I hope you all had an exciting “Nintendo Switch Day.” As you already know, last Thursday was an awesome day for Nintendo fans thanks to the Nintendo Switch event. This article will summarize details that were released during the presentation.
Tatsumi Kimishima, Nintendo’s current president, began the exciting event primarily explaining the purpose of the presentation. We learned that the Nintendo Switch console will be released on March 3rd and with a base retail price of $299.99 in the United States, ¥29,980 in Japan, and £279.99 in Europe. We also learned that, starting in fall of 2017, online services for the Switch will have to be purchased. They will no longer be free to access, though the purchase will include smartphone support as an option for voice chat. So, instead of using a bulky gaming headset, you will have the ability to use a smartphone. Lastly, the Switch will not be region locked. (FINALLY.)
Regarding how the system works, the Switch has a stand mode, which is essentially the console mode, a tabletop mode which uses the small screen as a primary screen (similar to the Wii U pad), and a hand-held mode, which is its portable version. When not connected to its stand, it has roughly two to six and a half hours of battery life. Local multiplayer is included and up to eight Switch consoles can be used for multiplayer.
Next, we get to the Joy-Con. The Joy-Con is basically a mini wii remote that you can attach to the screen. Upon release, there will be color variations of the Joy-Con, as well as straps you can purchase. There are also cameras in the Joy-Con that detect both hand motions and distance. “HD Rumble” is also introduced, which is basically a more intricate version of the rumble-pak that includes sounds. I am interested as to how this will work when I finally get the Switch in my hands.
After showing off the capabilities of the Joy-Con, Kouichi Kawamoto, one of Nintendo’s producers, announced 1-2-Switch, a reaction-based game that focuses on face-to-face interaction. This game will release alongside the Switch. A new game titled Arms will also be coming to the Switch. It is an a interesting and cartoony take on boxing using “extendable arms.” Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade 2, Fire Emblem Warriors, Super Bomber Man R, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and more were also revealed at the event. It is stated that over eighty games for the console are in development. You can find a closer look at when these games are releasing, thanks to Nintendo of America’s Twitter Page.
Take a look at a sampling of titles for #NintendoSwitch from Nintendo and our third party partners coming this year with more on the way! pic.twitter.com/aYSizTQDsS
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 13, 2017
Lastly, at the end of the presentation, it was the moment us Legend of Zelda fans were waiting for. A lengthy trailer for Breath of the Wild was debuted. Fans finally got to see Princess Zelda’s design for the game and how seemingly huge of a role she plays in the story, compared to other Zelda games. The trailer also revealed some of our favorite Zelda races returning, including Gorons, Zoras, Koroks, and hyper-realistic bird people like the Rito. Gorons are my favorite race in the game and I am so psyched to see my favorite “brothers” again. Another iconic moment of the trailer, as you can see below, is voice acting. That’s right. The trailer reveals many of the characters, including Zelda, dialogue from the game. As fans know, voice acting is essentially non-existent in the series, so it is beyond exciting to see that our favorite series is finally coming to life.
Ultimately, I was hoping that the presentation would include information on the rumors instigated by GameStop regarding Pokémon games on the Switch. One of GameStop’s listings allegedly stated that “Nintendo Switch games will include new title offerings from Mario, Splatoon, Zelda, the NBA and more! You will even be able to play Skyrim on the go, or Pokémon at home with the Nintendo Switch.” I was hoping to hear that second and third generation Pokémon games, ones that are played on the GameBoy Color and GameBoy Advance, would finally be playable and updated onto a nicer system like the Switch. Unfortunately, we will have to wait for more Pokémon news. I am, however, very much looking forward to Splatoon 2, Breath of the Wild, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
What are you most looking forward to regarding the Nintendo Switch and its games? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear.