Diowine

@AverageGamer if they thought this had GOTY potential or even nomination potential it would definitively have been released in time for a nomination.
Are a Kirby Racing game and a Musou really direct competitors? Complementary in any case. Metroid was never a best selling IP for Nintendo anyways but the prestige of it deserved awards

Best announcement of the Direct (not too difficult).
Day one for me

Super Disappointed.
It should not be released on Switch 1 at this point it only drags it's potential.
The date? Just left it out of GOTY nominations, which means that not even they trust in it.
I love Metroid games and that is why I am hurt as this one has been a mess since the beginning in 2017... 8 years ago

• MP 4 Release Date
• New 3D Mario Tease
• Big Port that makes sense: Baldur's Gate 3/ Clair Obscur/ Metaphor Refantazio
• New Mario Sports game, probably Tennis
• Too Early for new Zelda but... Is it time for new Smash?
• New Fire Emblem

Give me half of those and it will be the best Direct Ever for me. It has the potential..
Edit: Well if that half ends up being MP4 Release Date on 26, a Port and Mario Tennis then it would not be that great... any other combination sounds great

@ViewtifulGerry everyone is saying that but the update is not only about adjusting the difficulty, there are some other bugs , no pun intended, that need to be fixed and are addressed in the new patch.
So it is a dilemma. If I think that the difficulty is right but need those other real issues fixed what do I do? I will probably have to update and lower the difficulty in the process. I don't want that, the difficulty is just right for me as it is

The poll immediately shows that most people are loving it's difficulty.
But the people screaming and complaining will always be the loudest, as those of us that are enjoying the challenge won't go to every social network praising the challenge as much as the ones crying about it will.

@RazzBerryPie thanks! I still need to verify if the progress/save data also transfers. Or maybe it was already implied in your answer. But if that is the case then Switch may be my choice

I want to get it immediately but I haven't decided on which platform yet, Switch/PS5 or the Switch 2 I am getting in 2 weeks.
If I buy it on My Switch 1, will I not only be able to upgrade for free on my Switch 2 but also be able to transfer progress/save data? Anyone would know that?

Now this is getting better. I always prefer these to Partner ones.
Nintendo Switch is the ideal home for indies.
My guess: Blue Prince. I think that Hades 2 has a small chance of getting a Nintendo release date too, considering it is already getting it's last update before 1.0 according to news.

As expected Partner Showcases tend to be the weakest among Indie and proper Nintendo Directs for me.
Mostly ports which play better on their original consoles, and no superb announcement although the last 2 HD-2D announcements from Square look nice at least.

@Late Declare myself guilty, I didn't even see the "Something totally new!" option, just hurried to vote for the ports I've been waiting for.
But yes, something totally new would be even better, although certain ports would be a guaranteed quality

Also, I started playing Blue Prince this week due to my PS Subscription and it is great.
But if a Switch version is announced, I will probably just do the same I did earlier this year with Balatro: Test it on my PS subscription first and if it is good get it on Switch as the portability for indie roguelikes is just a huge advantage

Baldur's Gate 3, Metaphor and/or Clair Obscur here.
Been about to buy all 3 of them multiple times for my PS5; but feel like the handheld capabilities of the Switchs are a better home for those kind of games, unlike games like RDR2 or Elden Ring which I prefer to play in PS consoles any day.
If none of those is present this time, then I'll just probably get BG3 for my PS5 finally. Last chance

@Orwellian87 yeah no... Commented without reading apparently, sorry for the letdown but partner showcase means no Metroid nor first party games at all

Boring. Partner showcase is mostly tied to already released games in other platforms that also play better in those.
I even prefer Indie showcases at this point, as those play better in Switch than other platforms due to handheld option.

In conclusion, drifting prone joy cons, miserable battery life for a handheld, only 1 important game at launch and a hardware that although is improved is still behind competitor's 5 year old console power.
I think I'll pass for now unless DK Bananza is unexpectedly revolutionary

It would be funny if this one comes with drifting when the originals had no problem with that, compared to current gen controllers.

What a letdown.
Honestly we don't even need magnets, just whatever they were using during the Gamecube days or similar. Still got those and have never drifted.
But it seems like it is better for them to sell drifting controllers to sell even more joy cons per person nowadays.....

I just want to know if/when games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Metaphor: ReFantazio will be available on Switch 2.
I've been about to buy them for PS5 for a while but been waiting because I think that Switch 2 would be the perfect fit to play those in handheld.

@mlt agree with Clair Obscure.
From already released games I would only add Kingdom Come and Split Fiction to the contenders too, considering that It Takes 2 already took the GOTY a couple years ago.
With GTA VI out of the race, Ghost Of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, MGSΔ and Doom will all be up there too.
Hope that Metroid Prime 4 and DK Bananza also show up.
Just by looking at this list I expect a muuuuch more packed year compared to 2024, which was one of the weakest in terms of GOTY candidates ever.
Budgets in danger.

