Nintendo Switch – My Life, or Something Like It

Why I’m Excited for the Nintendo Switch (And Why You Should Be Too)

When was the last time you got really excited for a console release? Ripping apart shreds of Christmas paper to reach your shiny new Nintendo 64 type excited…

I have been pretty fazed since the most recent generation transition from Xbox 360/Xbox One, PS3/PS4, and of course the Wii/Wii U debacle. Back in 2005, I built my first gaming-ready computer and in watching gaming trends, apart from certain console-specific exclusives, I haven’t felt the draw back to hitting the mean streets of console-land ever since. I was an avid console gamer from my first Sega Genesis system, and I was surprised to find such an easy transition to PC gaming when I finally made the leap. With the dividing lines between PC and console gaming becoming narrower, the decisions gamers must make about what to play on, requires more work on the part of companies to make their hardware stand out.

I’m sure many of us have at least dabbled in a form of mobile gaming other than our phones, if not having a DS or Vita kicking around collecting dust, outside of road trips or Pokémon title launches. As far back as Game Gear, or the original Game Boy, we’ve been kicking it mobile long before phones received anything more enticing than a game of Snake (and no, I don’t mean MGS). As phone-based mobile gaming has taken control of a strong share in the larger gaming market over the years, handheld gaming systems are struggling to find new ways of enticing consumers.

A closer look at the breakdown from last year.

Enter the Switch.

The Nintendo Switch purports to be an entirely new console experience. Seamlessly switching between an at-home console experience to a handheld one, as its namesake suggests, Nintendo seems to have put all its eggs in a convertible basket in order to try and stay relevant. And dare I say it? I think it’s worked. Players like me who have shied away from the brand as of late are drawn back in not only due to its innovative design, but also its attention to graphics and detail. Still the Nintendo we know and love, it has chosen to evolve and serve a consumer beyond the family-with-kids demographic. Surely, that market is not isolated from this design, and is in truth included, other gamers have more to find in the Switch than any Nintendo console since the 64. The goal to bridge the gap between home and mobile play will not be easy for Nintendo to breach, but they have a solid grasp on their attempt to try. Leading with one of the most gorgeous Zelda games in recent years, certainly helps Nintendo here as well.

While time will tell if the Nintendo Switch will be a hallmark of nex-gen gaming, like we expect to see out of augmented and virtual reality kits, remains to be seen. However, gamers can be sure that the hype is real, and is not unfounded. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on the Switch as it releases this week, and I hope you join me.

What is your opinion on Nintendo’s latest release? Gimmick or game-breaking shift in console design? Let us know in the comments or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord!

Nintendo’s Hope for Resurgence in the Switch

With so much hype surrounding the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch, is Nintendo about to successfully walk away from the financial failure of the Wii U?

We’re only a little more than a week before the launch of Nintendo’s latest console. If you have been absent from the gaming news frenzy surrounding the console, it is pretty much what it sounds like; a new system which purports to bridge the gap between at-home and mobile gaming all in one place. Whether you want to have a marathon at home or endure the bus ride to work, the Switch aims to provide a seamless gaming experience for its users in both cases. No longer do you have to worry about saving or leaving your system on in order to accomplish a task before leaving the house. Now Nintendo offers a way to take the gaming with you. While the ‘quality’ dips slightly when transitioning to mobile mode, the mobile system is far from lacking in pizzazz. It’s enough to make you forget that its a home console too.

After the large financial loss for Nintendo in 2014 following the release of the Wii U, they were looking for a way to gain their foothold in the console market. Hesitant to return full force into the ever growing and competitive mobile gaming market, gears were eventually set in motion to bring about the release of the Nintendo Switch. This hybrid console will help Nintendo to edge their bets against both the console and mobile gaming markets. On one hand, players who faithfully follow the Nintendo brand at home will be offered a powerful machine to continue to enjoy staple content titles like launch title Breath of the Wild. Conversely, the mobile version of the console also offers an equally powerful experience on the go. While dedicated mobile consoles have struggled in the wake of Android and iOS games, a hybrid system may be able to bridge the gap for Nintendo.

Home or Away, be prepared for stunning graphics on the Switch.

While it may seem like another gimmick to get their systems moving, the specs say otherwise. Pairing up with a Nvidia graphics device and well-designed hardware, Nintendo means business and (arguably) means to save its skin. Nintendo helped bring the modern world of console gaming to the masses, and it is no surprise that they continue to fight to be part of that market. It’s not surprising then, that when faced with losing market creed all together, that Nintendo steps out with an innovative system like the Switch. Not only is the system looking like an awesome addition to any avid Nintendo gamer, it’s also looking to be a worthwhile purchase to a much larger part of the market; gamer and non-gamer alike.

