It’s here. After months of waiting, speculation, rumors and teasers. The Nintendo Switch has finally arrived. Nintendo hopes to literally change the game by allowing gamers to play in a myriad of ways. The Switch console promises to be an almost all-in-one console, able to function as a standalone home console or as a handheld console. But does it live up to that promise? I have not played with the Switch yet and cannot do a full review, however, here are a few pros and (joy)cons of the Nintendo Switch as it is today.
Pros
1. This is the most powerful handheld console ever. Compared to the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, it’s not nearly as powerful but compared to other handheld systems like the PlayStation Vita or even Nintendo’s own 3DS, it’s much more capable performance wise.
2. The system UI is very clean and simple. It’s easy to setup and play out of the box. The screen is touch enabled so the menus can be navigated using touch or the controller buttons.
3. Nintendo has built the Switch to be the most versatile console ever. Using the included dock, you can play the switch in full 1080p on your TV. The Switch console itself has a kickstand (albeit a little flimsy per most reviewers) and can be propped up to play on by itself. Obviously, there’s the handheld mode where the JoyCon slide onto either side of the Switch. The JoyCon themselves can be used independently in each hand. Many reviewers have stated that this is very comfortable. For those wanting a more traditional gaming experience, the JoyCon can slide onto the JoyCon Grip. There’s also a separate Pro Controller for more hardcore gamers. Furthermore, some games like 1-2 Switch and Mario Kart allow each JoyCon to be used for split screen multiplayer.
4. The screen on the Switch console is only 720p. That sounds like a downer until you remember that it’s a 6.2 inch screen. At that size, content on the screen still looks sharp and plenty good for handheld gaming. The screen is also suitably bright for most environments although direct sunlight probably isn’t a good idea.
5. Gaming is always better with friends. Up to 8 Switches can be networked together for multiplayer games.
Cons
1. Nintendo has stated that battery life on the Switch console is between 2 and 6 hours depending on how graphically intensive the game is. That means that if you plan on going on long plane ride, be prepared to bring a separate battery pack, especially when playing games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
2. The base Switch bundle is about $300 which isn’t bad. It comes with the console itself, the Switch dock, 2 JoyCon, and the JoyCon Grip. However, the Pro Controller is totally separate and costs $70. There’s also a separate JoyCon Charging Grip that charges the JoyCon while connected which is another $30. The Switch only comes with 32GB of onboard storage. If you plan on primarily downloading games, that space will fill up quick. Fortunately, the Switch does support micro SD cards but that’s yet another added expense depending on the size of the card.
3. Many early reviews of the Switch complained of the left JoyCon frequently desyncing during gameplay. The issue seems to be depend on how far away the player is but apparently, it’s frequent enough for people to notice it.
4. As great as the Switch hardware is, it is the games that will ultimately make or break the longevity of the console. The launch games for the Switch is mediocre at best. The only major title worth getting at the moment is Zelda. 1-2 Switch may be fun for a while but is ultimately a glorified tech demo. I Am Setsuna is a port from other consoles and Super Bomberman is hardly worth the $60 asking price. Fortunately, there are heavy hitters coming out as the year goes on such as Mario Kart 8 (which itself is also a port), Splatoon 2, Dragon Quest Heroes, ARMS, and Mario Odyssey.
5. Nintendo is set to release an online service to compete with Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. This online service will allow gamers to play online multiplayer against other gamers as well as play one free NES or SNES game per month. The downside is that unlike Xbox Live and PSN, once the month is up, the player will no longer have access to that free game unless they buy it. Voice chat will be limited to an app on a smartphone or tablet and you are limited to up to 300 friends.
