Nintendo Switch Available March 3rd! We Have Already Played It At The Preview Event!
After following the rumors and little details about Nintendo’s upcoming and mysterious “NX” project to the announcement of the Nintendo Switch, my family has been super excited to check out Nintendo’s newest console. We were beyond elated when we scored an invite to play the most coveted new game system a month before its actual release date of March 3, 2017. At Nintendo’s event in New York City we were able to check out all the Nintendo Switch had to offer! Our family gave the new system and games a thumbs up!
Our first stop had to be checking out the highly-anticipated Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which will be releasing as a launch title on the Nintendo Switch. We were able to play through a 20-minute-long demo set at the beginning of the game. Breath of the Wild’s visuals are incredible, and the Legend of Zelda series has been a longtime favorite for my son. One of the most impressive games shown off, the newest Zelda title gives players the choice to approach missions & objectives by whatever means they see fit. Link can interact with the world more than ever before, as he scales rocks and cuts down trees to build bridges. The demo focused on a “small,” as the Nintendo representatives said, portion of the world that the game has to offer, as we were then shown the massive map in full size.
After checking out Just Dance and taking a look at the trailer for Super Mario Odyssey, Em & Adam decided to show their competitive side in playing some matches of Splatoon 2, the sequel to Nintendo’s critically acclaimed 2015 paint-based multiplayer shooter Splatoon. After trying out a match on the television screens that were set up, they made their way over to the other side of the demo booth where they played a match on the Nintendo Switch’s built-in screen. With the addition of new weapons along with some new faces, locations, and customization options, Splatoon is shaping up to be the biggest game of the summer.
Next, we tried out Sonic Mania, which lets players utilize the Switch controllers in a different way. The game truly has the classic feel that longtime Sonic the Hedgehog fans love, as you find yourself & one other player traversing through new levels in the Green Hill Zone as Sonic & Tails. On top of the classic environments, however, there is a brand new world to explore in Sonic Mania — Studiopolis. A vibrant city world, Studiopolis feels like a lost page or deleted scene from one of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, as it perfectly captures the feel and aesthetic of the older titles that we love. Both levels in the demo, both Green Hill Zone and Studiopolis, brought me great amounts of nostalgia, and allowed my children to get fully immersed into the Sonic universe.
Another impressive game that was being showed off was Arms, an ambitious new first-party title from Nintendo. Harnessing the new technology found in the Nintendo Switch, players can use two pieces from the controller to fistfight virtually against opponents. With intuitive controls that truly put players in the action, my son & daughter had an awesome time fighting against each other in Nintendo’s new soon-to-be hit fighting game.
My daughter also had the opportunity to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on stage in front of the crowd. It’s great getting to see one of our family’s favorite titles from the Wii U era making it’s way to Nintendo’s next generation of gaming. Beautifully designed with some new additions, Mario Kart looks as good as ever, and now can be taken on the go with the portability of the Nintendo Switch. With minimal differences in quality between playing on a large screen and playing on the Nintendo Switch’s built-in screen, this system is the new way-to-go for on the road console gaming.
After the game’s announcement at the event, we were also lucky enough to see Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers in action on the Nintendo Switch. Running at 60 frames per second and looking absolutely fantastic, my son had a great time going head-to-head in a digitally updated version of the classic 1991 fighting game. My hubby even stepped up to the challenge and beat out one of the game’s creators. Of course I think hubby had an unfair advantage since he had played the original Street Fighter many moons ago when he was a kid.
Overall, the event was awesome! We got to check out all of the incredible and promising games that will be releasing for the Nintendo Switch this year. The system has a lot to go around for all types of gamers, whether you prefer playing casually or hardcore. I can’t wait to learn more about the console soon, and check it out with the family when it releases on shelves this March! Check out everything about Nintendo Switch and all else Nintendo here: http://www.nintendo.com/switch/
Disclosure: Diane Sullivan/3decades3kids is a Nintendo Partner. Emily and Adam Sullivan are Official Nintendo Kid Reviewers. No compensation was given for this post. Sample products are sent throughout the year for the purpose of review…and fun! Follow our gaming series for all of the latest on everything Nintendo. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else across the social media platform. 3decades3kids.net Snap us at : ThreeDecades
