2021 is the 10th anniversary of the Nintendo 3DS, a lovely little system that helped carry Nintendo through a somewhat turbulent 2010s. Its companion home system, the Wii U, wasn’t doing so hot, but the 3DS spent much of its time hosting hit after hit. As a mixture of console and handheld, the Switch is a successor to the 3DS – but only because it's portable. It’s quite surprising just how many of the Nintendo 3DS’s fun features were completely left out for the Switch. So, for its 10th anniversary, we wanted to look back at all the cool features the 3DS offered that the Switch left behind, and see if there is a way Nintendo’s newest console could bring them back in the future.
To start off, let’s look at what the Switch already has, outside of simply having games and an eShop, because there isn’t much. It has a Mii Maker like the 3DS did, although it is hidden away in the system settings, an app for Nintendo Switch Online (which is really just a gateway to games exclusive to the service), the album where all of your captured screens and videos go, and a basic activity log in the player profile.
Speaking of which, let's begin there...
The Activity Log
The Switch's current activity log is really basic, only telling you the last 20 games you played and vaguely how long you’ve played each one. This is a massive step backwards from what the 3DS offered, where the system not only tracked how much you were playing the system daily (and which games you were playing) but also kept track of details like the Total Time Played, Average Play Time, the number of times the game was played, and when you both first and last played the game.
These details could then be charted so you’d have an accurate idea of who you were as a player. We would never have known that we put a staggering 255 hours into Fire Emblem: Awakening without the app, and we find it fascinating (and perhaps slightly troubling). The activity log was a great feature, and we just don’t understand Nintendo’s half-hearted approach to it on Switch. It would be simple to add, seeing as the Switch already tracks playtime. It just needs a more customisable interface, and you’re good to go.
Another feature of the Activity Log was that it also acted as a pedometer, recording how many steps the player took every day. This was a recurring theme on the 3DS, as Nintendo took lots of steps to encourage players to go on walks and take their 3DS systems with them. Considering Nintendo’s big marketing strategy for the Nintendo Switch was to show that it was a home console that you could take with you on the go, it’s a little shocking that the system lacks anything really like this.
Folders And Themes
Yes, we're aware people have been waiting for folders since the Switch arrived, so it's not like this is a new request. However, given that the console is now four years old and, if you've owned one from launch and have a massive MicroSD card, you're likely to have a lot of games, some means of arranging them into folders would be very handy indeed. We're no experts on the matter, but surely this is something that Nintendo could introduce without much trouble? After all, our smartphones have had app folders for years.
On the topic of themes, again, this is something fans have been requesting for some time. You could argue that themes were slightly underused and underappreciated on 3DS, but they really did make the console feel more unique – and offered the chance to hear the Mega-CD boot theme every time you turned on your 3DS. What more could you possibly ask? Given that the Switch does have a 'themes' menu, we'd imagine this is an easy fix, too – after only offering a paltry pair of theme choices since 2017, it's high time Nintendo made more use of this option.
Picture and Sound Editing
The most robust secondary app on the Switch, and the neatest, is the ability to take in-game photos and videos and upload them onto social media. It replaced the function from Miiverse and makes sharing your gaming experiences much simpler. The images and videos can also be edited with text stamps and trimming of the footage, but that is kind of where it ends. This is once again, another step back from what the 3DS offered with its Camera and screen cap application (albeit, with only certain games).
There was also the 3DS sound application where users could not only record their own sound and music using the 3DS microphone, but also manipulate, edit, and share it through Streetpass or SwapNote, a messaging application that was also not retained for the Switch. In addition, this app could function like a music player, allowing users to store music files on an SD Card and listen to the songs while the system was in sleep mode.
It’s understandable why these apps did not just transfer over to the Switch wholesale, as the system lacks a built-in camera and microphone. So you can’t take photos and record videos and music. However, the editing features on the Switch are lacklustre compared to 3DS. You could control the speed at which videos play, change the pitch of sound, and even play the video in reverse. Image editing gave you access to stamps, as well as the options to draw and play with the images’ depths. It was simple and the DSi had even more options than this!
There are simple ways to address this as well. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate actually has a video editor of its own that would work really well for videos recorded on the Switch. It can’t be as in-depth, but it would allow for more options like zoom-in, making montages with multiple clips and other basic video editing features.
Sound as well could be addressed on the Switch. Imagine recording a video on Switch, removing the sound from it, and editing that separately to make something creative. It could then be transferred over to your PC or phone and shared however you would like. The 3DS had the power and capability to offer this, so there is no reason the Switch can’t as well.
StreetPass
Many of the Nintendo 3DS’s best features fed into the biggest portable aspect of the handheld: StreetPass. This passive feature was able to detect when you crossed other Nintendo 3DSs in the wild and would send data from their system to yours. This could affect numerous games, like activating the Dark Link battles in A Link Between Worlds, or having a stranger’s Mii show up as a racer in Mario Kart 7, but what it’s most well-known for is the dedicated Streetpass Mii Plaza app.
The StreetPass app is where the Miis that you collected would hang out and support you in a variety of games. It could be something simple like handing over a puzzle piece for the Puzzle Swap app or offering a type of bait for StreetPass Fishing, to more complicated games, like joining your RPG party to rescue the captured noble in StreetPass Quest, or becoming an extra ship in the shoot 'em up StreetPass Squad. These games were really fun, and the StreetPass Mii Plaza is actually our most used application on the 3DS, beating out Fire Emblem: Awakening by over 100 hours.
