Unboxing the Nintendo Switch Neon Blue & Neon Red

Yesterday Nintendo released their newest console, the Switch. This is a hybrid gaming system meant to offer both home console playstyles as well as mobile gaming, all with the same device. Right now there are two million systems available worldwide in two different color variaties, grey and neon blue & neon red.

Two box shows the two different playstyles, on the front is the console setup and on the back we can see the tablet in handheld mode.

Opening the lid reveals the main components: the tablet and the two Joy Cons.

The Joy Con colors are called neon for a reason, they are very bright indeed. The pictures don’t do it justice. The palette takes some getting used to but it certainly creates a vibrant whole which seems fitting for a Nintendo console, as people often associate the company with playfulness and bright colors.

The second layer of the box contains the other accessories: the dock, Joy Con straps, cables and Joy Con Grip.

The Joy Con Grip is used to turn the Joy Cons into a more traditional controller, by simply sliding them on both sides.

The Dock is what you use to charge the system and to output the signal to your television. When placing the tablet into the dock it instantly switches to the tv screen.

The Switch is a system which potential is hard to judge. On one hand its impressive how easily it allows you to switch between a home console and a portable setup. On the other hand it inevitably suffers from a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ situation. There are compromises made at both ends of the spectrum, and the Switch finds itself somewhere in the middle, trying to find a balance between portability and power. We will only be able to judge how it all works out a few years down the line. For now, let us just enjoy the smell of new electronics.