Nintendo Switch is, at this point, a Zelda machine.
Let's be clear: the new hybrid console -- out on March 3 -- is brimming with potential. It lacks the power of a current generation PlayStation or Xbox, but its ability to seamlessly... er... switchbetween TV and on-the-go play is a winning touch.
SEE ALSO:John Cena is helping Nintendo advertise the Nintendo SwitchProvided you're a fan of Nintendo games, of course. That's a forever proviso when it comes to Nintendo hardware: if you don't care for Marioor Zeldaor (hopefully we'll get one again someday) Metroid, there's not nearly as much to love.
The problem with "reviewing" Switch right now is simple: it isn't quite finished. As of March 1, a critical bug-squashing and feature-adding "day one" update remains a no-show.
More than that, of the small handful of launch games available, we've only had access to two: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand 1-2-Switch. The former we've had in hand for close to two weeks, but the latter didn't arrive until Feb. 28.
Credit: Haley Hamblin / MashableSo I can tell you this: the Switch does a mostly brilliant job of running Zelda. Emphasis on mostly.
During my more than 30 hours with the game so far, I've noticed mild-to-moderate slowdown whenever I'm playing the game in TV mode. It goes away as soon as I jump to the tablet configuration.
The worry, of course, is what this means for future games. I've very much enjoyed having the ability to walk away from my TV with Zeldain hand, but a game with such a vast world and so much detail is really best played on a big screen. If Switch struggles to maintain steady performance on its biggest launch title, that bodes poorly for Nintendo's forthcoming blockbusters.
Again, keep in mind: we're still talking about the hardware's performance ahead of an ostensibly important day one update. Maybe that update includes optimizations to fix the frame rate issues. Who really knows?
The Switch does a mostly brilliant job of running Zelda
The actual hardware is typically Nintendo. The tablet is lightweight and all plastic without feeling flimsy. Its battery life could be better -- expect two and a half hours of unplugged Zelda-- and its glossy screen does not perform well in direct sunlight.
There's only one place where the lightweight design veers into genuine flimsiness: the tablet's kickstand. It only allows for one viewing angle, and it snaps off very easily. It also snaps back onjust as easily, but it's an unusually cheap-feeling component.
Kickstand aside, the Switch feels like an expensive toy in your hands. It's probably smaller than you're expecting -- somewhere between an iPhone Plus and an iPad Mini -- but not to the detriment of gameplay. The 7-inch screen produces a crisp, clear image -- provided, of course, that sunlight isn't blotting it out.
The tablet sports a standard USB-C port for easy charging, either in the included Switch dock or plugged directly into the AC adapter (also included). You cancharge the tablet using a battery pack, but I've yet to find a battery that charges the tablet faster than it drains during use.
Credit: Haley Hamblin / MashableIn other words: you can recharge the Switch using a portable battery, but you might have a hard time continuing to play while you do. If there's a "best" battery pack for Switch -- one that lets you play without draining the tablet -- we haven't found it.
The Joy-Con controllers sport the same all-plastic body and lightweight feel as the tablet. Individually, they're small in the hand. After a lengthy Zeldabinge, I felt a palpable sense of shock when I turned and picked up a PlayStation controller. Sony's svelte piece of kit suddenly felt so bulky!
That said, I never felt like I was at a gaming disadvantage because ofthe small controllers. That definitely won't be true for everyone, especially those with larger hands. But for my average-sized mitts, it was fine.
Switch is surprisingly comfortable to hold and use in its tablet configuration. I had zero issues playing Zeldaon a New York City subway, beyond the constant movement occasionally screwing with the motion-controlled aiming in Zelda.
Switch feels more like a smart conglomeration of ideas we've seen before than it does something totally new, but that's a point in its favor.
Speaking of motion control, Nintendo has definitely come a long way since the days of Wii Remotes and Wii Remote Plus attachments. Out of the box, Switch motion controls feel incredibly accurate. So much so that you should actually try them out in Zelda, even if your default is to turn the feature off.
As for the rest of what's in the box: a simple, plastic dock that provides power to the tablet and sports three USB ports; a pair of Joy-Con straps that slot in when you're using the two controllers untethered; a power adapter and HDMI cord; and the aforementioned Joy-Con Grip.
The Grip is merely a plastic base for your Joy-Cons. It unfortunately lacks the ability to wire in and charge the controllers as you play. For thatfeature, you need to buy a sold-separately $30 Grip that is nearly identical to the pack-in version, save for a USB-C port (and included USB-C cable).
Nintendo's choice to sell the charging grip separately is downright baffling. Out of the box, slotting each Joy-Con into the tablet is the only way to charge them. That means you're stuck either waiting or switching to tablet mode if your controllers start to run out of juice.
To sum things up: the hardware works. Switch feels more like a smart conglomeration of ideas we've seen before than it does something totally new, but that's a point in its favor. It's got all the expected charm of a Nintendo product, coupled with an easy two-step setup.
All that said, it's not necessarily must-buy hardware. If you're excited about Breath of the Wild, great news: that game is a day one system-seller. Even without seeing what the day one update brings, Zelda fans can buy with confidence.
Credit: Haley Hamblin / MashableIf you're more ambivalent about Zelda, on the other hand, it's better to wait. There are some nifty games like 1-2-Switchand Snipperclipsin the launch lineup, but nothing we've seen that merits a $300 investment.
Does Switch mark a rebound for Nintendo after the Wii U's disastrous run? It's hard to say. Zeldashows great promise purely as a signal that Nintendo is willing to breath fresh life into its beloved yet increasingly stale core franchises.
The Switch isn't as fresh -- mostly, it's just building on the Wii U's core philosophies with better tech -- but any longtime Nintendo fan will tell you: that doesn't matter. It's the games that matter.
So that's where we're at: the Nintendo Switch is a functional piece of hardware that -- despite some minor-yet-notable shortcomings -- only stands to improve when the day one patch arrives.
But from what we see in Zelda, Switch also seems to mark a new era for the company. This is a Nintendo that finally seems willing to tear down its cherished franchises and rebuild them with a modern audience in mind.
That's the big win here. For the first time since the Wii launched all the way back in 2006, it's finally possible to confidently say: We can't wait to see what Nintendo comes up with next.
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