It's early days for the Nintendo Switch, but plenty of curiosity around what the console / portable can do is easy to find online. From comparisons of the different versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to beyond, the initial line-up is being put to the test.
Digital Foundry has been keeping an eye out for potential tests and has settled on Dragon Quest Heroes II, which is out in Japan as part of a double pack. It's a title that's already been out on PC, PS3, PS Vita and PS4, and with the ability to access the Japanese eShop some analysis has been done of the game's demo.
The results are interesting - the Switch version seems to be shooting for PS4-style visuals but can't fully match them, and is capped at 30fps to do so. The problem is that the framerate dips nastily in combat, so it's a far from optimal experience for this particular genre.
Of course we've had choppy games of this ilk on Nintendo hardware before, with the unpatched Hyrule Warriors having its problems on Wii U; it did get a bit smoother with some updates. With Fire Emblem Warriors due on Switch and New 3DS later this year, though, we'd hope more care will be taken to deliver solid performance there.
Naturally, this could be down to a sloppy port - a common curse with console launches - mixed with poor optimisation to what the Switch is realistically capable of doing. It'll be interesting to gauge performance on more titles once the library expands.
Based on this video, though, this isn't looking like a great launch title on Switch; perhaps it's one to avoid pending potential performance updates.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 156
To be fair, when you see it in motion it's really not THAT bad. Yes, there are some FPS issues, but I'm overall pretty impressed that effectively, a tablet is running a PS4PRO game this well.
Edit: I had commented based on previously seen videos, but didn't realize this one compares with PSVita as well. Well, now I'm less impressed seeing it stacked up against a ~4 yr old mobile system. Damn.
Get used to this. And that's if we get the games at all. Can't wait for the FIFA comparison videos.
I love KT but they aren't known for their stellar ports so I expect when the next Warriors game hits the system it will be an improvement. I am sure FE Warriors will be much smoother.
People should avoid it in the first place for being a warriors game. Still never cease to amaze me how there is so many bashing on warriors games until hyrule warriors came out and then those same people make it like as if it's the best thing to grace the Wii U and 3DS and deserving as a GOTY material.
And to think, there was someone in here the other day saying Switch was near X1 levels. No where near even that.
@Mogster Poor optimization of launch day ports doesn't inherently mean anything. I don't doubt there are some sizable gaps between the power of the Switch and the Xbox One, but to use this particular title as anything resembling proof of that isn't very meaningful.
I got Dragon Quest Builders on the PS4 and came away rather bored. I really wished I had liked it, but that genre just isn't for me.
I guess I'll try this one on the PS4 at some point, as I loved Hyrule Warriors.
I have to wonder if it's fair to test Switch's "demo" version ...
@bluedogrulez No point wasting money.
To be fair, they only need it for the comparison video. It would be difficult to play the whole game in Japanese.
@Mogster To be fair, this is a Switch launch title, a port from what many believe to be from the PS3 (which may explain performance issues), and it's packing two games in one for the same price as the PS4 version with just one game. Getting the game ready for launch seemed more of a priority than optimization.
As it is, even DF says not to read too much into it. I think if we want to find out how well the Switch can handle these sort of games, Fire Emblem Warriors may be the title to test it.
@Steel76 They made the wrong visual compromises. I can only assume that running at 900p in docked mode would have helped tremendously, and making a few more visual sacrifices (textures, etc.) for both the portable and home versions would have been infinitely better than coming out with such a poor frame rate. It runs like Hyrule Warriors did on a Old 3DS at times when inSwitch's portable mode, which is fairly inexcusable.
Switch is a fine machine but let's get real,it was never going to compete against Sony's beast.. Nothing wrong with trying though and who knows it might just pull it off a few times.i guess its all down to the devs,some are great and some not so
One game looks less than impressive and we extrapolate from it that the Switch is way underpowered?
I think the issues with this particular game result more from being a quick and dirty port rather than from technical limitations of the Switch hardware. Zelda is a clear example of a game that looks much better and runs much smoother.
@bluedogrulez To my knowledge it's a full release in Japan on launch day, so it's being sold in that state right at this moment. I'm assuming Digital Foundry tested the demo to not need to pay for it in order to compare its performance, and if anything it's that much more embarrassing that THIS is what they're trying to use to entice players. Yikes.
The port clearly wasn't well-optimized for the system. The demo on the Japanese eshop is a laggy nightmare. Totally unacceptable.
Oh great, more fuel to the hate-fire...
Yeah...Musou ports That was inevitable really.
Kinda reminds me of the Warriors Orochi 1/2 ports for the 360.
Musou games are best on the systems they were made for initially, very rarely have they made a port that improved performance.
@RatKing64 Not to mention that BotW is a port from the Wii U, meaning it's possible to move a game onto the system and actually improve its fidelity instead of making it notably worse (I imagine the PS3 version doesn't drop frames this badly).
