16 FEBRUARY
2017
GAMES
FEATURE
how much of an idiot you
look like while you’re doing
it – something of a trend
amongst Switch games.
Which brings us to
1-2-Switch
. This is shaping
up to be the
Wii Play
of the
Switch, with a bunch of mini-
games showcasing the HD Rumble
Pak in the Joy-Cons. Other games of note
include
Ball Count, Milk
, and
Quickdraw
– the
titles of which are self-explanatory.
Ball Count
uses the Joy-Cons to let you try and guess
how many balls are inside the controller simply
by moving it around,
while
Milk
involves
milking a cow, which is
downright hilarious to
watch.
Quickdraw
is a
title likely to be popular
with gamers; essentially
a Mexican stand-off that
allows you to psych out
your opponent before
shooting them. Probably
the best part about
1-2-Switch
is the noticeable lack of
need to look at the screen – all you
have to do is listen, allowing you to
stare down your opponent in-game.
We even got to Octopi [apologies -
Ed] our time with
Splatoon 2
(which should
definitely be called
Spla2oon
). The sequel for the
Switch is similar to the first game but with new
weapons; and still just as much fun.
One of the presentation's stand-outs was
Snipperclips
, a co-op puzzle platformer. You
play as either Snip or Clip and the object of the
game is to cut bits off each other to navigate
the game world and solve puzzles. Don't expect
any help from the game though; hints are kept
to a minimum, leaving it open to your own
interpretation as to what
you need to do to pass.
Overall, Nintendo made
it clear throughout the
day that its ultimate aim
with the Switch is to bridge
the divide between home
console and mobile gaming. The
Switch is undeniably innovative,
with its "pick-up-and-play' portability
likely to be a hit with children and those with
active lifestyles.
The software line-up at launch is looking a
little light – if you're not a Zelda fan, that is –
but Nintendo have
promised there's
more to come later
in the year. With little
commitment from
third-party publishers
at this stage, outside
of a selection of
ports (is FIFA really a
good fit for Switch?),
we're hoping there
will be some major
software announcements at the E3
press conferences in Los Angeles this
coming June.
As far as the hardware is concerned,
the Joy-Cons are a good addition, but
it's disappointing that the Pro isn't included
in the box and the small size of the Joy-Con
controllers is unlikely to appeal to everyone.
Despite the omission of new Mario sandbox
Super Mario Odyssey
, the event provided a
comprehensive look at the Nintendo Switch and
a great opportunity to get some time with it
ahead of the March release.
Switch is an exciting new concept and we're
looking forward to seeing how publishers will
utilise it.
Milk
Quick Draw
NES
Super
Nintendo
Entertainment
System
Nintendo 64
GameCube
Wii
Wii U
Nintendo
Switch
Advanced
Video System
SNES
Project Reality
Dolphin
Revolution
Project Café
NX
Arms'
appeal lies
in its absolute
absurdity... a trend
amongst Switch
games
•
The Nintendo
Switch
is out Mar 3
continued