Nintendo Switch won’t offer “second screen” option, but will support Amiibos

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A Nintendo spokesman recently told The Wall Street Journal that we’ll learn more about the Switch in 2017, he also confirmed that the consolemaker still has a few more tricks up their sleeve. “We haven’t shown everything,” the spokesman said, and other media relations folks from Nintendo shared a few of those details this weekend.

First, the company told IGN that Amiibo figures will be supported by the Switch. Nintendo’s “toys-to-life” line has been incredibly successful, and it makes sense they’d want to continue it on the Switch:

“If a Nintendo Switch game supports amiibo then the Nintendo Switch home gaming system will as well,” a Nintendo representative told IGN.

Later in the same statement, Nintendo also confirmed that the Switch Dock won’t provide any additional processing power for the console:

Nintendo continued: “The dock is not the main console unit of Nintendo Switch. The main unit of Nintendo Switch is the unit that has the LCD screen, which the two Joy-Con controllers can be attached to and detached from. The main function of the Nintendo Switch Dock is to provide an output to the TV, as well as charging and providing power to the system.”

That’s a bit disappointing, as is the news that the Switch will drop the “second screen” options for displaying maps or menu screens included in many Wii U games. Speaking to Polygon, a Nintendo spokesman had this to say:

“Nintendo Switch is dedicated to deliver a single-screen experience, on whatever screen you might choose,” Nintendo officials told Polygon when asked if the popular Wii U feature would be included in the Switch.

There’s still so much we don’t know about the Switch (like whether or not it’ll include a touchscreen), but Nintendo did answer three big questions about the console this weekend, and after almost two years of silence, that’s gotta count for something.

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John Scalzo is Warp Zoned's Editor-In-Chief and resident retro gaming expert. You can email him at john AT warpzoned DOT com.