Latest news with #KouichiKawamoto
Engadget
4 days ago
- Engadget
The Switch 2's best feature is its satisfying Joy-Con 2 "thunk"
The first thing you do after tearing open the Switch 2's box is snap its Joy-Con 2 controllers to the sides of the console. But unlike the Switch 1, which used flimsy rails to connect its controllers, the Switch 2's Joy-Con rely on magnets. That leads to a visceral "thunk" whenever you snap them on — it's as if they leap out of your hands and right onto the Switch, ready for some Mario Kart World action. And every time it happens, I can't help but smile. Even before you turn on the Switch 2, it's clear that Nintendo recognized one of the biggest issues of the original Switch: Those Joy-Con rails stunk. They didn't hold the controllers in place well, and they wore down over time, which could lead to Joy-Cons slipping out mid-gameplay. In my case, one bad drop just two weeks into owning the original Switch made one of my Joy-Con gamepads loose for the system's lifetime. The only fix was replacing the controller's locking buckle, or buying a new an entirely new Joy-Con set for $80. So, at the very least, it feels nice to have a new Switch console where the controllers feel sturdy. With the Joy-Con 2 attached, the Switch 2 feels almost as solid as the Switch Lite, which doesn't have removable controllers. To put it another way, the Joy-Con 2's "thunk" is like the satisfying sound of a luxury car door being slammed shut rather than the sound of a cheap economy car closing. The "thunk" means security. The "thunk" means quality. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. We still don't know if the Joy-Con 2 are completely free of the dreaded drifting problem that plagued the original controllers. One Reddit user claimed their launch system arrived with drifting controllers, and Redditor moshi_yo tore their controller apart and noticed that it uses the same joystick mechanism. But Nintendo producer Kouichi Kawamoto said in an interview that the company "redesigned everything from scratch." They added, "Compared to the Joy-Con controllers for Switch, the control sticks are larger and more durable, with smoother movement." Less immediately noticeable than the Joy-Con 2 "thunk" is the Switch 2's wider kickstand, which I quickly learned to appreciate. That's something Nintendo brought over from the Switch OLED model, but it's still useful this time around. As I was playing Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour , the kickstand easily let me balance the system on my lap in tablet mode while using the Joy-Con 2 to mouse around on my leg. Is that an ideal setup? No. But it's certainly functional in a pinch. While the Switch 2 overall feels like a major refinement of the original, with its larger screen, dramatically faster hardware and more usable eShop, new issues have cropped up for Nintendo. The console's reliance on expensive microSD Express cards will make it tough for players to deal with increasingly large games, and similarly developers seem to be balking at actually putting games on physical carts. Instead, many titles are taking advantage of Nintendo's Game-Key Cards, which unlock digital versions of titles and can be resold like a physical used game. Unlike full-fledged carts, though, those Game-Key Cards won't work down the line when Nintendo eventually moves on from the Switch 2 and shuts down its eShop.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nintendo's ditching OLED support for Switch 2 screens in favor of a return to LCD, and I'm not sure I'm 100% convinced by its explanation
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The Nintendo Switch 2 is returning to an LCD screen in place of its recent OLED alternative, because the technology has moved on enough that it makes more sense. In an roundtable Q+A after yesterday's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, some of the new console's main architects were asked why they'd made the decision to opt for an LCD screen. While the original Switch shipped with one of those, Nintendo made a substantial show halfway through the generation, offering an upgrade path to the Nintendo Switch OLED - the main selling point of which was its improved screen. According to Tetsuya Sasaki, general manager of Nintendo's Technology Development Division, the decision to avoid an OLED screen came about because of leaps in LCD technology. "During development," he explained via a translator, "there was a lot of advances in LCD technology. During our development, we took a look at the LCD technology that was available to us now, and after a lot of consideration, we decided to stick with LCD." You might think this is nothing more than Nintendo preparing itself for an inevitable Switch 2 OLED, but senior director Kouichi Kawamoto explained that there's a genuine new offering on those LCD screens - HDR. Kawamoto points out that "even with the OLED version of Nintendo Switch, we hadn't had compatibility with HDR," but the LCD screens Nintendo is using now offer support for that. HDR, or 'High dynamic range', offers a greater visual range between the lightest and darkest tones on a screen, creating better vibrancy, even with a screen material that isn't necessarily top of the range. Nevertheless, I'd keep an eye out for that eventual Switch 2 OLED release. The Switch 2 boasts a 1080p 120Hz display that has me more hyped for the handheld than ever.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is the Switch 2 worth the price? Reviews are mixed
