Topic: Nintendo Switch 2

I'm not going to say I am a fan of all retro games but I do love some retro games, the very best titles for most old consoles and arcades. I don't mind inferior graphics but to be honest for 2D games its really not that bad. Classic arcade games had some really nice 2D graphics. The Switch 1 and likely Switch 2 libraries are full of old retro games repackaged. Brand new games with new ideas aren't that common and Nintendo loves to sell old games at high prices. Nintendo are pushing Gamecube titles for their online service, that's an old console now but elsewhere you can emulate all Gamecube games at better speeds with higher resolutions etc. Also have to remember on the PC you get to play old games with new graphics, new levels, new features because that is what happens on a open system like the PC. Games don't remain the same they get many enhancements for free. I still love the Dreamcast and many of its games, I am still a huge fan of the super nintendo and N64. So many great games on the first 4 playstation systems too. At best Nintendo are only going to knock out one great first party game every 3 months I bet on Switch 2. Probably this time next year there will be no more than six great exclusive games on Switch 2 but there are 100s maybe 1000s of great games on other formats.

@JaxonH I totally get you. It has been more often than not that I revisited an old favorite of mine just to discover that is has lost all the "magic". It is often better to just keep the fond memories and move on to something new. What I do like though is games that mix retro sensibilities with modern gameplay and QoL features.

Edit: I played through It Takes Two together with my brother on his Xbox Series S about two years ago in split-screen and it was totally grand. Now I got Split Fiction for only about 33 € during Black Friday for me to put under the Christmas tree. This time it's gonna happen on Switch 2 though.

I'm 46, have been playing video games since the mid-1980s, and I pretty much agree with all of this. I have fond memories of playing the first Legend of Zelda back in the eighties when there still weren't any other Zelda games in existence, but if you'd ask me today, I would always choose modern games like Breath of the Wild or Echoes of Wisdom over the old ones. With these newer games their scope of gameplay, level of storytelling and quality of life features simply make them more exciting and fun to play.

And I agree that there are a handful of games from the 8-bit and 16-bit era which have stood the test of time and are still almost as enjoyable today as their modern counterparts; Super Mario Bros 3 and A Link to the Past are the first obvious examples to come to mind. But timeless classics like these are still a small minority among "retro" games. And when you move from the 8/16-bit generation to the early 3D generation, I can't think of any similar examples. Old pixel graphics can sometimes have a simple, minimalist beauty to them, but to me N64-era games like Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 simply look ugly when compared to newer 3D games in their respective series.

@JaxonH I'm a little younger (mid-30s, gaming since the 90s) but I totally agree - I think there's never been a better time to be into the hobby.

Sure there are legitimate issues in the industry...but with more choices than ever, not only in the games to play, but the way in which to play them (e.g. console, PC, hybrid...), it is very easy to avoid the things people like to complain about. Plus the ceiling for how good a game can be is higher than ever IMO. My list of favourite games is chock full of stuff from the past decade.

I agree. For every sloppy AAA games that come out — not that every AAA game is sloppy — there's at least a dozen creative and amazing indie games. Indie devs can self publish on Steam and sell hundreds of thousands of copies without having to manage servers or infrastructure. And not just that: We also have access to decades of fabulous games to play on almost any platform available to us.

It really is the golden age of gaming.

@OmnitronVariant You should go work for Valve. 🙄

@JaxonH
I'm only a year younger than you, but I have to say that I'm the total opposite lol

I LOOOOVE retro games. The classics, of course, but pretty much everything, all the way back to the NES and GameBoy. I love Super Mario World just as much as the Lolo games, the Disney platformers from the 90s, the obscure stuff like Solar Strikers, and the "impossible" stuff like TMNT. I just like the simpler design, tougher challenge (usually), and shorter play length. I think modern game design is... really messed up, to put it lightly, once you leave Nintendo's bubble, which is why I stick with Nintendo when it comes to modern gaming.

