EDGE Magazine Reveals How A Single Joy-Con Works in Arms

Split into 4 ?
Wow...
How to see clearly when splitted into 4 on Tabletop mode ?

Anyway, playing ARMS with Single Joy Con = Ugh.... Painful hard.
Better use a PAIR of Joy Cons.

Sounds promising. It's a shame that they didn't utilise this concept to reboot the Punch-Out!! brand (the visual style of ARMS is far too generic and resembles Splatoon a little too much).

@Anti-Matter : The tagline is likely a joke that I don't get either.

A game like this would be limited to two players only. It would be awesome (but horribly expensive!) if the game did support four players though!

local multiplayer = "HARMS"

Can't wait

@sillygostly

It has 2 vs 2 modes

@sillygostly
ARMS looks better in gameplay method than Punch Out. In Punch Out, You CAN'T move freely but ARMS let you move freely like Naruto or One Piece fighting games. ARMS has Super Arts, like Street Fighter Alpha. I think the concept of ARMS is already good. Hopefully ARMS will inspire some 3rd party developers to recreate Switch's Boxing games with gameplay technique like ARMS or Wii Sports.

I thought for sure this would be relegated to Pro Controller or 2 Joycons in a grip for button controls. Was imagining either the right stick or trigger being used to curve the punch in some way. Ah well, love that there are so many supported control variations for Switch games. Options are good!

Sounds pretty gimped - why not use tilt to move and the stick for punch angle?

@sillygostly
4 Pairs of Joy Cons in my country (Each pairs = IDR 1,300,000 or US$ 97.60) = IDR 5,200,000 or US$ 390.40 !!
As expensive as the Switch bundles !

But, can you play it fully with no compromises if you use two Joy-Con or the Pro controller or that kind of thing (I'm talking about without the forced motion controls)?

If you can only play the game in its complete state with the forced motion controls then my interest is basically zero. I can count the amount of motion controlled games that I actually think work basically perfectly all of the time on one finger.

@JaguarWong That sounds terrible with a small controller like that. Having to keep two hands on it while twisting and turning it meh.............

It's nice that the game has so many control options, but I have to admit, playing with a sideways joycon is terrible. I'm never doing that again.

If you decide to use two joy-cons, do you have to use motion controls as well? Or can you just play the 'traditional' way?

You know what? That's fine. You're only going to use this if your quickly showing off the game. Better than nothing

Still make for fun drinking game...

@Nintendoforlife
Rather that than have half the controls missing entirely

I read that in my issue as both joycons working that way when plugged in.
I don't know where you got 4-player from off of that.

I would try out the motion control, but I still prefer the pro controller.

Played some MK8D with a single Joy Con last week. I wouldn't wish that control scheme on my worst enemy. 2/10 would not recommend.

"Nintendo has been encouraging people to play...with...motion controls"

I blame Wii Sports!!

Seriously though, anytime there's a game that offers motion controls but also a traditional means of playing as an alternative, I feel like the motion controls become pointless and under utilized/wonky.

@JaguarWong Or maybe half the controls are missing because "that" was deemed not feasible. The game is meant to be played with two controllers, so I don't see the point in complaining in a gimped version. When you purposely decide to use one.

@Nintendoforlife
Playing local 2-player out of the box is a Switch USP - if this kind of control gimping becomes the norm than the main attraction of table-top mode is negatively impacted.

I prefer motion controls, it seems easier.
Who agrees?

@Nintendoforlife @JaguarWong I have to agree with Nintendoforlife. A gimped version is fine. You're making the choice to play that way. Tilt for movement sounds horrendous to me. If they simply did not support a single Joy-Con, nobody would care. So I'd say this is better than that option. The best experience is always going to be using both Joy-Con or a Pro controller.

@TheGreenMiner13

I agree. When motion controls "click" they're easier.

@Yorumi

Didja try playing MK Deluxe with a joy-con wheel yet? Might be a more affordable solution before buying a Pro.

Dunno why they thought having punch on triggers AND face buttons was a good idea. Why not have punches on the face buttons only and then use the triggers to angle punches? Literally they have all the buttons they need right there.

