Introducing the Nintendo Switch

General and high profile video game topics.
User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18074
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby VideoGameCritic » October 20th, 2016, 5:35 pm

Well Nintendo unveiled it's new console today, due out next March.
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/10/n ... et-hybrid/

In general I'm pretty psyched up about it. It's like a fully-realized version of the Wii U.

The big thing for me is that it will use cartridges. This is huge, and hopefully will eliminate installations and long load times. While it's still possible to apply patches to games (saved to local memory) I would hope this becomes more of the exception other than the rule (see: PS4 and Xbox One). God forgive we should expect developers to publish high quality, fully-tested software. Yeah, I must be crazy right?

The portable aspect of the system doesn't appeal much to me, but I have a feeling it will appeal to the younger crowd. But what does appeal to me is the prospect of being able to play the game on the portable while the TV is in use. This is one feature of the Wii U that was woefully underused.

With one system serving as console and portable, I guess Nintendo will no longer need to support two different platforms. This could mean more games, which is a good thing since the flow of titles for these systems has been a trickle.

The detachable controllers look really cool. It also leaves open the possibility of special attachments for unconventional control schemes. There aren't too many buttons but maybe that's a good thing.

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

User avatar
Retro STrife
Posts: 2520
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 7:40 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby Retro STrife » October 20th, 2016, 6:06 pm

Actually looks pretty cool. Like you, the portability aspect and portable-multiplayer aspect serve no purpose for me, since I play everything at home, but they're still interesting features. In practice, I bet that controller will be a lot more annoying to use than it looks. And I like the cartridge aspect too, since today's carts seem to be able to do all the things that discs can, unlike the cartridge limitations we saw in the PS1/N64 era.

And thanks for sharing this, since I don't follow modern gaming news anymore (don't even own a Xbox One, PS4, or Wii U....).

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby Rev » October 20th, 2016, 6:21 pm

This looks cool, I'll probably pick it up eventually but I'm in no rush like I was with the Wii U. I think I'll wait to see how the console is doing a year+ after it is released. I hope it has a solid stream of games, unlike the Wii U which has basically been dead for years.

User avatar
Atariboy
Posts: 956
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 11:07 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby Atariboy » October 21st, 2016, 2:47 am

The negatively I'm seeing has really surprised me at other forums like AtariAge, since I thought Nintendo hit a home run as I was watching it. Makes me think that Nintendo almost could've put a million dollars inside each launch day edition of the Switch, and we'd still see complaints.

They pretty much hit all the bases that I was hoping to see be confirmed out of this reveal. The only actual disappointment that I saw was that the Sony style split d-pad that was in some of the rumors, was actually present on the Switch itself.

Was hoping that rumor wouldn't pan out. The d-pad is one area where I really don't think Nintendo has to evolve any. Just keep what's on the Wii U and call it day since it gets the job done just fine. Change just for the sake of change rarely works out for the better.

User avatar
Stalvern
Posts: 1946
Joined: June 18th, 2016, 7:15 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby Stalvern » October 21st, 2016, 2:54 am

VideoGameCritic wrote:God forgive

Forbid! The phrase doesn't even make any sense with "forgive" there! (Sorry, but I figured that if you have a whole thread for fixing typos in your reviews, you can probably put up with this.)

Oh, the console. It's certainly interesting; ever since the DS, they've been trying to do "revolutionary" things with their hardware (and with a surprising amount of success, apart from the Wii U), but this has to be their weirdest idea yet. Honestly, I'm not convinced that it'll really work how they want it to - with the "portable" aspect being such a lower priority than the "home" aspect, it seems like a waste to add that kind of functionality when it'll be so compromised by high weight and low battery life. (No matter how many times the video shows people using the thing outside or on airplanes, it doesn't look any less clunky, and I can't imagine it lasting a whole plane flight anyway.) The modular controllers look perfect for party games, though, and it's about time that solid-state media made a comeback in console games.

VideoGameCritic wrote:With one system serving as console and portable, I guess Nintendo will no longer need to support two different platforms.

