Nintendo Switch Lite | One Month Later | Review

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​Here it is, chums: Nintendo’s latest console remodel is finally out. Is it a welcome addition to the Switch family? Is it a worthy successor to the fabulously robust 3DS? Is it, in fact, neither? All will be revealed…

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by Rob Holt

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​@acousticmagic

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​Regular visitors to the shores of PTC may already be aware of my Nintendo fan status, which was kickstarted aged seven after me mam got me a Game Boy. Then came the childhood-defining N64 era, which eventually led me to the interesting (if deeply flawed) fiasco known as the Wii U. So, why has it taken me this long to get involved with the Switch? Simply put: There are just too many ruddy ports, be they from the big N itself or the third parties.

​But then I saw the Lite, if you will. Initially I struggled to pick a colour: Am I a yellow man? Turquoise, perhaps? Or should I play it safe with good ol’ depressing grey? I went for turquoise, FYI, but all three finishes look bloody gorgeous. 

Whatever you opt for, they’re all equal in comfort. Nintendo’s Switch Lite boasts a grippy matte finish that perfectly complements its rubber analogue sticks, along with satisfying, reliable buttons and a triumphantly returning d-pad. I’m also pleased to report that, for the most part, it continues to feel comfortable during more rigorous play sessions - unlike even the New 3DS XL.

​That comfort is further enhanced by the absurd weight of the console. It really only becomes apparent that you’re using a handheld in something like an FPS, where the offset nature of the sticks becomes a slight issue (more on that later), but regardless, it does feel robust in that signature Nintendo fashion. 

How about that smaller screen, current Switchers? Well me ducks, I can honestly say that this is visually the best handheld I’ve ever used. Booting up Link’s Awakening for the first time sent echoes of nostalgia all through my rotting, sagging flesh and coloured my day with whimsy. It doesn’t auto-change the brightness like big brother, but it’s still plenty clear, crisp and girthy nonetheless.

So the design be grand and the screen be lovely, but that doesn’t really matter if you’ve got nothing to play on it. Yours truly has been testing the Switch Lite with the aforementioned Link’s Awakening, charming Stardew Valley, handheld staple Tetris 99, and the brutal DOOM to really put the console through its paces.

For the most part, I’ve been very impressed. How can this dinky little thing run the frantic, exploding-head wonderment of DOOM (2016)?! That’s a fantastical achievement in itself, even if the small form factor and offset sticks make aiming slightly difficult. Yet it’s that small size and maximum portability that makes me smile so. Having Stardew on the go is worth the price of admission alone if you ask me, but account for that massive and expanding library of third-party hits alongside Nintendo’s own bigguns and the potential for bank account destruction is supreme.
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Yet all that good does come paired with some rather corpulent bad. It’s been well publicised that this is, in fact, a Switch that doesn’t switch, yet it still seems like a bizarre decision. For games like Stardew and the rest of the indie cannon it’s fine, but will Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild sequel have the same emotional impact on a smaller screen? Only time hath the answer. You can add the endless battery life debate to the fire as well (I’ve managed probably four hours tops so far), and the lack of Bluetooth headphones support is absurd in this ridiculously technological universe of ours.

​Alas, you’ve reached the end. Well done. After a month in its company I say with much admiration that I’m glad to be back in Nintendo’s warm and ample bosom. I adore the cheaper price, portability, comfort and games library. Undeniably though, you will be making some rather large sacrifices in choosing the Lite over its conventional forebear. Much like this old bugger, consider your lifestyle and how often you actually play games. If, like me, you only really get to play on commutes, then the Lite is well worth the dosh.

Pros

• Gorgeous design
• Lightweight and incredibly portable
• Solid, reliable feeling construction
• Good quality screen that feels bigger than it actually is
• Price point
• Humongous games library
• Feels great in my reasonably fat hands

Cons

• Doesn’t actually switch
• Battery life could be better
• No Bluetooth support
• Offset analogue sticks not great for certain genres