Nintendo switches things up
Nintendo unveiled their newest console, The Nintendo Switch, in a three-minute trailer Oct. 20. Their newest innovation in gaming, formerly codenamed The NX, is a hybrid of a handheld, like the 3DS, and a home console, like the Wii. It features a dock connected to the TV, a screen that slides into the dock, two small controllers, called joy-cons, that connect to the screen, and a controller base for playing on the TV.
The Switch’s main feature is that the screen can be removed from the connecting dock, taking the current game along with it. The joy-cons also can be removed from the home controller, attaching to the screen to make a portable gaming experience. From there, the joy-cons can be taken off and held separate from the screen, similar to a Wii controller.
Games confirmed to be on the Switch include “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” “Splatoon,” “Mario Kart,” “NBA 2K17,” “Skyrim,” a new 3D Mario title, and “Just Dance 2017.”
Many third-party developers like Konami, Sega, Capcom, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, and Ubisoft have displayed interest. Third-party support was something the Wii U was lacking in, which contributed to its low success, according to Lifewire.com and Goliath.com.
Some people, however, have their doubts.The portable screen may not have a touch screen, only one screen can be played on at a time, the joy-cons look small, and the battery life may be bad, as brought up by Paul Tassi, a writer at Forbes.com.
Despite all of these potential flaws, perhaps the Switch can succeed where the Wii U failed, and re-establish Nintendo as viable contenders in the console market.