@PlywoodStick That's not what the article says. What it does say is that Switch cards are more expensive to manufacture than discs and also vary by the size of the card, which makes sense. It also discusses the price parity that Switch titles have between e-Shop and physical. At no point did the article explain how Nintendo acts as a gatekeeper for access, other than via its licensing program.
Without knowing Nintendo's software manufacturing model, it's hard to understand why Nintendo acts as a gateway. Are all Switch software titles produced through Nintendo as a middleman? Can't Limited Run go through an outside entity? Or does this have to do more with Nintendo's licensing process, in that they refuse to devote the time to allow LR to complete the approval process? (The latter would be odd, since the games they produce are already licensed via the e-Shop.)
@redd214 We'll have a handshake bet. I'll stand by the idea that the PS4 won't catch it. I just don't think the audience is there anymore. I think that a large segment of the gaming audience has moved on to more casual games and that the console gaming market has shrunk. We'll check back in a couple more years.
@StuTwo There is no way whatsoever that the PS4 will become the best selling console of all time. None. The PS2 will remain that champion for the foreseeable future. It sold 155M units when consumers had far fewer gaming choices. The PS4 has sold roughly 60M so far, but it has to contend with smart phones, Steam, and other entertainment options. It's never going to come close to the PS2, ever.
@Jeronan
There's no way the XB1 Scorpio will be cheaper than a 4K Bluray player. I bet you can probably buy an Oppo for the same price, or less, than what Microsoft will charge for the Scorpio and an Oppo player has the absolute top-of-the-line scaler.
The cheapest 4K player is probably the XB One S if you consider the fact that it can also act as a gaming system.
Nope. Nintendo makes unique titles I want to play, but even then I bought my Switch for only a few games. (Zelda is my only title at the moment, and Mario is the only game on my horizon.) I walked past the PS4 display at Costco, currently running about $250-ish, yesterday and barely glanced at it. Nintendo gives me all the games I want to play in little time I want to devote to playing video games.
I think people continue to mistake My Nintendo for a rewards program like the old Club Nintendo used to be. It's not. It's a program designed to spur consumers to make additional purchases. These "discounts" are only on virtual products where no additional overhead costs to Nintendo are involved (cart production, packaging, wholesale discounting, etc.) I guarantee that even with the ~30% discount involved, Nintendo is making a profit. All they are doing is attempting to move fence-sitters into making a purchase.
Nintendo is not rewarding you at all. With this program they do not have any additional outlays, other than getting a staff artist to create an original wallpaper (or cull it from artwork they already produced for advertising.) They don't have to commission unique products like carrying cases, nor do they have to pay a more expensive development team to create unique one-off games.
As long as Nintendo sees that its customers are spending these gold and platinum points, I doubt this "rewards" program will ever change, nor will it ever resemble the old Club Nintendo.
If it's a price war, Apple wins. Consumers won't pay more for a Switch, but the rumors are swirling that the next iPhone will be far and away the most expensive one yet. And people WILL pay $1K for an iPhone 8.
@Jamotello
The game seems like it would be good, but this limited-time, one-hour "Test Punch" trial is ridiculous. I'm not going to schedule my life to ensure that I'm home and ready to play when Nintendo dictates it. I've canceled my pre-order and will wait to see if Nintendo produces a "proper" demo at release so I can evaluate whether or not the title is for me.
Demos are optional, of course. But either release a proper demo that lets me play it when I have time or don't bother.
LOL the demo starts at five A.M. for me? Who the heck sets their clock to get up at five o'clock just to play a video game for an hour? And why would they schedule it for that time when they can schedule it for practically any other time during the day? What's the point?
I wonder if Nintendo will look at moves like this and task one of its 2nd party developers to create a new IP. Microsoft did it with Halo and GOW. Sony did it with Killzone. Nintendo could certainly do it.
If I were Nintendo, though, I'd throw a boatload of money and support at Blizzard to port Overwatch to the Switch.
Looks like a day one purchase if I can get my oldest son, who lives across the country from me, to pick up one of his own. Dad's gonna lay down the law!
@dres "Why haven't any third-party company already made a d-pad Joy-con, when Nintendo apparently doesn't care? I think it would sell very well."
I was thinking of this very thing just this morning. I think Nintendo has a very significant market for "specialized" JoyCons with different button configs. The ability to swap out the left Joycon for a "Fighter's Edition" Joycon would be extra nice. Considering how much room there is below each Joycon on the Switch stand, I can also see making longer Joycons to spread out and enlarge the buttons, too, even putting the L&R buttons on the pad so you can have a true six-button fighting config.
I am intrigued, but I am extremely put off by the new HD artwork. The style just looks so amateurish. It's really striking how much better and more cohesive the "old" look is compared to whatever they did with the update. I have my doubts that I'd pay full price, but maybe when it goes on sale at some future point.
