Mario takes a characteristic leap in “Super Mario Odyssey,” the next major entry in the Mario series.Nintendo

For a launch year, the Switch is getting a mess of fantastic games. Nintendo started with the showstopper in “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” which launched alongside the Switch in March.

“Zelda” was quickly followed by an updated rerelease of “Mario Kart 8” — arguably the best “Mario Kart” game ever made — and an entirely new entry in “Arms.” “Minecraft” launched soon after, and Nintendo even allowed the Switch version of “Minecraft” to play nice with the Xbox One, PC, mobile, and VR versions of the game. If you’re playing the game on one of those platforms, you’re also playing with people on the Switch!

And that’s just through to now (June 2017) — much more is coming in the back half of 2017 and next year.

2018: A “core” Pokémon game, new entries for Kirby and Yoshi, Nintendo’s online service, and a new game in the “Metroid Prime” series.

Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch Online service is scheduled to launch in 2018 at a price of $20 a year. For that price, you’ll get instant access to a classic game library and the ability to play games online.

Nintendo

Nintendo’s new service costs $20 a year (or $4 for a month or $8 for three months) and is scheduled to launch in 2018. When it arrives, it’ll be available only for the Nintendo Switch — Nintendo’s newest game console, which operates as a portable handheld and a home console.

Beyond access to online gaming, which is free for now on the Switch, you’ll also get access to a library of classic games from Nintendo’s history. The first three games Nintendo showed off were “Super Mario Bros. 3,” “Dr. Mario,” and “Balloon Fight,” but more are expected to be announced as we learn more about the service.

Notably, those classic games are all from the NES: Nintendo’s oldest home console. Nintendo has yet to confirm whether games from the SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, or Wii U will appear on the service (to say nothing of Nintendo’s handheld gaming library). There is no release date for the service outside “2018” thus far.

What’s still missing? “Super Smash Bros.,” “Animal Crossing,” and many more.

YouTube/Nintendo

There are still plenty of Nintendo franchises that could use a spin on the Switch. The most notable ones are obvious: “Super Smash Bros.,” “Animal Crossing,” and “Star Fox” all come to mind immediately.

Then there’s the more obscure stuff: “WarioWare,” “Punch-Out,” “F-Zero,” Nintendogs,” “Dr. Mario,” and “Brain Training.” And that’s before you start talking about really obscure stuff like “Earthbound.”

All to say one thing: Nintendo still has miles of depths to plumb before it runs out of classic characters and game franchises.

Of note, it looks as if we’ve just seen the beginning of Nintendo’s effort to release updated versions of games that debuted on the Wii U. Nintendo America’s president, Reggie Fils-Aime, told Vice recently: “Given the [very low] install base of Wii U, there was some fantastic content that consumers did not get to play. So that creates certainly a business opportunity.”

Who knows when: Where is Netflix? What about Hulu? YouTube? Amazon?

Netflix

It seems like a given that Nintendo’s Switch console — a system built for use as a handheld and a home console — would get video streaming services like  Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, and others. It’s 2017, and there are approximately zero game consoles without these services.

Yet, somehow, Nintendo’s Switch launched without any of these services and continues to exist without them. Though Nintendo’s never put a date on it, the company has repeatedly pointed to those services coming at some point in the future. When those services will arrive is the big question, and it’s one that Nintendo’s not answering (nor are Netflix, Hulu, and other services — we’ve asked).

This stuff isn’t exactly crucial, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

Nintendo’s new console is having an incredible run, and the future looks even brighter

Lego may be working on a “Minecraft” competitor called “Lego Worlds,” according to an advertisement discovered by a member of Lego fan site Eurobricks.

The advertisement in question was found on the back of a Lego instruction booklet for Lego set 60097, “City Square,” and features some artwork accompanied by the tagline “Explore. Discover. Create.”

There’s also a link to a website — Lego.com/Worlds — but that link brings up Lego’s 404 page, so it appears the advertisement might have run before Lego had time to set the website live.

The artwork for Lego Worlds certainly looks like it could be from a “Minecraft”-style video game, and the tagline does sound similar the tagline for “Minecraft,” which is “Build. Play. Explore.”

