23rd February 2017, 1:33 PM
So, many gaming media outlets have Switch units now, and the first NDA ended today, so they can talk about the hardware itself. No games yet, Zelda info will have to wait until tomorrow, but this is a start, and it's great to finally see more of this system that Nintendo has been very quiet about many of the details of.
First some bad news, Virtual Console will not be available at launch: http://nintendoeverything.com/nindies-sh...t-release/ It will be coming, but not at launch. Ah well. The eShop will be up though.
Second, some outlets are having issues with the right Joycon when using it more than 6-7 feet from the Switch unit, that is in the Grip or such; it keeps disconnecting, apparently. Hopefully this is just a software issue and not hardware... Info: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1346789
Otherwise things sound good, though. Lots of reports and videos now are showing the OS, Mii creation, account settings, and such. It looks like a fairly plain and generic-looking OS and menu system, with lots of boxes, rectangular icons, and such, in the style of the (bad) modern trend towards "flat" interface design. It still has some of that Wii-ish Nintendo look to it thoguh, with the fonts and such. There's no music in the interface or menus though, unlike the Wii and such... huh. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70rMXj4wGPI The OS looks functional and easy enough to use though, which is the post important part. Of course a console's menu interface not the focus, the actual games are, but you need to be able to get to them quickly. I hope there are good organization options for the games and such you have installed, with folder support too; Nintendo usually has them so I expect it, but I'm not sure if I've seen that yet.
Oh, as for the hardware itself, I see it's getting lots of praise, and I guess it looks fine, but.. again, the Switch tablet unit itself has a fairly generic modern look to it, I think -- it looks like a tablet, it's matte instead of glossy, etc. I kind of like that Wii-like gloss... I guess it is true that glossy doesn't hold up as well and shows fingerprints very easily, but still, based on videos I think the Switch looks fine, but not anything amazing. (My favorite console hardware design is still the N64... and for operating system interface styling, probably Vista.) The Joycons are another issue; they're very small, but look nice and like Nintendo designs, apart from the left one not having a d-pad on it. The Pro Controller fixes that, for 2d platformers, fighting games, and such, but it's an additional $70. With the Wii I've gotten away with never buying a Pro Controller, but with the Switch it'd probably be needed...
So yeah, from what I've seen design-wise, for both the system and interface, the Switch looks fine. I'm not hugely impressed or disappointed.
List of some of the previews and such: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1346776
First some bad news, Virtual Console will not be available at launch: http://nintendoeverything.com/nindies-sh...t-release/ It will be coming, but not at launch. Ah well. The eShop will be up though.
Second, some outlets are having issues with the right Joycon when using it more than 6-7 feet from the Switch unit, that is in the Grip or such; it keeps disconnecting, apparently. Hopefully this is just a software issue and not hardware... Info: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1346789
Otherwise things sound good, though. Lots of reports and videos now are showing the OS, Mii creation, account settings, and such. It looks like a fairly plain and generic-looking OS and menu system, with lots of boxes, rectangular icons, and such, in the style of the (bad) modern trend towards "flat" interface design. It still has some of that Wii-ish Nintendo look to it thoguh, with the fonts and such. There's no music in the interface or menus though, unlike the Wii and such... huh. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70rMXj4wGPI The OS looks functional and easy enough to use though, which is the post important part. Of course a console's menu interface not the focus, the actual games are, but you need to be able to get to them quickly. I hope there are good organization options for the games and such you have installed, with folder support too; Nintendo usually has them so I expect it, but I'm not sure if I've seen that yet.
Oh, as for the hardware itself, I see it's getting lots of praise, and I guess it looks fine, but.. again, the Switch tablet unit itself has a fairly generic modern look to it, I think -- it looks like a tablet, it's matte instead of glossy, etc. I kind of like that Wii-like gloss... I guess it is true that glossy doesn't hold up as well and shows fingerprints very easily, but still, based on videos I think the Switch looks fine, but not anything amazing. (My favorite console hardware design is still the N64... and for operating system interface styling, probably Vista.) The Joycons are another issue; they're very small, but look nice and like Nintendo designs, apart from the left one not having a d-pad on it. The Pro Controller fixes that, for 2d platformers, fighting games, and such, but it's an additional $70. With the Wii I've gotten away with never buying a Pro Controller, but with the Switch it'd probably be needed...
So yeah, from what I've seen design-wise, for both the system and interface, the Switch looks fine. I'm not hugely impressed or disappointed.
List of some of the previews and such: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1346776
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