Haywired

Rabbids? Why? I didn't think they were still remotely popular. Or have ever been remotely popular in Japan. So it would seem very odd.

As their lowest selling handheld I can understand them trying to squeeze every last sale they can out of it. But, after 6 years, I'm ready to move on. Switch (and Switch Mini in the future) should have it all covered.

Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color
(fair enough)

Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy Micro
(fair enough)

Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo DSi XL
(alright steady on)

Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS, New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, New Nintendo 2DS XL
(Jesus...)

It's just Nintendo eeking the last few drops of life out of an aging console. It's an odd one (mainly because there have already been so many 3DS redesigns), but not hugely surprising I guess. I don't think people should look into this as proof of Nintendo's future commitment to the 3DS line. The Switch and Switch Mini will have it all covered.

Now we know why the NES Mini was pulled. They had to divert production resources to a thousand more 3DS redesigns.

My initial reaction was "this is ridiculous. How many different versions of the 3DS to they need to bring out? Just let it die already." But then, I am a sucker for white and orange... Godammit...

Finally, the 3DS gets a redesign...

Why not sort the NES Mini debacle out (and the millions of sales they left on the table for some reason) first before even thinking about a SNES Mini.

@olrodlegacy
Yeah, people forget, the Gamecube had pretty decent third party support. Back then, it was almost a given that most of the big multiplatform games would be on Gamecube, even when it was failing. Would kill for that kind of support again.

A SNES Mini would be cool at some point, but I can't see them releasing it during the Switch's first holiday season. Plus maybe they could sort the NES Mini situation out first before thinking about a SNES Mini.

@Sinton
Yeah exactly. "for now", "when production is resumed", and from the American statement "this year". Suggests that this may not be a permanent end.

It's so popular Nintendo has just announced that they'll be discontinuing it next month.

So you have a product that's just come out and is unbelievably popular and your response is to err... stop making it...?

With Switch, amiibo, and NES Mini, I'm wondering, does Nintendo manufacture their products in Miyamoto's garage or something?

I'm going to cling on to the words "this year" as a positive sign.

As usual my response is a mixture of:

Yay more amiibo!
and
Oh god, more amiibo...!

They're a collectors' dream and nightmare rolled into one. I can't even get hold of any of the last Zelda ones they released (well not for non-scalper prices anyway). It's hard to keep up.

Blimey. Kirby gets milked more than Mario.

None for me as I have them on Wii U. Perhaps a fixed Star Fox Zero would be nice, but then they'd probably just shove in some other motion/gyro nonsense instead so many not.

I guess companies are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Make it too different and you upset the fanbase and mess with a winning formula... Make it too similar and it lacks newness and innovation... I've been just as guilty of this myself; I thought some recent Mario games were a bit samey, but then was critical of Mario Odyssey for looking too different, ha.

Perhaps a problem for Nintendo is that, in recent times, their new consoles haven't been a huge graphical leap, which can always help to add the impression of newness.

I don't really think it's an issue. Long-running video game franchises are almost always going to be basically the same thing rehashed with a few tweaks and a new lick of paint, and that's fine.

Nice, but not hugely surprising given the lack of alternatives.

You can have original, innovative Zeldas and traditional Zeldas together. Just like you had Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros.

I seem to remember being constantly told how important and integral and what an incredible innovation having a map and inventory, etc. on a second screen was (with some even making ridiculous statements like they "can't go back to playing games without it"), so it's odd that without such things it apparently makes absolutely no difference. Was that all just Wii U shilling then?

Seems like a nonsense excuse. The hat is iconic and therefore is cool.

Oh, so you can't save game data to the game card itself (like with DS/3DS games)? I thought that was one thing cards/carts always had over discs? Piracy reasons maybe?

The full message was going to be: THX2ALLGAMEFANSFORBUYINGSUCHANEXPENSIVECONTROLLER

@ThanosReXXX
I think the Xbox One controller says "Hello from Seattle" or something like that hidden on it.

Regarding the "should've been a pack-in" stuff, why would you want a 6/10 game as the leading flagship pack-in title of your new console?

@starman292
"I'm not going to lie I was absolutely terrified it wouldn't feel like a Zelda game. But right from the get go it really does but in a different environment." Good to hear as I was worried about that too.

1. Ocarina of Time
2. Wind Waker
3. Twilight Princess
4. A Link to the Past
5. A Link Between Worlds

Sounds great.

Though, it's funny how last generation the reviews here kept trying to convince us about how "essential" and "integral" and what a "game-changer", etc. having the map and inventory on a second screen was (.....?) Yet, without it; totally not an issue, not even worth mentioning. So I guess not that essential after all then...

@NIN10DOXD
put [im g] before the url and [/im g] after it. But without the spaces.

