Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I can somewhat understand the sentiment that those really dedicated to the Wii U feel slightly cheated by the fact pretty much all of its best games have now received either Switch ports or even multiplatform ports in the cases of TW101, Fatal Frame and LEGO City, but the Wii U was only owned by like a little over 10 million people worldwide. Most people getting these ports are seeing them as new games to begin with, and it's not like they eat into resources that could be used to develop new titles. I didn't read anything about Skyward Sword HD impacting BotW 2 or the No More Heroes ports affecting NMH 3. Some are even outsourced while the core team works on new projects such as the case with SMT III HD Remaster sharing a development period with SMT V

As for ports of 7th gen or some 8th gen releases, I think it's a case by case thing. Certain titles have fared on Switch a lot better than others and specifically for the diehard Nintendo fans that don't really have a multiplatform setup, again these kinds of ports like Danganronpa or Dark Souls just introduce them to new franchises. Hell even Smash played a role in that in specific cases when you look at the reactions to characters like Joker or Terry Bogard

@Shadowthrone Even as someone who never got a Wii U I'd agree

Those exclusives were way too good for the console they were bound to

Except Tokyo Mirage Sessions but that's mostly because I'm still sad that's what SMT x FE got turned into

@TheFrenchiestFry
As it’s own thing, it’s fine. I like it. But the way they pitched it, I had much different expectations. I envisioned grid based Fire Emblem gameplay in an apocalyptic Tokyo setting, fighting against demons and with some new, interesting twists. I was expecting Game of the Generation level quality.

But ya. I enjoyed my Wii U because of the games it provided. And for a failed system, it had a pretty killer exclusive library. But the OS was soooooo sluggish. Doing anything on that system took 30 seconds. Booting it. Going to settings. Opening the eShop. You name it. It also relied on the gamepad in a way that made using the pro controller insufficient at times, and then when you wanted to use Wii BC only the Wiimote worked. You were constantly juggling between three different controllers, One of which needed a nunchuck attached half the time… it just wasn’t a smooth experience.

But the games. The games were fire. And to this day, I keep it hooked up for all the Wii and GameCube games that run natively. I’ve tried Wii games on Dolphin and the Wiimote never works correctly like on Wii or Wii U. In fact, I was just playing WarioLand Shake It yesterday. That’s what Wii U is good for now. It’s a VC console, and it offers Wii Sports Club bowling and golf, which can’t be replicated and is one of the best reasons to own one besides the VC (and Xenoblade X, but that’ll get ported for sure).

It's always funny looking back at SMT X FE and realizing that I don't care much about either series and thus preferred how the creators went far away from that crossover idea to give us a good anime JRPG instead. Tokyo Mirage Sessions is to me what Mario + Rabbids is to hardcore gamers, essentially. Don't know how these two things combined to become this but uh, thanks!

I always find the talk about how great Wii U's games weird. Yes, the Nintendo console had some real good first party games, as if this somehow made the Wii U distinct.

Also, my very obvious solution to the "Switch getting lots of games I already have on Wii U" was to be a normal person and buy Switch a while after its launch like most people did. First time being a normal person since before Gamecube apparently. :V (the fact I got a PS3 in like 2017 is the opposite type of not normal btw)

@JaxonH I was expecting basically Devil Survivor with both Fire Emblem and SMT characters. In my opinion I think TMS should've been its own IP because outside of some Fire Emblem characters and shared elements, it pretty much has more to do with SMT anyway than the former and doesn't really evoke the vibe of either franchise that well

It's a fine game, I just personally have a pretty strong dislike for it because of how it was teased like it was going to be something else entirely. But maybe Atlus and Nintendo knew about that as well because it seemed like they basically sent that game out to die anyway given how the Wii U was doing back then and then SMT IV Apocalypse came out like a few months later

@kkslider5552000
Idk if Wii U’s great games made it “distinct”, but it certainly made it an enjoyable console thanks to those great games, which at the time couldn’t be played anywhere else. I don’t know what’s weird about acknowledging that it had great games when everyone mostly agrees it did.

