Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I literally don't have time for all these games, lol.

Well, I guess it's good the next-gen consoles are looking very skippable, considering the chip shortage and all. Hopefully by the time Nintendo's next device releases we can actually buy stuff in stores again instead of everything evaporating the moment preorders open.

But yeah, until then, the good times don't seem to be ending any time soon. Nintendo consoles don't usually enjoy such strong support this late into their life spans, do they?

@Ralizah
No, they don't. Historically Nintendo platforms tend to peak around year 2-3, and quickly decline afterward. Exception being the Nintendo DS, and although Wii did peak at year 3, it actually tailed off pretty well for the next 5 years.

Historical Nintendo Hardware Sales Trends

Nintendo DS Sales Trend

As we can see, DS was the outlier, peaking around year 5, and in doing so, went on to sell 154 million units.

Switch sales trends most closely match the DS.

Picked up my Switch properly for the first time in weeks, wanted to download a new game only to find the whole online functionality is down for maintenance for hours. Pain.

@JaxonH yes yes yes!! More fire emblem please. 3H was one of my surprise favorites on the switch. Same with Mario + Rabbids. It was a genre I didn't realize I loved until a couple years ago. So, I'm ALL IN on a new FE.

@JaxonH On which site did you find all of these charts ?

@Tom-Smo
Statistica. They're THE site when it comes to stats.

@NintendoByNature
I used to tell myself, "I'm not really a fan of strategy games, I just like Fire Emblem. It's the exception."

But then I played Valkyria Chronicles and was like, "oh, OK so there's two exceptions now". Then I played Stella Glow. Then I played Civilization VI. Then Mario Rabbids. Then X-COM 2. Triangle Strategy demo. Etc etc.

Turns out, I am a fan of strategy. It just has to be quality strategy.

@Pizzamorg
Online isn't down, just the eShop as they're doing maintenance for the 30 minutes prior to N64 launch.

You can still re-download games if their icon is on the system and still play games online. eShop should re-open any second now, but I am expecting a crash from the traffic jam downloading N64

@JaxonH had a whole reply typed up and even hit post reply. Its gone? Lol. I'm in agreement with you, is basically the gist of it.

Oh it looked like everything was down here. I checked around 1am and it was down for maintenance then, it is now gone 2am and I still cannot get in. I really wish they'd let me activate a code outside of the Shop, if the online functionality is still operational.

@Pizzamorg
eShop is live again.

Thanks for the heads up!

So, the N64 games and Genesis games actually offer voice chat via the Online App. Which, I know I know, but still. It's easy and it works. I use my phone for Discord when playing MH. At least this way I don't have to have ppl in my Discord to chat with them.

That's actually pretty cool! Time to relive my teenage years. Mario Kart 64 Double Decker map here I come!

I actually set 4 world records in Mario Kart 64 as a kid- for real, no lie, they had records printed in the latest GamePro magazine. I beat 4 of them and took pics, but the film got ruined.

I remember my Wario Stadium time was 21.92 seconds, beating the world record time of 22.00 seconds. I was so proud of that perfectly executed double wall jump all 3 laps.

edit
METROID DREAD TETRIS 99 EVENT THIS WEEKEND!

I thought Fire Emblem and Monster Hunter themes were all I needed. I was so wrong. Playing Tetris to Metroid music feels so right Idk how I've managed 37 years without it!

@Pizzamorg
Of course. I've been monitoring nonstop waiting for my N64 games. Finally got em!

I wish they hadn’t made the two N64 NSO icons identical. I do like the resolution bump though. Gonna be hard to go back to my N64 for some of these. Genesis games are snappier than the collection. Which means Shinobi III time! Also just noticed you can move the game selection icons around.

@Ryu_Niiyama
Ya, that Genesis collection was trash. Once I played it and realized the lag, I was like well, that was a waste of money.

The only quality Genesis games on Switch are the Sega Ages ports, and the NSO Genesis app. Thankfully Sega is bringing a Sonic Collection with 3 and Knuckles so that should take care of that. But I'd like to eventually see a selection on par with the game collection, just this time without the lag.

But what I'm really excited for is more N64 games. I need F-Zero X and Paper Mario.

What do you mean "the two" N64 icons identical. There's only one N64 app.

@JaxonH I play games in Japanese and English. So I have both of the NSO versions. The titles are different so I can tell them apart just not at first glance. It’s a minor gripe.

