Nintendo Switch

Hybrid is a word that is being thrown around a lot lately – mostly for cars to promote their eco-friendly nature, but it appears that the trend is catching on and being spread across a multitude of other tech advancements. The brand new Nintendo Switch was announced just a few weeks ago and it is being described as the world’s first hybrid console. But what does that mean?

The Switch is expected to hit the shelves on March 3rd, although it is already available for pre-order with a price tag of £279.99.  This is seemingly steep for a handheld device, especially comparing it to Nintendo’s past devices such as the 3DS and the 3DS XL released in 2011, but the Switch is much, much more than that.
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With the Switch, gamers will be able to carry it around where they please and use it as a simple hand held device – slotting in the cartridge and diving into their preferred game, but it’s also fully convertible to a console. The innovation is in the two controller wings, which are fully detachable and can be hooked together to create a single controller. The screen can then be balanced on a surface, or fitted into a dock that connects to a television screen, simulating your classic console experience. That’s no lie. 
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​The classic console experience for the Nintendo Switch will be complete – full HD, multiplayer, split screen – the whole deal. Gamers will be able to share one of the side controllers with a friend, or go as far as buying a second set to create two full controllers. These are only one example of the multitude of accessories that will be made available to use with the Switch, along with a standard controller, extra docks, etc. but Nintendo won’t be lenient on prices.  
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​​A lot of the hype around the Switch will be made by these accessories, and Nintendo are taking full advantage of that. Buying a secondary set of controllers will cost about £70, and a secondary dock will be around the same price, enabling the switch to be readily attachable to more than one TV screen. All in all, the £279.99 is actually only a base price, which will easily shoot up by a couple hundred pounds.
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Although the Switch will truly be a hybrid gaming experience, allowing players to be fully immersed whenever and wherever they may be, right now it seems that only the die-hard Nintendo fans will be running after it on the release date. Whether it will set a new standard for home gaming, or meet the same unfortunate fate the Wii U did is for the future to tell. 

Filippo Cartoni