You’ve got a full house of kings and jacks. You’ve put all of your chips into the pot. You look into the eyes of your opponent to try and decipher what they’ve got. Then, you lay ‘em down. Your rival wasn’t even close: only had two pairs in their hand. A slight smile begins to form at the corner of your mouth: you’ve won big. Is there any feeling in the world more thrilling than a good game of cards with everything on the line?
At the Switch event last week, Nintendo made a big point when discussing what went into the development of the Switch. An element from every prior piece of Nintendo hardware can be found in the Nintendo Switch. Motion controls from the Wii, a tablet-like device from the Wii U, controllers modeled after the SNES, the list goes on. In addition to this: Nintendo recently discussed how the Switch pulls from concepts even further back in Nintendo’s long history: playing cards.
“When you play cards, you look opponents in the eye to read their strategy, and that is fun. We realized no video game devices have been able to offer that kind of entertainment.”
-Yoshiaki Koizumi, General Producer of the Nintendo Switch
Way back when, Nintendo was a playing card company. Time has taken the company down many different paths, eventually leading to video games. Now, Nintendo will look to capture some of that old playing card magic with the Switch. Some games will now focus on looking at the other players rather than the screen, just like a card game.
Nintendo has always, especially in recent years, strived to take the road less traveled in terms of design. With the Switch, the new possibilities are seemingly endless. Thanks to the technical depth of the Joy-Con controllers, the Switch will be able to expand and redefine the meaning of what it is to play a video game. Games such as 1-2-Switch will already begin to usher in a new style of gameplay: video games without constantly looking at a screen. Features like HD Rumble, the IR Camera and motion controls will make new gameplay experiences seem like second nature.
With the portability of the console, taking the Switch on the go will be like having a party ready to go in your pocket. Pull out the Switch, boot up a party game, and it won’t even feel like you’re playing a video game; it’ll feel like old-fashioned fun with friends.
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Written by Logan Plant
Logan loves voicing his opinions just as much as writing them. When he isn’t gaming or writing, Logan’s probably recording a podcast or chatting on the radio. Video game journalism is his passion, and he hopes to cover video games for years to come.