The truth is, the system has to be everything and more in order to overcome the pitfall of the Wii U. The Switch has the potential to turn everything around for Nintendo, and here’s hoping that it does. The gaming world just wouldn’t be the same without them.

What do you think of the Nintendo Switch? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Everything We Know: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

In less than a month The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is set to hit shelves for both the Wii U, and for the launch of the Nintendo Switch and here is everything we know.

The Legend of Zelda series has been a longstanding staple of the Nintendo repertoire since its launch on the Famicom back in 1986. Link has grown up, shrunk down, cell-shaded, and time traveled throughout our many years together. However, Breath of the Wild seeks to take our journey with Link one step further, into the vast open space of true sandbox gameplay.

After multiple delays since 2013, the title will seemingly give us the experience of Zelda we’ve been after for years: adventure, story, and beautiful environments which rival the best of The Elder Scrolls. With a newly developed physics engine, open-world environment, and voice acting, Breath of the Wild seems much more like a Skyrim-meets-Studio-Ghibli than a traditional Zelda game–and we love it.

Play through dungeons in any order, as you are thrown headfirst into this new take on Hyrule. Rather than being guided along by a rail story, players will be able to explore the lush fields and forests at their own pace. Additionally, a large number of cut scenes help to develop the game’s narrative and were the primary motivation for developers including voice acting for the first time in the series’ history.

*Breath of the Wild* showcases an entirely breathtaking take on Hyrule.

The Story

Some 100 years after a great societal collapse in Hyrule, Link awakens in an amnesiac state. Guided by a mysterious voice, Link’s first steps are shakily taken in a world all too familiar, and yet strange. While these initial steps and memory fog are par for the course in many Zelda games, where Breath of the Wild takes us after that, is entirely new territory.

Set after the events of Ocarina of Time, players will return to Hyrule and see the world left behind through the same strange veil Link awakens within. Not fully removed from the previous stories, and yet not fully aware of the narrative they’re in, Breath of the Wild wants to give players an entirely new Legend of Zelda experience.

Redefining what it means to be a *Zelda* title.

Gameplay

While some things are new, others are simply redesigned. Even as early as Ocarina of Time, players were used to items being more than what they seemed. For example, sticks could be used not only as torches but also as weapons. Additionally, the methods you killed an enemy, could result in different loot options, i.e. shells or sticks. Breath of the Wild takes this one step further and ups the ante on its inventory and crafting system. Tree branches could be used not only as weapons, or torches, but also for sliding on snow-ridden paths, or as shields.

Various goods can also be used for clothing, food, or weaponry. There will also be a rune system which will allow for increased crafting abilities and the manipulation of combat mechanics. Alongside inventory improvements, this title will feature a proper quest log, allowing for players to follow their progress on the main storylines, as well as side missions.

The game also features Amiibo integration, allowing for players to bring in sidekicks, and unlock alternative story paths when certain conditions are met.

As a Switch launch title, the game will feature improved graphics on the new console, over the Wii U version.

DLC

Nintendo announced that players could purchase an Expansion Pass for Breath of the Wild that would include two DLC packages. The first of which will be released this summer and includes the “Cave of Trials” challenge, a new hard mode and an update for the in-game map. The second will launch in the winter and include a new dungeon and new story content. The pass will cost $19.99 USD and is available for both the Wii U version and the Switch.

Launch Details

Breath of the Wild will launch simultaneously on March 3rd for the WiiU and Nintendo Switch for $59.99 USD. The Switch launch version of Breath of the Wild will also come in “Special” and “Master” edition bundles, for $99.99 and $129.99 USD respectively. Both feature a Sheikah Eye coin, a Calamity Ganon tapestry and world map, a soundtrack disc, and a themed carry-case for the console, while only the “Master” edition comes with a bonus figurine of the Master Sword.

Finally, there will be some minor graphic quality changes between the last first-party title version for the Wii U, and the launch title version for the Nintendo Switch. The Wii U version will run at 720p and 30FPS, while the Switch will feature 900p and 30FPS when docked to a television. While in standalone embedded-display the Switch will also run at 720p.

It’s time to return to Hyrule. Are you hyped for Breath of the Wild? Let us know in the comments or by tweeting us on our Twitter or visiting our Facebook page!