At Nintendo's official announcement presentation for the Nintendo Switch, the company revealed the upcoming hybrid console's price tag of $299 and its global launch date of March 3.
There were many other details revealed for the Nintendo Switch at the livestreamed event, including the titles that are coming to the hybrid console. One aspect of the Nintendo Switch featured in the presentation is the device's Joy-Con controllers.
The Joy-Con controllers are among the most unique and innovative parts of the Nintendo Switch. Here is what we know about the cool new accessories.
The Joy-Con Controllers Of The Nintendo Switch
The Joy-Con controllers play an important role in allowing the hybrid nature of the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch can function as both a portable gaming device and a tabletop gaming console, and the Joy-Con controllers give users the flexibility of playing various games in different configurations.
Each unit of the Nintendo Switch comes with a pair of Joy-Con controllers that are docked at either side of the hybrid console's main unit. They are used as the input devices when the Nintendo Switch is used as a portable gaming device, and when the console is docked to transform into a tabletop gaming console, the Joy-Con controllers can be slid off the main unit and used as standalone controllers.
The Joy-Con controllers, which come in gray, blue, or red, can be inserted into what is called the Joy-Con Grip to mimic a more traditional video game controller. However, each Joy-Con controller can also be used on its own so that two users can play a game, as each one features an analog stick, four main buttons, and a shoulder button. The Joy-Con can also function as motion controllers, similar to the Wii remote and Nunchuk combination of the Nintendo Wii.
The left Joy-Con also has a Capture button, which can take screenshots of the Nintendo Switch gameplay that can then be shared through social media. In the future, the button will also allow gamers to capture and share videos of their games. The right Joy-Con, on the other hand, comes with an NFC feature that will work with the Amiibo accessories of Nintendo, and a motion-IR camera that can sense the shape, distance and motion of objects in front of it.
One of the highlighted features of the Joy-Con controllers at the Nintendo Switch presentation is the HD Rumble system, which is a vibration feature that will allow the controllers to emulate specific sensations such as filling a glass with water or shaking a glass of water with ice.
How To Charge Joy-Con Controllers
One of the biggest questions regarding the Joy-Con controllers is the means of charging them, and it was reported that there are three ways of doing so.
The first method is to attach the Joy-Con controllers to a Nintendo Switch while docked, as the dock comes with a USB-C connection that will charge up both the main unit and the Joy-Con. The second method is to use the USB-C charging cable that comes with the Nintendo Switch to similarly charge the main unit and the controllers at the same time.
The third method is to use the charging grip accessory, which is different from the grip that comes with the standard Nintendo Switch bundle. The charging grip likewise comes with a USB-C connection that can be plugged in to replenish the batteries of the Joy-Con controllers.
According to a representative of Nintendo, the Joy-Con controllers each have a battery life of 20 hours.
Joy-Con Controllers Price
For gamers who would like to buy extra Joy-Con controllers, the price is $79.99 for the pair and $49.99 for only the left or right Joy-Con. The charging grip, meanwhile has a price tag of $29.99.