Also, been playing a lot of Kart using the wireless mode. 6 people on three systems/tvs so everyone is using a single joycon. Yeah they're a little small but so far I haven't found it detrimental to playing.

@Pluto14 You don't have to use motion controls, no. You can even play in handheld mode

@Yorumi I guess I just don't fully understand that line of reasoning. A single Joy-Con is almost never going to be the best way to play any game, but it's nice to have it as an option. I'm thinking bomberman, snipperclips, or other simple games like that. If nothing else, you get one full featured controller with your system that can also be attached to the tablet for portable use, even if you never use the joy-con separately. If you want the best experience, you'll need another controller of some sort.

EDIT: I suppose it also depends on how you use your switch, primarily. I'd say I'm 70/30 portable/docked. My Joy-Con are basically permanently attached, and I use pro controllers while docked. So that probably explains some of the differences in our experiences.

@roadrunner343
For me it's the issue of the system not living up to its billing.
It's supposed to be a seamless experience across multiple play-styles.

Look at Mario Kart. The same game docked/undocked/tabletop whether you're playing multiplayer or single player.
That's the expectation from people buying the console - but it's not what you get in this example.

You're right; tilt to move wouldn't be great - tilt to aim would be better - but either way it's disappointing that the solution from the developer is to change the game so fundamentally.
I can imagine trying to play like this after playing the 'full' version would be incredibly frustrating.

All in all a big selling point of the system - local multiplayer without the need for any extra equipment - is gimped in what I really hope is going to be an early stand-out title.

@TheGreenMiner13
Me.
I like Motion controller of Joy Con, just like Wiimote.
So flexible. It can be played with motion, it can be played tradionally also.

@JaguarWong I think that's probably where we disagree. I view those as options to the developer. Expecting every experience to suit all three playstyles in all scenarios would result in hindering many titles for their full potential. I love the flexibility the Switch gives developers - We could see games utilizing touch controls, motion/pointer controls, split joy con, or standard controllers. But requiring every title to be suitable for every control scheme would be bad, in my opinion. For example, Tomorrow Corporation's games would have never come to switch.

@gatorboi352
Duh...!
Are you still complain again with every single Switch controller ?
Joy Con or Pro Controller ?
Play with motion or Traditional way ?
It's Nintendo !
There is always something unique from Nintendo.
Lower your Ego, first.

@Yorumi I'll agree with you there - My wife and I never use them either, except for Snipperclips. But I still think the possibility of using them split is a decent idea (Not a system seller for me) for impromptu sessions of Bomberman, FAST RMX, or possibly virtual console games with 4+ people. Otherwise, they stay attached to the tablet and I either play in portable mode, or with pro controllers.

@JaguarWong 100% disagree here. Certain games are meant for certain controls. Some games have more complex controls, and therefore need a more complex controller scheme to work properly. To say you're dissapointed in this gimped version, is like me saying I'm dissapointed I can't play Splatoon 2 properly with one joycon.

I might be missing something, but with the standard motion controls you use tilt to move and to angle the punch, so you can't move one way and punch the other anyway.

@Yorumi If you use both Joycons together it makes one controller. I don't understand why people aren't understanding this. Hence the "joycon grip" to infuse them. Some games are meant to have the joycons used separately as "two" controllers, and some games are meant to use them together as one.

That's the beauty of the switch you can use them as one, to fight off monsters in Zelda. And in a snap, you can hand one to your friend to use them as a set of dual controllers for MK8D. The Wii remote was advertised as a full controller, and did it not need a nunchuck for some games to be played?

@Yorumi @roadrunner343
Sideways Joycon is kinda cramped, definitely not the ideal way to play, but it works in a pinch. Lots of times I've played at work by passing a Joycon, and it worked well enough. But I use the Surge Grips which are so excellent, it makes sideways Joycons almost rival a real controller... almost

how to capture screencertificity.com

Now, dual Joycons one in each hand, that's the only way I like to play. Pro Controller is comfy, but nothing tops the split joycon. I've found the PDP plastic thumbgrips add just enough height to make them perfect

img hostcertificity.com

@Yorumi What point did you make that I didn't address?