Thankfully, this is not the case.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby scotland » October 21st, 2016, 7:46 am

Atariboy wrote:The negatively I'm seeing has really surprised me at other forums like AtariAge, since I thought Nintendo hit a home run as I was watching it.


I totally get the negativity.

First the positives. This could be the best Nintendo console for me since the Gamecube. I use my Nintendo portables all the time, even inside the house while others are watching tv or reading. The controllers seem pretty conventional, and people are excited about it. If that excitement moves product, then when I get one I will be buying a successful system which is always better than buying an unsuccessful one. Did you see the list of 'partners'? Whoa, that is a great list. For me, a high chance of buying in.

The negatives -
A 2DS is about $80, this will be what? Not sure, abut several multiples of that price! Its a console which can be portable. So as a portable its likely to be heavy, maybe uncomfortable. Probably short battery life. Its going to generate heat but portables can't power a heat fan. Its going to be like a XB360 on the go, which sounds great except the 360 was a long time ago for the price they will ask. Lots of gamers don't care about it being portable, but its going to have the baggage of being portable.Sony ad MS are running headlong into the high tech tvs and VR of tomorrow, this is solid yesterday.

The negativity is also a bit of chickens coming home to roost. Nintendo has a list of partners for this, but what will that mean? The WiiU was a failure, in large part because of how Nintendo failed the system with a too few releases, marketing, etc. Nintendo has acted selfishly for years with how they handle YouTubers or Mario Makers, etc.

The company no longer has the deep well of good feeling they used to have. Young gamers can find lots of gaming fun elsewhere, and older gamers want want Sony and MS are providing. Nintendo has lots of good will and a big fanbase still, but its not what it was, in my opinion. I think the negativity will fade *if* Nintendo delivers and follows through over the next 2 years. At this point, they need to earn our accolades.

bluenote
Posts: 290
Joined: August 14th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby bluenote » October 21st, 2016, 9:47 am

My comments from the NX thread....

Nintendo Switch! wow! Looks absolutely fantastic! Like portable gaming? You're covered. Like console gaming with no gimmicky controllers? You're covered. Buy 1 game, can play it on a portable or console.

And, how about those removable controllers and setting the screen on a table??? Very cool! I can see me and my kids playing a game while we're at a cottage during a rainy day having set this up on the kitchen table. Or a friend and I hanging on the back deck on a summer evening and deciding to play a few rounds of Mario Kart.

I haven't been this excited about a new console in a very long time. Nintendo is back, in a big way.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby scotland » October 21st, 2016, 10:01 am

bluenote wrote: Nintendo is back, in a big way.


So you are saying they suck right now and for the last few years?

I am excited too, and I want Ninty to be a success. However, this is just a quick curated promotional peek at a product. Lets see what happens before we light the fireworks or dig its grave. Its got potential, but it could also have serious shortcomings or be handled poorly.

User avatar
Retrology
Posts: 438
Joined: July 17th, 2015, 2:45 am

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby Retrology » October 21st, 2016, 10:23 am

Saw the trailer, and I'm also pumped. Hope it has a lot of quality games.

bluenote
Posts: 290
Joined: August 14th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Re: Introducing the Nintendo Switch

Postby bluenote » October 21st, 2016, 11:14 am

scotland wrote:
bluenote wrote: Nintendo is back, in a big way.


So you are saying they suck right now and for the last few years?

I am excited too, and I want Ninty to be a success. However, this is just a quick curated promotional peek at a product. Lets see what happens before we light the fireworks or dig its grave. Its got potential, but it could also have serious shortcomings or be handled poorly.


Perhaps "sucked" isn't the word I'd use to describe them the past few years, but yes, they haven't been very relevent the past few years. I have the Wii U and I do like the first party games they've released, but man, it was a dismal failure. Have you seen the Nintendo section at Gamestop or EB games? It's awful. There's been maybe 2 or 3 major, really good games released every year for the Wii U. That's about it. The Wii U was Nintendo's worst selling console of all time.

3DS was good, but again, not a good seller for them compared to the DS. This is more due to the changing landscape of portable gaming though, then anything Nintendo did with the console.

So yea, I do think and hope that this new console will bring Nintendo back to the forefront again.


Return to “Video Games General”