The Switch version looks like the PS4 version to me and even has some better textures and lighting. That's what 90% of the the people who buy this game will care about, not the frame rate.
Not surprised that Digital Foundry did a video like this though because they're Brits and big Sony fanboys just like Eurogamer, their parent company.
Spawn Wave already opened up the Switch and said the Tegra inside looks bigger than the original X1 so I honestly can't wait until Digital Foundry has to eat even more crow.
What we need to take away from this comparison is that Switch can handle PS4 ports and it can achieve parity which means with good sales the games will come.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE 1 game on disc vs 2 games on cart for the same launch price? I can deal with that
@MarioPhD: The Bayonetta demo was not the release version, nor was Sonic Racing (with this demo being poorer than the actual release). Just seems like a whole lot of effort if we are not comparing apples to apples.
@capitalism
Do u have a problem with brits
It does seem "lazy port" is part of the problem perhaps......
but then again, isn't a big Switch selling point to devs that it's "easy to port to"??? I would hope that means more than "easy to port lazy laggy games to"
That said, I will take Switch with Nintendo exclusives and close versions of multiplats over the Wii situation which was always gimped versions or "unique" versions or just never got the games.
Sing it w/ me, to the tune of row, row, row your boat:
"Rushed, rushed, rushed for launch..."
@NintySnesMan
Nope just pointing out their dislike of Nintendo compared to other regions. Facts are great.
I am on a British Nintendo site right? 😂😂
Why are they comparing a console to a handheld?
I would say this is down to poor optimization, primarily. It's also worth keeping in mind, as BotW has taught us, that 720p portable performance will typically oust 900p-1080p docked performance on the NS. So that adds another wrinkle to the mix. I suspect patches will be forthcoming to help alleviate this issue, as is the case for BotW on NS. Suffice to say, though, this is just more proof that NS is a portable console first, and a stationary console second. (If it's mobile hardware wasn't indication enough.)
Wait, is that thing at the end of "Portable" vs. "Docked" mean that is what Portable mode of the switch looks like? (as opposed to vita)?
That is BRUTAL. That definitely makes me think rushed for launch because Zelda looks great portable, and even better docked while that video at least makes this look as bad as vita portable and then great docked. Methinks Square didn't spend too much time on this one. Not a good sign if devs go that route on the Switch, but hopefully just a launch issue not a future issue.
No no no no no, not impressed lol! Honestly if it gets smoother I will buy it. Square Enix needs to put FPS in front then graphics. Is better a working good game than a pretty one.
By the time it hits west, the framerate will be patched into next Saturday. Borderlands 2 on Vita had a rough start as well, and it wasn't even a launch title. But in a game like this I'd probably prefer framerate over eye-popping graphic crispness fluff myself. But it's the developers to set the goals and work towards them, not me.
Horsepower-wise, though, I've seen my PS4 drop the framerate on pixel games like Enter the Gungeon (and I'm talking direct sessions, not remote play). At least consoles still remain less of a reported headache to optimize games for than PC hardware.
Yup, it's starting, crap 3rd party ports.
Where are the muppets who said don't judge the game by the Japanese TV advert. Soon as the trailer came out you could see the frame rate was a mess during battles.
This is embarrassing, for Omega Force.
I never understood why some think graphical presentation is everything! Good gameplay, music and story are way more important than how pretty it looks. Why is Link to the past held in such high regard, graphically speaking now it's ugly but music gameplay and story are its selling points!
@brutalpanda But the NS is a home console you can take on the go! That's what Nintendo and the fans say!?!?
@GameOtaku I have never understood that either.
@Yorumi Selfie generation. ¯(ツ)/¯ Who cares how the game plays as long as it tweets well?
@PlywoodStick I honestly see it as a handheld with the nice ability to put it on the tv but to each their own including Nintendo.
@capitalism
Ah I see. You are wrong though,brits do like Nintendo but prefer Sony more.. The UK is the 2nd biggest buyers of Nintendo products in the whole of Europe,France been the first and Germany 3Rd..That's usually how it ends at the end of a generation.. Actually the UK is also big on Xbox,we tend to like games and aren't bothered to much on which machine we play them on.many brits own multiple consoles or handhelds
Frame rate is a huge issue. Zelda BOTW might be the best game I've ever played. But the one thing that takes me out of the game is when the frame rate sputters in certain situations. BOTW would be even better on PS4 or XboxOne.
Again...unless you really really want to play something on the go...there's no reason to buy a Switch port of anything. I mean...Setsuna has a worse frame rate on Switch.
I think this speaks more of the developers than the console itself. Sadly BOTW is not a game designed from the ground up for the Switch so we can't really take it as something to draw conclusions of the console's power.
@capitalism the delusion of Nintendo fanboys never ceases to amaze me!
Of course the PS4 is going to look and run better than the Switch, but It's kind of surprising to see the Switch not match the Vita.
I won't be buying this sequel anyways, I lost interest pretty early in the first game, which is a shame because I did like it.
