Nintendo Switch Review

I love the Vita. It’s my go-to indie platform. With that sweet, sweet 5” OLED screen and nimble thumbsticks it’s the perfect thing to pick up and play. It has both bite sized games and console quality titans. It can even stream straight from the Playstation 4, but it has its drawbacks. So, I was a bit skeptical when Nintendo announced their latest console, The Switch.

            Aptly named for its ability to switch from home console to handheld, I was already intrigued. Could this possibly replace my beloved Vita? Could it bring my dream of taking console quality experiences on the go to life?

            I’m not going to bury the lead. The Switch is great piece of hardware. The device can transition seamlessly from a TV to a handheld in a matter of seconds and that’s what I’m most impressed with. The Switch just works.

            Imagine this scenario, you’re trying to crack a puzzle in Zelda Breath of the Wild when suddenly, nature calls. You click in the joycons and slide out the device and suddenly you’re a poopin’ problem solver. Not even the Vita had such a streamlined user experience.

            It’s not all roses, however. Even though Zelda is the perfect tech demo for the Switch (What with it’s easy-to-chew shrines and big cinematic dungeons) there is definitely a lack of things to do once that’s over. I’m getting pretty close to wrapping up Zelda and I’m not sure what I’m going to do until Mario Kart releases in April. 

            Another major concern is the lack of streaming apps. The idea that I could go from sitting on the couch playing a game and then deciding to watch a new stand up special on Netflix and just have it work is such an appealing concept. This is in stark contrast to the other Big Two consoles, which launched with Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. Even the 3DS has Netflix.

            Nintendo has, however, recently announced that all that is coming plus an additional 60 indie games. Eventually. The only solid release date we have is for Mario Kart which is out April 28th. For now the Switch feels like it’s in video game Limbo.

            Oh, and don’t worry about the left controller dropping a signal. The current run of models fixed that issue, but if you experience any difficulty then you can send in your joycon to Nintendo and they’ll fix it free of charge. 

            While the Nintendo Switch is an impressive piece of hardware, it has yet to catch up with modern consoles especially in terms of a gaming library. However, I’m remaining optimistic. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was an impressive experience and I’m confident Nintendo can keep up with that quality as they continue to figure out how to push their hardware even further. And with a huge list of upcoming indies from proven developers (I’m lookin’ at you Yooka-Laylee) the Switch has potential.