Let me first say, I can’t remember the last time I waited in line an hour or more for anything … let alone at midnight (I take that back. I waited like seven hours to see a friend compete in the American Ninja Warrior regionals but that’s another story). But a Nintendo Switch?
Anyway, that’s love for my kids (one of my most vivid memories as a kid was my father waiting in line for tickets for more than hour so I could see Return of the Jedi on my 10th birthday). Yes, on some level they’re spoiled. And on the other hand, they don’t want for much … really.
So, I found myself waiting at 11:45 p.m. on March 2, 2017, at Best Buy in Overland Park for a Nintendo Switch. All so my Nintendo zealout 14-year-old son could get his Zelda fix. By all accounts, we were fortunate to get one, as they’re still in limited supply.
But the real question for my young Nintendo fan, does it have staying power?
If you’re a fan of gaming gear, you’ve probably seen the early reviews.
Nintendo Switch review: elegant (but unready) balance of portable and home gaming https://t.co/wzaNUnxWFK pic.twitter.com/mtcLYFIqKY
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 1, 2017
So … in a father/son version of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (because G loves Jerry Seinfeld — though we had Cokes in the McDonald’s Drive-Thru), we conducted a Nintendo Switch review.
60 Days With the Nintendo Switch
Dad: So, what do you like about your Nintendo Switch?
G: What do I like about it? Basically, the thought that you can take it anywhere you want? If you need to go somewhere, you can keep playing your game.
He: Like breakfast, huh, bub?
Dad: Do you play more docked or undocked?
G: Definitely undocked.
What About the Launch Titles … You Know, the Games?
G had four buddies over in mid-April for a gaming night and he certainly was proud of the Nintendo Switch.
Dad: “Did the guys like the 1-2 Switch?”
G: “Yeah. In total we played it for like 2 hours.”
Dad: “Did you play Zelda, too.”
G: “A little bit.”
And then this is where G really gets excited: “I beat the Zelda game, and I’m only 11% done with the whole game. That’s how big it is!” And when I asked him whether he was going to be able to finish the map, his response: Large exhale …”There’s no way I’m going to be able to get 100% on that. It’s ridiculous.”
He: According to G, no one has completed 100% of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which I tend to believe because he watches a lot of YouTube. IF YOU HAVE … let us know!
And What Don’t You Like About the Nintendo Switch?
So, then I ask him what things he doesn’t like about his Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, he’s not encountered the data back up issue, i.e. where if you damage or lose your Switch, you lose all of your game play because it isn’t currently backed up to the cloud. G: “I wish the battery life … the battery life when it’s undocked is not very good. For Zelda, it only lasts for like 3 hours. And when you charge it on a regular USB cable, it doesn’t charge very fast at all.”
He: These sound like first-world problems, G.
Quick aside, at this point we’re surprised in the McDonald’s Drive-thru that they’re still offering Shamrock Shakes.
Dad (strictly as the tech guy constantly asked to create solutions in connecting media devices when traveling): “I wish they had some sort of adaptor that allowed you to plug it into a TV without needing a docking station.”
G reminds me that they sell extra docking stations for like $80. Yes. But I reiterate to him that we don’t have enough room to pack an extra docking station when we travel. It should be simpler.
What Upcoming Games Are You Excited About?
Dad: “I would’ve thought that the thing you would’ve said you didn’t like about your Nintendo Switch is that it didn’t launch with more game.”
G: “Starting out, yeah, I’d like more games.” G then goes on to tell me that one of the games he’s most excited about is Mario Kart 8 … “which is coming out soon,” he reminds me.
He: Cha-Ching! New game warning. New game warning, Will Robinson.
G continues: “One of the main reasons I wanted to get the Nintendo Switch was for Mario Odyssey. It’s a 3D platformer that reminds me of Super Mario Galaxy.”
He: G loved Super Mario Galaxy. He killed weeks playing that game. And I enjoyed it, too. Even if I sucked.
G’s Quick Take On Must Have Accessories
Pro controller: “It’s so much better than using the little joy cons. Though, I like how you can use them in Mario Kart as separate controllers.”
Speaking of Mario Kart … after playing for a week, these JoJoo Joy-con Grips have been confirmed as a solid accessory purchase. Pre Mario Kart ownership rationale: “The grips will help when I play Mario Kart. I want to get them because when we go to Disney World, I want our friends to be able to play, too. With those, we’ll have three controllers.”
Case: The system’s portability makes getting a case a must. G looked at several cases before determining the RDS Nintendo Switch Deluxe Travel Case was it. With a separate padded mesh zip pouch for joy cons and two plastic game/micro sd cases, the travel case is perfectly designed for the gamer on the go.
A Final Nintendo Switch Surprise
And the Nintendo Switch has been a hit with D, my 11-year-old daughter, too. So much so, she’s been on a kick to combine Nintendo with one of her favorite pastimes … YouTube cooking shows. One of her favorites from Nerdy Nummies:
Have a Nintendo Switch?
If you have a Nintendo Switch, drop us a note in the comments and let us know what you think of the system, the games or any must-have or must-avoid accessories.
