March 7, 2021
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a gaming console that was developed by Nintendo and released on March 3, 2017. Prior to the release of the Switch was the Wii, then the Wii U. The Wii and Wii U had similar features to the Switch, but were not nearly as successful. The Nintendo Switch became very popular because, unlike its competitors, it offers what other gaming consoles do not, specifically, it offers portable gaming as well as television mode gaming. What’s most unique about it is that it’s a gaming console but resembles a tablet.
The cost of the Nintendo Switch is around $300. It comes with the Switch console, left and right joy-cons, two joy-con straps, a joy-con grip, a power adapter, and an HDMI cord (Greenwald, 2018). There are two options for the joy-con colors which are gray or blue and red. The console itself looks like a tablet, is touch-screen, and weighs 10.6 ounces. The joy-cons battery life lasts up to 20 hours while the console’s battery life can last around 3 to 6.5 hours depending on what games are played (Greenwald, 2018).
The Switch has many gaming options. To begin, it comes with an HDMI cord that allows users to connect their console to their tv or any other device that uses HDMI cords (Nintendo.com). When gaming while connected to the tv, you must detach the joy-cons and either connect them to the included grip if playing a single-player game. When playing multiplayer games, you could use one joy-con and give one to the other player. There are also two other options. One being handheld mode where you hold the console and leave the joy-cons attached (Nintendo.com). And the other option is tabletop mode where you flip the stand which is located at the back of the console (Nintendo.com). This will allow the console to stand on a flat surface. Also, during tabletop mode, the joy-cons need to be detached from the console.
There are many options for purchasing games on the Switch. The first option is simply purchasing physical game cartridges either online or in-store (Greenwald, 2018). Game cartridges can be placed inside the console by sliding them into the game card slot which is located at the top right side of the Switch. The other option is purchasing games from the Nintendo eShop which can be found in the home menu. Another option is starting a monthly subscription where you can play many games for a lower price from the Nintendo eShop. The Switch only comes with 32GB of storage and each game can take up to around 10GB of storage (Greenwald, 2018). As a result, you will not be able to purchase many games unless you get a microSD card with more storage. If you choose to get a new microSD card, you can place it inside the microSD slot which is located under the kickstand. The highest amount of storage that the Switch accepts is 2TB (Greenwald, 2018).
The Switch allows users to take screenshots anytime, watch videos on Youtube, and it even has games that require physical activity. Games like Just Dance, Mario Tennis Aces, and Sports Party allow for a healthier lifestyle while also having fun. Lastly, the Switch allows up to eight players for certain games such as Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart.
The target audience consists mainly of Nintendo fans, teenagers, family-oriented people, and gamers. Nintendo reaches its audience through advertisement. In many commercials, they show that the Switch can be played on the go, connected to the tv, and in tabletop mode (Abent, 2018). The hand-held advertisement appeals mostly to teenagers and gamers. It appeals to teenagers because they’re usually traveling from one place to another and have time to kill. This appeals to gamers because it may remind them of the DS consoles which were hand-held devices. While connected to the tv and even in tabletop mode, Nintendo ads show a large group of people having fun while using the console which appeals to families who are looking for a form of entertainment. Lastly, Nintendo appeals to its own fans by showing original games like Mario Kart being played on the Switch (Abent, 2018).
When considering purchasing a gaming console, the Nintendo Switch would be a great option. It allows you to connect with others, play original games like Super Smash Bros or The Legend of Zelda that bring back nostalgic memories, get some fun exercise, and even play on the go. The flexibility of this console is amazing. It’s one of the first to actually allow you to play video games on the bus, an airplane, or a long road trip.
Work Cited:
Abent, Eric. “5 Reasons Nintendo Switch Is so Popular.” SlashGear, SlashGear, 4 Jan. 2018, www.slashgear.com/5-reasons-nintendo-switch-is-so-popular-04513665/.
Greenwald, Will. “Nintendo Switch Review.” PCMAG, 2018, www.pcmag.com/reviews/nintendo-switch#:~:text=The%20Tablet,-The%20Nintendo%20Switch&text=The%20Switch%20itself%20looks%20like,the%20Joy%2DCon%20controllers%20attached.
“Nintendo Switch – Official Site – Gaming System.” Nintendo, www.nintendo.com/switch/system/.