No problem for me. Perfectly fine solution for touch screen based games. 1-2-Switch can't be played in handheld mode (as far as I'm aware), so there's already precedent for such things.

As a long-time Nintendo gamer this doesn't disappoint me personally as I can wait for it, but I think the Virtual Console is such a huge asset for Nintendo that they should really make the most out of. You need only look at the popularity of the NES Mini to see how much of a strong suit their back catalogue is. Hopefully when it does arrive they make a big deal out of it.

Phantom Hourglass...?!

Maybe you could rent one mini-game a month...!

Shouldn't they have added the rest of the gen 1 Pokémon that aren't Pidgey and Rattata before adding all the gen 2 ones?

"We really wanted players to be able to explore this world again... but with Link wearing a Nintendo Switch T-shirt"

Seriously though, Bill, we all know the sole reason DLC is created, you don't need to make up an excuse that it was for creative/design reasons... We get it.

Why are you so obsessed with showcasing the wacky controllers, as if that's the key to the Switch's success? I hope Nintendo isn't as still stuck in this Wii U mentality.

"As it stands, the Switch out of the box has little to showcase its concept." But I thought the concept of the console is that it's a home console that doubles up as a handheld. Surely it doesn't need a specific game to showcase this concept. In fact 1-2-Switch would do a pretty bad job of this as it doesn't double up as a handheld game (plus, 1-2-Switch becoming the Switch's defining game would just create the perception of "another silly casual waggle console" among gamers and developers which wouldn't help the Switch's image).

Will definitely be getting those amiibos, they look great. Undecided about getting the game itself, they seem to be milking Fire Emblem a bit at the moment.

I'm surprised this is still a thing... After enduring the last 10 years of the worst controlled games I've ever played thanks to motion control, I thought we'd be finally climbing out of the swamp by now. Instead it's like 2006 all over again and waggle's being repackaged as if it's a brand new, exciting, innovative feature (except now we know better). That first Switch trailer seems a long long time ago.

Kind of depressing... but then naive to think that Zelda would be sacred from such things. Though with regular DLC and amiibo DLC, getting the full, complete version of a Nintendo game is becoming very expensive.

Also, Aonuma-san, you don't need to make up an excuse for "why you decided" to come up with DLC. We all know the reason DLC exists, we're not idiots.

I suppose you have to admire Nintendo's optimism in regards to the number of 1-2-Switch parties that will ever actually exist in real life.

@Folkloner
No, I agree. The over-emphasis of 1-2-Switch is worrying. I don't mind the existence of the game, but I sure as hell don't want the Switch to be defined by that experience (especially at launch). It could easily shape the perception/image of the console among gamers and developers in a damaging way, making it look like a joke. These ads are in danger of becoming too much like "Hey remember that Wii waggle thing you all got bored of 10 years ago? It's that again!"

Do we know why these poor people don't actually have any arms yet? It's kind of creepy. Like a colourful version of Bio Freaks or something...

Yeah I don't think there'll be a 3DS successor. Instead I think they'll be a smaller, portable-only Switch Mini of some sort. I remember shortly before he passed away, Iwata hinting that there would be a more iPhone/iPad-type relationship between consoles going forward. In that they play all the same games, but they're just in slightly different forms. I certainly hope that's the case because I think that's such a beautifully streamlined and elegant solution. Plus now that Nintendo has mobile, I think a separate home console and handheld, with separate libraries, eShops, etc. plus mobile on top of that would be spreading themselves way too thin and be exhausting for everyone.

Why are you trying to convince us to be excited about motion controls again? Are you hoping that we've been living on a different planet for the past 10 years? I was excited about motion controls in 2006. I then had to endure the next few years of the worst controlled games I've ever played. Forgive me if I can't get excited again.

That 1-2-Switch munching guy is like the new Ravi Drums...

It's painfully clear that they really want 1-2-Switch to be a Wii Sports-esque social phenomenon, but, while I'm sure it's not bad, I think they're clutching at straws with this.

I'm just so glad it's not the pack-in game though. Thus hopefully preventing it from becoming the defining Switch game (as the launch pack-in game tends to do), and shaping the perception/image of the console among gamers and developers as Wii Waggle Party Shovelware 2.0 from day one.

I doubt there'll be a 3DS successor (in terms of form/branding, etc.) I think there'll be a portable-only Switch Mini of some sort. I remember shortly before he passed away, Iwata hinting that there would be a more iPhone/iPad-type relationship between consoles going forward. In that they play all the same games, but they're just in slightly different forms.

While I still fear the "we're desperately trying to recapture the Wii" stuff, which I worry people will at best; see straight through, at worst think; "I hated the Wii, I don't want another one". But generally it seemed OK and was fairly balanced.

Ridiculously milked franchise in sales decline shocker.

Would love to see it on the Switch.