BustedUpBiker

What I can't get my head around is how games like Zelda on Switch or big Bethesda games on PC like Skyrim and Fallout 4, with all their hundreds of variables to be contained in a save file, each come in at up to 1/4 of a GB. What on earth is the 5GB reserve for? Per user no less?

Nice to see Nintendo continuing their excellent track record of attractive games with reasonable storage requirements.

@Damo Nice image 😀

5GB for a save file? That's gigaBYTES?!? What are we saving, the players' iCloud accounts?

Fingers crossed for Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings or Super Mega Baseball 2 when it is released. This is disappointing. Seems like a cynical (non) effort.

@Snakesglowcaps Ha ha, thanks, tough crowd tonight

@lemonjellydude
@Baker1000
£6.29 on the eShop. Listed as Hamster.

Aesthetically it's very interesting. Found the demo quite difficult as the warrior when I got to the first boss opponent. Yet to try out the private dancer.

So when you open one of the Zelda item chests, will it go Fus-Ro-Dah-Dah-Dah-Daaaaaaaah?

I thought I'd fallen asleep and YouTube had autoplayed another video. Genuine jaw dropping moment. This will stretch Switch to breaking point and I'm sure Digital Foundry are already planning their content. However even on my archaic PC this is the dogs.

This is unbelievably great news for Switch, and will hopefully encourage other publishers to invest time and money in the platform.

Wow, that pop in at such short range is just crazy.

@Captain_Gonru I think it depends on the surface. Snow and sand have little to no degradation, grass does (less when wet).

When farming lizalfos in the desert, shield surfing is the only way to get around, even without a sand seal. Doesn't degrade the shield either AFAIK.

You can also leave the shield strapped to your feet when paragliding - great for shredding mountain descents in snowy regions.

Lovely read, bang on.

The flexibility is a winner here. It's a joyful little machine and I appreciate it every single time I use it.

Another stand out feature for me is the near instantaneous switch on and play. Missus answers the phone and I'm dishing out a pasting with Garou's Kim Dong Hwan in no time at all. Before Eastenders is cued up on the Sky+ I'm already on horseback in Hyrule.

Not really surprised that major third parties consider it as a portable though, as that is the key differentiation between this and the breeze block consoles.

Hopefully the Pro Controller gyro aiming works like the handheld mode. The BotW aiming mechanic is sweet. Needs mod support as well, if only to iron out the game breaking bugs with the unofficial patch.

Love the thought of it on Switch, might mean I actually see it through to the end this time, but the price is a bit ridiculous. However I was spoiled by picking it up the GOTY edition on Steam for a fiver yonks ago (got ~20 hours in before GTA V took over), and by the generous free upgrade to the remastered version (~35 hours in before Fallout 4 took over).

It is an entertaining, immersive and absolutely massive game though and I really should get back to it. After Master Mode. After Mario Odyssey. After... oh you get the picture.

Edit: I'll miss messing with the tilde activated dev console commands as well.

Best of their series so far. Fantastic on Android and will be even better with a controller. Take it on its own merits and a good time can be had. Bring it on!

@G0dlike Definitely time to insert coin and continue with these IPs

@timson72 That's great to hear of a return to form. I've missed out on the big sims, having an older PC and no current console. I'll catch up one day, feeling like a boy in a sweet shop no doubt.

MXGP was fun, different but fun. The ranch stages in the VR46 game are pretty good as well. Great news it's coming to Switch - hopefully the upcoming Ride TT game will follow suit.

@timson72 Always best with a wheel. I used to use a LogItech MOMO Racing with force feedback on PC. Far superior to any pad. Great for Simbin games as well as the more arcadey Codies titles. When I had to ditch the huge desk I used to clamp it on to I started using a 360 pad - what a downgrade. Having had no choice but to adjust I've managed fine though.

Can't comment on how the latest iteration plays, though I've heard it's pretty good, but the last F1 game I really sunk hours into (2011 I think, oh do I feel old right now) was fine when I calibrated the advanced controls accordingly.

I love the Milestone bike racers now, from SBK through MotoGP and Ride. I play them on realistic AI and full physics with no aids out of the box. The 360 pad holds up really well with these, and those games need a deft touch the way I play them.

I'm of course disappointed that I'm doomed to micro-presses of the triggers in any racing game on Switch that has aspirations of realism, but the console is so good that I can overlook it. MK8D on 200cc is scratching my racing itch right now.

