Curious that knowing the identity of the developers would create such preconceptions like fear. Personally, if the game is by Nintendo, that's all that matters. When it's the developers behind Mario Odyssey, that should create excitement! If something is handed to an external studio completely, perhaps would I worry. The only real mishap I can think of is F-Zero GX, which simply lacked the quality and nuance of previous games due to Sega's penchant for silliness and gimmicks. Conversely, Metroid Samus Return on 3DS, which was developed by Mercury Steam, worked out wonderfully well.
If I did have a fear about DK Bonanza, it's whether the style of game would interest me. I'm pleased to read that it's beyond mindless destruction and offers a substantial and fun experience. After this review and others, I've decided to buy it.
@sethfranum Dare I say that Nintendo are control freaks! 🤭
I've lamented their notorious behaviour previously, most recently that retro games are locked behind an online subscription. Why not allow the option to buy them? I only want to play a few and don't want to subscribe forever for occasional access. Ultimately, we can only exercise our consumer power, and I cancelled my expanded subscription after 1 year and only returned for F-Zero 99 with the basic subscription. It's set to lapse in October again.
We all know DK Bonanza will be a quality game! The question is whether it will be a game of personal interest. I'm more looking forward to reading about the game than caring about the actual score.
@sethfranum I haven't missed any points at all. If you don't like key cards, the eshop is the alternative. In my initial comment I mentioned that full cards curiously aren't part of the survey, even with the suggestion they cost $10 or $20 more. Therefore it's a moot consideration. There's also obviously no realistic world where two physical options are on the shelf: key card and a more expensive full card. Hence, the topic is key card vs download.
Pricing structure is a separate topic and it's a matter for Nintendo to address because they control it. The RRP is standard across all versions because retailers are crucial partners through bulk purchasing and marketing, and they can't be undercut by the eshop. They simply would not stock the hardware if software sales reduced to a trickle, or would demand a higher profit margin on the hardware. What many don't understand is that the cost saving of a key card means a universal lower price due to the requirement of a standard RRP. Also, that game prices remained relatively stagnant for 20 years is due to the explosion of download sales and the higher margin on those compensating for any declining margin on physical copies.
I get your frustration and personally wish I didn't need to download 50 GB of data for Street Fighter 6 when I inserted the key card. The question is: Would I pay $20 more to avoid that process? No!
The most pleasing part of these quotes is that the developers refer to the respective devices correctly: Switch and Switch 2. I do likewise. Just about everywhere else and everyone else says "Switch 1". Sorry, there's no such thing, nor is the suffix required to avoid confusion!
Edit:
I personally don't believe DK Bonanza was ever intended for the Switch. Development was started there because that was the available device. Very soon the developers knew that more power was required. Whereas with Mario Kart World, Nintendo aspired for a new MK on Switch before switching it to Switch 2.
PS:
I deliberately write "DK Bonanza" so not to deal with auto correction. 🤭
@sethfranum Then buy a key card if easy sharing is so important. That's how I see it: A key card is an easy way to share or sell a download version!
I want to comment in general (not to you specifically) about sharing download versions, especially the restriction to family members. A noted loser at IGN resents that and believes anyone on your friends list (potentially hundreds of people) should be eligible. I ask, in what world, do we share our physical games to that extent? In no world. Generally, it's just our immediate family or within our household. I won't even share with close friends anymore because of prior losses and damage. Therefore, sharing download versions among only your designated family group is not only fair, it's quite generous, and actually makes the download version more enticing because there's no risk of losing the key card.
A final general note, visitors should read the excellent interview on this site about 2 months ago with developers about key cards. It changed my mind about them. One crucial factor, along with the cost savings for everyone, is games don't need to be finished months in advance of the release. It gives them so much more flexibility.
Curious questionnaire in that it doesn't ask if you would prefer to buy regular game cards if it meant paying $10 or $20 more. It seems Nintendo are trying to gauge whether to continue with key cards at all. Remember, cheaper physical games mean cheaper downloads too. That's because the RRP is always linked.
Personally, key cards don't bother me (I bought SF6) and I regard most of the criticism as just the usual internet rage machine where a relative minority of voices get easily amplified and don't represent the vast majority of regular consumers. Much like with the hyperventilating over the Switch 2 prices themselves, ultimately $50 more than hoped for the device and $10 more for comparative games still saw world record sales, not a complete rejection of the Switch 2 that the hysteria would suggest.
At least there's an alternative to key cards: If you don't like them, just buy the download version. Simple!
I bet many games started on the Switch because developers need to keep working. Once Mario Odyssey was released, that team would begin considering the next project and experimenting with ideas, not fooling around elsewhere. I think DK Bonanza was always destined for the Switch 2.
Mario Kart World seemed a different scenario in which it was intended for the Switch before changing to Switch 2 once the developers quickly learned the Switch couldn't cope with the new ideas. MK8D on the Switch then got the 48 bonus tracks as the interim solution.
After major frothing over the slow response time of the Switch 2 LCD screen, I'm surprised the DF crew could even return to playing handheld. Or, is it simply the case all along that diagnostic tools are irrelevant to the user experience. I'm still struggling to see blur even when trying to see it. I guess, when I flick the menu icons across the screen at light speed, then I see something. Then I find it difficult to select an individual icon, so why would I do that? Again, real world experience matters more than geek world tests. Not to say I don't appreciate them! The most fascinating information DF has provided us is the tiny amount of power that the Switch 2 uses versus its quality of output. It really is a technical marvel in that sense.
As suspected, the main desire from the poll is 3 lap races. That's mine too. A second wish is an achievement count in Free Roam. Markers would be cheating the exploration mechanic. We should simply know how many achievements are left to collect and the ones already done (they would be grey or something).
My three other wishes are perennial problems since the N64. 1) A hard mode in single player GP. Clearing all Cups at 150cc in MKW on the first attempt is ridiculous. I won 6 and was second on the other two on my first racing experience. 2) Make many types of kart and character as successful combinations. Seeing everyone in light configurations, which has been the standard exploit since the N64, is ridiculous. For example, dirt or snow courses should give bigger wheels a significant advantage. Tarmac is good for skinny wheels and slicks. Perhaps the online mode should assign a random configuration each race. The tracks are random, so why not the karts? MK DD offered random selection before each split screen race, and we always used it. It adds variety and is a true testament to skill! 3) Reverse Mode. I loathe Mirror Mode and regard it as the worst bonus mode in the history of gaming. Going the opposite direction effectively doubles the track numbers.
Good to see adding friends to lobbies at just 4%. Random online racing is random for a reason: to be random! Imagine you bring 10 of your goon friends in and wreak havoc together. A clown at IGN called Logan froths over this inability every time MKW is discussed without considering the consequences. If you want your friends to race, create a private lobby.
Good to see 200cc rated low too. This is an unnatural mode, so I'm glad most of us reject. Difficulty should be increased by CPU ability, not by faster speeds.
I hoped the Switch 2 would be at least PS4 Pro, and clearly we got at least that. I'd probably call it Xbox S with caveats! Hopefully this ends all the "it's a Switch Pro" nonsense like we hear from the losers at IGN. Clearly it's a full successor of substantial advancement, not some mid cycle side model of moderate improvement that a Pro concept would be. The physical aspects were changed too, like bigger screen and new joycons. Everything was redesigned, which is the trait of a successor.
Personally, the technical specifications and direct comparisons don't mean much. Further optimisation and learning the nuances of the system will see developers exceed the scope of the specifications anyway. I buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games, and just want something of sufficient power, desirability and affordability that will carry Nintendo through the generation.
Early access? If that's paying more to get it a few days ahead of others, that sounds terrible and I'm surprised the internet rage machine isn't at full bore like with key cards.
I still own all the originals and can't remember too much about THPS4. I remember playing game 3 the most. Perhaps I didn't like the changes in 4. I understand making all four games consistent, and this package of 3 & 4 I will probably get when discounted. I didn't realise the games were that old, from the PS2 era (I thought PS3), and pulling that system out to play them again would be a hassle. My PS3 is still connected, so I could use that. Decisions! 🤣🤭
I'm around 20 hours with Knockout Mode only slightly played more than Grand Prix (I include Versus Mode in that too). Definitely an excellent game, with my only gripe being the perennial one of the Grand Prix Mode too easy. I went straight to 150cc and completed them on the first attempt, winning 6 of them (including the Special Cup) and finishing second in the other two. While someone will say there's still two to win, that's not a requirement for game progression and failure should be an option. I want to be seriously challenged and to fail often, and that Nintendo still can't deliver in this simple capacity is ridiculous. Free Roam, while fun, is not an adequate substitute for single player longevity.