Yeah but only one of those I can play while at the park or on the bus.
@capitalism I smell an NDF....
"Not surprised that Digital Foundry did a video like this though because they're Brits and big Sony fanboys just like Eurogamer, their parent company."
LOL u mad brah
A 4 year old console is out performing the Switch. Sweet.
Nice! Not seeing alot of difference so yeah a must buy for me. Looks great
I'd rather have a 720p version of that game running at a smooth framerate than what we are actually going to get. Rushed port indeed, though I was never a fan of the "Warriors" styled games to begin with.
At least DQI-II is two games bundled in one, so I guess buyers get some added content, along with the Switch's portability, to make up for the rush job.
Devs should make whatever sacrifices necessary to get smooth 30fps at launch and then patch-in improvements later on, rather than the reverse, which is what they currently do.
30fps is more important that grass for me.
@NintySnesMan
It's widely known that Brits aren't as enthusiastic about Nintendo as much as France and Germany and I would like proof that the Brits buy more Nintendo products than the Germans because there's more people living in Germany than Great Britain.
Even Brits on this site have admitted that GB is not a Nintendo stronghold, whereas in Germany they love Nintendo.
Edit: Also Nintendo of Europe is headquartered in Germany for a reason.
@gatorboi352
I wonder why Sony filed that patent that looked a lot like the Switch then since people like you say that all the buying public cares about is frame rates.
@geordie
Fanboys who come to Nintendo sites to troll will never cease to amaze me. 😁 And I don't care how many systems you own or how you're supposedly getting a Switch in a year.
This doesn't look great but hey I was never under any impression that the switch was PS4 standard. I'm still happy with my new machine
I'd prefer if it was 720p but a stable framerate. It has killed my interest in it a bit, but if it comes west I'll get it in a sale or something. Hopefully S-E ups their game - we want the games, but optimized and not running like crap.
Now compare the portable modes.....oh you can't.
@capitalism
UK has sold more 3ds than Germany,look it up and more wii u. I said brits prefer Sony but that doesn't mean we don't like Nintendo. What the hell has a population got to do with sales. Many country's in EU have less than others but still sell more,it's the same in Asia. Like I said look it up. Britain is in the top 3 country's in EU for buying Ninty products,making your comment pointless and BS.dont write back cause u don't have a clue what your even discussing. Unbelievable that u think UK is a Sony stronghold and that means we don't like Nintendo. Bloody ignorance
Tbh all versions look poorly optimized sure PS4 looks better but that game also has some frame drops as well especially when turning and I'm sure my screen wasn't tearing.
As a Warriors fan, this is not surprising. Just take one look at how Koei Tecmo and Omega Force handled the Wii U port of Orochi Warriors 3 (for those of you who didn't know, it was much worse than this). And yet the same team pulled off Hyrule Warriors beautifully. They just don't put any effort into their ports, and being that they are a smaller studio, I kinda see why. Just kinda sucks.
@Snow-Dust Lol you don't need to resort to hyperbole to prove a point. I'm pretty damn sure less than 1% of gamers actually think ANY Warriors game is GOTY worthy. It's a mindless hack-n-slash meant for mindless fun, nothing more. Everyone knows this.
Damn, I was expecting it to run better in portable mode like Zelda but nope. Wish we could have seen Switch vs PS3, I'd like to know exactly where it falls, far above PS3 and just below XB1 ideally...
The first Dragon Quest Heroes game was really fun and the second looks to have improved on it. PS4 is the clear choice though.
@capitalism wow. I guess everyone has their own opinion.
Ummmm also due to the fact that switch is way way way less powerful than the ps4
I've held the Switch's feet to the fire for it's shortcomings, but this is sadly and clearly just an incredibly crappy port and a quick cash in using PS3 assets. No way in hell I'm going to support greedy a-holes serving up phoned in software. Do better or you don't get my money. Ever. It's not so much the comparison to the PS4, but rather the talk of the PS3 and the Vita comparison. No way in hell this game should have the performance issues it does... nor should they be using the PS3 assets, if the game is running at 1080p docked.
@gatorboi352 Alright. It is a 4 year old console outperformimg a new one.
A new one running on a battery with far less cooling and a form factor that if it was to match PS4 would either not be so portable or melt.
Take your pick.
@NintySnesMan
"bloody ignorance" 😂😂
I think you might be the ignorant one buddy since Nintendo of Europe is headquartered in Germany for a reason. Just like Nintendo of America is headquartered in the United States for a reason. And no I couldn't find anything for individual numbers for Germany vs. GB for hardware sales. The only reliable stats I could find were for Europe as a whole. So if you have this data like I said before please post it. And yes population numbers matter especially when the country with more people is also historically a lot more receptive to Nintendo. We found out France's numbers today and they're breaking records there, and NOE announced Switch is breaking records in Europe as a whole too. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that with the UK shifting 80,000 units the brunt of those hardware sales came from elsewhere. We'll see who the ignorant one is here in a day or two when Germany's numbers get released. My point Mr. Wise One is that Britain has been seen as less of a Nintendo stronghold than France and Germany.