This is certainly the biggest missing feature of the Nintendo Switch, and we sort of understand why it was removed. Not everyone will use the portable aspect of the Switch, and so for them, it'd be a wasted feature, but we don’t think that should’ve been a concern of Nintendo’s. Even with StreetPass, depending on where you lived, you might have only passed someone once in a blue moon, so the feature was almost certainly ignored by some of the player base. But for those who did use and love it, it sucks that the Switch never kept this up.
It shouldn’t be too difficult for Nintendo Switch to implement StreetPass, either. The feature worked through local Wi-Fi, which the Switch already uses to connect to other systems for multiplayer games. Now, the green light that shows when you’ve passed someone wouldn’t be possible as the Switch has no external facing light, but the actual act of connecting two devices, even in sleep mode, is there.
The next step would simply be to have some small teams develop games for StreetPass to work with. Potentially, Nintendo doesn’t want to spend money developing small apps like this but we think that it would be beneficial in encouraging players to carry the Switch around with them. The Switch is a portable device, but it has this gap in its system for features that actually take advantage of this. StreetPass would fill that gap perfectly.
Cover Plates
Recently, we voiced the opinion that the Switch could do with a few more external customisation options, and you could argue that no Nintendo console has delivered this sort of thing better than the 3DS (well, the New 3DS specifically, and not the XL model). The swappable cover plates concept was a revelation (at least in the Nintendo Life office, anyway) and went a long way to making each console look as unique and individual as the person who owned it. It's a shame, then, that Nintendo didn't include a similar mechanic in the Switch or Switch Lite; a removable rear cover would have allowed for a small (yet meaningful) degree of cosmetic customisation.
While replaying the 3DS ahead of writing this feature, we were really reminded of how much fun some of these apps and features were, and how much charm they added to the system. There are even more features than what we have mentioned so far, like the Nintendo Badge Arcade which supported players in customising their 3DS beyond themes, and simply the ability to change the order that software is placed or how much software appears on screen at once. It all made the 3DS feel like more than just a games system, but instead a little multimedia box that was personalised to you, and that is something that the Switch, in all its good points, has failed to do.
There’s still time for Nintendo to solve some of these failings; it’s never too late to make the Switch even better than it already is. While it is important to always be looking forward, sometimes it is a good idea to look backwards as well and borrow from the successes of predecessors, like the 3DS.
Comments 156
A proper activity log would be nice. I don't really care about the rest though.
The StreetPass games were surprisingly addictive, even if I had to attend a convention to get the most out of it. Still, if they were able to replicate them somehow, I'd be about that.
Ouch.. no.
The only features really useful are folders and activity log.
The 3DS is better than the Switch in many aspects. However, I would still like a lot to see the features on the 3DS come on the Switch to make it even better.
Yes proper activity log is all I really want!
Solid sturdy joysticks would be nice. I'd go back to the nub if I had to.
Folders would be very helpful
One word: Miiverse
Themes, FOLDERS, and the in-depth activity log are the features that I really want to see... soon.
I'd love a proper activity log. I don't quite have a need for folders on my Switch yet, but I know the day is coming. It was a welcome feature update on the 3DS. Themes would be cool, but they're nothing I necessarily need.
I agree with all this, alast its just as slim a chance as NSO getting better.
I'm salivating thinking about all the A M A Z I N G features the 3DS had...
Also, I feel Nintendo was a lot more open-minded about making fun little things for that system (Real Deal Baseball, Steel Diver, Pushmo, just to name a few) and that the whole "play giant console games on the go!" thing has been pushed to the point where they are unwilling to create new IPs and other things. Also Miiverse. Just Miiverse.
Jump Rope Challenge was a step in the right direction, however still not good enough imo and given the fact that it was created as a little lockdown coping tool doesn't give me that much hope ;-:
Themes, FOLDERS, and an app that lets me play my own mp3s in the background.
I don't know if I've mentioned it, I don't see too many people ask for this, but FOLDERS WOULD BE A NICE START
NINJA APPROVED (folders)
Street Pass was and is fun, want it back :>
Activity Log is the only one I actually miss. The real feature the Switch needs that the 3DS has is a Metroid game.
Swap note.
Honestly I can understand the exclusion of themes considering the Switch Home menu as it is really doesn't look like it's designed to accomodate for stuff like background artwork or visuals since the game tiles take up so much real estate
Folders is a baffling exclusion though
I don’t mind lack of folders as I have my games listed by order of time played; which I really like. But if they had the activity log I wouldn’t need to do that. Activity Log please!
A lot of these features just crippled the 3DS OS, I really don't miss that.
The activity log/folders could be useful but the Switch is definitely focused on your most recent games - which is fair enough.
...but it doesn't help with a backlog.
I lost my data on Streetpass.... still pissed at Nintendo for this. And yes, something like Streetpass would be awesome, even if we don’t have to actually pas each other. I would love a suite of mini games. I might even buy the same ones.
Can the Switch pro bring back the 3DS CARD SLOT?
I know I'm in the minority here, but I'd really love to see the return of stereoscopic 3D.
With the eye-tracking in the New 3DS it went from being an irritating gimmick to an intriguing feature.
A camera would be nice
Ultimately I never had a drift problem with my 3DS! This is the feature I want the most! Controls that don't move my character forward with my thumb not even touching the joy stick.
I guess I'm in the minority! I want Street Pass! We carried our 3DS systems everywhere! I remember how excited my two sons were to carry their systems into the New York Nintendo Store, where they picked up a ton of passes, and states/countries they didn't have yet. I really miss this feature.
I always thought the 3D feature worked great, especially on the "New" 3DS.
