BY YANNIS VATIS: After over 25 years of slaying, headshotting, uppercutting and, of course, raging, I can safely say I’ve always been quite ready to handle any digital threat that comes my way. Nothing could possibly have prepared me for the most challenging boss I’ve ever had to face: my newborn daughter. It’s like a perpetual dungeon run that is filled with joy and excitement around every corner until something disgusting drops from the ceiling and you’re unexpectedly dead. The only difference is that the foe in front of you is also your crowning achievement and proudest moment.
Caring for this tiny dungeon boss with a seemingly endless life bar takes more stamina than a Great Hammer needs for a single swing. Every cry beckons your attention. Every new item that needs acquiring takes hours of research before deciding on one of triple + quality. Let’s not mention that now all moments of the day are waking moments.
Bottom line, there’s no time and definitely no energy left to lose yourself in a few games of Call of Duty. That was until the geniuses over at Nintendo decreed that gamer parents across the globe can now rejoice for they forged the greatest device ever conceived; the Nintendo Switch.
This nifty little hybrid console single-handedly allowed me to face the joys and perils of new parenthood without completely abandoning my favorite hobby.
Here’s how.
It’s a portable console that connects to your big screen
Okay, so you knew that. It’s the Nintendo Switch’s USP and, aside from wanting to play a few Nintendo titles, was the main reason I picked up the platform.
One thing I always wished the 3DS would do back in the day was allow me to play it on the TV. Imagine my excitement when Nintendo first showed off a gaming device that is both a home console and a portable one.
One moment I’m hunting for Moons in Mario Odyssey on my 27” monitor the next I’m by my partner’s side while she nurses our little one to sleep – and dozes off herself.
Thanks to the versatility of the Switch, I’ve been able to adapt to playing my game in tiny staggered doses whenever and wherever I can.
Sleep mode is a godsend
This is probably this most understated feature of the Nintendo Switch, in my draconian opinion. When you need to pause to change a nappy, warm up a bottle or give the day’s billionth kiss, all you have to do is hit the power button and your console goes to sleep with the game in suspended mode. One click again and you’re exactly where you left off.
It’s the same experience you get from your smartphone. The main advantage is that putting the console in versus just pausing is that sleep mode saves the battery.
It’s liberating to be able to stick the Switch into sleep mode when the need arises, rather than having to say “let me find a save point first”. The Switch truly shines is when you’re out and about with your family.
Indie games galore
The best thing about the Switch is how many small nuggets of indie experiences you can cram into it. I managed to beat Xenoblade Chronicles 2 right at the edge of my bed while my baby and partner were sleeping.
Indie games are amazing for busy parents as they’re essentially quick gaming fixes without the mobile nonsense. They’re even better on this nifty little hybrid device with its unmatched versatility.
If you’re a gamer who is a new parent, get a Nintendo Switch
Whether you’re a new parent who loves gaming or a person looking to make a new gamer parent’s day, the Nintendo Switch is an essential purchase. It is an incredible device that will enable you to enjoy a few more extra moments of escapism without compromising your quality time with your little dungeon boss.
Thank you, Nintendo.
