Nintendo Switch Papercraft Model by Muumin Craft

11 Oct, 2021

In March 2017, Nintendo again kicked off the console world with the release of the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid console that can be connected to a TV or played as a handheld console.

When it was first released, the world was a little hesitant on the Nintendo Switch, reflecting on Nintendo's failure after releasing the successor to the Nintendo Wii, the Nintendo Wii U. Just imagine, the Nintendo Wii U was only able to sell 13.56 million units, making it the 4th lowest selling console in history. console.

However, a few months after the release of the Switch, the world has begun to believe in the quality of the Switch, which has learned from its mistakes. Before 2017 ended, the Nintendo Switch surpassed the Nintendo Wii U's sales figures with 14.86 million units.

Meanwhile, Nintendo's competitor, Sony, stopped production of the multifunctional PSP successor handheld console, the PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) in 2019.

Covered by the success of the PSP and PS4, according to Statista data, in 2018, the PS Vita only managed to record around 200 thousand sales units! No doubt, the SVP of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Hiroyuki Oda, announced that he would no longer make a handheld successor to the PS Vita.

Have you tried the Nintendo Switch? If not, that's okay. If so, has it ever occurred to you, why did the Nintendo Switch succeed in the handheld market that Sony has abandoned since the PS Vita?

Well, these 9 reasons might make you understand the magic behind the Switch.

1. Indie Games

Maybe when you bought Nintendo in 2017, you expected to get Nintendo exclusive titles like Zelda, Mario, etc.

However, the first year running Nintendo's original game can be counted on the fingers.

This is one of the advantages of the Nintendo Switch. This hybrid console becomes an "agent" who also introduces indie games from developers who want to try their luck. Examples of popular indie games on the Switch are Wonder Boy and Shovel Knight.

Well, even though these games are available on other consoles and platforms like PS4 and Xbox One, the game's developers are thankful for the Switch. Why? Compared to sales on the two "popular" consoles, these indie games make a big profit from the Switch.

2. Multiplayer-oriented

"When was the last time you played a game with a friend?"

When talking about multiplayer today, maybe you will remember playing games with your friends abroad using an internet connection.

Oh, the Switch doesn't count on that. After all, the Switch has an internet connection feature that is far behind its competitors' consoles.

Eits, that doesn't mean it's bad, guys.

Switch prioritizes "togetherness," where you play your favorite games with friends or family in the same place, face to face, compete, and have fun together.

Switch co-op games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe won't be as fun if you don't see them face-to-face (via the internet). After all, with this, the Switch fulfills a technology goal: closes the communication gap that has been caused by the internet and advances in technology.

Thank you, Nintendo Switch!

3. Beautiful device design

In terms of design, maybe the Switch isn't that much different from its predecessor, the Wii U. However, I don't know what got into the designer of the Wii U, the console's design is the worst of Nintendo's other consoles. Despite carrying a touch screen, the Wii U does not escape comparison with the iPad, thus making it inferior.

However, learning from the mistakes of the Wii U, the Nintendo Switch has again brought a 6.2-inch wide touchscreen in the middle with two handles on the left and right.

Then, what's different? Is the handle of the Wii U retractable? No, right? Switches can, please.

Well, things that have never existed before, will become a trend at that time. Because other handheld consoles have never done this, the Switch experiment immediately attracted a lot of enthusiasts who wanted to try it.

4. Easy to carry around

In addition to its beautiful design, Nintendo Switch also offers hybrid functions that of course have never existed before.

If you are too lazy to leave the house, all you have to do is place your Switch, connect it to the TV, remove the controller, and play. If you're out of the house but still want to play, all you have to do is take out your Switch and play anywhere. Not complicated, right?

Then, because accessing games on the Switch is easier than the PS4 and Xbox One, the Switch is further outperforming the two console developers in the realm of portability.

5. Support 3rd party games

Before its launch in 2017, Nintendo had already anticipated that the Switch console would support 3rd party games. At that time, the world's reaction was the same as their reaction to the Wii U, pessimistic.

Since the days of the Super Nintendo, Nintendo consoles have not been very familiar with the so-called "3rd party games". Therefore, the world is pessimistic.