Although I didn't use it often, the camera was cool.
I always think stuff like Activity Log is kind of useless. I've never gone back and looked at what I played three weeks ago.
Folders would probably good for others, but again, I don't personally use them.
You guys are forgetting the most important one; dual-screen gameplay.
@MorganWhoop I second this. A revamped Miiverse 2.0 would be cool to see.
I'm all for StreetPass and it's little games. I loved doing the Quest & Mansion games with random Mii's. Such a unique feature & I was kind of surprised Nintendo didn't include it.
Please give us 3D on the next Switch
Still mind boggling that there's no proper play log after 4 years.
Activity log and folders would be great when I first got a switch I was surprised to see these basic functions missing but I always thought it would be something Nintendo would add over time via a system update the UI just feels a little rushed
Folders would make it easier to find my games
I loved the idea of 3DS cover-plates. I didn't love most of the ones they put out but some were nice. I'm really hoping aftermarket cover plates take-off in the same way that aftermarket Gameboy shells and parts have. But, that's probably never going to happen.
As for the Switch, I need folders. Or even just one folder to put the games I've finished in.
They have a feature for archiving games where the data is deleted but the icon stays in the menu. I want the complete opposite - keep the data but hide the icon for games I've completed.
Like a lot of others I’d love Folders and a proper Activity Log.
Don’t care about the rest of it.
Cover plates, themes & folders please. I’m personally ok with missing the rest.
I think (Although i definitely hope not) that Nintendo is withholding these for the Switch Pro
The 3ds could have looked a lot smarter, like a good mobile phone. It was already foldable. A more upmarket look, with a bigger screen, thinner and lighter and at1080p. It could have been compatible with Switch cards and kept the 3d. It would cost more to and it would sell.
I will never understand why platform holders don't just put folders in day one. How much extra work could it possibly be when you already had folders in the previous gen?
Miiverse. The fact that it was also a Wii U thing AND something that Splatoon 2 did their best to emulate goes to show how much we need it on the Switch.
If all these interface features from 3DS or Wii U would have any affect on the speed, performance and smoothness of the Switch UI, then no thanks.
The interface of 3DS and Wii U is slow and bloated. I think Nintendo has learned that "Simple and fast" is a better way to go.
People should start to realize that all these features comes at a cost. If these features would be simple to implement, without adding to much overhead to the overall speed and performance of the interface, Nintendo would have done it already.
I took my 3DS everywhere for years, and had completed every streetpass game, every puzzle piece, and even bought some DLC ones too. I could look at my activity log at the steps taken on certain special events when I went on an urban adventure. That 3DS got pick pocketed from me, and even though I replaced it with a fancy New 3DS XL, the magic was gone. All my themes and stickers transfered over, and all my games had to be re-downloaded, but everything else was gone.
Shortly after, the Switch came out and I haven't touched it since. Its just sitting there with Metroid: Samus Returns inside it, forever waiting to be played again.
(Back on topic... y no folders & themes, Tendo? I don't even want big flashy wallpapers, I literally just want like 3 more color options to choose from. It's just a 6 digit hex code... whats the deal?)
As for the swappable cover plates, the Japanese Nintendo store has offered these. I haven't checked it lately, but you could purchase the back plate for one of the special-edition Switches and swap it onto yours.
Only ones I'm really bothered about are Activity Log and StreetPass.
Never seen the appeal of folders - reminds me too much of work. I much prefer seeing my most recent games, as well as an alphabetical list, to manually sorting my games by some arbitrary criteria.
They introduced button mapping to the pro controller and joycons but I would like customizable button mapping for my Hori RAP V official Nintendo stick. Mostly for Vasara.
i'd love a cover plate instead of this black bland switch logo...
How is it that 3DS gave us folders in 2011, but in 2021 only one out of the 3 consoles has folders, and it was the company that still can't figure out how long a file takes to copy from point A to point B for 35 years that managed to do it?
@Kitchener I think there's more of us than we think. Otherwise VR and AR wouldn't be a growing thing.
The stereoscopic 3D was great. It's chief asset, really was to take a 4" screen and make it feel far larger than it was. It felt bigger than Switch'es 6.3" screen because of the depth. Instead of a screen it made it appear more like a window to a big world inside it. I'd love to see that return, but I also wonder if it kind of stops working as screens get larger.
My opinion of StreetPass is "that was fun, let's NEVER do it again".
I live in a rural area of the USA and it was difficult for me to get passes. I did eventually complete all of the games, but it took constant visits to McDonald's (their Wi-Fi would save the Pass data for the last 10 3DS systems in the store), exploiting the "Honest Abe" glitch (which lets you get special SpotPass visitors multiple times), resetting my system's date and shaking it to build up Play Coins, and buying a second system to pass with myself (I was upgrading anyway, but still). I would not want to do that with my Switch.
I have a feeling Switch Pro will come out and have all these features back. 😐
Almost all of this I can leave and I have a full 1TB card. The UI is snappy so it isn’t hard to find games (I order by publisher) even when you have several hundred as I do. The streetpass stuff was cute at the time but not a major feature. And it was a bit limited as I still have pink puzzle pieces that I will never get. A lot of the 3ds design was for the Japanese adolescent but it isn’t as useful as an adult, especially if you either don’t live in a big city or don’t use public transportation. Who is spending that much time in their activity log? Also in current times most people already have a pedometer or 3 on them. Mine are apple watch, iphone (2x), and the pokeball plus; don’t need another.