BTW I let out a hearty laugh at, "... that there are probably undiscovered tribes in the Amazon rainforest that are sick to death of Street Fighter II." Well done!
I'd be interested once a developer confirms GBA support. I have a lot of GBA carts but only a few DMG and GBC games. Like others, I fear that Hyperkin isn't up to the task of creating a high-quality device, though.
When the author mentioned "flexibility" my mind oddly connected Kirby to Splattoon. Wouldn't it be interesting to see Kirby in that kind of third person combat, using his ability to steal weapons from other players, or in turn see his own abilities stolen by others?
Just a thought. Kirby really is a solid franchise. Here's hoping they make a new entry on Switch, especially a new pinball or golf game.
@Menchi187
"Wonder if it comes with a digital copy of the new Shaq-Fu"
I think that it costs extra for the version that DOES NOT come with the new Shaq-Fu.
PS: My GOD why would anyone pay $100-$150 for a game--or virtual currency for that game--that will be outdated (and greatly, greatly reduced in price) in twelve months?
@Equinox I really don't understand Sony releasing a PS5 next year. The PS4 isn't that old and is still selling like crazy. Why introduce an entirely new platform that undermines a system that's still selling well? The XBox Scorpio won't be a threat, at all, to their dominance and I doubt that Sony could improve on the Scorpio's performance much at this time without a similar, very expensive console.
Now I could see them doing a PS Vita 2 hybrid like the Switch with similar functionality and a more powerful processor, even the next generation of the processor in the Switch. That's something that definitely could be in the offing. But I think rumors of a PS5 in 2018 are silly and untrue.
@Dr_Lugae I don't disagree. Nintendo has been the champion of taking franchises and characters in entirely new directions, often yielding unexpected (and popular) games that people didn't even know they wanted. The best example of this is probably Super Mario 64.
It feels like Nintendo wants to keep the Pikmin franchise alive but either Mr. M doesn't have the time to develop a full Pikmin game, or they've determined that there isn't enough interest. So they hand it off to a 2nd party and they program something closer to a game they'd either already been working on or that was closer to their skillset.
I'm not saying the game will be bad, at all. However, the N-Life guys seem tepid so far, and they're generally fans of Nintendo and its licensees. However, yhe game isn't finished and a lot can happen between now and release.
Unless the game really does something uniquely new and fresh, I expect the reception to be lukewarm.
@Luna_110 I know others disagree and feel the Switch is a good size for a handheld, but I'm okay in the minority. I think it's too big to use comfortably for extended periods, and then only for about four hours untethered to a power source before the battery dies.
I'd much, much prefer a handheld at half the size with a more efficient processor and screen that can last ten hours or more. And I'd prefer a left D-pad that isn't a series of closely-spaced, individual buttons.
Look, the Switch is an amazing console. It's gotten me to play games again after I stopped after the GameCube. But I think that many compromises were made so that it could fit dual roles. While I think it makes an amazing TV-based console and a terrific portable multiplayer display in tabletop mode, I think it's only an OK handheld system.
I think Nintendo can introduce a true Game Boy successor and not negate the multifaceted abilities of the Switch.
@diditall4tanooki
That's totally fair. I wish I could have joined in with the 3DS generation. I bought both the small version and XL versions but ended up passing them to each of my sons because I just couldn't find a comfortable grip. (I have long fingers and I find both the analog nub and the D-Pad too close to the left side to get a grip without holding the 3DS with my fingertips.)
I respect that Nintendo has sold so many, and that it has an incredibly deep library. I just was never sold on that lower screen as an "essential" part of the experience, though I'm sure many would disagree with me.
I'm a middle-aged guy that still thinks portable gaming's zenith came with the Game Boy Advance SP and I wish Nintendo would again release a compact, single-screen handheld for players (fossils?) like me. It's not that I can't keep up with the two screens, but rather that I wish Nintendo would sink the costs of two low-res screens into one glorious, big HD screen as with the Switch.
I'm funny in that I think the Switch is much better as a tabletop or TV-based system than it is as a handheld. I love the idea of throwing up the kickstand and handing a JoyCon to a friend so we can do some Super Street Fighter battles on an airplane. But as a handheld, I'd rather play something half its size with a nice 6" 2K screen and a solid, if not spectacular, GPU.
Again, I know the Vita tried that and failed. I think that hardware matters less than affordability and library to most players. I also think that unlike the home hardware market, where Nintendo basically ceded the race to Sony and Microsoft, they've never taken their eye off the ball on handhelds. I'd just love to see Nintendo bring out a top-notch, single-screen handheld with HD rumble and all the trimmings. But then again, I don't sign the checks at NOJ.
True that, Sabroni. However, the Nintendolife crew is already iffy about it, so there is cause for a bit of hesitancy on my part. I'm not a huge Pikmin fan myself, though I'd seriously consider picking up 1 or 2 if they put the GC versions on the Switch Virtual Console. But when you leave people waiting for years between sequels and then present something that isn't even in the same genre, expect disappointment.
