On March 3, 2017, Nintendo released its new console/handheld hybrid, the Nintendo Switch. It changed the way game companies think with its ability to switch between handheld and docked mode. The Switch was the first of its kind and offered a wide variety of games, along with mainstream titles such as “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” on launch, and “Super Mario Odyssey” later that year. But a year has gone by since the Switch’s release and some are wondering if it is as successful now.

Over the past year, Nintendo has sold over 10.5 million Switches for $300 a piece, according to Imagine Games Network. It outsold the company’s last console, the Wii U, in under a year. It also is doing better than the Playstation 4 and Xbox One did in their first years. One of the reasons the Switch has done so well is because it doesn’t have any competition, meaning there is nothing else like it right now. Its main selling point is that the system can be used with a TV, and also be easily taken on the go. There are no other systems like that, so everyone wants a piece of the action.

Another reason for the Switch’s success is that it had some of the best games of 2017. Nintendo was basically battling themselves all year trying to top their most recent games. Not only are The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario some of the biggest names in gaming, but Nintendo released two mainstream games in each series for the Switch’s first year. Polygon said that “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” one of the system’s launch titles, won Game of the Year 2017, and Super Mario Odyssey received some awards as well as a high rating. Finally, a big selling point for the Switch was its price. It launched at $299.99, which at first seemed expensive, but compared to other systems, it is a fair price. Imagine Games Network also said that the PS4 Pro released for $399.99 and the Xbox One X launched at $499.99, so $299.99 is a pretty good price for a gaming system that can do a lot. The Switch is a great gaming console and can appeal to anyone who tries it.

One year later, the Nintendo Switch is one of the most innovative and interesting gaming systems to date. It broke the limits of what Nintendo was capable of and exceeded everyone’s expectations. It took time for people to come around, but after they thought about the fair price, capabilities of it, and the list of amazing games, they realized that The Nintendo Switch was an interesting risk that Nintendo took, but it definitely seemed to pay off.