Here’s how I felt about the Nintendo Switch after the presentation on January 13th. Here’s the thing:
What I expected and we got
- Region-free
- Decent screen for mobile
- Interesting controllers
- Upcoming lineup pretty good, though not at launch
I expected the games to be region-free, because that’s something we’ve been hearing from Nintendo for the last while (region locking was a mistake). I also think fitting a 720p display is an excellent decision. The lineup seems to be decent, although a few of the interesting games do not have release dates yet.
What disappointed me
- Few launch titles
- Fairly pricey considering the competition (especially if you want additional controllers, etc.)
- Limited battery life (2,5 to 6,5 hours, which is pretty variable)
- Paid online
I thought that the launch lineup was pretty limited, but I think I’ll definitely get the new Zelda game if I can get it along with the console at launch. Considering the PS4 Slim and Xbox One’s new prices, the Switch is comparatively more expensive while being less powerful, which doesn’t look good on paper. And since Nintendo isn’t really selling the device as a portable console, I’m not sure why someone would want to buy this over a PS4 or a Xbox One.1 Perhaps as an additional console? But then again, the Wii U suffered from the same problem. Limited battery life on the go was to be expected, to be honest. Finally, paid online is just a no-no. Why, Nintendo?
Not to mention the fact that consoles are evolving towards 4K content, and the Switch is reportedly running Zelda at 900p-1080p, which is pretty bad for a console in 2017. I can see the Switch work better on mobile than as a home console, so I think Nintendo made a mistake in positioning the device. ↩