But I don't think your opinion is a hot take at all - you're probably in the majority. I think it's just the Youtube talking heads and Reddit trolls who like to pretend they're into retro games, but they probably don't even own a GameBoy lol

(original hardware all the waaaaaaaaaaaaay!)

@rallydefault We already have confirmation that there will be games added to the voucher program throughout 2026. At maximum we have 2 currently (Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven) though I could see those games be cheaper digital only games and hence not be eligible. Either way 2 isn't "throughout 2026".

So either there's more unannounced games which are coming to Switch 1 or Nintendo's going to do things the Jim Ryan way and announce already announced Switch 2 games like Fortune's Weave for Switch 1.

Honestly, the more crossgen support the better because Nintendo ruined physical for Switch 2 with the existence of Key Cards.

I used to play and love solely modern games. But I just picked up a Gamecube and remembered how cool a machine it was. I probably enjoy it more now than when I had one on release.

@jfp
Oh nice. Getting my brother to play is like pulling teeth from an alligator but, once every blue moon I manage to pester him into submission 😀 Been wanting to play It Takes Too also. Would play with someone here or from friend's list but it requires downloading the friend's pass version on their end, something most won't do. Gameshare is definitely easier, though I do appreciate the native aspect of just downloading. The other person essentially gets the game free.

@rallydefault
A lot of ppl share your preferences. But see, I rarely leave Nintendo's bubble. I have a PS5. I have an XSX. I have a gaming PC..I have a Steamdeck OLED. I just lost interest in all of that.

And many games on NSW2, beyond Nintendo's own games, have no issues whatsoever. Split Fiction is one of the best games I've played this year. Can't think of a single fault. Marvel Cosmic Invasion, been playing for the last half hour- nice pixel art but with modern sensibilities. Gameshare where someone across the world can just hop on without even owning it. 4 player online, better controller with more buttons (I love Maximum Carnage on Genesis, but 3 buttons makes for a very limited moveset).

I definitely don't feel like I'm in a majority. Seems like everywhere I turn ppl are extolling the virtues of retro games and accusing modern gaming as being this hellhole, all the while I'm having the time of my life like, say what?

@Polvasti
Ya, I can't do N64/PSone anymore. I just can't. 3D does not hold up well for that era. There are a few exceptions I can think of though. F-Zero X, for example. Well, I suppose that's not "a few", but it's at least one lol.

@Buizel
Ya, that's it. No denying modern gaming has some serious issues for some games, but if you simply avoid those and focus on the rest, this feels like the golden age.

NSW2 Console Bundle with Mario Kart World is on sale today only on Walmart website for $449.00.

$51 discount.

edit
Amazon has price matched! NSW2 Mario Kart bundle for $449 on Amazon RIGHT NOW!

NSW2 MKW Bundle $449 Amazon

edit
And a warning to hold off on Assassin's Creed for NSW2. Unlike Star Wars Outlaws, they failed to lock framerate to 30fps. It's impressive but, there's far too many games releasing to support a mid-tier Assassin's Creed that's stuck at 25-29fps. Maybe they need to account for NSW2 from the ground up, and not rush out ports for games never designed with it in mind.

I guess an update is releasing Dec. 15th, but if that fixes it, why not just hold off releasing it for another 2 weeks? But we'll see. IF they can get that framerate fixed I'll buy it.

@Grumblevolcano
I don't know what to tell ya, man: Switch 1 is done with the tentpole games. Like I said, it'll still get smaller stuff like Tomodachi and Rhythm Heaven, but that's it. I'm sure there are some smaller ones they will still announce for 2026, maybe even spinoff games from bigger franchises, but the "actual" games have moved on. The next Mario, the next Pokemon, the next Fire Emblem, the next whatever is only gonna be on Switch 2.

(Totally agree with you on the game key cards, by the way - I still refuse to buy them. I'm hopeful costs will go down, cartridge sizes will increase, publishers will offer full physical for 10 bucks more, whatever... but I am hopeful that something will give.)

