Nintendo Switch - Review

[SalzStange]

The highly successful Nintendo Switch is definitely the console with the most lovingly crafted quality games.

Preface

Due to your requests and out of personal interest we have tested the Switch, which was given to us by Nintendo for free, along with Mario and Zelda and we are astonished by how good the Switch is.

Of course we bought the pro-controller and more games, both digitally and through Amazon to get a better idea about the variety in games as well as server performance.

We expected the Switch to be outmatched by the PS4 Pro or the Xbox One X, but we were dead wrong, for performance isn’t always everything and through brilliant games, a semi fair game pricing policy, a clear menu, the outstanding Pro Controller, its mobility and the innovative Joy-con controllers the Switch does everything right there is to be done right.

Since we also own both a PS4 Pro and an Xbox One X we can pretty much tell the Switch’s strengths and weaknesses.

It has to be said that all three consoles along with PC have their pros and cons and none of them is perfect, but the Switch scores where it matters most, with controllers, quality of games, innovative technology, range and supply of exclusive game titles.

About the Switch

The Switch is the console that invokes nostalgia like no other with games like Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart 8, Kirby etc.
The fun is immense and no other console made my 30 year old gamer self as happy as the Switch did.

This is the greatest strength of the Switch. As a Steam player you most likely wouldn’t buy Doom for the Switch, since you could get it on Steam or for 5€ from online shops, whilst you’d have to pay much more on the Switch. But neither Steam nor the Playstation or Xbox offer that feeling of exclusives like Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong etc. And it has to be said: I don’t know a single exclusive crafted with as much love as Mario on the Switch.

One can tell that Nintendo is extremely conservative when it comes to developing games. You won’t be bombarded with DLCs, microtransactions or loot boxes, instead you buy a finished game and if you’re offered a season pass as in Zelda for 19.90€ then you’ll likely get 3-4 times more content than in most other season passes for 40 or 50 euros, and when I say more, I mean more. Much much more! Here, Nintendo is on the level of the Witcher 3 devs and when you buy something there, you’ll get your money’s worth, just like with Nintendo.


The pricing policy for these games is pretty good, or rather better than Sony’s and Microsoft’s. Generally the games don’t cost 69.90, but instead 49.90 or 59.90. It’s often said that Steam and co. would offer games cheaply, but when you preorder a game on the switch for 59€, finish and resell it for 45-55 euros, you generally end up saving much more than on Steam. Whilst even on Gamestore offers you’ll pay around 40 euros for a preorder, which you won’t be able to sell. So the claim that Steam is cheaper is only partially true. With newer games it’s generally not the case.

The Switch doesn’t only score with an excellent range of games for young and old, extremely high quality, great controllers, stable servers etc. but it’s also mobile. You can just take it to the hospital, on a train ride or to a friend. This makes it absolutely unique.

All in all, the Switch, along with its rightfully extremely highly rated games will fascinate and capture you, since it’s extremely hard to get away from all its games without finishing them.. (^.^) The love to detail, the constant discovering of new content, bonus levels etc. captures and surprises you over and over again.

About the Joy-Con controllers

The Joy-Con Controllers look like baby toys to say the least, and we suspected they’d be suitable for kids at best but we were wrong! The Joy-Con controllers are by far the most innovative controllers on the market.

It’s absolutely unique to be able to play in any position in your bed or wherever and to be able to move your hands freely. This is a unique and totally free playing experience. Our female tester had no cramps or ergonomic problems with the Joy-Con. The male tester on the other hand had light hand muscle tension after 6-7 hours of gaming.

The ergonomics of the controller are rather mediocre but the gameplay enjoyment, the vibration and motion sensors etc. are absolutely perfect. It’s definitely no controller for the trash, but one that tempts you to use them for as long as possible.

About the Pro Controllers

Naturally we also bought a pro controller and it’s based on the Xbox One controller, which definitely is the best solution.

The Switch Pro controller is massive, sturdy and of higher quality than the PS4 controller. Obviously it also has motion sensing as well as a new type of vibration functionality, which is similar to the Xbox One controller as well as the Xbox One Elite controller. Here, the Switch controller is on one level with the Xbox controller, which is well known on Steam.

