Nintendo Switch: Hands On with the Next Nintendo Console

Nintendo's next console is taking a playful approach that could fold decades of history into an all-in-one device.

By Jose Otero

One look at Nintendo Switch and you could almost trace back the DNA of devices that came before it. This new console from Nintendo has two playful new controllers, called JoyCon, attached on each side that echo features of the intuitive (and super successful) Wii remote. The Switch also has a touchscreen, a major feature of the company’s last two portable devices and it’s current home console, the unsuccessful Wii U. Even though all of these components harken the company’s past, Nintendo Switch feels focused on a fun new future.

Where Wii U was complicated and often cumbersome, the Switch is simple to understand the minute you see it. It’s a portable gaming device that can fit into a dock and outputs to your TV. It’s strong enough to run massive, open-world games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and or bring the vibrant race tracks of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to life on the go (and both look great on the system’s small screen).

I was impressed by how solid the device felt in my hands

But any portable aiming for that kind of power and performance comes bundled with battery concerns. Nintendo says the battery in the Switch lasts from 2.5 to 6 hours depending on what you’re playing, and that’s part of a the grim reality for most dedicated portable gaming devices. The console could succeed or fail based on how much that limitation impacts the overall portable experience, and whether game developers can find a way around it to maintain quality software.

We won’t have a clear picture of the Nintendo Switch’s typical battery cycle until much closer to the system launch this March, but we did spend some time with the hardware itself. I played the Nintendo Switch at a private event in NY, and I was immediately impressed by how solid the device felt in my hands. Admittedly it’s a big portable, one that probably won’t fit comfortably in your pants pocket.

But most of the games I played look good on the Switch’s 720p screen. The only one that didn’t was a demo of Skylanders Imaginators that looked grainy by comparison. The system display supports capacitive multitouch, but most of the games I played only use it to navigate menus. And Nintendo hasn’t been clear if it plans to use the touchscreen for much more than menu surfing.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the concept behind the the JoyCon, despite their relatively small size. The controllers can slide on and off of rails on both sides of the unit and are much lighter than I expected. I would slide them on and off the device, and they make a satisfying click whenever I snapped them into place. More importantly, JoyCon won’t detach until you press down on a designated button located on the back of each one.

The JoyCon themselves can be best described as palm-sized Wii remotes. It can track motion, but the smaller size means you’ll have to be a little more careful. It uses an IR sensor to measure distance for some games. And then there’s HD rumble, a concept that uses vibration technology to simulate a new type of force feedback. In one demo, I was shocked how well it conveyed the feeling of spheres sliding around inside of a mystery box. As I tilted the the controller back and forth, I could feel the contents rolling up and down in the palm of my hands. Nintendo told us that each JoyCon would last about 20 hours on a single charge, which is good to hear.

I constantly found myself wishing that JoyCon were just a little bit bigger

The analog sticks, tiny face buttons, and digital triggers of the controller were all within reach. The inner shoulder buttons labeled SL and SR weren’t as comfortable though. I constantly found myself wishing that JoyCon were just a little bit bigger, especially whenever I held a Joycon sideways because I couldn’t help but notice the scrunched up position of my fingers. Admittedly, I didn’t feel any fatigue during my demo of Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together! -- an adorable two player puzzle game where your avatar is a small piece of paper. In it, you work with a friend to solve puzzles by cutting each other into specific shapes. But it’s a much slower game compared to frantic madness of Mario Kart, and I don't think my hands can take on that strain for very long.

Having played the Nintendo Switch, I can appreciate what it is. The device can transform into multiple configurations, and it folds together decades of Nintendo’s legacy into an all-in-one type of console. It’s hard not to be impressed from the moment I saw it, and the JoyCon have some innovative ideas. Nintendo Switch appears to be a scrappy little console that can do a lot, but more time is needed to see if it can do it all well.

Jose Otero is an Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat. You can follow him on Twitter.

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