Nintendo's £280 Switch is a multiplayer hybrid - and it's region free

The Switch will cost £279.99 when it goes on sale on March 3

Nintendo has finally revealed more details about its highly-anticipated Nintendo Switch.

It's not due to launch until March 3, but the Japanese giant has revealed more about how the console will work, its price and the first wave of partner games, and the console's technical specifications.

The system specs had been a closely guarded secret, but Nintendo has now revealed more details on what the Switch is capable of.

As expected, the tablet-style console packs in 32GB of storage, with part of this reserved for the operating system. This can be expanded through microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC memory cards, with Switch recognising up to 2TB. A software update will be required for the console to recognise the SDXC format.

The screen is confirmed as a capacitive 6.2" LCD, with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. Nintendo doesn't specify, but that should result in a pixel density of 236ppi. For comparison, the iPhone 7 has a pixel density of 326, and the Galaxy 6 Edge has 577. The Switch gets a boost when connected to its dock for use on the TV though, when it gets boosted to 1920x180 full HD and runs at 60fps.

Read more: Nintendo Switch pre orders open in the UK

Nintendo still isn't revealing the exact specs of the Switch's main processor though. It says only that the Switch contains an "Nvidia customised Tegra processor", but doesn't provide speed or power details.

Physically, the Switch measures 102mm x 239mm x 13.9mm with Joy-Con controllers attached, and extends to 28.4mm thick when measuring from the tips of the analogue sticks to the ZL/ZR Button protrusions. It weighs approximately 297g, or 398g with the Joy-Cons attached. Its battery - lithium ion with a 4310mAh capacity - cannot be removed, but Nintendo will offer paid replacement if needed.

The Nintendo Switch comes with the main console, a left and right Joy-Con controller, a Joy-Con grip (to which two Joy-Con can be attached and used as one controller), a set of Joy-Con wrist straps, a Nintendo Switch dock (which holds the main console and connects it to a TV), a HDMI cable and an AC adaptor.

It will be sold in two versions; one with grey Joy-Con controllers, and a version with one neon blue and one neon red Joy-Con. The package will cost £279.99 from the Nintendo Official UK Store, and the console will be available worldwide.

"Nintendo Switch is a brand-new kind of home gaming system that offers a wide variety of play modes," said Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima. "We will introduce the world to new experiences made possible by the unique characteristics of the Nintendo Switch hardware and the Joy-Con."

In addition to connecting to a TV like traditional Xbox or PlayStation consoles when you're at home, the Switch can be disconnected and used as a handheld with a 6.2-inch touchscreen. The console is said to have a battery life of more than six hours - although Nintendo caveats this by saying that will vary depending on the software and usage conditions.

For example, it claims The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be played for roughly three hours on a single charge. This battery can be charged by plugging the AC adaptor into the console's USB Type-C connector. Nintendo claims a charging time of three hours, when the console is in sleep mode.

Onto the controllers. A pair of Joy-Con controllers can be used with one in each hand, or together as one game controller when attached to the Joy-Con grip. They also attach to the console when it's in handheld mode, or can be used by friends in two-player mode. Each Joy-Con has standard buttons, can act as a standalone controller and includes an accelerometer and gyroscopic motion sensor.

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The left Joy-Con additionally has a Capture Button to let players take screenshots of gameplay, while the right has an NFC pad that can be used with Amiibo figures, as well as an IR Motion Camera that can detect the distance, shape and motion of nearby objects certain games.

For example, it can tell how far away a player’s hand is, and whether the hand is forming a rock, paper or scissors shape. Both Joy-Con have HD rumble features that vibrate in response to on-screen stimuli. According to Nintendo, the effect is so detailed "a player can feel the vibration of individual ice cubes colliding inside a glass when shaking a Joy-Con."

Up to eight consoles can be connected for local wireless play. The main player places their console upright using its stand and multiple people can play using the same screen. Nintendo Switch also supports online multiplay - for a currently unknown fee - and the company has launched a subscription service with a free trial from launch. The subscription comes with an app set to launch this summer. At launch, the app will be used to invite friends to play online, set play appointments and chat online. The full paid service will be available in autumn.

On the subject of games, Nintendo has partnered with Activision, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros and Bethesda, as well as other Japanese developers including Sega. As a result, it will be launching EA Sports FIFA, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, NBA 2K, and Minecraft, with more to be announced.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK