As is the case with every modern game console, the first thing you’re going to want to do when you plug in your brand new Nintendo Switch is download the day one update. Without it, the Switch is unable to perform all but the most basic of functions: playing physical copies of games and powering on and off.
The system update takes only seconds to download and install, but it adds dozens of features to the Switch. Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of the changes in version 2.0.0 from Nintendo of Japan’s website:
- Play games online
- Receive notifications via the news feature
- Access the Nintendo eShop
- Add friends
- Post screenshots to Facebook and Twitter
- Update game software
- Receive My Nintendo points for completing purchases
- Automatically turn on the TV when docking the Switch
- See the percentage of battery life on the home screen
- Format the microSD card from the main menu
None of these features will be accessible until you apply the update. In fact, the Switch won’t even read an inserted microSD card out of the box, so be sure to connect to the internet and update right away.
Once the update has been installed, you’ll be able to check out the eShop, where nine games are currently available to purchase, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Snipperclips and 1-2-Switch. If you want to try online play, you can give Super Bomberman R a whirl, but of the games available on the US eShop at launch, Zelda (unsurprisingly) is the only new game worth spending money on.
If you want to try demos of Dragon Quest Heroes and Puyo Puyo Tetris, you can create a Japanese Nintendo Account and log in on your Switch to access the Japanese eShop. We even have an easy-to-follow guide.
