Nintendo started a trend for its software when it released Wii Sports on the Nintendo Wii. This compilation of mini-games turned out to be so successful that the company released other titles like it, such as Wii Play and Nintendo Land. It’s only fitting that it continues this trend with upcoming Nintendo Switch release, 1-2-Switch.
As expected, 1-2-Switch is a compilation of various mini-games aimed at getting new owners of Nintendo’s exciting upcoming hardware acquainted with its unique Joy-Con controllers. The list of mini-games included is actually quite extensive and it is definitely not lacking for content when compared to some of Nintendo’s previous efforts with compilations of mini-games.
Perhaps one of the most bizarre mini-games available to play, Copy Dance is aimed at getting players used to the movement sensitive Joy-Con controllers. The idea of the mini-game is for one player to do a dance move and then the other player must copy it. The winner is the one that managed to copy the dance moves with the least amount of mistakes. This is all possible thanks to sensors within the Joy-Con controllers that check the movements players have done. It’s all very clever and the fact that it actually works makes it all the more impressive. This mini-game definitely has the potential to be very popular at parties.
Whereas Quick Draw has a similar concept to Copy Dance, it relies more on the reactions of the players. This is the old school Western showdown where both players compete to see who raises a Joy-Con controller (representing a revolver) and presses a button to see who shoots the other first. Although a very simple idea, it is still amusing to observe others play it. More so given that it’s one of many mini-games that is based on both players looking straight at each other. It’s not quite as easy as shooting each other in a virtual environment within a TV screen.
Many of the mini-games rely on simple movements, so it’s a nice idea to include a mini-game such as Samurai Training in this compilation. The idea is for one player to hold the Joy-Con controller above his/her head and then swing it down. The other player then has to clap at the right time to successfully block the attack. Now what makes this interesting is how players can choose to play. The player attacking can choose to play mind tricks with the other player by faking attacks to get him/her to block too early and then essentially be defenceless. It’s also possible for the player attacking to swing the sword sideways to use a different attack. Out of all the mini-games, this is the best one in terms of depth and replay value. It also benefited from being incredibly precise to the point that it only registered the attack when moving the Joy-Con controller downwards to a certain angle.
Now the mini-game that quite a lot of people have mentioned is Ball Count. This is due to the fact that it’s the one that best showcases HD Rumble – a Joy-Con controller feature that enables realistic vibration feedback. The idea for this mini-game is for players to hold the Joy-Con controller like a box. This “box” is filled with a random number of balls and players have to guess how many by moving the Joy-Con controller. Now the vibration feedback is truly impressive and it’s remarkable how many different vibrations could be felt to the point that it really did feel like it was possible to sense each ball knock against each other or a side of the box. Albeit simple, this taster of what the HD Rumble feature can accomplish is a tantalising glimpse at how it could be used in other titles in the future.
Another title that makes use of the HD Rumble is the Safe Crack where two players work to see who can open a safe first. Once again, the Joy-Con controller managed to impress with its precise movements. The idea is to hold the small controller on its side and then twist it until feeling a stronger vibration and then holding it then for a couple of seconds. Do this three times and the virtual loot is yours.
The mini-game that provided the most laughs though was Milk and it’s definitely one that players will not forget playing. In Milk players hold the Joy-Con controllers on its side, like a Nintendo Wii Nunchuck, and then must press two side buttons in succession whilst moving the controller downwards. Performing this action correctly will result in gaining more milk from the virtual cow that the player is currently milking. Now the best aspect of this mini-game is having to look at another player whilst doing what could be considered a rather questionable hand movement. Like in a good game of poker, the one that manages to keep a straight face and not burst out laughing is the one that will most likely come out as the dairy king or queen.
If the purpose of these mini-games, plus the ones not included in the demonstration, is to familiarise players with the Joy-Con controllers, then it was a success. It made it a lot easier to make use of the controllers with other titles after trying some of these mini-games. Whereas 1-2-Switch may not be ideal for those looking for a traditional video-game experience, it certainly feels like it may prove popular for those that might just want to entertain friends in a social environment.
1-2-Switch is scheduled to be released exclusively on Nintendo Switch on the 3rd of March 2017.
