Review: Nintendo Switch - Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con

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Nintendo Switch - Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con


 

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In a world where console manufacturers are trying to get their systems to run games at 4K resolution, Nintendo once again pitches a curve-ball, and it seems to have worked for them. Instead of trying to be more powerful than the others, they instead went for making a gaming tablet that can really play console quality games on the go. 

Let me preface this review by saying that I already reviewed this product once, but decided to write another one because I only reviewed it when I only had it for a few days, 

with the only game I had at the time being Puyo Puyo Tetris, even though Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild was the hot meal ticket at the time.

 Things have also came up during the first year alone that could make or break the console later on in it's lifetime, so I thought they would be important to know.

First of all, the system itself has a pretty good design to it, and I think Nintendo made some great decisions with it.

 The system basically looks like your regular, everyday tablet, and unlike the Wii and Wii U, they did not add any glossy plastic to it, so in my opinion, it sure does look better. 

The screen is also a real beauty when playing in portable mode, which is my way to play, and that's despite the fact that it's a 720p screen, which should help with expectations since the system is running a mobile processor. 

 Now, unlike what would've been the competitor the PlayStation Vita, the Nintendo Switch uses the most standard mediums you could think of, and those things are USB Type-C and Micro SD cards. In fact, you may even have these two thing already. 

While USB Type-C isn't exactly growing on trees, these cables are getting closer and closer to becoming the standard, and Micro SD cards are relatively cheap, which is good since the internal storage is only 32 GBs. Luckily, the games don't require installation unlike the PS4 and Xbox One, because the games come in cartridges. 

 While I do like these cartridge for this reason, they do have one issue, other than the small size, and that's that they don't have that much storage, up to 32 GBs, and are likely more expensive than disks. I bring this up, because a few games will require a separate download, such as NBA 2K18, WWE 2K18, L.A. Noire, and DOOM 2016 if you want multiplayer.

 These games will include a notice saying that it's required, except for DOOM that has the whole singleplayer on the cart itself, but hopefully those 2 TB micro SD cards will come soon. 

The Switch also has a flimsy kickstand, and sometimes, it doesn't like to stay closed.

 Still though, I think the Switch itself is well designed.

The dock is also a great addition. 

What the dock does is that when you put the Switch in it, you can then play your games on a TV, in which the Switch itself will upscale the game to a higher resolution since it's plugged into a power source other than the battery. 

 It also has three USB ports, one of which being USB 3.0, and the back closes up for better cable management. I would say to get a screen protector, preferably glass, since the dock may scratch your Switch screen.

The controller(s), a.k.a. the Joy-Cons, also provides some versatility to the system. 

 They slide into place on the sides of the Switch, but with the features included, there are many ways to play. First is the basic console layout, which can be played apart or with the include "Comfort Grip." These thing can be quite comfortable, especially when on the Switch or apart, but the Comfort Grip, while decent, can feel quite small due to the fact the stick is not angled like other systems.

 The Joy-Cons can also be a quick and easy way to play two player games such as Rayman Legends and Snipperclips, which actually works well with it's sudo-SNES layout. 

 The Joy-Cons also include motion control. While I haven't played games that take advantage of this feature completely, such as Arms and 1-2-Switch, they can still be used for games like Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, and it works well. The system also has a Pro controller option, but it's a good $10 more than rival controllers. If you plan to play the Switch in console mode more than portable, though, it may not be a bad idea to get one, or maybe an alternative like J&Top's controller or 8Bitdo's SNES 30 Pro when it comes out if your strapped for cash or cheap.

Lastly, let's look at the most important thing for a system, and that's the games, and man, Nintendo knocked it out of the park this time around, and we're not even done with it's first year yet (at least when this review was posted anyway). 

 The Switch is not only a great system for indie games, which there is a lot of, but there are also great games released such as Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Sonic Mania, Splatoon 2, etc., and there are still games coming out such as DOOM, not the original but the 2016 version, L.A. Noire, Wolfenstien 2, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. 

The main problem would be that the selection will just drain your wallet dry, there's just so much available out right now. 

They also barely have any drawbacks compared to other systems. 

 For example, games like DOOM and Sonic Forces run at 30 FPS, while other's just have lower resolutions. 

The only completely gimped games I think of are FIFA, which is specifically made for Switch but keeps out a few modes in other versions, and even though some people say NBA 2K18 is a decent port, I will still consider it gimped since the online only MyCareer mode just makes the Switch version pointless.

 Just remember that this is basically a decently powerful tablet, so expectations should be in check, but I think the portability does give you a reason to buy the Switch version to a game.

For as long as I had my Switch, since late June, I have had a great time with my Switch.

 Not only does it have great games within it's first year, but it's a very versatile system, and the portability factor is not only the icing on the cake, but the whole cake. 

 The system is great for fans of Nintendo and people who live busy lives and don't have time to play games.