Get All Access for $5/mo

Watch Jimmy Fallon Play Super Mario on iPhone The new 'Legend of Zelda' game is also played on Nintendo's forthcoming console, Switch.

By Matthew Humphries

This story originally appeared on PCMag

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Jan. 12 can't come soon enough for fresh details about the Nintendo Switch, but last night we got to see the Switch in action live on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Nintendo is starting to get serious about a marketing push for its next console launch. And just before we all settle down to play on an Xbox One S or PS4 Pro this Christmas, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé and legendary Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto turned up on TV, complete with what looked to be a fully functioning Switch.

The showcase starts off with Super Mario Run for smartphones, but that's really just a lead in to unveiling the Switch hardware, which Fallon seems genuinely excited about. The fact that it's running The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should come as no surprise, as that's the only Switch game we've been shown before beyond other games' quick appearances in the Switch teaser trailer.

The live presentation shows us nothing new in terms of gameplay, but Nintendo clearly wanted the focus to be on the hardware and its dual functionality as a handheld and a home console.

Unfortunately, the actual transition from playing on the big screen to the tablet is covered up. What happens when you lift the Switch out of its dock during play? What exactly did Reggie see on the tablet and press to allow the game to be playable again for Fallon?

Maybe that transition state and experience isn't finalized yet, but it needs to be for the January presentation. Every aspect of the Switch experience will be scrutinized at that point and used by the media to either get behind the Switch, or treat it with some degree of suspicion until review units are sent out.

Matthew Humphries

Senior Editor

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Management

Why Business Owners Should Mix Strategy with Hands-On Involvement

Conventional wisdom says to work on the business, not in the business. That sounds like good advice, but is there more to it? Yes, and finding the balance is key to entrepreneurial success.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Growing a Business

You Need an Advisory Team More Than Ever. Here's Why — and How to Run One Effectively.

The right advice, particularly in a company's early stages, can be an existential matter: how to surround yourself with the right minds.