@HeroOfTime32 exactly. "a tablet is running a PS4PRO game this well."
@capitalism "What we need to take away from this comparison is that Switch can handle PS4 ports and it can achieve parity" exactly.
yeah lets put it against the ps4 build not vita one make sense right?
I think this is just a case of a bad port. Maybe they will patch it but I assume they did not make a whole lot of effort bringing it to switch. Let's see what the Fire Emblem Warriors game looks like. It will probably be better optimized and MAYBE they will fix this one for the US.
@garthvader wait until Super Mario Odyssey, next Xenoblades, Metroid? and other first party titles it will blow PS4 away
@capitalism NoE headquarters being in Germany has nothing to do with whether the German public likes Nintendo more than the rest of Europe...
With such a name I expected you'd know better...
I feel like we need to say "well duh" to this article? Nintendo Life readers figured out it was a port of the Vita version well before launch. And I'm guessing a bad one too.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE no actually I wont. We have already seen various other ports work better (looking at you Wii U games) when moved to Switch with better resolution and frame rates.
This is obviously a very quick port made for launch - and I'll happily call out their shoddy work.
@KappaBeta
Uhm actually it does just like how the United States is the bread and butter for NOA and hence that's why it's headquarters is in the USA. Sales, brand interest and awareness, and geographical location ALL get considered when choosing where a headquarters is going to be.
@dumedum
Agree. Everybody seems to forget that it's a home console/handheld hybrid that can be taken anywhere on the go. Can the PS4 and Xbox one do that? No they cannot.
@capitalism where else would Nintendo of America be based lol
Wait, it is coming out here in April? This is news to me. Can't wait to get my hands on this one when I can read it!
@capitalism ha you do realize each region has their own office right? Of course Nintendo Of America is in the US. Nintendo of Europe is surprisingly in Europe though.
@Dysnomia
You do know what a region is right? Nintendo of Europe is in Germany and NOA is in the U.S. There's no Nintendo of Mexico or a Nintendo of Brazil, even though they're in America..
@Stubi that is very, very incorrect. The GameCube through Wii U were just updates. The Switch is a wholly different beast using a completely different architecture (arm vs risc) and got (Nvidia vs AMD). They couldn't be any more different.
And these comparison tests are nothing but peeing contests to see who relieves himself the farthest, in other words, nothing gets solved
@capitalism I think the question is, do we want them to do that? Not everybody does. I have no need for a mobile device, the switch would sit in it's dock forever in my house. So that point is moot to a lot of people.
My curiosity lies in why in the hell would they compare the most powerful version of the game on PS4 to the Switch as they're not on the same tier. It should have been tossed up there again the PS3 and Vita if anything as they're more ably similar.
The Vita I'd think would be the best by far as we're comparing at least two handheld devices, not a potentially 4K capable beast of a console against the Tegra X1 hardware in the portable switch.
Disingenuous at best, not cool.
@capitalism indeed, that's true for every generation though. Also some people cannot appreciate the small cool stuff like the Wii Remote Speaker, controlling the TV with the Wii U and so on.. Nintendo always has unique stuff. And now the Portability is obvious but what about this Realistic Rumble... that thing, a sort of HD for your Touch sense, probably not cheap and probably be imitated later.
@capitalism
Hey, we know NoA is the one that covers all the continent. At the end of the day, distribution here on South America depends on whatever deal they strike with the guys who have the license, so if NoA doesn't move its ass we all get screwed here down south.
Plus, be realist - South America got into gaming though piracy, and the economic reality isn't really stable like the US and Canada. Why would they put the HQ for the continent down here?
@Dysnomia
You're trying to tell me that America is only the United States and you are wrong. America is two whole continents which is divided into North America and South America in which NOA SERVES BOTH. Also America has many other countries besides the U.S.. I live in the U.S. man, I don't need to read Wikipedia to know this about the country I live in. I think you're confused.
@Alshain01
Judging by the record sales in both the U.S. and Europe as a whole a lot more people agree with me than you. I bet you wouldn't say that if Sony ends up acting on the patent they filed the other week that looks very similar to the Switch. Also you do know that there are other gaming fansites out there that would suit your gaming preferences a lot better, right?
@Luna_110
Yes South American countries do get the shaft from time to time but I was trying to point out to him that NOA handles both continents and both continents are bunched into one region called America which clearly you understand.
@timson72 There is a difference between the United States of America and America. NoA could have their headquarters in Canada, Brazil, etc.
