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Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch console in various forms

Details
Creator(s) Nintendo
Release date(s) March 3rd, 2017 (Nintendo Switch)
September 20, 2019 (Nintendo Switch Lite)
October 8, 2021 (OLED model)
Supported languages Japanese, American English, British English, Canadian French, European French, Italian, German, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese
Console chronology
Wii U Nintendo Switch 2
"Nintendo Switch" on other NIWA wikis:
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The Nintendo Switch is an eighth-generation home console system released worldwide on March 3rd, 2017. It is the successor to the Wii U and was succeeded by the Nintendo Switch 2.

The main selling point of the Switch is its versatility, advertised as a console that can be moved easily between TV mode, tabletop mode, and handheld mode. The controllers, known as the Joy-Con, come in a pair and can also be played in various ways, including being split for multiplayer use or attached to the Switch itself in handheld mode. It also has a news channel on the console for news and posts related to Nintendo Switch games.

To play games online, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required. Having one also gives access to classic Nintendo games, as well as some other features on the Nintendo Switch.

Varieties[edit]

In addition to the standard Nintendo Switch, there are also the following variants:

  • Nintendo Switch Lite - Released in September of 2019, this version plays strictly as a handheld device and cannot connect to a TV screen. It also replaces detachable Joy-Con with buttons on the console itself, and replaces the arrow buttons with a + Directional Pad.
  • Nintendo Switch (OLED model) - Released in October of 2021, this version features a wider 7-inch OLED display, 64GB of internal storage, a wide adjustable stand for tabletop mode, and enhanced audio. It also comes bundled with a new dock, featuring a built-in wired LAN port.

Kirby games[edit]

  • Kirby Star Allies

  • Super Kirby Clash

  • Kirby Fighters 2

  • Kirby and the Forgotten Land

  • Kirby's Dream Buffet

  • Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Physical cartridges are compatible with Tencent Nintendo Switch consoles, but none have actually been released in China prior to May 2024.

Nintendo Switch Online[edit]

Main article: Nintendo Switch Online#Nintendo Classics

Other games featuring Kirby characters[edit]

  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

  • Tetris 99

  • Part Time UFO

Profile icons[edit]

Since the launch of the Nintendo Switch, users have been able to make profiles with avatars representing various video game characters. On March 12th/13th, 2018, the Nintendo Switch updated to version 5.0.0, which added a number of Kirby series characters as avatars to choose from. These include the following:

Main article: Nintendo Switch Online#Missions & Rewards

In addition, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can take part in time-limited missions and redeem icon elements for the creation of custom icons.

amiibo compatibility[edit]

The Nintendo Switch, like the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS before it, is compatible with amiibo. To activate an amiibo figurine in a given game, the player must first be prompted by the game itself, then place the amiibo base-down onto the Control Stick of the Joy-Con (R). This will have various effects, based on the amiibo used, and the game being played.

An example would be the bronze Kirby statue in Super Kirby Clash, which gives Fragments when an amiibo is scanned in.

Appearances in the Kirby series[edit]

In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, the staff credits for Extra Mode has icons of Kirby that match the roles of the developers shown. The icon for "Testing" shows Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee playing together with Joy-Con.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese Nintendoニンテンドー Switchスイッチ
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English Nintendo Switch -
Chinese Nintendo Switch
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Dutch Nintendo Switch -
French Nintendo Switch -
German Nintendo Switch -
Italian Nintendo Switch -
Korean Nintendo Switch
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Portuguese Nintendo Switch -
Russian Nintendo Switch
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Spanish Nintendo Switch -