The Nintendo Switch was announced several months ago too much celebration. It looked to be a unique new console to compliment the Playstation 4 and Xbox One rather than compete with them. It also looked to be a new direction for Nintendo. Moving away from the gimmicky experiences accommodated by the Wii and Wii U. Instead creating a handheld/ home console hybrid that would allow gamer’s to play triple AAA experiences in the palm of their hands. However we were only shown a sliver of what the Switch will be. Several days ago Nintendo held a special event for the Nintendo Switch in Tokyo. From this event we gleamed many important details about the new console. However be warned, many of these details (much like the yawn inducing conference) are highly disappointing.
First off, let’s consider the key details that everyone was waiting to learn. The price and the release date. The Nintendo Switch will release at $299.99 USD. Considered by many to be on the high end of acceptability when it came to the Switch’s price. A price tag that makes it more expensive than two consoles it is already inferior to. The release date on the other hand is a little more positive. As the console will release globally on March 3rd. A far earlier date than many had predicted.
Next there are the features of the console itself. We already knew about the Nintendo Switch’s second screen functionality. Allowing the player to seamlessly move their gaming experiences from the TV to their handheld screen (which we now know has a battery life of 2-6 hours), while playing with the detachable Joycon controllers. However instead of continuing to indulge audiences in a feature that peaked our interests. They instead chose to spend a large portion of the conference discussing the new HD rumble features in their Joycon controllers (priced at $79.99 USD each.) Allowing the continuation of gimmicky motion controllers that gamer’s haven’t asked for in close to a decade.
Next is possibly the most anger-inducing portion of the conference. Nintendo will be releasing a pay-to-play online service, much like Playstation Plus and Xbox Gold. Despite now losing something of an advantage over their competitors with previously free online play. The service itself, much like the Switch, also seems incredibly inferior to Sony and Microsoft’s offerings. For example Nintendo confirmed that this paid online service will offer players a free NES/SNES title every month. However you will only receive one title compared to Sony’s 4-6 per month. And unlike Playstation Plus and Xbox Gold, once the month ends, the game will be removed from your Nintendo Switch console. Nintendo so joyfully announcing a clearly inferior product to that of Sony and Microsoft once again highlights their arrogance and lack of understanding when it comes to their audience.
Finally there are the games. The launch Line-up for March 3rd includes:
- 1, 2 Switch
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Just Dance 2017
- Has Been Heroes
- Snipperclips
- Super Bomberman R
- Disgaea 5 Complete
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Rayman: Legends
- Steep
- I Am Setsuna
- Skylanders: Imaginators
With games such as Super Mario Odysessy, Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 coming later in the year. The Switch is supposed to be a turning point for Nintendo? Yet even with their games line-up, they are making the same mistakes they made with the Wii U. There games line up is a mixture of gimmicky titles utilizing motion controls, ports of old games, and the same first party I.P. regurgitated once more to draw upon the nostalgia of jaded gamer’s.
The Nintendo Switch announcement event didn’t give us all the answers. But it gave us enough to breed skepticism among gamer’s hearts and bring forth the crushing feeling that we might witness another Wii U.
