Late last week we attended press events for the Nintendo Switch in London and New York, the same venues that then hosted lucky ballot winners over the weekend. As the first real public pitch of the Switch, along with the main event in Tokyo equivalents in Paris and Frankfurt, these settings were an important first testing ground for the console and some of its earliest games.
We'll have New York impressions with you soon, but first up are some thoughts from the team that headed to the Hammersmith Apollo in London - Alex will pitch in with a video soon.
Anthony Dickens
It was clear that Nintendo wanted to create some theatre around their first hands on event for Nintendo Switch, so why not hold it in one of London's most famous locations - the Hammersmith Apollo - merely hours after the announcement live stream ended, on a bitterly cold Friday morning. After being littered with Switch paraphernalia we were ushered down a corridor lined with artefacts of Nintendo console past - with the notable exclusion of the Virtual Boy - and we emerged into the dark upper stalls to finally thaw from the arctic weather.
Having been to a number of these events now, you quickly spot people you know and have a few quick exchanges, "what did you think about this?", "what did you think about that?". There was a sense of cautious optimism in the air as we awaited the instruction to head down to the show floor to try the console, the only thing we were really here for.
After some flashy lights and a loud announcement we were unleashed, and everyone shuffled their way down towards the games, excitement palpable. Centre stage was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, occupying the largest area for a single game closely followed by new IP Arms. The Wii-boxing-on-steroids title had more than ample floor space; perhaps Nintendo feel it's one of the better games to demonstrate the new and improved motion controls? 1-2-Switch was located smack in the centre of the floor with a circular booth; 12 mini-booths for 6 mini games. To the right of the stage were the titans of familiarity, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2, and to the left was a collection of third party offerings including Sonic, Street Fighter and surprise announcement Super Bomberman R. Finally, tucked away in a corner was the delightful Snipperclips, which appears to have become a universal favourite in games writers circles - one to watch.
Myself and Thomas took our time and visited all the different booths and played against each other where possible, something of a tradition now and trying to get a feel for how things would work with your friends. Playing against Tom is one thing, but as probably the most casual gamer on the team these days I always get slightly nervous playing against strangers in, say, 8-player local Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - but I had nothing to fear, coming home with 1st place; good job Roy. Likewise I had nothing to worry about with Splatoon 2, Tom and I won both rounds played, coming out as 1st and 2nd players, just taking turns for the top spot.
The Switch game I imagine we both wanted to play the most, Super Mario Odyssey, understandably was not playable, but still present in trailer-only form. Nintendo had created a micro-theatre setup simply to show off the spectacular trailer, but curiously only at 30fps - it was a lovely 60fps in the live presentation only hours earlier.
The event was enjoyable and gave us lots of food for thought, but as a whole felt more like EGX or a trade show than a press event. Which is fine, Nintendo invited a lot of different people, but it didn't give us the chance to closely examine the hardware in the detail or manner we perhaps would have liked at this stage. That said, we did get a good amount of play time with the console itself and it felt good as a system; it's a solid concept and console.
Tom Whitehead
Having been up a long time with no sleep, it was nevertheless a treat - and a privilege, of course - to have a chance to try the Switch. It was a bit farcical at the start, though, as in freezing temperatures a long queue was stuck outside despite invites saying check-in would be 30 minutes before the 'session' started. In the end Nintendo eventually had to drop aspects of check-in as it was already running late; after 45 minutes stood in the wintry weather we were then held up inside waiting for a random noisy intro to the hardware. It was clearly a dress-run for the public event the following day, which is fine, but I hope those that made their way to London over the weekend were allowed in more promptly and out of the cold.
Anthony has outlined the games on show and layout rather nicely - and my thoughts on the hardware are in our write-up - so first of all I want to give some praise to those often ignored: the game demonstrators. From conversations in the past many travel from all over the country to do the gig, and on every booth they were warm, friendly and enthusiastic. Pretty much all of them seemed thrilled to be there and excited about the games, which was lovely as opposed to being given a PR sell. They helped as much as their demo units allowed, let us try things and fiddle around as far as possible, and were patient with over-tired but willing 30-something game writers. To the woman hosting the dancing minigame in 1-2-Switch, I can only apologise for how awful I was at playing that with you - I have about as much rhythm as your average X Factor contestant (shots fired).
