The Nintendo Switch has put Nintendo back on the map. The release is as special as Nintendo's gold releases: the NES in 1985, the Super NES in 1991, and perhaps the Nintendo 64 in 1997.
The Switch is a medium that makes the home console experience mobile. Especially in these times where everything seems to have to be mobile and where consumers mainly had to do with mobile games on smartphones, the Switch is enthusiastic to play real console games. Bluetooth controllers for smartphones do offer console game controls, but unfortunately most smartphone games are not of such high quality. The NVIDIA Shield is clearly a proto-Switch: lots of potential, but not by a game company. NVIDIA's partnership with Nintendo has changed that for good.
IMAGE
I've been playing the new Zelda on the Switch for five days now. The resolution of the screen is on paper on the low side (1280 x 720), but the screen is 6.2 inches. Looking at the pixel density, it corresponds to, for example, the MacBook Pro Retina:
MacBook Pro: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 = 227 ppi
Nintendo Switch: 6.2 inches, 1280 x 720 = 237 ppi
Zelda looks great in handheld mode, too. In the dock, the Switch can increase the resolution to a maximum of Full HD (1920 x 1080). This depends on whether the game allows it. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in the dock is slightly below Full HD (1600 x 900). I am still satisfied with the screen resolution in dock mode, although an experience in Ultra HD / 4K would be very special. Maybe something for the "Switch Mark II."
SOUND
I'm quite surprised at the sound quality. The speakers certainly do not sound tinny and shrill. There is clearly a lack of depth, but I was able to play for a very long time in handheld mode without being disturbed by the sound of the speakers.
ACCESSORIES
The package offers:
- a Switch
- a Docking Station
- two Joy-Cons (in this case neon blue and neon red)
- an AC adapter
- one HDMI cable
- a manual (pretty useless, however)
BATTERY LIFE
I play Zelda until I get a low battery warning. The duration was almost exactly 2 hours and 45 minutes each time. I suspect that fifteen minutes could be added, but every time I stop with my playing session. I haven't calculated how long it takes to fully recharge the Switch, but online messages say 3 hours.
DESIGN
Before I even turned on the Switch, I immediately placed a screen protector. There are reports that the dock may scratch the screen. This is, of course, an unacceptable manufacturing defect. I can see two rubber pads on the bottom of the dock's slot, but not where the tablet starts to lock into the dock. After all, the screen is made of plastic. This certainly reduces the cost of the machine and also offers much more sturdiness than a glass screen, but it is certainly not scratch-free. I have never provided a handheld with a screen protector before this. Perhaps because the Switch has such a huge screen, I still prefer to have protection on it—aside from the possible scratchy docking thing.
By the way, the Switch is mostly plastic. Plastic, plastic, plastic. And yet it looks great. I also don't understand the problem with Apple's iPhone 5c. Plastic is so much stronger and lighter and therefore cheaper.
CONCLUSION
If you don't like Zelda, it might be a good idea to wait a little longer, because there are hardly any other games available. Now [April 4, 2017] you can only choose from Zelda, Snipperclips, 1-2 Switch, LEGO City Undercover, and some downloadable games like Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment.
If you like Zelda, but have a Wii-U, you might want to get the Wii-U version first (which I understand is a bit more stable than the Switch in the dock). And yet you can also just go for this mobile experience. Zelda is such a whopper of a game, it will keep you busy for weeks, if not months. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is coming in a few weeks, and hopefully there will be some more movement in new games for the Switch.