@TheFrenchiestFry
Well, now that we have Fire Emblem Three Houses and Shin Megami Tensei V, it doesn’t feel like as much of a sting. At the time, neither series had an HD entry so it was carrying a lot of expectations on its shoulder.

TMS was something I really enjoyed on the Wii U. Then when I played the Switch version I just....didn't care. I didn't beat it in either case, but did get quite far on the Wii U and I think replaying the same sections again broke me. It didn't bother me that it was Jpop themed, but that was probably anothrr thing the Wii U didn't need. I can't imagine the brainstorming session that lead to a series with Permadeath being combined with a series about Demon Fusion, and having that lead to Jpop teenagers improving their self esteem.

Remember Metroid-Starfox? Who knows what crazy crossover ideas Nintendo has toyed with.

BTW. Gotta speak on this.

Tony Hawk PS 1/2 is freaking legendary on Switch. The original Tony Hawk PS 2 is like the highest rated game of all time I think, at a 98/100? And for good reason. It's a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

And it's perfect on Switch. The remake brings it into the modern era, with contemporary graphics and solid performance, new content and tricks, optional mods, a fantastic Stat based progression with plenty of challenges to complete in each stage. I love it. I love it so much!

Handheld mode looks really impressive, exceeding my expectations. Docked as well. It's just a really high quality port. So glad they brought this to Switch- not every game caters to the Switch audience but this is absolutely one that does- its exactly the kind of game we Nintendo fans love. Exceedingly strong gameplay, highly refined, with an easy pick up and play nature but deep and rewarding for those who practice and develop skill.

And Mario Golf. I love it. I'm really impressed by the quality of the game. Even if you're not into golf, or golf video games, I think it's worth taking a look at. It's highly polished and tons of fun, as you'd expect. I wish it had a demo so ppl could try it.

And Neo: The World Ends With You. Wow. This game is good. For years my brother raved about the original TWEWY, saying it was one of his favorite games on the DS and even of RPGs in general. When it came to Switch I was excited, but the controls just didn't jive well. I figured out how to use them properly which helped, but you could tell it's best played on dual screens.

This new one though... it's high quality. And the music is superb! I've just got the game sitting right now, running on my TV mid conversation, so I can listen to the soundtrack. I'm officially impressed. Demo is live- no reason to not download and check it out. Save data transfers to the full game, too!

And lastly, Monster Hunter Stories 2. I have not yet played the demo. I'm saving it for last since I suspect I won't put it down once I start. But I'll report back once I play this weekend.

@JaxonH How did you feel about the motion controls in Mario Golf? You can't control the spin and curve of the ball like in Wii Sports, huh?

@imagazelle
Not as good as Wii Sports Club, but… they’re not bad they’re incredibly close. The more I use them the better Im getting, and now I’m consistently hitting Birdies whereas I was doing Bogeys and Double Bogeys before. I’m having a ton of fun with them. It makes the game harder, that’s for sure, but that’s what makes it fun. The learning curve is what makes it so good.

And yes, you can put spin on the ball through the curve of the shot like Wii Sports, but it’s harder to do and not as exaggerated.

I’m getting better at it, and learning it’s not just how fast you swing, but how far back your wind up is that determines your power. That’s key. And you’ll see arrows on the swing bar for the direction of spin. Practice shots just like in Wii Sports where you can judge power and spin beforehand. I love it. But it did take a little bit to acclimate.

WiiU is still one of my favorite systems as I love the gamepad. The Switch improved on everything I hated about the 3ds but is overall to me a little worse than the game pad. That being said I don’t get the feeling of being cheated out of wiiu games.

Those games being on Switch don’t take away from the time I spent on WiIU and games like captain Toad, Mario Maker and DK I prefer to play on WiiU. And that is before the games that are still WiiU only. But nobody buys VC games and goes “darn I feel cheated because I had this on NES” and many of us have rebought games that we still have on original, functional formats. So why is this suddenly different? Ports and remakes aren’t new. I have ports of games that went from nes to snes for cryin’ out loud.