Eurbricks/mikaelsol

Creating a “Minecraft” competitor would also make a lot of sense for Lego: “Minecraft” is often described as a sort of virtual Lego sandbox where you can build whatever you want and then explore your creation or the creations of others. The popular video game has more than 100 million registered users and has sold more than 60 million copies across PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, Android, and iOS.

Lego and Minecraft have partnered in the past, with Lego creating physical box sets with “Minecraft” branding, but it looks like Lego may be ready to create a sandbox-style video game of its own.

After its smash success following its launch in 2009, “Minecraft” has become one of the best-selling video games of all time. In September 2014, Microsoft acquired Mojang, the studio behind “Minecraft,” for $2.5 billion.

It looks like Lego is creating a ‘Minecraft’ competitor called ‘Lego Worlds’

We’ve spent quite literally years now wondering why Apple doesn’t provide some kind of MFi controller bundle that’d actually make people interested in buying one, or some kind of “system seller” title to give people a real reason to grab an MFi controller. Well, it’d seem through the magic of Minecraft, Apple has finally done just that. Right now you can get the SteelSeries Nimbus MFi Controller and Minecraft: Apple TV Edition for $40 directly from Apple.

It’s a great bundle, as the Nimbus is the best MFi controller, and Minecraft is probably the best game for the Apple TV. (Or, at least, inevitably the most popular.) We’ve reviewed the Nimbus, but basically it’s just a nice feeling controller that works with iOS devices and charges over Lightning. What’s not to like about that?

Amazon is selling the Nimbus for $44, and Minecraft: Apple TV Edition will normally run you $20, so this bundle is an oddly good deal coming from Apple.

Snag a SteelSeries Nimbus MFi Controller and ‘Minecraft: Apple TV Edition’for $40 from Apple.

Nintendo

Using the Switch feels blessedly modern.

Unlike the often sludgy experience on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, powering up and using the Switch is quick and easy. At any moment in a game, you can push the console’s home button and immediately exit to the dashboard. This concept also exists on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but it’s far quicker and more seamless on the Switch.

Frankly speaking, it doesn’t feel like a technological downgrade from the smartphone in my pocket. Even the user interface is clean and efficient — no digging through submenus to turn off Wi-Fi or see how much storage I’m using. It’s this kind of “quality of life” stuff that makes using the Switch intuitive and accessible to pretty much any user.

2. Sleep Mode turns the Switch into a game console that’s quickly accessible.

Nintendo

A major reason people are inclined to play games on their phones is ease of use. A phone is already in your pocket and takes just a second to wake up, which lets you get in and out of apps and games quickly. The Switch takes this concept to heart with Sleep Mode, which enables the console to operate like, say, a laptop or a tablet.

Rather than turning the console all the way off, you can enter Sleep Mode: a low-power mode that enables the console to be quickly accessed later, comparable to reopening a laptop screen. No restarting the game — you’re back exactly where you left off.

Though there are comparable functions on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the Switch pulls it off much more cleanly — a nod to the portability of the console.

3. Jumping into games, in general, is surprisingly fast.

Nintendo

I’ve been taking a ton of screenshots on the Switch, and getting them off the Switch requires removing the microSD card I’ve inserted. And every time I remove the microSD card, I have to power the Switch all the way down. Bummer!

Thankfully, restarting the Switch — even a “cold boot,” as it’s known — is remarkably quick. I just tested: It takes roughly 10 seconds from all the way off to the main menu. I’d bet any amount of money that it’s faster than the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

This quickness is due partially to the design of the hardware itself and partially to the medium used for games: cartridges. In both instances, Nintendo smartly prioritized the consumer experience — and it makes a difference in daily use.

4. Downloads are similarly fast and seamless, as they should be in 2017.

The Nintendo Switch works with all modern Wi-Fi standards: 802.11 a/c/g/n/ac.Nintendo

Much of what I’ve praised about the Switch’s speed so far has to do with how quickly you can go from zero to in-game. Another delightful aspect is how it handles downloads.

As seen in the picture above, multiple downloads can roll at the same time. And if you need to update a game, the Switch can do so while it’s running. This stuff may sound pretty standard to you — it is 2017, after all — but it’s far from standard on a game console. Being able to casually update “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” while playing the game makes using the Switch a delight. It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder why it wasn’t already the standard.

