The mysterious Nintendo Switch mobile app has suddenly gone live for iOS and Android devices, and it may not be what fans were expecting.
While Nintendo has kept what the Nintendo Switch Online app can actually do a secret, it does seem like it will compile games that will be compatible with the upcoming Nintendo online services like Splatoon 2.
Nintendo’s online service is free until 2018, so go ahead and download the app for iOS and Android ASAP and take it for a spin. But before you do, here’s everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch Online app.
CURRENTLY ONLY WORKS WITH SPLATOON 2
This may be a no-brainer, but the upcoming Switch game Splatoon 2 will be the only title that the new Nintendo Switch Online app works with.
Once you log-in, you will see Splatoon 2 available under “Game-Specific Services.” This will launch the SplatNet 2 display that will offer Splatoon 2 players a chance to see their battle history, milestones and even order gear from your phone to be picked up in-game later. You can also see what the Normal, Ranked and League battle stages are and how long they will be active.
This is a great tool to order gear exclusive to the online app, and when you’re not near your Nintendo Switch so you won’t miss out on some potential rad gear. But you can only order one piece of gear through SplatNet 2 once per day.
If you wanted a guided tour of SplatNet 2, check out this video from our friends at GameXplain.
INVITING FRIENDS
The big draw of the Nintendo Switch Online app is the ability to invite friends to play online. However, since Splatoon 2 is the only game that works with the app at the moment, you’ll have to follow these instructions to invite friends to play.
Go to the lobby or Grizzco in Splatoon 2 from the Nintendo Switch console, then select Online Lounge. Create a room and you will be prompted to invite friends using your smart device. You can find friends via Facebook, Twitter, Line or your contacts. This will also allow you to use the voice chat on your smart device while you play.
DATA USAGE AND BATTERY LIFE
The Nintendo Switch Online app collects your data but you can disable this from the app by pressing the Gear button at the top right corner of your screen and selecting “About Data Usage.” Your changes will go into effect the next time you start the app.
As for battery life, there are reports that the Nintendo Switch Online app drains your battery significantly. Eurogamer reports that to use the SplatNet 2 voice chat, your screen must be on at all times, which means disabling the sleep function on your smart device or you’ll be disconnected from the voice chat.
So what do you think of the Nintendo Switch Online app? Is the battery drain concerning? Let us know in the comments section below.
