Nintendo Switch Quick Preview - 1-2-Switch - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 16 January 2017 / 6,842 Views
At Nintendo's recent preview event in London I managed to try out three of the mini-games included in Nintendo's upcoming launch party game, 1-2-Switch. Here's my brief introduction to and verdict on each:
Ball Count
This mini-game has you holding a Joy-Con controller as if it were a small box. You then move the controller around and use the feedback from the controller's rumble to discern how many balls are in 'the box'.
Although a very simple concept that sounds quite dull when described in basic text, Ball Count actually works really well in person. The Joy-Con's 'HD Rumble' (a phrase that was rammed down our throats all day) is the difference maker.
What is 'HD rumble'? Well, basically, instead of having vibrations run all the way through the controller, Nintendo have introduced more precisely located rumble feedback, such that you can now feel small or heavy vibrations in your finger tips. Again, there’s only so much excitement you can generate for what on the surface sounds like a relatively small technical advance, but HD rumble really is a great step forwards. But who knows, perhaps Nintendo can pull off an ad campaign called 'HD Vibrations: Feel the Difference'.
Samurai Training
In Samurai Training two players stand opposite one another. One attempts to slash through the other by striking downwards with the controller while the other attempts to 'grab' the sword as it comes down.
Surprisingly, given that on the surface this sounds like it should be one of the more appealing mini-games in the 1-2-Switch collection, this was the most disappointing of the three I managed to play at the preview event. The mini-game itself is fun, at least at first, but incredibly basic and simplistic, and the grace period the second players has in which to 'catch' the opponent's sword is far too lengthy, making it too easy to grab.
Milk
Milk was easily the best of the three mini-games I was able to play. The game has you basically 'milking' a Joy-Con, which is both hilarious and somewhat seedy (if your humour is that way inclinded) when done in a face-off against another player.
As you stroke from the top you hold one button down and then as you reach the end of the stroke you must hold two buttons down, as if you were squeezing a cow's udder. Successfully getting into the rhythm of milking the udder is essential to filling up your virtual milk pail, and the player who milks the most pails wins.
Getting a rhythm was essential to winning. This is again, something you can replicate pretty cheap with a pretty good friend though.
1-2-Switch is shaping up to be a fairly basic introductory mini-game collection. It successfully shows off the Joy Con and its innovations but the mini-games are for the mostpart quite basic even if they are initially fun. In short, and as expected, 1-2-Switch feels like it should be bundled with the Nintendo Switch in much the same way as Wii Sports was bundled with the Nintendo Wii, or how Wii Play was bundled in with an extra Wiimote.