Overall it was a good effort by Nintendo UK, which was just as well - we saw Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata taking a look around. I was surprised by the space given to Arms, which even had a small stage area made to look like a boxing ring. A bit like 1-2-Switch, I'm not convinced that Arms has the legs (oh dear) for retail success, but that's something for our upcoming write-ups to address more fully. I liked the wall of third-party games, and Sonic Mania was wonderful to see, with myself and the rep boring onlookers with our reminiscing on the originals on Mega Drive. The Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe setups were also great, and will clearly be reproduced at expos, with 8-player matches showcasing the joy of playing together.
A good event overall, which I'm sure lucky lotto winners in the public draw also enjoyed over the weekend. It pitched the Switch rather well.
Oh, and a final point - Snipperclips is amazing.
Damien McFerran
I have to admit that having travelled to London to play Switch after getting up at 3:30AM that same morning to cover the presentation in Japan, I wasn't in the most positive frame of mind for a hands-on session with Nintendo's new platform. Thankfully I left the Hammersmith Apollo in much higher spirits than when I entered; sure, there are some concerns with the Switch (it wouldn't be a Nintendo console if there weren't) but on the whole, I like the concept, I love the hardware and I'm positive about the software, even if there isn't enough of it.
First off, the Switch itself is just lovely. It's always a risk when handling new hardware that you'll allow your judgement to be clouded on purely physical terms, and as a lover of handhelds I'm especially guilty of falling into this trap. However, if you'll indulge me for a moment, the Switch is gorgeous - especially when it has the neon red and blue Joy-Cons fitted (that's the version I've pre-ordered and I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want the dull grey controllers). It's lightweight but feels solidly built, and most importantly is compact and portable - I took along my Game Boy Micro for a comparison and was amazed to find that there's not a gigantic gulf in size.
The Switch's screen is wonderful too, and seeing it first hand put aside any concerns I may have had regarding that 720p HD resolution. It's bright, punchy and looks wonderful in motion. However, by far and away the best feature for me personally is the Joy-Cons, which are simply adorable. I was genuinely worried that they would be too small even for my Hobbit-sized hands, but that wasn't the case. They feel comfortable in the hand and I didn't have any issues reaching all of the buttons. How they'll feel after a prolonged play session remains to be seen, but for now I'm positive. Having Wii-style motion control in a portable is a genius move if you ask me - social gaming is no longer confined to your living room. The HD rumble effect is also remarkable, especially on 1-2-Switch mini-games like Ball Count, where the device feels like it has tiny ball bearings rolling around inside it.
Much has been said about the Switch launch lineup and the titles coming in 2017, but I found a lot to like on the show floor. ARMS in particular surprised me with its depth and visual splendour, and I think that has the potential to become a Splatoon-style hit. 1-2-Switch is brilliant too, and the way it sells the hardware is so effective that I have absolutely no idea why Nintendo isn't pre-installing it on all Switch consoles - it's the kind of advert that Wii Sports was for the Wii. Super Bomberman R, Sonic Mania and Ultra Street Fighter II might not have mainstream appeal but I'll be buying all three, as they speak to the retro gamer in me. Zelda is Zelda, and will of course be a must-have at launch; what surprised me during my time with the game is how great it looks in 1080p when running via the dock. Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are also solid additions, even if the latter is worryingly lacking in fresh content.
Despite the close proximity of the Switch launch, there's still a lot we don't yet know about the system, so I'm not going to get too hung up about issues regarding software just yet. I fully expect Nintendo to announce a raft of eShop titles prior to release, and given the portable nature of the console I think we'll see the digital downloads becoming bigger than ever when it comes to unique games and experiences. Cost remains my sole headache; the machine is expensive, the games are expensive and peripherals are expensive - I was hoping that Nintendo might try and hit a cheaper price point across the board, but that's clearly not the case - at launch, anyway.
As I said, I left the event with a more positive vibe than when I entered, and now I can't wait to get my hands on Switch. That perhaps is the only thing I need to clarify when it comes to impressions; I'm cautiously excited, but excited nonetheless.
