Quick Review: Nintendo Switch

About the Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a “hybrid” console that was released March last year. By hybrid, they mean that it’s both:

• a portable/hand-held console (like the GBA or Nintendo DS). The Switch itself is a 6.2 inch tablet that supports up to 720p resolution.
• a regular home console, when docked and plugged to a TV. Docking the Switch allows it to support 1080p and 60 fps but that depends on the particular game being played. Zelda: Breath of The Wild plays at 900p (30fps) and it looks beautiful.

Joy-Con Controller

The Joy-Con controller, to me, is the star of the Nintendo Switch show.

Why?

• It has an accelerometer and gyroscope which means it can be used for motion control, like the Wii Remote.
• The right Joy-Con has an infrared depth tracking sensor, which can read objects and motions held in front of it.
• It also has a cool haptic feedback engine that lets it generate fine tactile feedback.
• Each Joy-Con can be used on it’s own to play certain games like Mario Kart by using it horizontally or it can be paired with another one to form a conventional type controller using the Joy-Con grip. This means you don’t need to buy an extra pair of Joy-Cons to enjoy 2 player games.
• Because of the Joy-Con controllers, you can use the Switch (un-docked) in different ways.

The Verdict

The Nintendo Switch is a breath of fresh air. It feels to me like a combination of the best parts of Wii and the Wii U.

I personally prefer to play it when it’s docked. The games just look bigger and better. But it’s still a lot of fun when it’s used in portable mode. I love that you can use each Joy-Con as it’s own standalone controller, because it has led to many fun, four player (or 8, if you pair two Switch consoles), sessions of Mario Kart 8.

It also has a decent selection of all kinds of games with way more coming this 2018.

If you love Nintendo exclusives, get a Switch.

If you’re just looking for casual, fun gaming, get a Switch.

If you’re on the move often and you want to play the same games you played at home on the plane, get a Switch.

Summary

Pros

• It’s relatively cheap, $300 for the Tablet, Dock and 2 Joy-Con controllers. (And it’s about N150,000 on Konga)
• It’s just fun! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent with Mario Kart, Super Mario Odyssey & Zelda.
• Joy-Con controllers are packing serious tech that lets you play games in different ways.
• It’s “hybrid”. And in portable mode, the battery can handle a full 3 hours of playing Zelda, non-stop. (Plus, you can get a battery pack to bump this up)

Cons

• The Joy-Cons are kind of small, so it’s a bit uncomfortable for someone like me with relatively big hands. This only happens when I’m using one Joy-Con as a standalone controller.
• The screen isn’t really that good under bright sunlight.
• There weren’t that many games when the console launched but already that’s changing.