Nintendo’s (NTDOY, NTDOF) new Switch console hits the market on March 3. With less than two months to go before the big day, the “Mario” maker gave us a chance to go hands-on with the system and a handful of games, including the highly anticipated “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”

The biggest news about the $300 Switch, outside of the fact that it’s a new Nintendo console, is that it’s actually two systems in one.

There’s the traditional TV mode, which lets you play games on your couch with a tub of chips next to you, and a handheld mode, which lets you pop the Switch’s 6.2-inch tablet out of its dock and use the console on the go (perhaps to the market to buy more chips).

It’s an impressive system, but the Switch will live and die by its catalogue of third-party games, which still seems very much up in the air.

But let’s start with what makes the console unique. See, the brains of the Switch are all packed into that tablet. The dock is basically a means for it to connect to your television, power it, and charge its battery.

The console isn’t the only part of the Switch that features multiple modes. The system actually comes with two controllers: a left Joy-Con and a right Joy-Con, available in solid gray or blue and red. You can hold one controller in each hand to play games, or slide them into the included Grip for a more traditional gaming experience.

When you want to use the Switch in tablet mode, you simply slide the Joy-Cons onto the slate’s sides, turning the system into what is essentially a giant Game Boy. If you want to play a two-player game, you can hand one Joy-Con to your friend, while you use the other to go head-to-head.

I found the Grip controller mode to be as comfortable as a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controllers. It’s substantial without feeling overweight. Using the Joy-Cons in tablet mode was similarly easy, though I can’t see many people holding the Switch up for too long. You’ll likely end up resting it on your lap after a while just as I did during my “Zelda” demo.

While I like the idea of using the Switch’s Joy-Cons as individual controllers for two-player games, they feel a bit too cramped for my adult-size hands. That probably won’t be the case for smaller gamers, but it’s worth noting if you’re old enough to have awkwardly slow-danced at your junior prom.

According to Nintendo, the Switch’s battery will last roughly two to six hours in tablet mode depending on the game you’re playing. In other words, if you’re playing a particularly resource intensive game like “Zelda,” don’t expect a marathon session on a cross-country flight unless your seat has a power outlet. Thankfully, the Switch uses a USB C connector, so you can plug in any compatible cable and charge the system without needing its dock.