssey, the next exciting adventure for its infamous mascot; Splatoon 2, the follow-up to its fresh Wii U hit (they missed the perfect opportunity to style the name Splat2n) and ended with a phenomenal and emotionally-rousing story trailer for the long-awaited Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Other titles revealed include Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Fire Emblem Warriors, the strangely intriguing elastic boxing game ARMS, 1-2 Switch, Super Bomberman R, Skyrim and projects by Atlus and Square Enix.
Of these games, Zelda, 1-2 Switch, and Super Bomberman R are slated for launch date. Which leads to the question: is Zelda enough at launch?
It absolutely is. We have been waiting for at least two years for Zelda to release, and it is the system seller. Why would the company release another big game on the same date to compete with Zelda? Even if Mario was coming out on launch as well, I’m confident that the latter franchise would outsell the red plumber, especially after this long wait for its release.
Unlike with the Wii U, there is a loaded lineup for the rest of the year. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes out 8 weeks after Zelda, Splatoon 2 in the summer, and Mario Odyssey in the holiday; in addition, there are many other games are listed as 2017 releases, and their Virtual Console service may have classic games to look forward to as well. Nintendo may be learning something from their failure to actively support the Wii U by making sure the Switch has a lineup to look forward to within the year of its release.
Regardless of its faults, I have the Nintendo Switch preordered already. I’m beyond excited; I can’t wait to snipe some squids in Splatoon 2, to explore the luscious, colorful world of Super Mario Odyssey, and to experiment with the many stupid ways to die in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Hopefully Nintendo continues to learn from the reactions of its consumers, and supports and thrives with the Switch.