@timson72 The Android version of F1 2016 is playable, if not perfectly, with tap controls and tilt steering. Obviously not as good as with analogue triggers but it's doable even with traction control turned off.

Glad I picked it up dirt cheap though. It doesn't seem finished at all. Audio bugs, no visual options, questionable season mode and seriously choppy performance on an S7. It's a bit pants really.

I'd love to see the Codies return to form, some of their racing games were very enjoyable (Colin McRae, BTCC, TOCA, Grid, Dirt and F1 - but for the latter 3 only certain releases) but I'd prefer remakes of older Micro Machines to the new one.

@In_Ex_Fan That cushion is there to stop her blowing away if the window is open

@zyn Don't know about iOS, but Final Freeway 2R on Android scratches my itch. Also Super Hang On is ace on 3DS.

Truck simulator is one of my guilty pleasures. Very zen. Farming simulators are fantastic for teaching kids about where the food on the supermarket shelves comes from. Great for playing with the young 'uns.

Looks like they're taking a lot of pride in it as well.

Credit where it's due - they didn't have to support Switch when deciding to remaster for console.

Even without any visual upgrades, the original can look way ahead of its time (on Steam anyway) and should run well enough.

I'll echo the call for the first RDR and GTA V. If the PS3 can pull them off it should be doable.

Nice sub header

I was hoping to ovoid the scramble to fill the thread with egg yolks, should've known better

I've asked Netflix to change their brand name to Stability, so we might actually end up with it next time. I'll let you know what they say.

@MarioPhD All sounds very plausible. Even empty boxes on shelves draw the punters in. If the base game takes up anywhere near 25GB or over then that would explain the friendly warning. I suspect a missed opportunity for texture compression etc. here as well.

Perhaps they missed a trick here. A bundled, subsidised SD card of reasonable capacity could have resulted in more of a positive PR spin. Bonus side effect of effectively ending up with an NBA 2K18 physical copy of sorts after all.

@MarioPhD If true, that really would take the pea and ham. Don't personally see the point in this.

Always wondered how certain third party devs were going to address their gargantuan day one patches. Now I know. Balls to this.

Edit: Let's tread a little carefully here folks. While this is far from an example of best practice, isn't this going to be a fully featured game i.e. content parity with other consoles? If we don't temper the backlash we may well start putting some devs off and end up with a load of cheapo "portable" versions of games.

Cheap at twice the price. Grandparents will need bigger pensions to afford them.

If this is indeed patent trolling, Nintendo should take a leaf out of this book:

https://eugene.kaspersky.com/2017/08/30/the-best-defense-is-attack-and-that-now-includes-when-fighting-patent-trolls/

@SLIGEACH_EIRE When you do go outside, don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out

In the original I don't remember stopping once, but had the trigger mashed down to sprint, trying to beat the par times. If it is an auto runner it might not be much of a stretch from the frantic pace and insta-restart style of the original.

I'm in. The passion is contagious!

Reminds me of Shank but looks like a lot more fun.

Love a good racing game. Fingers crossed it turns out well. Plays like a dream on my S7.

Played this on mobile since it was first announced for Switch. It is good fun, with a nice difficulty curve, massive roster, regular multiplayer challenges and tournaments and regular content updates (tracks and vehicles).

For me, it's a worthy alternative to Real Racing 3's cynical IAP model - I've played a large portion of the game so far without spending one penny or watching one ad, and it has never felt like a grind due to the vast amount of races available. It is a generous package.

Only gripe is that the deceleration when you graze a wall or barrier seems disproportionate to the contact made, especially for an arcade style racer. Can typically cost you a close race.

Oh, and it'll be micro-press city with no traction control and no analogue triggers. Hope ol' ZR is up to it.

Pew pew pew pew pew pew pew...

Tried the beta on PC, which can usually keep up with Xbox One settings (ish), and it ran like a dog. Glad they're putting in the effort though, they'll want to keep the positive momentum going as Mario Rabbids is being so well received.

Cool. Anyone know the language used?

Don't see VR happening this time around. If the next Switch is 1080p native, quite a bit more powerful e.g. X2 based or similar, and crucially has head tracking built into the console, it could be brilliant.

Great review, informative, clear and relatable. Looking forward to adding this to my library.

