Nintendo Switch: The Console

  Personal excitement aside, I'll admit that I am slightly torn about the Nintendo Switch as a console in the general sense. On the one hand it seems like it will be a great addition to a lot of gamers' homes, mine included. That's because it is unlike any current gen console available today (aside from Nintendo's own consoles), however; on the other hand it does lack in some areas when you compare it to what its competitors are putting out there.

  At $400CDN I feel like this is on the pricier for a Nintendo console, but I'm going to assume that the HD rumble development and additional upgrades to gyro and acceleromitor that allow individual motion to be possible, plus the inclusion of the IR camera function in the Joy-Con made the controllers more expensive to manufacture thus increasing the price of the console in general.

  I absolutely love the fact that the Nintendo Switch pulls DNA from all of its predecessors, like the motion controls of the Nintendo Wii, the touch screen of the 3DS, portability like Nintendo hoped to implement with the Game Cube (too soon Nintendo, too soon!), button play like classic consoles NES and SNES, and analog sticks that the Nintendo 64 brought us. There are little hints of Nintendo past written all over the concept for the Switch and that brings a familiar feeling.

PS4 Pro [USA/CDN]

  On the other hand I can't help but wonder, what is Nintendos' aversion to 1080p? Sure you get 1080p when you play it on your TV, but if I want to take my console gaming experience with me (your major selling point and what makes the Switch stand out from the crowd) I can only take it at 720p. When your competitors are ramping up and adding 4K compatibility to their lineups why can't you even offer me 1080p to go? I can't imagine that 1080p in a tablet is that cost prohibitive in this day and age.

   Speaking of on the go, portability is where the major value in the Switch lies. Maybe you're like me and you get around by car a lot with your kids fighting in the back seat. Or maybe you travel for business regularly. Taking your home console on the go and using it to keep your kids occupied  is a very cool concept. Happy kids in the back mean a relaxing drive for mom or dad. Another great place to take the Switch would be the Doctor or Dentist office. Sometimes the wait in places like these is long and what's worse than the dentist? A restless grumpy kid who wants to be at the dentist less than you do. With the Switch I can see how the time could pass in the blink of an eye.

  Battery life is something I'll have to wait and play around with before I pass any real judgement on it. Nintendo stated that it will range from as little as 2.5 hours to over 6 hours depending on the game being played and its power requirements. Zelda: Breath of the Wild for instance will drain your battery from full in approximately 3 hours. I'd assume a game like 1-2 Switch would be on the higher end of the usage spectrum as it is less graphically intensive. My feeling here is that if more games kill the battery in a short period then battery life will be an issue, but if more games allow you to play longer than I'm alright with the ones that kill it faster. Besides, I'm sure that it won't be long until there are plenty of 3rd party developers offering extended battery

options, and of course you could keep a portable charger like this Anker Power Bank [USA/CDN]to charge on the go and extend your play time. USB-C compatibility means that charging your Switch shouldn't take too long anyway so slightly lower than hoped for battery life is bearable.

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