Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

So the reason Klonoa didn't get a demo outside Japan was only because the eshop listing wasn't up. Both the game and the demo are now up on the UK eshop.

I believe that Nintendo will announce a Switch pro of sorts in early 2023, to go together with the launch of BOTW2. This will bring some new life to a very outdated hardware and maybe convince some 3rd party devs to continue supporting the system with demanding last gen ports (or maybe even some less demanding current gen ports), which maybe won't need that much effort to be ported to the upgraded hardware. This way, Nintendo will also avoid the problem of starting from scratch with their userbase, though this problem could also be solved if they offer backwards compatibility with their next gen console.

Then, in 2024 or even 2025, the new gen Nintendo console will release. Whether this will be an even more pro Switch pro, meaning even better specs with the same or a slightly improved Switch shell, or an entirely new console, remains to be seen, but imo the Switch recipe is too successful and unique to be abandoned.

@alexwolf If a Switch Pro releases in 2023, then a new Nintendo console in 2024, that'll be way too small of a gap for a revision and a new system. At best, there will probably be a 2½–3 year gap.

Also how would more demanding games work? If it's targeted at developers who are too lazy to take the time to port a game to weaker hardware, what'll happen to the original Switch models? Will they be able to play a horribly optimized version of the Switch Pro game, or will it be a New 3DS/Game Boy Color situation where games release only for the Pro and not the original?

@HotGoomba Yeah that's why I listed 2025 as an option 2, so that there is a bigger gap between the new model and the Pro model. 2026 seems too far away though, 8 years is already long enough for a console gen duration.

As for the games on Switch Pro, I think that the more demanding ports will just run better on Switch Pro because they will be optimized based on that system. The regular Switch has too large of a playerbase to alienate with a Pro model that will have exclusive titles.

Finished the Golden Wildfire route in Three Hopes, I'd say Three Hopes is the best Warriors game yet based on my playthrough of that route and currently my favourite game this year so far. Completing the remaining 2 Three Houses routes I hadn't done before this year prior to Three Hopes launch did enrich the experience so I'm glad I prioritized that over preparing for Sunbreak.

I'll spread out the 3 routes like I did with the 4 routes in Three Houses so now I'm experiencing Portal for the 1st time.

You're in for a treat. The portal games have aged like fine wine.

@skywake Ok, it seems like you are applying some extremist filter to what I am saying which is causing the misunderstanding. That being said this is my last reply. I don’t mind conversations but when I am being misunderstood the whole time I lose interest in continuing. Apparently I am explaining myself poorly. It feels like you are approaching this as a gamer that is excited for new tech. I’m looking at this purely from sale/business practices. As a gaming enthusiast I am extremely neutral as I will buy a successor in any event.

My argument about devs is that they want the easiest route for development rather than building a team to learn a system or focusing budget on optimization. Thats why many games that could run on switch either aren’t ported or are ported late (and kicked to outside devs). You keep sticking on the ps5 when I am saying that because Nintendo uses a withered tech design philosophy they won’t have the specs that give devs as uniform a development space as possible and that is why I mentioned previous consoles. This isn’t a new thing. This happens each console gen since the N64. So again Nintendo should focus on dev buy in. Because unlike the twins it won’t be automatic.

Nintendo already said the switch will have a long hardware cycle so that isn’t strange. And sales support that. I never said anything about stopping production at all. However if a new system is announced them consumers will buy less of the current system thus slowing momentum. I’ve only ever talked about maintaining momentum. Again with the hope that they are building enough buy in to push momentum to a successor. Again nothing extreme or all or nothing. The entirety of my posts are about how to maintain momentum during a system transition. Nintendo currently can keep stock flowing better than MS and Sony and they should leverage that given that in the shareholders meeting they had to adjust down due to materials shortage I think it is a fair assumption that ordering more parts would be primarily for the system that is flying off the shelves. Even if some of it were for a new system I doubt all of it would be as Nintendo has stated they are impacted with current demand by supply constraints.

Consumers still love the system and most are not gaming enthusiasts that get bored after 6 years to market. The switch is still selling very well. Dev buy in is what it is. Business wise it should stay where the money is but devs can afford to ignore Nintendo due to how games are monetized now. No matter the system. So again dev buy in is essential and that is specs independent; Nintendo has to cultivate those relationships.

Ok we are totally talking at right angles here so I’m done. I hope you get whatever scenario you are hoping for. I will wait and see what Nintendo does.

Has anyone played Klonoa on the Switch yet? I have it on both Switch and PS5 (physical) but have heard it’s not great on Switch which is a bummer be I bought it on there for portable play.

@alexwolf I think a eight year gap isn't the craziest thing in the world. The Xbox 360 was on sale for eight years before the Xbox One released. The PS3, Xbox One, and PS4 all lasted for seven years before their successors released.