@MarioPhD Finally got a chance to reply. Yes, I hope it helps the Pikmin franchise as well. I just don't understand why developers rush in a new direction, though, when fans ADORE the originals and simply want more with a few tweaks.
A game that eschews almost everything people loved about the original and produced by a team with a record of underwhelming performance? What can go wrong?!
Just blows me away that they can sell the ancient technology in this 2D unit for $150. Back in 2011 they estimated that the 3DS, which cost $250 at that time, cost $100 to make. I'd be shocked if this unit, without the 3D screen, a fossil of a CPU and using absolutely archaic touch screen tech, cost Nintendo more than $50 to make six YEARS later.
I know that the 3DS/2DS line has succeeded despite being so low-tech but I still continue to wish the danged thing would just die so we can get a truly new handheld with newer, higher-resolution screens, more memory, and a better processor for better looking games. (Or, god forbid, a SINGLE screen.) I know, however, that the Vita has done poorly despite the fact that it checks all those boxes.
Nintendo's approach reminds me of how Taco Bell prepares food. If you really look at their menu, every "new" item they introduce uses the same ingredients in every other recipe. All they do is change the configuration, slap a new name on it, and sell it as an exciting new product. The 3DS line is truly ancient in tech-years, but here they are again with another remix and they'll inevitably sell millions. Brilliant business, of course, but frustrating to folks like me who can't stand the form factor but have recently enjoyed getting back into gaming with the (much less portable) Switch.
@Nico07 With Slaz and Nico on this. I have my Switch attached to an HDMI switch box and if I don't unplug the Switch when I want to watch my Shield TV, it will flip to a blank screen--as if trying to switch over to the input for the (sleeping) Switch--then back to the Shield TV. This stops YouTube playback, which gets annoying after a very short time.
I haven't bought the game yet but I'd seriously consider a physical version.
My guess as to what "less risky business" means is that the audiences on PS4 and Switch have two different factors in their favor. For the PS4, it's a huge install base that's almost double that of the XB1. For the Switch, it's the low number of competing titles at this time, giving them relatively good chances of selling out the physical copies they produce.
I just wish they could design a setup that fit my hands properly. I don't care about the 3D, but the placement of the buttons in either configuration always feels unnatural to me. What I'd really love would be for them to give us a wider, thinner unit so that they could offset the D-Pad more. I've got the same uncomfortable feeling with the way the Joycons are configured on the Switch.
I know compactness is key, but as it stands I still find the DS line too uncomfortable to play. Maybe when they finally replace it they can make something work.
This is a rare time I think that Sony has a superior button layout to Nintendo. The Vita is much more like what I'd prefer to see.
I haven't had the opportunity to play it, but if they succeed in making it a perfect port I'd gladly buy it provided the price is reasonable. (e.g. not $49.)
@joey302 If you're an Amazon Prime member the pre-order (and early release) discount makes it virtually $30 for the physical version. And the e-Shop version IS $30.
I just wish it had other than childish avatars. I'd even opt for a Mii or no avatar, but that's not an option--at least not in the demo. It's one of two things dissuading me from buying it. The other is the possibility of Tetris & Dr. Mario on the Switch's e-Shop once the Virtual Console makes its eventual appearance.
@AlphaJaguar Maybe they don't want to be purchased? Not all third party companies aspire to be acquisition targets. I'm sure that some would prefer to release their own software, but it's a lucrative niche. Perhaps the owners of Tantalus want to produce their own games, eventually, and being a subsidiary severely restricts that creative flexibility.
The reviews on Amazon are pretty mixed. The base is a thick board stock and the pieces are vinyl. From the look of it, I'd hoped that the pieces would at least have been metal. It seems terribly expensive for the materials they used.
I'd like to see one of these patches fix a common problem for those of us with certain Samsung TVs and Kinivo HDMI switch boxes. It's been well documented that even if the Switch is in Sleep Mode it periodically triggers the HDMI CEC signal that temporarily interrupts switch boxes and TVs. If I try to watch my Shield TV, every couple of minutes the screen will go blank and the video will stop. As soon as I disconnect the Switch from the hub, the problem disappears. Supposedly Nintendo is aware of this but they're taking their sweet time.
How can anyone get excited about this? You will NEVER be able to buy it. They will do the same bait-and-switch, minimum run to spike VC sales on the Switch and 3DS and pretend that they simply cannot keep up with the demand. Fool me once...
How in the world did Wii Sports get on the short list? I know it's a great game that takes full advantage of the Wii's unique controller, but as sports games they're all fairly simplistic. There are much better baseball and golf games that don't have hardware designed around their controllers. And Wii's motion controls, as revolutionary as they are, haven't exactly become standard features for video game systems as the rumble and analog sticks did.