@Jessica286 Same here, I just don't quite understand why that isn't the core message. 😮
I hope you guys do know that ports don't always have the best reputations on other consoles. I say its way to early to judge what this console is capable of. Every console starts with a poor looking game but ends with games that outclass it in every sense of the world. I mean compare Super Mario Bros on the NES to Kirbys Adventure. Compares The gamecubes Aquaman Battle for atlantis to Resident Evil 4.(Graphical quality not gameplay) Compare Wii Sports to Skyward Sword. And compare Tekken Tag Tournament for the PS2 with God of War 2. The point being that you cant judge a console after just 4 days of being released. I mean look at the 3ds, it is largely different from when it was first released. So while I blame this on just being a very poor port, I say we should give it a year or 2 before we start judging it heavily on what the console if capable of. Time has always done a console good...........Unless you are Sega
I really hate it when they compare the Nintendo switch with the ps4 hardware or even with Xbox one .
Hasn't there been reports that Switch isn't really any more powerful than WiiU? Can't be that shocked.
When Nintendo releases their new system hopefully it will be up to par with the PS4. Hope the PS5 isn't out by then...
@Dysnomia
People who live in the U.S. ARE called Americans but this has nothing to do with regional divisions of Nintendo though. 😂😂 If you are an American you sure aren't making us look good.
I had fun with the demo. But them again, frame rate drops rarely bother me. It's screen tearing I can't stand. DARKSIDERS 2 was awesome, but the constant screen tearing drove me insane.
They shouldn't have tried to jam 2 games into the game cartridge. It would've given them more breathing room.
@capitalism I don't know what Sony has to do with it but I don't want a mobile device from them either. It doesnt matter how many like or dislike it, you said people were forgetting it was mobile, I said those people don't care that it is mobile. To those people, it's just an overly expensive underpowered console.
Also, one weekend of supposedly record sales (which I'm not convinced of yet) does not make a successful console. We have yet to see if Switch can survive being marketed as a replacement on their console line.
As for other gaming fansites, what are you referring to exactly? My understanding is this is a Nintendo fansite, I am a fan of Nintendo. In fact I've never owned anything other than Nintendo (and PC of course). Are you saying Nintendo life isn't good for people who like Nintendo games? .. or are you saying that being a Nintendo fan means you have to automatically love every idea they have, good or bad?
@HeroOfTime32 "Edit: I had commented based on previously seen videos, but didn't realize this one compares with PSVita as well. Well, now I'm less impressed seeing it stacked up against a ~4 yr old mobile system. Damn."
Huh? The difference is quite drastic between the two. Vita can do better, honestly. (and the Switch as well of course) Also, the handheld mode Switch footage was taken with a camera.
@WhiteTrashGuy There was not a single tear in the video, at least.
Is this what everyone is going to do...compare the Switch to the PS4? Who cares, buy a system for the games, don't care about the graphics or comparison. It doesn't matter what the game looks and feels like on one system compared to another! I love the PS4 and I will be buying a Switch after the summer...I'll buy double copies of games if they're ones I love...I loved Dragon Quest Heroes on PS4, so I'll buy the sequel on PS4, but I'll also get it on Switch eventually to play on the go. I really don't care about the difference, because the Switch is not as powerful, and handhelds have a way to go before they get as powerful as a computer. Guess this is what we'll all be seeing though, comparisons. Why not put a Switch game against an Xbone game?
I might've traded in the PS4 version of the first one since it was coming to the Switch with the 2nd one, but YEEah, hopefully an update revs it to be better I hopes.
Bad port is bad port. Framerate in the demo was beyond awful.
@Alshain01
You can act like your a Nintendo fan all you want but 99% of your posts on this site are either negative or snarky. And once again we have somebody who thinks that being passive aggressive against Nintendo while at the same time saying they're "big fans of Nintendo" makes them look so smart and sophisticated as a troll.
And Switch is breaking records in both America and Europe and both of those divisions aren't going to lie. People would be fired if the actual numbers came out and there weren't any records broken. You can live in fanboy lala land all you want but your dreams of Switch failing aren't coming true. And once again judging by the sales numbers it looks like a lot more people agree with me that a true hybrid console is more appealing than what a vocal minority here on Nintendo Life would make you believe.
If I want true 4K gaming at 100fps I'll play it on my rig that has a GTX 1080 which blows the PS4 Pro and Scorpio out of the water.
If I want a console I'll go with the hybrid that is portable and offers HD Rumble which is something the other two companies can't offer me.
The Switch version's... quite awful, actually. But hey, I guess it's due to da Switch's powaaaah, amirite?
At least I (will) have two options when considering what version to purchase. At this point it's probably going to be the PS4 version...
Heres what they're not telling you. DQH 1 and DQH2 are both on a single game card for the switch while you have to buy both on ps4 seperate so now judge if the performance differences between them warrant the price comparison between the 2 systems.
@Dysnomia
😂😂 I never said anything about being surprised and you sir are clearly the idiot for still not understanding the difference between being called an American and NOA representing more than the U.S.. Do Germans say they're European or do they say they're German? Yes they are European but European includes more countries than just Germany. The U.S. is different because like you said no one calls us U.S.'ers but that's because it's weird to say and because the U.S. is the most powerful country in the Americas so Europeans just started to call us Americans.