So does ARMS have 4-player split screen or not?

@Yorumi I guess I just knew from the beginning that not all multiplayer games would support split joy-con, and so it doesn't really bother me. Again, I like having the option for impromptu multiplayer gaming sessions, but the joy-con combined/pro-controller will always be my go to if I have the choice.

I guess my question for you would be, what benefit would there be to not having the joy-con split? If the system were sold with just the joy-con permanently attached, you'd still be required to purchase a separate pro controller. If a pro controller were included, the price would be even higher. If nothing else, having the joy-con detachable allows for a seamless transition from portable to docked, without the need for another controller, even if you never use the joy-con split as individual controllers.

Waving your arms around instead of simply pressing a button is never the best way to play. haha.

I donˋt have any problems playing with a single Joy-Con ( oddly enough this is my prefered way to play 2D-Sidescrollers), but Arms I will only play with motion controls. Which means, it will be my first game, which I will play exlusively in TV-mode!

@Yorumi
What did Nintendo advertised, what the Joy-Con do not do?🤔

@Yorumi Erm, I'm not sure the overly argumentative tone is necessary, but I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt, I knew for certain that a single joy-con would not work for all multiplayer games. Why would anyone think that? Some games require touch input, others twin sticks, other games still make use of all the shoulder buttons. So again, it was very clear to me that not all games would be fully playable with a single joy-con. It's an option for developers to take advantage of, if they wish - not a requirement.

As for the ergonomics, I agree with some of your points, but not all. I think the sticks could have been better. Button size doesn't really bother me. But even considering that, it's still by far the most comfortable portable I've used, so I still find it hard to complain about that, and I use it primarily as a portable device.

@Yorumi They appear to work as advertised in every situation I've seen. So tell me where they fail to work correctky?

@gatorboi352
In Splatoon you had a huge advantage over non motion controls. And in Pikmin 3 motion you got a lot more precision.

But I agree that there are games which only use motion control as a gimmick because they have to. However in the two examples above motion controls really added something.

@Yorumi Keyword there - "can." Again, did you just assume that no game would make full use of the various sensors (Which are split between Joy-Con), or the touch screen? Or that no game would ever require shoulder buttons? Or that no FPS or any other game requiring a second stick would ever be made? Again, you've taken an argumentative tone with absolutely nothing to back up your argument. Having the option to play with split joy-con is great, but in no way should that ever be a requirement.

EDIT: Nintendo advertised the capabilities of the Switch capabilities. It's up to developers to do what they want with them, Nintendo included. That also means that they have the option of not supporting a feature. Just like many games on the 3DS had little, or no 3D support.

@Yorumi
And they also said the Switch is a hybrid console, but there is already one game which you can only play in handheld mode! SUCH F.... LIARS!!! 🙄

@Yorumi Ok our disagreement stems from how it was marketed. I believe it was marketed as one controller, that can be used as two. You believe it's two that can be used as one. So we'll go ahead and agree to disagree.

It leaves you without a LEG to stand on.

@Yorumi No circles here. You're the one that decided to tell me that I didn't know these weren't going to be compatible with 100% of all games available. Which is common sense to me. And they clearly can be stand alone controllers. No false advertising there.

EDIT: Just like not all games support multiplayer, period. Or HD rumble. Or any other random feature you want to list. Features can be utilized, or they can be ignored. It's up to the developer. You have two full featured SNES style controllers. Ovviously they're not full featured pro controllers.

@Yorumi
Idk, I love the design of it. There are alot of accessories, but, the way I see it, is they allow for additional functionality.

Like the Joycon gripkit pictured above. Ya it's an extra $15, but it allows your single controller set to comfortably be played as 2 separate controllers. Worth it. My $10 tripod allows for charging in tabletop, but... now I can charge in tabletop. Most consoles aren't even portable, let alone have tabletop, let alone be able to charge in tabletop. Or the portable battery- ya it was an extra $75 (for the 26,800mAh USB-C Power Delivery model), but now I've got enough juice to play 18-24 hrs straight, and charge from 0-100% in 3 hours while playing Zelda/MK on max settings. Worth it.