ZDnet had a good article about this. They argue that nothing about the NES Classic was a mistake. Nintendo appears perfectly happy that they only sold 1.5M units before it was discontinued because it wasn't about selling cheap emulation consoles, but about promoting classic Nintendo games, testing the market for them, and possibly testing the security of their emulator.
Think about it. Nintendo makes precious little on the NES Classic. There's no big profit margin there. But they do get to see whether or not it can be hacked (and it was) to see if they need to include Wi-fi in their follow-up console. Now that they know hackers will quickly alter it, they can justify including Wi-Fi in the next system (maybe a SNES mini) so that they can prevent unauthorized ROMs from being installed on it. This is especially important if you want to seriously ramp up mass-production. It's no big deal if 1.5M hacked systems are out there running pirated roms, but it's a much bigger deal if 10-20M are.
(Don't the short controller wires, lack of expansion memory, lack of wi-fi for VC support, and lack of support for classic controllers make a little more sense too? It's almost as if Nintendo designed the NES Classic to be as inconvenient as possible so that it could in no way cannibalize any follow-up plans they might have.)
Nintendo could easily announce new NES and SNES Classic Mini systems at E3, or shortly after, tied to your new Nintendo online account. They will be able to sell you the same classic games as they did on the Classic Mini and charge you VC prices for them.
They can, of course, also announce VC titles for the Switch at the same time, perhaps smart phones as well. Will they allow cross-buy, so that what you buy for the Switch would also work for one of the retro systems as well? Doubtful. Nintendo loves to charge you for each individual system, but it's possible.
In the meantime, Nintendo can monetize their old catalog titles yet again. Retro is HUGE right now and Nintendo is poised to take serious advantage of that trend.
No, I don't think anything about the NES Classic was a mistake.
For fun I looked up the current prices on the NES Classic Mini and they're already up to $300. Some joker is also selling the empty box and inserts for $50. The only folks who benefit from this discontinuation are the resellers. Sad. And the SNES Classic Mini will follow the same path, I guarantee.
Comments 432
Re: Nintendo Puts Limited Run Deal On Ice To Focus On Publishers With "Bigger Print Runs"
@PlywoodStick
That's not what the article says. What it does say is that Switch cards are more expensive to manufacture than discs and also vary by the size of the card, which makes sense. It also discusses the price parity that Switch titles have between e-Shop and physical. At no point did the article explain how Nintendo acts as a gatekeeper for access, other than via its licensing program.
Re: Nintendo Puts Limited Run Deal On Ice To Focus On Publishers With "Bigger Print Runs"
Without knowing Nintendo's software manufacturing model, it's hard to understand why Nintendo acts as a gateway. Are all Switch software titles produced through Nintendo as a middleman? Can't Limited Run go through an outside entity? Or does this have to do more with Nintendo's licensing process, in that they refuse to devote the time to allow LR to complete the approval process? (The latter would be odd, since the games they produce are already licensed via the e-Shop.)
Re: Nintendo Kicks Off Nine Hours of Online Maintenance for Switch Ahead of E3
Mother 3 for Switch confirmed?
/ducks tomatoes
Re: Sony Thinks You'll Buy A PlayStation 4 Alongside Your Nintendo Switch
@redd214
We'll have a handshake bet. I'll stand by the idea that the PS4 won't catch it. I just don't think the audience is there anymore. I think that a large segment of the gaming audience has moved on to more casual games and that the console gaming market has shrunk. We'll check back in a couple more years.
Re: Sony Thinks You'll Buy A PlayStation 4 Alongside Your Nintendo Switch
@StuTwo
There is no way whatsoever that the PS4 will become the best selling console of all time. None. The PS2 will remain that champion for the foreseeable future. It sold 155M units when consumers had far fewer gaming choices. The PS4 has sold roughly 60M so far, but it has to contend with smart phones, Steam, and other entertainment options. It's never going to come close to the PS2, ever.
Re: Sony Thinks You'll Buy A PlayStation 4 Alongside Your Nintendo Switch
@Jeronan
There's no way the XB1 Scorpio will be cheaper than a 4K Bluray player. I bet you can probably buy an Oppo for the same price, or less, than what Microsoft will charge for the Scorpio and an Oppo player has the absolute top-of-the-line scaler.
The cheapest 4K player is probably the XB One S if you consider the fact that it can also act as a gaming system.
Re: Sony Thinks You'll Buy A PlayStation 4 Alongside Your Nintendo Switch
Nope. Nintendo makes unique titles I want to play, but even then I bought my Switch for only a few games. (Zelda is my only title at the moment, and Mario is the only game on my horizon.) I walked past the PS4 display at Costco, currently running about $250-ish, yesterday and barely glanced at it. Nintendo gives me all the games I want to play in little time I want to devote to playing video games.
