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The 'Splatoon 2' multiplayer web portal heads to the Nintendo app
Splatoon for the Wii U made a strong argument for competitive multiplayer gaming on Nintendo consoles, but in a lot of ways, it was half baked. It had great characters, fun maps, ranked modes and tournaments -- but failed to integrate any kind of official voice chat. It also had a companion web portal, but it offered only the barest of functionality. The game's Nintendo Switch sequel is trying to fix both of those problems with SplatNet 2: a smartphone app that lets players view match and player stats, buy in-game gear and organize voice chat with teammates.
The Nintendo Switch will have Neo Geo games (updated)
The Nintendo Switch will support a handful of new games, of course, but it's also going to feature some fan-favorite classics from the Neo Geo era, Famitsu says. The Arcade Archive collection from Japanese video-game publisher Hamster Corp. will land on the Switch worldwide beginning in March with King of Fighters '98, according to the report. Keep in mind that the Switch itself is scheduled to come out March 3rd for $300 in the United States.
Nintendo's HD Rumble will be the best unused Switch feature of 2017
If I had to describe Nintendo in just three words, I'd steal the shared city slogan of Austin, Santa Cruz and Portland: "Keep Nintendo Weird." The Japanese game giant delights in its unique character and has made a habit of defying convention. Nintendo's gimmicks are always fascinating, but they don't usually work out. The Wii Remote's speakers largely went unused. Most third-party developers failed to take advantage of the Wii U touchscreen. So what's Nintendo Switch's soon-to-be-overlooked innovation? A haptic feedback system called HD Rumble.
Nintendo will have a Switch app to help with parental controls
Nintendo dropped all the official details on its new Switch console that's set to arrive in March while most of us were sleeping. Along with a truckload of hardware and software info, the company also has an app for Android and iOS to help parents keep tabs on their child's gaming habit. The appropriately named Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile software will allow you to set time limits for playing sessions and more.
Nintendo's Switch Pro controller is refined, but not perfect
Nintendo's Joy-Con controllers for the Switch are wonderfully unique, but they might not be ideal for every situation. That's why the $70 Switch Pro Controller exists — it's meant for gamers who need a more-traditional-feeling gamepad for titles like Ultra Street Fighter 2 and Super Bomberman R. It's not exactly a surprising accessory, as Nintendo had a similar Pro accessories for the Wii and Wii U, but it's still nice to see the company refining its concept of a classic game controller.
Playing all the games at Nintendo's Switch event
We've touched the hardware and were left with some good impressions. But that's only half of the equation: What about the games? Nintendo is offering several upgraded (and some brand new) titles for the Switch. While some depend on the new controller interfaces (Arms) and sharing aspects of the new console (1-2-Switch!), others, in classic Nintendo style, tap in our nostalgia (Sonic Mania, Ultimate Street Fighter 2). And there was another chance to play Zelda. Here's every title we could get our hands on at the Switch event.
Nintendo's Switch makes a great first impression
Well, this is different. In my hands is Nintendo's Switch, a $300 (£280 in the UK) console that's like nothing I've held before. Well, it's like quite a few things, but nonetheless a unique device. It all starts with a tablet, dominated by 6.2-inch 720p capacitive touchscreen, with speakers in the lower corners. It's thick, by anyone's standards, but it's not too heavy, and is generally well-balanced and comfortable to hold. The screen, although low-res compared to most tablets, looks sharp, bright and rich. Viewing angles also seemed good -- vital for two-player sessions. At the top of the tablet portion is a slot for proprietary game cards, a headphone jack, two volume keys and a recessed power button. Below is a microSD card slot and a USB Type-C charging port. Around the back is a sturdy kickstand that lets you rest the tablet on a table. Adorning the vertical edges of the tablet are detachable "Joy-Cons" that connect via rails.
Watch the Nintendo Switch event in less than 12 minutes
What a night. While you were (probably) fast asleep, Nintendo ended months of speculation by revealing a ton of new info about its upcoming console. Most important, the Switch launches globally March 3rd and will cost $300. Nintendo also announced a number of new games for the system, including Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, a custom Switch version of FIFA, Xenoblade 2, Skyrim and a weird but fun-looking new IP -- Arms. There are also new titles and ports from big hitters like Ubisoft and Square Enix, and we're even promised a sequel to No More Heroes.
Here are all the trailers from the Nintendo Switch event
When Nintendo revealed its mysterious NX game console as the Switch in October, we still didn't know much. Yes, it was a hybrid portable game console with new games in the Super Mario, Legend of Zelda and Splatoon franchises -- but how much was it going to cost? When was it coming out? What else would we be able to play? Now that the console's official reveal is over, we have answers: $300, March 3rd and a whole lot. On top of teasing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo's Switch reveal event showed us trailers for a new Fire Emblem game, a second Xenoblade Chronicles, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and so much more.
