Why The Switch is Nintendo's Greatest Console
With the recent news that the Nintendo Switch has officially outsold the SNES with nearly 50 million units sold, I wanted to use this week’s article to take a moment and recognize what makes this system so special. In this article, I will break down the key features and games that I believe make the Switch the greatest Nintendo console of all time.
The ability to play in handheld or docked:
The best feature of the Switch is quite obvious: the ability to play your games in handheld mode and docked on your TV. I have always prefered console gaming over handheld, but I found myself taking my games with me on the go more because I knew I could keep my play session going when I got home to my TV. Busting out a quick run of Dead Cells or finishing a shrine in Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild kept me engaged during quick lunch breaks. Additionally, it was awesome to dock the system when I got to a particularly cinematic moment in a game that called for playing on my TV. The versatility of the Switch is unparalleled when it comes to having just the right way to play for any type of gamer, whether it be on the go or docked.
Amazing First Party and Indie Library:
The Nintendo Switch features one of the most robust libraries of any current console on the market. From amazing first party titles like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, multiple Pokemon entries and soon to be Animal Crossing New Horizons, the Switch has no shortage of highly acclaimed Triple-A titles. On top of first party titles, the Nintendo Switch has become my go-to system for amazing indie titles new and old. From older indie darlings like Gone Home and Undertale to more recent titles like Katana Zero and Untitled Goose Game, small developers have been able to find a home on the latest Nintendo system.
Access to retro NES and SNES Titles:
Another exciting feature of the Switch is its ability to play retro NES and SNES games via its online membership system. While it is disappointing that only 50 NES and 24 SNES titles are available, it is fun to be able to access some of these classic titles at home and on the go. We can only hope that Nintendo continues to expand their retro library with N64 and Gamecube titles soon.
The Ease of Playing Local Multiplayer:
One of my favorite features of the Switch is how easy it is to enjoy local co-op with friends on the system. With just two joy-con controllers you and a friend could jump into an intense match of Super Smash Bros Ultimate or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe wherever you are, whether it’s at home or even a local coffee shop. Additionally the use of handheld mode allows for players to have their own screens during local co-op while someone is also utilizing their TV screen in docked mode. Lastly the variety of controller types allows for seamless play of a variety of game genres, including platformers using NES and SNES controllers, racing games and shooters using the pro controller, and pick-up and play party games with the joy-cons.
As we head into a new generation of consoles with the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 this fall, I know my Switch will still be getting plenty of use due to its unique feature-set and amazing game library of both amazing first party franchises and smaller independent titles. Stop by next week for my Valentine’s Day article centered around the best 2-player co-op games.