Re: My Nintendo Just Got Another Update in North America
I think people continue to mistake My Nintendo for a rewards program like the old Club Nintendo used to be. It's not. It's a program designed to spur consumers to make additional purchases. These "discounts" are only on virtual products where no additional overhead costs to Nintendo are involved (cart production, packaging, wholesale discounting, etc.) I guarantee that even with the ~30% discount involved, Nintendo is making a profit. All they are doing is attempting to move fence-sitters into making a purchase.
Nintendo is not rewarding you at all. With this program they do not have any additional outlays, other than getting a staff artist to create an original wallpaper (or cull it from artwork they already produced for advertising.) They don't have to commission unique products like carrying cases, nor do they have to pay a more expensive development team to create unique one-off games.
As long as Nintendo sees that its customers are spending these gold and platinum points, I doubt this "rewards" program will ever change, nor will it ever resemble the old Club Nintendo.
Re: Nintendo In Competition With Apple for In-Demand Switch Parts
If it's a price war, Apple wins. Consumers won't pay more for a Switch, but the rumors are swirling that the next iPhone will be far and away the most expensive one yet. And people WILL pay $1K for an iPhone 8.
Re: Video: Can You "Button Mash" Your Way to Victory in ARMS?
@Jamotello
The game seems like it would be good, but this limited-time, one-hour "Test Punch" trial is ridiculous. I'm not going to schedule my life to ensure that I'm home and ready to play when Nintendo dictates it. I've canceled my pre-order and will wait to see if Nintendo produces a "proper" demo at release so I can evaluate whether or not the title is for me.
Demos are optional, of course. But either release a proper demo that lets me play it when I have time or don't bother.
Re: Guide: What Time Is The ARMS Global Testpunch Demo?
LOL the demo starts at five A.M. for me? Who the heck sets their clock to get up at five o'clock just to play a video game for an hour? And why would they schedule it for that time when they can schedule it for practically any other time during the day? What's the point?
Re: Review: Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (Switch)
Eurogamer - "Avoid"
Metro - "A high price for nostalgia" 5/10
Comicbook.com - "...Worthwhile" 4/5
Destructoid - "Not Ultra, but It'll do" 7/10
Paste - "Anti-Climactic Finisher" 6.7
Re: 8Bitdo Pads Updated With Nintendo Switch Support, Just In Time For Ultra Street Fighter II
Cheaper by far than the pro controller and of outstanding quality. I have the NES pad and it's my go-to when playing retro games. Excellent value.
Re: "No Plans" For Destiny 2 On Switch, Says Project Lead Who Loves Nintendo's Console
I wonder if Nintendo will look at moves like this and task one of its 2nd party developers to create a new IP. Microsoft did it with Halo and GOW. Sony did it with Killzone. Nintendo could certainly do it.
If I were Nintendo, though, I'd throw a boatload of money and support at Blizzard to port Overwatch to the Switch.
Re: Preview: Going Some Rounds With ARMS on Nintendo Switch
Looks like a day one purchase if I can get my oldest son, who lives across the country from me, to pick up one of his own. Dad's gonna lay down the law!
Re: Nintendo is Working on a Fix for the 'Sentient Switch' Screenshot Issue
Look, I don't see an issue. The Switch is merely SO stable that it's confident enough to take selfies. No patch needed.
Re: Sinking Keiji Inafune’s Kaio: King of Pirates Cost Marvelous $3.8 Million Dollars
Inafune seems to have a particular talent for wasting other people's money. He should work for the government!
Re: Project Rap Rabbit Needs To Raise Almost $5 Million For Any Chance Of A Switch Port
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/121/835/ff8.gif
Re: Preview: Ultra Street Fighter II On Switch Offers Nostalgia In Spades, But New Features Disappoint
@dres
"Why haven't any third-party company already made a d-pad Joy-con, when Nintendo apparently doesn't care? I think it would sell very well."
I was thinking of this very thing just this morning. I think Nintendo has a very significant market for "specialized" JoyCons with different button configs. The ability to swap out the left Joycon for a "Fighter's Edition" Joycon would be extra nice. Considering how much room there is below each Joycon on the Switch stand, I can also see making longer Joycons to spread out and enlarge the buttons, too, even putting the L&R buttons on the pad so you can have a true six-button fighting config.
We'll see. Lots of possibilities.
Re: Preview: Ultra Street Fighter II On Switch Offers Nostalgia In Spades, But New Features Disappoint
I am intrigued, but I am extremely put off by the new HD artwork. The style just looks so amateurish. It's really striking how much better and more cohesive the "old" look is compared to whatever they did with the update. I have my doubts that I'd pay full price, but maybe when it goes on sale at some future point.
BTW I let out a hearty laugh at, "... that there are probably undiscovered tribes in the Amazon rainforest that are sick to death of Street Fighter II." Well done!
