Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Grumblevolcano I would obviously prefer the latest COD but I haven't really engaged with this series for a good 3 or 4 years ( the last one I had was on Wii U and I didn't get one on PS 4) so if I'm honest any would do just as proof of concept. A modern gritty FPS that is on a system built for local multiplayer.

I had great fun with the Wii versions of CoD so they can more then make a Switch version work even if only for one year so we at least have one to play for years to come.

@Spoony_Tech
Ya, looking at Wii U as objectively as I can, it's not hard to see why it didn't really appeal to most. The graphics were fine I think- it was just the gamepad that turned people off. Looked heavy and hulkingly huge, and the OS was so slow. Word of mouth usually sells Nintendo systems, and while fans (such as myself) did love Wii U, it wasn't something we'd go running off to tell people about, "you gotta check out this system!"

With Switch, it's a stark contrast. With Switch it really is something I want to go tell everyone "Hey you gotta check out this system!". Thing is, I don't really even need to though, because the system actually draws people like a magnet on its own accord. 3 coworkers now who purchased a Switch (and counting)- nearly every person who sees it comes running over asking questions.

I mean, we may be Nintendo fans but we aren't blind. You can tell when a system has a great concept with mega appeal.

@skywake
I hope you're wrong, as I would actually buy CoD on Switch (my PS4 is pretty much in retirement in lieu of PC and Switch) this year, but I still don't see it happening.

But again, I really hope I'm wrong on this one.

@rallydefault
As I said, there are two things that the Switch has that the Wii U didn't. It has an audience that is more likely to buy a game just for the gimmick of the system despite the lack of horsepower. People would buy something like Doom or Tomb Raider on Switch just because it was portable. They wouldn't have done the same for the Wii U for off-TV play. And in addition to that it's a simpler system to develop for.

But it's far less powerful relative to the competition than the Wii U was at launch. The Wii U at launch was around at a time when most gamers were still on 360/PS3. Games were being developed with that spec in mind. There were no games releasing at that time that couldn't have been on Wii U. With the Switch? There are some games releasing now that would be too much for the Switch.

.... the question is whether or not multi-platform games like CoD are pushing the spec. I'm not convinced they are but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Mario Kart is coming out on the 28th.. sales are going to increase lol. They will come along sooner than we think.

MK8D will be interesting. I think most of us are expecting a bump in Switch sales off the back of it. However it is just a port, a superior enhanced port but a game that most Nintendo fans have already experienced. Will it appeal to a wider audience than the few million who already bought it on Wii U. I'm very excited and already prepaid I suppose the question I'm asking is will your average Jack or Jill go up the hill to fetch a Switch and a copy of Mario Kart?

@BigBadJohn
Remember that twice as many people brought Mario Kart 7. There are a good 7mill or so people who got Mario Kart 7 but never got Mario Kart 8. For whatever reason. Even if just a small fraction of those people are waiting for the Switch version I think there will be a decent bump in sales.

@skywake Mario Kart is one of the biggest franchises around. I think everyone who enjoys games have either played MK or at the very least aware of it as a phenomenal game. MK8D is the best version of an amazing series of games and should by rights fly off the shelves. From a personal point of view I shouldn't really care because I own the system and know how great it is but the long term success is important when it comes to ongoing support both from third parties and Nintendo themselves. Exciting times. I'm in the cautiously optimistic camp.

@BigBadJohn i think it will really help selling the system, especially thanks to the new and great battle mode

@FGPackers I don't think the battle mode makes a huge difference. If they just ported over the Wii U game, it would probably do just as good.

@Octane I'm not sure if that's the case. Don't get me wrong the big bonus is the portability for me but people's biggest complaint with the original was the lack of a proper battle mode. The original was a 9/10 or maybe even 10/10 game. With the little tweaks I'm not sure what possible criticism people can make about it. Obviously people who owned the original can bemoan the fact they have to buy it again but on its standalone merits it looks to be the perfect Mario Kart.