@HotGoomba Kinect and PS Move (both in 2010) were kind of a Gen 7.5 (Xbox 360 and PS3 were Gen 7), not in terms of power but more that new hardware changed the game lineup rather dramatically.

The five to seven year console cycle hasn't been a thing in decades. The PS2 wasn't discontinued until twelve years after its launch. The X360 and PS3 both ran for almost a decade themselves. We got nine years of support for 3DS. And we're only into year six of the Switch.

Prepare to strap in for at least a few more before we get a Switch successor, folks.

@Magician In fairness, almost every device is supported for years after a successor releases.

@FragRed Seems fine to me. Native-ish resolution, decent load times, etc. The framerate hangs out around 50+ fps most of the time.

Yeah I don’t understand why even day1 adoptees are expecting like a four year cycle or something. That’s one of the best parts about console gaming unlike mobile. I’m not a fan of the mid gen upgrades though. Like slim it down, increase hdd space but don’t change the performance specs of the machine family. Hence why I am sitting on my Ps4 and xbone. Waiting on the day i can walk into a store and walk out with both the twins. Luckily for me no games that I really want have come out as exclusive yet. So my old twins (especially with gamepass) work just fine. Optimize and push for well made games. That is all we really need.

Edit: Welp was able to get a series x.

I have a physical release of a game and when I try to get gold points to for it, it says cannot collect points for this software yet. Why not yet, the game is only released 3 months on eshop and physical ?

@Ninfan Because Nintendo Gold Points redemption is a joke, especially for physical games.

@Grumblevolcano Sony barely supported the PS Move, at least to the extent of the Kinect, so I don't think fully agree with those add-ons being "Gen 7.5". But the Kinect definitely brought back some light into the systems, even if it was short-term.

It's time...

@Ninfan
A lot of physical games do that for some reason. It's only 1% back on physical anyways, so you're missing out on 20 cents to 60 cents, depending on the game. It's annoying but not a big enough deal to ruffle my feathers.

@HotGoomba
While gold coin redemption for physical games is half baked, the redemption for digital is absolutely phenomenal. 5% back automatically, with some games promotioned with even more gold coins? That's money in the bank.

Buying eShop cards from eneba gets you at least 10% off (13% off last 2 times I bought), with 2% back from using my CC to make the purchase, with another 5% back in gold coins when spent on the eShop... that's basically 20% off every single digital game, day one.

Back in the day when BestBuy used to have the Gamer's Club Unlocked membership (GCU) it was a $30 membership fee to get a 20% off discount on all physical games. Now granted, it also worked for amiibo at the time, and any game/controller "bundle" would typically also qualify (like Mario Party bundled with a Wiimote), but still. This is basically just as good as GCU, but for digital games, all without a membership fee.

I love it. The gold coin program is by far the best rewards program of any of the major platforms. MS and Sony have okay membership programs, and Steam's sucks with just SteamShop points good for avatars and emoticons and stuff. I wish every platform would just give you 5% back on every purchase.

@NeonPizza
Doom Eternal actually has a remarkably stable frame rate.

It's pared back visually and only outputs at 720p docked, but framerate is excellent. Far improved over the original Doom 2016 Switch port, and even that was playable.

Handheld Doom Eternal on Switch is chef's kiss. Especially on Switch Lite where the smaller screen hides the lower res. It's so fast in motion you don't even notice. I've never played a more exhilarating portable game than Doom Eternal on Switch in handheld mode via gyro aiming.

@Anti-Matter do switch releases on Play-Asia, have an English language option in the settings ?

@Ninfan
Not every Japanese games have English language option, depend on who is the developer.

@NeonPizza
I mean, to be fair, comparing to 60fps or 120fps is always going to seem lacking by comparison. And Switch just isn't the device for that. I think most people (myself included) aren't nearly as sensitive to image as you are, to the point they're always comparing to 120fps and referencing CRTs and talking about motion judder, etc.

So while I acknowledge perception is completely subjective and your experience is of course valid for you, the way it was said just came across as declarative, kind of as if, "that's just what it is, it's bad" and I don't think that's the case.

Compared to other 30fps games, I'd rank Doom Eternal on Switch in the 90th percentile for smoothest experience. The motion blur helps with that (in my subjective opinion).

But ya, I just noticed the vast majority of your posts talking about 120 frames and CRTs and all this other stuff most people just don't care much about, so while your experience may be useful for others who share your enthusiast ideals, I don't think it's going to serve as a very reliable indicator for the majority, which is why I wanted to share my experience with the game, as I feel my tolerance and expectations for performance is much more closely aligned with the average Switch owner.