Additionally the integrated battery is exchangeable, since the Switch controller can be opened with a regular screwdriver. This means you can swap out your battery after 3-4 years and - unlike with the PS4 - you won’t need to buy a new controller once your battery loses power.

The battery lasts multiple days. Even here, the Switch controller beats the newest PS4 controller by far. Instead of a 1000 mAH it uses a newer 1300 mAH battery, and since it has neither lighting nor sound functionalities, the battery life is 8-10 times longer than with the newest PS4 controller. This means 3-4 days of non stop gaming is no problem. With regular usage one should expect about 1 week. The controller is a blessing.

Ergonomically it lies in hands marvellously and is just perfect.

The one small issue are the lower shoulder buttons. Unlike with the Xbox or Playstation they aren’t multi-level - you push and it’s full throttle. You can’t adjust them and press less or more. This is a pity. The required amount of power to push it though is well chosen, so you won’t press it accidentally, which can occur with the PS4 controller.

All in all, the pro controller’s a masterpiece!

Pros:

• The online multiplayer is free up until September, after it’ll cost 19.90 for a year but provide you with free games. Very fair and a big advantage over competitors.
  
  
• Nintendo games generally have a fair pricing policy. You get your money’s worth and often the games are cheaper than the competitor’s.
  
  
• A fantastic selection of exclusive games and always more on the way
  
  
• Very orderly and oversightly menu.
  
  
• Nintendo is very careful that their store only houses quality content - no fake games, achievement games or similar trash you’d see on Steam.
  
  
• Stable servers and fast, full speed downloads of digital game copies
  
  
• A blessing! As on all consoles, there are no - or barely any - cheaters in online multiplayer.
  
  
• Bugs, glitches and problems are strangers to games developed by Nintendo, and even the third party providers seem to show more deference to Nintendo than Steam, even they seldom have problems on launch, at the most some minor issues. Naturally there are exceptions like Bomberman, but they are very rare.
  
  
• The mobility. You can take the Switch anywhere. Very useful every now and then.
  
  
• You cannot hear the Switch. Although it doesn’t use liquid cooling like the Xbox One X, the coolers are so high-end and powerful that they’re simply silent.
  
  
• Pro controller and Joy-Con are a masterpiece, which you can unscrew and repair yourself with basic tools - amazingly fair!
  
  
• May be uninteresting for many, but Nintendo - like Sony or Microsoft - values child protection. Thus you can let your kids play without fear of them being able to play or see everything.
  
  
• A simple question to the Nintendo customer service was answered swiftly. Even here Nintendo can be proud - you wouldn’t have to wait weeks to reclaim your hacked account…

Neutral:

• The built in NVIDIA GPU is good enough but obviously no match for the Xbox One or PS4 - the games look outstanding anyway.
  
  
• It might bother some - or not affect you at all, but there is no community achievement system (yet). It is claimed to be work in progress (according to a leak).
  
  
• The game prices are good, but the price tag on the Switch should be viewed as neutral. As with the other consoles, you pay for the brand and access to exclusives too. Purchasing the Hardware individually would be cheaper, but it’s no rip off, for Joy-Con etc. teem with innovativeness and thus technology you couldn’t get for PC.

Cons:

• It’s not rare that the console gets scratched and grazed while being placed in the Hub, since it’s not padded and the rails are made of plastic.
  
  
• The game flap is so cheap I’m speechless. It’ll last you 1-2 years tops with frequent but ultra careful use.
  
  
• Community groups as on Steam or Xbox aren’t a thing. Here the Switch lacks behind, along with the PS4, but who needs additional community groups, right?
  You’ve got Steam and us for that. :) There obviously still are friend lists and online gaming, as well as first signs of an announcement system coming close to the one on Steam.
  
  
• When you use the mobile version of the Switch and try to use voice chat, you’ll have to download an extra app - it’s not the end of the world, but it just shouldn’t be necessary.

Conclusion:

If you’re only looking for graphics, then consoles aren’t for you. The Switch has pretty good graphics thanks to Nvidia, but no console will reach the performance of a 1000-1500 euro PC.

It’s obvious - but the Switch is a high-end quality console offering immense fun and an appealing range of exclusive titles. All of you looking for games like Mario, Zelda and other Blockbuster titles should think about getting the Switch.