HexagonSun

I understand why key cards are a thing. Third party games are huge compared with Nintendo first party games. Cartridges are expensive. It makes sense for luring more third party games to Switch 2.

I'm glad that at least Nintendo themselves are keeping their games physical. If I'm honest, Nintendo's exclusive games are why I buy Nintendo systems. Third party has always been icing on the cake with Nintendo consoles.

I do hope that Nintendo picks up publishing for some of the bigger third party releases. Final Fantasy VII Remake comes to mind. I'll get it either way, but key cards are definitely going to affect my purchasing habits for Switch 2. I won't be so ready to gamble on a third party game as I was on Switch 1.

Definitely still playing Switch while trying to wait patiently for the Switch 2 to release. I just did a handheld playthrough of Earthbound. Now I'm replaying Paper Mario TTYD. I'm also playing Majors Mask on 3DS and Mother 3 on my Analogue Pocket.

I can't wait to get my hands on a new Nintendo system. Eight years is a really long time for Nintendo. The Switch has been a great console, but I'm ready for an upgrade.

I can't say I really understand the technical specs at all, but Switch 2 seems like a huge leap in power from the OG Switch. As a mostly Nintendo only gamer, I'm very impressed with what I've seen so far.

Nintendo opted to go with fast loading physical media so you don't have to install every cartridge to the SSD. It's too bad that it's expensive enough to push 3rd party developers towards key cards and codes in a box. If they only knew that collectors, like myself, are willing to pay extra for complete cartridges.

At least it looks like Nintendo 1st party software will be available complete on cartridge. Hopefully, boutique shops like Limited Run will offer third party software complete on cartridge.

As of now, I just have cartridges for Mario Kart World and Cyber Punk preordered. I want to pick up Yakuza, but I'll wait and see if it comes to cartridge later on. That seems like something Limited Run would do.

I've had NSO+ since it started, too. No invite email yet. I really just want it for the GameCube controller, at this point.

Thankfully, I've got my Switch 2 preorder secured from Walmart.

Good luck to everyone who wants a preorder!

I'm glad to see that at least Nintendo is releasing it's games on cartridge still. As it stands I've got the standard Switch 2, and physical copies of Mario Kart World and Cyber Punk preordered for launch.

I'm sure I'll buy key cards, but it's sad to see most third parties skipping a full cartridge release of their games.

I'm a collector and I hate dealing with limited storage for downloads. This means I won't be making as many third party purchases for Switch 2. I'm not going to miss the games I really want, but I doubt I'll be buying nearly as many games on Switch 2 as I did for Switch.

I'm hopeful that Limited Run will do full physical cartridges of the games I really want. I'll also be checking Play Asia for regions that get full physical cartridges. I'm willing to pay more for a complete game on a cartridge.

I still have my launch day Switch and launch Switch OLED. They're both in excellent condition. I wouldn't trade in either. They'll be worth far more than what GameStop is offering in years to come. I have over 200 physical switch games. Keeping them is an investment in my gaming future. I keep all my systems and games. I have every Nintendo system, sans the virtual boy. I like owning my games. It seems like it won't be long before that's a thing of the past.

I was luckily able to get a preorder on Walmart.com. I also preordered Mario Kart World on cartridge. I'll be getting all my fist party software on cartridge when possible. I plan on getting CP 2077 and Donkey Kong soon after.

@AG_Awesome I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps, a joycon attachment, like infrared sensor, could be released for additional accuracy. We can only hope. I miss pointer controls.

I wonder if the app allows for real GameCube controllers hooked up with the official adapter. I'll end up picking up the wireless NSO controller. Still, it would be nice to have that option, as I already have several GameCube controllers.

What we have here is a Gameboy to Gameboy Color situation. I never expected anything radically different. It looks like a solid upgrade and I'll be there for it day 1.

I don't understand all the complaints. The Switch has been a fantastic console. Why reinvent the wheel?

The mouse functionality adds new gameplay. That's probably not the only surprise, but even if it is, Nintendo shouldn't stray too far from a winning formula.

I'm looking forward to the full reveal and I can't wait to see what new games will be shown off.

I'll be doing my best to get one at launch. I've never missed the launch window of a Nintendo system. I just hope they give me a chance to buy the console directly from Nintendo's online store. All current NSO subscribers should get a chance to get one without having to deal with scalpers.

I still play the GBC version periodically. It's supposed to be the best version of the game, so I wonder how this remake will stand up against it. I'll definitely pick it, but I don't know what to think about the visual style yet.

