Nintendo unveils Switch, its new gaming console

Nintendo on Thursday officially announced the next generation of their console dubbed Switch. It has a modular approach and comes with four parts: a tablet like device, a Dock, a pair of detachable controllers called Joy Con, and a grip accessory to place Joy Con.

The tablet-like device rests in a Dock that connects the system to the TV and lets you play in the comfort of your living room with standard console controller. The Dock can also charge the tablet. Alternatively, you can remove it from the dock and use it as a portable gaming tablet by attaching a pair of Joy Con controller on either sides to play on the go.

Joy-Con are a pair of small wireless detachable controller with an analog stick and four buttons. It can also be detached from the tablet, and be used in games by one player (in each hand) or as an individual controller for multiple players.

The Joy Con controllers can also be fitted to the grip accessory and used as a standalone gaming controller to play games when the tablet is placed in the Dock and connected to TV.

Nintendo also released a promotional video on YouTube to show the Switch in action. In one of the clip two people are playing Mario Kart, each holding one of Joy-Con controllers. There's also a clip that show the Switch is propped up by a kickstand, and a person is playing games holding one half of the controller in each hand.

Another clip shows a person inserting tiny game cartridges into a slot on the side of the tablet. According to report the cartridges looks similar to those used in other portable Nintendo gaming consoles. Moreover, we can see a total of six games in the promotional videos including The Legend of Zelda, The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim, Mario kart, Splatoon, a NBA game and a new Super Mario game.

The Switch will be powered by a custom version of NVIDIA's Tegra processor. This was confirmed by NVIDIA in a separate blog post.

Nintendo says that it is working with 48 developers including development companies like EA, Bethesda, Capcom, Activision, and Ubisoft as well as middleware and game engine companies like Unity and Havok to release a number of titles.

The Nintendo Switch will launch in March 2017. The pricing is yet to be revealed. 

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