Face plates are an added expense that ends up being clutter and Nintendo half committed to it anyway as they excluded the larger systems. Plus joycons and arguably special editions serve the same purpose.
I couldn’t agree with this article more. The Switch is lacking so many things that are mentioned here. I forgot how much I miss street pass. And with the addition of the switch lite (which is more of a DS replacement since it cannot dock) street pass would make sense. These little things make the over all quality of life better. I’m always bewildered when Nintendo goes backwards. I mean didn’t we have folders on the Wii and WiiU? Just like how we can’t even message friends anymore lol. Which was there in the form of Miiverse on the WiiU but even the Wii had messaging to friends. It’s so... confusing. Like how hard would it be to add these little things to please fans and make the Switch more appealing, especially when so much of it has been offered before...
Implementing Stresspass would have battery life consequences. It would need to be constantly pinging for any nearby consoles with streetpass on and WiFi uses a lot of battery life. Not to mention the cpu cycles for running it all (would still be small in comparison to the WiFi).
One of the things I hated most about the 3DS was how terrible it was in standby mode. I could get around 24 hours of it in standby before the battery died and I potentially lost save data (I quickly learnt not to do this but still). If Streetpass does come back then please make it an optional feature as I never cared for it and I’d like to save my battery.
Folders and a better activity log would be sweet though!
Good to know I'm not the only one out there who put over 200 hours into Fire Emblem: Awakening. But yeah folders would be kinda nice. I miss themes. Also the shop is so lifeless compared to the 3DS and Wii U shop. Actually, it's pretty lifeless in comparison to the Wii Shop Channel too. Would it kill them to at least put some music in there to make browsing it a little more enjoyable? Also what's with the shop still having input lag?
I love the Switch but there's a number of things it does worse than previous consoles.
I too want a Switch that has slower loading times, less battery life, and that is bigger in size.
Activity Log would kind of be nice.
The Activity Log is the one I miss the most. It's silly maybe, but I love the way 3DS handles it and miss it in all the other systems. I don't understand the step backwards, Nintendo had nailed it!
How switch's missing a built in camera and speaker on both joycons and pro controller it's beyond me. Absolute mind blowing!!!
Grid view.. adjustable icon size.. folders.. themes.. please Nintendo..
I'd like all those. Folders in particular.
Shame there is no camera as well.
@TheFrenchiestFry You should see the themes you can use when using custom firmware, they use smaller game icons.
We've waited far too long for folders. It's not good enough anymore. The Switch needs playlists - custom sets of games that you can sort yourself. I don't know if that's a feature on the other major consoles either, but with the sheer number of micro games available on the eShop, it's becoming necessary.
I miss streetpass and folders!
@NEStalgia,
VR is still very niche to be honest, I think the main issue is it's main selling point, it's gives you total immersion within the games world, this is fine until you consider the players total dislocation from their real world surroundings, this will put a lot of the wider mass market off in my opinion. And this is before you factor issues like motion sickness into the equation.
@dres I couldn't agree more. Animal Crossing already takes forever to load, and I am afraid adding folders or themes would make it even worse.
For a more powerful Switch, they would be most welcome.
I don’t think I ever used street pass once, I just never brought where other people were actively using 3DS’
Folders is a fine idea, but if they look bland and have no customization like the 3DS, i think I can live without them.
Nintendo and other themes on the other hand would be very welcome.
@LinktotheFuture,
Exactly, the reason for the bare bones simple 720p home screen on the Switch, is to free up as much ram and cpu power to run games.
All that stuff would be awesome. I still have my 3ds with the cover plates! Love that device
Street Pass and Miiverse are by far the ones that I miss... Shame Nintendo didn't bring them to Switch.
Folders would be quite useful for me, after i have Bayonetta 3, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2, Pokémon Legend Arceus, Metroid Prime 4, Monster Hunter Rise and many more games, Themes to customize our Switch(i tired of my Switch dark theme) and activiy Log for a better understand how much i play in my extended battery Switch.
@johnvboy Agreed VR is niche, but it's at least a growing niche. At the risk of echoing Jim Ryan, a man whom I have an extreme distaste for, someone at some point will release something that is going to make it explode. It may not be gaming. I'm kind of surprised (shocked actually) that Zuck didn't leverage the Zoom conference craze to shove Occulus into the conference room. He was sitting on the golden opportunity there and let it slip by. I'm grateful, but amazed. The wired headsets are a problem, but Occulus is doing something about that. The isolation is heavily problematic for anyone but basement dwelling gamers and angsty teens, and yet, everyone looks down at their phones all day completely unaware of the world around them....physical blinders are only a slight exception from that. I do think the niche will grow, and so will the form factor.
I just wanna say that the 3DS themes were never underused or underappreciated on my 3DS. Some of the best themes of any device period not just gaming systems, I'm currently using the theme shuffle option to switch out all of my numerous Zelda themes for it's 35th anniversary. I want themes on my Switch so bad..
The COVID tracking feature is basically Streetpass. Nintendo could build on that groundwork by offering Streetpass as a mobile game: give away dungeon and puzzle swap and sell the rest for a few quid.
Whilst they’re there they could resurrect miitomo and have it act as the Mii channel for the Switch. It was an underrated gem IMO, combining the best features of the Everybody Votes and Check Mii Out channels from the Wii.
I'd definitely add a user accessible web browser to the list. Nintendid what Nintendoesn't do anymore
Still, I enjoy the screen capture feature. And eshop music that is so magnificent and simple, that everyone and their grandmothers recognise it anywhere. Something that should be added, not something I'm enjoying as there is none...
