Flip the Switch

I loved the Wii U. It was a great update of the Wii, and it had really neat and innovative ideas built into it (like a controller that doubled as a tablet.) True, its library was small, and its marketing sucked, but I appreciated its brilliance. Its few games were also really good. I can’t lie about that.

While this won’t be me discussing the Wii U’s under-utilized potential, the console’s strengths have definitely carried forward with the Switch. Ignoring how well its games have done, the console is a living, breathing Wii U 2.0 that learned from its direct predecessor’s mistakes. That should be appreciated more, and I don’t think a lot of the conversation talks about that. So that’s what I’ll do.

To begin, let’s go back to the Switch’s initial announcement. A lot of people weren’t sold at first glance, I think prior expectations were to blame, but it’s also important to remember Nintendo’s position in 2017. The Wii U was their worst-selling console outside the Virtual Boy, and much of their goodwill had dissipated. It didn’t help that the Wii’s casual fanbase, who were responsible for much of its success, had departed, and that little effort was put into differentiating the two consoles. So it’s easy to see the skepticism.

But I wasn’t skeptical. Like I said, I loved the Wii U. And I like Nintendo products. I wasn’t bothered by Wii Music’s reveal at E3 2008, so it was enough to cool the initial disappointment. Still, despite 1-2-Switch showing real promise, especially for the visually-impaired, Nintendo’s presentation was pretty lacklustre overall. It was forced, the transitions were choppy and many of the games left much to be desired. I was hopeful, true, but there’d have to be something special to make this work.

And there was. Ignoring The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, early rumours of the Switch being easier to program than the Wii U helped. And they were founded, as third-party developers started porting their titles to the system in droves. It was as if the last 5 years no longer mattered. Nintendo was back.

Which brings me to the Switch. I bought mine in 2008, months after launch, and it was an expensive purchase. But while it took time to recoup my investment, I wasn’t unhappy. Unlike the Wii U, which I got 5 years late, second-hand and with hardware glitches, my Switch was fresh from the assembly line. It was also, unlike my Wii U, easy to set up. Whereas my Wii U took close to 2 hours to activate, my Switch only took about 15 or so minutes. That’s a big difference.

It helped that the console had true portability. Not that the Wii U didn’t have portability, it did, but there were limitations. For one, the undocked mode had to be used on the tablet, which was heavy and uncomfortable. Additionally, it had to be used within range of the console. Because the Wii U used discs, like the Wii before it, the tablet was less portable and more a satellite extension of the console. Add in the poor battery life, and it often made handheld play a hassle.

The Switch wasn’t like that. Being cartridge-based, like the DS line, portability was easy. You inserted the game in the top slot, closed the hatch and pressed the power button. It was as simple as that, and even simpler to use in handheld mode. Not only could you play your game attached to the TV screen, you could take it on the go too. And you could switch options with ease.

Even in handheld mode you had options. Want to play the Switch like a tablet? You can. Want to have multiple people use the same Switch? Detach the controllers, prop the console on its kickstand and have fun. Want to play with multiple Switches? You can do that too.

That was the Switch’s greatest secret: options. The console had taken the best of the Wii U and the best of the DS and merged them into one. It helped that internet connectivity, which was a sore spot with past Nintendo products, was streamlined to be more efficient. Combine that with multiple offline modes, and it’s no wonder the Switch is a hot-seller.

The games library helped. First and second-party titles were always the go-to for Nintendo systems, but Switch entries were so well-suited they kept selling like hotcakes. Even many Wii U ports sold like nobody’s business, showing that the right platform could sell anything. It’s no wonder that cult franchises, like Pikmin and Metroid, did so well, vastly outperforming their predecessors.

Does this mean the Switch doesn’t have its areas of improvement? No. Aside from online play being laggy, voice chat leaves much to be desired. I also wish true HD existed in handheld mode, and that the system wasn’t prone to scratching. The software and hardware isn’t cheap either, and the online emulation of older games is enough to drive people mad. Oh, and the Switch Lite having non-detachable controllers is a mistake.

But those are minor setbacks. Let’s face it: the Switch is a dream machine. It takes everything I loved about the Wii U, builds on it and eliminates most of its predecessor’s limitations. It’s also lightweight and easier on the hands. Most-importantly, however, it’s intuitive, which makes a difference. Here’s hoping Nintendo’s next console adds to what Nintendo’s learned!