Nintendo’s shiny new system is almost here, and after a week of time romping around with the Switch, I’ve got some assorted thoughts about the system, its merits, and its problems. As we’re waiting for a day-one patch to add the eShop and more, this isn’t a full review. Instead, it’s just a bunch of assorted thoughts and feelings about the Nintendo Switch.

It’s tiny

For real - this is a small system. Picture the GamePad. Now make it skinnier. Also chop off the controller elements. That’s roughly the size of the Switch hardware. It’s far smaller than I pictured. If you want a good size comparison, the base system is the same size as the game cases.

Charging the system can be a bear

The included AC adapter has a big brick on the plug, which makes it annoying to take with you, especially if you set up your dock in your entertainment center. That shouldn’t be a major problem, but currently, I am (and so is the internet, it seems) at a loss for finding an easy alternative method of charging while playing. I invested in a USB-C (the system’s port) to USB cable so I could plug it into USB wall outlets, but depending on the USB input, that charges poorly or virtually not at all. If you want to bring the Switch with you on the go, you might be better off investing in a second AC Adapter (for $30). That’s not great and honestly limits the joy of playing games like Breath of the Wild anywhere when you’re more or less limited to your initial battery charge and little else.

The Joy-Con L and R together is like a rad future Wii Remote and Nunchuk

When I first sat down to play the Switch, I gravitated towards using the the Joy-Con to play Zelda in “Wii Remote/Nunchuk” style. It’s much better than the Wii controls because you lose the cable connecting the two. I found that control method to be ridiculously comfortable and easy to use. The only drawback was that bringing in Amiibo was a little clumsy since most Amiibo are like the entire size of the Joy-Con R. Also, there’s another issue...

The Joy-Con “desync” issue is a real thing and it’s miserable

Throughout my time with Zelda, the Joy-Con would regularly have syncing issues. It seems like the problem lies in human body interference when you’re about 8-10 feet or further away from the TV. It’s relatively simple to work around, but even still, you can spell your doom in Zelda with an errant arm that gets in the way of the Joy-Con. Nintendo is aware of this issue, but to date, they’ve made no official statement on a fix.

Data inconclusive on Joy-Con on their sides

Up until very recently, I’ve only had access to Breath of the Wild, so I wasn’t able to play games with the Joy-Con controllers on their side. We’ll report more on that soon as Super Bomberman R is in the building, but my very early impressions are that they’re weird but they work. A big stink was made over the awkward placement of the analog sticks and buttons on the Joy-Con. That’s not without reason, as both have a terrible use of space.

Snapping the Joy-Con has not gotten old

It really hasn’t.

The tech is impressive

True, it’s not at PlayStation 4 or Xbox One levels, but compared to a 3DS and even a Vita, the Switch looks incredible. My only experience has been with Zelda, but playing Zelda in portable mode was akin to playing games on the Wii U GamePad, but the controller is, for the most part, better and it’s actually portable. I didn’t know it at the time, but likely, the 3DS’ streak of being my most consistently played system ended the day the Switch showed up.

The UI is slick and clean

Not to bag on the dearly departed Wii U, but pre-launch, the Switch UI is more streamlined than the Wii U UI is now, let alone where the Wii U was when it launched (remember, if you will, the days where everything on that system took forever and a day to load). Games load quickly and everything just moves fast.

I think I love this system, but I have early reservations

The Switch always seemed in my wheelhouse. My main system in the past has been 3DS (and Vita before that dropped off for me a year or two ago), so the portable nature is dynamite. The ability to seamlessly take the game to the TV is wonderful, and I can’t wait to have this system be out in the wild so more games can come out on it. This March 3 launch seems more akin to a soft launch, but Zelda is great and the early returns on the system are fine.

But I’m a special case. I run a Nintendo web site. I really dig their games. For me, the Switch is worth it on March 3. For most other people? Maybe you don’t need to rush. The system has some issues and given Nintendo’s past, they’ll likely chip away at fixing them in software updates and hardware refreshes. Until everything is neatly worked out or your white whale (Splatoon 2? Mario Odyssey? Xenoblade Chronicles 2?) hits the system, the Switch doesn’t seem like a must buy. News of its poor launch lineup might be greatly exaggerated, but nothing totally exclusive to the system seems to be a must-play at this juncture.