5. The Switch easily, quickly fit into my life.

Ben Gilbert / Business Insider

The gimmick of the Switch is simple: You can play it at home on a TV, or you can play it out in the world, wherever you want. When you’re home, you slap the tabletlike console into the Switch dock. Just like that, the game is on the TV. When you’re ready to leave, you pick it up and continue playing.

That gimmick, unbelievably, works. It’s fast and seamless.

Here’s an example from my very exciting life:

On a Sunday evening, I played a few hours of “Splatoon 2” before dinner. I used the Switch Pro controller to play the game from my couch on my TV. Around 7 p.m., I paused the game and put the console into Sleep Mode. I ate dinner with my wife while watching season two of “The Great British Baking Show” and fell asleep a few hours later.

On Monday morning, I woke up, showered, and got ready for work. When it was time to leave my apartment, I grabbed my MacBook and Nintendo Switch and threw them in my bag. While waiting for the F train, I took the Switch out of my bag and played a few levels of the game’s revamped single-player campaign.

The train arrived, and I tapped the power button on the top of the Switch, putting it into Sleep Mode again as I found a seat in the car. The train left the station, and I started playing “Splatoon 2” once more. A few paint-covered levels later, I was at the 14th Street stop and, thus, near Business Insider’s office in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.

I put the Switch to sleep once more and put it back in my bag. Seamless!

6. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is one of the best games I’ve played in years.

Nintendo

If you’re one of the 13 million Wii U owners out there, go ahead and skip right over this. You can play “Breath of the Wild” on your Wii U.

For the rest of us, “Breath of the Wild” is reason enough to buy a Switch. It’s an incredibly impressive game, at once subverting expectations of what a “Zelda” game is supposed to be and questioning the expectations of the entire video-game medium.

To call it a delight is to undersell how good “Breath of the Wild” is — it’s a game that demands conversation with other players. Did you see this? Have you been here yet? What’s this about?“Breath of the Wild” is the purest distillation of the “Zelda” series, enabling you to explore to your heart’s content. And being able to play it nonstop, whether I’m waiting for the subway or lounging on my couch at home, is wonderful.

I’m hard-pressed to suggest anyone drop nearly $400 — between the $299 Switch and the $60 game — to play a single game, but this is one of those rare treats that everyone should play as soon as possible.

7. “Super Mario Odyssey” looks completely bananas.

Nintendo

Just as “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was an evolution of the long-running, celebrated “Legend of Zelda” franchise, “Super Mario Odyssey” appears poised to challenge and evolve the “Super Mario” formula.

“Super Mario Odyssey” is an open-world, nonlinear “Super Mario” game — along the lines of “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Sunshine” — but if you’re thinking “Grand Theft Auto,” that’s not entirely accurate. Instead of one huge world, “Super Mario Odyssey” is segmented into regions. New Donk City, above, is one of them: It’s a massive open environment you can explore to your heart’s content. There’s no timer; your only limitation is survival.

I played “Super Mario Odyssey” in June, and it was a blast. The game arrives on October 27 — just in time for the holidays.

8. Nintendo has a mess of other great-looking games in the pipeline, from a new Yoshi series entry to a full-on new Pokémon game.

Nintendo

The Switch has enjoyed nearly monthly major releases of first-party games, starting with “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” in March and continuing with “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” in April. That march will continue through the end of the year, with “Arms,” “Splatoon 2,” and “Super Mario Odyssey” all on their way.

And other good stuff is on the horizon: New games featuring Yoshi and Kirby in the works for 2018, and a new Pokémon game for the Switch — Nintendo goes so far as to call a “core” Pokémon game — is expected to hit store shelves sometime after that. Fans have been asking for Nintendo to make just such a Pokémon game for one of its home consoles basically since Pokémon launched.

It looks like Nintendo is learning from its failure with the Wii U, supplying a steady beat of big games that can be played only on the Nintendo Switch.

