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Nintendo Switch: All the details you've been waiting for

Nintendo just lifted the lid on everything we wanted to know about its latest device. Here are all the details on price, games and extras.

Seamus Byrne Editor, Australia & Asia
Seamus Byrne is CNET's Editor for Australia and Asia. At other times he'll be found messing with apps, watching TV, building LEGO, and rolling dice. Preferably all at the same time.
Seamus Byrne
3 min read

It's here! Nintendo is in the midst of revealing every detail you need to make a decision on whether you're going to drop the dough on its new Nintendo Switch -- part tablet, part handheld, part console. But will it be all fun?

Nintendo first announced the Switch back in October with just a first taste of the new concept it's going for. Now we're getting the real details and as we move from the big announce to our hands-on events in London and New York over the coming 24 hours, we'll collect all our coverage right here.

For Nintendo, the stakes couldn't be higher. The company's most recent home console, 2012's Wii U, never came close to the megahit success of the original Wii, released back in 2006. In the meantime, the company has continued to build a solid business on its 3DS portable platform, even as it's experimented with releasing games like Pokemon Go, Miitomo and Super Mario Run on iOS and Android mobile devices.

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The Nintendo Switch. March 3. $299.

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The Switch presentation got right down to business. Pure announcements, no fluff. Just a weird "click" schtick the executives used to hand over to each other to continue the presentation.

Here's everything we've learned so far -- all the Nintendo Switch price details and system specs you need to get up to speed..

It's coming March 3, 2017, priced at $300, £280 or AU$470.

Here's how to preorder the Switch right now.

There will also be a Nintendo Switch online service that will be a paid service. It will launch as a trial with pricing to be announced later in 2017.

For fans of imports of Japanese exclusives, it was announced the new system will have no region locking -- a big break from tradition for Nintendo.

The Switch itself is said to have battery life from 2.5 to 6 hours and can be charged over USB-C. Nintendo says it will have portable battery accessories also available to charge on the go.

The Joy-con is the name for new controller, usable in a combined controller style or separated into two halves to let two players play together. It will also be available in a range of colors for people who want to mix things up.

Full details on the Nintendo Switch Joy-con controllers here.

A closer look at the Nintendo Switch

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The Joy-con has a whole bunch of clever tricks -- motion control, IR sensor, haptic feedback -- and a series of 'versus' game ideas called "1, 2, Switch" that let you play games (like a quick draw shooting game) without needing to look at the screen, just face each other down with the Joy-con controllers.

Other games announced that need you to keep the full Joy-con all to yourself include Arms, a robotic boxing battle game, and Splatoon 2.

Plus the new Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey, which aims to deliver a sandbox experience across many realms outside the Mushroom kingdom, including familiar real world cities (though we spotted it says New Donk City). And this time his cap has come to life.

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Nintendo

Here's more detail on Super Mario Odyssey for Nintendo Switch.

For the more serious RPG fans, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was also announced for the Nintendo Switch. Followed by a very small tease for Fire Emblem Warriors.

All up, Nintendo says there are over 80 games in development for the Nintendo Switch.

We've also heard from Bethesda that Skyrim is coming, legendary Japanese developer Suda51 is working on an unnamed project (which he suggested has something to do with wrestling?), and EA announced FIFA is coming.

And finally... Zelda. They made us think they were going to leave us hanging. But finally, as something of a "one last thing" they told us Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be a true launch title, available March 3.

Nintendo Switch: All the games you'll get at launch (and beyond)

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Coverage of all the hands-on and extra reveals for the Nintendo Switch will continue as London and New York get their first chance to play with the new hardware.

Stay tuned or find a lot more as it appears in CNET's Games section, as well as over at GameSpot's Nintendo Switch hub.