Codenamed “NX,” Nintendo NX has been a subject of discussion since last year when Nintendo hosted E3 2016 focusing on Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There were a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors going around, and a lot of leaks about Nintendo’s NX console. It was that mysterious. Nintendo Switch was revealed on October 30, 2016 to much mystery and fanfare as consumers, potential customers, and fans try to figure out how much the console costs, when it releases, how much battery life it can maintain, how you can play Nintendo Switch, and more. There were so many questions left unanswered. For months, fans continue to speculate about Nintendo’s new Nintendo Switch.
It’s 2017. Nintendo held their own press event on January 12 at 8pm which lasted an hour talking about the console’s Release Date, Price, Console SKU’s at launch, Console Accessories, and of course, Console games. Nintendo Switch arrives worldwide on March 3rd, 2017. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is $299.99. There’ll be two SKU’s to launch with Switch – one that’s standard, and one that has two different colors on the Joy Cons. All of the accessories that are launching with Switch aren’t known at this point, but Nintendo shared a few during the press presentation. A bunch of Dragon Quest games, Xenoblade 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are some of the biggest games announced at the press presentation…
The very next morning, Nintendo hosted a “Treehouse” event to unveil the Nintendo Switch games that will arrive March 3, 2017 and beyond.
If you are a parent, not to worry: Nintendo will release an app for use with your phone, to control your kid’s Nintendo Switch playtime. You can set parental controls for just about anything, but Nintendo unveiled a few of the features…
What we know about the Nintendo Switch so far…
The Price of Nintendo Switch:
MSRP in US: $299.99
MSRP in Japan: 29,980 yen
MSRP in UK: £279.99
MSRP in Canada: $399
What you get with the two SKU’s available for Switch:
– Nintendo Switch Core Console
– Nintendo Switch Dock
– Nintendo Switch Joy Cons (L/R) – Colors are dependent on the SKU you chose.
– Nintendo Switch Joy Con Straps
– Nintendo Switch Joy Con Grip
– Nintendo Switch HDMI Cable
– Nintendo Switch AC Power Cable
How can I play Nintendo Switch?
– TV Mode: While the Core Console is connected to the Dock, you are playing in TV Mode, with Joy Cons or Joy Cons connected to Joy Con Grip or Grips.
– Tabletop Mode: You are playing on a Core Console, a stand opened, with Joy Cons or Joy Cons connected to Joy Con Grip or Grips.
– Handheld Mode: You are playing on a Core Console with Joy Cons connected on the sides.
What is the battery life is like? 2.5 to 6.5 hours depending on the usage and the game. Some games require more CPU power, so the higher powered the game, the more battery it drains.
Is there a USB connection somewhere on the Nintendo Switch? Yes, but the use for it is unknown. At this point we know that it’s used for Wired connection for LAN multiplayer, and there’s a USB Type-C connector for docking power.
How do I play Online Multiplayer on Nintendo Switch? You can connect with Nintendo Switch’s 802.11ac WiFi tech. You can connect with 8 Core Consoles in Multiplayer.
Is it Region Locked? Answer: No. Take your Switch anywhere in the world, play against anyone in the world, play with anyone regardless of where the switch came from. Have at it.
Is there on-board storage, or will there be external storage available? Yes, to both. Onboard storage is at 32GB with some of the storage being used for the system, and external storage is achieved with MicroSDHC or MicroSDXC.
What are the control configurations confirmed for Nintendo Switch? While slided into the Core Console, Joy Cons has 8 buttons for use on-screen: Buttons with arrow shapes pointing in different directions – Up, Down, Left, Right. On the other side, Buttons with letters – B, A, X, Y. Joy Cons has 1 joystick per side. Both sides has two bumper buttons. Finally, there are two extra buttons: Capture Mode, and a sort of “Home” button for pausing or other actions. There’s an IR sensor on the bottom of the Joy Cons.
When the Joy Cons are detached from the Core Console, it become its own controller for the player(s). Each Joy Con is shaped like a normal Super NES controller. So, when you play Nintendo Switch with your friends or family, it becomes a 4 Button controller, two thumper buttons on top which acts as a way to tell the system that you’d like to use it as a single controller, then the controller allows you to press L and R buttons respectively.
You can also use the Joy Cons as if they are “wands” to control on-screen move, as it has a IR sensor.