But even without any of that, on an "out of the box" level it's still a fully functional home console and fully functional handheld, and does work in tabletop (which is my personal fave), and while it may not be the most comfy, having 2 controllers at any time is a great base level functionality imo. It means playing anyone anytime without carrying additional controllers.

@Yorumi Which they can be, we have seen it done many times.

@Yorumi
Btw, Pro Controllers should charge with anything. They include a USB-C to A cable which can be plugged into the dock USB port to charge. I charge mine using the included USB-C to A cable with a standard dual port Aukey wall charger. Also charges from my portable battery. Idk what you tried charging it from, but all I know is mine charges from anything.

I think Switch doesn't include a 2nd wall charger because it would raise cost of production. It's just one of those things where ya, you're gonna want another, but you don't "need" it to play the system (it's not like New 3DS not including a charger at all). I think one included is fair, and have no issue paying for a 2nd.

I think a port on top would have been good for tabletop, that I agree with, but at the end of the day I don't usually need to charge in tabletop. I've got a good 3 hrs before battery drains to that point, and if by chance it does, that's what my $10 smartphone tripod is for.

I think it's more powerful than you give it credit for. I mean, it's not vastly beyond Wii U but, it is a jump. Even ports jump from 720p to 1080p, and games like Minecraft which were only 864x864 on 360 and Wii U, are 3,170x3170 or something like that, which is pretty close to Xbox One 5kx5k. Once ground up exclusives release I think it'll be much more pronounced also. Wii U quadrupled the RAM over 360, and Switch doubled that. And Wii U had a considerably better GPU and Switch is better than that..

It's at least in the ballpark of current gen, which is pretty amazing for a handheld. Vita was considered a monster and this is way closer to current gen than Vita was in it's day. But I don't put labels on it. You say it's a handheld, others say it's a console, I say I don't care. It's a console and a handheld as far as I'm concerned. Labels mean nothing. All that matters is the experience

@Yorumi Since you've resorted to personal attacks the last two posts, and you obviously aren't changing your position. As I said before, we'll just agree to disagree.

It's hard to fit a 2017 AAA game onto an original 3DS without the D-pad. Still, everyone who owns a Switch and no other accessory has the ability to play singleplayer with a full range of control with either motion or pad controls, as well as 2-player splitscreen. Beyond that it's like any console: if you want more players, buy another controller.

@Yorumi "I'd argue that it's not really a fully functional handheld out of the box. I suppose with an extreme technicality it is but out of the box, no additional things, how do you charge the system when it's not in the dock? The only solution that technically works is to unplug the dock every time you take it out and carry around the AC plug. I guess technically it works but come on."

That argument is absolutely asinine. By that logic, the original 3DS was not a "fully functioning handheld", as it too shipped with a charging dock. And on top of that, the 3DS has a proprietary plug. Down right evil of Nintendo to slap a run of the mill, everyday, generic usb-c plug on the Switch so that you can charge it off almost anything...

@Yorumi Perhaps you should get your's checked out. I've charged mine just fine from a Anker wall charger, portable battery, from my PC, and dock. All worked just fine. The fact that it is USB C makes it simple to charge from just about any source. But saying it isn't a fully functional handheld because of that is a bit extreme.

I have no interest in playing any 3D games with a single JoyCon.

I'm interested in seeing how traditional controls with both JoyCons or with the Pro Controller will work.

The motion controls on this game worked seamlessly for me on this game when I tried it at the Switch event. Not once did I have to fight the controls or recalibrate like certain other games. They replicated twin-stick movement like Virtual-On almost exactly. And punching is literally as easy as punch>twist your hand to hook>return to neutral, in one motion or you can delay it. When implemented properly, like in ARMS, the Joy-con are definitely NOT relegated to Wii Sports boxing-level motion controls, they're much more advanced. Though Helix/DNA Man would be the absolute worst character to choose with the controller control scheme. That super slow-moving arm he has, that you are supposed to control all the way to your opponent mind you, would likely leave him stationary or at the very least you'd need tilt controls to utilize properly.

