Nintendo unveiled a new revision of its Switch hybrid game console on Wednesday: the Nintendo Switch Lite, a smaller version of the system that’s focused on the platform’s portable side. The new Nintendo Switch Lite hardware will cost $199.99 and will be released on Sept. 20.
The smaller Nintendo Switch won’t feature detachable Joy-Con controllers. Instead, the new Switch is a compact, all-in-one piece of hardware that makes the Switch feel more like a Game Boy or Nintendo DS. The system also does not connect to a television for big-screen play — it’s purely a handheld gaming device.
The system features a smaller 5.5-inch screen, weighs less than the original Switch hardware (approximately 0.61 lbs), and comes in three colors: yellow, gray and turquoise. The Nintendo Switch Lite also boasts longer-lasting battery life, ranging from three to seven hours of play.
The Nintendo Switch Lite device can play all games in the Nintendo Switch library that support handheld mode, Nintendo says, noting that “some games will have restrictions.” The Switch Lite doesn’t offer HD Rumble support or the IR camera included in Joy-Cons for the original Nintendo Switch.
The Switch Lite will support external Joy-Con controllers, the Switch Pro Controller, and the Poké Ball Plus, and has built-in gyro controls. It also supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, according to a hands-on report from The Verge.
A full list of differences between the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch Lite is available on Nintendo’s website.
Nintendo’s announcement of the smaller, less expensive Switch confirms multiple reports from the Wall Street Journal over the past year that indicated the game maker was planning a pair of revisions to the console.