9. Being an in-game photographer is easier than ever.

The little square with an indented circle is the screenshot button. It’s basically a camera shutter button.Ben Gilbert/Business Insider

Taking glorious screenshots is easier than ever with the Switch, thanks to the console’s built-in screenshot button. The button works instantly, capturing whatever you’re looking at on the screen, whether you’re using the Switch as a home console or a handheld.

I’m partial to it because the nature of my job is constantly taking and uploading photos for articles. It’s nice to easily be able to capture images of games and the operating system and then take them off using the microSD card. But it’s just as easy to share those screenshots on social media directly from the Switch, which is great for people who might not be in the business of writing about video games.

More importantly, the speed at which the screenshot function works empowers tons of in-game photography. I feel obligated to capture tons of screenshots simply because I can so easily.

10. Aside from just taking screenshots, the Switch enables you to turn an image into something silly and shareable.

Ben Gilbert/Business Insider

Basic image-editing software on the Switch allows you to crop screenshots, as well as overlay text (like I’ve done above).

It’s silly and basic, but it’s incredibly accessible. Think Snapchat-level accessibility. Take a shot, draw something silly on it, and share away. It’s a little touch, but a meaningful one — a smart extension of existing functionality on the Switch.

11. And finally — crucially — the Switch is affordable, at $299.

Business Insider’s fearless leader Alyson Shontell braved New Jersey retailers to find a Nintendo Switch soon after launch. For the console and a copy of “Breath of the Wild,” she paid $395.42, including tax.Alyson Shontell / Business Insider

The Nintendo Switch, brand-new, costs just a hair more than the years-old Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Even if you buy it with a game — and you definitely should buy it with a copy of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” let’s not kid ourselves — you’re likely paying less than $400, including tax.

That’s a lot of money, no doubt, but it’s a surprisingly reasonable price for a new video-game console in 2017. Consider this: The original Super Nintendo cost $199 at launch in 1991. That would be about $350 today.

The 11 best reasons to buy a Nintendo Switch

It turns out that “Ultra Street Fighter II,” a souped-up version of the 1991 classic for the new Nintendo Switch console, is a certifiable smash hit.

So far, game developer Capcom says “Ultra Street Fighter II” has sold 450,000 copies, reports IGN— despite lukewarm reviews, and the ongoing shortage of the Switch console itself. Now, Capcom says it’s planning to release a flurry of new Switch games to meet this apparent demand.

From my perspective as a Nintendo Switch owner, the reason for the runaway success of this game is simple: Every video game ever made is better, or would be better, on the Nintendo Switch. All of them. Full stop.

Let me explain.

What Nintendo does for me

I own a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One, and a whole heap of games to play on them. Still, I don’t get a lot of time to play games on the TV, and when I do, it’s usually for a matter of minutes, not hours. Lately, I’ve played many more games on my iPhone or Nintendo 3DS than my fancy-pants TV consoles.

It means that critically acclaimed games like “The Witcher 3” and even the older “Skyrim” have all passed me by. They’re probably both great, but I just haven’t been able to commit the 40-plus hours in front of my TV that those games would demand from me for full enjoyment.

Back to Nintendo. In case you haven’t heard, the Nintendo Switch has a simple, killer gimmick: It’s a TV console, like an Xbox or PlayStation, but when you’re on the go, you can pick it up right off its dock and keep on playing. It even lets you split one controller into two, for impromptu two-player action. The Nintendo Switch can be plugged into a TV, or played on-the-go. Either way, it’s great.Ben Gilbert/Business Insider

This has been a huge boon for me, personally. The Switch is a TV console, and a thing I can take with me. All of a sudden, I don’t have to choose between playing a console game or something portable. Console games fit into my life, once again. And I suspect that I’m not alone in feeling this way.

So, yeah, of course “Ultra Street Fighter II” sold like crazy, despite being a mediocre version of a decades-old classic. And when “Skyrim,” which first released in 2011, comes out for the Switch later this year, it’ll probably sell like crazy, too. The Switch itself makes any game more accessible, and more playable, by virtue of sheer flexibility. (Plus, this early in a console’s life cycle, people are thirsty for any half-decent game, which also helps.)

Ultimately, I would urge every game developer out there to consider a Nintendo Switch version of any games they’re working on, or even that they’ve already made. Superhero fighting game “Injustice 2,” for example, would be killer on the Switch.

