The Nintendo Switch was first announced last October, and there hasn’t been a shortage of pricing rumours and leaks surrounding its release. Nintendo held a Nintendo Switch presentation tonight and unveiled quite a bit more information about the upcoming console. If you missed it, you can watch the presentation in the video below (starts around 32 minutes in), or check our recap below that.
In case you missed it, here’s what we found out.
Tatsumi Kimishima, President of Nintendo hit the stage and spoke about the unveiling video from last October. The Nintendo Switch Console comes with a Nintendo Switch Dock, Joy-Con Grip, and two Joy-Con controllers as well as an available pro controller (sold separately). Of course, you can play while connected to your television or you can take it with you on the go.
Today we’ll get a better look at the hardware, software, launch date, pricing and more.
Release Date and Pricing
The Switch will release on March 3 in Japan, the U.S., Canada, Europe, Hong Kong and other territories. Pricing is set at ¥29,980 in Japan, and In North America, pricing will be $299.99. There was no mention if that was $299.99USD and $299.99CAD, though it’s likely that the Canadian pricing will be higher. UPDATE: Best Buy Canada has pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch listed at $399.99CAD.
Nintendo Switch Online Services will be free initially and will become a paid service in the fall. With Nintendo Switch, there will be no region locking to Nintendo Switch software.
Nintendo Switch
Mr. Kimishima passed the stage to Shinyua Takahashi, lead of all Nintendo software development. The Nintendo Switch takes elements from past Nintendo systems and combines them into one system. As we already know, there will be TV mode allowing gamers to play in traditional style. Table mode will allow you to play it with the kickstand and join in with others. Finally, you can attach the Joy-Con to the Switch and play in handheld mode.
Expected battery life in tablet or handheld mode will range from 2.5 to 6.5 hours depending on the game. You can also play while plugged in via a USB Type-C connector. Up to 8 Nintendo Switch devices can be connected wirelessly for local multiplayer.
Specifications for the console have been released as well:
- Display: 6.2-inch 1280 x 720 pixels (720p) multitouch display (when used in Table or Handheld modes; up to 1080p output via HDMI when connected to a TV)
- Memory: 32GB of onboard storage with the ability to expand via microSD cards (game files are also saved on cartridges)
- Processor: Custom Nvidia Tegra processor
Joy-Con Controller
The Joy-Con can be attached to the Joy-Con Grip for classic TV play style. When you remove the Joy-Con from the grip, you get a left and right controller with a stick that has a button action as well. Four buttons – A, B, X, Y – and a home button are on each one. An NFC reader and writer is also on the right Joy-Con to read and write data to Amiibos. The left Joy-Con includes a capture button, that will allow for screenshots right away, with game clip support coming soon. The saved screenshots and game clips can be shared to social media. The Joy-Cons also have a gyroscope, accelerometer, and two buttons in the rail that connect it to the switch but also act as left and right shoulder buttons. With the Joy-Cons, each Nintendo Switch comes with two controllers from the start, while most consoles only come with one.
Joy-Cons are also available in Neon Blue and Neon Red, and a wrist strap is also available. The right Joy-Con has a motion IR camera for detecting motion in front of it. It can differentiate, for example, between rock, paper, and scissors hand gestures, as well as the distance from the Joy-Con. The rumble in Joy-Cons is being called HD Rumble and adds more detailed feedback, for example being able to tell the difference between shaking one, two, or three ice cubes in a glass.
Games
1, 2, Switch
Two new games are being announced, both made possible by the Joy-Con. The first is starts off with a western based duel game introduction. The game, called 1, 2 Switch, featured a number of different mini-games pitting players against each other. 1, 2, Switch lets you enjoy the HD Rumble and mixes up gameplay and offers a new way to play. The game takes the TV screen out of the equation and has you playing facing each other and basing your interactions and reactions on what your opponent is doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7p47TOmicQ
The game will release on March 3rd alongside the Nintendo Switch.
Arms
The second game features depth and replayability. The trailer features a man and a woman with huge boxing gloves on coils — extendable arms if you will. The trailer morphs into gameplay and back to the two players and each is holding two Joy-Cons to control punches and dodge the other player’s incoming punches. The game is simply called Arms.
To play you hold one Joy-Con in each hand. When you punch, your character punches, twisting causes your punch to arc. You can also dash and jump using Joy-Con buttons, and you move by tilting the controllers side to side. In Arms, you can battle alone against the computer or against a friend on a single Nintendo Switch or buy playing wirelessly with two Switch consoles, as well as play online against others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7s3UB_8dFM
Arms will release in the spring of 2017.