Gaming specialists who have handled Nintendo's new Switch 2 say the console is a clear upgrade on its predecessor, but it lacks must-have new features and the progress comes at a steep price. Dozens of European journalists, including a reporter from AFP, were invited to the Grand Palais exhibition space in Paris on Wednesday for a preview in one of two events held globally. They were allowed in shortly after the Kyoto-based company announced the hotly awaited launch of its latest iteration of the Switch for June 5 in a YouTube presentation watched by millions around the world. "The console feels very good in your hands, very light," said Nicolas Dixmier from the French specialist gaming website after handling the much-hyped successor. The Switch 2 retains the core features of the original that made it such a hit: detachable "Joy-Con" controllers and hybrid functionality that means it can be portable or plugged into a screen or projector. But it comes with a bigger, higher resolution screen, larger joysticks, improved buttons, faster processing time, and a battery that the company says will last between two to six-and-a-half hours. - Must-buy? - The two major design changes are a new "C" button that activates a GameChat function, enabling players to talk with their friends while playing. And the controllers, now attached with magnets rather than sliding on, can be used like a computer mouse. They were demonstrated with shooting games such as "Metroid Prime 4" or strategy challenges such as "Civilization VII". "We have made adjustments so you can control the mouse on the pants (trousers)," Kouichi Kawamoto, one of the creators at Nintendo, told journalists during a roundtable. But this was not enough to impress some critics, given that the price of the console is set to be about 30 percent higher than the original at $449.99 in the United States. It has gone on pre-sale for £395.99 in Britain and 469.99 euros in France. Shares in Nintendo dropped more than 3.0 percent on the Tokyo stock exchange on Thursday due to disappointment among fans who are used to Nintendo being more accessible than its Sony and Microsoft competitors. "Impressed is not a word I would use. It's a logical evolution," Alexander Bohn-Elias from the website Eurogamer Germany told AFP after playing with the Switch 2 in Paris. Paul Hinrich Aeils, from German media Gamestar, agreed. "The new features are cool but I don't know if it is a must-buy day one for Switch 1 users," he said. He was also left underwhelmed by the number of games exclusively available for the Switch 2 at launch which include "Mario Kart World". Games will also cost around 30 percent more than for the original Switch. - Succession - Analysts had predicted beforehand that Nintendo would likely go for an upgrade, rather than trying to rewrite the Switch script. The original version launched to relative indifference in 2017 before going on to be the third best-selling console of all time, with 150 million units bought globally. But the creator of Mario Bros has had trouble with successors in the past: after its phenomenally popular Wii device, its Wii U flopped commercially. Kawamoto and his colleagues from Nintendo revealed that they started working on the new Switch in 2019. They had many discussions about the name, he revealed, saying one idea had been to call it the "Super Nintendo Switch" -- a reference to its star console from the 1990s. On Friday, fans who entered a lottery to handle the Switch 2 are set to get their hands on it at events in Paris and New York as part of promotional efforts ahead of the launch. kf/adp/phz
The National
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Nintendo Switch 2: All the new features, prices and release date
After announcing the Switch 2 on January 16, Nintendo has finally released details of the console. During a one-hour online presentation streamed on YouTube, the Japanese gaming giant showed what fans can expect from the new flagship gadget, and how much it will cost. Three developers who worked on the Switch 2 – Kouichi Kawamoto, Takuhiro Dohta and Tetsuya Sasaki – each presented an exciting addition to the console. Here, we look at the major announcements and details revealed during the presentation. The short announcement in January made it clear that the Switch 2 would be a very similar playing experience to its predecessor, with improvements. Details of these improvements led the way at yesterday's presentation. Firstly, the Switch 2's 7.9-inch LCD screen is 1.6 times larger than the Switch. However, the console's thickness has not changed. The new screen also supports a higher fidelity picture quality at 1080p. The two detachable controllers on the side of the screen, named joycons, have been improved too. They attach to the screen with a magnet rather than the slide mechanism of the Switch. Each can also be used as a mouse on a flat surface for some games that require the function. A new addition for any Nintendo console is the ability to communicate with fellow gamers via audio and video calls while playing. The Switch 2 will support the ability to stream video and audio between a friends group online, allowing for a more communicative experience. A cooling fan is an important improvement to the dock that holds the Switch 2 during home play and charging. Switch players had complained that the console would heat up while playing some games. Mario Kart fans can look forward to a new game, which will launch on day one of the release, titled Mario Kart World. This has a new open world