I did find it hilarious how people were all of a sudden lauding the collection (which is fine for the rpgs) like it was this amazing thing over NSO. Like I started looking to see if I missed an update lol.

I have a fairly robust n64 collection so I didn’t expect to play much of it on NSO but as soon as I booted OoT I noticed the difference. So N64 is back to being my definitive edition (the 3ds games except the swimming in Majora were nice but they were hard on my eye then let alone now lol).

To your other post I am seriously considering just upgrading my PC and calling it. Switch alone has bumped my backlog into triple digits. I technically do need a series x because my disk drive on my one is shot and I have a physical license collection (if you can’t play from disk it is a license) but Sony made a mistake with cross gen for their current games (no incentive when I can buy games on my current system) so right now I see no reason to own a PS5. And I have a base PS4. With gamepass I get most games I can’t on switch or want to test before buying on Switch and the ps4/xbone/switch all have a decent fighting game collection so no need to upgrade.

I do miss the gyro aiming though…

@Ryu_Niiyama
I only ever owned one Xbox, and that was the Xbox One X Scorpio Edition.

I have no investment in the ecosystem and every game is on PC anyways (except Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon). But that's not enough to buy a console for.

I like having a PS5 just because it's future proofing, and with as many games as Sony pays off behind closed doors, it may come in handy in the future. But honestly, PC is where it's at nowadays for non-Nintendo gaming. Like, you get all the multiplats. Check. All the Xbox exclusives. Check. More and more it's starting to even get the PlayStation exclusives. Check. Every game that needs gyro has instant access to gyro via Steam controller config. Check. No online paywall. Check. No BC or FC worries. Check. Upgrade at your own pace. Check. Prioritize framerate vs resolution vs graphical fidelity to your preference. Check. Enjoy hybrid gaming with SteamDeck as a companion device to your PC. Check.

It does everything. It has everything. The only real downside is initial cost of entry. But for everything it offers... I'd say it's worth it. Take the $1000 it would cost for a PS5 + XSX, take the $840 it would cost for online on both systems for a generation, and just buy a $2000 PC. And then upgrading for the next generation will be cheaper, as you don't need an entirely new rig. Just buy a new GPU and you're good to go. Sell your old one. Now you're looking at $500 or less for the next gen, and the savings start rolling in on top of all the premium benefits.

As time goes on it becomes more clear that if you're fine with PC gaming the ultimate combo is PC + Switch. First came Microsoft's change in where older XB1 games were being ported to PC and then gradually became releasing console games day 1 on PC (day 1 on PC began in September 2016 with ReCore and FH3), then came Sony doing a similar strategy. First comes the PS4 games and I'd guess at some point it starts moving into crossgen and PS5 territory like GT7 is treated as a multiplayer game (can't progress without being online) so Sony will probably release that on PC in 2022/2023 to boost the playerbase.

Well, my combo are Nintendo and PlayStation machines.

Nintendo
GBA
NDS
3DS
Gamecube
Wii
Wii U
Switch

PlayStation
PS1
PS2
PS3
PS4
PSP
PS5 (will try to get the games first on year 2022)

@Eel heh the gyro aiming always made me slightly nauseous actually. I know it isn’t a natural aiming issue because I practice (well practiced as my dojo is closed for the rest of the year cuz of COVID) archery IRL, but I guess my brain can’t translate the motion or perhaps the depth correctly and my brain starts screaming “something is wrong here, ma’am!”. I would pay good money to go back in time and have my younger self test things like this to see the difference.

@JaxonH @Grumblevolcano Agreed on the PC and Nintendo angle. I was pretty much a Nintendo (I had a genesis and some edutainment systems growing up) kid and didn’t even get a Sony system until late in the PS2 lifetime. As such I am not sure where this need to cover all my bases stems from but I am finding myself growing content with what I have. I can spread myself over multiple systems or focus on one and PC and have a plethora of games. Plus now that Nintendo has gone large screen hybrid, the Switch is my perfect system.

It also doesn’t hurt that Sony lost my system seller as an exclusive, the RgG/ Yakuza series, so aside from gems like spiderman, Nioh and Tsushima (which are mostly one and done games) there is nothing I can’t get on either PC or Switch. Plus personality wise I don’t function well as a game hoarder. I want to beat games, not collect them. So I have been making an effort to focus on the backlog. I have thought about doing a vlog to keep myself on task about it. Narrowing my focus won’t net me less games but it at least means I will get through them faster.