First impressions
The device: I was surprised at how tiny the actual console was. I'd seen size comparisons but, opening the box, I was greeted by two miniscule Joypads and a "tablet" roughly the size of my smartphone. Connecting it to the TV was quick and painless. No pairing of controllers. No external HDD worries. No Ethernet cable. Just "plug in the HDMI. Plug up the power supply. Play."
I already have a ton of USB C Cables so keeping the console powered in portable mode will be no problem. In fact, I can use my smartphone's Turbo Charger. The device feels good. So far, there was none of that "Oh wow, this is the next generation" feeling that I got with my PS4 or Xbox One, though.
The interface/Dashboard: The interface is really simple and bare bones. Good or bad? Can't decide, yet. There are few customization options. You can choose a light theme or a dark theme. A few avatars to choose from (I chose Samus). No custom wallpapers and, as far as I can tell, no option to use screenshots as wallpapers. I'm sure it will be added eventually.
The controller: Haven't gotten my hands on a Pro controller, yet. On their own, the Joycon felt to small for my giant hands. When placed in the included grip, they felt like a traditional controller but not nearly as comfortable as an Xbox One, PS4, or even Wii U controller. Motion controls are impressive. The much touted "HD rumble" hasn't really impressed me, yet. It feels like the WiiU gamepad rumble (I've only played Zelda so far...) and, to be honest, is a bit of a disappointment. Hopefully, it's just the software not taking advantage, yet. Anyway, the Joycons serve their purpose though I doubt anyone will be calling them "The best best controllers, ever."
Power: The only game I have is Zelda Breath of the Wild. It looks like a WiiU game. Period. A highly end WiiU game, but not on par with even Xbox One/PS4 launch titles, graphically. Even if the game looked stunning on YouTube or whatever, you'll easily spot technical limitations when playing it yourself. Art style hides a lot. I'm going to need to see other games to find out what the Switch can really do.
Miscellaneous:
-I purchased a screen protector and really fucked up the application. I'll keep it on until my tempered glass one arrives. Whatever you do, go with glass.
On that note, my phone is a Droid Moto Z Force. The screen is supposed to be indestructible but it still gets scratches. It's just the nature of the beast. You HAVE to get a screen protector, nowadays (though I never needed one for Vita...).
-No issue at all with the controller not responding. Not saying it doesn't exist. I just haven't seen it rear its ugly head, at all.
-No issue going from TV mode to portable mode and losing battery life. If it's 100% in TV mode, the console was still 100% in portable.
-screen looks absolutely beautiful in portable. Right on par with Vita and probably amongst the better smart phones as far as clarity goes.
-No option to adjust brightness in TV mode. Connected to my 4K TV, the default picture was so bright, it hurt my eyes! I had to adjust the TV settings.
-I haven't really figured out a good place to put mine where it looks natural and hides those unsightly cables.
That's it for now. More to come.
