Switching Things Up

We have had the Switch for a few weeks now and so I figured now is a good time to put my thoughts into some semi coherent ramblings. Having skipped the WiiU I was pretty excited about the launch of the Switch as it gave me the perfect opportunity to jump back into the world of Nintendo gaming. My purchase of the Switch has also marked a few firsts for me. I am normally a fairly early adopter, but the Switch is the first time I have purchased a new console on the day of release and the first time I have attended a midnight launch. Although the attendance at the local store I purchased it from was small, there was a real sense of wonder and anticipation for what the Switch would provide to us gamers.

The console itself is a very nice piece of hardware, it looks beautifully made and it is great that there are two color options. Both options have their own appeal so it made it really hard to decide, in the end I went for the colour option. For someone who likes his gadgets and tech, I am not too interested in or know too much about the technical specs of the Switch. So I would rather talk about how it looks, feels and plays. ​

Despite criticism of the JoyCons being small I find that they sit nicely in each hand and I have even found I tend to play Zelda with a JoyCon in each hand. The JoyCons are a very clever piece of design that allow surprising verity on gameplay options. The ability to play multiplayer and have two controllers to play on the go is great to have straight out of the box. To add to the satisfyingly visceral feel of engaging one of the controllers, there is an audible Switch ‘Click’. It is these little things which Nintendo gets right that has made this console fun to use.

Handhelds have never really found a place in my gaming schedule, mostly due to the fact that when I game, I usually do so at home in my office. This is what I was hoping the Switch would challenge and it has exceeded my expectations. Credit in part has to be given to how fantastic Zelda is, but in truth the ability to play a console game anywhere is a breath of fresh air. From milking a cow with a co-worker, to playing Zelda while Noctis and crew drive to their next location. I have even found myself sitting at my computer, TV and Switch dock right next to me, playing the Switch as a handheld while waiting for videos to render.  ​

All in all, I am really happy with my purchase and glad that the first console I have purchased on release day has turned out to be worth it. I am really looking forward to the games that are coming out on the Switch this year and in the future. ​