Nintendo Switch: Will Ingenuity Lead To Success?

Nintendo has finally alleviated the stress of hundreds of thousands of gamers. The Nintendo Switch is here, it is real, and it is coming. Everything about the new Nintendo console at this point is speculation, but it sure looks like a classic dose of Nintendo genius. Another new console release from Nintendo proves one thing: they’ll keep reinventing the wheel, whether we ask for it or not.

Nintendo has always been the leader in gaming innovation. Pioneering handheld gaming, bringing motion sensor aspects to mainstream, arguably completely saving home console gaming with the NES through to the N64. While the world of gaming moves in one direction, Nintendo is usually on a different road, minding their own business. It’s almost beautiful watching them strive purely for creativity and new ideas, rather than besting what someone else is doing. Nintendo has never been in the “we have the best graphics and frame rate” fight, and for good reason. They’re too busy changing how we think about gaming. The Nintendo Switch looks like another attempt at rewriting the rule book. But it’s Nintendo, what did you expect?

“The Nintendo Switch looks like another attempt at rewriting the rule book. But it’s Nintendo, what did you expect?”

Nintendo has recently gotten very attached to touchpad functions in their games. The 3DS, the Wii U gamepad, all these recent devices utilise touchpads. The reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch doesn’t show any such dependence on that, which is wonderful to see. There is nothing wrong about the 3DS or Wii U touchpad functions, but especially on the Wii U they seem to rule a lot of games and slow down some of the enjoyment. Nintendo is, with the Switch, looking like they’re going to combine all of their worlds into one. Gamepad, handheld, Wii-like controllers. This, on paper, sounds like the best route for them. Will the product reflect the ingenuity of its concept? Hopefully, because Nintendo might have struck gold with this one.

The Wii completely shifted the gaming world. It was a massive success, initially, that slowly became more gimmicky and less influential as it aged. Its impact, however, is unquestionable. Then Nintendo came around with the 3DS and Wii U. 3DS, unsurprisingly, showed once again no one should try to best Nintendo in handheld gaming. The Wii U, one of the most polarising consoles ever, was met with excitement and resentment. It wasn’t the type of ground-shattering change we expected after the Wii, and it became obvious quickly that most titles would rely far too heavily on the Gamepad. A lack of impressive titles helped the Wii U fall off the market quickly. There are some gems, but consumers didn’t see enough. I love my Wii U, but its library is thin.

Nintendo has the potential with the Switch to absolutely shake up the market March 2017. This wonderfully engineered system, capable of home and handheld gaming, can be the medium through which Nintendo resurrects and rejuvenates some franchises. We can all ready ourselves for some kind of Mario title (a new, unannounced title seems to be played in the trailer for Switch), Breath of the Wild, and many others. The Switch is the perfect home for Metroid to be unleashed, properly, from its cages. Nintendo also seems to be opening its doors, with a huge list of third party developers working on Switch titles. This is great news. Nintendo can attract much more attention with some outside assistance.

The Switch will be, at heart, a tablet with two attachable/detachable controllers. The controllers can be used by a single player on the tablet, or individually for two-player action. Placing the tablet into the Switch dock will switch (ha) the tablet into console mode on your TV. Nintendo also showed off a standard Wii U Pro-looking controller for us more classic gamers. One thing we’ll have to wait and see about is storage capacity, how handheld truly works, and what kind of gameplay differences exist between handheld and console. It seems you will use what Nintendo calls “GameCards”, which are SD card-like devices akin to a 3DS game card. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of games they can fit on such small cards. But hey, Breath of the Wild fits…wait, is that bad? Please don’t be a small game!

“One thing is for certain, that with the Switch, Nintendo has put out a firm reminder: nobody thinks like they do.”

Despite what the console will be when it gets in our hands, what has been presented is brilliant. Nintendo has once again proven they are kings of ingenuity. Again, though, ingenuity does not always relate to success in the gaming world. The Wii U is proof that sometimes innovation and creativity sometimes fall short of real world demand and desire. However, Nintendo Switch feels and looks as if it is heading in the right direction. It has the flare of the Wii, appears to be able to do what we wish the Wii U could have, and has all the brilliance and tiny simplicity of the 3DS. Whatever may happen, Nintendo, as the honourable knights of gaming they are, will stand by it, sink or swim. They have never been a company to back away from their products. And I hope this one is no different.

Nintendo has caught my eye, and thousands of others, I assume, with the Switch. It really isn’t it all what I expected, yet somehow I’m not at all surprised. Nintendo will always create and change. They will always take something ordinary and make it unbelievable. Nintendo is the type of company that looks at an idea, looks at a console, and says, “It’s not enough that it’s different…it has to change everything.” I will always have a soft spot for Nintendo, as many others do, because they taught me what gaming was. I grew and changed with them. The Nintendo Switch appears to be creative genius, but will that translate to marketable, and playable, success? I certainly hope so. But if it doesn’t, is it all that bad? Probably. Nintendo can’t stomach another console failure. One thing is for certain, that with the Switch, Nintendo has put out a firm reminder: nobody thinks like they do.