Nintendo finally reveals the Switch console

Hey, Nintendo fans! It looks like you’ll finally be able to play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on a Nintendo console soon. The Nintendo Switch, (formerly known by its work-in-progress designation “NX”) is a hybrid console that can be configured on the fly as a mobile game system, a home TV console, and weird tablet thing with detachable controllers. It’s probably easier if you just go watch the announcement video to see it in action.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2016/10/20/nintendo-finally-reveals-switch-console/

…Did I see portable Skyrim?

You did.

On first glance, this seems a much better plan than the WiiU.

First, the name. I sincerely believe they really hurt themselves with WiiU, as many people didn’t realize it was a completely separate system. given the broadened base of non traditional gamers, this hurt sales.

Second, the different form factors? I can dig that. As someone who uses a tablet frequently, this is nice. The ability to seamlessly go from TV to tablet, to portable small screen with multiplayer is a much better gimmick.

Once again Nintendo goes their own way, and I think I like this way.

I like what they’ve shown so far. I think it’s smart of Nintendo to just drop out of the power rat race and go for something completely different. The Wii started with a different premise - motion controls over regular controls - but wound up as just an underpowered home console. With the Switch, Nintendo seems to have completely embraced their mobile side.

My only concern is that the Joy-Con controller looks terrible. Like, my hands ache just from looking at it. I’m glad there’s going to be a Pro Controller option.

I think what’s going to make or break the system will be the price and battery life.

First reaction: “What, because the WiiU was such a raging success?”

Second reaction: You know what? Fuck it. If Nintendo wants to keep making affordable platforms for their brand of unique gameplay-first games, I can dig it.

Make it backwards compatible with a decent digital store (they did show…a whole bunch of last-gen games) and I could see being on board with this.

I love what I see. Those are new versions of Mario Kart and Splatoon too. Two items on the upper corner of the screen. King Boo playable for Kart. Unfamiliar map for Splatoon.

Obviously that’s also a new Mario game that looks a lot more like 64 or Sunshine.

Portable Skyrim is pretty crazy too. NBA2K17… they may have a tremendous lineup at launch. Also, cartridges!

Well, naturally. Tablet mode looks great, but if it has battery life less than at least 3 hours, I see potential trouble.

Tablets like the Surface Pro, not to mention iPads, have really upped their game. less than 3 hours probably kills it. Hell it should probably aim for 5-6+. But if it can’t match me playing Xcom on my Surface, it’ll be DOA.

The rumors are putting it at $300. I don’t see them matching the iPad in power or battery life at that price. Any higher, though, and no one will buy it.

I dunno, Nintendo has done some miraculous things with batteries. I pulled my old DS that I bought in 2006 out of storage for my son earlier this year, and it still had hours of battery life in it. It had been sitting in a drawer for at least 4 years unused.

I did something similar. The battery was stone dead (though it probably was when I put it there too), but plugged in and it came back to life quickly.

I don’t see any place to smack Amiibos onto this device. I’m sure they won’t throw that cash cow away, but I hate those things. I hate them because my kid keeps asking for them and they’re impossible to find.

I also don’t like waifu Link, so this new Zelda game displeases me. Give me baby Link pls.

This is one of the splash images they released in PR.

Note the little SD card-looking cartridge.

Also, the separate Joy-Cons look like something I’d use only if you put a gun to my head.

Sure, the original DS/DS Lite had amazing battery life, but the 1st gen 3DS’s really sucks. It’s no better than the far more powerful and better screened Vita’s.

http://i.imgur.com/0w5UAMX.gif

They do look comically tiny. Thank God I have small hands.

One thing people complained about with the Wii U gamepad was being tethered to the system with its rather short range. Switch immediately fixes that. Go from living room to bedroom and never stop playing!

This system solves so many “problems” people had with Nintendo. One system means all your stuff, digital or otherwise, exists in one place. Game development is focused on one platform. Hell, you can even play multiplayer games without buying an extra controller.

Awesome.

Pretty much!

I dunno, nothing about these accessibility shenanigans makes me care about the console one bit.

But I do love console ad logic! I love the impeccably groomed hot chick bringing her console to her hipster friends’ sunset urban rooftop garden party. Or the underpass dudebros ditching real basketball for the fake thing with little baby half controllers.

I mean, that’s real right? That’s how you guys game?

I think we had the same reaction, lol.

This might be the first Nintendo console I ever purchase.