Re: Hyperkin's SmartBoy Gains Official Samsung Licence, Coming To Retail Later This Year
I'd be interested once a developer confirms GBA support. I have a lot of GBA carts but only a few DMG and GBC games. Like others, I fear that Hyperkin isn't up to the task of creating a high-quality device, though.
Re: Video: An Ode to a 'Pathetic' Pokémon - The Magikarp Song
@MarinoKadame
"Feebas > Magikarp"
If you think Feebas is worse than a Magikarp, shouldn't it be:
Feebas < Magikarp
?
Re: Super Intense Local Multiplayer Title Flat Heroes Is Coming To Switch This Year
100% positive rating on Steam. Looks interesting.
Re: Kirby Director Shares a Few Words on the Series’ 25th Anniversary
When the author mentioned "flexibility" my mind oddly connected Kirby to Splattoon. Wouldn't it be interesting to see Kirby in that kind of third person combat, using his ability to steal weapons from other players, or in turn see his own abilities stolen by others?
Just a thought. Kirby really is a solid franchise. Here's hoping they make a new entry on Switch, especially a new pinball or golf game.
Re: NBA 2K18 Shaquille O'Neal Special Editions Coming to Nintendo Switch
@Menchi187
"Wonder if it comes with a digital copy of the new Shaq-Fu"
I think that it costs extra for the version that DOES NOT come with the new Shaq-Fu.
PS: My GOD why would anyone pay $100-$150 for a game--or virtual currency for that game--that will be outdated (and greatly, greatly reduced in price) in twelve months?
Re: Poll: How Do You Play the Nintendo Switch - As A Portable, Home Console or Hybrid?
@Equinox
I really don't understand Sony releasing a PS5 next year. The PS4 isn't that old and is still selling like crazy. Why introduce an entirely new platform that undermines a system that's still selling well? The XBox Scorpio won't be a threat, at all, to their dominance and I doubt that Sony could improve on the Scorpio's performance much at this time without a similar, very expensive console.
Now I could see them doing a PS Vita 2 hybrid like the Switch with similar functionality and a more powerful processor, even the next generation of the processor in the Switch. That's something that definitely could be in the offing. But I think rumors of a PS5 in 2018 are silly and untrue.
Re: Hands On: Hey! Read These Hey! Pikmin Impressions
@Dr_Lugae
I don't disagree. Nintendo has been the champion of taking franchises and characters in entirely new directions, often yielding unexpected (and popular) games that people didn't even know they wanted. The best example of this is probably Super Mario 64.
It feels like Nintendo wants to keep the Pikmin franchise alive but either Mr. M doesn't have the time to develop a full Pikmin game, or they've determined that there isn't enough interest. So they hand it off to a 2nd party and they program something closer to a game they'd either already been working on or that was closer to their skillset.
I'm not saying the game will be bad, at all. However, the N-Life guys seem tepid so far, and they're generally fans of Nintendo and its licensees. However, yhe game isn't finished and a lot can happen between now and release.
Unless the game really does something uniquely new and fresh, I expect the reception to be lukewarm.
Re: Preview: Going Hands On With the New Nintendo 2DS XL
@Luna_110
I know others disagree and feel the Switch is a good size for a handheld, but I'm okay in the minority. I think it's too big to use comfortably for extended periods, and then only for about four hours untethered to a power source before the battery dies.
I'd much, much prefer a handheld at half the size with a more efficient processor and screen that can last ten hours or more. And I'd prefer a left D-pad that isn't a series of closely-spaced, individual buttons.
Look, the Switch is an amazing console. It's gotten me to play games again after I stopped after the GameCube. But I think that many compromises were made so that it could fit dual roles. While I think it makes an amazing TV-based console and a terrific portable multiplayer display in tabletop mode, I think it's only an OK handheld system.
I think Nintendo can introduce a true Game Boy successor and not negate the multifaceted abilities of the Switch.
Re: Preview: Going Hands On With the New Nintendo 2DS XL
@diditall4tanooki
That's totally fair. I wish I could have joined in with the 3DS generation. I bought both the small version and XL versions but ended up passing them to each of my sons because I just couldn't find a comfortable grip. (I have long fingers and I find both the analog nub and the D-Pad too close to the left side to get a grip without holding the 3DS with my fingertips.)
I respect that Nintendo has sold so many, and that it has an incredibly deep library. I just was never sold on that lower screen as an "essential" part of the experience, though I'm sure many would disagree with me.
I'm a middle-aged guy that still thinks portable gaming's zenith came with the Game Boy Advance SP and I wish Nintendo would again release a compact, single-screen handheld for players (fossils?) like me. It's not that I can't keep up with the two screens, but rather that I wish Nintendo would sink the costs of two low-res screens into one glorious, big HD screen as with the Switch.