However, as it turns out, Nintendo kept its word when it released a Switch that supports and is endorsed by other seasoned game development companies, such as Bethesda, UbiSoft, Koei Tecmo, Square Enix, etc.

Some of Bethesda's latest games, Elder Scroll V: Skyrim and DOOM, appeared for the Switch in 2017, and Ubisoft also released several of its Assassin's Creed games for the Switch such as III: Remastered (2019), Rebel Collection: Black Flag & Rogue (2019), to Odyssey (Japan exclusive).

If seasoned game developers start looking at the Switch, the Switch may surpass PS4 and Xbox One in terms of multi-platform games.

6. Easy to use

After being fed by sophisticated consoles such as PS3, PS4, and Xbox One, some of the game fans have high standards, even down to the main interface.

The Switch didn't escape criticism as the world saw how "poor" its interface was. However, that's probably because they've forgotten how terrible and troublesome the interface is on the Wii U. When compared directly, the Switch has won by far.

Compared to the Switch, the Wii U takes a while to boot up and get into games which can be quite frustrating. It is also what makes the Wii U no longer sold in the market.

Unlike the Wii U, Switch users only need to press a few buttons to enter the game.

When it comes to additional applications, maybe the Switch is inferior to other consoles. However, when it comes to display and response, the Switch is already starting to catch up.

7. Different from its competitors

Well, I have to admit, regarding the power of action, maybe the Switch isn't as powerful as home consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One. Because of that, some games seem impossible to release on the Switch.

However, that does not mean the Switch lost. Just as the Nintendo Wii offers a unique experience to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so does the Switch.

Unlike the PS4 and Xbox One, which only have a few exclusive games (PS4: Spider-Man, God of War; Xbox: HALO), the Switch has a basket of exclusive games that you can only get on the Switch.

For example, one of the popular Switch games since the GameBoy days, Pokemon. There's no way you can play Pokemon on any other console (unless, using an emulator, yes).

Because Sony abandoned the handheld concept along with its failure with the PS Vita, Nintendo took the opportunity to revive the handheld concept combined with the home console concept.

Even though you're not at home, but you still want to play with friends, you just have to put down your Switch, remove the controller, and play with friends. That's not possible with today's big consoles.

Those are the things that make the Nintendo Switch stand out today.

8. A collection of Nintendo games that are no less cool

Because it doesn't have as much hitting power as other consoles, Nintendo Switch has a huge task to keep its customers happy with several exclusive games.

One of the Switch exclusive games that came right when the Switch was released (also released for the Wii U), "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", won various "Game of the Year" awards from 2017 to 2018. Metacritic appreciated the game. This is "Video Game of the Decade".

In the same year, Nintendo Switch also released Super Mario Odyssey in October 2017. This is the first time a game featuring Mario and Zelda has been released in the same year.

Not satisfied with these two games? So Nintendo Switch released Pokemon Sword and Shield, the 8th generation Pokemon game in November 2019.

9. Exact game release schedule

After learning about these Switch exclusive games, you might think,

Is it just because of the game?

That's right, the Switch doesn't win console battles with exclusive games alone. Because, then, PlayStation had already won with its God of War.

Is it because of the system? Not really. The Switch has several shortcomings in its interface which are quite fatal when compared to its competitors.

Then? What was the final factor that made the Switch sell like hotcakes?

Of course, due to the exact execution of the game's release schedule.

When it launched in March 2017, the only game accompanying the Switch was Zelda. Then later remastered games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and some games started arriving. A few months after its release, the Switch has packed dozens of new games.

Pay attention! If you break down the game's 2017 release schedule, then here's the execution:

March – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
April – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
May – Minecraft Switch Edition
June – ARMS
July – Splatoon 2
August – Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
September – Pokken Tournament DX
October – Super Mario Odyssey
November/December – Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Switch almost supplies new games every month to its users, so they don't get bored. Plus, several indie games and 3rd party games have also added to the diversity of Switch games. So if someone says:

"Ah, Switch is a bit of a game!"

Love him to play, later also addicted himself.

Those are the factors behind the success of the Switch, which was released almost three years ago. Are you proud to own a Switch now?