So, as I've mentioned before, Santa really must hate me. After everything I said against the Nintendo Switch, I'm thinking either the jolly old guy is either brain-dead, or hasn't been reading anything I've been posting on the internet for all the world to see.
I got a Nintendo Switch Lite for Christmas.
I go downstairs to the tree, and find my stocking. I was shocked, stunned, and confused when I saw an oblong box with a picture of a turquoise Switch Lite on the box. Surely, it had to be a gag. I lifted the box. No, it was the real deal. At first, I was afraid to open it, but over the course of the day, curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled it out of the box and set it up for the first time.
It's been nearly a month since then, and I've been trying out things here and there on it. You know what? I like it. I hate to admit it, but I actually like it.
Now, this does not mean that what I've said about Nintendo Switch Online and some of the other things I've said in times past are completely null and void. Therefore, I would like to present my updated viewpoint on the Switch, specifically the Switch Lite. Near the end, I'll also reveal a little-known secret about the Lite that Nintendo doesn't want you to know about - and no, it doesn't belong in a tabloid; I just worded it that way as an attention grabber.
Overview
General Producer of Nintendo games, Yoshiaki Koizumi, explains the feature differences between the original Nintendo Switch and the newly-introduced Switch Lite.
The Nintendo Switch Lite, for those who don't know, is basically the Nintendo Switch with the Joy-cons fused to the case, meaning the familiar clicking noise that is a Nintendo Switch trademark is only possible with a separate pair of Joy-cons and a Joy-con Grip or similar accessory for the Joy-cons to slide into. According to Nintendo, it can not connect to a TV in any way, and can only play in Handheld Mode (more on that later). Switch Lite initially released in three colors: gray, turquoise, and yellow. A Pokemon-themed Switch Lite was later added in November 2019, and a fourth solid-color Lite (Coral) was added in April of 2020.
For the left side, the directional buttons have been replaced with a Control Pad (the + symbol), which is pretty much another trademark of Nintendo consoles. The console overall is more compact, yet it is a fully-functional Switch system. It's main purposes are to be more affordable and more portable.
My New Viewpoint on the Switch
Previously, I stated:
Surprisingly, I discovered that it would be very hard (or at least, very stupid) for Nintendo to annex all services and online capabilities for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems, as they are actually closely integrated with the Switch. While games are not cross-compatible, and the Switch does not rely on a Nintendo Network ID, if you link your Nintendo Account across all three devices, you are capable of using data from the Wii U and 3DS on the Switch. For instance, the Nintendo eShop balance is used on all three devices, and you can add funds from an eShop card or credit card on any of them. Plus, if you have friends on the Wii U/3DS, and they too own a Switch system, you can add them as a friend on the Nintendo Switch.
I had said:
Nintendo is not developing for the Nintendo 3DS or the Wii U anymore, but surprisingly, there are still indie titles being added to both consoles. Still, in this case, no news is bad news, as it suggests that the end of life could still be nearing.
...Or perhaps it is competing with just subscription services in general. This hasn't changed much; it is still one of my biggest complaints of the Nintendo Switch. Interestingly enough, though, just this month they allowed a 7-day free trial code to be redeemed using Platinum Points on My Nintendo. Still not enough, in my book. Make me an offer I can't refuse.
For the original Switch console, and any color combinations released since then (including the upcoming Animal Crossing themed console), the price (in the U.S.) is $299.99. I did some calculations, and based on the retail price of all the additional things in the box - the dock, the Joy-cons, and even the cords - if you subtract those things from the total value of the Switch, you get an approximation of what the console itself should cost. I came up with $61.94! The bulk of the price is the dock and the Joy-cons, which together cost about $170! That's waaay too much, in my opinion! If you get the Joy-cons separately - not as a pair, but only the Left or Right Joy-con - is $50. $50! Jeez! If Nintendo is going to keep the price so high, they need to remove a few things. If they just removed the dock and HDMI cable, they could make getting a Nintendo Switch system about as much as the Switch Lite. If they removed the grip, it could be less than the Switch Lite. This way, you could still enjoy Handheld Mode and Tabletop Mode right out of the box, and get the dock for TV mode later when you can afford it.
Since they're not repackaging the Switch in more inexpensive combinations (yet), the Nintendo Switch Lite makes buying a Switch system a little more reasonable. I had predicted that it would be $100 less than the original, and I was right. I actually didn't expect it, however; I only assumed that it would be. Still, $199.99 is a better value, even though I think it could still go lower. Regardless, Switch Lite's price is easier to reach in lower-class areas than the original Switch's.
That's still a possibility. I've found several games that have done well on Android and iOS have been ported over to the Switch. However, this really isn't so new for Nintendo. Nintendo allows developers to republish games found on multiple platforms on their consoles - since the advent of the Wii. Then again, even before that! Games like Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, which was a Nintendo GameCube title, have made it on other platforms before and after the release on a Nintendo platform - Steam, GOG.com, Android, iOS, Windows Store, and even Playstation and Xbox!
I'm Unique Like Everybody Else!
Nintendo Switch is a quandary, being a lot like other devices and then again not really. Here are some of the features it has that are similar to other gaming devices and services (I probably missed a few, but this is an example only):
- An online subscription service. Specifically, Nintendo Switch Online. Similar to Google Play, Xbox Live, Playstation Now.
- Tablet-like and smartphone-like interface, with controllers. Similar to Google Stadia, Steam Link through a smartphone.
- Transforms into a VR headset. Similar to Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus, Google Cardboard.
- High-quality VR gaming. Similar to Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Playstation VR, Valve Index.
- Cloud-based game saves. Similar to Xbox Cloud, Steam Cloud, Playstation Plus Online Storage.
- TV/Handheld hybrid. Herm, that I'm still working on...
Psst! Do You Want to Know a Secret?
I had to save the best for last, because not everyone who owns a Switch Lite realizes this fact. I've questioned it before, but now owning one, I'm absolutely sure.
First off, let me explain the three modes for the original Switch, if you didn't know it.
Nintendo Switch's three modes.
The Switch's big feature, when docked and the controllers detached, is its TV Mode. This is when your Switch displays to a TV instead of on its own screen, and allows you to play with the Joy-cons separately or in a grip, or use another controller like the Switch Pro controller. In Tabletop Mode, the Switch is undocked and resting on its built-in stand, but the Joy-cons are still detached. In Handheld Mode, the Joy-cons are attached to the sides of the undocked Switch console.
According to Nintendo, the Switch Lite can only play Handheld mode. However, they also contradict themselves. They say that "players can wirelessly connect compatible controllers (sold separately) to Nintendo Switch Lite." So, unofficially, and with extra controllers, it supports Tabletop mode! Now all you need is a stand to prop it up in!
Thus, Switch Lite can natively play games that support Handheld mode and Tabletop mode, although by itself you only have the ability to play Handheld mode games. Nintendo should clarify this! Thus:
- Handheld Mode is supported - no additional controllers or other accessories needed.
- Tabletop Mode is supported with extra controllers and a stand.
- TV mode is not supported. Get the original Nintendo Switch to experience that mode.
Remember, if any of you get extra Joy-cons for your Switch Lite, make sure you have something to charge them in. Also remember to get the right Joy-con grip if you rely on it for charging.
For those who read some of my previous blog posts, forgive me for any misunderstandings I may have caused. However, I still am against Breath of the Wild, Nintendo Switch Online, and lack of Wii U/3DS support. Regardless, the Nintendo Switch is better than I thought, and maybe because of Furukawa. Who knows? One thing's for sure: I'm glad I didn't get it while Kimishima was still CEO!