@NEStalgia,
You would have thought it would have done much better by now, but still looks like it's biggest selling point may be the biggest thing holding it back, not that it has to become mainstream, or a niche market still can be a profitable one.
Noticed Sony are planning a replacement for it's existing VR platform, which has done pretty well considering all those wires holding it back as well, if they make the new one wireless it may get more penetration into the PS5 installed base.
Themes would be great...I love having holiday themes for my 3DS.
Folders
Themes
Eshop Music
Virtual Console
and I'm good...
Oh I just love the 3DS, it's my favorite video game system of all time!
Not having streetpass on the switch was a massive down point for me and an unpopular opinion as this is but I love duel screen gaming, that’s a feature I’d have like to see
I miss the good activity log so badly
Honestly I've moved past most of that stuff. Themes is the only thing I would go for but it's also just a simple cosmetic thing that I can totally do without. I always wanted folders but by now I have been so used to the alphabetical list that I am totally fine with just using that.
As it turns out I just really like the Switch apparently, it's the best Nintendo handheld I have used since the GBA.
Activity log and folders are the only sensible options. Or, if not folders, the ability to place tags on games and pull up all games with a particular tag would be equally useful, if not more so.
@Glassneedles they could have Streetpass games in a suite and just have us add them through social media and local contact, These games are so basic, I can’t image they would cost much to develop and they would sell just bc it’s Nintendo.
@Vortexeo That is a great idea! I don't mind that my amiibo have limited functions in games, but it would be SO cool to see some function between them and the home screen. Theme, icon, whatever, i can't imagine it would be too difficult for Nintendo to make.
@Vortexeo : They should have done that for the 3DS as well. The themes were stupidly overpriced.
As a portable option to me the 3ds is still superior compared to Switch. I never carry my Switch around. So I don’t miss the streetpass option. Switch is such a different system. I really hope Nintendo returns to the double screen idea as a proper portable option.
@johnvboy Yeah, VR is inherently strange. It's been the "next big thing" since the mid-90's. Immersion is king, but then when it's too immersive, it's a problem. Some say that as soon as you make it social...put it on the screen, or have others in the HMD it fixes that. Others say a camera or something to open it up and be able to join the room make it "social." I don't know that it needs to be "social" - I think it needs to be "approchable." For people on the outside, someone with this huge helm on their heads are unapproachable and just awkward in the room. Like someone sitting down next to you in a hazmat suit. If it looked like a pair of Raybans, people might night be ok with the crazy person waving their arms around next to them. After all, since the invention of the BT headset it's become normal to be around people who are talking to themselves. For better or worse.
For the person in the headset, yeah, it's weird to be in a room with someone else, put the visor on your head and pretend you're not there. Weirder with motion controls. It's a hard question to solve. You cant fix that without breaking the reason to use it. So you have to change how people feel about using it. I think that definitely has to come from the business/communications software arena first.
Once people get used to it for their daily business tasks, disappearing into Hitman and quietly garroting people from behind while sneaking through a crowd won't feel strange because it'll be what they're used to doing for money during the work day. Wait...that came out wrong....
Sony's position is weird. You had back in September Jim Ryan coming out with "we believe at some point someone will make VR an important component of interactive entertainment, and we'll be there when they do. Will it be this year? No. Will it be next year? No. Will it happen someday? I believe that." It was the Reggiest Reggieism ever not uttered by Reggie. And it sounded like confirmation they're bailing out of VR. And then last month the announcement of a new PSVR appeared out of nowhere for 2022. It won't be wireless. There's a tradeoff on wireless in terms of resolution and stability, so I can apprecite them going the wired route. It will however be a single USB cable plugged directly into the console, and the tracking camera will be in the headset, no rats nets of wires and a breakout box this time. There's also a set of motion controllers to go with it that will be sold separately (so presumably optional) that look much like the Occulus ones. The single wire and no camera is still a big upgrade. Not as perfect as wireless, but also not as compromised. It still doesn't prevent the player from looking like a Robocop cosplayer though.
I miss my streetpass
Honestly, the only features I really would like for the Switch would be folders for sure and a better way to communicate with friends, whether it's like instant messaging or something. Also, integrate voice chat without a cumbersome app.
I couldn't care less about themes. I turn on my Switch to play games, not to look at the background.
Also, I don't need multimedia apps like Netflix. I have a phone, tablet and TV that all offer this, I don't need my Switch to as well.
I 100% agree with everything you said. I think streetpass would do great, and Nintendo made a downright mistake for not including folders.
3DS felt like it had so many fan touches on it. A beautiful console with great games.
Those faceplates for the smaller N3ds were hard to find in the wild and now super expensive (in the states that is) i didnt see any when I was in Paris and London a couple of years ago either.
The stability feature was better on 3DS (2 years without turning mine off and it never crashed).
Also the indestructible factor. It could survive shocks that would obliterate the switch
I would love a Miiverse for Switch....
But it would NEVER happen.
Also folders would be nice.
I always have to remember that the Switch was kind of a rush job by Nintendo to salvage the failure that was the Wii U.
That's why, while the Switch is my favorite console of all time, it has this feeling of "incompleteness" to it.
@NEStalgia,
Yes with VR i am surprised then not surprised it's still so niche, if you know where I am coming from, I don't think we are a killer app away for the format, as I feel there are already some great experiences on VR.
And i still feel it's the tech itself that is it's own worst enemy, at first the tech was not good enough, then to expensive to gain a wider adoption, then when this was sorted the wires were too restrictive, again this got sorted and still no massive sales boom, outside of the core gadget obsessives.