I have no doubt that when all is said and done for the Switch in (hopefully) five or so years time, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be its best selling game. I believe it had the highest attachment rate for any game on the Wii U too.

Whether they are 'pushing the boat' or not, Call of Duty: WWII would have to be significantly pared down to run on the Switch. The (micro-blurry) leaked screenshots are something I cannot envision happening on the Switch, be it now or somewhere down the line.

@Octane I think the battle mode helps the most with transferring Wii U owners to Switch. If MK8 Deluxe was just a direct port then Wii U owners could argue there's no reason to buy a Switch until after Nintendo's E3 event at the earliest.

So, Minecraft.

Minecraft world size on PS3, 360, Wii U and Vita was 864x864
Minecraft world size on PS4 and Xbox One is 5120x5120.

Minecraft world size on Switch is 3072x3072

I'd say that's pretty good. Almost 13 times the size of the Wii U version (12.642 times to be precise)

@Peek-a-boo
Think Rise of the Tomb Raider on 360, which looked scaled down considerably yet still looked fantastic for the hardware it was running on.

@BigBadJohn
That's kinda what I'm getting at. The fact that it's a big franchise is far more important than the fact that it's a port. I think because of the poor sales of the Wii U ports from that system are in a unique position. People who got Mario Kart 8 on Wii U are more likely to be super-fans of Nintendo who will buy anything Nintendo. They brought the Wii U. Therefore there's likely to be a high proportion of people who have already played this game who will buy it again simply because they buy all the Nintendo things. That's the first thing.

The second factor is to do with the other side of the Wii U not selling that well. Because it didn't sell that well less people had the ability to buy Mario Kart 8. There will be a lot of people who will get a Switch who never had a Wii U. To those people a port is just as good as a new release. It's the same as BotW basically being like a Switch game to people who brought it on Switch. It doesn't bother me at all that I could have got it on Wii U. It's a game I got on Switch therefore it's a new game for Switch.

And then you combine those factors together with a third thing. Mario Kart typically sells better on home consoles. It sold better on the Wii than the DS. It sold better on 3DS than Wii U but the tie ratio on Wii U was insane. Split screen multiplayer is a defining feature of the series. So I think it's fair to assume that the Switch version of Mario Kart 8, if the Switch reaches 3DS numbers, will eventually outsell Mario Kart 7.

So yeah, expect a sales bump when Mario Kart 8 comes out. There will be people waiting for that release. I think I can fairly safely guess that its lifetime sales will be better than BotW.

@BigBadJohn I'm part of that group, although I don't really care about the battle mode, I do think it was a bit of a let down that the game didn't have a proper one. However, I can't see myself paying €60 again for just the battle mode. I think portability is a bigger factor, and that says something, considering I don't really care about portability either.

@Grumblevolcano I think that portability is the biggest factor for people to double dip, the battle mode is just a neat bonus. Of course, we're also talking about folks on a Nintendo site, what about the millions that don't visit online gaming sites frequently and maybe don't know about the new battle mode? For some, the idea that a new Mario Kart is out is enough to double dip.

@skywake fingers crossed then. I suppose whether people see this as just a port, an enhanced port or simply a fantastic game in its own right at the end of the day it's another Highly regarded and if early reviewers are to be believed 10/ 10 game on a six week old console. If it gets more Switch in the wild this can only be a great thing. The only downside for me is my wife is a massive Tetris fan so I can see many arguments next week for screen time. May have to invest in a second switch.

@BigBadJohn
For those who can swing it, I think having a 2nd Switch is a fantastic idea.

Not only does it solve your screen time issue, it opens up the possibility of local co-op, each with your own system in hand.

Heck, I bought 2 and I'm not even married [anymore]

@JaxonH I've been on the fence about a second Switch for a couple of weeks now. I want an extra dock so I can move it around the two main TVs in the house without the hassle of unplugging (I like using it portable but I just want the option of firing it up on the spare tv) and I'll eventually buy more joycons when ARMS drops so when you add it up I'm not the far away from a whole new system. I could even wrap it up and say it's a birthday present for the wife 😀