Yardbarker
x
We got our hands on the new Nintendo Switch, here are our first impressions
Sam Greszes/Yardbarker

We got our hands on the new Nintendo Switch, here are our first impressions

Little by little, the weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter, and the grass is looking greener. For some, that indicates the first whispers of spring breaking through the harsh winter. But for gamers, it represents something bigger: a sign that the release of the Nintendo Switch on March 3 is creeping ever-closer.

Nintendo has been touring the country to show off the console prior to the Switch's launch in recent weeks. We were fortunate enough to be able to sneak in when they stopped by Chicago's Fulton Market neighborhood so that we can give you a glimpse of what you can expect from the system.

The hardware


Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Image

If you've been keeping up with the news, you know that the gimmick of the Nintendo Switch is that it is, essentially, a portable console. That tablet-looking thing up there is where all the hardware is – you can either plop it in a dock to play games on TV, just like every other console out there, or you can slide your controllers into the slots on the sides of the Switch, remove it from the dock, and take it on the go.

At the event itself, this functionality was on full display, with stations set up with docked Switches featuring TV play, and other stations that featured the console undocked, allowing players to see how the system works on the go. The idea here is obvious – Nintendo wants people not just to play their biggest, best games at home, but also on the train, at the airport, or wherever they happen to be. It's a nice idea, and something that hopes to bridge the gap between big, beefy home consoles, and mobile gaming devices like the Game Boy and its ilk.


Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Image

Nintendo has also been pushing the different control methods of the system. It comes with two small Joy-Con controllers built in, but those controllers can slide into a grip device to form one larger, more standard-looking controller. This was one of the things that we really wanted to examine, since these controllers are very pricey – Nintendo is selling a pack of two for $80, with the grip costing even more. That's reasonable for a two-pack, but only if the controllers themselves work (and are comfortable) without the grip.

Hands-on


Sam Greszes/Yardbarker

The event itself gave us a chance to answer some (but not all) of these lingering questions. First of all, for me at least, the Joy-Con controllers were comfortable enough, once you get used to their shape. I don't have particularly big or small hands, and the biggest problem I had with using one Joy-Con to control a game was the fact that it wasn't shaped like an Xbox or Playstation controller, form functions that have been drilled into the consciousness of gamers for over a decade. Much like the Wii remote and nunchuk combo, it'll take a little time to develop that muscle memory.

The Joy-Cons, however, are indisputably more comfortable slotted into the grip, or the Switch console itself. This is a huge deal, because as far as we could tell, there was little-to-no drop-off in terms of performance and quality when playing games on the go. Fast-paced games like Mario Kart and Splatoon 2 were at home on the smaller screen, with the only drawback being that they were, well, on a smaller screen.

And this comfort is key, because leaving the event, Nintendo's vision for the system became clear to me. See, they haven't been pushing it hard in marketing materials, but the system also has the ability to communicate with other Switch consoles even when it's not connected to the internet. This means that if you're, say, waiting for your flight to board at the airport, and bust out your Switch to play some Mario Kart, you'll be able to race against anyone who has brought theirs along as well.

This extends to any game with multiplayer aspects. The Switch encourages gamers to play a pick-up game of NBA 2k18 after playing, well, a pick-up game of basketball. It's a great idea, and is what we took away after the event as the system's main selling point. The problem, however, is that this kind of thing is memetic. If the Switch is popular at launch, people will start seeing them in public spaces, asking about them, and eventually, making the console even more popular. The flip side of that is that if the launch fails, not only will Nintendo suffer as a company, but a lot of the promise of the console will be unfulfilled. That dream of teaming up with somebody to play some co-op on a long train ride will die alongside the Dreamcast, the Jaguar, and countless other failed consoles. If the pre-release hype is anything to go by, however, this won't be a problem, given that Gamestop has already sold out of its allotment of Switch preorders.

The Nintendo Switch launches on March 3 for $299.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.