Is it because it was a “failed” system? Did everyone throw out their dreamcasts? Sega CDs? NeoGEO( if you could afford one)? Is a system only fun because the public likes it now?

It’s all about perspective. I’ll say until they come up with a way to make a Switch type system that still has asynchronous viewing support with the tv that the wiiu is the best place to experience any games with maps/inventory (Zelda and XCX especially) as well as DS games and there is still fun to be had on the system even with games that have been ported or gotten sequels. Honestly, I wish every system had so much of a conversion. So many games are locked on the PS2/PS3 systems for instance with no other recourse than owning those systems or a BC PS3. I live in terror of my Ps2 finally kicking the bucket. Same with 3DS.

Still, at the end of the day anyone that enjoyed their WiiU(s) -I have 3 of em- has no reason to be angry at ports. Your money and time wasn’t wasted.

@Ryu_Niiyama
Right.

Entertainment received is not suddenly lost by others now receiving that entertainment on Switch. I got my money’s worth regardless of what comes after. But I am glad Switch is here. It’s the system we’ve been waiting our entire lives for. And the system Nintendo’s been waiting to make for the last 2 decades.

Even if you knew all Wii U games would eventually land on a successor 5 years later, would it have stopped you from enjoying those games at the time? I can’t imagine skipping Metroid Dread because it’s going to inevitably release on the Switch 2 in 2027.

@Ryu_Niiyama
I still play my Wii U games too.

@JaxonH Ha! I’m imagining telling my 12 year old self not to play OoT because the 3ds version is like a decade away. It would be in the paper... “It’s sad what that little girl did to that woman that looks similar to her...just sad” or all those disney vhs tapes I still have...just wait till you are an adult. You can get the bluray!

Not only that most of these ports are cheaper! Oh no Mk8DX is 60. Well I paid 60 for MK8 and then bought the DLC. And they improved the battle mode. Plus you can get these games on sale. And some games get a second chance to reach more people, which is always good.

Edit: my second 1TB is here!!!!! For the honor of grayskull, I can play all my games again!

@Ryu_Niiyama
And let’s not forget, all of them are HD handheld versions while also offering TV console versions and portable console versions, allowing you to seamlessly switch back and forth among all 3 modes of play.

5 years ago, just getting a single console game to release on Vita or 3DS was considered a major win. And we happily paid another $40 for the privilege, and only sometimes had save transfer tools.

It’s easy to take it for granted now, but each and every game released is like getting a Wii U version and 3DS version combined into one, except the 3DS version is actually HD and looks like the console version (see DQXI on 3DS and how that compares to PS4, then see DQXIS on Switch and how that compares- we’re actually getting handheld versions of console games, not handheld games).

@JaxonH that’s why I don’t mind the late ports for many games (don’t like the late announcements though, looking at you activision). We often get the definitive edition on Switch and like you said the hybrid nature of the console can’t be understated.

This is like getting two games in 1. When before you had to buy the game twice (I have the 3ds version of DQ XI) or stream a worse looking version to your tv (vita/vita TV, PSP TV cables). This is the ultimate cross play. Region free (no more buying multiple systems yay!) and Hybrid right out of the box. If western 3rd parties ever catch on, the Switch concept will be the closest thing to an all in one we have ever had. And with the Japanese support we are getting, it is inching its way there.

@Slowdive People try really hard to gatekeep gaming for whatever silly reason, but I will always advocate more games for everyone.

@Ryu_Niiyama
If the new Switch is as powerful as some suspect, that could build the final bridge we need to get the remaining support. Cause let’s be honest- games are selling like crazy on Switch. If it was easier to get games running, we’d see 80-90% of games releasing on the system. If Switch Pro doesn’t do it, the successor certainly will.

