After the Wii U failed to ignite the imaginations of anyone but the most devout Nintendo loyalists, a lot rides on its successor. Thankfully, it's a much more exciting proposition for players: home console-quality gaming on the go. The Switch itself is the very tablet you hold, rather than a beast left tethered to your TV. It offers a pixel-dense 1280x720 screen with capacitive multi-touch features, but this is far from a Nintendo-branded iPad – slide it into its dock at home and it offers a 1080p output on the main screen. In either state, the real wonders are the two Joy-Con controllers, which are as revolutionary as the Wii Remote was a decade ago. When slid on to the side of the Switch (or the included grip frame), they deliver the easy familiarity and detailed input afforded by any traditional controller. Individually though, each works as its own tiny joypad, meaning it is primed for co-op play wherever the console goes. The Joy-Cons are also deceptively advanced, cramming in motion-sensing, amazingly precise rumble, object-sensing, and positioning technologies. Predictably, only Nintendo has yet put these features to good use (mainly in launch title 1-2-Switch), but the possibilities afforded to developers allow for games that will only be possible on the Switch. The console's greatest strength, however, is its versatility, and not just in bridging the gap between console and handheld gaming. The selection of launch titles is scant, but already offer a wealth of content, from the epic adventure of Zelda to the hectic, colourful multiplayer of Super Bomberman R, to the entirely touch-based rhythm action of downloadable music game VOEZ. This isn't just tonal variety; it's a range of gaming experiences relying on the Switch's bespoke hardware features that rival formats cannot match. There are concerns, though. The home dock feels cheaply made and can smudge the screen, or even scratch it without careful handling, while the left Joy-Con can suffer connection issues when too far from the console. The Switch's minimal built-in storage – a meagre 32GB, a quarter of which stores the OS – necessitates the further purchase of a MicroSD card if you plan on buying digital games through the Nintendo eShop. Despite these issues, the Switch is a delight to use, with a rare confidence in how it aims to reshape gaming. Packing in some of the smartest tech on show from Nintendo in years helps, too. Less hardcore Nintendo fans may want to wait for a stronger software lineup – Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are all due this year – but it's off to a strong start.
