I’m usually against making an early adaptation of a product. I like to wait until there is a good deal or bundle with the system that makes it worth the value. But with this system, I decided to take a chance. Here are my thoughts with the system.
- The Joy-Con controllers are Great
These are the most thought out controllers I felt have been created in a while. To me, this is an excellent evolution of the Wiimote that came out ten years ago. It has motion controls, and the single handheld mode, but it does so much more.
I would go with the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. It’s a better deal and idea for gaming since motion control games and controllers can be gimmicky at times. The controller’s price is $70. To get a left and right, the Joy-Con controller is $80 for both and $50 separately. You will also need a joy-con grip controller (I recommend the grip that charges the controllers), which is an additional $30, which costs at least $110 for this setup. The Joy-Con grip controller does come with the Switch when you purchase a system, but it does not charge the controllers. You can slide the left and right joy-con controllers on the side of the system to charge the controllers as well.
Why do I like this over a pro controller? I like that you can get two controllers out of this. The left and right Joy-Con can act stand-alone controllers. It comes in handy when you have friends over who would like to play or try certain games on the system. They even have shoulder buttons when you turn the controller sideways.
It is a bit awkward to hold on its side. It acts like a SNES style controller with an analog stick instead of a digital pad. There are accessories for each separate Joy Con’s for making it a more traditional controller, but I do not have one, nor can I recommend it because I haven’t tried it out yet. This feature came in handy when I was at a party, and someone was showing off the game Snipperclips. He was able to have two people play the game with both sides of the Joy-Con controllers. This feature will come in handy, and I’m sure that games like a Mario Party will take advantage of this for multiplayer options.
- A portable and home console all in one
When you attached the Joy-Con controllers to the side of the machine, it resembles a Wii U gamepad. A smaller, slimmer version of it.
I feel that in a way, the Wii U was supposed to do what the Switch does when the Wii U first came out. The technology wasn’t where Nintendo couldn’t do it. It’s small enough for portability and awesome that you can take console-quality games with you, but it does need more apps. Video apps like Youtube or Netflix or even an internet browser if you have access to Wifi when you are out. I know most people have these apps on mobile smartphones or other devices. Currently, it gets 3-6 hrs of battery life on a full charge depending on the game. I’m guessing video should be the same, maybe an hour or two longer. But right now, it should be doing a little more, and Nintendo should embrace, making it more of a tablet when people aren’t gaming. It is nice that I can continue where I left off in Breath of the Wild when I go out to work or in general. Then put the device back into the dock and resume play when I come home.
- Fragile system
The one thing I didn’t take a chance with is the screen. I saw a lot of images with scratches on the The one thing I didn’t take a chance with is the screen. I saw images with scratches on the main screen after a few uses and taking it in and out of the dock. The cover is plastic. I didn’t remove the device from the dock until I got a glass screen protector I ordered online. I purchased the Amfilm Nintendo Switch Glass Protector 2 pack. It runs about $9-10 on Amazon, eBay, and other online sites, and it was the best-reviewed protection product for the system. I know, to keep the product cost down, sacrifices to the hardware and designs. But the way that I see people handle and destroy smartphones with cracked screens. I can see this getting destroyed or dropped by a lot of hands. Maybe even taking the system out of the dock, it’s possible to damage the screen. I heard the finish is supposed to come off of the Switch and the Joy-Con Controllers when you slide them on the system, but I haven’t encountered that yet. I would recommend protecting this system if you can with a screen protector at the very least.
- Right now, there is nothing out for it.
I’m getting this out before the E3 expo. I am hoping that Nintendo announces a lot more games. Both first and third parties. Right now, the only video games that are out that I would recommend are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. As for future releases; Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, and maybe ARMS I’ll say. But what about your Battlefronts, Star Wars Battlefield 2, Telltale game series, Call of Duty WW2, anything. The bottom line for me, Nintendo needs third party support. Otherwise, I feel that this system isn’t going to last 2-3 years in the public eye.
Thank you for reading, and please comment if you felt I left anything out or have any questions about the system from me.
Tom Moscato's Blog 