The Nintendo NX, officially announced as the Nintendo Switch, was revealed Thursday morning via a trailer.
The trailer confirmed a number of rumors while it showed off a few surprises. (And apparently you have to be a young, hip millennial to play it. That’s a joke, of course. It’s probably available for everyone.)
For starters, the device doubles as a home console and an on-the-go gaming extravaganza. A controller base holds two removable parts that can slide off and attach to a smaller screen that sits in the base-console unit. With the two attachable parts, the smaller screen resembles the look of a Wii U controller; however, it doesn’t appear to be a touchscreen.
A more recent but less talked about rumor said the new console would use cartridges over disks. Consider that confirmed.
As the case with the Wii U, the Switch will continue Nintendo’s efforts to offer a variety of controller options. During the trailer, we saw what resembled Nintendo’s Pro Controller and even four-player multiplayer on the small screen with one of the removable parts turned on its side like an NES controller. Everyone will have a way to play.
Several games were also shown; some were new titles, and some were from familiar franchises.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looked as crisp and colorful as it always has. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is making its Nintendo debut. This would mark the first time a Bethesda-developed game is coming to the console maker’s hardware and the first time a major installment of the series is going mobile. We also saw some sort of Mario Kart, basketball game. It looked like a bright 3D platformer staring Mario (in a vibrant south-of-the-border themed level) and a return of Nintendo’s hit first-person shooter, Splatoon (in a major eSports setting).
It was a lot to consume in a 3:37 trailer, but it provides a lot to be excited about but with a healthy amount of skepticism, as well. What resolutions will it play games at, both at home and on the go? Is there a performance difference between screens? Does the base unit increase the power of the console at home? Why is Mario in Mexico?
All these questions, and more, will likely be answered between now and the consoles release in March 2017. For now, it’s time to let the excitement drive.