Darren Calvert
As we approached the Hammersmith Apollo (strong coffee in hand) we were greeted with a long queue of bleary-eyed media types who like us would have been awake at 4am covering the Nintendo Switch Livestream. Delighted to get out of the cold British weather we entered the lovely Art Deco surrounding of the Apollo to see what Nintendo UK had on show for us.
1-2 Switch took centre stage at the event and proved to be the source of much amusement as journalists made questionable wrist movements while milking an imaginary cow. Other mini-games in the package such as attempting to crack a safe or trying to guess how many marbles were in a box cleverly demonstrated the nuances of the Joy-Con controllers, and helped us loosen up before trying out the other games on show.
Of course Zelda BotW was the star of the show and had a long queue to play it. Splatoon 2 was incredibly popular too and prompted some healthy competition, thankfully our man Alex is more than a formidable opponent. There was lots to get our teeth stuck into as well as some ever so slightly underwhelming efforts from third parties. Nintendo UK put on a nice event as always, but I left with the feeling that the launch window is a little bit barren. Of course patience is a virtue and we'll have the breathtaking Super Mario Odyssey to look forward to later this year.
Comments 29
Lots of positive impressions. Great to see. I am very excited for March 3rd!
I was there on Satursday morning. It was good fun but it was so busy I didn't get to play on Zelda, Splatoon 2 or Snipperclips.
I did come away feeling that ARMS is a lot better than I expected as well as Sonic Mania.
Overall, it was a great morning and I'm even more excited about Switch than I was..
@ROBLOGNICK I was there in the Saturday as well and can vouch for that. I did manage to play Snipperclips and it is a gem. I really hope for a retail release.
ARMS was 100% my favourite game of the lot. Zelda was dethroned and now I am hyped for that game instead
I'm stoked for Breath of the Wild on Switch. I can picture myself playing it in handheld mode often, just because having a game like that in the palm of my hands is too cool. On top of that, Sonic Mania looks like it'll be a blast. Super Bomberman R is another game I think will be pretty cool. Disgea 5 will round out my collection, too. Heck, I'll probably get MK8 Deluxe later down the line.
One nice thing was they provided free tea/coffee/soft drinks and lunch of fish and chips or burger and chips.
That was very generous I thought but the queuing was a fiasco..arrived at 8.30am but didn't get in til 10.40am
One thing I noted was that they also didn't check if I had a ticket or not. And they didn't check my photo ID. I wonder if people managed to get in that didn't have a ticket.
@ROBLOGNICK very true. I thought it was only 50 per session but I bet there was 1000 there Saturday morning
@Toadsfriend I can confirm that for the certain gaming groups that were invited to join there was at least 50 from them alone. If I had a guess I would wager at least 200 at the event.
And I was in the morning as well
@Grandpa_Pixel There Seemed To Be LOADS there at my session..some questions were an hour to try games..
Sorry ques not questions
500 tickets plus a guest over four sessions.
We heard bad things about Saturday on a thread on here, but Sunday morning was fine. My name was checked against the list, though they didn't ask for ID.
Apart from one guy all the game 'helpers' were massively friendly, and seemed really into the games in the main. It was really good chatting to them - and someone from Nintendo, she (used?) to work for the translation team.
The guests seemed to be stoked for the games and the Switch - nice change from the negativity on here!
I didn't realise the food was free, as was about to put my hand in my pocket, but wasn't asked to pay.
It was simply a really cool, fun event. Even 1-2-Switch was giggle, but I doubt I'd buy it. But Switch and Zelda are on pre-order.
@Toadsfriend I reckon there would have been up to 500 people there.
The food did look good but by the time I worked my way back to the front of the area, I had to leave to catch my train home so couldn't stay to have any.
I stood at the entrance to the Zelda section and was told that they had 16 screen for 20 minute sessions (so add five minutes for turn around to next session) which means only 150 people would get a go on the game in the four hours they allotted for the morning session.
I'm actually happy that I never went, don't get me wrong I excited for the switch and have mine preordered but the early morning, travelling in the cold and my general lazyiness meant I decided not to go, makes march 3rd abit more special too.
"The launch lineup is the worst ever," say those who have never seen a console launch before.