Personally, I prefer the clean sharp look of first party games to the slightly blurry, shader-tastic look on offer here. It can make screenshots look better than the game in motion. However it's also nice to see the devs dancing on the razor's edge of the Switch's performance.

Also, is there meant to be a season pass on the way?

Excellent. Fingers crossed for the new Ride TT game as well. Going to struggle a bit with digital triggers though. You live or die in Milestone bike games by your fine throttle control, unless you play it on arcade settings.

Nice to see Switch being recognised as a hybrid by a AAA dev, and not just a portable or home console. It suggests they developed this game without narrowing the scope.

If the art style might not be for everyone, it's an ideal opportunity to put a demo on the Switch eShop...

In the absence of Wave Race and 1080° I'd still hold off. Vector Unit's Beach Buggy Racing has already seen a port. If they bring Riptide: Renegade to Switch I'd be more interested.

@k8sMum Bang on, it is all relative. But it is also accessible. I personally have next to no disposable income at the moment, haven't really for a while and probably won't for a while either.

Thing is, over the years when I didn't have to spread the butter far too thin on my bread, I picked a few things up. A Wii for the kids, a second hand 3DS. A PC 8 years ago that can almost handle a current multiplatform title if it's well optimised. I was lucky enough to be handed down a PS3 and a Vita. And my family, knowing how much gaming means to me both as a hobby and also socially with a sibling, blew me away by clubbing together and I am so fortunate to have a Switch as a result. I have Zelda, Mario Kart and Neo Geo golf. I'm one happy chappy.

And let's not forget mobile. Love it or loathe it, it's made gamers of more of us, the likelihood is that if you're reading this site you have access to a smartphone, and there are hundreds of good, free games out there. Humble Bundle and GOG get very honourable mentions as well.

Many of us may have had a relative lot of toys at one time or another. The trick is to look after them (I could still dig out my Megadrive or N64), keep a keen eye out for Steam sales etc. and above all, and this is key, be content with what you do have.

Brilliant read, thanks.

It isn't just about which games are best, but what is available and how it works. Every generation could consider itself golden, it's all relative. We are lucky to have almost the entirety of gaming history, warts and all, at our fingertips, and we don't have to wait for cassette tapes and 2x CD drives any more.

Wonder what's around the corner? At least some of it will be in the conversation for what makes a golden era.

@RaizenPrime True, but it's monumentally daft to include the component but not wire it up for functionality. Especially at the price they are charging.

@OfNullAndVoid That's entirely what I was going for. Haven't played it in a year or so but it was amazing back then. Expanded levels, branching story, plenty of characters and customisation, a mash up of the 3 Megadrive games.. Would be a brilliant fit for Switch.

Excellent review. The Megadrive was my first console and Sonic will always have a special place in my heart.

Now, can SEGA please let the Streets of Rage Remake guys do their thing as well?

@sillygostly That list was hilarious!

I'm really indifferent when it comes to achievements in games. True, they are easy to scoff at. All they have ever provided for me is the odd giggle if some effort is put into the descriptions, or perhaps some clues to alternate paths or missed mini games in the descriptions of the locked ones post-completion.

Pleased to read that the devs are aiming for optimisation without compromising the gameplay structure of the existing version.

@Ralek85 Absolutely. As I said, I adore my Switch and the display is perfectly sufficient. I also forgot to mention the lack of motion blur which is great considering it's LCD.

The Switch display is of course outperformed by the more expensive Samsung S7. The S7 is pin sharp with its high pixel density, has extremely accurate colour reproduction to both the RGB and Adobe standards (class leading at the time I think), and YouTube looks so sweet in 1440p60.

However I play my mobile games on the 1080p60 setting. Helps with battery consumption and I guess framerate (hard to tell as the GPU is very capable), and it still looks trick despite being sub-native.

I'll stand by my view that for the current internals of the Switch, particularly performance and battery capacity, 720p is the sweet spot. Had, say, the Switch been based off a Tegra X2 variant, with the potential improvements in performance and power consumption, I'd have expected a 1080p display for sure. Perhaps the 2nd generation Switch will do so, as it'll be a quick win for the devs - they could use the current docked performance profile to deliver 900p or 1080p when in handheld mode, and us early adopters will still be supported with the 720p handheld mode.

Or maybe we'll be lucky like those who managed to pick up an OLED PS Vita, and the current model will be the pick of the bunch. Time will tell.

Great review. Loved FTL and Rogue Legacy, among others, so this has piqued my curiosity.