TL;DR
1, 2, Switch offers a fun collection of quick, competitive mini-games designed to showcase the Nintendo Switch's unique Joy-Con controllers and HD Rumble technology, like a virtual revolver duel or a marble-counting game. While some games are incredibly engaging and perfect for parties, others fall a bit flat. It feels more like a polished tech demo than a full-fledged game, especially given its separate retail price. Would this have been a better pack-in title? Dive in to find out more!
Note: This is a shorter product review that is part of a longer article.
Every console generation benefits from a defining launch title; something that showcases the platform’s unique capabilities. The Wii had Wii Sports, and the Wii U featured the underrated NintendoLand. While the Switch doesn’t include a pack-in game, 1,2 – Switch seems ideally suited for the role (particularly as a first-party title, where distribution via digital download codes presents minimal cost).
1,2 – Switch comprises 28 mini-games, all based on competitive, rapid-fire challenges between players. These include scenarios such as a revolver duel, sword fight, cow milking, shaking a carbonated bottle, and estimating the number of marbles in a box. This last example effectively demonstrates the Switch’s impressive HD rumble functionality. The refined technology allows players to discern the approximate quantity of “marbles” rolling within the controller. This, along with mini-games like bottle shaking, safe cracking, and the sandwich-eating contest, offers engaging, lighthearted experiences, particularly suitable for social gatherings. However, the collection also contains less compelling games, such as the frustrating baby-soothing challenge, the somewhat simplistic Baseball game, and the questionably entertaining Beach Flag, which relies on rapid, repetitive motion.
1-2-Switch functions primarily as a tech demo, and a competent one. However, its separate retail price remains questionable. Including it with the console would provide an immediate and accessible showcase for the Switch’s capabilities, consistent with Nintendo’s prior launch strategies. The decision to sell it separately may prove shortsighted; it is plausible that 1-2-Switch will eventually be bundled with the console, either by Nintendo or by retailers. Whether the standalone purchase is justifiable for a collection of relatively shallow party games, which serve more as demonstrations of the Joy-Cons’ features than fully realized gaming experiences, remains debatable.