I'm funny in that I think the Switch is much better as a tabletop or TV-based system than it is as a handheld. I love the idea of throwing up the kickstand and handing a JoyCon to a friend so we can do some Super Street Fighter battles on an airplane. But as a handheld, I'd rather play something half its size with a nice 6" 2K screen and a solid, if not spectacular, GPU.
Again, I know the Vita tried that and failed. I think that hardware matters less than affordability and library to most players. I also think that unlike the home hardware market, where Nintendo basically ceded the race to Sony and Microsoft, they've never taken their eye off the ball on handhelds. I'd just love to see Nintendo bring out a top-notch, single-screen handheld with HD rumble and all the trimmings. But then again, I don't sign the checks at NOJ.
Re: Hands On: Hey! Read These Hey! Pikmin Impressions
@Sabroni
"Not all spin offs are bad."
True that, Sabroni. However, the Nintendolife crew is already iffy about it, so there is cause for a bit of hesitancy on my part. I'm not a huge Pikmin fan myself, though I'd seriously consider picking up 1 or 2 if they put the GC versions on the Switch Virtual Console. But when you leave people waiting for years between sequels and then present something that isn't even in the same genre, expect disappointment.
Re: Hands On: Hey! Read These Hey! Pikmin Impressions
@MarioPhD
Finally got a chance to reply. Yes, I hope it helps the Pikmin franchise as well. I just don't understand why developers rush in a new direction, though, when fans ADORE the originals and simply want more with a few tweaks.
Re: Hands On: Hey! Read These Hey! Pikmin Impressions
@Nin_Myski
"This game is a Spin off guys -.-"
So was Metroid Prime Federation Force.
Re: Hands On: Hey! Read These Hey! Pikmin Impressions
A game that eschews almost everything people loved about the original and produced by a team with a record of underwhelming performance? What can go wrong?!
Re: Preview: Going Hands On With the New Nintendo 2DS XL
Just blows me away that they can sell the ancient technology in this 2D unit for $150. Back in 2011 they estimated that the 3DS, which cost $250 at that time, cost $100 to make. I'd be shocked if this unit, without the 3D screen, a fossil of a CPU and using absolutely archaic touch screen tech, cost Nintendo more than $50 to make six YEARS later.
I know that the 3DS/2DS line has succeeded despite being so low-tech but I still continue to wish the danged thing would just die so we can get a truly new handheld with newer, higher-resolution screens, more memory, and a better processor for better looking games. (Or, god forbid, a SINGLE screen.) I know, however, that the Vita has done poorly despite the fact that it checks all those boxes.
Nintendo's approach reminds me of how Taco Bell prepares food. If you really look at their menu, every "new" item they introduce uses the same ingredients in every other recipe. All they do is change the configuration, slap a new name on it, and sell it as an exciting new product. The 3DS line is truly ancient in tech-years, but here they are again with another remix and they'll inevitably sell millions. Brilliant business, of course, but frustrating to folks like me who can't stand the form factor but have recently enjoyed getting back into gaming with the (much less portable) Switch.
Re: Video: Nintendo Switch Controllers All Have a Power Button Hiding in Plain Sight
@Nico07
With Slaz and Nico on this. I have my Switch attached to an HDMI switch box and if I don't unplug the Switch when I want to watch my Shield TV, it will flip to a blank screen--as if trying to switch over to the input for the (sleeping) Switch--then back to the Shield TV. This stops YouTube playback, which gets annoying after a very short time.
Re: Switch Version Of Monster Boy Has A Fighting Chance Of Getting A Physical Release
I haven't bought the game yet but I'd seriously consider a physical version.
My guess as to what "less risky business" means is that the audiences on PS4 and Switch have two different factors in their favor. For the PS4, it's a huge install base that's almost double that of the XB1. For the Switch, it's the low number of competing titles at this time, giving them relatively good chances of selling out the physical copies they produce.
Re: Talking Point: Weighing Up the Logic Behind the New Nintendo 2DS XL
I just wish they could design a setup that fit my hands properly. I don't care about the 3D, but the placement of the buttons in either configuration always feels unnatural to me. What I'd really love would be for them to give us a wider, thinner unit so that they could offset the D-Pad more. I've got the same uncomfortable feeling with the way the Joycons are configured on the Switch.
I know compactness is key, but as it stands I still find the DS line too uncomfortable to play. Maybe when they finally replace it they can make something work.
This is a rare time I think that Sony has a superior button layout to Nintendo. The Vita is much more like what I'd prefer to see.
Re: Review: Over Top (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
@JHDK
I have the strongest feeling after E3 and what I expect to be the Virtual Console's debut (at last!), you won't be aching for racers for long.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think of the Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The Master Trials DLC?
I loved, loved, loved Eventide Island so the idea of an extended challenge might get me to budge on paying for the DLC.
Re: No, Axiom Verge Isn't Actually Confirmed for Nintendo Switch
I haven't had the opportunity to play it, but if they succeed in making it a perfect port I'd gladly buy it provided the price is reasonable. (e.g. not $49.)