And, look, I get that the Nintendo Switch isn’t as powerful under the hood as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, graphically. Speaking personally, though, I would rather play a version of a great game at a lower resolution, or with slightly diminished special effects, than I would not play it at all.

Every video game would be better on Nintendo’s newest console

How can you tell that I’m old?

The answer: I can’t stand playing most 3D games on a touchscreen for very long. I love playing “Minecraft,” Microsoft’s smash-hit block-building game, on my iPhone with my nephews, but the control feels weird and unnatural to my withered 30-year-old hands. I could play it on PC, naturally, but then I lose the portability.

This is why I was so eager to try “Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition,” the $30 version of the game for the new Nintendo Switch console. I thought, perhaps, this version would strike the perfect compromise:

Because the Switch is a TV games console, it uses a traditional joystick setup, the kind I’m very accustomed to. And because you can detach the Switch from the TV, I can take it on the go.

Well, the game met my expectations, and actually exceeded them. And in so doing, it shows off what’s so great about both “Minecraft,” and about the Nintendo Switch itself.

Mining and crafting

The actual experience of playing “Minecraft” is exactly the same here as it is on other versions.

In Survival Mode, you begin alone and unarmed, and are challenged to craft tools and weapons in a blocky, charmingly pixelated world. In Creative Mode, you’re freed from the shackles of responsibility, and can zip around the world using the game’s amazingly intuitive interface to build massive structures limited by your imagination.

The Switch can either be plugged into a TV to act as a normal console, or else used as portable system, as pictured here. 4J Studios

This version’s sole twist is a Nintendo-exclusive “Mario Mash-Up Pack,” which optionally lets you play as various Super Mario characters, while also giving a Mario-style makeover to the game’s items, buildings, and enemies. If you happened to play the Wii U version of “Minecraft,” it’s the exact same here as it was there.

It’s a fun addition, but not game-changing (so to speak). If you’ve ever played “Minecraft” before, and you should, you know what you’re getting. One thing I would note is that the game’s graphics get just a little worse when the console is in its portable mode, with the distance you can see noticeably diminished. That’s a quibble, though.

Playing with power

The real beauty of this version of “Minecraft” comes in the unique stuff that the Switch brings to the table.

Again, I can’t get used to touchscreen controls. So having a portable version that supports the Switch’s trademark Joy-Con controllers, thumbsticks and all, was a welcome blessing. I found myself playing the game more, and for longer sessions, than I had with other versions of “Minecraft.”

My absolute favorite moment with the game, however, came when I showed it to my nephews. Like the Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game, “Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition” supports a split-screen multiplayer with up to four players, so long as the console is plugged into the TV.

The game has a pre-built Super Mario world for you to explore. Microsoft/Nintendo

When the Switch isn’t plugged into the TV, though, you still keep the power to have two local players. It meant that my nephews could play with each other sitting at the coffee table, while a movie played on the TV. They love “Minecraft;” they love playing “Minecraft” with each other, and they were totally into this idea.

The caveat is that “Minecraft: Switch Edition” doesn’t support the Switch’s nifty method for turning one of its Joy-Con controllers into two, meaning you’ll need a full two controllers to take advantage. That part is a bummer.

Still, to me, it proves two things. First, Nintendo’s boasts of the Switch as a social console are well-deserved. Whether it’s attached to the TV, or in your backpack on a trip, the Switch really does let you have fun solo or with friends.

Second, “Minecraft” is really an extraordinary game. It’s incredibly flexible, and is equally as fun on phones, consoles, and PCs. It’s no wonder that the game has had such staying power when it’s so easy to get started everywhere the game plays. And when Switch players of “Minecraft” get the ability to join their Xbox brethren later this year, you can expect the fun to get cranked up to 11.

‘Minecraft’ for the Nintendo Switch proves what’s so great about both the game and the console

Recently, Microsoft and its third party partners announced quite a few Japanese games coming to Xbox One, partly as a result of a recent trip by Xbox Division Head Phil Spencer to Japan, where he met local publishers and developers.