A minor gripe is online racing should allow traditional 3-lap races as a selectable option. If the intermission sections were a bit shorter and we got two full laps of a course, not one, I wouldn't be as fussed.
I also loathe Mirror Mode as any sort of bonus option. Reverse Mode should be the bonus as that is a genuine layout change. That you can go in the reverse direction in Free Roam means that Reverse Mode is an easy addition because any necessary track adjustments are done.
The positives are Knockout Mode, some of the intermission sections, and the quality of the new tracks. Bowser Castle, Boo Cinema and DK Spaceport are brilliant. I can't think of a disappointing track. I've even warmed to the revised Choco Mountain. The 24 racers surprisingly don't make MKW too chaotic because recovery seems faster and attacks are still limited to those around you. Against the CPU, the field strings out immensely, so you're effectively only racing six or so others anyway. I appreciate the karts are set types (no fooling around with parts) and the overall feel.
With a few tweaks, easily a 10/10 game. More challenge, traditional 3-lap races online, and an achievement count in Free Roam, would have done that. Reverse Mode would make MKW an 11/10!
@Ogbert I just remembered Metroid Prime 4 is not a Switch 2 game anyway! It's a Switch game that will include a Switch 2 Edition. It's sort of analogous to Zelda BOTW in that sense.
I tried the Arms demo. I never really liked it. I don't like gesture games in general.
Yeah, if you consider it objectively, the Switch and Switch 2 launches are about equal. Nintendo don't really go heavy with launch day releases anyway. They want everyone to buy the marquee launch game, and perhaps a smaller title like Arms. The N64 was probably the last Nintendo console with multiple major releases, including the marquee title of Mario 64, with Wave Race and Pilot Wings the two other major releases. Mario Kart 64 arrived about 2 months later, if I recall.
@Zyph Excellent comment. I never considered that a free game should be something of substance, like a Nintendo Land or even Wii Sports. Of course, these games probably aren't free because I'm sure the consoles are sold at a higher price than ordinarily without the games. It could even simply be, for example, the console is worth $220, so how can we get it to $250. Oh, a "free" game!
I think most of the momentum for Welcome Tour to be free was the Switch 2 was more expensive than hoped, so, damn it, give us a little something to feel like we're winning! Also, once one person suggests it, everyone else follows.
I never thought Welcome Tour should be free. For a "free game", it's rather disappointing. For $10, it's telling you in the price not to expect much.
Looking forward to IGN's apology that the Switch 2 has a weak launch period. A stronger launch day than the Switch when considering third party options, and while the Switch had Zelda BOTW, MK8D and Mario Odyssey in its first 7 months, I'd argue that the Switch 2's Mario Kart World, DK Bonanza and Metroid Prime 4 blitzes it. It does for me!
@Rob3008 That's Nintendo's rule: sell at this price or don't sell at all. The reason is to protect all their retailer partners who buy in huge bulk and help with marketing. That's all undercut if some unauthorised seller sells the Switch 2 cheaper.
Protecting retailers is why games in the eshop sell at RRP too. In fact, in some countries, physical games sold by some retailers are cheaper than the eshop due to these purchasing deals.
The supplier controlling the price is quite normal in the retail sector. Even with discounts, they decide when and the amount, either unilaterally or via negotiation.
The story makes some sense to me, and I'd be surprised if it was completely inaccurate. Knowing how these major retailers operate, they do negotiate deals with Nintendo and with very strict terms so that none get an unfair advantage. Selling cheaper or selling early (as Amazon has done) will obviously be a pernicious act and earn the wrath of Nintendo. At least there's many other purchashing options, so it's not like the consumer is losing.
@Lizuka I agree. Metroid Fusion is so good and overall underrated. Arguably it is better than Super Metroid and only loses status to it because Super Metroid arrived first. That's my personal feeling about both games and why I rate Super Metroid just ahead of Fusion.
@TromboneGamer That's a convenient and ludicrous justification for your nasty reply. At least you admit you were nasty.
Who the hell made you god around here an arbiter of "sweeping comments" and their substance? Then the gall to call me omnipotent is character transference of the worst degree. My claims are 100% accurate. The user experience and reviews bely whatever DF's diagnostic tools say. That's a FACT! PERIOD!!!! Such is your vindictive depth of deception, you can't even quote accurately my claim. The user experience INCLUDES this site's review; it's not the sole factor.
Read it again: "that the user experience universally praises the screen, including from this website's review".
You will have more to say because clearly you're the one with the grievance and agenda. I don't even know you. I can't even recall reading from you such is your insignificance. How dare you to decide what comment anyone make here and attack them with a nasty disposition.
I will now be reporting you for harassment and strongly urge you to use the Ignore feature so you don't see my comments. Now, please, GOODBYE!!!
Edit:
Thank you NL for getting this "TromboneGamer" person off my back and deleting his nasty posts. I see I wasn't the only one attacked. "RasandeRose" and "TanukiSan7x" made similar points to me and were also harassed.
Quote: "the vast (as in V A S T) majority of Switch 2 owners do not see any problem and could not feasibly care less."
Exactly right.
As was my initial point: "people play video games, diagnostic tools don't. These guys [DF] get too hooked up on silly numbers, not the actual user experience that almost unanimously is great."
If you're triggered by obvious facts, just move on.
@TromboneGamer The "sweeping claims" that the user experience universally praises the screen, including from this website's review, are ACCURATE. That you can't accept that does not give you the right to reply with a nasty tone and bluntly say I'm wrong based on a ridiculous aspersion and something I never said. No one deserves that, and then for you to double down adds further insult.
The rest of your rant in your, now, third reply is meaningless and irrelevant. The user experience and reviews bely whatever DF's diagnostic tools say. That's a FACT! That was also my only claim. If you can't handle my honest and articulate comments, please use the Ignore feature and you will never see them again. Now please, finally be respectful and courteous and leave this. We both made our points. It's over.
I bought the GC controller despite no intention to subscribe to the online expansion. I bought it to use as an outright Switch 2 controller! I love the octagonal gates for the control stick because it offers more precise straight line movement, which can be very important at times, and obviously allows for better control in fighting games.
Curiously, I didn't notice any difference in the hand between it and the Switch Pro Controller. Everything felt much in place, including the action buttons despite the slightly different layout. It felt so natural. Both look identical in size to the eye.
My main grievance with the original was the tiny d-pad. This new one seems a smidgeon bigger and definitely feels better than the trash on the Switch Pro Controller. I await a game of Tetris 99 to confirm that!
@The_Nintend_Pedant Thanks for your reply, Costanza! I always enjoy reading your comments because they come from deep thought and are always deferential, even if there's a disagreement in opinion.
PS: Did you say Hi to Elaine for me, and did she say Hi in return? 🤭
@TromboneGamer Sorry, I could not be more right. The user experience is universally glowing about the Switch 2 screen, including the review from this site. They are far more than "fine" with it, so that's a lie. This should not be dismissed because of numbers produced from diagnostic tools by a geek website.
I never said technicalities don't deliver different results. Please don't cast aspersions just because the basis of your reply is fundamentally wrong. My sole point is the user experience belies anything that DF's diagnostic tools say.
@The_Nintend_Pedant DF's numbers obsession is irrelevant to the user experience, which was my broader point. It's like arguing that your lawn is superior because it contains a few more blades of grass. Anyone seriously caring about such nonsense needs to go touch grass. 🤭
Digital Foundary need to learn that people play video games, diagnostic tools don't. These guys get too hooked up on silly numbers, not the actual user experience that almost unanimously is great. To call the Switch 2 screen worse than the Switch in some ways is completely ludicrous. Give both devices to anyone on the planet and they universally say the Switch 2 screen is vastly superior and would unlikely to even notice the supposed inferior aspects.
I doubt key cards are a factor at all. The hysteria about them is primarily from a fringe group of fanatics and get a false amplification online. You look at Fast Fusion, a cheap, quality title in the eshop, and Welcome Tour is selling more. Also, Cyberpunk is fully included on the card and is not benefiting at all.