Re: Review: Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch)
@joey302
If you're an Amazon Prime member the pre-order (and early release) discount makes it virtually $30 for the physical version. And the e-Shop version IS $30.
Re: Review: Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch)
I just wish it had other than childish avatars. I'd even opt for a Mii or no avatar, but that's not an option--at least not in the demo. It's one of two things dissuading me from buying it. The other is the possibility of Tetris & Dr. Mario on the Switch's e-Shop once the Virtual Console makes its eventual appearance.
Re: Tantalus Spent "Several Months" Convincing Nintendo It Could Handle Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
@AlphaJaguar
Maybe they don't want to be purchased? Not all third party companies aspire to be acquisition targets. I'm sure that some would prefer to release their own software, but it's a lucrative niche. Perhaps the owners of Tantalus want to produce their own games, eventually, and being a subsidiary severely restricts that creative flexibility.
Re: The Legend of Zelda Custom Chess Set Now Available
The reviews on Amazon are pretty mixed. The base is a thick board stock and the pieces are vinyl. From the look of it, I'd hoped that the pieces would at least have been metal. It seems terribly expensive for the materials they used.
Re: Nintendo Switch OS Version 2.2.0 Is Now Live
I'd like to see one of these patches fix a common problem for those of us with certain Samsung TVs and Kinivo HDMI switch boxes. It's been well documented that even if the Switch is in Sleep Mode it periodically triggers the HDMI CEC signal that temporarily interrupts switch boxes and TVs. If I try to watch my Shield TV, every couple of minutes the screen will go blank and the video will stop. As soon as I disconnect the Switch from the hub, the problem disappears. Supposedly Nintendo is aware of this but they're taking their sweet time.
Re: Nintendo Switch Sales Remain Strong in Japan
All Switch needs for a monster Christmas season an A rating for the next Mario.
Re: Rumour: SNES Classic Mini Coming Later This Year
How can anyone get excited about this? You will NEVER be able to buy it. They will do the same bait-and-switch, minimum run to spike VC sales on the Switch and 3DS and pretend that they simply cannot keep up with the demand. Fool me once...
Re: Donkey Kong, Pokémon Red and Green Nominated for the World Video Game Hall of Fame
How in the world did Wii Sports get on the short list? I know it's a great game that takes full advantage of the Wii's unique controller, but as sports games they're all fairly simplistic. There are much better baseball and golf games that don't have hardware designed around their controllers. And Wii's motion controls, as revolutionary as they are, haven't exactly become standard features for video game systems as the rumble and analog sticks did.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Needs to Learn Lessons From Its NES Mini Mistakes
ZDnet had a good article about this. They argue that nothing about the NES Classic was a mistake. Nintendo appears perfectly happy that they only sold 1.5M units before it was discontinued because it wasn't about selling cheap emulation consoles, but about promoting classic Nintendo games, testing the market for them, and possibly testing the security of their emulator.
Think about it. Nintendo makes precious little on the NES Classic. There's no big profit margin there. But they do get to see whether or not it can be hacked (and it was) to see if they need to include Wi-fi in their follow-up console. Now that they know hackers will quickly alter it, they can justify including Wi-Fi in the next system (maybe a SNES mini) so that they can prevent unauthorized ROMs from being installed on it. This is especially important if you want to seriously ramp up mass-production. It's no big deal if 1.5M hacked systems are out there running pirated roms, but it's a much bigger deal if 10-20M are.
(Don't the short controller wires, lack of expansion memory, lack of wi-fi for VC support, and lack of support for classic controllers make a little more sense too? It's almost as if Nintendo designed the NES Classic to be as inconvenient as possible so that it could in no way cannibalize any follow-up plans they might have.)
Nintendo could easily announce new NES and SNES Classic Mini systems at E3, or shortly after, tied to your new Nintendo online account. They will be able to sell you the same classic games as they did on the Classic Mini and charge you VC prices for them.
They can, of course, also announce VC titles for the Switch at the same time, perhaps smart phones as well. Will they allow cross-buy, so that what you buy for the Switch would also work for one of the retro systems as well? Doubtful. Nintendo loves to charge you for each individual system, but it's possible.
In the meantime, Nintendo can monetize their old catalog titles yet again. Retro is HUGE right now and Nintendo is poised to take serious advantage of that trend.
No, I don't think anything about the NES Classic was a mistake.
Re: Italian Discontinuation of the NES Mini Seals Its Fate
For fun I looked up the current prices on the NES Classic Mini and they're already up to $300. Some joker is also selling the empty box and inserts for $50. The only folks who benefit from this discontinuation are the resellers. Sad. And the SNES Classic Mini will follow the same path, I guarantee.
http://www.usgamer.net/articles/nes-classic-prices-rise-with-end-of-production-mini-famicom-discontinued-too