If you’ve been a regular reader here at GGS, you’ll know that one feature we always include in our reviews is a ‘Family Friendly’ section. We know that kids of varying ages can (and often do) get their hands on games that maybe aren’t appropriate for their age, so we like to provide a good bit of context on what the content of the game is, and put a bit more colour on that rating on the box.
Parental control features are a regular feature on modern consoles these days, but it looks like the Nintendo Switch will be equipped with a fascinating set of features to monitor your children’s time with the console.
Via an Android/iOS app that this lovely video details, the Switch can provide timers and auto-sleep events to either advise of or enforce limits of game time. Time with the system is logged on a per-game basis, allowing parents to see what games are the favourites. There’s also the usual restrictions on online content and age ratings.
It’s worth noting however that the features are set across the whole system, rather than being enforced on individual users. Bear that in mind if you consider setting some rules with your Switch when it arrives.
Separating the controls from the system and compartmentalising it into a smartphone app is a pretty great move I think. Kids aren’t daft when it comes to parental systems and will attempt to discover whatever code unlocks another console’s parental control systems. By the nature of their use, smartphones rarely leave their owner, making it a perfect method of keeping all the controls away from the console and thus, from potential unwanted intrusion.
Nice move, Nintendo.