Xbox One Fans Can Expect More Japanese Games According to Aaron Greenberg

Xbox Wants Diversity in its Games Lineup; it’s Good for Gears of War and Halo Developers to Be Quiet

First released in 2015, Rocket League took the gaming community by storm on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC, and it wasn’t too long until it made its way to Xbox One. Once again, the game is making the jump to a new console. With the release of Rocket League on the Nintendo Switch, developer Psyonix is bringing exclusive Nintendo-themed battle cars.

When Rocket League releases on Nintendo Switch this holiday season, these three Nintendo-themed cars will be available as free special unlocks. Technically speaking, the Mario NSR and Luigi NSR are the same vehicle. Whether or not a player is Mario or Luigi is dependent on the team color they select before a match. Orange players display the Mario skin while Blue players show up as Luigi. For the Metroid-themed Battle Car, Samus’ Gunship, the team color variations are modeled after different Varia Suits from the series.

Along with the different body designs, both cars feature specialized boosts. The Mario and Luigi NSR feature a “Super Star” trail while Samus’ Gunship uses a “Wave Beam.” Other Nintendo items include Mario and Luigi hats.

Rocket League on Nintendo Switch was officially announced during Nintendo’s Treehouse presentation at E3 2017. Anticipation for the reveal came much sooner though as Psyonix began teasing the possibility of a Switch port

Right out of the gate, the Switch version includes all previous game modes and features found in other versions of the game. This includes later additions such as Hockey, Dropshot, and additional rotating modes. It also supports cross-network play, but the systems have yet to be announced.

Other unique features come from the design of the Nintendo Switch. The biggest draw is the ability to play Rocket League on the go. Users can get the same console experience, without being tethered to their living room. Additionally, local wireless multiplayer allows Switch owners to circle around each other to play without using dedicated Wi-Fi.

Rocket League rolls out onto Nintendo Switch consoles during the 2017 holiday season. This means that players will have plenty of time to battle their friends during the holiday break. Expect a solid release date in the coming months.

‘Rocket League’ on Switch comes with exclusive Nintendo battle cars

The Xbox One S offers a sleek, compact, and 4K Blu-ray-capable alternative to the original Xbox One, which has now been discontinued, and with multiple bundles sporting a variety of storage capacities and packed-in games, the Xbox One S is great option for anyone looking to pick up an Xbox system for the first time. At just $280 for the standard 500GB version with a game, it’s also one of the most affordable consoles on the market today.

Should you go all out and purchase the 2TB version of the console, or stick with your tried-and-true Xbox One? With the native 4K-capable, ultra-powerful Xbox One X console launching at the end of 2017, the answer to that question really depends on your eagerness to adopt the latest-and-greatest tech. Below, we take a look at how the newest console from Microsoft competes with its predecessor, the original Xbox One, in terms of specs. After all, a side-by-side juxtaposition could be enough to sway you one way or another

	Xbox One	Xbox One S
Base price	$250 (500GB), with games	$280 (500GB), with games
Drive	Up to 1TB	Up to 2TB
Resolution	Up to 1080p	Up to 4K for video
Dimensions	13.1 x 10.8 x 3.1 inches	11.6 x 8.9 x 2.5 inches
HDR support	No	Yes
Blu-ray equipped	Yes, up to 1080p	Yes, up to 4K
Cortana equipped	Yes	Yes
Operating system	Windows 10-based Xbox One OS	Windows 10-based Xbox One OS
Compatible with Kinect	Yes	Yes (with an adapter)
Bluetooth controller	No	Yes
Built-in power brick	No	Yes
USB 3.0 ports	3	3
Dedicated Kinect port	Yes	No
Available from	Amazon	Amazon
DT review	4 out of 5 stars	3.5 out of 5 stars

Blu-Ray, HDR, and new streaming features

The Xbox One S supports 4K video playback from streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and several others. The console also features a built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. At less than $300, the Xbox One S is a relative steal when compared to the price tag of some of dedicated UHD players currently on the market, which makes it a solid purchase for individuals who currently own a 4K TV. The last-gen Xbox One accepts Blu-ray discs, sure, but it can’t handle UHD Blu-ray.

