By Today, Nintendo presented the Nintendo Switch to the world via a press conference in Japan and streamed the event live over the internet for the rest of the world to marvel in its glory. Nintendo have thrown back the curtains and finally given us a release date and price point. The Nintendo Switch will hit store shelves on March 3, 2017, with a starting price of £279.
The presentation was loaded with games developers who came out and teased their upcoming projects, however, nothing could steal the spotlight from the console itself.
The Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console. That means it can be connected to a TV at home, but can also transform into a portable console for gaming on the go – perfect for when you have a long haul flight, or simply want to take a console away with you on holiday without all the clutter. This is how the name “Switch” came about – with one swift movement, you can switch the way you choose to play this console.
When using the console at home, the two sides of the device, which Nintendo calls “Joy-Con” controllers, slide off of the console and connect into a holster called the Joy-Con Grip, to create the console’s home controller. The console’s centre clicks into a base station, which connects to a TV or monitor.
To switch back from home console mode to portable, players can simply snap the Joy-Con controllers onto the sides of the Switch and lift it out of the dock. The console will be able to transition the screen from the television to the Switch’s display automatically.
The main unit of the console is the “Switch Console”, a battery-powered tablet-like monitor that comprises an LCD screen, a 3.5 mm audio jack and a kickstand. The console has slots on the side, into which the Joy-Con controllers can be slid when removed from the base. The unit also includes a slot for a Game Card (cartridge-based media) to be installed or removed. The screen is a capacitive touchscreen.
Another surprise that Nintendo threw out during the press event, the Switch will not be region locked. Meaning, a Nintendo Switch purchased in North America will function perfectly well with games purchased from Japan, or elsewhere, and vice versa.
Nintendo has essentially created a console, that’s been built on the legacy of all past consoles, bringing together a little bit of everything that works from its previous generations of consoles and created a gaming beast which will undoubtedly leave their competitors quaking in their boots.
Let’s face it, when it comes to gaming innovation, Nintendo pretty much have it in the bag.
For more information, head to the official Nintendo Switch Site, where you can watch the presentation, see its key features, launch games and specifications.
Preorder your Nintendo Switch here now to avoid disappointment.
Standard internal storage is 32GB, in the form of a MicroSDXC card. This can be replaced by the user to increase storage. Get yours here
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