For over a year now, the world has been in anticipation about what the Nintendo NX could be. Rumors were flying left and right with different ideas coming into play, such as it being a home and mobile hybrid console and it having detachable controllers. It turns out, many of these were true. The first preview trailer, of the officially named Nintendo Switch, premiered today.
From what we can tell from the trailer, it is truly a hybrid home and mobile device that has detachable controllers. This helps for multiplayer action at home or on the go. Multiple systems can connect together for an even better multiplayer experience as well. There were plenty of games shown off with the device too. Not just from Nintendo, but 3rd party developers as well. With this kind of software and hardware, it’s hard not to get excited.
First, as a home console and mobile hybrid there is a lot of open room for developers to work with. Switch has the same strengths as any other home console and it can simply support the most powerful mobile games the market has ever seen. True forward thinking, however, can come in the form of knowing how to design for both. It may be a stretch, but Pokemon Go has proven to Nintendo and the world that gamers are willing to go outside for the thrill of the game. This means that games could be developed for the console with a whole outside world adventure aspect to them.
For some, the idea of this could be daunting, if they simply want to enjoy their games inside, or only bring the console outside when they are traveling. Perhaps it could simply be something optional then. Imagine an RPG where you get more experience for traveling outside while you play, or going to specific areas to find items. These possibilities for game designers could potentially change the way many games are played.
When a new console comes out, there is always a question of backwards compatibility. While nothing has been stated yet for the Nintendo Switch, it would be amazing if you could play both Wii U and 3DS games on the console. The trailer shows the Switch transferring between console and mobile as players pull the screen out of the dock, but it’s not too much of a stretch to hope the same wireless technology behind the WiiU could allow for a dual screen experience with the mobile device and your TV. Think of all the new consumers it would bring in. Die hard home console gamers would be able to enjoy some of the handheld titles they have missed out on, and vice versa.
Let’s go ahead and look at the games that were shown. The new Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looks fantastic. Besides that, we saw a new 3D Mario, Skyrim, NBA 2K, Splatoon, and Mario Kart. Right off the bat, the Nintendo Switch is showing off, not only great Nintendo titles that fans are always craving, but more 3rd party titles than a home Nintendo console has seen in a long time. The 3D Mario shown looked beautiful and didn’t have four characters running around and bumping into each other, so I’m already looking forward to it. Back to Mario having to save the day. Skyrim and the last four NBA 2K titles have never been on a Nintendo console, so immediately there is high potential for 3rd party support.
If you payed close attention to both the Splatoon and Mario Kart shown, you will notice that they both had new features. Mario Kart featured single drivers, but had two items to switch with. This has never been seen in a Mario Kart game before and could be a sign of a brand new installment for Nintendo Switch. While this is a bit more of a stretch, the Splatoon characters shown have different hairstyles then ever seen before. It seems they are also pushing the eSport potential of this game. Whether it is a new game, or just an updated Switch version, Splatoon gained a big following as a surprise hit, so riding on that success is a great move.
In March of the next year, Nintendo could be releasing a hybrid home and mobile console with a new Zelda, Mario, Skyrim, NBA 2K, Splatoon, and Mario Kart. This could be the huge launch that Nintendo fans have so desperately craved. While this is all speculation from the brief video shown today, it is not impossible to become a dream come true.