I think also at it's core it's a very one player experience, I mean if you have people round playing a regular game, then there is a great social experience in seeing what is going on, even if you are playing or observing, this is just never going to be he same with VR, and for the masses the solo aspect is just not that appealing.
For me AR has far more potential for mass market adoption, but who knows.
i want the activity log. nothing like nintendo telling me how sad my life is
@kingbk Well honestly it was sort of a radical idea, Nintendo giving up on the home console market in a sense. As it turns out it was a genius idea for them to focus on what they do best while making it work for the home console market as well, and it's something they couldn't have done with the dual screen design (the Wii U was them essentially trying to make that work). I think mobile technology really needed to catch up with that idea and we finally hit the point where it works well when the Switch released.
Folders....aaaarghhh!!! Please Nintendo! Is it really that hard?
Honestly the Switch is a great system but oh my goodness it’s nothing like the Wii, Wii U, 3DS, and DS in terms of menu features. No Miiverse, no weather channel, Mii channel, just nothing. It is so bland!
@JayJ True, and I believe the advancement of smart phones and all the features they provide is why Nintendo has stripped out many features from the Switch that really are secondary and focused on gaming. All the multimedia stuff, weather updates, internet browser, a phone provides all of that.
My top 5 would be:
1. Folders
2. Folders
3. Folders
4. Folders
5. Folders
Street pass without a doubt. Also they can build on the music player, it can sync with your phones music library and the Switch should have enough leeway so you can play your own music in games. It would liven up alot of games with mediocre music design.
Bring Nintendo Badge Arcade, the Free-to-Play Badge collecting game to switch. I hate this annoying rabbit but it was kinda fun and it let you decorate ur screen
@Shambo
why a browser. this is a game console not a computer. if you want the internet use your phone or computer. your phone is more conveinent than the switch.
@johnvboy Yep, I definitely follow. THough, IDK, when you look at the typical gamer, they're not all sitting around 4 at a table playing Monster Hunter like in Japan. It's mostly online. They're most of the time alone playing online games. Or solo games. Sony allegedly has all that data that single player games are mega money, and now we have EA backing down after Anthem and going all in on solo story, and Squeenix getting nervous after Avengers and pasting Outriders everywhere as cheap and accessible as possible.
For that big immersive movie game, I think the challenge is not convincing people to play it in immersive VR, it's about convincing them they're not weird while doing it. For the online games, say, Fortnite VR (sorry I just gagged a little), I think it could arguably boost the socialness of that kind of group play by putting people more into that shared space. Again, borrowing from the conference room VR future, to actually make it 4 players sitting at a table playing MH. The social aspect I think comes in more from interacting with other people sharing the same space.
But like you said, the worst is when other people are living in reality around you while you're running for your life from the alien aboard the crashing starship. The worst VR marketing scenario there can be is the player breaking into a sweat, white-knuckled gripping their controller in a fight for their very survival from the hoard on a hulk of firey steel in atmospheric freefall as the roar of re-entry drowns out your own thoughts hearing "where did you put the coffee filters again? I checked in cabinet next to the pickles but they're not there.....can you take a look"
"NO!! WTF STFU THEY"VE GOT ME WE"RE GOING DOWN MAYDAY MAYDAY!!!"
"Uhm, right, lose the toy and grow up..."
There goes the whole VR industry right there. It's just worse than pausing the game because it becomes "real." That's the really hard divide to cross.
What we really need are virtual reality folders. We can put the headset on and pretend there are folders on any console that isn't Xbox....
The activity log should be easy to do especially as the Japanese My Nintendo app already has similar functionality so the data is logged somewhere.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/04/brand_new_my_nintendo_app_lets_you_buy_games_watch_directs_and_view_your_playtime
I am someone that loves stats, I remember spending a lot of time browsing my activity log on 3ds! I really hope Nintendo does something like it for Switch. As for the StreetPass, it would certainly be very cool to have it on Switch.
I can think of better features the 3DS has over Switch:
I swear it could do all this plus make fried and y’all would still wish it did something else.
Nintendo fans unlike any other video game fans are so concerned with that they had, or what they want... never what they have lol.
I do miss carrying around my 3DS to see if any StreetPass contacts occurred. but it’s obvious that this wouldn’t come to the Switch. the 3DS was strictly portable and was meant to carry around. and although the Switch can be played as a portable, it’s not a system that can be placed in your pocket.
speaking of StreetPass...if it weren’t for NintendoLife, I would’ve never have known about the StreetPass community in the San Diego California area! great times there! thank you NintendoLife!
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/04/feature_a_day_with_the_biggest_streetpass_group_in_the_us
@NEStalgia,
This video sums it up for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyxeZ7JYwZs
@kingbk Yeah that's how I feel as well. If I am going to be streaming video or browsing the web on the go I'll just use my phone or laptop. The Switch is just a very focused console and I think the simplicity of the UI makes it really quick and reliable to use. It's like they really just want you playing games on it, and I think the lack of web features makes it great for kids. Honestly I have never been so satisfied with a handheld as I am with the Switch, especially the Switch Lite, I think the design is just perfect for a handheld game console.
Another vote for bringing back Nintendo Badge Arcade. Customizing the innards of the Nintendo 3DS beyond or even within the limits of themes was surprisingly fun, and could tap into that Animal Crossing crowd who likes decorating and customizing things.
Activity log and folders are the only things here that the Switch 'needs', IMO.
Miiverse would be awesome to experience again! I literally spent so much of my time looking through posts of all the new games, and treated the app more like a social media. It was too much fun!
