Gaming News - Page 1447

The Nintendo Switch's included JoyCon Grip accessory recharge your JoyCon controllers--you'll have to shell out another $30 for that extra bit of convenience. This poses some problems for console-owners, and will lead to interrupted play in TV Mode--and here's why.

Nintendo's new Switch console has two different kinds of JoyCon Grip accessories: the stock JoyCon Grip that comes in the box with the Switch that doesn't recharge your JoyPads, and the JoyCon Charging Grip, a $30 peripheral that recharges the JoyCon Grips as you play.

Eurogamer reports that the basic JoyCon Grip that comes with the Switch won't have an internal battery nor a USB Type-C port to recharge your JoyCons, and we've corroborated that information via the official Nintendo Switch Fact Sheet that I've included below.

Nintendo's brand new Switch handheld-console hybrid will launch on March 3 with only 11 games, and half of them are Japanese. Is this enough games? Why aren't there more? We put this launch line up into perspective, and talk about why people are upset--but more importantly, we discuss what the Switch actually is and why it's launching with these specific games.

Like the PS4 and Xbox One before them, the Nintendo Switch's launch games are rather...sparse. But the Switch has major advantages those consoles didn't have--unique, innovative hardware, and games that fully leverage said hardware. But gamers are upset, and rightly so.

A huge portion of the rumored games just didn't make an appearance at Nintendo's reveal event...but was that Nintendo's fault, or our own for believing the console would launch with Smash 4, Mother 3 VC, Gamecube Virtual Console support, and a new Monster Hunter game?

Nintendo has officially confirmed that its new Switch console-handheld hybrid will support the SDXC specifcation's maximum capacity, meaning memory cards up to 2TB in size will be compatible with the Switch.

The Switch tablet only has 32GB of on board flash memory, and a single game--Zelda: Breath of the Wild to be exact--can take up half of the console's memory. But Nintendo gets around this obvious storage shortage by allowing users to slot in a Micro SDHC or SDXC card to boost storage space. This is a blessing, but it could also end up being a curse for gamers who want max storage--these cards can be pretty expensive, especially the 2TB options that aren't even out yet.

Now Nintendo has given Game Informer an official statement, saying: "Nintendo Switch is compatible with the SDXC standard, which supports up to 2TB. (Note that 2TB cards are not yet on the market, but the system will support them when they are.)"

I was in denial about this particular subject. I thought for sure that Nintendo wouldn't lock online voice chatting on its new Switch console to a smartphone app--I thought it'd be optional, and you'd still be able to hook up your dedicated gaming headset to the Switch's 3.2mm headphone jack while it's docked or in handheld mode and use it to chat. And I was wrong.

As it turns out, the smartphone app is absolutely required for online voice chatting. The app is described as the "Online Lobby and Voice Chat App" and is only accessible by paid subscribers of Nintendo's new online service.

"I think it would be helpful maybe to step back. Because I think it's important there's an understanding of the bigger vision.

We expected Nintendo's new Switch handheld-console hybrid to at least come packed with a game or two, but the company decided to nix the plans and sell the console separately from all games. Here's why they made that decision.

As a gamer, I always love it when console-makers give me a free game when I buy a system. This practice has certainly been culled since the NES days of yore, but Nintendo has somewhat kept it alive--during the Wii golden era, every console came with a free copy of Wii Sports, a game that totally exemplified and showcased the system's unique motion controls. The Nintendo Switch is very much like its past systems, including the Wii with its motion-controlled JoyCons, but 1-2 Switch, which is basically the Switch's own Wii Sports, doesn't come with the console. But why?

As Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime told GameSpot, Nintendo had to cut any pack-in games to ensure the Switch kept its $299 launch price.

Nintendo has joined the modern age its new Nintendo Switch console, and it's looking to supercharge its industry presence--and that means new ways to make money. Contrary to its previous will soon make gamers pay a subscription fee to play online games, and here's everything that will include.

When the Nintendo Switch rolls out on March 3, 2017, online play will be free. It'll stay free until Fall 2017 when Nintendo's new online subscription service launches, requiring uses to pay to play specific games online. Essentially, Nintendo is making its own version of Xbox LIVE Gold and PlayStation Plus, but it'll be much different, and I feel that Nintendo won't be heavy-handed like Microsoft and Sony are. Now it's worth noting that not every game will require the subscription for online play--just "most games."

Subscribing to the service will net you some perks: first off, you'll get to play games online. I expect titles like Splatoon 2, Street Fighter, Dragonball Z: Xenoverse and more to require the sub to play online. Secondly, you'll get a free SNES and NES game every month, but you won't get to keep it--you'll only get to download and play it for that month, and at the end of the period Nintendo will take it it away and replace it with another game. So it won't be like PlayStation Plus or Xbox LIVE's Games With Gold.

The Nintendo Switch's user interface has been a mystery that wasn't shown off during the console's entire hour-long presentation event. Until now, that is.

via GIPHY

The Switch's portable Handheld Mode UI was spotted on a Japanese Switch overview video, and shows a very easy-to-use clean-cut UI. We have to keep in mind that this UI is likely for demonstration purposes and may not reflect the same UI we see on Switch launch consoles, but it's a starting point nonetheless.

Nintendo's brand new console-handheld hybrid Switch tablet has a 10-point capacitive touch display that will leverage unique TouchSense tech and software to bring engaging experiences to gamers.

Immersion Corporation's TouchSense haptic force-feedback technology has been used in a multitude of devices and platforms, including virtual reality headsets, mobiles, tablets--and now the Nintendo Switch. While the company didn't go into specifics, it did announce that Nintendo's Switch console will use its TouchSense software SDK platform to deliver "immersive touch-based gaming controls to playesr around the world."

"For over 20 years, Immersion has been delivering haptic technology that brings the sense of touch to digital content, creating experiences that are engaging, impactful and ultimately, more real. Our tools, deep expertise and intellectual property make high quality haptics possible."

Nintendo hosted their Switch unveiling event nearly 24 hours ago now, with some truly weird happenings - I loved it, weirdness and all - but investors didn't.

Nintendo's stock prices on Japan's Tokyo Stock Exchange reflected this, with stock dropping nearly 6%. Nintendo showed off its console in full, with the controllers, a bunch of first-party games like Super Mario Odyssey, as well as revealing that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will launch alongside the Switch on March 3.

I enjoyed the event, and sure - it could've been better, but what Nintendo unveiled was - to me at least, impressive. Pricing the Nintendo Switch at $299 is going to get a massive chunk of sales, and so is launching the new Zelda game alongside Switch on March 3. System seller, anyone?!

Nintendo detailed its Switch console and some of its launch games, and upcoming games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - which will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch, and will run at 1080p when the console is in its dock.

Better yet, you can have 4-player multiplayer at 1080p in TV mode, which will be great for those with massive TVs - and it should be at 60FPS. When you use the Switch in handheld mode, it'll drop to 720p - but at 60FPS still. There will be 5 new characters, and all of the DLC from Mario Kart 8.

There's a new battle mode, new items and features, and more. In a way, this is better than a sequel as normally the sequel drops some features - where the Switch exclusive Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is everything Mario Kart 8 was on the Wii U, but heavily improved.