@JaxonH
Yea, again, I think the internet is very "retro gaming is the best thing ever," but I think reality is quite different.

There are lots of amazing modern games, but the stuff outside of Nintendo just tends to leave me overwhelmed with content and underwhelmed on the gameplay. I fell out of love with Sony's AAA single-player stuff a few years ago. And I can't stand the Fortnite-style free-to-play games that are the zeitgeist of modern gaming; I did my time with DotA and Counterstrike back in the day, but even those games pale in comparison to the battle passes and cash stores you see in Fortnite and CoD and League and Minecraft.

Just makes me wanna vomit, if I'm being honest lol

But I'm super weird. I genuinely enjoy playing Mario Bros. 3 more than a game like Assassin Creed Shadows. If I had to choose between ONLY having Link to the Past or BotW with me on a deserted island, I'd pick Link to the Past. I'm absolutely insane haha

@JaxonH Thanks for that re Shadows... where did you hear about 15th for a patch btw? I'll be holding off until then I guess

@CJD87
I heard it from a livestreamer- I mentioned the framerate and they told me an update was scheduled for the 15th, and pointed out the absurdity of releasing now instead of just waiting. Which, we'll see how much of a difference it makes.

I'm definitely interested if they get that framerate locked. But with Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Red Dead Redemption, Octopath Traveler 0, Sonic Racing Crossworlds and, above all else, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, there's no way I'm dropping $60 on a game that can't hold a stable 30.

@rallydefault
Have you tried Tomb Raider? It's a game that's not bogged down with all that junk. Has a really interesting story with really fun gameplay, is linear in nature but open enough to not feel super linear, and has a metroidvania design element where upgrades you acquire as you progress can unlock previously inacessible secrets, and a rewarding skill point upgrade system.

Another good one is Hogwarts Legacy. It's big and engrossing like a Zelda- Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade and Forbidden Forest and you can fly on your broom all over, fast travel, etc. The combat is super fun, deep and rewarding with an incredibly addictive level up system with gear acquired that provides more and more offense and defense, there's all sorts of puzzles to solve that are really clever, there's collectibles like hidden pages to find using Revelio and flying pages to yank out of the air with Accio, but not so many it becomes overwhelming.

And while there are side quests to learn new spells, most can be ignored if you just want to follow the main story, and it's not like Xenoblade where there's hundreds. I'm 35 hrs in and have about 10 uncompleted side quests accumulated.

It's so freaking good. My only criticism is the menus using that target reticle the right analog moves to hover over things, like Ubisoft titles tend to use, instead of just letting you tab over with the d-pad. That is, admittedly, annoying and one aspect of "modern gaming" I loathe with a passion. But everything else is so good I can look past that.

Another is Split Fiction. This game has Nintendo DNA through and through. I cannot believe I'm saying this but it may be up there with DK Bonanza.

Are you into RPGs? Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter is muah! Chef's kiss. Up there with Xenoblade imo- one of the finest JRPGs I've experienced.

And Street Fighter 6. Yes, there's an insane amount of costume and stage DLC, but if you just get the game for $39.99 which includes the first 2 character passes (so 8 additional characters like M. Bison and Akuma) it's a heck of a great game. Easily my favorite 2D fighter of all time. And performing special moves actually works perfectly even using the Joycon "d-pad" which is something I could not say about the Street Fighter releases on NSW1.

@JaxonH Yeh 100%, and in typical Ubi fashion - no doubt this game will be on 50% sale in approx 2-3 months time! (Side note, I managed to pick up SW Outlaws for 55% of rrp in Black Friday sale. GKC, but not bothered about that in the slightest!)