The other points are more relevant, notably that people bought the Switch 2 primarily for MKW. Cyberpunk, as quality a game it is, is more a niche title. It's expensive too, so consumers, like myself, could simply be waiting. If you're still playing games on Switch, then yes, you will continue that on Switch 2 or even the Switch.
@garfreek Like I said, 7 is based on the review itself. I often read a review and draw my own conclusions!
I might need to increase my score to 8 based on your comments. Very enlightening!
I only ever played Fire Emblem Awakening on 3DS in regard to games of this type. I sensed Bravely Default offered enough similarities that I might have bought it one day. I never did! That this Switch 2 version offers some modern enhancements and tweaks has now got me interested again. 😊
No surprise a nugget would attack my comment about key cards, cut it up, ignore half of it, and go on an unhinged rant. Whoever this "sethfranum" is, congratulations on being the lead cab off the clown show rank.
To repeat the FACTS: Key cards are cheaper. Developers admit it. If they use expensive cards, that obviously increases the price on consumers, with the flow on effect that eshop prices would increase as well because a RRP is universal. Bravely Default is consequently a cheap purchase, as is Street Fighter 6.
Download purchases were only "meant" to be cheaper if that was the exclusive place to buy them. If there's a physical option, they cannot be undercut by the eshop otherwise they won't sell and retailers will demand higher margins on hardware or not sell the line at all. These are major partners with Nintendo and the largest ones actually can sell physical games below RRP due to bulk purchasing and marketing. As we see in the PC world, which is probably 99% download, not 50% for Nintendo, prices are higher than ever. An online store is actually a retailer too, so would take a cut just as a physical store would. In Nintendo's case, this cut is probably used to keep all games cheaper. The only way to avoid the middle man is buying direct from the developer.
The increased lead time of a physical release that a key card allows is VERY important to developers. That was the key note I took from the interview on this site a couple of weeks back. It wasn't just about cost.
Whether anyone agrees with or supports key cards is their choice. Buy from the eshop if you don't like them. This is simply the rationale for them.
I've never played a Bravely Default game, so I might try this one.
Edit:
Can we end the hysteria about key cards? They exist. They are staying. Get used to it. If you don't like them, download from the eshop!
Key cards are important because developers benefit by lower costs, which means the consumer benefits with lower prices. Using more expensive cards mean the eshop price would also increase because the pricing must be aligned. Developers also don't need their games completed months in advance of the physical release. The whinging is now as pointless as the "drop the price" insanity.
In split screen, steering assist is always on for players 2 to 4. Same situation as MK8D. It's very annoying to always turn off each session.
Overall, these assistance options are great. I can drop the speed to 50cc and set steering assist and random kids that might be around can be competitive. I just wish single player Cups were a challenge!
Suddenly Nintendo's decision not to make Welcome Tour free makes sense. Enough people are buying and I wouldn't be surprised if it sells 3 million, which is $30 million in revenue.
I don't because it's a dumb affectation to provide longevity to a mode that is devoid of a natural challenge. What point is there to beat the hell out of the CPU racers and then hope you're lucky enough to not be hit by weapons near the end of a race? I have better things to do!
Mario Kart World is 8/10 for me, and potentially 9/10 upon revealing all the nuances and secrets in the game. It will never be a 10 because of the usual flaw with the series.
My main gripe is that, yet again, the single player is utter garbage due to the lack of challenge. I cleared all Cups on 150cc on the first attempt, winning 6 (two were ties for first) and finishing second in the other two. While you can argue "Well, you didn't win them all on first attempt", the point is I should be failing to complete them, and often. It should take at least a dozen attempts to win a Cup on the "hardest" difficulty, not one or two. While winning the Knockout races are more difficult (I'm 0-5 currently), these are mostly a dull procession until the final checkpoint or two because the CPU racers are spread out too far. Why include 24 racers when half of them are quickly tailed off? It's a joke.
The Free Roam I feared was Nintendo's artificial way to extend longevity for the single player. While I'm actually enjoying my time in it and appreciate learning the tricks that can be used in the races, I feel it really is just there as something extra to do, not a key component of the game.
Most disturbing about the lack of challenge in single player is the fix is so easy: add master or fiendish difficulty CPU racers! All this would involve is tweaking the AI parameters already in the game, so it's not even a difficult inclusion. In fact, in multi-player mode there's a "Hard" CPU setting that could be transferred to the single player game.
As for the multi-player mode, no complains there. The choice to select the traditional 3 full laps as a race is welcome, especially for your favourite tracks or for variety from the connected sections. The Knockout mode is extreme fun and, indeed, in split screen, the CPU opponents that make up the rest of the field offer a real challenge, right from the early checkpoints. Again, why not add this sort of challenge in the single player mode?
I'm pleased the kart selection is streamlined from all the parts nonsense, and it appears you can succeed without the usual combination of light character and high acceleration kart. Despite the 24 racers and the barrage of weapons flying around, MKW seems to have a slight tilt in balance towards actual racing over induced chaos by items. Recovery from attacks as notably faster. Courses all seem good, even without fully revealing their secrets and shortcuts yet. The new charge jump move is likely the key behind many of those.
All up, very happy with Mario Kart World. Nintendo needed to try a few different things and all those new additions work well while preserving the ethos of the Mario Kart series.
Note: The $80 price is fine. It's $10 more than Zelda TOTK on the Switch, which is the comparable game, not the $60 ones.
Mario Kart World is a reluctant 8/10 for me. I'm reluctant because I know, in time, when revealing all the nuances and secrets in the game, it will be a 9. It will never be a 10 because of the usual flaw with the series.
My main gripe is that, yet again, the single player is utter garbage due to the lack of challenge. I cleared all Cups on 150cc on the first attempt, winning 6 (two were ties for first) and finishing second in the other two. While you can argue "Well, you didn't win them all on first attempt", the point is I should be failing to complete them, and often. It should take at least a dozen attempts to win a Cup on the "hardest" difficulty, not one or two. While winning the Knockout races are more difficult (I'm 0-5 currently), these are mostly a dull procession until the final checkpoint or two because the CPU racers are spread out too far. Why include 24 racers when half of them are quickly tailed off? It's a joke.
The Free Roam I feared was Nintendo's artificial way to extend longevity for the single player. While I'm actually enjoying my time in it and appreciate learning the tricks that can be used in the races, I feel it really is just there as something extra to do, not a key component of the game.
Most disturbing about the lack of challenge in single player is the fix is so easy: add master or fiendish difficulty CPU racers! All this would involve is tweaking the AI parameters already in the game, so it's not even a difficult inclusion. In fact, in multi-player mode there's a "Hard" CPU setting that could be transferred to the single player game.
As for the multi-player mode, no complains there. The choice to select the traditional 3 full laps as a race is welcome, especially for your favourite tracks or for variety from the connected sections. The Knockout mode is extreme fun and, indeed, in split screen, the CPU opponents that make up the rest of the field offer a real challenge, right from the early checkpoints. Again, why not add this sort of challenge in the single player mode?
I'm pleased the kart selection is streamlined from all the parts nonsense, and it appears you can succeed without the usual combination of light character and high acceleration kart. Despite the 24 racers and the barrage of weapons flying around, MKW seems to have a slight tilt in balance towards actual racing over induced chaos by items. Recovery from attacks as notably faster. Courses all seem good, even without fully revealing their secrets and shortcuts yet. The new charge jump move is likely the key behind many of those.
All up, very happy with Mario Kart World. Nintendo needed to try a few different things and all those new additions work well while preserving the ethos of the Mario Kart series.
Edit:
The $80 price is fine to me. It's $10 more than Zelda TOTK on the Switch, which is the comparable game, not the $60 ones. Nintendo were a bit unfortunate, or remiss, not to have more marquee titles late in the Switch cycle to get consumers adjusted to $70 games. Perhaps Metroid Prime 4 should have been one early this year. Then $80, or $10 more, for the big marquee titles on Switch 2 would be more palatable. Even in terms of publicity, I would have announced the new benchmark prices in advance, and the rationale for them. As usual, Nintendo left themselves in a hole, at least in perception. Reality is that the consumers have lapped up the Switch 2 and MKW, even considering that MKW was $30 off in the bundle.
