A closer look at the Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch will be released around the globe on March 3. It'll retail for $300 in the US and £280 in the UK. Australian pricing is yet to be announced, but retailers are listing the Switch for AU$470.

You can choose between a gray control option or one kitted out with neon blue and red Joy-Cons.

Here are the various parts of the front of the Nintendo Switch.

And here's what you'll find around back. Note the microSD slot for easy storage expansion.

You can attach the Joy-Con controllers to the Joy-Con Grip to form a gamepad for TV play...

...or you can attach the Joy-Cons to the Switch itself to form a handheld with a 6.2-inch screen. It also has a kickstand, so you can use it as a display with the Joy-Cons detached.

Depending on what game you're playing, you'll get between 2.5 and 6 hours of gameplay in handheld mode. Expect Skyrim to be on the lighter end of that scale.

Charging can be done via USB-C or replacing portable batteries.

There's a whole lot going on in the Joy-Con controllers, which pack NFC, accelerometers, gyro sensors and "Rumble HD" haptic feedback. You can read all about them here.

Each Joy-Con has four main buttons, a joystick, which can also act as a button, and L and R buttons.

These tiny grey buttons around back are what let you unsnap the Joy-Con controllers from their positions on the tablet or Grip peripheral.

You'll find a couple of USB 2.0 ports on the front of the Switch dock, to keep your controllers charged or plug in a USB to Ethernet adapter. (The Switch has built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, but Ethernet is another option this way.)

What's inside the dock? Not a lot: just one more USB port and the power and HDMI cables you'll need to get it working.

Nintendo is also offering a traditional gamepad for $70 (AU$95, £60).

Here's everything you'll get in the box.