Debo626

Beautifully written Alana; I love the story arc of the first Xenoblade game in particular, as it deals with so many deep and heavy human emotions and concepts. Great article.

I bought the Nintendo slim case just to have *some*thing to carry it in while I wait for my Satisfye grip/case bundle. Really looking forward to that; Satisfye make the best cases and grips for S1.

I sadly have not been able to enjoy NMS on S2... I downloaded the upgrade pack and loaded up my cart and the game doesn't finish loading my freighter, my (very small and bare-bones) bases, and other parts of the game world. I've tried deleting everything NMS-related except my save data and reinstalled the updates and upgrade pack, and same result. The freighter not loading up fully is especially annoying. I'll have to wait for a patch; hopefully the multi-player patch resolves this too. Plenty of other things to play though, but I was really looking forward to seeing what Hello Games would do with NMS on S2. Hopefully they resolve this soon because what I was able to see looked beautiful.

@NolandC I'll be honest, I'm actually not sure. It's. It a brand new router, but it has a max speed of 1,300 mbps with the 5G network. I'll check, but right now, the S2 is faster every time I test it. I've gotten up to 593 down and 240 up on one test. 😳

Is the little dot next to the USB-C port a mic?

@NolandC I understand that. My internet speed from my provider is 600 mbps up and down. With Switch 1 using a wired connection straight to a high speed router, or when using said router's fast 5G Wi-Fi, I could get around 95 down/55 up max, and usually less. And that's in the living room with the router. With Switch 2 on the same 5G Wi-Fi from the same router, I was getting 200+ down, 100+ up in my bedroom with weak signal. Almost 400 down, 200 up on the wired connection. So in my short experience with Switch 2 thus far, it is actually quite a bit faster than Switch 1 as fast as internet speed goes.

I got the MKW bundle, so downloaded that (side note: S2's download speeds are ridiculous; my MKW downloaded and installed in like 12 minutes!), Fast Fusion, and Welcome Tour. (another side note: Welcome Tour is not just a manual - hell it's actually pretty useless as a manual because normal manuals let you turn the page to the next section; they don't expect you to walk a character to the next section, and in general it's not laid out like a manual.)
Fast Fusion is amazing and looks so good.
MKW is going to take me a long time to work through, and I love that.
Welcome Tour is a fun way to learn some cool information about the system and is wicked fun, whatever people want to cry about regarding the price.

I'd say I'll "never" buy a game on a key card, but if the next Zelda or Xenoblade is only available that way, I and likely many other fans will hold our noses and buy it digital or on a key card, depending on our post-game wishes (keeping or trading/selling). I won't miss Xenoblade X2 or Xenoblade 4 because of my principles, even though, yes, I agree it is smeggy for ownership and preservation.

@HammerGalladeBro @Axecon Thanks! Might pick one up for racing games if it's compatible outside of the NSO GameCube games. If not, I hope everyone who has NSO+ enjoys their GC controller!

@Mario500 Month/Day, so April 24th. (there are multiple formats for dates, in the US, we use month/day/year) 😁

I read the original GC controller had analog triggers; does the S2 variant also have analog triggers?

This is awesome! I love MonolithSoft; I just hope they never go anywhere near the Pokemon franchise. With their talents, they'd make such a great Pokeymon game they'd never get to make another Xenoblade. Can't wait for whatever they have cooking for Xenoblade or a MonolithSoft original for Switch 2.

Glad to hear it; I'm already planning on getting it despite the Internet's comainta be a use the technology nerd in me is wicked curious.

@Res462 That's a little dramatic don't you think? No one is insinuating violent consequences or anything, chill, it's a gaming site, not real life. 🙄

I am about to start chapter 12 in XCX:DE, and am saving the end of the game/post-game for Switch 2. Figure it'll maybe run better, smoother frame rate, etc, or if not, it'll be nice to have in a larger handheld. In the meantime, I've been grinding levels and Joker/Necro for endgame weapons and armor (can't seem to get my Ultra Diamond Saber though 😭).
5 days left everyone! It's coming fast and it's gonna be awesome!

I don't think this would happen, but you never know. I really hope not. Xenoblade of all series needs to stay Nintendo-only.

My Walmart pre-order for my two pro controllers got cancelled, so I had to pre-order from Best Buy. Hopefully everything comes in on time and they don't cancel me too. Getting the bundle console from GameStop...what could go wrong...? 🤪

@TrowaAyanami Fastest way to a box office flop but to each their own. I think it's a bad idea for purely practical, financial reasons. Divisive casting choices will reduce the overall box office take, it's simple math.

Very bad choice.