@chanimpa Exactly! The Switch 2 is a generational leap. To call it an "iterative upgrade" is a massive sleight, if not an insult!
@DonkeyKongBigBoy Thanks! I'll try turning off adaptive brightness. I was thinking perhaps brightness might be something to check because the screen fails compared to all the anecdotal reports, like yours. 😊
@The_Nintend_Pedant @AussieMcBucket We never used "iterative" in this context of successors, only within the cycle like the red box and OLED Switch upgrades, which IGN also refer as iterative. Nintendo even refers to the Switch 2 as a successor, just like a PS5 is to PS4. In this context, an "iterative upgrade" suggests a minor upgrade when it clearly isn't. You can't say the red box Switch is an iterative upgrade (primarily just a better battery) and then do likewise with Switch 2. It's nonsense. IGN were humiliated with their Switch Pro hoax and now they'll do anything to portray the Switch 2 is really one. Of course, smart people like us know it's no half-baked, mid cycle, side model. It's the complete and legitimate successor!
PS: I like your new user name, Costanza. Say Hi to Elaine for me. 🤭🤗
I can't even view my images on Switch because it crashes. I believe one file must be corrupted and that causes the error. I've been meaning to transfer to a computer to help resolve the problem.
@Jack_Goetz About the TV going black, I experienced that several times in Mario Kart World in split screen mode. Single player was fine, as was Fast Fusion. As others suggested, it's some sort of connection issue and potentially related to variable frame rate or HDR. I'm yet to fully diagnose, so changing your HDMI port is the first thing to try. Then switch off HDR. Make sure you're using the cable supplied with the Switch 2, too.
I said some months ago the entire Xbox handheld future would be about convergence with PC and an optimised Windows OS, and here it is. The device looks impressive, and I do worry about the cost! A talking head from IGN speculated $800 for the top model and $400 for the bottom. Personally, subtract $100 and add $100, respectively.
Yes, no need for Nintendo to be worried because it won't play Nintendo games, and the cost will be a deterrent. These are almost two entirely different markets, and the only company to be concerned is the one behind the Steam Deck. Unless its next model uses the optimised Windows OS, it's over. We thank them for creating the market, at least!
I don't know how IGN can call the Switch 2 an "iterative" upgrade. It's a monumental upgrade. They would never use such a word for PS3 to PS4 to PS5, etc. I guess IGN, being one of the key pushers of the Switch Pro hoax, are still stuck in that mentality and just can't let it go. The Switch 2 ain't some mid cycle side model of moderate improvement. It's a fully legitimate and powerful successor. Accept it, and move on.
As for my personal opinion about the Switch 2, I'm loving everything about. A substantial improvement in every way, as you'd expect from a successor. My only quibble is the LCD screen, as much as it is a high quality screen, is a notable drop when coming off my OLED TV.
All I care about is the d-pad. The Pro Controller's was a disaster and why Nintendo just don't put the SNES one on these controllers is mystifying.
Edit:
I won't be buying one any time soon! At best I'll wait for a themed version or a different colour that strongly appeals, and at least a small discount!
Now confirmed why Welcome Tour wasn't free. Enough people will buy it! Even if just 1 million sales, that's $10 million in revenue. If only Nintendo would make their retro games available for sale, they would get even more revenue! 🤭🧐
As a veteran of the Street Fighter series (except for SF5), I appreciate the modern option for the controls. It does make life simpler and without compromising the series' renown fighting purity.
My only real gripe is the tiny text, which notoriously can be seen in the tutorial. Our screens are bigger than ever yet the text gets smaller and smaller. Ridiculous.
I've given it a serious burn. Warning! If you're experienced and go into a single player mode at 100cc, you will be bored as hell. My big hope for MKW was it be an actual challenge in single player, hence, the dip into 100cc.
The big allure of MKW is the Knockout Mode online. It's crazy sh1t! First race I reached one checkpoint for 18th place. Failed the first checkpoint the next 2 races. Then finished 6th. Nintendo dumped online cups after MK DS because people would quit before completion by restarting their DS. I sense Knockout Mode is part of the solution to give players a longer series of races, not just to add a different mode, as much as it's a great addition. Racing single races over and over following MK DS got a bit stale.
Following from the underwhelming tease in January, there's a definite dusty sheen to the graphics. Whether that's "realism" or not, MKW simply doesn't pop like MK8D. It could even be the LCD screen because Fast Fusion did not seem that vivid either. Games might pop better on my OLED TV. Otherwise, everything is super smooth and fast.
The return tracks are quite different, notably Choco Mountain. Lots of choc and less boulder chaos. Peach Beach from GC is point to point. DK Pass, again, the snowball section up the hill is not chaotic. I demand danger!
The speed is really on! Even at 100cc, I noticed it. I suspect all engines got a 25cc boost. At 150cc, I could barely get around Airship Fortress. There seems a greater racing edge to MKW overall and, with 24 racers, recovery from attacks is fast. Very rarely was I stationary being pounded and pounded, and loving it! Yes, I did love that multiple pounding. The wild swings from exhilaration to despair are the classic hallmarks of MK. In MKW, you get that more from the numbers of racers that suddenly can jump ahead or fall behind you, not from chaos.
Against the CPU is a joke. I started at 100cc for the first cup and won it in my sleep. Same with the knockout race. 150cc on the second was a much greater challenge, even if I still just won.
I haven't even seen the Free Roam Mode.
If I could make one change, it's that the connecting sections were shorter and we got two full laps of the circuit. Mind you, it is exciting reaching the circuit and punching out that final, complete lap. Your mind really clicks into gear as you know the real race is actually on!
Overall, MKW is a winner. There's enough new stuff and courses to keep players engaged, and probably still a lot to uncover. Just don't expect to be blown away on first impressions.
The Switch 2 is as its name literally dictates: More of the same! Just like Sony does with its consoles, the Switch 2 is a direct successor with obviously a huge leap in power and a whole lot more nicer and refined. If you love your Switch, you will love your Switch 2.
@Medic_alert @fabiotc @Dev-N @Yalloo
Games are all transferred as virtual cards. On the home screen, those there will start downloading the game data. Click each tile to stop the download!
All my save data is still on Switch (and transferred to Switch 2). Note, you can transfer specific save data to another Switch/2 at any time, if something is missing on one.
I'm keeping my Switch going at present so only want Switch 2 games on Switch 2. I clicked the tile for MKW and selected Download First.
Comments 1,678
Re: Review: Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) - Absolutely Smashing, But Can It Beat Mario Odyssey?
Curious that knowing the identity of the developers would create such preconceptions like fear. Personally, if the game is by Nintendo, that's all that matters. When it's the developers behind Mario Odyssey, that should create excitement! If something is handed to an external studio completely, perhaps would I worry. The only real mishap I can think of is F-Zero GX, which simply lacked the quality and nuance of previous games due to Sega's penchant for silliness and gimmicks. Conversely, Metroid Samus Return on 3DS, which was developed by Mercury Steam, worked out wonderfully well.
If I did have a fear about DK Bonanza, it's whether the style of game would interest me. I'm pleased to read that it's beyond mindless destruction and offers a substantial and fun experience. After this review and others, I've decided to buy it.
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
@sethfranum Dare I say that Nintendo are control freaks! 🤭
I've lamented their notorious behaviour previously, most recently that retro games are locked behind an online subscription. Why not allow the option to buy them? I only want to play a few and don't want to subscribe forever for occasional access. Ultimately, we can only exercise our consumer power, and I cancelled my expanded subscription after 1 year and only returned for F-Zero 99 with the basic subscription. It's set to lapse in October again.
Re: The First Review For Donkey Kong Bananza Is In
We all know DK Bonanza will be a quality game! The question is whether it will be a game of personal interest. I'm more looking forward to reading about the game than caring about the actual score.
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
@sethfranum I haven't missed any points at all. If you don't like key cards, the eshop is the alternative. In my initial comment I mentioned that full cards curiously aren't part of the survey, even with the suggestion they cost $10 or $20 more. Therefore it's a moot consideration. There's also obviously no realistic world where two physical options are on the shelf: key card and a more expensive full card. Hence, the topic is key card vs download.