I can't believe I have to explain this to someone for so long on a video game website. Have a good night man.
It's Tecmo Koei + Dynasty Warriors games... this did not surprise me at all. Those guys can't make fluid 60fps/properly functioning games if their lives depended on it and they have a reputation for trying to make lazy/quick bucks. Add the bad optimization a lot of Day 1 games on new hardware have and you get this.
It does, unfortunately, demonstrate the amount of effort they're willing to put into the Switch so expect similar performance issues with FE Warriors >.<
I confess, I'm a little nervous by all the poor frame rate comments when it comes to the Switch. I mean, if it chugs with both Bomberman and a Wii U title (Zelda), how powerful can it really be? The indie titles will obviously be great, but let's be honest - most of those have been making the slow, inevitable march to mobile. If there's reported performance problems with Mario Kart I'll probably freak out.
Come on now these people who keep harping on about Zelda Breath of the Wild's framerate issues are making it sound like the game is broke or worse, quit it just quit it . I've been playing Zelda on the Switch since launch day and honestly it is nothing that is really that awful or bad it is nothing that don't happen on every system and is really minor Breath of the Wild is as massive a game you could want and as much a true masterpiece in modern gaming for any system standards and the Switch is a powerful portable home console Mario , Splatoon, Fast and everything else I've seen on the system look amazing I dont understand why try and make it a PS4 or Xbox1 it's not Nintendo to my knowledge is not trying to say it is so why not enjoy the system for what it is and what it does offer which is pretty amazing in my book , I will never nor do I want to understand the bigger more powerful so it is better in all ways arguments that go on in the gaming community if it's fun thats all that really matters.
Subpar visuals to the original and locked at 30fps with frequent dips, but more content than the original? Sounds familiar. I loved Hyrule Warriors Legends, and am very close to completing it. I just got a PS4, so I could feasibly get this game now, but I'd rather enjoy the game with all its content when I eventually get a Switch.
I'm getting a bit worried about performance, after playing zelda botw quite a bit the fps drops are frequent and that's only at 900p.
Imagine how amazing zelda would have looked in 1080p @ 60fps, with better antialiasing so we can't see all those jagged lines on the side of everything....
Really wish nintendo would just make a system that is within 80% power range of the other consoles, this 50% and less stuff really isn't working. ><
It'll have some good games but i'm pretty much saying goodbye to all 3rd parties already based on early tests. Which sucks and was WiiU's biggest mistake.
@BLP_Software perhaps Nintendo should have taken their pick, as in, don't try and make the Switch a jack of all trades and in the process a master of none.
It really is a shame Zelda doesn't perform better on Switch. Nintendo had over a year to optimize it for the console.
It either speaks to shoddy optimization (not likely) or to the underpowered nature of Switch. To me, sacrificing specs for portability was a mistake and I do not see the launch numbers sustaining themselves over a long period of time.
@Reignmaker Bomberman runs on Unity, which has problems on all of the consoles. You can expect framerate issues in Yooka Laylee as well since it also runs on Unity.
Zelda is a Wii U port that wasn't fully optimized and is an open world game. Framerate issues are present in pretty much any open world game. That's just how it is.
Dragon Quest Heroes is just a shoddy port. Koei Tecmo is known for that.
None of it is representative of Switch's power.
this is because it wasn't optimized.
@capitalism
So u think because NOA is in America and Germany has headquarters that Nintendo sell loads in that country,then ask yourself this. Why did ps4 out sell wii u in America. By your calculations this shouldn't have happened. Fanboy with no idea. France sold 105 thousand switch and UK 80 thousand,not bad for UK eh after your original comment said we don't like Ninty in UK. Germany sales will probably be between 60-100 thousand,. It seems to me Sony are doing better in USA than Ninty are,it would be easy to say America don't like Ninty because of that,just like u said same thing about UK with same situation. As for best launch ever in EU. That's fair enough but that probably wasn't hard to beat,EU is pretty much a stronghold for Sony in many country's here. France is #1 for buying Ninty products but hey the headquarters are in Germany so your argument for Ninty selling better in places that has headquarters is pointless. like I said look at ps4 vs wii u in America,they was same generation, I guess u can see my point.. And yes same thing for Germany vs UK. The UK sold more wii u and 3ds than Germany.look it up its only a few clicks away.
Wii U crappy 3rd-party launch repeat itself. And then they wonder why we don't buy their games.
"The results are interesting - the Switch version seems to be shooting for PS4-style visuals"
The DF video said it's PS3 graphics. For PS4 visuals, look at Horizon Zero Dawn.
If Zelda, a first party game can't run in locked 30 fps, no 3rd party will be able to do it.