I actually forgot I brought RDR at launch on Switch, but never got round to it. I think the patch launches tomorrow right? 60fps and some other tweaks? Perfect excuse to dive in

@rallydefault
I prefer 'retro' retro, modern NewWave Retro(Think Curse of the Moon, Blazing Chrome, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined etc), VR/MR & Nintendo's AAA heavy hitters. I just like the in and out pick up and play nature from the 8-16 bit generation. They typically didn't require a life time to complete, if you had the skills to pay the bills. Ninja Gai-DEN! Although, so many NES games are plagued with that annoying Sprite flicker.

But at the same time, revisiting our child hood classics is never the same for numerous reasons. That magic in most cases is just simply gone. They're not 'new' first time experiences anymore. We've already done it, we've experienced the likes of titles like Super Mario World back in 91 when it was jaw dropping cutting edge and in the now. That sense of wonder or being in awe of what we were seeing and experiencing can't be recaptured. We were young, pop culture was incredible and we were getting smacked by massive generational leaps, inventive innovative controllers, fun unique and bold console designs etc, back when Video games were practically new. It's not like that anymore.

Your friends and family, the people that you knew and loved may not be with you anymore. It was the perfect storm, and trying to create that nostalgia or those moments is impossible. I look at it as reviisting an old friend, but the best way to go about it is to introduce retro games to your kids and nieces if you have them. OR, play older games you've never experienced before which still translates to a first time experience.

Stuff like StarTropics II, Gargoyle's Quest 2, Clash at Demon Hand, Demon's Crest, Super Metroid(I only experienced the first 30 minutes when it came out. Hides under rock*. It sure was amazing though back in 94'), I still need to finish Yoshi's Island SNES, even Mega Man 7, just to name a few.

It just sucks that we've hit a wall of what feels like graphical diminishing returns in this day and age. Nothing FLAT makes me say wow anymore just because we've come so far, with NS2 probably being the last notable leap in power for the Big N moving forward. Obviously graphics aren't everything, it's about being entertained, the experience, and most importantly, the FUN.

Yet even Sony mentioned themselves that they can't just release another more powerful console with PS6. They've got to try something different and shake things up, instead of resting on their laurels and playing it safe. I'm hoping for PlayStation VR3, and for Sony to actually get it 'right' right this time, using Valve's Steam Frame as a template and besting it with LCD using Local Dimming(Or Maybe Micro-OLED will be affordable to use by that point), it will be lighter and smaller because it won't have stand alone tech-junk inside of it either, while also potentially using the same 6GHZ wireless connection.

VR/MR has so much room for growth, i just feel bad for those who get motion sickness from it because they're missing out on some of the most amazing video game experiences ever, with Resident Evil Village VR taking top spot for me as of late, even though it's hampered or bottle necked by the spec limitations of PSVR2 & PS5. As great as it is, it could be so much more with future headsets with higher resolution, better lenses & displays on more powerful consoles. Even Vr boomer shooters like Compound are an absolute blast. VR when done right is transformative and breaths new life into gaming.

I look at Kirby Air Riders, and i can't help imagine how much more incredible it would be in 3rd person VR on something like a Steam Frame + Steam Machine. Same thing applies to Metroid Prime 4 but in first person VR obviously, or re-experiencing Lake Side Galaxy in 3rd person VR for Super Mario Oddyssey would be incredibly surreal and magical. Pokemon SNAP VR would also be a match made in heaven. 3rd person VR Mario Kart World, top down VR for Link's Awakening NS2 etc, the list goes on and on.

And I'm with you, I would without quetion take ALTTP over BOTW anyday if it was one of the two only games i could ever replay. ALTTP has so much character, wonderful atmosphere, a beautiful soundtrack, peak Sprite based LOZ graphics and Art direction, everything about it is pure perfection and is packed full of so much charm. My only gripe is that i wish it would of been more challenging!

@JaxonH
Yes, I ADORE the first Tomb Raider reboot. Not such a fan of the second and third ones, though. I was always a Tomb Raider fan from the very first game, actually.

