Nintendo launches Switch, new portable game console to take on rivals

New Delhi: Nintendo is all set to unveil new portable Switch games console on Friday and take on Sony's popular PlayStation 4.

Switch`s price varies between country to country. As company data, the games console costs $299 in the US and 29,960 yen (around $260) in Japan.

As Nintendo is struggling to keep its mobile gaming sales figures from slipping, Switch will be available in the US, Canada, Japan and several European countries on March 3. The game can be played at home as well as on the go.

The console is priced higher than Sony`s Playstation 4 and Microsoft`s Xbox One. It was previously code-named NX, the Switch looks like a tablet computer with controllers that attach to its sides, the BBC reported.

The device has a removable screen that lets players dock it at home and also use it on the go like a tablet computer with detachable controllers on both sides. It uses cartridges rather than discs.

Switch will be crucial for Nintendo which needs a hit product to offset the flagging fortunes of the Wii U and its handheld 3DS device, as rival Sony racks up huge sales of the PS4 -- it has sold over 50 million units globally since its debut in late 2013.

Ninetendo is also the creator of the Pokemon franchise but does not own the licence for the game, which was developed and distributed by US-based Niantic, a spinoff of Google.

As per AFP, Last month, Nintendo released the Super Mario Run game for iPhones, which topped download charts and drew more than 40 million downloads globally in the first four days after its release, according to the company.

But analysts warned its popularity could be hampered by a relatively high $10 price tag for access to the full game, since many online offerings are free.