Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Grumblevolcano Please tell us how you feel about Endless Ocean Luminous after you play. I wanted the game, but after all the low review scores, my confidence was shaken. Even the most positive review I found basically said it should have been a Switch 2 game even though it was otherwise positive.

My body is ready

@FishyS I think it's May 7th. Maybe they could announce the console on the financial meeting and then shortly after make a post about it? Something like 'The Nintendo (codename or actual name) will arrive in March 2025. This console will be able to play your Nintendo Switch games as well as many new exclusive games you cannot play on your Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming console and it's games in the near future.'

@FishyS What were the reasons they gave for thinking it should've been a Switch 2 game? The NL review was pretty critical overall, but said it looked and sounded great. Don't recall if there was any mention of loading times etc though

@dmcc0 The reasoning was basically that looking great was almost the only thing the game does and that it could easily look greater on better hardware.

You are right; I always mix up which way the timezones go. Which means it is early enough in the week, theoretically there is room for a direct next week. 😛 Seems a little doubtful though.

@FishyS I could understand that if Switch 2 was coming out next month, but that's an odd comment given it hasn't even been announced yet. "Looks great, but would look even better if it was on more powerful hardware that doesn't exist yet" could be applied to literally any game on any system.

Seems like some reviewers are becoming increasingly guilty of comparing Switch to Switch 2 already in reviews rather than reviewing it for the system it's actually releasing on.

@dmcc0 That's true. It's like saying this PS5 game looks good but it'd look better on the PS6.

Well, no s*** Sherlock.

@FishyS I doubt that there’d be a Direct if they’re announcing the next console as those tend to be separate from what I know. One or the other is possible, but having both would be extremely unlikely.

I feel like June will have a Direct, and maybe announce a lot more Switch games for the rest of this year, and then maybe tease one or two next console games towards the end of the show. I feel like anywhere around fall (likely September) we will get a huge next console games blowout and maybe first real look of the console it self sometime before.

I think it’s kind of unlikely for a Direct next week especially if we’re getting something next console related, although if we aren’t getting any next console news, I think a Direct is somewhat likely. Nintendo definitely will have stuff H2 but we haven’t really seen it yet, and that could be what’s at this Direct. Nintendo isn’t afraid of doing Directs right after games, as we saw with Splatoon 3. Endless Ocean could even be featured with dome update/event or something.

If there is a Direct instead of next console announcement, here are my predictions:
1. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door trailer (potentially post-game content)
2. Luigi’s Mansion 2HD reminder
3. While you wait for LM2HD, here’s LM1HD!
4. Metroid Prime 4 October 2024
5. Tease of next Mario Kart
And probably some other stuff. Kirby will probably get a game soon so we could see that here or on its own. Maybe Fire Emblem will get another spinoff/remake soon?

The point was not about Switch 2, it was about the quality of graphics in Endless Ocean. I think the point is 'looks great by Switch standards' is not quite the same as 'looks great full stop'. People have seen 4K and PS4/PS5 graphics so it is a fair comment to say that a game mostly about the graphics would be even better if it had better graphics by current modern standards. If you think a game has a minor flaw, it seems fair to describe how that flaw could have been fixed or at least improved.

That said, I have been guilty of the 'would be better on Switch 2' mental worm also. Even with playing Peach Showtime, I couldn't help but imagine how the jank loading screens would have been better on Switch 2.

@dmcc0
I think in this case it's probably a fair comment. If the main strength of the game is that it looks pretty the fact that better hardware is on the horizon does seem a bit of a waste. Especially when the Switch is underpowered compared to other hardware options generally

It's like if back in the day you had picked up a copy of Avatar on DVD. Sure it probably made sense for someone who didn't have a HDTV or BluRay player but the entire point of that movie was that it's flashy. That's the only reason it exists. The thing to say to that person at the point of sale is that they should wait until they can watch it in HD

@FishyS Yeah, but it's reviewing on Switch, so review the Switch version with whatever limitations that brings. If it looks good on Switch, then say so - there's no need to add "...but it would look better on Series X, PS5, Switch2 etc." because those versions don't exist and that doesn't add anything to the review. If it was struggling performance-wise then by all means call it out as being too much for the hardware, but his doesn't seem to be the case here from what I've read. It's scoring poorly due to dull gameplay rather than anything performance related.

@skywake It's not available on any other system (yet?), so that analogy doesn't really work unless Blu-Ray didn't exist at the time. A true analogy would be going into a store and buying it on DVD when it's the only format available and the person at the point of sale says "I've heard a rumour Blu Ray is going to be a thing next year - you should wait for that". Like I said, different if Switch 2 was coming next month, or even officially announced, but at this point it doesn't actually exist beyond some rumours and speculation so saying it should've waited for Switch 2. It'll probably get and upgrade/new version anyway once new hardware comes out - whenever that may be.

@FishyS I will share my thoughts when I've played it, I did see the review roundup on this site but it didn't put me off. Feels like it'll still be able to do what I was hoping it would do in the sense of being a relaxing game exploring the ocean.

@dmcc0
It doesn't exist in other platforms but other platforms exist. If the main selling point is that it's pretty then the fact that it's only on Switch is something that counts against it. And the fact that new hardware is on the horizon is certainly worth noting in the review

Endless Ocean Luminous is getting a Tetris 99 event next week.

Great news! Since Mario vs DK didn't get a maximus cup I was worried this game wouldn't either. Maximus cups are fun in general but I also assume the theme will be lovely.

@skywake obviously other platforms exist so I'm not sure what your point is here. I just think if you are reviewing a game on an exclusive platform, then just review the game on that platform. Don't praise it in one hand while wishing it was on hardware that is rumoured to be on the horizon on the other.

So… I noticed Resident Evil 4 is on sale right now. Not super rare, but it got me thinking… Did they ever end up adding gyro aiming to this version? It’s been like five years, so I’m curious.

@dmcc0
My point is that if the main value of the title is that it's technically impressive then the fact that you have to add "for a Switch title" is something to note. Especially when there is hardware on the market that's significantly more capable plus the potential release of a new Switch within a year

We're not talking about a game that's broadly impressive all round and the visuals help service the general quality of the game. We're talking about a game where "that looks pretty" is the hook. There are conditions and a time bomb on the main reason you might want to pick up the game. Reviewers are right to highlight that

@skywake that's your opinion and you're entitled to it, but I don't agree. They should be rating it on the hardware you can play it on now and not what they think might be coming down the line. As I've already mentioned, it's a fair comment if Switch 2 had a release date or had even been officially announced, but for all we know it could be a year (or even more) away so I don't think "should've waited for Switch 2" is helpful at this point and adds nothing to a review.

For what it's worth, I didn't suggest it needed the qualifier "good for a Switch title". I think that's basically true for all hardware - folk are aware that whatever they are playing has limitations and there is always something better available elsewhere or coming 'soon'. I'd be equally against a PS5 review saying something looked great, but they would be better waiting for the PC port or waiting until a rumoured 'Pro' or PS6 was released where it would be even better.

We could probably go round in circles forever debating who's opinion is more valid here but I think we're already close to repeating ourselves at this point and I don't think that's very helpful to anyone, so I think I'll just leave it at that and agree to disagree.