Nintendo Switch Lite arrives for $ 200, and here's how it's played

When reports emerged from a low cost Nintendo Switch that would not have detachable Joy-Con controllers and could not hook up to a TV, my son had a question. What is the point of a switch that does not change?

Good question. But that's exactly what Nintendo will release on September 20th. The Nintendo Switch Lite is portable only and costs $ 200.

Is it really a switch? Does it matter? I play most of the time on my old Nintendo switch in handheld mode. The holiday version of the Nintendo switch bets that for many people, this will suffice.

The Nintendo Switch Lite costs $ 100 less than the original switch and also reduces the previous model a bit, with a 5.5 inch screen of 720 pixels. But it is also abandoning TV connectivity via USB-C and no longer has removable rumble controllers.

To be clear, the original Nintendo switch, which sold 34 million systems worldwide in the first two years, will remain loyal to the Lite switch priced at $ 300.

"We believe the two systems will complement each other and coexist on the market," said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, in a conversation with CNET, singling out the Lite as "a compact gaming device, light and dedicated ".

Some features lack at Switch Lite, which seems less expensive, but also seems to be the future of Nintendo's handhelds beyond the Nintendo 3DS. But even if the Switch Lite looks like the beginning of the end of the 3DS / 2DS, according to Bowser, these handhelds are not yet disappearing.

Lite in hand is very nice

The Switch Lite packaging looks brighter and its colors too. A gray, yellow and turquoise pattern will arrive on September 20th when Nintendo Zelda: Link's Awakening redo hits. A Pokemon themed limited edition with pencil-shaped engravings on an off-white case will be launched with Pokémon sword and shieldbut that will not come with the game.

I immediately noticed that the Lite was more compact than the original Switch. It's about as long as a switch minus one of its disadvantages. It is thinner and the 5.5-inch 720-pixel screen makes the resolution of the game a little sharper than that of the 6.2-inch 720-pixel switch. But in some cases it is harder to read a smaller text.

The matte plastic and the feeling of solidity reminded me a lot of the recent Nintendo 2DS XL handheld. No detachable Joy-Cons means that the sides of the Switch Lite do not sag and squeak so much.

The Lite feels bigger than Sony's dearly gone handheld, the PlayStation Vitabut I did not have one nearby to directly compare the two. The Lite Switch still does not exactly have the size of a pocket, but it is much more user-friendly, like a gaming Kindle.

And it's rock-solid, with pretty much the material I thought. It feels like a cousin of the 3DS.

The Switch Lite has many of the same internal features: a 32GB storage capacity, a MicroSD card slot, the same volume button layout, a headphone jack, a USB-C port for charging (it comes with the same charger as the one supplied with the switch.) The 720-pixel touch screen has the same resolution, but is smaller (again, 5.5 inches vs. 6.2 inches). It always has Wi-Fi, NFC and can connect to additional controllers. And the battery should also have a better life – about 20-30% more, depending on the game. The Switch Lite uses a more efficient processor that allows smaller heat vents on the system. Unfortunately, like the original switch, it will not connect to Bluetooth headphones.

There is also a new real D-Pad on the left side, replacing a set of four buttons on the Joy-Con of the Switch offering these same functions. This seems to be a better option for playing NDA-style retro games, but according to Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, do not expect a D-Pad for a future joy-con: "It's not a good place to play. There are no plans, and nothing to announce, in terms of new variations of Joy-Con. "

I have to play pieces of Zelda: Breath of nature, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Mario Odyssey on the Lite switch. This is an excellent test of the most demanding Switch games. They all looked nice and nothing seemed so close.

What I miss: change and scold

The Switch Lite is making compromises to reach this price of $ 200 and some will hurt. First of all: its non detachable controllers mean that you will not be able to replace them if they start to use them.

This switch can not produce any video output: the USB-C port will not work with the Home Station Switch. This means that it can not be used as a console connected to the television, which is half the attraction of the Switch. As a result, your only viewing option is the 5.5-inch screen of the Lite, which also lacks an automatic brightness sensor.

Nintendo promises that all Switch games that are compatible with the portable mode (indicated in the Switch software) will work on the Switch Lite. You could play games like 1-2 switch or Just Dance on the Switch Lite. All you need to do is pair Joy-Con controllers with this small 5.5-inch display. Oh, and find a way to support the Lite Switch, which is missing a crutch.

But the Switch Lite will not work with the weird and wonderful Nintendo Labo cardboard construction kitbecause its size is completely different.

The thing that I will miss the most, however, could be the roar. The Nintendo Switch controller has haptic vibrations capable in its controllers, but all that has disappeared in the Lite version. It's weird to play Mario Kart or Super Mario Odyssey without the roar. This is feasible if you associate a roar-equipped controller, but I doubt that I will do it.

Is it important to lose one of these exchangeable items, if however you only use the switch to play games on the move … and save $ 100 as well?

A budget switch or a perfect second switch?

I kept turning the idea of ​​Switch Lite in my head again and again. I like the friendliness of the material and, for $ 100 less, it's a great handheld. But the Switch Lite also loses the key transformation features that made the Magic Switch in the first place.

Maybe it's okay.

I think of Switch Lite as a game system that my child wants. And this could be the switch for anyone who does not care about playing on TV.

But it could also be the second ideal switch for a home that already has one. For example, one for children or the equivalent game of a garage for two cars. "You're absolutely right, I could see that integrating into a home where there are multiple players … and a flagship switch, the Nintendo Switch," said Bowser, of Nintendo.

I could see myself taking the smallest switch while traveling while leaving the household behind. But then, how could I transfer games between systems? It was not easy for Nintendo, but a solution could be considered.

"Yes, you will have the opportunity to switch from one device to another, from your gaming experiences. You will know more, but that 's the intention," he said. said Bowser. Could this be the multi-device account solution I was expecting? Maybe Nintendo has put in place a plan to facilitate the change of switch.

The Lite is not a sequel to the switch. It is rather an economic fallout. It will also be the only new Nintendo Switch hardware for this holiday, as Nintendo's Bowser says the bigger switch will not benefit from an upgrade yet. But maybe that's exactly what is needed. At the very least, it is ultimately a cheaper switch.

In exchange, you lose … the Switch part.

But for many people, this might not be important at all.