Nintendo has officially given us a first look at its upcoming Switch Lite console, aimed at handheld gaming.
The Japanese company says the new device – which is oddly reminiscent of the Wii U – will launch on September 20 with a suggested retail price of $199. It’ll also be available in three different color variations: yellow, gray, and turquoise.
In contrast to the standard version, the Switch Lite has a more compact body factor and sports “integrated controls.” It also comes without a kickstand and support for video output to television sets… which pretty much means that you can no longer “switch” between handheld and dock mode.
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Another slightly disappointing detail is that the Switch Lite only supports games that work in handheld mode, so forget about playing titles like Super Mario Party on the new system.
The good thing is that Nintendo will point out games’ compatibility for the Lite model on the back of game packaging and on the Nintendo eStore. Hopefully that will help with avoiding confusion.
Today’s announcement confirms previous reports, hinting Nintendo is developing two new variants of the Switch, including a Pro version that could offer “enhanced features targeted at avid videogamers.” Unfortunately, there are still no details on the Pro version.
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