The Xbox One S also supports HDR, or High Dynamic Range, which greatly broadens the range of displayed colors and contrast. Deeper colors and richer contrast means more vibrant and realistic imagery. All of this creates more stunning, lifelike graphics. The HDR upgrade makes for a vivid in-game experience, but you must have an HDR-capable TV. Even then, only a small selection of games, such as Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3 support the feature.

Winner: Xbox One S

Aesthetics and design

The Xbox One S is an aesthetic marvel when compared to the aging look of the Xbox One. Opposed to the uninspiring, cinder-block design of the Xbox One, the Xbox One S features a matte-white block on a raised black base. The Xbox One S is also capable of being positioned upright, though the upright stand comes exclusively with the 2TB model, or as a standalone accessory for $20. Its predecessor, on the other hand, can only be positioned horizontally. The Xbox One S is smaller than the Xbox One, yet still manages to house the power brick that was once an outside component of the Xbox One.

As anyone who has ever owned an Xbox One knows, the touch-sensitive power button was oftentimes problematic. Similarly, the controller sync button was inconveniently located. The Xbox One S addresses many of these design flaws. The front of the Xbox One S features a physical power button, controller sync button, a disc eject button, and a single USB 3.0 port. The backside of the Xbox One S has two HDMI ports (one in, one out), two more USB 3.0 ports, S/PDIF, and Ethernet. Both models offer an IR blaster, as well.

Winner: Xbox One S

Bye, bye Kinect. Hello, Cortana

The Xbox One S dropped the dedicated port for the Kinect. Only a handful of games utilized Kinect to begin with, making the move fairly irrelevant from a gaming standpoint. However, it is still possible to use the motion-sensing device with the Xbox One S via an adapter. Moreover, Microsoft is currently giving them away for free through its support site. However, since Kinect users will have to use one of the USB ports for the adapter, they will now be down to only two USB ports, and the additional adapter requires its own power supply, unlike the original Xbox One.

The Kinect port has been also replaced with an integrated infrared blaster on the Xbox One S, allowing users to configure their Xbox One S to control devices such as their TV and A/V receiver. After several postponements, the Xbox One S finally features Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana.

The assistant — first introduced on desktop machines with Windows 10 — is aimed at carrying out an array of standard tasks, and thus allows you to look up the weather, search the internet, open apps, and perform a host of other actions. At the moment, Cortana is wildly insufficient for more than the most basic functions, though the feature will likely get better as time goes on. As with any platform, trial and error is key to a harmonious relationship. Both the Xbox One and Xbox One S can use Cortana and Kinect.

Winner: Xbox One

Controller

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The folks at Microsoft continue to further distance themselves from the Kinect, and as such, the latest Xbox controller comes with a jack that allows you to communicate with your digital assistant via a headset. From a tactile, gaming perspective, the controller still very much feels like the controller we’ve all grown accustomed to, albeit with a new textured grip and an assortment of covers. The controller also comes equipped with Bluetooth, which extends its range and makes wireless gaming with Xbox Anywhere titles far easier.

Winner: Xbox One S

Compatibility

The Xbox One S supports all the games you loved on Xbox One, and vice versa. It’s also possible for the Xbox One S to upscale older games to 4K (not that it doesn’t render at that resolution — it only upscales). Regardless, unless Xbox One owners are really chomping at the bit for increased support and video quality, there’s no dire need to upgrade at the moment.

Winner: Tie

Conclusion

To upgrade or not to upgrade? The Xbox One S is without a doubt one of the best Ultra HD Blu-Ray players on the market for the price. Coupled with the general gaming upgrades, the Xbox One S is a great option for individuals looking for a worthy Ultra HD Blu-ray player, as well as individuals purchasing their first Xbox. Though our initial review for the original Xbox One actually gave it a higher score than the Xbox One S due to the platform’s potential, the Xbox One S is the superior machine.

For current Xbox owners, there’s little incentive to make the leap with the much more promising release of the Xbox One X — with 4K gaming — coming this November. If you’re looking for an upgrade right now, though, the Xbox One S is hard to beat for anyone content to play games at 1080p resolution.

Winner: Xbox One S

Updated on 8-28-2017 by Gabe Gurwin: Updated to reflect the discontinuation of the original Xbox One and final name of Xbox One X.

The Xbox One S is here, so is it time to ditch your original Xbox One?