Pricing structure is a separate topic and it's a matter for Nintendo to address because they control it. The RRP is standard across all versions because retailers are crucial partners through bulk purchasing and marketing, and they can't be undercut by the eshop. They simply would not stock the hardware if software sales reduced to a trickle, or would demand a higher profit margin on the hardware. What many don't understand is that the cost saving of a key card means a universal lower price due to the requirement of a standard RRP. Also, that game prices remained relatively stagnant for 20 years is due to the explosion of download sales and the higher margin on those compensating for any declining margin on physical copies.
I get your frustration and personally wish I didn't need to download 50 GB of data for Street Fighter 6 when I inserted the key card. The question is: Would I pay $20 more to avoid that process? No!
Re: 8BitDo's 'Pro 3' Controller Boasts Magnetic ABXY Buttons And A Charging Dock
I'm vehemently against the ability to change the button labels. Microsoft should be perennial punished for not following the standard Nintendo set!
Re: Here's What Donkey Kong Bananza Looked Like On Switch 1
The most pleasing part of these quotes is that the developers refer to the respective devices correctly: Switch and Switch 2. I do likewise. Just about everywhere else and everyone else says "Switch 1". Sorry, there's no such thing, nor is the suffix required to avoid confusion!
Edit:
I personally don't believe DK Bonanza was ever intended for the Switch. Development was started there because that was the available device. Very soon the developers knew that more power was required. Whereas with Mario Kart World, Nintendo aspired for a new MK on Switch before switching it to Switch 2.
PS:
I deliberately write "DK Bonanza" so not to deal with auto correction. 🤭
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
@sethfranum Then buy a key card if easy sharing is so important. That's how I see it: A key card is an easy way to share or sell a download version!
I want to comment in general (not to you specifically) about sharing download versions, especially the restriction to family members. A noted loser at IGN resents that and believes anyone on your friends list (potentially hundreds of people) should be eligible. I ask, in what world, do we share our physical games to that extent? In no world. Generally, it's just our immediate family or within our household. I won't even share with close friends anymore because of prior losses and damage. Therefore, sharing download versions among only your designated family group is not only fair, it's quite generous, and actually makes the download version more enticing because there's no risk of losing the key card.
A final general note, visitors should read the excellent interview on this site about 2 months ago with developers about key cards. It changed my mind about them. One crucial factor, along with the cost savings for everyone, is games don't need to be finished months in advance of the release. It gives them so much more flexibility.
Re: Uh-Oh! It Looks Like Donkey Kong Bananza Is Already Out In The Wild
Coming soon: All games will require an initial online connection to work to ensure the game can't be played earlier than its scheduled release. 🤭🧐
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
Curious questionnaire in that it doesn't ask if you would prefer to buy regular game cards if it meant paying $10 or $20 more. It seems Nintendo are trying to gauge whether to continue with key cards at all. Remember, cheaper physical games mean cheaper downloads too. That's because the RRP is always linked.
Personally, key cards don't bother me (I bought SF6) and I regard most of the criticism as just the usual internet rage machine where a relative minority of voices get easily amplified and don't represent the vast majority of regular consumers. Much like with the hyperventilating over the Switch 2 prices themselves, ultimately $50 more than hoped for the device and $10 more for comparative games still saw world record sales, not a complete rejection of the Switch 2 that the hysteria would suggest.
At least there's an alternative to key cards: If you don't like them, just buy the download version. Simple!
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza, Like Mario Kart World, Was Initially Planned For Switch 1
I bet many games started on the Switch because developers need to keep working. Once Mario Odyssey was released, that team would begin considering the next project and experimenting with ideas, not fooling around elsewhere. I think DK Bonanza was always destined for the Switch 2.
Mario Kart World seemed a different scenario in which it was intended for the Switch before changing to Switch 2 once the developers quickly learned the Switch couldn't cope with the new ideas. MK8D on the Switch then got the 48 bonus tracks as the interim solution.
Re: Video: Switch 2 And Steam Deck Face Off In Cyberpunk 2077 Benchmark Test
After major frothing over the slow response time of the Switch 2 LCD screen, I'm surprised the DF crew could even return to playing handheld. Or, is it simply the case all along that diagnostic tools are irrelevant to the user experience. I'm still struggling to see blur even when trying to see it. I guess, when I flick the menu icons across the screen at light speed, then I see something. Then I find it difficult to select an individual icon, so why would I do that? Again, real world experience matters more than geek world tests. Not to say I don't appreciate them! The most fascinating information DF has provided us is the tiny amount of power that the Switch 2 uses versus its quality of output. It really is a technical marvel in that sense.
Re: Feature: Three Laps, Two Players, One Vegas Jumpsuit - 10 Things We'd Love To See Added To Mario Kart World
As suspected, the main desire from the poll is 3 lap races. That's mine too. A second wish is an achievement count in Free Roam. Markers would be cheating the exploration mechanic. We should simply know how many achievements are left to collect and the ones already done (they would be grey or something).
My three other wishes are perennial problems since the N64.
1) A hard mode in single player GP. Clearing all Cups at 150cc in MKW on the first attempt is ridiculous. I won 6 and was second on the other two on my first racing experience.
2) Make many types of kart and character as successful combinations. Seeing everyone in light configurations, which has been the standard exploit since the N64, is ridiculous. For example, dirt or snow courses should give bigger wheels a significant advantage. Tarmac is good for skinny wheels and slicks. Perhaps the online mode should assign a random configuration each race. The tracks are random, so why not the karts? MK DD offered random selection before each split screen race, and we always used it. It adds variety and is a true testament to skill!
3) Reverse Mode. I loathe Mirror Mode and regard it as the worst bonus mode in the history of gaming. Going the opposite direction effectively doubles the track numbers.
Good to see adding friends to lobbies at just 4%. Random online racing is random for a reason: to be random! Imagine you bring 10 of your goon friends in and wreak havoc together. A clown at IGN called Logan froths over this inability every time MKW is discussed without considering the consequences. If you want your friends to race, create a private lobby.
Good to see 200cc rated low too. This is an unnatural mode, so I'm glad most of us reject. Difficulty should be increased by CPU ability, not by faster speeds.
Re: Switch Port Experts Share Thoughts About Switch 2's "Raw" Performance
I hoped the Switch 2 would be at least PS4 Pro, and clearly we got at least that. I'd probably call it Xbox S with caveats! Hopefully this ends all the "it's a Switch Pro" nonsense like we hear from the losers at IGN. Clearly it's a full successor of substantial advancement, not some mid cycle side model of moderate improvement that a Pro concept would be. The physical aspects were changed too, like bigger screen and new joycons. Everything was redesigned, which is the trait of a successor.
Personally, the technical specifications and direct comparisons don't mean much. Further optimisation and learning the nuances of the system will see developers exceed the scope of the specifications anyway. I buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games, and just want something of sufficient power, desirability and affordability that will carry Nintendo through the generation.
Re: Round Up: The First Reviews Are In For Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4
Early access? If that's paying more to get it a few days ahead of others, that sounds terrible and I'm surprised the internet rage machine isn't at full bore like with key cards.
I still own all the originals and can't remember too much about THPS4. I remember playing game 3 the most. Perhaps I didn't like the changes in 4. I understand making all four games consistent, and this package of 3 & 4 I will probably get when discounted. I didn't realise the games were that old, from the PS2 era (I thought PS3), and pulling that system out to play them again would be a hassle. My PS3 is still connected, so I could use that. Decisions! 🤣🤭
Re: Poll: How Many Hours Have You Spent In Mario Kart World So Far?
I'm around 20 hours with Knockout Mode only slightly played more than Grand Prix (I include Versus Mode in that too). Definitely an excellent game, with my only gripe being the perennial one of the Grand Prix Mode too easy. I went straight to 150cc and completed them on the first attempt, winning 6 of them (including the Special Cup) and finishing second in the other two. While someone will say there's still two to win, that's not a requirement for game progression and failure should be an option. I want to be seriously challenged and to fail often, and that Nintendo still can't deliver in this simple capacity is ridiculous. Free Roam, while fun, is not an adequate substitute for single player longevity.
A minor gripe is online racing should allow traditional 3-lap races as a selectable option. If the intermission sections were a bit shorter and we got two full laps of a course, not one, I wouldn't be as fussed.
I also loathe Mirror Mode as any sort of bonus option. Reverse Mode should be the bonus as that is a genuine layout change. That you can go in the reverse direction in Free Roam means that Reverse Mode is an easy addition because any necessary track adjustments are done.