@axelhander We don't know for sure that it didn't affect their bottom line though. That's an assumption. We'll never know how many more Switch consoles might have sold had the control stick drift issue not happened. I wouldn't be surprised if it affected Switch 2's bottom line, even, because of the number of people either burned by their experience with Switch 1 drift, or hearing/reading about the experiences of others, and opting not to get one.

I'm psyched for Switch 2 and MKWorld, and June 5th can't get here soon enough. Look there are tons of reasons to be sad or negative about the world, both in and outside of video games. I'm choosing to be happy and excited, and I suggest everyone do the same. Life is too short to be upset over things like this. 🤷

@Erigen I understand your point too, I pay attention to the Pokemon news when games launch and there's always a performance issue. Here's my honest concern: MonolithSoft excel like few other studios at optimization and crafting compelling worlds & stories. I wasn't being hyperbolic when I called them jintendos golden goose. If they made a Pokemon game, it would probably be the best Pokemon game ever made by a sizable margin. But imho it would be a pyhrric victory, and here's why. Pokemon, even made substandard by Game Freak, always sell more than Xenoblade, like much much more. It's not even close. Once MonolithSoft makes the best Pokemon game ever made, they'll never be allowed to make anything else.
So again, with respect to you and other Pokemon fans, no thanks; hardest possible pass.
No disrespect meant and I hope you have a great day. 😁

@arkanjo29 I didn't know that, thanks! Yeah, having never been impressed with any Pokemon game at all ever, like not even one, I'd rather MS, my favorite game studio, stay as far away as possible. Pokemon is a poisoned chalice, and with each game they release, MonolithSoft proves it's Nintendo's golden goose.

@Erigen No thanks. MonolithSoft are way too talented to be wasted on Pokemon. Game Freak needs to figure their own smeg out without corrupting an already good studio. Nothing good will come to MonolithSoft fans if they work on a Pokemon game. I'm wicked excited for their next Xenoblade or other original project.

@Spider-Kev I'm guessing anyone who knows (or cares) about that distinction does not mind those games showing up all over their eshop.
Gamers aren't just single people. Those of us with families and kids at home would love a way to never see any hentai/gravure/whatever-I-don't-care games on our eshop ever again.

@mariomaster96 That's exactly what I was thinking the entire tech portion of the Switch 2 direct, like I cannot wait to see what MonolithSoft comes up with. No XC game has out scaled XCX for me, especially now we have the definitive edition. That game has always felt so much more massive than any of the other 3. I believe MonolithSoft will be able to finally make XCX seem small with Switch 2 and I am ready!

This isn't the least bit surprising, and I honestly don't understand the angst expressed by some commenters here. The dock is part of the unit; of course a new generation would use a new dock, and of course S1 and S2 wouldn't be dock interchangeable. Being upset about that seems like pointless entitled rage to me. I'll enjoy my S2 on its dock, and my kids will still use their S1s with the S1 dock. Both of us can charge at the same time, and none of us think Nintendo is the literal antichrist for each system having separate docks. 🤷🤦

Pre-ordered the Satisfye S2 grip&case bundle back in Feb, pre-ordered the S2 with MKW from GameStop, two S2 Pro controllers from Walmart (which, with my S1 black and S1 XC2 pro controllers, will be enough for 4 player MKW with the kids), and a Zagg InvisibleShield screen protector (coming May 6th). I may decide to get an SD card pre-launch, but still undecided. Needless to say I'm quite hyped for June 5th.

Excellent article @alanahagues. The world may have largely moved on to getting hyped for Switch 2, but I am still very much stuck in to Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, and hope we hear about paid or free performance updates for it on S2 soon. This game is a master class in open world design, and I vehemently disagree with the points of view of other commenters who feel that this world is empty. Perhaps this type of gameplay is not to their liking, because this world is anything but empty.
Also, as a huge fan of the Xenoblade series, I don't want MonolithSoft going anywhere near a Pokémon game. MonolithSoft excels at what they do, and Pokémon games are more popular and sell better than Xenoblade. Putting two and two together, I don't want them to make a wildly successful Pokemon game, and then never be allowed to make a Xenoblade game again. GameFreak needs to carry themselves.

@Konsori "Banana for scale" 😂

Yeah I never buying one of these. My days as a gamer might be coming to an end, at least for new games, if physical goes away. I don't consent to the full all-digital future.

@Overzeal Excellent question, I too would like to know when/if XCX will receive a $10 performance upgrade on S2. That'll be my main game for the next year probably, or until a new 3D Zelda or new Xenoblade releases. I want S2 asap and want to enjoy one of my favorite games on it the best way possible.
Also, if XCX comes up, thank Nintendo for finally releasing it please? They didn't have to port it, especially as well as they did and with so much new content. So thanks Nintendo.

