10 Ways To Save The Nintendo Switch
Is it already too late?
Since the January 12th presentation, Nintendo's substantial hype for the Switch has entered a surprising state, as the system is now being thoroughly raked over the coals. Thought of to be a grand 'return to the old school', the initial teaser showed the console/handheld hybrid playing everything from the new Legend of Zelda to Skyrim both at home and on the go, with zero waiting in between.
Then the in-depth hands-on events happened, and from the insistence on rekindling motion controls to the fact Breath of the Wild actively runs worse on this newer hardware, there have barely been any articles doing anything other than listing its various flaws (I should know, I was one of them).
And to be honest, it's mostly warranted. The Switch's hardware is fantastic, its concept unique and its new control schemes worth exploring. But did any of that come across in the presentation and subsequent interviews? Hell no.
It's time Nintendo really did 'listen to the fans' and prepped a console worthy of their lineage. Here's what needs to happen between now and March 3rd.
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10. Make 1-2-Switch A Pack-In
The only way - I repeat, the ONLY way - to make the quirky as hell 1-2-Switch 'work', is to get it in front of as many people as possible.
First up, we're talking about a game where you actively look away from the screen and into each others' eyes. It's designed to make people feel somewhat uncomfortable, and its array of minigames - ranging from flicking the Joycons and shooting each other in a wild west duel to methodically milking a pair of cows - only truly 'make sense' after you've seen them played.
At the moment, Nintendo are charging $50 for 1-2-Switch, a price nobody in their right mind is going to pay unless they really want to give a range of gimmicky experiences a chance, meaning it's destined to miss out on resonating with a larger audience.
It's somewhat obvious through Nintendo building something like 1-2-Switch at all (remember: motion controls weren't part of the initial teaser), that they're trying to repeat the success of Wii Sports. Such a thing makes perfect business sense, considering the world-changing appeal that game had, but it's impossible to do without making these new experiences available from day one, as immediately.