I've always disappointed that these features didn't carry over to the Switch (especially the Activity Log). Until they do, the 3DS will remain the superior system in my eyes.
Free Internet is all I want
I would want the Switch to play 3DS games.
@Kitchener I totally agree!!Just think a stereoscopic 3d on 7''Inch Oled screen of switch Pro pad!!!
Just dreaming... I know that
That' s why 3ds console is unique and one of a kind!!!
FYI, the Parental Controls app that you can download on your smartphone keeps track of how many hours you've put into a game and so on and basically acts like the activity log 👍
Folders, activity log, themes. 3 things people have been asking for since literally day 1. 3 things I think we all expected to be there.
I'd also like to add, Virtual Console. NSO is such a let down. VC on Wii U/3DS had so much more. Yes we had to buy the games directly, but they had such a better selection of legacy content.
Apologies. Didn’t read the article. But just came here to say street pass was an awesome feature, made you take your console everywhere with you. I was astounded switch didn’t have that.
I remember going to Tokyo Disney with my 3DS, and just holiday in Japan in general (I was living in Cairns in Australia at the time - like 3 people probably had 3DS in that town) and just getting 30-100 street passes a day, which just blew my mind how awesome the feature could be. I later joined and would regularly meet up with street pass groups etc when I moved back down to Brisbane.
Switch has really missed an opportunity neglecting street pass
Wait.... the switch does have an external light! On the Home button! Bring back street pass!!!
But also..... I would do anything for 3D to come back, but I doubt it ever will, so I will always cherish my 3DS for that alone!
@johnvboy ROFL that's just priceless beyond compare
Folders are really really needed.
An activity log would be nice too.
We are only hurting ourselves at this point.
StreetPass served its purpose, so I don't miss that. I used it extensively so, like all good things, it came to an end. My only peeve is I didn't get all regions in Japan, missing about 3 of the 50-odd available. The most surprising country I got was Suriname, which was walking my local streets at home, Melbourne AU. Otherwise, it was a fun experience checking the hits, especially when travelling. Japan was always super active, where just walking through a large station you'd get 10. Most subway rides I used to clear the Miis. After Japan and parts of USA, Sweden was very active. The least was places like Latvia and Estonia.
The the only feature I really miss is the Activity Log. This seems like a really easy feature to add so not sure why the current one is so basic. Even if it showed all games instead of 20 would be a start, while a yearly option would be entirely satisfactory.
I feel like if the Switch was going to have these things, we would've seen them by now. 4 years is a long time to wait to add major system features. They seem to be more focused on the games than apps, which is sad because I think they could use both to really enhance the gaming experience, but I guess they can't. Even hoping for the Switch Pro to introduce these things seems a bit optimistic, updated revisions tend to not be that much of a bump.
But for the sake of the discussion, here's what I want:
-Streetpass
-Miiverse
-Folders
-Themes
-VC
-Dual screen gaming
-Web browser
So basically almost everything. I want the Switch to have all the apps and basically be a gaming phone. Mobile's games suck, but its multimedia features are too useful for me to get rid of my phone. Combine the Switch's top tier gaming lineup with mobile's multimedia functions and I would never use anything else in my life (at least until Nintendo releases its successor).
Love this. My top priorities in order would be as follows:
1. Folders
2. Themes
3. Cover plates
4. Streetpass
5. Activity Log
I've been begging for themes since the Switch came out. They were really cool on 3DS
Yeah, the customisable 3DS cover plates was one of the best features Nintendo just dropped.
Hell, I'll say it, I'd love glasses-free 3D on the Switch when in handheld mode. Imagining a full 3D experience of the likes of BOTW or Mario Odyssey (and I don't mean the LABO VR nonsense) sounds amazing to me. Make it a feature of the new Switch that can take advantage of its extra power maybe in such a way in handheld mode. Shame most people don't love this feature as much as me, maybe it actually would have made it to the Switch they had.
I want to be able to buy snes games on switch, just like on 3ds. I actually loved stereoscopic 3d. I would like a build quality like my 3ds, which, despite being much older, is in much better condition than my Switch. I also liked being able to play online without a subscription. And I do not believe there is still no official joycon with a D-pad!
Dude, I have that EXACT same Mario Maker Cover Plate!
"as the Switch has no external facing light"
But it does! I'm talking about the quite underutilized led light under the home button.
@blindsquarel that's a bit like "don't you guys have phones?". I don't have a smartphone, and won't get one. I know most people just assume that everyone has one or even wants one to begin with, but that's definitely not the case. The 3DS and Wii U had a web browser, that could easily and quickly be accesses in case you got stuck on a game or something. Press home button, open browser, watch it on youtube or whatever, and get back into the game. Maybe you don't want it, but no one would lose by having it there anyway. And it IS there, just not user accessible.
Why faceplates when they face away from the player, and you can easily frame a picture on the wall? Why themes when you spend most of your time gaming on the device, not in the menu? Why folders when you can delete the games you're not playing? I think a web browser just makes sense. The eshop is just a web page loaded in a browser, some games that require or can optionally be linked to a certain account load a web page. Why, if you can just load it on your phone? Why have voice chat (which I would personally never use), when you can get an app on your phone for that?
Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way trying to be hostile here! Just saying why I would think it just makes perfect sense to have one (I know they're reluctant about it because it always loading in custom code probably, making it easier to hack), and how the other points maybe make more sense to question "why?", even though I get it. It's a dedicated gaming device, and I like that, but even those have certain... "standards", things I personally think should be there, nowadays.
@scottdevine48 what a ***** genius idea! 💡 🤯 I love that!
