The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s fastest-selling video game console. As of this writing, there have been 84 million Switch units sold, and the sales rate doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
COVID or not, the Nintendo Switch continues to be the best-selling video game console out there. It seems that after country after country launched its own version of a lockdown or quarantine, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch gained even more popularity.
Originally launched in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch can be used to play a wide variety of games, but it quickly became used as the go-to console for “retro gaming.”
So if you’re looking for older game graphics, or you just want simpler games to play without all the bells and whistles of the latest and greatest resource-intensive console games, get yourself a Switch, play Mario Kart (I’m talking about the 90s version of Mario Kart), and you will be sure to have yourself a grand, old time.
You can play games from NES and SNES – like Super Mario, Metroid, and Tetris – along with a very long list of retro games.
It’s easy to see why the Switch is so popular because its processing power is strong enough to handle fairly light and less resource-intensive games produced during “gaming consoles’ golden years.” I’m talking about the period between the early 80s and the late 1990s.
Those games from Nintendo, SEGA, and other game developers didn’t take many resources. They also didn’t require heavy processing power for their simplistic graphics and sound. Instead, they were forced to lean on solid game development and game balancing strategies to deliver an immersive and great experience to their players.
What Are the Specifications of the Nintendo Switch?
A typical Nintendo Switch unit consists of a 6.2-inch LCD display. If it were docked, its resolution would be 1920×1080. If you were to undock it, its resolution comes in at 1280×720.
It offers a ten-finger multi-touch support. Its graphic processing is delivered courtesy of the Nvidia Tegra CPU. When it comes to storage power, it can store 32GB native on the hardware itself. If you want supplemental storage, it can handle up to – get this – two terabytes. You can use microSD HC as well as microSD XC.
In terms of battery power, it has a lithium-ion native battery pack sporting 4310mAh. To charge it, you just need to plug it in using a USB cable. It also features WiFi as well Bluetooth connectivity.
Its speakers are fully stereo and have a 5.1 channel output, and support a 3.5mm headphone.
Why Buy a Nintendo Switch?
Now, with all the hardware specs out of the way, why should you get this unit?
The first is that it offers amazing portability. You can take this console anywhere you go and play it at any time. It can be both a handheld console as well as a TV-docked unit. That’s right; if you get home, you don’t have to whip out your main console. You can just dock it on your TV and enjoy a larger screen.
Another great advantage of playing the Nintendo Switch is its price. A standard unit costs 300 dollars. If you want to save a little bit of money, try the Nintendo Switch Lite, which comes in at 200 dollars. With both these price ranges, the Nintendo Switch is so much cheaper than the PlayStation and Xbox.
On the other hand, if you want to level up, you can get the Nintendo Switch OLED. It offers an OLED display screen, as well as 64GB internal storage, better audio output, and an Ethernet port. This will set you back 349 dollars – still cheaper than what else is out there.
This unit is cross-platform compatible. In other words, it can play games from other platforms as well as featuring its own content – like Super Smash Brothers, Ultimate Legend of Zelda, and a wide range of other titles.
You can also play Switch games with your buddies. As long as they have their own Switch consoles, you can all play against each other on the couch. This allows for the whole family to play one game together.
On top of all the advantages above, Nintendo Switch is a fast device. Powering up and powering down is very quick. It also has a sleep mode that can trigger quick games when you feel like it.
Also, getting games is not a hassle because you can download games with your unit at all times. It also ensures that all games are updated.
Make no mistake; even though the Nintendo Switch offers all the advantages above, it does so without any degradation in performance, as well as graphics quality. You don’t feel like you get a stripped-down experience playing a game that you normally would on a console or a PC on your Nintendo Switch.
With that said, it is not without its drawbacks.
The Disadvantages of the Nintendo Switch
The biggest drawback is that you’re looking for top-notch graphics, this platform is not it. It can match the gameplay experience of all the other games out there on different consoles. But if you’re looking for the very best graphics, you’ll be better off with a PC or higher-end console.
It also has an unremarkable design. As powerful and feature-packed as its design framework is, there’s really nothing to write home about when it comes to game-changing design. This may change in the future, but – with the current platform – it’s plain vanilla, to put it lightly.
Another downside is that its battery life can range from 2.5 to 6.5 hours. For hardcore gamers, this is hardly enough.
When it comes to usability, there’s also a drawback regarding drifting controls. The joystick tends to drift to one side. This can be fixed, but it can get quite annoying the first time you experience it.
But other than the drawbacks above, there’s still a lot more to recommend this handheld console.