The positives are Knockout Mode, some of the intermission sections, and the quality of the new tracks. Bowser Castle, Boo Cinema and DK Spaceport are brilliant. I can't think of a disappointing track. I've even warmed to the revised Choco Mountain. The 24 racers surprisingly don't make MKW too chaotic because recovery seems faster and attacks are still limited to those around you. Against the CPU, the field strings out immensely, so you're effectively only racing six or so others anyway. I appreciate the karts are set types (no fooling around with parts) and the overall feel.
With a few tweaks, easily a 10/10 game. More challenge, traditional 3-lap races online, and an achievement count in Free Roam, would have done that. Reverse Mode would make MKW an 11/10!
Re: Round Up: The Final Previews Are In For Donkey Kong Bananza
@Ogbert I just remembered Metroid Prime 4 is not a Switch 2 game anyway! It's a Switch game that will include a Switch 2 Edition. It's sort of analogous to Zelda BOTW in that sense.
I tried the Arms demo. I never really liked it. I don't like gesture games in general.
Yeah, if you consider it objectively, the Switch and Switch 2 launches are about equal. Nintendo don't really go heavy with launch day releases anyway. They want everyone to buy the marquee launch game, and perhaps a smaller title like Arms. The N64 was probably the last Nintendo console with multiple major releases, including the marquee title of Mario 64, with Wave Race and Pilot Wings the two other major releases. Mario Kart 64 arrived about 2 months later, if I recall.
Re: Switch 2 Welcome Tour Developer Gets Officially Revealed
@Zyph Excellent comment. I never considered that a free game should be something of substance, like a Nintendo Land or even Wii Sports. Of course, these games probably aren't free because I'm sure the consoles are sold at a higher price than ordinarily without the games. It could even simply be, for example, the console is worth $220, so how can we get it to $250. Oh, a "free" game!
I think most of the momentum for Welcome Tour to be free was the Switch 2 was more expensive than hoped, so, damn it, give us a little something to feel like we're winning! Also, once one person suggests it, everyone else follows.
I never thought Welcome Tour should be free. For a "free game", it's rather disappointing. For $10, it's telling you in the price not to expect much.
Re: Round Up: The Final Previews Are In For Donkey Kong Bananza
Looking forward to IGN's apology that the Switch 2 has a weak launch period. A stronger launch day than the Switch when considering third party options, and while the Switch had Zelda BOTW, MK8D and Mario Odyssey in its first 7 months, I'd argue that the Switch 2's Mario Kart World, DK Bonanza and Metroid Prime 4 blitzes it. It does for me!
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Pulled Amazon US' Switch 2 Sales After Beef Over "Unauthorised" Sellers
@Rob3008 That's Nintendo's rule: sell at this price or don't sell at all. The reason is to protect all their retailer partners who buy in huge bulk and help with marketing. That's all undercut if some unauthorised seller sells the Switch 2 cheaper.
Protecting retailers is why games in the eshop sell at RRP too. In fact, in some countries, physical games sold by some retailers are cheaper than the eshop due to these purchasing deals.
The supplier controlling the price is quite normal in the retail sector. Even with discounts, they decide when and the amount, either unilaterally or via negotiation.
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Pulled Amazon US' Switch 2 Sales After Beef Over "Unauthorised" Sellers
The story makes some sense to me, and I'd be surprised if it was completely inaccurate. Knowing how these major retailers operate, they do negotiate deals with Nintendo and with very strict terms so that none get an unfair advantage. Selling cheaper or selling early (as Amazon has done) will obviously be a pernicious act and earn the wrath of Nintendo. At least there's many other purchashing options, so it's not like the consumer is losing.
Re: Metroid Fans Rejoice, New Switch Icons Are Now Available Just For You
Too much Metroid is never enough Metroid!
@Lizuka I agree. Metroid Fusion is so good and overall underrated. Arguably it is better than Super Metroid and only loses status to it because Super Metroid arrived first. That's my personal feeling about both games and why I rate Super Metroid just ahead of Fusion.
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
@TromboneGamer That's a convenient and ludicrous justification for your nasty reply. At least you admit you were nasty.
Who the hell made you god around here an arbiter of "sweeping comments" and their substance? Then the gall to call me omnipotent is character transference of the worst degree. My claims are 100% accurate. The user experience and reviews bely whatever DF's diagnostic tools say. That's a FACT! PERIOD!!!! Such is your vindictive depth of deception, you can't even quote accurately my claim. The user experience INCLUDES this site's review; it's not the sole factor.
Read it again: "that the user experience universally praises the screen, including from this website's review".
You will have more to say because clearly you're the one with the grievance and agenda. I don't even know you. I can't even recall reading from you such is your insignificance. How dare you to decide what comment anyone make here and attack them with a nasty disposition.
I will now be reporting you for harassment and strongly urge you to use the Ignore feature so you don't see my comments. Now, please, GOODBYE!!!
Edit:
Thank you NL for getting this "TromboneGamer" person off my back and deleting his nasty posts. I see I wasn't the only one attacked. "RasandeRose" and "TanukiSan7x" made similar points to me and were also harassed.
Quote: "the vast (as in V A S T) majority of Switch 2 owners do not see any problem and could not feasibly care less."
Exactly right.
As was my initial point: "people play video games, diagnostic tools don't. These guys [DF] get too hooked up on silly numbers, not the actual user experience that almost unanimously is great."
If you're triggered by obvious facts, just move on.
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
@TromboneGamer The "sweeping claims" that the user experience universally praises the screen, including from this website's review, are ACCURATE. That you can't accept that does not give you the right to reply with a nasty tone and bluntly say I'm wrong based on a ridiculous aspersion and something I never said. No one deserves that, and then for you to double down adds further insult.
The rest of your rant in your, now, third reply is meaningless and irrelevant. The user experience and reviews bely whatever DF's diagnostic tools say. That's a FACT! That was also my only claim. If you can't handle my honest and articulate comments, please use the Ignore feature and you will never see them again. Now please, finally be respectful and courteous and leave this. We both made our points. It's over.
Re: Review: Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Controller - The Return Of The King
I bought the GC controller despite no intention to subscribe to the online expansion. I bought it to use as an outright Switch 2 controller! I love the octagonal gates for the control stick because it offers more precise straight line movement, which can be very important at times, and obviously allows for better control in fighting games.
Curiously, I didn't notice any difference in the hand between it and the Switch Pro Controller. Everything felt much in place, including the action buttons despite the slightly different layout. It felt so natural. Both look identical in size to the eye.
My main grievance with the original was the tiny d-pad. This new one seems a smidgeon bigger and definitely feels better than the trash on the Switch Pro Controller. I await a game of Tetris 99 to confirm that!
Re: Drag X Drive Switch 2 eShop Price Revealed
Understandable price considering Drag X Drive is really a tech demo masquerading as a game. I have zero interest in it.
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
@The_Nintend_Pedant Thanks for your reply, Costanza! I always enjoy reading your comments because they come from deep thought and are always deferential, even if there's a disagreement in opinion.
PS: Did you say Hi to Elaine for me, and did she say Hi in return? 🤭
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
@TromboneGamer Sorry, I could not be more right. The user experience is universally glowing about the Switch 2 screen, including the review from this site. They are far more than "fine" with it, so that's a lie. This should not be dismissed because of numbers produced from diagnostic tools by a geek website.
I never said technicalities don't deliver different results. Please don't cast aspersions just because the basis of your reply is fundamentally wrong. My sole point is the user experience belies anything that DF's diagnostic tools say.
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
@The_Nintend_Pedant DF's numbers obsession is irrelevant to the user experience, which was my broader point. It's like arguing that your lawn is superior because it contains a few more blades of grass. Anyone seriously caring about such nonsense needs to go touch grass. 🤭
PS: Say Hi to Elaine for me! 🤗
Re: "One Of The Slowest Modern LCDs I've Ever Seen" - Digital Foundry's John Linneman On Switch 2's Display
Digital Foundary need to learn that people play video games, diagnostic tools don't. These guys get too hooked up on silly numbers, not the actual user experience that almost unanimously is great. To call the Switch 2 screen worse than the Switch in some ways is completely ludicrous. Give both devices to anyone on the planet and they universally say the Switch 2 screen is vastly superior and would unlikely to even notice the supposed inferior aspects.
