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After months of being left in the dark about Nintendo's latest console, the company finally let the Mario out of the bag this afternoon. The Nintendo NX, has officially been revealed as the Nintendo Switch. Past rumors have pointed at Nintendo working on a hybrid console, one that you will be able to use while at home, and on the go, and after watching the reveal trailer for it, the rumors are absolutely true.
The reveal trailer that you can at the end of the article, shows a home console setup at first, which then can be converted to a tablet instantly by sliding it out of its holder. We can then see the user clip on two attachable controllers to the screen, transforming it into a portable device.
The most interesting part about the whole thing, is the way that these attachable parts all go together. It seems from the video, that the actual controller that you use at home, comes apart to then attach to the screen. Call me Optimus Prime, but this seems like something that has never been done before. Nintendo seems to want to eliminate the extra accessories like the Pro Controller, and the nunchuk.
Saying that however, later in the video we do see some pro Splatoon players using another controller, which might be the new Pro Controller The hybrid console can also be used without these attachable controllers clipped onto the screen, as it seems to have a kick out stand at the back that stands the tablet up, so it creates a little personal console experience.
The video showed the console hybrid running some noticeable games like Splatoon, Mario Kart 8 in split screen, and Skyrim. There was also a hint at a new Mario World title, one which we have not seen before. As for multiplayer games, it seems that each of the two players, will turn the attachable controller sideways, and they will then be used as two individual controllers, making multiplayer seamless. It kind of reminded me of classic NES controllers, as they are pretty small. The hardware seems to make use of a cartridge, as you can see in the video, so goodbye discs. This is an obvious move, as it would mean that Nintendo would have to somehow build a disc drive into the tablet device.
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Nintendo also revealed via their Twitter stream that they have a good set of publishers and game engines on board to support the console. These include Capcom, Havok, Unity and more. The best news of all, is that Nintendo plans to release the console in March 2017, which is just around the corner. It also falls out of holiday season, and in between the launch of the PS4 Pro, and Microsoft's Scorpio console.
This is perfect timing to be honest, but will it sell like hotcakes in a year filled with 4K gaming consoles? We will have to wait and see. I for one cannot wait to get my hands on it, as it screams classic Nintendo.
What's your take on the Nintendo Switch?
Marco Cocomello: Twitter / MWEB GameZone: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