@tobsesta99 You're not wrong. The only counterpoint I would make is that it's because we're adults with responsibilities now that gaming needs more than ever to remain escapism. The news is so sad and terrible everywhere one looks lately. This hobby and this site were some of the last bastions of escapism we had. Now even that's been invaded and corrupted. It just makes a person sad.

@ThisisJosh I couldn't agree more with your description of this administration.

It's a little wierd to charge for it, but it does honestly look fun and interesting, so for ten bucks I'll probably get it. 🤷

Really tired of seeing politicians' names (you all know who I mean) in the gaming news, but here we are. Gaming should be escapism, and our government is intruding into it with real life. It's very frustrating. Thanks for reporting NL and Alana. I hope the "powers that be" work this out soon.

Value is subjective. No one here can definitively say a game is not "worth it" full stop because your idea of "worth it" will differ from mine and ten other people. Buy it if you think it's "worth it" and don't if you don't. Getting all twisted and angry on the internet isn't going to change anything, least of all Nintendo's mind. Yeah, they don't drop the price of their games. BotW still cost what it did to develop and it's still an amazing game 8 year slater, so honestly why should they drop the price? No other industry faces such entitlement from their target audience as gaming. Tama doesn't get angry tweets directed at them screaming drop the price of high-end maple drums - those things just cost a lot to development and create. Things cost money, these are for-profit companies, not charities, and the consumer can choose to vote with their wallet; that's how the free market works. Honestly for me the most annoying thing about all this is seeing the names of divisive politicians in my gaming news sites; this is supposed to be my escape from that tomfoolery.

Wow, Mother 3 again?

At this point for me it's MKW and XCX still, hoping for an S2 upgrade option to utilize the extra horsepower of the new system. But other than that, it'll be mainly XCX, Mario Kart, Rocket League (S2 edition maybe?), and maybe the odd other game here and there until either the next 3D Zelda or Xenoblade 4/XCX2.

@AlanaHagues Hey I hear you on having quirks lol there isn't a "quirk-less" one among us on this site. I think it's definitely a "what one is used to" thing, as with phones. As tech consumes more and more power for every little thing it does, these kinds of concerns are bound to crop up. It feels to me, as far as phones go anyway, that charging opportunities are generally more readily available now than when smartphones were new. At the same time, batteries are somewhat more efficient now than when Switch 1 was new. Hopefully part of the process of redesigning the joy-con from the ground up included taking advantage of the latest battery technology.

I never turn off Rumble in my controllers and have never had a problem with battery life. I genuinely don't understand where this concern is coming from, but this is the second time I've seen you write about this, @alanahagues. Maybe I'm just lucky, but this is literally never been an issue for me. Nice to see that Switch 2 will have even better rumble.

I'm not happy whenever I read news that isn't about gaming or music anymore. Switch 2 was supposed to be a dose of blessed escapism and distraction from how terrible the rest of the world seems right now. Yet our government, preoccupied with being nothing more than divisive and rage-inducing, is making everything worse and their tomfoolery is now affecting my gaming escapism. Sad days. Switch 2 is still going to be awesome when I can get one, but this does dampen things.

Has anyone heard of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition will be getting the "Switch 2 Edition" treatment? That game is absolutely worth the extra $10, $15, or $20 to play at higher res and fps.

I don't think analog triggers are going to happen on a Nintendo console again. Everyone wishing for them is setting themselves up for disappointment. I'd say if analog triggers are a must-have or deal-breaker, you should consider another console manufacturer.

So far it's as awesome as I remember from 900+ hours on Wii U and then some. I'm loving all the changes they've made so far. I've been wishing for this to be on Switch for years and honestly couldn't be happier. Ports are definitely not always this well done. MonolithSoft are one of the best studios in gaming, full stop.

X will be my main game until the next Xenoblade or Zelda come out, and unless it's A Link Between Worlds or A Link to the Past, remakes/ports won't tear me away. XCX is a straight-up masterpiece and technical wonder, and I've been waiting to be able to play it on Switch for 7 years now. What a great generation to be a Xenoblade fan.
Afterthought: MK9 might tear me away a little too when it comes out, but not much. It'll still be a side game like Rocket League.

Slow news day? 😂

@Samalik Disagree. Have you played Xenoblade 2? The character designs are much more revealing and the overly jiggly female body parts are overkill for a video game not rated M. Look I know XC2 fans are pretty adamantly defensive about this aspect of their favorite game, but in my opinion, and that of a not insignificant portion of the Xenoblade series, the outfits are two revealing. I'm an adult and feel awkward with half naked overly jiggly anime-girl characters on my 55" TV which faces the street. If that's your thing then I guess cool for you, but please don't act like I have no legitimate issue to stand on here. This has been well discussed numerous times here and elsewhere.