On Saturday, we reported on a curious feature of the Switch’s right-hand Joy-Con controller – a sort of glossy panel on its bottom. Laura Kate Dale, who has delivered many correct reports and leaks about the Switch so far, has been digging into this and apparently found out that that glossy panel is indeed an infrared (IR) pointer. The purpose of this IR pointer has to do with the Switch’s supposed touchscreen functionality.
Whether or not the Switch has touchscreen functionality has so far not been confirmed (or denied) by Nintendo. However, multiple reports prior to the Switch’s launch, which so far have been correct, have all said that the console will indeed have a multi-touch screen. Of course, that seems to clash with what we officially know of the Switch so far – if you’re playing it on your TV, then the console (with the supposed touchscreen) rests inside its dock, making it impossible to actually use the touchscreen.
According to Laura Kate Dale, who has spoken with sources at Ubisoft, the Joy-Con’s IR pointer will be used to circumvent that problem – the IR pointer will essentially be used to replicate touchscreen functionality while you’re playing the Switch in “TV mode”. Dale believes that the top of the Switch screen, which is visible even when it’s inside the dock, will serve as a sensor bar – essentially working the same as the Wii Sensor Bar, with the Joy-Con being used like a Wii Remote.
As always, these are just unconfirmed rumors at this point, but it’s quite interesting to think about. What’s your take on this – do you believe the Switch has a touchscreen? And will this be the way to play touchscreen games on the TV?
This week’s European Nintendo Downloads are as follows:
Wii U Retail
Just Dance 2017 – €49.99 / £39.99 / CHF 55.00
Wii U Download
Mr. Pumpkin Adventure – €3.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.80
Solitaire – €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00
Wii U DLC
JUST DANCE Unlimited – 24 hours access – €3.99 / £3.29 / CHF 3.90
JUST DANCE Unlimited – 1 month access – €4.99 / £4.00 / CHF 4.90
JUST DANCE Unlimited – 3 months access – €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 9.90
JUST DANCE Unlimited – 1 year access – €29.99 / £25.00 / CHF 29.90
Runbow – Shantae – free
Minecraft: Wii U Edition: Battle Map Pack 4 – €2.99 / £2.39 / CHF 3.00
Minecraft: Wii U Edition: Campfire Skin Pack – €1.99 / £1.59 / CHF 1.80
Minecraft: Wii U Edition: Halloween Battle Map – €1.99 / £1.59 / CHF 1.80
Minecraft: Wii U Edition: Spooky Bundle – €6.99 / £5.59 / CHF 6.90
Minecraft: Wii U Edition: Builder’s Pack – €16.99 / £12.79 / CHF 16.60
3DS Download
Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure – €14.99 / £14.99 / CHF 19.99 (Bonus Code: Get a free Gurumin theme for every purchase of Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure.)
Corpse Party – €29.99 / £24.99 / CHF 38.90
DISNEY 2-PACK FROZEN – BIG HERO 6 COMBO – €29.99 / £19.99 / CHF 42.00
Fairune 2 – €6.99 / £6.89 / CHF 10.20
New Nintendo 3DS Download
Box Up – €1.49 / £1.39 / CHF 2.10
3DS Themes
Pokémon: A Sinister Organisation – Team Rocket – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Pokémon: A Sinister Organisation – Galactic -€1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Sonic series: 25th Anniversary Theme – free
Sonic series: Classic Style – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Sonic series: Boom Style – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Sonic series: Sonic Style – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Sonic Bundle #2 – €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00
Shaun the Sheep – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Gurumin Heroes Theme – €1.39 / £1.19 / CHF 1.49
Gurumin Monster Pals Theme – €1.39 / £1.19 / CHF 1.49
Gurumin Night Parade Theme – €1.39 / £1.19 / CHF 1.49
Gurumin Orange Twist Theme – €1.39 / £1.19 / CHF 1.49
Gurumin Monster Bundle – €3.49 / £3.49 / CHF 3.49
Magic HalloWinx – €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80
Hello Kitty Halloween – €0.99 / £0.89 / CHF 1.40
Nintendo has just announced a Monster Hunter-focused Nintendo Direct via its Japanese Twitter account. The Direct will air this Thursday, October 27th, at 8 PM JST.