It’s already close to being an all-in-one as far as I’m concerned. It misses a lot of games, but narrowing it down to just the ones I’m interested in, there’s actually not all that much MIA anymore. And the ones that are, they’re getting bespoke entries on Switch (MH World vs MH Rise), or sufficient versions of previous entries (Borderlands 3 vs Borderlands 2). There’s still a few I’d like to see- notably, the Mass Effect Trilogy, but by and large, most games I’m genuinely hyped for make their way to Switch.

Tbh, back in the Wii U generation I didn’t understand the constant complaints about region free. All we heard for five years straight was complaining about the systems not being region free. And at the time, I thought to myself, “sure, there’s maybe one or two games I’d import, but is that worth all this hoopla?”. It felt like unwarranted bickering.

But now… I get it. I totally get it. The reason I get it now is because NSW is so much more successful and it sees so many physical releases in Asia/Japan with English on the cart. That wasn’t really the case last generation. But now? I import all the time. It’s value is indisputable. But last generation that wasn’t evident.

@JaxonH The Asia benefit is actually new for me this gen as I just only bought JPN systems and JPN games when importing before but it opens up a new avenue for me. I love the robot wars games and I am willing to play in Japanese but the sheer amount of text and my slow reading means it takes F O R E V E R to beat them. Now I can just get the Asian version or even better when they put the multilanguage version on the eshop (which often before meant I had to buy games twice. I have the entire ace attorney series and most of the DQ series in Japanese and English due to the localization differences making them feel different.) I get that. Granted, that is mixed as I was not happy when my Taiko game switched to english text.

I also think region free allows devs to get a better idea of who wants their games outside of Japan. Gamers expect devs to know this but it’s harder to track if you think about it. If all you have is import sites and shipping proxies to go by, how will you know another region likes your game? How many times have Japanese devs been like “we didn’t expect it to be popular in the west”? A lot.

But the ease of access and the eshop make owning whatever the Switch has to offer a breeze and since I am not a physical diehard (I buy what is cheapest) the Switch has rapidly become my largest gaming library. Options and an open market benefit the consumer and profit the company. Win win.

Yeah that’s why I said the switch concept rather than the switch. If Nintendo keeps this idea we should have parity for the most part in a gen or two (I don’t care about Switch Pro rumors. Next Nintendo system I am buying is either a successor, a zelda themed switch or something that plays 3ds games on the tv...whichever comes first). Imo ps5 isn’t that big of a gap over ps4 so Nintendo can catch up and still keep costs down.

This year is already so much better than last year!!! Last year there wasn’t any games that I really loved. Sure I enjoyed a few here and there but I didn’t have a favorite game. This year we have

3D World - An amazing remake of my favorite 3D Mario game.
Famicom Detective Club - Games I never thought would come to America that are absolutely amazing.
Danganronpa decadence - the games I’ve wanted on switch the most ever!!! So hype!!!
DDLC - my favorite horror game coming to consoles finally!
Advance Wars - one of the only Nintendo series I haven’t played an entry in yet. Can’t wait!
Life is strange - first time I’ll experience these games. They look awesome
Metroid dread - this game looks dope and I need to play it ASAP
Great ace attorney - quite possibly my favorite series ever.
Stanley Parable Ultra deluxe - weirdest most zany game ever made being remade

And that’s not even everything. This year is probably one of my favorite years for the switch if not for Nintendo as a whole in quite a while. It’s amazing!

This is also my favorite year for Switch. Don’t get me wrong, there hasn’t been a year I didn’t like, but this year is well beyond any other.

2021 Personal Highlights
Persona 5 Strikers
Bravely Default 2
Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Monster Hunter Rise
Trails of Cold Steel IV
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
Mario Golf: Super Rush
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1/2
Monster Hunter Stories 2
Neo: The World Ends With You
Zelda Skyward Sword
WarioWare: Get It Together
Metroid Dread
Cruis’n Blast
Shin Megami Tensei V
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
Ni No Kuni 2
Life Is Strange True Colors
Life Is Strange Remastered Collection
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

And there’s plenty others I’m interested in (even if they’re not on the ultra-hype list) like Mario Party: Superstars, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Danganronpa Decadence, etc.