Nintendo’s next console, the Switch, is set to release sometime in March of 2017. On January 12th, Nintendo is holding a ‘Switch Presentation’ for invited journalists to show off everything the new system can do, what games we can expect, the retail price, and release date for the console. But instead of waiting quietly, several industry leakers and journalists have been finding out new tidbits about the Switch and revealing that info ahead of the presentation.
I’ve collected the more interesting of these rumors and leaks below. How many of these will end up being true? The track record from these sources has been pretty solid in regards to the Switch, so I expect most of the leaks to hold up.
First, the Nintendo Switch will have Gamecube virtual console support. Nintendo is sitting on a treasure trove of great titles from the Gamecube console generation and fans have been clamoring to be able to play these games on current machines. Rumors had been around for ages that a Gamecube virtual console would come to the Wii U, but that never came to be. It looks like Nintendo is finally ready to give fans what they have been asking for and will support having Gamecube games run on the Switch. The idea of potentially being able to play some Gamecube classics like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door sounds amazing! Rumors say that Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, and Super Smash Bros. Melee are all confirmed titles coming to the Gamecube virtual console catalogue.
Next up, Nintendo Switch will get a version of Pokemon Sun/Moon. The main entries to the Pokemon franchise have consistently been exclusive to handheld consoles, but it seems that Nintendo is expecting to release the third (final?) version of Pokemon Sun/Moon on the system around holiday 2017. This could be a huge title for the console, as Pokemon has been a fan favorite title for years.
Next, from the ever amazing Laura Kate Dale (twitter), she reports that the Nintendo Switch dock boosts performance of the Switch handheld when plugged in. When the Switch is docked, it will reportedly be able to draw more power directly from the plugged
in base which ups the clock speed of its internal components, allowing the system to display games in full 1080p vs. the 720p visuals the handheld unit itself will be capable of displaying on-the-go. This is an interesting bit of information as it shows that outside supplemental hardware to the Switch handheld can boost performance of the console. Is it possible that a different base to the Switch could release at some point that had a better GPU inside and could significantly enhance the visuals of the system when played on your television? Maybe! I personally don’t think Nintendo will go that route, but it’s absolutely possible and something to think about.
In line with the dock enhancing Switch performance comes the fact that the Switch can be charged via USB-C. The most exciting part of this is that USB-C has the ability to charge things much faster than traditional forms of charging. I’ve read reports that indicate it may be possible to fully charge an electronic device similar to the Switch in a fraction of the time it would take otherwise. Optimistic estimates say in about a half hour, you could have a full charge. This would be a huge plus considering other rumors suggest the handheld portion of the Switch may only be able to play games for a few hours at best without needing to recharge.
Onto some Switch software rumors, Let’s Play Video Games reports that Dark Souls III is currently running on the Switch. From Software is reportedly experimenting with the system and has indicated they may be trying to release a Dark Souls compilation on the Switch that would include all three Dark Souls games with all DLC incorporated. That would be a pretty solid offering for fans of the genre, and is another example of Nintendo trying to procure more ‘hardcore’ titles for Nintendo fans.
Lastly, rumors suggest that Ubisoft is developing a Mario RPG crossover title incorporating Rabbids expected to be available on day one for Switch. Not much is known about the title, but I expect we will learn more about it at the Switch presentation happening next month.
So what do you think about all of these rumors? Is the Switch shaping up to be the console you want from Nintendo? Or are you still not sold? Leave a comment on the article, we would love to hear your thoughts!
-Eric Oliver
VGTank 