The announcement on the Monster Hunter website specifies that there won’t be any announcements for Switch or mobile phones in the Direct.
This week’s Wii U/3DS-specific UK software sales are as follows:
Wii U
1. Paper Mario: Color Splash – Nintendo
2. Minecraft Wii U Edition – Nintendo
3. Mario Kart 8 – Nintendo
4. Skylanders Imaginators – Activision Blizzard
5. Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
6. New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U – Nintendo
7. Pokken Tournament – Nintendo
8. Mario Party 10 – Nintendo
9. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – Nintendo
10. Lego Dimensions – Warner Bros. Interactive
3DS
1. Tomodachi Life – Nintendo
2. New Super Mario Bros. 2 – Nintendo
3. Mario Kart 7- Nintendo
4. Pokemon Omega Ruby – Nintendo
5. Yo-Kai Watch – Nintendo
6. Rhythm Paradise: Megamix – Nintendo
7. Mario Party: Star Rush – Nintendo
8. Pokemon Alpha Sapphire – Nintendo
9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D- Nintendo
10. Pokemon Y – Nintendo
Source: Chart-Track
The final round of Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC is now set to release next week on October 31. It will include two characters: Ravio, wielding a hammer, and Yuga, wielding a paintbrush. They will be available for both the Wii U and 3DS versions. The 3DS version will also include a new Adventure Map, which will have Ravio assisting the player, and 15 new costumes for My Fairy. The Adventure Map will also unlock more powerful weapons for the new characters and pre-existing characters, as well as new costumes.
The site also describes Ravio and Yuga’s fighting styles. Ravio will use a variety of weapons from his shop, including bombs, the boomerang, and the ice rod. Yuga will manipulate lightning and pictures.
The 3DS version will cost $6.99, the Wii U will cost $4.99, or you can buy both for $9.99. If you have the Season Pass, you will not need to pay anything more.
Check out some screenshots below:
Update: The full information is live on the website. Read up on details here.
The Hyrule Warriors’ Twitter has unveiled Ravio, who will be joining the games’ cast in the Link Between Worlds pack on October 31. The pack will include another character (who was previously leaked) and a new Adventure Map for Hyrule Warriors Legends on 3DS, but those have yet to be revealed.
??????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????10?31????????????https://t.co/G0YqMdGOSC pic.twitter.com/aU43R2cyAi
— ????????? (@zelda_musou) October 24, 2016
A new episode of Japanese show Game Center DX shows off The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’s a rather lengthy look too, clocking at 40 minutes (although not all of that time is gameplay). The show’s members even chat with Eiji Aonuma near the end. Note that the footage is still the Wii U version, though. Check it out below:
The “Rare Revealed” video series continues, this time focusing on Jet Force Gemini. Below you’ll hear the studio share more about the classic N64 title with insider facts.
This week certainly turned out to be much more interesting in the world of Nintendo than most would have expected. It took Nintendo about 1.5 years, but we finally got a first look at the company’s brand new system on Thursday.
The way in which Nintendo decided to unveil Switch was certainly interesting. It was a more-focused approach for sure. Many people expected that Nintendo would come out in full-force with details, but instead we received a brief three-minute trailer. Still, in that time, you’ll find a lot packed in.
First, “NX” is now a thing of the past. We have an official, final name: Switch. The “Wii” brand is completely gone, and shows that Nintendo is ready to move on. Many rumors were also proven true: notably the hybrid theory, use of cartridges, and detachable controllers. Plus, it’s still on track for a March 2017 launch!
Another important aspect to point out is the amount of partners on board. The expected and previous-known partners such as Square Enix, Capcom, and Ubisoft are pledging support, but there are a few big surprises as well like Bethesda and FromSoftware. Heck, even EA seems to be giving things a shot as well. The Wii U had its fair share of third-party support when the console was first announced, but the number is certainly higher this time around, and more varied as well.
Even though there’s still plenty to learn about Switch, this is a good start. We apparently won’t be hearing much about it for the rest of the year, though Nintendo will likely hold an event in January for a proper blowout.
With that introduction out of the way, we want to hear from all of you about Switch. What are your initial impressions? Are you pleased with what Nintendo has shown so far, or are you disappointed. If you have any comments at all, share them with us below!