Splatoon 2
Next, a trailer showed Splatoon 2 game footage. Turf War is 4 on 4 team battles, but the battle stages and weapons have changed. The game will launch in the summer of 2017. Stage and weapon updates for Splatoon 2 will continue after launch as well as ongoing events. You will be able to play locally, wirelessly with friends on multiple Switches, and online.
Super Mario Odyssey
It’s-a-Mario! The next game shown has Nintendo staple Mario emerging from a sewer cover and running through a city, climbing walls, through the forest, and all types of fantastical Nintendo lands. The title of the game is unveiled as Super Mario Odyssey.
This is the first time since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine that Nintendo has released a Mario sandbox game. The locations in the game were taken from real locations as well as some Nintendo-centric worlds.
Super Mario Odyssey releases in the 2017 Holiday season. It’s not looking good for launch titles so far…
Other titles
A couple trailers were shown for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Fire Emblem Warriors.
There are over 50 third-party developers working on Nintendo Switch games with 80 games in development. Some of the third-party games include:
- Dragon Quest 10 – Square Enix (Japan release)
- Dragon Quest 11 – Square Enix (Japan release)
- Dragon Quest Heros 1 & 2 – Square Enix
- Shin Megami (?) – SEGA
- Project Octopath Traveler – Square Enix
As rumoured Bethesda’s Skyrim is coming to the Nintendo Switch, allowing you to play Skyrim when you want, where you want.
And now we SWITCH *SNAP* from Jason over to Justin, go team Techaeris!Â
Suda51 is here, that means we’re going to have something crazy going down on Nintendo Switch. Travis Touchdown will be in the house.
Electronic Arts is on the stage now, and their rep is a huge Nintendo fan. His son’s middle name is Luigi and everything.
EA Sports FIFA will come to Nintendo Switch. Most popular sport in the world and whatnot.
We’re now seeing a wrap-up video showing off some of the games expected to launch on Nintendo Switch. I’ll try & cram as many as we haven’t already seen in a list below:
- LEGO Games
- Dragonball Z
- Dragon Quest
- FIFA
- Skyrim
- Minecraft
- IS THAT F-ZERO?!?!??! Sorry, got excited, I’m horrible at racing games, but F-Zero, I mean c’mon let’s do this.
We’re back to Tatsumi Kimishima, talking about the console configurations.
Switch Console – What’s in the Box?
- Switch Console
- Left & Right Joy-Con
- Joy-Con wrist straps
- Joy-Con grip
- Nintendo Switch dock
- HDMI cable
- AC adapter.
The Pro Controller will be available separately. Two versions of the system will be available at launch: one with 2 grey Joy-Cons, and one with one neon blue and one red Joy-Con.
Nintendo of Europe’s message: Events in Frankfurt, Paris, and London, allowing media to try out Nintendo Switch. More events coming in the future letting people get their hands on the system.
Nintendo of America’s message: Reggie! Nintendo Switch will be on display on six different Sundays, in six different cities across the US, can find out more info on Nintendo’s home page. REGGIE GETS TO ANNOUNCE LEGEND OF ZELDA!  (Sorry, I’ve been waiting for that all night). Miyamoto is playing Zelda… release date… launch? please?  They’re playing with my emotions, sending it back to Japan, making us wait for it…
Still waiting, Nintendo… Pre-orders available in Japan starting on January 21st. A quick look at Best Buy’s U.S. website shows that pre-orders are already live, and Best Buy Canada pre-orders will start Friday, January 13 at 9am ET. Most other retailers, including Amazon.com and Amazon.ca, are showing the console as coming soon.
OK, here we go…
Gimme… seriously… gimme LAUNCH GAME! ZELDA AT LAUNCH! WOOOO!!!!!!
I’ve calmed down a bit. Zelda at launch really pretty much had to happen. I’m a bit disappointed though that practically nothing else (aside from 1, 2, Switch) was confirmed for the launch of the system. Nintendo is holding another event in a few hours to show off some the games that were announced tonight. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about release dates, and firm up some launch titles for this system.
Now that we know pricing and a few other things about the Nintendo Switch, are you more or less likely to pre-order and pick one up on March 3rd? If not, why not? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
Last Updated on January 14, 2017.
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