Nintendo Switch Review: A Winning Formula Not Yet Fully Executed
Nintendo and I go way back.
The NES and SNES were a large part of my childhood and I spent an amazing number of my teenage hours playing Nintendo 64, particularly Super Smash Bros. But after owning every Nintendo home console, I wasn’t sold on the Wii U and skipped it. That makes the Switch my first Nintendo console purchase in about ten years. After spending a little time with it, my feelings going in were confirmed — Nintendo’s new system is really promising and has the potential to be an amazingly versatile gaming system but it hasn’t yet been executed in a way that will allow it to fully achieve its gaming wherever, whenever vision.
Unboxing
Who doesn’t like opening new toys? Opening the Switch immediately brought me face to face with the console as well as the two Joy-Con controllers. The dock, Joy-Con grip accessory, Joy-Con wrist straps, AC adapter, and HDMI cable are all included below that top tray. The packaging is pretty basic but does a good job of securing the new “investment”.
The Hardware
For the most part, Nintendo has done a nice job here. Overall, the package is pretty small when compared to even the Xbox One S and I like the look of the Switch docked and sitting below my TV.
The console/tablet also feels solid and the Joy-Cons slide nicely into place giving a satisfying click when used with the Joy-Con grip or attached to the console. I opted for the gray Joy-Cons but there’s also the option to go with a neon blue/red combination if you’re looking for something more fun.
I was also happy with the feel of the Joy-cons, both when used with the grip and when attached the console. The analog sticks, directional pad, and buttons all felt good and well-located. After early reviews, I thought that I’d have to spring for the $60 Switch Pro Controller but after spending some time using the system and playing Zelda, control was not an issue. The buttons are definitely smaller than your standard controller but it felt comfortable enough for me so I’d recommend you try it out before investing in this expensive extra.
There’s definitely room for improvement though. The only USB-C port is located at the bottom of the system, making it impossible to charge the console when it’s used with the kickstand. Combined with the subpar battery life, that probably means I won’t be using it with the kickstand on a plane. The kickstand itself seems like a bit of an afterthought. It’s reasonably sturdy but it has a single position/angle which meant I had to adjust to the height/angle of the screen while trying to play at my desk. It definitely could benefit from some Surface Pro kickstand type adjustability (disclaimer: I work for Microsoft).
I also kinda wish that the Switch supported Bluetooth headphones to make things more convenient when I’m playing late at night and so I wouldn’t have to whip out my 3.5mm cables when I’m playing on the bus.
Finally, there’s the dock. The Switch slides and clicks into place in the dock pretty nicely but the charger has to be plugged into the back of the dock, behind a little trap door. It’s not a huge issue but I wish that there was some more design work done to make it even faster to grab the charger and go when moving from mobile to docked gameplay given how central that is to the product. The alternative option would be to buy an additional charger, which isn’t such a big deal since the Switch uses USB-C for charging so there’d be many (and cheaper) options beyond purchasing one from Nintendo. Did I mention that the Joy-Con grip that Nintendo included cannot charge the Joy-Cons? You can buy one of those for $30 but I really feel like that capability should have been included.
Specs and Performance
The Switch comes with 32GB of storage but thankfully has support for MicroSD cards for increasing storage. It’s 6.2" 720p LCD screen looks good. Colors pop and the screen is bright enough for outdoor use, although you won’t want to use it in direct sunlight anymore than you would your current smartphone. The multi-touch capacitive touch screen is also as responsive as you’d expect.
My biggest issue with performance and perhaps the console in general is its battery life. It has a stated range of 2.5 to 6.5 hours and playing Zelda pretty much results in the bottom end of that range. That’s pretty tough to stomach given how accustomed we are to tablets with 10+ hour battery life. It also means that I’ll need that extra charger and a battery pack for use on longer flights.
My other concern is that while I haven’t really experienced it yet, there are numerous reports that Zelda suffers from framerate issues when the console is docked and delivering 900p video. That would suggest that the Switch is underpowered as a home gaming system. It's something that I can live if developers stick with 720p rather than opting to let the framerate suffer in order to achieve 900p or 1080p. It could also impact what high end games 3rd party developers make available on the Switch.
Gaming
Zelda has been a blast so far and I have no doubt that my full experience will be as amazing as all the reviews promise. Beyond the actual game, the highlight so far has been moving from TV to mobile or vice versa and being amazed by how well the experience translates. I enjoyed the game control in either configuration and the game looks great on either the tablet display or on my TV. It does feel like Nintendo has successfully blurred the lines between portable and home gaming.
That said, there’s not too much else at launch that interests me. I’d really like to try using the Joy-Cons separately for more casual and local multiplayer gaming but 1–2 Switch looks too gimmicky for my $50 so I may have to borrow or rent it and wait until Mario Kart 8 Deluxe arrives in April to really get into that part of the experience. A day one update to the system also enabled online multiplayer so I’ll be hoping to get my hands on a game that lets me try that out soon.
The lack of games at launch really also means that there isn’t too much drawback if you are thinking about taking a wait and see approach with the Switch, especially if you want to play the new Zelda but already have a Wii U.
Software
Switch features a simple dashboard. The focus of this “home” screen is a row of horizontally oriented tiles providing quick access to your games. At the top of this screen, there is an easy way to get to/view your profile, battery life, and WiFi connectivity. There’s also a lineup near the bottom with shortcuts to news, the eShop, your album, controller setup, system settings, and sleep mode. The system settings include some useful features like parental controls (which also works with a parental controls companion app available on iOS and Android) and the option to use a dark theme. It’s all very responsive. Navigating, switching between apps, and resuming gameplay after a short period of inactivity are very quick. Zelda immediately picked up where I left off after docking the console.
Unfortunately, apps like Netflix are missing at launch and it’s unclear when I’ll be able to listen to music or watch videos on this console. Although I’d probably never leave my 10" iPad behind for watching movies on flights, these apps are a must have for kids who won’t have a separate tablet and could have provided hours of entertainment while weathering the lack of launch titles beyond Zelda.
The Verdict
There’s a lot to like and feel optimistic about. At its core, the Switch is a system capable of delivering on Nintendo’s promise of gaming on your terms. Actually playing Zelda felt great both when playing on the go as well as using the Joy-Con grip and sitting in front of the TV. The game visuals also translate very well to the smaller screen. Docking and undocking the system and moving the Joy-Cons between the tablet and the included grip were also pretty quick and easy.
That said, Nintendo is still missing a few things required to make this thing outstanding. The battery life is well below what it should be for a mobile system and I’m hopeful that Nintendo will figure out a way to evolve the system over time to include a larger capacity battery. The jury is also out on whether the system packs enough punch to keep up with modern competing consoles when docked. I also feel like I’ll need to be spending too much extra on things like a microSD card, additional charger, Joy-Con charging grip, and external battery pack in order achieve reasonable storage and maximize battery life during extended travel. Those extra purchases will definitely add up. Also, beyond Zelda, where are the games?
Should you buy the Switch? For Nintendo fans who have the cash to spare and want to experience this exciting new console as well as the amazing new The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the answer is easy and you probably already have one or are scrambling to find one. For everyone else, the current drawbacks along with the tiny game library mean there’s no rush to purchase this before the summer or holidays when more great titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and Super Mario Odyssey show up and when Nintendo has had a little more time to (hopefully) add missing apps and features to their overall offering.
My current rating is a 7.5/10 with the potential for Nintendo to significantly improve on that. I’ll update this review with additional photos and information as I spend more time with Switch.