Re: Third-Party Launch Games On Switch 2 Reportedly Sold "Very Low Numbers"
I doubt key cards are a factor at all. The hysteria about them is primarily from a fringe group of fanatics and get a false amplification online. You look at Fast Fusion, a cheap, quality title in the eshop, and Welcome Tour is selling more. Also, Cyberpunk is fully included on the card and is not benefiting at all.
The other points are more relevant, notably that people bought the Switch 2 primarily for MKW. Cyberpunk, as quality a game it is, is more a niche title. It's expensive too, so consumers, like myself, could simply be waiting. If you're still playing games on Switch, then yes, you will continue that on Switch 2 or even the Switch.
Re: Review: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster (Switch 2) - A Solid Refresh For A 3DS RPG Gem
@garfreek Like I said, 7 is based on the review itself. I often read a review and draw my own conclusions!
I might need to increase my score to 8 based on your comments. Very enlightening!
I only ever played Fire Emblem Awakening on 3DS in regard to games of this type. I sensed Bravely Default offered enough similarities that I might have bought it one day. I never did! That this Switch 2 version offers some modern enhancements and tweaks has now got me interested again. 😊
Re: Review: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster (Switch 2) - A Solid Refresh For A 3DS RPG Gem
No surprise a nugget would attack my comment about key cards, cut it up, ignore half of it, and go on an unhinged rant. Whoever this "sethfranum" is, congratulations on being the lead cab off the clown show rank.
To repeat the FACTS:
Key cards are cheaper. Developers admit it. If they use expensive cards, that obviously increases the price on consumers, with the flow on effect that eshop prices would increase as well because a RRP is universal. Bravely Default is consequently a cheap purchase, as is Street Fighter 6.
Download purchases were only "meant" to be cheaper if that was the exclusive place to buy them. If there's a physical option, they cannot be undercut by the eshop otherwise they won't sell and retailers will demand higher margins on hardware or not sell the line at all. These are major partners with Nintendo and the largest ones actually can sell physical games below RRP due to bulk purchasing and marketing. As we see in the PC world, which is probably 99% download, not 50% for Nintendo, prices are higher than ever. An online store is actually a retailer too, so would take a cut just as a physical store would. In Nintendo's case, this cut is probably used to keep all games cheaper. The only way to avoid the middle man is buying direct from the developer.
The increased lead time of a physical release that a key card allows is VERY important to developers. That was the key note I took from the interview on this site a couple of weeks back. It wasn't just about cost.
Whether anyone agrees with or supports key cards is their choice. Buy from the eshop if you don't like them. This is simply the rationale for them.
Re: Review: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster (Switch 2) - A Solid Refresh For A 3DS RPG Gem
Based on the review, I score it 7.
I've never played a Bravely Default game, so I might try this one.
Edit:
Can we end the hysteria about key cards? They exist. They are staying. Get used to it. If you don't like them, download from the eshop!
Key cards are important because developers benefit by lower costs, which means the consumer benefits with lower prices. Using more expensive cards mean the eshop price would also increase because the pricing must be aligned. Developers also don't need their games completed months in advance of the physical release. The whinging is now as pointless as the "drop the price" insanity.
Re: Nintendo Reminds Mario Kart Players They Can Toggle Auto And Smart Controls
In split screen, steering assist is always on for players 2 to 4. Same situation as MK8D. It's very annoying to always turn off each session.
Overall, these assistance options are great. I can drop the speed to 50cc and set steering assist and random kids that might be around can be competitive. I just wish single player Cups were a challenge!
Re: Switch 2's Best-Selling eShop Games So Far
Suddenly Nintendo's decision not to make Welcome Tour free makes sense. Enough people are buying and I wouldn't be surprised if it sells 3 million, which is $30 million in revenue.
Re: Poll: Do You Three-Star-Gold Every Mario World Grand Prix Before Moving On To The Next?
I don't because it's a dumb affectation to provide longevity to a mode that is devoid of a natural challenge. What point is there to beat the hell out of the CPU racers and then hope you're lucky enough to not be hit by weapons near the end of a race? I have better things to do!
Re: Review: Mario Kart World (Switch 2) - The Perfect Introduction To A New Console Generation
Mario Kart World is 8/10 for me, and potentially 9/10 upon revealing all the nuances and secrets in the game. It will never be a 10 because of the usual flaw with the series.
My main gripe is that, yet again, the single player is utter garbage due to the lack of challenge. I cleared all Cups on 150cc on the first attempt, winning 6 (two were ties for first) and finishing second in the other two. While you can argue "Well, you didn't win them all on first attempt", the point is I should be failing to complete them, and often. It should take at least a dozen attempts to win a Cup on the "hardest" difficulty, not one or two. While winning the Knockout races are more difficult (I'm 0-5 currently), these are mostly a dull procession until the final checkpoint or two because the CPU racers are spread out too far. Why include 24 racers when half of them are quickly tailed off? It's a joke.
The Free Roam I feared was Nintendo's artificial way to extend longevity for the single player. While I'm actually enjoying my time in it and appreciate learning the tricks that can be used in the races, I feel it really is just there as something extra to do, not a key component of the game.
Most disturbing about the lack of challenge in single player is the fix is so easy: add master or fiendish difficulty CPU racers! All this would involve is tweaking the AI parameters already in the game, so it's not even a difficult inclusion. In fact, in multi-player mode there's a "Hard" CPU setting that could be transferred to the single player game.
As for the multi-player mode, no complains there. The choice to select the traditional 3 full laps as a race is welcome, especially for your favourite tracks or for variety from the connected sections. The Knockout mode is extreme fun and, indeed, in split screen, the CPU opponents that make up the rest of the field offer a real challenge, right from the early checkpoints. Again, why not add this sort of challenge in the single player mode?
I'm pleased the kart selection is streamlined from all the parts nonsense, and it appears you can succeed without the usual combination of light character and high acceleration kart. Despite the 24 racers and the barrage of weapons flying around, MKW seems to have a slight tilt in balance towards actual racing over induced chaos by items. Recovery from attacks as notably faster. Courses all seem good, even without fully revealing their secrets and shortcuts yet. The new charge jump move is likely the key behind many of those.
All up, very happy with Mario Kart World. Nintendo needed to try a few different things and all those new additions work well while preserving the ethos of the Mario Kart series.
Note:
The $80 price is fine. It's $10 more than Zelda TOTK on the Switch, which is the comparable game, not the $60 ones.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World is a reluctant 8/10 for me. I'm reluctant because I know, in time, when revealing all the nuances and secrets in the game, it will be a 9. It will never be a 10 because of the usual flaw with the series.
My main gripe is that, yet again, the single player is utter garbage due to the lack of challenge. I cleared all Cups on 150cc on the first attempt, winning 6 (two were ties for first) and finishing second in the other two. While you can argue "Well, you didn't win them all on first attempt", the point is I should be failing to complete them, and often. It should take at least a dozen attempts to win a Cup on the "hardest" difficulty, not one or two. While winning the Knockout races are more difficult (I'm 0-5 currently), these are mostly a dull procession until the final checkpoint or two because the CPU racers are spread out too far. Why include 24 racers when half of them are quickly tailed off? It's a joke.
The Free Roam I feared was Nintendo's artificial way to extend longevity for the single player. While I'm actually enjoying my time in it and appreciate learning the tricks that can be used in the races, I feel it really is just there as something extra to do, not a key component of the game.
Most disturbing about the lack of challenge in single player is the fix is so easy: add master or fiendish difficulty CPU racers! All this would involve is tweaking the AI parameters already in the game, so it's not even a difficult inclusion. In fact, in multi-player mode there's a "Hard" CPU setting that could be transferred to the single player game.
As for the multi-player mode, no complains there. The choice to select the traditional 3 full laps as a race is welcome, especially for your favourite tracks or for variety from the connected sections. The Knockout mode is extreme fun and, indeed, in split screen, the CPU opponents that make up the rest of the field offer a real challenge, right from the early checkpoints. Again, why not add this sort of challenge in the single player mode?
I'm pleased the kart selection is streamlined from all the parts nonsense, and it appears you can succeed without the usual combination of light character and high acceleration kart. Despite the 24 racers and the barrage of weapons flying around, MKW seems to have a slight tilt in balance towards actual racing over induced chaos by items. Recovery from attacks as notably faster. Courses all seem good, even without fully revealing their secrets and shortcuts yet. The new charge jump move is likely the key behind many of those.