Nintendo is in serious trouble. PS4 and Horizon ZD outsold Switch and Zelda BotW during the launch week in UK. Even Xbox One sold more than Switch.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-03-06-strong-start-for-nintendo-switch-in-the-uk
@JubilifeRival i know but you say america you think US
PS4 runs smooth but the textures are blurry in comparison and dull, Switch version looks brighter and crisper, if I was going to buy I would pick up cheap for ps4 when it a couple of months old anyhow.
I have all the consoles, so really not a hater but, there is something about Nintendo which is special.
I love the Switch for what it is, it is an amazing bit of kit, silent discreet and capable, pretty much as all previous N consoles have been, people forget or just do not care that N consoles are significantly smaller and more efficient, they may lose on output but then, if you want a machine with the size, running heat and noise of a betamax video recorder then you won't mind the offerings from Sony and Microsoft.
PS4 and Xbox are not portables, they require a huge amount of shelf space! For me the Xbox is floundering its exclusives are old and tired.
BOTW is on a different level of gaming, forget 4k my eyes are not that good, N always delivers gameplay.
@capitalism ROFL. I dare you to find one post that has been snarky toward Nintendo anywhere from me. As for negative, I don't believe Switch is the right approach, so I may have been negative toward that, but not the whole of Nintendo. It seems like you just don't like people who have different views than you and you aren't intelligent enough to make coherent replies so you just like to attack rather than discuss.
@tanookisuit Did you even watch the video. They did compare it to the vita.
Are you serious? Was this created for the Wii U? What a shitake port...
Two games on one cart. It's great value for money and you can take it anywhere.
People need to stop comparing FPS and lamenting this. It's ruining gaming.
If you were in the middle of a field with both a PS4 and a Switch, the Switch version would perform better...
@MarioPhD It is, because even docked, the Switch barely reaches 40% the performance of the regular PS4.
So this is going to be problematic for ports. Eventhough, due to NVidia technology onboard the Switch making ports easy, game studios still need to invest considerably in making it work to acceptable performance levels.
Nintendo better sell an insane number of Switch consoles, before any AAA developer is even considering investing a lot of resources in Switch ports.
And the current hardware problems plagueing the Switch at the moment isn't really helping!
I received a faulty unit to be returned and the store says I am not the only one, they already received dozens of units back with problems within the first 2 days This is just one store.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I've been following NX/Switch news on NintendoLife for more than a year. Your comments always pop up and they're some of the most pessimistic and negative on the website. I'm sure nothing is as bad as you think. How are you enjoying your Nintendo Switch?
@Jeronan what was wrong with your Switch?
@Ballzilla At first everything looked ok, just problems with WiFi constantly disconnecting. (seems to be a widespread issue).
First hour I played Bomberman with my son and wife. No problems.
Then I played a bit of Fast RMX for about 15 minutes or so.
Then after my son went to bed, I started on my Zelda adventure and after about half an hour the game crashed with error 6162-0002 and had to do a hard reset.
I played again for about 15 minutes or so and BAM! Another 6162-0002 error!
And now it became funny, the console won't boot up anymore. It just kept freezing on the Switch logo every time I tried turning it on.
So it's just dead now and will have to return it.
They forgot the main comparison.
Here is the Switch version when taken outside...
... and here is the PS4 version when taken outside.
Verdict: "Digital Foundry, shut the hell up" / 10
@Jeronan That's a strange issue to happen out of the blue. Best of luck with your replacement unit Can I ask which store this was from? Could the consoles have been fiddled with from curious employees?
Don't think the switch looked that bad to be honest
@Alshain01 "are you saying that being a Nintendo fan means you have to automatically love every idea they have, good or bad?" Nailed it with this statement mate, there are some serious rose tinted glasses going on on this site lately. I'm a big fan of calling a spade a spade. Of course everyones interpretation is different but that's why we hear each other out and learn about others views. I've learned allot about the shallow and one sided debate of individuals on here lately. It's been painful to read at times. Thanks for adding a refreshing dose of common sense 👍
@Nintendian Well of course Horizon was going to sell more than Zelda. There is already a large PS4 install Base, the SWITCH only launched on Friday. It doesn't take a genius to work that out, or maybe it does????
@Jeronan Mass production of new technology always produces some defect units. Microsoft had to replace nearly 4 million 360 consoles due to red ring of death. Sony had to replace around 1.1 million units due to the blue light error. However, as it is Nintendo, everyone seems to have forgotten about the others. It is surprising though, as through the decades, Nintendo has consistently produced the most reliable systems.
@capitalism please just stop, you're embarrassing yourself. It's not like if the sales of one country overtake another they move their HQ is it now?
I respect that everyone has different views, you're entitled to your opinion, as is everyone but the more you say, the less makes sense. Just stop. Think and consider if you are posting something that makes sense.
There's a mistake her in the video. The clouds not moving Switch is fals. Actually the PS4 is missing the moving cloud! That was a lie!
Until games that are designed from the ground up for Switch, I'll reserve judgment. Titles such as Fast RMX are already setting a good benchmark.
@Ballzilla Nahh these consoles were all shipped straight from Central distribution center via their online shop portal.
