Switch It Up!
The Nintendo Switch is now the fastest selling gaming console in world history. I like to think I am one of the people that started the train that is the Switch. I got my Switch when it released on March 3, 2017, or my dad did. We had preordered the system two months before, as soon as possible. I was not there to witness him going to Gamestop to get the system, but he showed me a picture. A line of at least ten people were waiting outside, each bundled up in hats and hoodies. He said they all cheered when the doors finally opened, after hours of waiting in the freezing cold. Throughout the day, I was staring at the clock, hardly able to focus on any of my work. The day before, I went crazy at noon because there were only twelve short hours until the official release. When I got out of school that day I got in the car to be greeted by a Gamestop bag with the console, two games, and a carrying case. I played it virtually all weekend. The previous week I had been watching video after video, counting down to the release. I am incredibly enthused to know that my favorite gaming system has made history.
It’s not every day that a gaming system actually makes history. According to The Verge, the Switch has now sold about fifteen million units since the release on March 3, 2017, and has already outsold the Wii U. One indicator that the Switch would sell well was that the Super Mario Odyssey trailer from E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) was the #1 Video on YouTube Trending for two days, which is very uncommon. Normally, the most-trending video has its’ spot stolen in less than twenty-four hours. This system is selling well for a good reason. This is the first ever system that can be played on a TV or as a dedicated handheld system. The controller is actually a single grip with two usable controllers that lock on. When they are rem
oved, they can be used as motion-controls or be slid onto the side of the system. Then, the system is removed from a dock, and is completely functional as a handheld. The next closest thing is PSVITA Remote Play (a service that allows the player to play PS4 and PS3 titles on the PSVITA system), which requires internet and is very slow and unresponsive.
The Switch has also proven to benefit people in ways other than being a dedicated gaming system. Recently, an Australian programmer named Chris said he found a tumor in his hand (Kotaku). The Nintendo Switch controllers, also known as JoyCon, feature an HD Rumble so the controllers vibrate very realistically, immersing the player in the gaming world. Chris stated that whenever the HD Rumble activated, he would feel a sharp pain in his right hand. He first dismissed the issue, thinking the pain was work-related and would go away within a few days. He later discovered that this pain was caused by a tumor. Since it was not severe, and only had a 5% chance of being cancerous, doctors were able to remove the tumor via a quick operation.
The Nintendo Switch is also the primary platform to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. Breath of the Wild was officially recognized as the Game of the Year at The Game Awards, an assembly similar to the Golden Globes or the Oscars, which took place on December 7, 2017. Super Mario Odyssey was also nominated, but was ultimately defeated by another Nintendo game. Polygon says that as of late April, Breath of the Wild for the Switch had outsold the system itself. Many gamers purchased the game before the system, as the Switch was very difficult to find in stores. MotleyFool has stated that It is also said that 55% of Switch owners have Breath of the Wild, and 60% have Mario Odyssey.
Many assume that a large reason for the Switch selling so well is many teenagers and adults want to reminisce on their childhood, playing systems like the NES, Gameboy, Nintendo 64, or the Wii. Think back for a moment, think back on the days where you would sit at home, happily playing your Nintendo games while eating your favorite snack. Think about how happy and peaceful those days were. Who wouldn’t like to go back to those days? Now, the best way to do so is with a new Nintendo Switch.