It would be epic if these have drifting issues when the original did not.

I still own and use my original ones from 20 years ago for games like Smash and never had an issue...yet my Joycons drift for nothing.

First time? No console has ever been affordable in South America. You always have to wait for a family member or your next trip to buy new consoles. PS5 is still ~$1.000 usd here.... 2025.
So yeah, next vacation's luggage must have empty space.

At least games are now digital, so we can buy them day one, same price.

Have and still use 2 of these original ones since release.
They've been trough a lot, including all Smash Bros games since.
Any sign of drifting? ZERO And yet had 3 pairs of Joy Cons ruined because of this.
No need for Hall Effect sticks to have a solve the issue, Nintendo just does not want to in order to sell more.

@wollywoo me too, but I think that's it.
in 2017 when Switch was released they did Mario Kart Deluxe and Zelda BOTW (Also with a WiiU version) almost on release and later on Mario Oddyssey.
This time we also have a

• MK 8 Deluxe -> Mario Kart World
• BOTW -> Metroid Prime 4 playable also on the previous Gen
• Mario Oddyssey -> DK Bananza
• Arms -> Drag x Drive to showcase the console features.
  I think that's it for big AAA Nintendo titles this year. I also hoped for a little more but yeah

Considering that they are not using Hall-Effect sticks, what exactly are they using? Don't care about them being 'smooth' or 'silent'.
Confirm if there is a real/significant improvement on the drifting issue, not by addressing dirfting of course that they never will, but by mentioning the technology/materials behind

@AmplifyMJ @gabrigoes I wouldn't say it is a big pain for them nor that it would be dumb for them not to fix the trashy sticks at the end of the day.
Yes maybe were you live it is easy, free and fast to send them to repair, but I would dare to say that in most places and for most people the only solution is to buy new joy cons when they start drifting.
So far I have bought 3 left joy cons alone due to this issue, and still haven't replaced my gamecube ones.
So yeah, at the end of the day their obsolescence may be programmed for people to keep buying them. Hateful practice, they win.

I don't care about rumble. I care about fixing the drift, and my Joy-Cons have been more susceptible to that than even my Dual Sense. No word about it or about Hall Effect sticks just confirms they are trashy again.

Let's be honest, considering how bad the drifting was on the original Joy-Cons, if these new models had the Hall-Effect improvement they would have definitively mentioned it instead of just saying "The Sticks are bigger" and praising themselves about all the other magnets present elsewhere in the console.
It just sells better to have people buy multiple Joy-Cons over time because of trashy materials, same as most household electronic appliances nowadays..

@Shepdawg1 as the article mentions, the pricey complaints are mostly not about the new Hardware that you mention. I could also have expected it to be even $100 more expensive.
The main issue is that the first party games could now be $80, which is a crazy jump when considering that it is even more expensive than PS5 games.

@Gs69 No chance that MK costs a 10% of what GTA VI does to develop. I wouldn't compare anything with GTA VI, like the franchise or not.

6/10.

• MK, we already knew of
• No Sticks improvement mentioned/suggested (Drifting), only other non related magnets and that the sticks are bigger.
• DK was great, best of the presentation
• Bunch of 5 year old third party games that I already have in other consoles
• Mouse feature only useful for games like CIV VII, otherwise... not really useful nor comfortable

Already bought and played, no big news for me.
BUUUT, if the third and last instalment is released here in parallel to the PS version and at the same time, then count me in as I prefer these ~JRPGs on Handheld

@gabrigoes Never heard that from any official source, or a trustful one, hope I am wrong. But I would have emphasized the magnets on the Sticks if that was the case if I were Nintendo. Knowing how much they were already emphasizing on other magnets present in the console

@DrJoson how can you assume that? They would have mentioned better or magnetic components in the sticks without having to admint the prev ones were trash. They did emphasize on other magnets in the console and talked about the sticks being "bigger". They would have mentioned the improvement in between that section of course. But not, sadly not.

It just sells better, even if we complain. Bought 3 pairs of Joycons already because of drifting, but still using my original no drift gamecube controllers. Trashy sticks sell better and it is the worst

@Goat_FromBOTW thanks for that, did not see it. Yeah, a little on the expensive side, not completely terrible but hoped for $60

Another one that is ~5 Years old. Not spotlight deserving news.

