Nintendo Switch: what do reviewers think?

The Nintendo Switch finally launches tomorrow, promising a hybrid portable/home console experience after months of hype. Between Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, HD Rumble and seamless portable/TV play, the console seems to have a lot going for it.

Now that the reviewers have been published globally, what do critics think of Nintendo’s next great hope?

Polygon

“The Switch is Nintendo’s second attempt at a tablet-based game console, quickly following the release — and subsequent failure — of the Wii U. Where that console’s approach mixed its hardware metaphors — tethering a wireless display with a traditional console, and failing to deliver on either — the Switch is immediately more successful, which shouldn’t be surprising. It’s a course correction and an attempt to make good on the promise of the Wii U,” read an excerpt from Polygon’s review, adding that the console is “wholly unlike” the PS4 and Xbox One.

However, the publication noted that they experienced sync issues with the left JoyCon, primarily when using it with the included Grip. They said it was unclear whether a day one update would fix this problem. What about overall impressions though?

“But beyond Breath of the Wild’s test run and the stunning basic functionality of the Switch lies a field of other obligations and requirements for an internet-connected gaming platform in 2017, and thus far, Nintendo hasn’t done much to prove it knows what it needs to do to recover from years of blind eyes and stubborn avoidance of modern ideas. The best example that Nintendo has a finger on the pulse of the modern gaming audience is a mobile game made by another studio.”

They added that days before launch, the console isn’t fully functioning yet, with the hard work beginning now for Nintendo.

“Nintendo’s vision is clearer than it’s been in years. Now the company needs to prove it can pull it all together.”

IGN review in progress (6.7 out of 10)

“It definitely works as advertised: within a couple of seconds of dropping the tablet onto the dock, the picture transfers right over to the TV, and after detaching the Joy-Con (or using a separately purchased Pro Controller) you’re ready to play. The transition back to handheld mode is just as seamless, which is definitely impressive. Even the time from startup to actually launching and playing a game is surprisingly short, and resuming from sleep is nearly instantaneous,” IGN’s Vince Ingenito said of its hybrid nature.

Much like Polygon, IGN noted that the left JoyCon had sync issues.

” I’m not the only person experiencing de-syncs with it relatively often when playing with the Joy-Con detached or in the Joy-Con Grip, leaving inputs temporarily unread until it reconnects a few seconds later,” Ingenito added, saying that distance seems to be a major factor.

Ingenito also noted that you can’t lay the system on its side when docked (for those using entertainment cabinets), the Switch can’t be charged when the kickstand is in use (to keep portable multiplayer sessions going), there’s no LAN port on the dock and the 32GB of storage was insufficient.

Gamespot

“After using it for a week, I’m glad to say that the hardware has a lot of potential and marks a strong return to form for the company,” wrote Jimmy Thang in his Gamespot review.

Thang praised the HD Rumble feedback, its portability and its power-efficient design (waking up quickly, holding a charge).

Reviews for the Nintendo Switch are out and many are noting issues with the left JoyCon controller

“The Nintendo Switch feels like the culmination of years of hardware growing pains from both Nintendo and Nvidia. Unlike the Wii U GamePad, you no longer have to worry about being tethered to your TV. Because the Switch houses all of its processing power in its portable form factor, it truly allows you to carry console power with you wherever you go. The fact that it’s able to do that while being lighter than the Wii U’s GamePad is a bit of a technical marvel in my book.”

Should you buy one then? Well, Thang says that you should look at the system’s catalogue of games first, but that “Nintendo has undoubtedly laid the groundwork for a great gaming device”.

Kotaku

Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku notes that the Switch is a “beguiling, flawed piece of hardware” unlike any other console he owned.

“It executes its main idea well enough that its shortcomings are alternately forgivable and all the more frustrating. It feels destined to be improved upon in a hardware revision (Perhaps the ‘New Nintendo Switch’ in 2019?), and this launch version will likely be remembered as a first generation console that wasn’t quite what it could have been.”

Hamilton says that he has to keep reminding himself that he can actually take Zelda on the road thanks to the Switch, instead of getting in a ton of playtime while at home only.

“The fact that I can lift my Switch out of its dock and immediately be playing a handheld version of the same game I was playing on my TV is one of the most remarkable things about this device,” he explains.

Otherwise, the Kotaku reviewer listed several annoyances, such as the same JoyCon sync issue as other publications, a flimsy kickstand, small release buttons for the controllers, no Bluetooth headset support, the less-than-ideal charging port location and hidden costs.

Hamilton recommends that gamers wait before purchasing the Switch.

“Of course, if you’re excited as hell about the Switch and know that you want one, go for it. But if you’re on the fence, I say hold off. Wait and see if Nintendo addresses some of the hardware issues people have reported. Bide your time and let them release more games. In six months we’ll know a lot more about how this unusual new console works, and there’ll be a lot more things to play on it.”

Ars Technica

The website’s Kyle Orland wrote that the Nintendo Switch is an “amazing” portable experience but a “middling” home console.

“While the Switch probably won’t ever be fully adequate as your only game console and some questions about controls and software support remain, the ‘new hardware system with a brand new concept’ that Nintendo first announced in 2015 is in many ways the most interesting piece of gaming hardware in decades.”

Orland says that the portable nature of the console means that it was able to replace his iPhone as a go-to “flexible” gaming device .

“I’ll putter with it on the couch while my wife is using the TV. I’ll take it into bed and play until my eyes start getting tired. I’ll grab a quick game while my toddler is playing contentedly elsewhere in the room. I’ll whip it out of a bag on a plane or in a food court.”

The Ars Technica writer does criticise the console however, saying that the charging port location is less than ideal, the kickstand is flimsy and that it’s lacking power as a home console. The syncing issue with the left JoyCon also pops up, with Orland saying it happens when there’s distance between the controllers and the tablet itself.

So should you get the console? Well, Ars Technica says that getting the Switch as a primary system means missing out on big-name franchises. The publication adds that even getting it as a secondary system is a tough ask thanks to hardware issues and the launch lineup.

“By the end of the year, more big-name games will be available, and we’ll know about many more that are in the pipeline. Those games (and maybe the hardware itself) will also likely cost much less as we get closer to 2018. In the meantime, you can play a good chunk of the Switch library on the Wii U or other platforms. So as interesting as the Switch is as a piece of hardware design, you’ll probably be fine taking a wait-and-see attitude for now.”