Review for 1-2-Switch. Game for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 03/03/2017
It has been a long time since that distant December 2006, when the best-selling Nintendo Wii hit the shops. One of the best-selling consoles in the world and which has also made its strength the inclusion, within the package, of the acclaimed Wii Sports. Collection of sports minigames, Wii Sports was born almost as a "demo" of the capabilities of the Wiimote and instead ended up becoming a sort of killer application that drove the sales of the Nintendo machine to no end. Just think that some buyers have kept Wii Sports as their only game throughout the life of the Wii. What would have happened though, if Wii Sports hadn't been included in the console box and instead sold separately at full price? Would it have been the same success?
This is probably what we will discover, as this is exactly the case with 1-2-Switch.
In the meantime, you can also read what we think of the Nintendo Switch console and its flagship game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
28 games to switch them all
1-2-Switch is a party game title, exclusively multiplayer, consisting of 28 mini experiences that should ideally be the soul of a party for everyone to have fun together. The recurring theme in these games is "not looking at the screen": each of these little experiences is in fact playable by looking each other in the eye, also creating often embarrassing moments.
Nintendo's attempt is to get us into character no matter what minigame it is: we'll play cowboys, powerful wizards, or cow milkers. We will always be committed to exploiting the peculiarities of the two Joy-Con in some way, making 1-2-Switch a sort of technical “demo” like Wii Sports was for Nintendo Wii.
Each player holds one of the two Joy-Con in their hands, and at that point the choice of the game will determine which technical aspect of the controllers will be used: the motion sensor, the gyroscope, or the brand new Rumble HD.
Of course, some games are more successful than others. If in the wild west it is very interesting to wait for the word "Fire!" to then try to extract the Joy-Con as quickly as possible and hit the opponent at the right angle (then going to see on the screen the movements and the angle used with a lot of timer), the game of wizards instead forces us to spin the pad on our heads and then "hurl" an imaginary beam at our opponent, without however giving a clear idea of the real functioning and mechanics, which in the end will result more in moving randomly than using a real strategy.
Regardless of the game rules the gyroscope makes an excellent figure and shows all the technological advancement after the "testing" of this last decade, especially in games such as the one where the Joy-Con is held on the table and the players have to carefully lift it and rotate it as many degrees as possible without making it tilt or shake. The motion sensor is certainly not far behind, used for titles such as capture the flag (where we will have to run in place with the Joy-Con in hand simulating a real race and then raise our hand when we hear the controller vibrate indicating the arrival at the flag) or as in the milking of cows, in which we will look the opponent straight in the eye while performing movements with the hand that leave very little room for imagination.
Even the infrared sensor gets its share of "glory" with a single game that puts us in the shoes of a sandwich eater. “Yum Yum” in fact plans to put the Joy-Con in front of our mouth and then start opening and closing it simulating a sick chewing of sandwiches, ultimately resulting in a certain amount of sandwiches eaten to be observed on the screen.
Among all the new features, however, what really dominates it in terms of operation and potential is the Rumble HD, shown in January by an unclear video of a glass full of ice cubes being moved. This new vibration system changes not only in intensity, but also in position throughout the length, width, and depth of the controller. In 1-2-Switch there is only one game that makes use of this new rumble, and it is an experience in which we will be holding a closed wooden box with metal balls inside. By moving the Joy-Con as if it were the box, we will be able to perfectly feel the balls rotate inside it, with a result so realistic and well made that it left us amazed.
Fat VS Asian Woman
The technical realization of the title is certainly not the heart of the game. Indeed, given the fact that most of the time we will look our opponent in the eye, 1-2-Switch didn't require any effort in this regard. In the visual field we simply have some very nice and well made menus, and the final screens with the results of each activity.
In addition to this, before trying out a game, we will be able to observe more or less explanatory video tutorials, in which we will see 2 players try their hand at the minigame in question. In this video obviously the fun is king, at least considering the expressions and the involvement of the actors; pity that in reality the result is very different.
Each of these games will be played yes and no once or twice, and very unlikely they will be able to occupy an entire evening, getting tired early, being too embarrassing or insipid, and in some cases even skipping them (like the fashion show game, which we doubt will ever be activated by anyone). The dubbing is pleasant and features well-known voices in the anime and TV series, but the longevity makes the whole ship sink to peak despite the presence of a random game mode and a team game.
1-2-Switch is a big set of multiplayer mini-games that are fun for the first or second time, and boring or embarrassing the next. The merit of this production is to show the technical abilities of the Joy-Con at best (and they are really impressive), with the drawback, however, of being a real "demo" sold separately from the console and at an unrealistic price. We could not recommend even an enemy to spend € 50 for 1-2-Switch, given its nature and above all the fact that Nintendo, for once, has not succeeded in its task to entertain its users.
If this game had been included in the console box, for free, it would have probably been the very good extra it was at the time Wii Sports, but in the current situation even asking € 20 for a digital purchase would probably have been too much.
► 1-2-Switch is a game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 03/03/2017