All up, very happy with Mario Kart World. Nintendo needed to try a few different things and all those new additions work well while preserving the ethos of the Mario Kart series.
Edit:
The $80 price is fine to me. It's $10 more than Zelda TOTK on the Switch, which is the comparable game, not the $60 ones. Nintendo were a bit unfortunate, or remiss, not to have more marquee titles late in the Switch cycle to get consumers adjusted to $70 games. Perhaps Metroid Prime 4 should have been one early this year. Then $80, or $10 more, for the big marquee titles on Switch 2 would be more palatable. Even in terms of publicity, I would have announced the new benchmark prices in advance, and the rationale for them. As usual, Nintendo left themselves in a hole, at least in perception. Reality is that the consumers have lapped up the Switch 2 and MKW, even considering that MKW was $30 off in the bundle.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
@chanimpa Exactly! The Switch 2 is a generational leap. To call it an "iterative upgrade" is a massive sleight, if not an insult!
@DonkeyKongBigBoy Thanks! I'll try turning off adaptive brightness. I was thinking perhaps brightness might be something to check because the screen fails compared to all the anecdotal reports, like yours. 😊
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
@The_Nintend_Pedant @AussieMcBucket
We never used "iterative" in this context of successors, only within the cycle like the red box and OLED Switch upgrades, which IGN also refer as iterative. Nintendo even refers to the Switch 2 as a successor, just like a PS5 is to PS4. In this context, an "iterative upgrade" suggests a minor upgrade when it clearly isn't. You can't say the red box Switch is an iterative upgrade (primarily just a better battery) and then do likewise with Switch 2. It's nonsense. IGN were humiliated with their Switch Pro hoax and now they'll do anything to portray the Switch 2 is really one. Of course, smart people like us know it's no half-baked, mid cycle, side model. It's the complete and legitimate successor!
PS: I like your new user name, Costanza. Say Hi to Elaine for me. 🤭🤗
Re: Random: Transferring Pics From Switch 2 To PC Via USB-C Only Works Via The Bottom Slot
I can't even view my images on Switch because it crashes. I believe one file must be corrupted and that causes the error. I've been meaning to transfer to a computer to help resolve the problem.
@Jack_Goetz About the TV going black, I experienced that several times in Mario Kart World in split screen mode. Single player was fine, as was Fast Fusion. As others suggested, it's some sort of connection issue and potentially related to variable frame rate or HDR. I'm yet to fully diagnose, so changing your HDMI port is the first thing to try. Then switch off HDR. Make sure you're using the cable supplied with the Switch 2, too.
Re: Xbox Officially Enters The Handheld Space, But Nintendo Won't Be Worried
I said some months ago the entire Xbox handheld future would be about convergence with PC and an optimised Windows OS, and here it is. The device looks impressive, and I do worry about the cost! A talking head from IGN speculated $800 for the top model and $400 for the bottom. Personally, subtract $100 and add $100, respectively.
Yes, no need for Nintendo to be worried because it won't play Nintendo games, and the cost will be a deterrent. These are almost two entirely different markets, and the only company to be concerned is the one behind the Steam Deck. Unless its next model uses the optimised Windows OS, it's over. We thank them for creating the market, at least!
Re: Publishers Are "Thanking" Nintendo For Game-Key Cards On Switch 2
@Alcea I said it last Thursday, and I'm happy to say it now, 5 days later: I have zero issue with key cards. 🤣
PS: Rather than another snarky reply, get back to me in 10 years to see if I say it then. 🤗
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
I don't know how IGN can call the Switch 2 an "iterative" upgrade. It's a monumental upgrade. They would never use such a word for PS3 to PS4 to PS5, etc. I guess IGN, being one of the key pushers of the Switch Pro hoax, are still stuck in that mentality and just can't let it go. The Switch 2 ain't some mid cycle side model of moderate improvement. It's a fully legitimate and powerful successor. Accept it, and move on.
As for my personal opinion about the Switch 2, I'm loving everything about. A substantial improvement in every way, as you'd expect from a successor. My only quibble is the LCD screen, as much as it is a high quality screen, is a notable drop when coming off my OLED TV.
Re: Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - A New Benchmark In Comfort And Design
All I care about is the d-pad. The Pro Controller's was a disaster and why Nintendo just don't put the SNES one on these controllers is mystifying.
Edit:
I won't be buying one any time soon! At best I'll wait for a themed version or a different colour that strongly appeals, and at least a small discount!
Re: Switch 2 eShop "Top-Selling" Games At Launch Revealed
Now confirmed why Welcome Tour wasn't free. Enough people will buy it! Even if just 1 million sales, that's $10 million in revenue. If only Nintendo would make their retro games available for sale, they would get even more revenue! 🤭🧐
Re: Review: Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition (Switch 2) - Just One Caveat Holds Back Capcom's Finest
As a veteran of the Street Fighter series (except for SF5), I appreciate the modern option for the controls. It does make life simpler and without compromising the series' renown fighting purity.
My only real gripe is the tiny text, which notoriously can be seen in the tutorial. Our screens are bigger than ever yet the text gets smaller and smaller. Ridiculous.
Re: Review In Progress: Mario Kart World (Switch 2) - The Perfect Introduction To A New Console Generation?
I've given it a serious burn. Warning! If you're experienced and go into a single player mode at 100cc, you will be bored as hell. My big hope for MKW was it be an actual challenge in single player, hence, the dip into 100cc.
The big allure of MKW is the Knockout Mode online. It's crazy sh1t! First race I reached one checkpoint for 18th place. Failed the first checkpoint the next 2 races. Then finished 6th. Nintendo dumped online cups after MK DS because people would quit before completion by restarting their DS. I sense Knockout Mode is part of the solution to give players a longer series of races, not just to add a different mode, as much as it's a great addition. Racing single races over and over following MK DS got a bit stale.
Following from the underwhelming tease in January, there's a definite dusty sheen to the graphics. Whether that's "realism" or not, MKW simply doesn't pop like MK8D. It could even be the LCD screen because Fast Fusion did not seem that vivid either. Games might pop better on my OLED TV. Otherwise, everything is super smooth and fast.
The return tracks are quite different, notably Choco Mountain. Lots of choc and less boulder chaos. Peach Beach from GC is point to point. DK Pass, again, the snowball section up the hill is not chaotic. I demand danger!
The speed is really on! Even at 100cc, I noticed it. I suspect all engines got a 25cc boost. At 150cc, I could barely get around Airship Fortress. There seems a greater racing edge to MKW overall and, with 24 racers, recovery from attacks is fast. Very rarely was I stationary being pounded and pounded, and loving it! Yes, I did love that multiple pounding. The wild swings from exhilaration to despair are the classic hallmarks of MK. In MKW, you get that more from the numbers of racers that suddenly can jump ahead or fall behind you, not from chaos.
Against the CPU is a joke. I started at 100cc for the first cup and won it in my sleep. Same with the knockout race. 150cc on the second was a much greater challenge, even if I still just won.
I haven't even seen the Free Roam Mode.
If I could make one change, it's that the connecting sections were shorter and we got two full laps of the circuit. Mind you, it is exciting reaching the circuit and punching out that final, complete lap. Your mind really clicks into gear as you know the real race is actually on!
Overall, MKW is a winner. There's enough new stuff and courses to keep players engaged, and probably still a lot to uncover. Just don't expect to be blown away on first impressions.
Re: Hardware Review (In Progress): Nintendo Switch 2 - A Faster, Slicker, Sexier Switch
The Switch 2 is as its name literally dictates: More of the same! Just like Sony does with its consoles, the Switch 2 is a direct successor with obviously a huge leap in power and a whole lot more nicer and refined. If you love your Switch, you will love your Switch 2.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 System Transfer: How To Move All Games, Saves, Profiles From Switch 1
@Medic_alert @fabiotc @Dev-N @Yalloo
Games are all transferred as virtual cards. On the home screen, those there will start downloading the game data. Click each tile to stop the download!
All my save data is still on Switch (and transferred to Switch 2). Note, you can transfer specific save data to another Switch/2 at any time, if something is missing on one.
I'm keeping my Switch going at present so only want Switch 2 games on Switch 2. I clicked the tile for MKW and selected Download First.