mode which allows for cruising and exploration across the map. New additions to the experience have also been revealed, such as races going through different worlds. Players can also participate in one grand race across the whole map which eliminates slower drivers with every checkpoint. Mario Kart World will be the first game made exclusively for the Switch 2. It will also probably be the first game played by many who buy the console. As announced in January, the Switch 2 will have access to most of the Switch's library of games. It was also announced that some of the Switch's major titles will be receiving an improved version for the Switch 2 which will upgrade the graphics. It was also revealed that Nintendo GameCube games will be made available to play on the Switch 2 through an online subscription. Fans of the console which released in 2002 will be given access to some its best titles, with the list set to grow. Popular titles such as Split Fiction and WWE 2K will also be playable on the Switch 2. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released worldwide on June 5. The console has different price points in different regions. In the US, the Switch 2 will cost $449.99 for the base model and $499.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. In the UK it will retail at £395 ($517.83), or £429 ($562.40) with Mario Kart. In Japan, there are two version of the base model. The first is a Japanese language-only version which will cost 49,980 yen ($339.36) and a normal base model that costs 69,980 yen ($475.19). The Mario Kart bundle will cost 53,980 yen ($366.51).
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The Nintendo Switch 2 was announced early Wednesday morning, but the most important facts: $450, $500, June 5. Respectively, that's: The launch price of the base Nintendo Switch 2 The price of a bundle of the Nintendo Switch 2 and a digital copy of the new 'Mario Kart World.' The launch date in North America. The Nintendo Direct live stream can be watched fully on YouTube had been announced all the way back on Jan. 16, when the video game giant revealed the name of the console as 'Switch 2.' The hour-long presentation began with a trailer for 'Mario Kart World,' which had been teased during that original January console name reveal. Kouichi Kawamoto, Tetsuya Sasaki and Takuhiro Dohta announced that the new game will launch exclusively on the Switch 2. One of the new features is the new Joy-Con controllers. The Switch 2 will have a built in microphone and gamechat feature. This will help players speak to their friends and families while playing games. They do not have to be in the same game to use the feature. A Nintendo Online membership will be needed to use the feature. The console also has an additional camera option, the Nintendo Switch Camera. The Switch 2 can share games locally with other nearby consoles, including the Switch 2, Lite and the original. It can share a game with three other consoles at a time. Currently, it can only be used with compatible games, which on launch will be the following: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Super Mario 3D World / Bowser's Fury Club House 51 Games Super Mario Odyssey Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain The LCD screen will be 7.9 inches, it will have an 1080p High Definition display, it will run at 120 frames-per-second (fps), and it will support HDR. The new JoyCon controllers will attach to the console magnetically. It will feature larger controller sticks and larger SL and SR buttons. These new controllers can be used like a computer mouse. The console will support 3D sounds. The back stand has been improved. There will be 256 GB of storage, which is 8 times the amount the original Switch has. In TV mode, the console can support 4K resolution, there is a new dock fan. It is backlog-compatible, meaning the old Switch games can run on the new system. Both Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will have a companion app called 'Zelda Notes'. This app will help players find locations in the games and has a build-share feature Kirby and the Forgotten Land will have a new story option. Metroid Prime 4 will have new uses for the JoyCons with mouse control. Pokemon Z-A will run with at an enchanted frame rate. If players already own a Switch Version of a game, they can buy an upgrade pack to make it into a Switch 2 edition. There will be a new library of older Nintendo games featured in the new membership, highlighting GameCube games. There will be an exclusive GameCube style JoyCon. 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment,' the next in the successful line of musou games based on 'The Legend of Zelda,' will come out this winter. Taking place before 'Tears of the Kingdom,' it is once again being developed by Koei Tecmo (likely its Omega Force team) with support from Nintendo. To the surprise and delight of Toby Fox fans across the world, we are getting two new chapters to 'Deltarune,' the parallel story to his massive hit 'Undertale.' The game follows the story of Kris, Susie, Ralsei and their journey to save the world. These new chapters will be available on Switch 2 launch day. Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of 'Dark Souls,' 'Bloodborne' and many other Souls-likes, is leading the development of Switch 2-exclusive 'The Duskbloods.' Many other games will be available at launch. The new Switch 2 console will launch on June 5, 2025, and will cost $450 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
