Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I haven't seen any reviews yet. Waiting on that first.

This thread has been awfully quiet. I wonder if it's from lack of switch enthusiasm and people waiting for the next big thing, lack of big games coming out, or something else entirely. I've been playing a bunch of smaller stuff on switch myself as there hasn't been much to be excited for, for me. Not until 1000 Year Door that is.

@FishyS I've watched some reviews and read some as well. So far, it's giving "good, but nothing great" vibes. It doesn't do much to separate itself from other metroidvanias, combat gets repetitive, and platforming is played safe. Where it shines is with story telling. So it's still on my WL, but not day 1( or day 2).

@NintendoByNature
Personally speaking I just don’t see any interesting titles on the horizon to perk my interests. The next game I’m picking up physically is Castle of Shikigami 2 and it’s not exactly a big title. I’m hoping for a direct soon to fill in some blanks.

As far as what I’m hoping for its mostly retro compilations (physical non LRG ones naturally) and ports of games (like Soul Hackers 2, a Criminal Girls collection etc).

@NintendoByNature There's stuff that I've posted that would've fit here but I chose to use the Direct thread instead considering it's more active. For example the NSO news would fit here but it also fits in the Direct thread considering that NSO roadmaps can fit into Direct speculation.

@NintendoByNature Well it looks like there's not a lot of games coming out on Nintendo's end. We have upcoming remakes/remasters for Paper Mario: TTYD and Luigi's Mansion 2, and there's also gonna be Pokemon Legends Z-A next year, but that's about it. We still don't know a thing about Metroid Prime 4 besides a teaser and its delay, and the Game Boy and GBA catalogs on NSO could still use more games. I'd like a Nintendo Direct soon, honestly. Maybe it'll give us a look at the next Nintendo console, as well?

@Novamii fair enough, that's probably the bulk of people I'd imagine.
@GameOtaku yep, for me it's only Paper Mario and Luigis Mansion 2. And I'd I've already beaten that game on the 3ds.
@Grumblevolcano I get it. There's alot of overlap between these 2 threads. Just feels like it's dying which is sad to say!
@Mariovillager92 a direct is definitely needed. I need the rest of my year filled out, even if it's not MP4.

@NintendoByNature I agree. I don't want this year to be barren... I'm perfectly happy with just more first-party Switch games.

It is kinda interesting really. If you look at the 3DS over the life of that system it started at $350AU and the price was almost immediately cut to $250AU. Then when the XL launched it was at $250AU which, while I don't remember it, must've seen the original SKU discontinue to be replaced by the 2DS which was cheaper. Before the New 3DS launched which was cheaper at $220AU. Then the New 2DS XL launched after the Switch for $199AU

Meanwhile the Switch launched at $469AU and.... technically it's still $469AU to this day. There are bundles which include a game for the same price but still. Same price. Of course the OLED exists (for $540AU) and the Lite ($329AU) but even those come in at over and under the original launch price. It's a bit crazy how much the Switch hasn't dropped in price at all

Inflation maybe? Not really. Inflation between 2011 and 2017 was ~12% and from 2017 to 2023 it was 21%. So it has been higher for this period than it was over the life of the 3DS. But even so, not enough to cover the entirely non-existence of any price cuts. If you do the maths it accounts for about half of it, but not all of it. I mean, I know why they do this. They set the price where people will buy it not at what it costs. Even so fair to say there's a fair bit of additional margin in the hardware than there was at launch.

My guess is that they drop some SKUs when the Switch 2 launches. Definitely keep the Lite kicking as a budget SKU but either drop the price of the OLED and retire the OG Switch or drop the OLED entirely. Then the Switch 2 will likely come in at a price that's slightly higher than the OLED now. I wouldn't be banking on a price cut, very possible they just price the Switch 2 above the price of current Switch hardware and then just quietly retire the original Switch hardware over time

The Switch out this way has had a weird price history.

Switch started at £280, Lite was £200, OLED is £310. Some bundles and special editions obviously change the price a bit.

But the base model had a permanent price cut here a while back to £260. And that's where it's stayed.

@Novamii Yeah. The Switch is still selling well it seems, so I'm not sure if Nintendo wants to bring their focus over to the Switch 2 just yet... maybe when Switch sales start to decline. Yeah I'm sure there will be more stuff to look forward to this year, that haven't been announced yet. I wouldn't mind seeing another Mario Party game, or DLC for Mario Party Superstars.

@Novamii Considering what happened for Super Mario Party, Superstars support isn't odd. For context, Super Mario Party released in October 2018 and its first and only major update released in late April 2021.

And yet, the Lite, which seemed overpriced to me on Day 1 at £200, has never seen a price cut, which really surprises me.

@gcunit
The Switch era is different one.
No price cut, No Nintendo Select $20, No fancy U/I, No Lounge eshop music, frequent of Partial Download / Code in Box, etc.

@gcunit Yeah it's a bit weird. Nintendo is certainly better at price matching other regions, a £50 game is $60 for instance, than other companies (Looking at you Sony $70 is not £70) and I think they did say the cut to the base model was to bring it in line with other regions.

I imagine the Switch Lite is just gonna ride it out. No one's really buying it anyway and opting to spend less than the price of a game on just the base model or an OLED at £100 more.

@Anti-Matter I wonder if we'll see a 'Selects' range if/when the next console drops and it's has backwards compatibility? Would be a good way to build up a decent library of games if there aren't a ton of new games available at launch.

@dmcc0 I doubt they will bring back selects; if anything they will keep selling for $60 and say the games have improved performance on Switch 2 or something... Or they will just insert a 2 on the cover with no change and brand them both as Switch 1 and Switch 2 games.

Perhaps half off sales will get more common for older games though. Or 2-for-1 sales.

Anyone see the magnetic joyconnand pro controller support for switch 2?

@dmcc0
And please No Red frame of Nintendo Select games again like during Wii, 3DS, Wii U era.
It ruined the whole cover.

@dmcc0 I think the NSO voucher program was Nintendo's replacement to heavier discounts like Selects.

@Grumblevolcano The voucher program is a worse price than their common 33% off sales though. Plus they apply to new games. I think the question is if we can expect any reduced prices for Switch 1 branded games after Switch 2 eventually takes over.