Nintendo's New Hybrid Game System - The Nintendo Switch
On October 20, Nintendo unveiled their newest console, the Nintendo Switch. Previously referred to under development as the "NX," this new hybrid console will allow gamers to seamlessly transition between playing games on their television at home and taking their games with them when they head out the door. Following the same precedent they have set in recent years, Nintendo has put the console's emphasis on innovation and rethinking how players interact with their games instead of simply boxing up better graphics and power into sleeker hardware.
In this video introduction, we see players taking advantage of the console's ease of transformation from a home console to a mobile system; all they have to do is remove the console (which also functions as the mobile screen) from its dock and attach it to the controller and voila, their full library of games is at their fingertips anywhere they want to play. No system restart is required to switch between home and mobile modes, either - the system naturally switches context when removed from the dock mid-play.
Another interesting feature of the system is the versatile nature of the controller, which is hard to even refer to as a single, concrete object. At home, two separate pieces slide into a small slab to keep them together as one unit, while on the go, they attach to the console screen, feeling much like a larger version of the classic Nintendo DS or even PlayStation's portable variants. As an alternative, the console screen can be propped up via built-in kickstand and set on a desk or table while the controllers detach to be held as separate pieces. This feature is very exciting to many because it solves the problem created by the often uncomfortable trade-off between holding the portable console at a good viewing distance and holding it in a place that is comfortable for your arms.
Perhaps the most understated feature is the ability for two players (or possibly more) to play on the mobile console at once using only the standard controller, each taking one of the two independent pieces since both are equipped with a joystick and four buttons. In the video, players compete in both split-screen (Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon) and full-screen multiplayer (NBA 2K17), highlighting the intention for the console to fully perform in any combination of single player, multiplayer, mobile, or at-home settings.
The console is slated for March 2017. No price point has been set, but most expect Nintendo to give the Switch a modest retail value if they continue their modern trend of selling the console at a cheaper price. They bet on their notably loyal customer base to take advantage of the historically high volume of quality Nintendo titles produced throughout the lifetime of the system, and the Switch already promises many core titles for fans to look forward to.
In this video introduction, we see players taking advantage of the console's ease of transformation from a home console to a mobile system; all they have to do is remove the console (which also functions as the mobile screen) from its dock and attach it to the controller and voila, their full library of games is at their fingertips anywhere they want to play. No system restart is required to switch between home and mobile modes, either - the system naturally switches context when removed from the dock mid-play.
Another interesting feature of the system is the versatile nature of the controller, which is hard to even refer to as a single, concrete object. At home, two separate pieces slide into a small slab to keep them together as one unit, while on the go, they attach to the console screen, feeling much like a larger version of the classic Nintendo DS or even PlayStation's portable variants. As an alternative, the console screen can be propped up via built-in kickstand and set on a desk or table while the controllers detach to be held as separate pieces. This feature is very exciting to many because it solves the problem created by the often uncomfortable trade-off between holding the portable console at a good viewing distance and holding it in a place that is comfortable for your arms.
Perhaps the most understated feature is the ability for two players (or possibly more) to play on the mobile console at once using only the standard controller, each taking one of the two independent pieces since both are equipped with a joystick and four buttons. In the video, players compete in both split-screen (Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon) and full-screen multiplayer (NBA 2K17), highlighting the intention for the console to fully perform in any combination of single player, multiplayer, mobile, or at-home settings.
The console is slated for March 2017. No price point has been set, but most expect Nintendo to give the Switch a modest retail value if they continue their modern trend of selling the console at a cheaper price. They bet on their notably loyal customer base to take advantage of the historically high volume of quality Nintendo titles produced throughout the lifetime of the system, and the Switch already promises many core titles for fans to look forward to.
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