Nintendo reveals the Switch Lite for people who just play in portable mode
Do you have a Nintendo Switch that you never, ever connect to your TV? You might want to give the Switch Lite a look.
The $200 device is, for all intents and purposes, a new portable gaming system from Nintendo. It's the Switch you know, but it ditches removable Joy-Con controllers (as well as HD Rumble) and a TV-connected dock in favor of a smaller, more self-contained form factor.
The elimination of removable Joy-Cons does impose some limitations. Some Switch games benefit from using a Joy-Con in its horizontal configuration, giving it a layout similar to traditional NES and SNES controllers. That's not possible with a Switch Lite.
The Lite also does away with the larger Switch's infrared sensor. This would have the biggest impact on Labo games, though Labo wouldn't have worked anyway because it also requires removable Joy-Cons.
The Switch Lite is otherwise a smaller, lighter version of the console you know, able to access the same features and play the same games (aside from the exceptions noted above). It's not so much a Nintendo 3DS replacement as it is a new handheld option for Nintendo fans.
At $200, the Switch Lite is $50 more than the $150 2DS XL, the most recently introduced product in Nintendo's line of portable gaming devices. It offers another level of performance and plays a completely different set of games, and it also comes in at $100 less than its $300 big sibling.
The Switch Lite is set to hit stores on Sept. 20.
Topics Gaming Nintendo Nintendo Switch
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
