Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Arena of Valor is in beta version, so why did they score it so early?

So the upcoming Pokken patch adds video capture support in addition to balancing and Aegislash (needs the DLC purchase to be unlocked obviously).

@Azooooz The same reason PUBG was in the Game Awards even when it was in beta. I don't know!

@subpopz Well there is a lot they can still innovate with the Mario Kart franchise. I mean, if they were really struggling for idea they could just steal the idea of tracks changing during the course of the race from Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed or whatever it was called. But this being Nintendo, they probably have plenty of original ideas they could bring to the genre.

@Grumblevolcano I really can't imagine Xenoblade X being the Switch big 2nd year Xmas game,not by any stretch. There will be more ports for sure but there will be several big games from Nintendo as usual mixed in between. If they're just going to be releasing ports all year, then what are all the first and 2nd party teams going to be doing. Koizumi said back in December, and he's said it previously to that too, that there will be a steady stream of games throughout the year just like last year, there will be IP that they've yet to use as well as new IP and non traditional Nintendo IP.Plus there will be games that make use of the Switch's unique features . Labo falls into the latter obviously Not sure about non traditional Nintendo IP though, Labo is still very Nintendo so I'm not sure it could fit that description.

I think there will be, at the very minimum 6 big non port releases by Nintendo themselves this year,Mario Tennis and Fire Emblem included. That's less than they would normally put out on any single console, never mind a hugely successful one in its 2nd year and no 3DS to support.

I'm thinking Mario Kart 9 will probably have a "Transform" feature, which your vehicle can transform into another form. Imagine from Go Kart changes into a Motorbike or from ATV changes into Mini Aeroplane, etc. Probably, a new type of vehicles, floating vehicles like Magic Carpet / Mini Aeroplane / Jet Pack / Superhero cape / Wing , etc (Remember Chocobo Racing PS1 ? There were Bahamut with its wing, Black or White Mage with their Magic carpet )

I don't get the logic of people who are saying that Nintendo should make sequels rather than ports because they want "innovation". Because somehow a brand new Smash Bros and a brand new Mario Kart is the most innovative thing they could be doing. They have to release these games, they're the games that move systems. And clearly people don't seem to care that they're ports judging by the sales. So they've done what they needed to do.

So isn't it better that Nintendo can instead put those resources into different games entirely? For example if Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had been Mario Kart 9 we wouldn't have got Arms. I'd personally rather have Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros 4 for Switch and another two entirely different games than "proper sequels" of Smash and Kart.

@OorWullie Well the big holiday game for 2017 wasn't Xenoblade 2 in December, it was Mario Odyssey at the end of October. So the big holiday game this year with the list I created would be the Smash 4 port of which it's Smash so for most the fact it's a port won't dampen the hype, especially if it includes all the content from both versions.

@OorWullie Pretty sure Labo covers those last three things by itself. I wouldn't consider it to be something "traditional" at all, the games are new IP technically, and they make use of the Switch's features (IR camera, HD Rumble, gyro) in droves.

I love me some ports, but I do want at least a couple major releases for the Switch this year. Something new to look forward to at least

I do think we'll get a Smash 4 port, but then again I don't know what you'd change for a Smash 5. To me it seems like it's best as a "game as a service" where you just keep adding and adding and adding content to it.

A double pack of both the Wii U and 3DS version along with more content would be nice to see.

Either way, since Nintendo's keeping their cards close to their chest (literally knew NOTHING about Mario Tennis until a few weeks ago lol) I'm waiting for E3 or a Nintendo Direct to judge for myself. I'm still happy with my Switch since I'm STILL playing Xenoblade 2 after 180 hours, and I'm only 20 hours into Odyssey lol.

Has it been confirmed yet about Labo whether the software in both packs (Robot and Variety) are the same?

For the next Mario Kart I'd like it to have a proper story mode and some on water racing ala Diddy Kong Racing. The single player in MK is so weak,I don't find the computer fun to race at all.Sonic Racing nailed the single player career and had genuinely challenging racing with little to no rubber banding,at least that I noticed. Have a similar story mode to Sonic, add in a nice hub world with lots of secrets to find and you have a winner. I found unlocking all the vehicle parts in MK8 to be an absolute chore. I haven't even bothered doing it in the Switch version. Luckily my nephew plays it though so I've at least got some stuff.

I think 2 ways to unlock stuff would be the best. The current unlock approach is good for anyone who plays multiplayer a lot (local or online) as you get coins just for playing normally but for anyone who mostly plays single player, it's an annoying grind. So keep the coins approach and have specific single player unlock requirements as another option.

Honestly, I feel Brawl did this approach perfectly. You could unlock all fighters by playing the Subspace Emissary campaign, playing a certain number of normal matches or complete certain goals (e.g. play classic mode at a certain difficulty, complete a certain event).

@OorWullie Oh... I'd forgotten how Mario Kart 8's unlock system goes after all of these years... I despise the RNG unlock system. Seeing as I don't remember it from Mario Kart 8, it must not have been as bad there. However, I remember it very unfondly in Mario Kart 7, where the kart parts I wanted were the very last I unlocked and it made me really frustrated.

I was actually thinking earlier today how Mario Kart story mode has never been a thing before. I'm not sure I've ever really felt like it was something that was missing, but now I think it might be a neat idea. Especially since with Mario Kart 8 I feel like the actual racing experience has become so polished that maybe a new Mario Kart could keep the racing system pretty similar while giving us a story mode.

I guess technically they haven't confirmed it but at the same time the promotional images do show the boxart for the game itself. Each pack has a different set of box art. I guess in the long run there's nothing stopping them from selling cheaper versions of future Labo kits that contain codes for DLC in the box alongside the materials to construct it. But currently it looks like it's a full and unique cartridge in every kit.

https://gematsu.com/2018/01/nekopara-coming-ps4-switch

who said they want a VN? We got Nekopara coming

@skywake Well if it is unique cartridges we'd probably be seeing more Labo kits throughout the year hence it's possible that Labo on its own is what Koizumi was referring to by "New IP", "Non-traditional IP" and "Games which use Switch's unique features" for this year.

If Labo takes off, that 20 million Switches goal will be a breeze.

@Grumblevolcano It's going up against God of War, same release date. We'll see...

@Grumblevolcano I am still of the opinion that the mass market won't care or want Labo, especially if it requires a £270 console investment in addition to the Labo products. Most the people likely going to buy into Labo are the Nintendo fans who have already spoken up for their love of it and put down pre-orders which I assume is why it ranked so highly on Amazon sales in what is traditionally a pretty quiet month game wise.

I will say that I have soften somewhat on my thoughts of the product line from my initial out right hatred. But I still don't want this to be Nintendo's big thing for the year, and I really hope this is NOT the new IP and that they have something new for the rest of us.