Nintendo has finally released the first glimpse at their new home portable console, the Nintendo Switch. Yes, you read that right: the Nintendo Switch can be played both in the home and on-the-go.
Originally known by its codename, the NX, the Nintendo Switch is the first-ever home console designed to be playable anywhere and with anyone. The console is designed like a dock and holds a small tablet-like screen inside it. It can be played on your television screen in your home, just like the Wii U and other consoles of this generation. But what happens if you leave to go somewhere else while you’re in the middle of a game? The fun doesn’t have to end there, because the Switch’s “doglike” controller can be detached and connected to the screen in the console. Just pull the screen out and take it with you to continue playing where you left off!
Unlike the Wii U Gamepad, which had a set distance that you could play away from the base, the Switch works just like any of Nintendo’s other handheld consoles and has no such restrictions. It even works like a portable home console, because the screen comes with a kickstand which allows you to disconnect the controllers from the screen and play with them wirelessly. It has been shown to be a very versatile console.
Even though we don’t know much about the full specs of the Nintendo Switch yet, we do know some information. The Switch will not be using any DVD or Blu-Ray discs to run its games; instead we are going back to the NES, SNES, and N64 days of home console games that ran off of cartridges. These cartridges will be small, but somewhat bigger than the cartridges for the DS and 3DS lines. It will be using a custom Nvidia Tegra processor, the same used by Nvidia’s Shield gaming tablets and other mobile devices, but with the architecture of high-end GeForce gaming graphics cards. It’s said that it will support Micro SDXC cards up to 128 GB in size, and will also feature USB-C support. It is also rumored that the Switch will have 4GB of RAM, and that the screen will be 6.2 inches with a 720p resolution and touch-enabled features.
Interestingly, the Nintendo Switch will not be released this holiday season, but instead is set to be on retail store shelves in March 2017. A presentation from Nintendo, which will be held on January 12th, 2017, will provide more details on the price and actual release date for the system, as well as more information on what the console is capable of. It looks like Nintendo will have a lot going for its newest console; they seem to already be working on making the Switch a successful product with their current marketing strategies, unlike their work with the Wii U, which they recently announced they would be discontinuing.
With games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as launch titles, this console is looking to be a promising one. Take a look at Nintendo’s sneak-preview trailer below and ask yourself this: are you ready to make the Switch to the next step in gaming?