I think you’re understanding me pretty well because you’re naming a few games that I did indeed enjoy! Hogwarts was really fun. I did maybe 30 hours but couldn’t take the muddy graphics and load times in the Switch anymore. I’ll have to look into the upgrade pack.

And I played through and loved loved loved Trails in the Sky first chapter. I am now officially a fan and can’t wait for the next installment.

And then we hit a wall because I’m a curmudgeon and refuse to buy game key cards for stuff like split fiction lol

@WaveBoy
Yes, honestly the whole not having to devote your life to one game was what I loved from the 80s and 90s. I could beat Darkwing Duck on my GameBoy in under half an hour, pop in Tetris, etc.

Again, I am weird because I still sit down every couple months and play back through Mario Land on my GameBoy, and I really truly do feel that magic all over again. Some of those old school games just never age out for me.

@WaveBoy
getting smacked by massive generational leaps, inventive innovative controllers, fun unique and bold console designs etc

On the one hand I agree with the sentiment toward that era, but personally I still feel that way now. Not with PS and Xbox by any means, but with Nintendo.

The Switch was revolutionary, far more than Wii ever was. A bold new console design with a brand new modular controller design that functioned as split joycon, a pro-controller with the grip (that was surprisingly comfortable and similar to the Pro Controller), connected to convert the system into a handheld, offered HD Rumble and gyro and NFC...

Switch 2, to me, feels like the SNES to the original Switch. It's more than doubled the perceived visual fidelity and performance, it's added buttons like the rear GL/GR grip buttons on the Pro Controller and charge grip, HD Rumble is improved, it added 3D Audio, it has precision mouse aiming that seamlessly switches just like with going handheld/docked- it's instant and requires no changed menu settings, we finally got integrated system level Gamechat with video chat and screenshare, all using a built in mic that somehow perfectly filters out game audio to avoid interference. We also got Gameshare- both locally and online where games feel native even without downloading anything, even over the internet, and even with NSW1 consoles. Just tested Split Fiction gameshare with a Switch Lite and I couldn't even tell the difference. It felt native.

To me, NSW2 is the most exciting console I've had the pleasure of owning. The SNES and N64 were special, and 3DS with its 3D effect wowed me, and Switch certainly comes close when it launched with Zelda, but man... considering everything in totality in context- playing massive AAA games in 1080p handheld with actual stable framerates, playing with others via Gameshare and experiencing the pinnacle of all controllers with both the Joycon 2 and Pro Controller...

It feels just as magical as any other console from my youth.

@rallydefault
Mario Land was the sh** back in 1990. lol Bring back Tatanga already! And I still prefer it over SML2 to this day. SML1 is more focused and stronger in terms of platforming since it isn't plagued with those horrendous bland kitchen sink level designs of it's sequel.

SML2 has a lot going for it including it's presentation, world map especially, power ups, bonus games, visuals & soundtrack, but the platforming and core stage design were total let downs. Even the controls felt a bit janky and lack luster. it didn't get good until you made it to Wario Castle. I can remember it all like it was yesterday too. I loved Kirby's Dream Land, Dr Mario, Gremlins 2, WWF Superstars, LOZ: LInk's Awakening(Although, i gained a whole new appreciation for it in 1994 with the release of the Super GameBoy), Mega Man: Wily's Revenge, DK 94, maybe Metroid II(Still no map, and the monochrome pea soup green 8-bit visuals made it difficult to differentiate rooms or areas from the next. Still beat it though!) etc.

Speaking of Wario, SML3: Wario Land is amazing. Best Game Boy game imo. It hardly gets anough credit. I wish Nintendo would port that one over to NS & NS2, and give it proper 8-bit color and some fun Wario Land based wallpaper/boarders.

And I'm jealous! I mean, i too can feel some of that magic, but it fades, and they come in small waves. It's a combination of being comforting, but also longing for the past, my youth, that child like wonderment, many of the people that were once in my life, when i was at my happiest back during the tail end of the 80's & early to mid 90's.