Release Date and Pricing
Let’s get the big stuff out of the way. During the Switch event today, Nintendo announced that their new console will be releasing on March 3, 2017. Not only that, the Switch will also be priced at $299.99, which is a whole $100 cheaper than the launch PS4. The console’s competitive pricing will definitely catch some attention, and Nintendo has placed itself in a pretty good position here with its early release date and attractive price point.
Two launch titles were also announced for the console: the first game is 1-2 Switch, a very odd challenge game that pits players against each other in events like shootouts and cow milking. The second game is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is one of the most highly anticipated titles of 2017. These additions don’t make for a very extensive launch lineup, but Zelda fans will undoubtedly be very pleased with this news.
The Joy-Con Controllers
Much like the Wiimote, the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers also have motion sensing and vibration capabilities. Nintendo spent a good amount of time showing off the Joy-Con today, and highlighted the fact that each Joy-Con side can be used as a fully functioning controller, complete with mini trigger buttons. In addition to that, the Joy-Cons also have motion sensors, which will come in very handy when you’re playing games that require motion controls.
Nintendo also mentioned that the Joy-Cons have the capability to detect an object’s distance from the controller itself, and also detect your hand’s movements and whether they’re making a rock, paper, or scissors gesture. More interestingly, the Joy-Cons have tactile features that can feel like ice cubes shaking in a cup, and even convey how many ice cubes are in said imaginary cup, or the feeling of water filling the glass. If the sensing capabilities on these Joy-Cons are as impressive as Nintendo is marketing them to be, it should be interesting to see how these features translate over to video games that make full use of them.
The Joy-Cons themselves are also pretty pricey. One Joy-Con will cost you $50, though you can buy both left and right sides at $80.
Region Locking and Online Services
Here’s one of the best announcements from today’s event: the Nintendo Switch will end region locking, which means that players will be able to import their Switch games from all over the world, and play them on their console safely with no headache. This also means that players can essentially buy their consoles from any territory without the fear of not being able to play region-specific games when they bring the console home.
Nintendo also announced that the Switch will have paid online services to allow players to engage in multiplayer activities with their friends. Players will be offered a trial period with this paid service, but will have to pay a subscription fee after the trial period is over. Nintendo didn’t offer up a lot of details on this front, but mentioned that more will be coming at a later date. We did learn that subscribers will get a free NES or SNES game each month.
It’s also worth noting that the company declined to mention whether the Switch will feature a proper achievement or trophy system, and whether they’ll be implementing a proper online friends network without the need of those troublesome 3DS friend codes. Another interesting tidbit mentioned during the event was that up to eight Switch systems could be connected together for a local multiplayer gaming session.
The Switch will also allow players to take in-game screenshots and share them on their social media feeds.
The Tablet Screen
The handheld version of the Switch is the most interesting feature we’ve seen so far, and Nintendo provided a few new details about the tablet screen. The tablet itself sports a 6.2-inch touch screen that can display a resolution of 1280 x 720. Nintendo also stated that the tablet’s battery life can last anywhere between three to six and a half hours of playtime, depending on what game you’re playing on it. Using Breath of the Wild as an example, players can expect about three hours of playtime on the tablet before having to charge it.
To charge the tablet itself, you can connect it with a USB Type-C adaptor, so the thing will probably be compatible with appropriate power banks as well. The Switch will come with 32GB of internal memory, though this can be expanded if users opt to use microSDXC cards with larger storage space.
Switch Bundles
On March 3, players will be able to purchase the Nintendo Switch with the option of choosing between one of two bundles. The bundles are pretty much the same, aside from the Joy-Con colors. One bundle will offer the standard grey colored Joy-Cons, while the other one offers the neon red and blue Joy-Cons. Aside from that, everything else in the bundles are the same. Players will receive the Switch, the dock, the left and right Joy-Con controllers, a Joy-Con grip, a Joy-Con wrist strap, a HDMI cable, and an AC adaptor.
Both bundles are also priced the same, and you can get them for $299.99 each. The Nintendo Switch also has pro controller support, but the gamepad itself will not be included in the bundles, and will have to be bought separately. We don’t have any pricing details for the pro controller just yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as more details on that come our way.
The Nintendo Switch is set to be released on March 3, 2017.
Published: Jan 13, 2017 08:00 am