The games coming are cool and pretty good. What concerns me is the obvious lack. Xenoblade will almost guaranteedly be delayed til 2018. That 2017 claim is to sell consoles early. Where are the launch titles? Zelda's awesome but everything else is a passing couple plays, especially when better games come out. The likes of 1-2 switch will go down the drain quickly. They really needed Kart or Splatoon at launch. 3DS launch, 1 Remade N game, bad. WiiU, 2 N games, NSMB?? Bad. Switch, 1 N game that is a last gen game used to sell new hardware ala Twilight Princess. They should've dropped a few good 3DS games and BOTW WiiU, 1st quarter and launched Switch at the beginning of quarter 2 with Kart Splatoon and Zelda. Would've caused much more excitement and given us a wider selection to jump in with.
The switch is expensive...
They should do a 3ds and 2ds relationship with the witch. Nintendo should have a switch where there is no switch screen and is meant for at home gaming only. This could save at least $50 for the system, making it available for more people
@nobboysbro I couldn't agree more and don't understand why Nintendo hasn't thought about that. Put Switch hardware in a console nonportable shell, sell it for $200. It's already all there as it has console mode built in.
Was a great event. I took my nephew he felt like he was in heaven. I thought the hardware was great but the software did disappoint me. I really enjoyed snipperclips.
Not a day 1 purchase for me but mario will persuade me.
My brother and I traveled a good 150 miles to attend the event on Saturday morning. There were too many people there and the staff didn't check IDs and just seemed to funnel everyone in.
The event was decent but to play most games there was a queue of 10 minutes minimum for the 1,2,Switch games. Plus I didn't fancy queuing for Mario Kart or Splatoon, never mind Zelda, which the queue was closed off after only an hour of being there.
Kudos to Nintendo. Holding an event for that many people with so few game play stations must've been tough.
And kudos to anyone who played enough to get a Switch badge, that's some determination there.
@DBailey the switch badge was free for all
I went yesterday morning and loved it - except that the secondary queue for Zelda was an hour long, so skipped it in favour of more time on other games. Maybe if the demo time had been less than 20 minutes per person, or there were more Zelda units, the queue could have been shortened.
But I'm getting that on the Wii U anyway so it's not a huge loss.
@UK-Nintendo I guess I missed out. I'm sure I'll get one from Nintendo's UK store when they send the Switch. I must have about 5 30th Anniversary Mario badges from purchasing from there.
@DBailey I hope they do. 150 miles is a lot
@Grandpa_Pixel After seeing the Switch presentation I thought Arms was quite weak and should be a budget title that many would ignore.
And then I saw the Treehouse stream and thoroughly enjoyed watching them play. It will be hard for me to resist buying it, especially if there's more content than in the show floor demo.
I was there Saturday morning...a free for all outside and despite saying registration opened at 830 it was gone 9am by the time we got in then we were not allowed onto the floor to play games for all further 30 mins.
That said I managed to play everything except splatoon2 which was not a big worry for me...I know what to expect from that.
Food was a good touch I wasent expecting and by the time I left Saturday it looked like a queue system had been set up outside the theatre itself which would have really helped in the morning.
On the whole it was a good experience and nice to try out the games. For me it reinforced what I'd seen on the streams the day before. It's good fun but for me BOTW is the main draw and I have a wiiu so £40 vs £320 is a no brainer for me. I will get a switch but it will not be until at least Christmas that I do.
Bang up job covering the whole thing. Well done!
Sunday morning. 300 mile round trip and a hotel necessary the night before (I can't do 4am starts anymore). And it was worth every minute on the road and every penny spent on getting there. Switch and Zelda both pre-ordered (as is Lego City, missed it the first time because by the time I was ready to buy a Wii U it was obvious the system was dying). Snipperclips a day 1 purchase. The whole event was wonderful.
I am glad I wasn't there on Saturday though. Seems the entire world was there in the morning and it was a bit of a shambles. For us on Sunday morning, it was marvellous.
Sounds like they learned from the debacle that was Saturday morning. Shame I didn't get to play BotW or Splatoon 2, but I did get the badge still. That was a clever way to encourage everyone to try games they might not otherwise have played (Just Dance I'm looking at you).
That picture with the Gameboy Micro is a bit misleading, due to the perspective. It makes the Switch look a lot smaller, when in reality the GB Micro is roughly the same size as one Joy-Con. There's a side by side comparison photo going around elsewhere.
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