Picking up the Nintendo Switch OLED for the first time, I didn’t expect to be so enamoured with its kickstand. Given the console’s name, you’d think the colourful new display would be its biggest selling point – and it is – but the kickstand opens up whole new opportunities for tabletop play. No longer is the console susceptible to tumbling into a heap of plastic whenever the table it’s balanced on feels the slightest bump, something that was impossible to avoid on any form of public transport. Tabletop play used to be more of a chore than anything else – the Switch OLED changes that.
As I mention in my full preview, the Switch OLED is a refinement of the existing console as opposed to a complete reinvention, and Nintendo is being very forward about this definition. The screen is gorgeous, awash with vibrant colours and bright visuals, while the improved speakers allow for greater audio immersion as you explore the fields of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild or strive to collect each and every moon in Super Mario Odyssey. Now, though, you can participate in the kind of co-op seen in the console’s original launch trailer. You know the moment, when this random girl and all of her friends gather on a rooftop for a round of gamer goodness. In reality, the slightest gust of wind would have blown the kickstand over, but that sort of flimsiness doesn’t sell consoles – lies do.
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The Switch OLED is poised to deliver on the promise of being able to play NBA 2K18 in a public park with your homies thanks to a kickstand that is no longer detachable, and is instead made of a far more robust piece of plastic that can be balanced at a variety of different angles. Personally, I’m still likely to hold the Switch in my hands when it comes to portable play, but knowing that tabletop is now a serious option instead of a marketing gimmick is such a relief. I can play games with my family when I pop round for a cup of tea without worrying about the lack of a nearby dock or the display making split-screen co-op a recipe for eye strain. Switch OLED is providing more options, and that’s never a bad thing.
This new console isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it is making it slightly rounder. Existing Switch owners will likely feel underwhelmed by the fact it fails to address the lacking internal specs that frequently hinder performance and resolution, as well as the dreaded Joy-Con drift. I’m one of those people, but I admire Nintendo’s wish to create a premium console that exists within its current family of hardware without alienating anyone.
Those who pick up the Switch OLED won’t feel ripped off, because it makes a concerted effort to improve upon all of its predecessor’s external shortcomings. The screen is lush, the speakers rock, and the kickstand removes an element of flimsiness that made the original console feel half-baked in a way it really shouldn’t have. The kickstand was so bad it became a meme amongst fans, viewed as a funny moment from the marketing materials as opposed to a serious accessory for the machine that was actively used.
Now, it feels like a major selling point, allowing for more accessible portable play whether you wish to enjoy a co-op experience with friends or even use a Pro Controller instead of the Joy-Con. It’s a small addition in the grand scheme of things, but combined with everything else the Switch OLED manages to achieve, it’s a far more substantial upgrade overall. I’ve only spent an hour or so with the new console, but the kickstand is easily one of its brightest sparks. If you’ll excuse me, I have a rooftop party to attend.