All retail stores have online business unit as well these days to survive. You can't run a physical store only anymore these days.
@akaDv8R I know it's mass production, but seeing Nintendo's track record, it is both suprising and highly disappointing for their bad quality control on the Switch.
Seeing the issues with the Left joy-con and the widespread WiFi issues alone (next to the crash and display issues, dock scratching screen, etc) , it is pretty clear they had not enough time for testing till mass production began. For Nintendo, that is disappointing.
As example, the whole design of the dock seemed rushed and not proper tested. Just a few cents extra on some protective coating on inside would prevent scratching of the screen. How they could have overlooked this is beyond me.
The Switch version was closer to PS4 than I expected...
@capitalism You're also on a Eurogamer site.
@Jeronan When it comes to the SCRATCH issue, I truly believe most of this is caused by people simply dropping the handheld into the dock basically, instead of following the guidelines about holding both sides and carefully lining it up as you dock it.
For sure the other issues are disappointing, but one website, PE. Compare, actually found a couple of people who complained about screen issues and console not turning on to be false. I could easily make a video and show me pushing the power button and nothing happening, but then of course, I may have just deliberately let the battery run dry. Even with the power cord attached, I have seen many where it does not actually show it being plugged in.
Don't get me wrong, there ARE genuine issues out there, and I feel sorry for anyone that got a defective console, but Nintendo are saying they are trying to get replacement units out within a week.
At the moment, the problem is not too bad, and if it hits 360 or PS4 error numbers, Nintendo will have some explaining to do, and a lot of damage control to deal with. Once we know the full amount of current systems sold and the TRUE amount of defective units, then we will be in a position to say if it is a big problem or not. For example, if they sold 2 million units, and defective units account for 1 to 2 percent, that would be still be bad, but acceptable with mass production.
20 fps in battle is unacceptable. They should drop resolution down to 900p at least.
better graphics on Switch; better framerate PS4. #hellobrazil
Well, I don't own a PS4 nor plan on getting one, so as long as it's playable I'll be happy to have the Switch version, the only one I could get.
@PlywoodStick I see this as a portable and a console so I still don't think it should be compared to ps4. Obviously it won't be as powerful if it's doing both functions. Also I think the devs just did a poor job, they took the PS3 version and maxed out with no optimization. Its really not the fault of the hardware that it dips to 20fps on a released game. Square just wanted some extra sales from a launch with minimal effort. Imo
@Jeronan As someone who got a busted launch day Wii U, I feel your pain.
@BiasedSonyFan lol u mad.
Anyways, yeah Nintendo really should get to optimizing a bit better on Switch.
@Stubi no difference in Zelda just because it spent years being developed for the Wii U. We will easily see better graphics (for what it's worth) but also far more interesting games, which is far more important. When developers learn how to utilize the hardware you will see your desired better graphics. But may as well get used to graphics not being the focus in the Nintendo world, rather gameplay, experiences and fun.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE you are the biggest doom monger ever! Go away.
OMG even the Vita version plays better than the switch version.....incredible
Still a very good looking portable.
So I decided to check out the demo for myself by signing in to the Japanese eShop and I must say, Digital Foundry are BS. The game runs really well when docked and the amount of enemies on screen is incredible. When in handheld mode, it does take a dip but damn does it look good.
The frame rate is never as low as they show it with their off-screen footage and battling 20-30 enemies at once never feels as bad or unresponsive as they make it out to be. It's not perfect. But I would say it's acceptable because of how good it looks and the crazy amount of action on-screen. Definitely not as bad as they show in their off-screen footage.
@capitalism Your comments express my feelings exactly. The Digital Foundry comparison is a sham. I downloaded the demo and it plays fine. Not the smoothest frame rate but the graphics are great and the action is nowhere near as bad as they show in the video. Faked off-screen video to gain clicks? (shot with a terrible camera and lowered frames in post production)
This is a really early (launch!) game and probably straight ps3 port so it doesn't mean that much at all, that said I love all the "alternative facts" people are providing just under a video that totally shows the opposite of what they are stating. No wonder a certain person got elected - I obviously mean Eric Garcetti
@Shellcore I did and the title and even bothering doing ps4 is poor journalism clickbait. Switch here got a poorly optimized fast done shovelware port using ps3 assets.
I played the Demo today and guess what? It was fun. Case closed cant wait to get the port as long as Square ports it on cartridge. Dont you dare make this digital in north America Square! Your screwing things up with that crap
I have the Japanese retail version and I've played around with it for quite a bit now.
Yes, there are slowdowns, but they're nowhere near as critical to gameplay as DF make it out to be. After a while, you actually stop thinking about them and just enjoy the game.
Sure, I'd like to have a more stable FPS count. If they could have locked it at 30 I would have been overjoyed, but this is without a doubt still a very good and very playable port.
they should have run the test in the car while being driven....then we would see the SWITCH win easily..
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