@Yorumi Nobody is missing your point. Your point is laughably bad.

"With the switch you basically have to disassemble the dock every time you take it portably or never dock it." .... Or, you know, just plug it into any generic usb-c cable.

@iMarkU good point

@sillygostly (the visual style of ARMS is far too generic and resembles Splatoon a little too much) With Splatoon being Unique then how would this game look generic to the 1 game it looks like? I say this style hasn't been done enough, and I applaud Nintendo for moving forward with it.

@Yorumi you're talking out of your ass, is what you're doing. You're nit-picking and looking for stupid things to complain about. But I suppose if you were looking pictures of the Switch and expecting to play local multiplayer twin-stick games with 1 joy con each, we're obviously not dealing with the brightest bulb in the package.

Best of luck figuring out how to charge that pro controller, though. On the included cable... Which, coincidentally, also charges the system just fine...

@Yorumi I can sympathize with the desync issues, I've had to return mine for repairs due to constant disconnects/lag/dropped inputs. So yes, I agree, that sucks pretty bad. But to say it isn't a fully fledged handheld because it only includes the most generic charging port known to man (Most people have multiple USB chargers lying around) is a bit extreme, especially when it comes with a cable included.

As for them putting thought into how people use their products - I don't know what more they could have done on the controller front. They allow you to disconnect and play in table top mode with two joy-con as a standard controller, it allows for the option of using them as two separate SNES style controllers, it allows for a great portable experience - I don't really see how they could have taken many more scenarios into account. The only real gripe I have about Nintendo not taking into account how their product would be used, is the location of the charging port, making it hard to charge/play in table top mode simultaneously. But I can't fathom how anyone would expect every game to be compatible with a single joy-con for local multiplayer.

@Yorumi
I've spent more on cases, Power Delivery batteries and chargers, grips, multiplayer bags, extra Joycons, Pro controllers, charge grips, analog thumb grips, tripods, cables, microSD cards, etc than I have on the system and games.

But... I love that. I love a system that's versatile enough to warrant so many accessories. I could probably wing it with just the system and a case and SD, but I like the expanded experience. The deluxo premium gamer experience 😁

@Yorumi

That's unfortunate. I maybe in the minority here but I like the joy-cons in the grip better than the pro controller. Buttons on that thing are too big and the analog too tall.

But too each their own. Admittedly, I've had desyncing issues this weekend actually with Shovel Knight. I may try putting foam in the controller.

@Yorumi @Turbo857
Btw, you guys should call Nintendo. I had a blue left joycon that cut out in the settings test, and all my other 4 sets of Joycon were fine so it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Called Nintendo, they emailed me a 2 day label before I'd even hung up the phone. Shipped out Monday, arrived Wednesday, fixed Wednesday and sent back out to me that same day with overnight shipping, was waiting for me Thursday after work. 72 hr turnaround.

Sucks to have issues, but they were on point resolving it. You paid good money for your system- it should work as expected. I'd call em up and set up a repair

@JaxonH

Thanks, man. I might do just that. I bought a pair of red Joy-cons and they never gave me an issue. But the original left gray Joy-con has caused countless deaths. Glad to here their customer service is on point with repairs.

@Yorumi They gave you a perfectly fine way of charging it. If you need more, splurge $5 for another cable. Since you've stated you have pro controllers, you've already got the cables too. So use one of those.

Ergonomically, I find the joy-con to be great. The sticks don't feel quite as good as the pro controllers, sure, but they're much better than any other portable I've used. I admit, it's personal preference, but I don't see how they possibly could have taken more use cases into consideration with these things.

As for the location of the charging port, I'm not completely sure what to think. On one hand, I think they could have moved it, but on the other, it would have been difficult with the docking mechanism and thermal conditions... so maybe it needs to be where it is. Still, I agree that's a minor annoyance.

