The Video Game Critic

newmodelarmy wrote:I have heard reports that the Switch warps if you leave it in the dock too long. I guess a device that gets heated doesn't enjoy being in a closed case for too long. Go figure! I am really interested in what you have to say Critic. I am interested in this but they need many more games. I am already playing Horizon Zero Dawn and that definitely scratches the "open world" itch. No reason to play Zelda right now.

I don't believe the people that say the dock is causing their Switch to warp. I think it's more likely that a small number of units were slightly bent out of the box and people didn't notice it until a few people made some claims on a message board and everyone started checking their Switch. The nature of the Switch with the curved bottoms of the joycons make the Switch look bent or warped but it's an optical illusion, set it on a glass countertop without the joycons attached and it's flat. If it's not, contact Nintendo and they will fix or replace it.

Decide for yourselves:
https://www.technobuffalo.com/2017/04/0 ... g-bending/

Showed my Switch to two friends today. They loved Zelda but the other two games (1 2 Switch and Bomberman R), not so much. Also, setting up the controls for multiplayer could have been easier.

I'm starting to think my controller might have the disconnection problem. Every now and then Link goes running off in one direction out of my control. Usually happens at the worst time.

I have a second set on order so I'll see how they are. I'm pretty sure Nintendo will repair these for free if I call their customer service.

MoarRipter wrote:

newmodelarmy wrote:I have heard reports that the Switch warps if you leave it in the dock too long. I guess a device that gets heated doesn't enjoy being in a closed case for too long. Go figure! I am really interested in what you have to say Critic. I am interested in this but they need many more games. I am already playing Horizon Zero Dawn and that definitely scratches the "open world" itch. No reason to play Zelda right now.

I don't believe the people that say the dock is causing their Switch to warp. I think it's more likely that a small number of units were slightly bent out of the box and people didn't notice it until a few people made some claims on a message board and everyone started checking their Switch. The nature of the Switch with the curved bottoms of the joycons make the Switch look bent or warped but it's an optical illusion, set it on a glass countertop without the joycons attached and it's flat. If it's not, contact Nintendo and they will fix or replace it.

I dont own a switch, but every review I see mentions how super hot it gets while playing zelda in the dock. Probably caused by overclocking for one, and secondly the battery as well. I hear the battery doesnt charge when playing zelda in the dock as its too resource heavy. My tablet does this if I am watching a movie with it plugged in. It doesnt charge and the battery gets hot.

I could see how those 2 things mixed with being in a confined space could cause the plastics to expand and contract causing warping when it cools over time. Also, with it running solely on battery power when docked and not charging as it should, those batteries are most likely going to be toast after a year. maybe sooner depending on your level of play.

You can see a teardown of the Switch console here to see how it deals with heat:
https://www.fictiv.com/blog/posts/nintendo-switch-teardown



These are some seriously packed in PCBs. We've come a long way from Tiger handhelds, to be sure. Thats a fan right in the center area by the battery. The big reversed J think is a heat pipe and a heat sink right by the fan. The article's author seems to be impressed by both the size of the fan and the size of the heat sink. If you own a Switch, I would guess this is where the unit feels warm, right near the SD card slot / kickstand. If it feels warm on the other end, that may mean its not wicking the heat away as it should.

So, it looks like the unit was designed to deal with some heat. Aftermarket docks that help, or just some cool air circulation in the dock may also help. This summer may see some issues with people playing in warmer homes, or just time. On the other hand, the industry has had years of experience with tablets and phones, but the Switch is working pretty hard.

We all know heat is bad for electronics, increasing failure rates and reducing efficiency and life spans. We can also see the Switch has design features to deal with heat. So, we'll see how this affects the Switch in its first year or so on the market. As for the case itself bending, it seems unlikely. There is a heat shield on one side, and more metal on the other, not just plastic.

VideoGameCritic wrote:Showed my Switch to two friends today. They loved Zelda but the other two games (1 2 Switch and Bomberman R), not so much. Also, setting up the controls for multiplayer could have been easier.

If there's ever another Video Game Mania, the cow milking game must be the playoffs.

The little Joy-con controllers come with these slim "sliders". I'm not sure what the purpose of these are. Maybe making them more comfortable to hold? I noticed they cover two of the buttons.

Take care while sliding these on - if you slide them on upside down they are hard to get off. You'd think they would be better designed to prevent something like that from happening.

Another complaint is the cartridge slot. It's kind of a pain getting the cartridges in and out. First there's a soft plastic tab covering it you need to bend back. Then you need to push in the cart to eject it - not so easy if you have big hands. I miss the days of the 2600 when it was so easy to pop the carts in and yank them out.

If you're looking for a multiplayer game that won't take forever to learn or set up, I highly recommend Puyo Puyo Tetris. It offers a ton of modes and a ton of different ways to play and it's a perfect fit for the Switch.

...Just make sure to turn the volume off, as the voices can get pretty annoying to hear over and over during the matches.

VideoGameCritic wrote:I'm starting to think my controller might have the disconnection problem. Every now and then Link goes running off in one direction out of my control. Usually happens at the worst time.

Maybe it's a problem of interference? As suggested here: http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/3/1480932 ... terference