1) I rarely checked my activity log on my 3DS, but I thought it was a pretty awesome feature. Now I REALLY wish I could see more details on my Switch, so I'd know how many more times I'd need to replay a game I like so that it can beat out a game I didn't like but spent a lot of time on.
2) I have a lot of themes on my 3DS, but I don't really NEED them on my Switch (I wouldn't mind having them, of course). I DO need folders, though.
3) Pictures and sound editing... nah. It sounds interesting enough, but also sounds like something I don't have time for.
4) Man oh jeez, I loved StreetPass. When I first got my 3DS, I could easily get 30~40 hits a day on my daily commute (in Japan, mind you). Seeing the same people show up regularly was also kind of comforting for some reason. I also played every one of those games to 100% completion, which is good because now I'm lucky if I get one hit a week.
5) As for cover plates... give me anything Xenoblade-related and you can have my money. Other than that, though, having colorful (and expensive) JoyCons are good enough for me.
I really enjoyed both Swapnote and Steetpass, would love to see them both come back, plus the little clear circle around the Home button can glow blue when you have visits or messages! Do they even use that blue light for anything?!? It's even on the Pro Controller.
I used to check my activity log regularly, I always enjoyed seeing my play states, every time I see my Switch play states, I always wish they were more precise.. why every 5 hour intervals?
The problem with StreetPass is that the Switch isn't as portable as the (2/3)DS is. It's a portable system, certainly, but it's not small enough to fit in people's pockets, so people aren't interested in carrying it outside on their person unless they actually plan to play with it soon. StreetPass doesn't get as good of reception if people have the system stuffed in their purses, briefcases, backpacks, or other bags, if they even leave the house with it in the first place.
You forgot about one of the 3DS's best exclusive features: save data backups on the system memory!
@Shambo Yeah, bring back the web browser! I don't have a smartphone, and my 3DS is great for reading online fan fiction while lying down. It's a lot more awkward to read long stories while sitting in front of a computer screen.
Your argument against folders is stupid, though. Nobody deletes games just because they don't plan to play them for a while! It's too much trouble managing the save data and then redownloading them when you do get back to them.
@Shambo
how did you write this comment without a web browser. if you do not have smartphone then use the computer. i too do not have a phone. a web browser on switch brings more bad then good.
@Shambo I can't speak for others, but I found folders very helpful for organizing my digital library. On my 3DS, for instance, I had separate folders for NES games, SNES games, GBA games, GB VC games, Sega games, and Apps, and then for games that didn't fall into those categories, I had separate folders by genre (Rhythm, Platformers, RPGs, etc.). It was always easy to find what I was looking for and to browse amongst my selections when looking for something new to play because I had the ability to custom organize in a way that made sense to me.
Themes and cover plates are less important to me, but they are fun. I enjoy being able to customize the look of my system, sometimes according to season, sometimes according to mood, sometimes according to my current gaming obsession, etc.
An accessible web browser would be worthless to me, but I wouldn't begrudge that addition for those few who might not have a billion other devices that can fulfill that function--and likely do it better.
@Desrever Hi if you're not using your 3ds anymore can you send it to me? I've been an ardent Nintendo fan for years after I got a dsi years ago but I haven't had funds to purchase another Nintendo system as thy are very expensive where I live. Please consider my request. Thanks
@kirbygirl @BulbasaurusRex it wasn't an actual argument against folders, I really want folders as well and don't get why they aren't there yet, and would welcome themes and other customisation options. I liked hat about the PS Vita, you could just use any image as a background, and use several backgrounds, and it had "folders" or bubbles or whatever and a web browser, yes. 3DS and Wii U did use folders, and indeed, given how many games and applications I had on my 3DS (with the ambassador program, VC, standard apps and games,...) it was a joy to be able to sort them. I even had a specific folder for everything Zelda, and Zelda badges everywhere And every Zelda 3DS model, but my standard N3DS (the ambassador one) had an Isabel faceplate because I found that one for €1 and it's ridiculously cute.
@blindsquarel I have an old kind of slow laptop, yes. It's just a whole lot more convenient to quickly search the solution for what got you stuck in a game on the device you're playing the game on, especially when I'm already in my bed playing a game, surrounded by my dogs. I don't see why one would argue against that? How is that bad?
@Shambo
then just use your laptop. it can be took into your room with you
The 3DS was, arguably, the last Nintendo product where Nintendo felt "playful". Menu and eShop music. Fun sounds. Cute system features (ever move data between two 3DS's?). As a Nintendo fan I yearn for Nintendo to return to being playful again. The Switch is amazing but has lost all the charms of being a Nintendo product.
in 2021 only one out of the 3 consoles has folders, and it was the company that still can't figure out how long a file takes to copy from point A to point B for 35 years that managed to do it?
@NEStalgia Bahahahahahha... very nice. Well said.
I think Miiverse would be cool
My Top Requested Improvements (In General) for Switch: 🤔💭
**None of these are likely to happen anytime soon, but they'd surely provide value-adds to all existing and prospective users. Still love the Switch already regardless. Happy Gaming y'all! 🎮😉👊🏾
@Mati Totally agree. There's not even a quick little jingle or splash logo screen when booting the Nintendo Switch like in many other systems' past. That's all a small part of the Nintendo charm too for me. I'd even settle for some smooth Eshop music again at this point.
Uhh picture editing and sound editing? Why exactly?
Game Notes or a similar notebook feature
It should not be too hard to do this, as the switch system software is based off of the 3DS system software, with parts from android and BSD.
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