Nintendo will sell extra Switch accessories separately
You won't have to trawl eBay or get a whole new unit in case you lose one of Switch's tiny Joy-Cons or if your dog chews on its dock. Nintendo will sell extra accessories for the console separately -- it has even revealed how much each one will cost you. A single Joy-Con is $50, while a pair (in any color combination) will set you back $80. Too lazy to plug and unplug the dock into different TVs in your home? You can get an extra dock set, which includes an AC adapter and an HDMI cable, for $90. Sure, they're kind of expensive, but at least you can buy them, unlike the Wii U's GamePad.
Nintendo classics get online multiplayer on the Switch
The Nintendo Switch features a new, paid subscription model that grants players access to online multiplayer features -- and something extra. According to the Nintendo Switch Online Service website, anyone who subscribes will be able to download and play one classic game from the Nintendo Entertainment System or Super Nintendo Entertainment System per month, "with newly added online play."
Nintendo Switch battery lasts for three hours of portable 'Zelda'
Nintendo's new hybrid console is rated for "more than six hours" of use away from an outlet, but mileage will vary depending on the game. In a press release sent out following last night's Switch event, Nintendo says launch title "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be played for roughly three hours on a single charge." Obviously, less-taxing games will last considerably longer, allowing Nintendo to claim six hours of battery life with a clear conscience. Whenever the Switch is docked to the TV it automatically charges, so you should leave the house with a full battery every time. However, the Switch uses regular USB Type-C for charging, so you could feasibly top up with the same charger you use for your laptop or phone.
'Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' lands on Switch at launch
Game consoles don't tend to have stand-out, killer software at launch, but Nintendo is bucking the trend again. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild will be released in concert with the console itself March 3rd. Not picking up the new console? The game comes out the same day for the Wii U. If this seems familiar, it's because Nintendo did something similar with Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, launching it on the Wii and Gamecube simultaneously.
Nintendo Switch controllers tout sharing and object detection
It was evident from the get-go that the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con controllers weren't just your ordinary gamepads. However, the console's launch event has revealed that they do much, much more than detach and offer local two-player play. The left-side Joy-Con has a sharing button, for starters -- you can take screenshots to show off memorable moments. The Switch won't share video right away (one area in which the PS4 and Xbox One have an edge), but Nintendo is promising that it's in the works.
'Splatoon 2' brings new weapons, stages and fashion to Nintendo Switch
When Splatoon announced its late July Splatfest would be its last online multiplayer event, there was a collective sigh from the Miiverse. The multiplayer shooter dragged Nintendo into a competitive-gaming space it had never competed in before -- it was fun, frantic and had a lot of personality. Thankfully, the franchise lives on. Today Nintendo announced the Switch version of Splatoon isn't a remastered port, but a full sequel.
'Super Mario Odyssey' puts Nintendo's plumber in the real world
Super Mario Odyssey is Nintendo's latest Mario game, and it's due to hit the Switch during the holiday season this year. The new adventure is a sandbox-style game that throws Nintendo's famous plumber into environments from the real world.
'Arms' brings shooter-esque boxing to the Nintendo Switch
Nintendo isn't wasting any time with original games for its new Switch console. During its launch live-stream tonight, the company announced Arms, a boxing game that shares a lot with shooters. It relies on motion controls to attack enemies from a distance. In practice, it looks like you're punching with a bit of a delay, thanks to your freakishly long arms (get it?!). In many ways, Arms looks like the successor to Wii Boxing that we've been waiting for. Unfortunately, it won't be ready for the Switch's launch -- you can expect it sometime in spring.
Nintendo finally discovered capacitive touch screens
At Nintendo's Switch press conference today, the company revealed that its upcoming gaming console will have -- wait for it -- a capacitive touch screen. This is a pretty big move for Nintendo, which has traditionally gone with resistive touch displays -- the DS, the 3DS and the Wii U all had resistive touch screens and had to be used with a modicum of finger strength or a stylus. Resistive touch screens are typically not as finger-friendly as capacitive displays that are widely used in smartphones and tablets today. Capacitive screens also allow for multitouch gestures, which is lacking on resistive models. It's a small difference, perhaps, but it's a move that makes the Switch that much more enticing to a modern audience. Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo's Switch event.
Nintendo Switch online multiplayer won't be free
There's a lot to love about Nintendo, but it's always been a generation behind the curve when it comes to online services. The Nintendo Wii was hampered by an awkward friend-code system, and the Wii U's network services were weird, goofy and heavily monitored. With the Switch, that all might change: Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima just announced Nintendo Online Services -- the company's latest attempt to figure out online multiplayer. Kimishima didn't reveal much about the service, but, in general, the news is good: Nintendo Online Services sounds a lot like Sony and Microsoft's multiplayer services. The bad news: Just like those services, it will cost you a monthly fee.
Nintendo Switch software won't be region-locked
Nintendo has always been aggressive with region-locking, but that's changing with the Switch. That's right, the Switch will be able to play games from any territory. Meaning, importing games from Japan and playing them on your US-based console will be totally doable -- no need to buy region-specific hardware for those anymore. Nor will you have to wait for a certain game to get translated into English. Hey, all right!
