1-2-Switch

1-2-Switch was one of the console's launch titles and had a single goal -- to show at a glance what the Joy-Con controllers could do, without players even needing to watch the TV screen. A collection of nearly thirty minigames, such as a quick-draw cowboy shootout, milking a virtual cow, simulating hand-washing, or guessing the number of coins in a hand, is played primarily according to instructions shown on screen, while the actual players look at each other and rely on the haptic feedback of HD Rumble and the controllers' motion sensors.

It is precisely this social aspect, where the screen becomes largely irrelevant and the game plays out between the people in the room, that was meant to demonstrate the console's portability and flexibility in the spirit of classic party games like Wii Sports. The best events are the ones built around subtle vibrations -- for example, guessing the number of marbles inside a virtual box, where the player slowly tilts the controller and judges the count purely by the feel in their palm. This is exactly where HD Rumble showed what it was really good for, since no earlier console could grade feedback with such nuance. The other minigames, however, stick to simple motions and wear thin after a few rounds, so the game lives and dies by the mood of the group playing it.

Critics received the game with mixed feelings due to the shallow depth of individual minigames, the lack of single-player content, and a fairly high price relative to the amount of fun on offer, but as a social showcase of the technology at family gatherings it found its audience and sold surprisingly well in the console's first months. Over time, Nintendo dusted off the concept in related titles like Nintendo Switch Sports, which offered a similar motion-control philosophy in a more sporty and accessible package. Today, 1-2-Switch feels more like a technological calling card for the Joy-Cons' capabilities than a full-fledged gaming experience, but it fulfilled its role in introducing the console.