The non-charging joy-con grip? No argument from me there. That's a cheap move on their part. Can't believe they would include that and release a separate charging version, rather than just including it, but alas.

@Yorumi

I hear ya but there's never been a console as versatile as the Switch. The Wii had a lot of accessories too, thanks to the versatile Wii remote. But Switch as a console with detachable controllers is on a whole new level. I bought a Pro controller, extra pair of Joy-cons, 200 GB memory card, charge grip, travel case, and portable battery. All worth it!

@Yorumi
I think there's a difference between "having to buy" and "wanting/choosing to buy". I don't need a Pro Controller. Joycons work great for me. But I opted for one. Had Vita been able to be played on TV, you would have needed to buy one for it also. There's more to buy here cause there's more functionality, which is a good thing.

Storage is storage. At least with Switch I got a 200gb SD for the same price as a 32gb on Vita. But I didn't need one as a physical gamer, whereas Vita came with no internal storage so it was mandatory even for a physical cart update.

But ya, I don't need a 2nd charger, I can charge at home in the dock, but I chose to buy another for convenience sake. You do kind of want 2, one for home and one for handheld, but the only reason you're left needing one is because the system is offering twice the functionality.

So ya, for me there's a few basics I needed like a case and SD, spare charger for handheld mode, but everything else was more "I love this system and want to buy as much as I can to expand my enjoyment, streamline my experience and maximize my convenience" than it was "this system is missing basic necessities needed to enjoy it"

@sillygostly Let's just be happy Nintendo are making new franchises, okay?

@Yorumi While I agree that it sucks that the charging grip is not included, they did it to save costs. The grip included with the Switch does NOT have wiring or any kind of electronics in it. The things on the front that look like LEDs are just light tunnels that route the light from the joy con to the front of the grip.

Is this 3 player?

@roadrunner343
You make a really good point - I wouldn't want to see Zelda gimped to play on a single controller, for example... But Arms is, as all fighters are, multiplayer at its core. So I think a better solution for a Switch flagship multiplayer feature could have been found.

@sillygostly I bet that LittleMac will be present as a DLC at some point ...

Like everyone I'm holding out for info using 2 joycons without motion controls. Not because I'm against motion controls, but because I play mostly portably and it would put me off to buy a game I can only play rarely on the tv.

will be a purchase if available with a pair of joycons as a bundle, im always a sucker for bundled controllers

@Yorumi "It would just be nice if nintendo spent a bit of time thinking about how people are actually going to use their products. That's all I'm saying. Well and they should up their quality control some. If I seriously have poor joycons(with all the desyncing) and a defective pro-controller that's saying a lot."

Umm...just send your joycon to Nintendo and they swap it out, no questions asked, almost immediately. They provide UPS OVERNIGHT shipping. So if you sent it on a Monday, you will literally receive it back on Wednesday or Thursday. I sent both my Switch (screen) and left Joycon (desyncing) in like 3 weeks ago. Nintendo told me I have a 1-yr manufacture warranty and I can send in whatever I need to at anytime during that period and they will fix it. I was floored with their customer service. Bar none, it was the best I ever experienced. Amazon is close, but this was such a pleasant experience. I was also reluctant to send it in due to hearing stories of lost save data, but had no issues there either. I was told that's a very small fraction of repairs, and usually they are repairs for completely broken machines that need to be swapped out.

I think I said this exact same thing to you a year or so ago....but "you're a glass half-empty kinda guy aren't you?"

It's almost a joke. Learn to be a little more easy going...and I don't know, actually enjoy things at face value more often? I promise life is much more enjoyable that way my friend.

@Anti-Matter You can get them slightly cheaper at playincstore.com for 1,199,000rp. Not a huge saving but something! Got my Switch from there and bought games since, reliable and quick postage.

@Anti-Matter Well, it's gonna cost alot to play with friends.

We just posted in Youtube how ARMS works with just 1 set of JoyCon, works great for all modes of the games : https://youtu.be/zPjgn2Wepvk