My fear is the price gap for the MK bundle. Exactly $50. Does that mean that games will be more expensive? ~$75? Or else it would be the same to buy it with the bundle or separate.
That is bad. For TOTK ok but for a game like Mario Party f.ex...... No

They mad for this. Not even fixing the Drifting apparently (Or would have specifically shown / mentioned new components on the sticks rather than saying they are just bigger)

Scalpers can do what they want, no need to buy it first day with the 2025 lineup that was shown. Can even wait until next year

Official date or won't believe it yet.

Love From Software games A LOT.
But Action RPGs tend to play, feel and look better in the other consoles.
I prefer my Nintendo consoles for 1st Party games and Stategy or JRPGs (Was Waiting for Methaphor and Baldur's Gate 3 too).
But being exclusive to Nintendo, I will have to give it a chance

Best announcement of the Direct. Enough to save it? Not sure, but looks great anyways

Take this as bad news... Just makes me think that Switch 2's release and/or it's flagship games will not be releasing anytime soon.... We've already had like 3 OG Switch swan song directs by now and haven't used the console since last year now. Just release the new one!

@Jam777 yea that's why I mentioned Gamespot, whose scores are usually in line with my taste. But even then, the reviewers change all the time. The specific person does not review all games I am interested in. That is why a general one like Metacritic is my first go to.
And I agree with you about some weird reviewers but Metacritic does not (mostly) pull reviews from non gaming sites. But yes when it does it shows.
F.ex i just looked for 2 examples :

• This week's Split Fiction Reviews: Lowest Score from The Sydney Morning Herald (70) the game still has 91 in MC.
• BOTW: Lowest Score from Slant Magazine (60) but the game has a 97 Overall
  So yeah, wtf are those 2 non gaming sites scoring games for and Metacritic picking them up for? I give you that.
  But it is the minority, the overall is still picked from specialized sites reflecting general consensus that I mostly agree with.

@Jam777 because I cannot think of a better scoring system than that of Metracritic, IMO. Certainly not ones like Rotten Tomatoes (I know I know it is not for games but just as an overall example).
I do have certain sites which I tend to agree with their game scores such as Gamespot, but even with them the reviewer does change. This way you get the best notion overall.
Counterargument?: "I don't believe in Critics, just test the games yourself".... Well no, I don't have time for that, other than specific franchised like Zelda, Mario, Red Dead, etc.. which are guarenteed . Critics have helped me discover strange games that I would have never tried otherwise like Animal Well just recently or even Persona Games. On the other hand it has saved me from trying games that looked great on trailers/surface and apparently where trash

A Pokemon Direct just ~1 Month prior to the Switch 2 Direct makes it almost irrelevant imo..
No game for the Switch 2 will be announced, although Z-A should be backwards compatible ofc.
I think that by the time of it's release the new Console will be around the corner/released. And GameFreak has not done anything in the last decade to disserve a now considered "previous gen" game to be bought full price.

@sketchturner Honestly Expecting another direct prior to that one? No chance I think.
The April one is the one that should have been muuuuuuch soooner.

Really sad for all those affected by these measures.
Not much else to say, Ubisoft has been downhill for a long time now.

@Ogbert not wanting to be overly pessimistic but point by point on your answers:

• Never expected PS5 Pro, PS4 Pro at best. But doesn't the shown MK look like it could be run on the current Switch? Which was already underpowered 8 years ago compared to other consoles. Just saying not impressive, and impressive is what the first showcased game should aim for.
• Of Course they are not going to say Drift Issue solved, but on the 0:44 mark of the video they show/tease it as just being the same getting bigger. If it is using Hall Effect tech they would have ways to tease it in that kind of video without telling.
• Agree, but it was expected and announced that they would be leaked in CES2025. Nothing should have stopped them from releasing this video at least one weak before and problem solved.
• Yep not on them. Agree. Just saying it was a let down. If one year ago they said that during this fiscal year they would show the new system, and 2 months prior to the end of said fiscal year the only thing shown is a tease and date for when the System will be properly showcased without even a Release Date Range (at least give me the quarter) then people are expected to be dissapointed.
• I hope the same, but anyways these connectors caused distrust around the web with a lot of articles already about it. At first sight it doesn't look like their best. Maybe they are perfect, but just another reason for the noise around the video.

All in all I think we are on the same page at the end. A little flat presentation but I will buy it for sure, know their IPs are the important thing and hope that it is not just a new WII U.

@Qwiff Agree. But sadly MP4 looks as "weak" too. It's trailer showcased last year also didn't look that next-gen. Because it was built to be played on the current Switch too, don't think it will look impressive on the Switch 2 either. Probably this will hold it back.
Sadly I kind of agree with @FantasiaWHT, looking like a Switch 1.5 with one of the smallest innovative leaps we've seen between Nintendo Consoles.... And after 8 years.
Hope I am wrong