I love Twin Snakes. I still play it on my GameCube once a year or so. I keep my PS3 still hooked up mainly for MGS4. It would be great to have both of these on the Switch successor, but I'm not holding my breath.

My investment in my retro collection seems to be paying off more and more all the time.

I can't imagine Nintendo charging $500 for a game system with the economy the way it is. Even $400 is pushing the envelope. Nintendo has always done well keeping their systems affordable.

Personally, I don't really care if the Switch 2 is only a marginal step up in power.

The Switch is like the modern equivalent of the original Gameboy. An affordable handheld with modest power, incredible library and excellent battery life. It shouldn't have to compete in terms of power.

I just want a Gameboy Color equivalent. Several small improvements will do. It should still be an excellent portable. Steam deck may be way more powerful, but it pays for that power at the cost of size and battery life. Simply put, it's not as good at being a handheld game system.

I just hope Nintendo takes a page from it's past and makes the Switch successor enticing without asking too much from the consumer. Ultimately, that just comes down to the games. Power is becoming more and more redundant with each generation. Having must play exclusive games seems far more indicative of success. The Switch has already proven that.

I've got a RetroUSB AVS, Analogue Super NT, N64, GameCube (with Super Gameboy), Wii U, PS3 and Switch all hooked up to my 50" 4K TV.

I thought that was pretty cool. This guy's got me beat. Thankfully, I don't have to mess with any flip-switches. My HDMI splitters automatically detect which system is running and display it.

It's cool to see a prototype of one of my favorite systems.

I'm still a huge fan of the GameCube. Thanks to some wonderful HD adapters, mine still remains hooked up. I play it often, as there are still many favorite games still exclusive to the system.

In many ways the GameCube represents the peak of videogames for me.

I have cartridges for most of these systems in abundance. NES and SNES (NA) are the easiest to browse through. They're all fun and satisfying to use, though.

As much as I love N64, the cartridges can be a bit of a pain to browse. Same with all of the Gameboy systems.

There's nothing like booting up your favorite games just as they were intended to be played when they released.

Not just cartridges, but disks too. I love GameCube disks as much as my cartridges.

I'm excited for a new Nintendo console, but I'm also very happy with the Switch. I still have a ton to play on it. Hopefully, backwards compatibility is a thing for the next system.

Either way, I have a heart condition that requires I have the latest Nintendo creation in my hands as soon as it's made available. I hear my condition could be fatal, but I've been lucky so far.

For a moment, I thought these were My Nintendo rewards. I was about to rush over and spend all of my platinum coins trying to get them all. It's too bad. I have a decent amount of coins saved up. They've had some pretty cool keychains here in the states. I still love my N64 box art keychains. Oh well. As much as I want them, I doubt I would be willing to spend whatever scalpers are charging for them.

I've always been a Nintendo first sort of gamer. I used to have PlayStation as a secondary console until I felt it lost me with the PS3 (still have it hooked up for Metal Gear).

I started collecting all of the classics again instead of having a secondary new console. I never looked back. I still play classic Nintendo games from the NES all the way through the Wii U. With the wealth of FPGA consoles and fantastic HD adapters, I can play all of these on my 4k TV in much the same way I played them in years past.

As a result, I play as many classic games as I do new ones, so I'm not too fussed about so called dated graphics or archaic gameplay. It's all still relevant to me.

I still play through games like Super Mario Bros. 2, Shadowgate, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy II (SNES), Mario 64, OoT, Super Monkey Ball, MGS Twin Snakes, HotD 2 & 3 and many more regularly.

I still love the classics. Many of them hold up very well.

With all of that said, I can understand why some gamers don't have the patience for older games. Different strokes.

Forgetting the price, it's easily a 9 for me. For the life of me, I can't understand why the first one wasn't included. It would of made the full price feel justified. It only needed to be a straight port. I guess my GameCube copy will still be getting playtime.

Still, the full game is on the cartridge and it's a good HD makeover. One for the collection.

It's hard for me to think of the GameCube as "retro", but it's more fitting than a ten year old indie game.

Obviously, Shovel Knight is iconic. That's not the same thing.

I'm a sucker for remastered Nintendo games on Switch, so I'll definitely be picking it up. I never did play though till the end on 3DS.

It seems like a missed opportunity that the original wasn't included with this or at least released on the eShop. The 3DS port was inferior, so it would have been nice to have it on Switch with all the other GameCube ports/remasters. Guess I'll just have to boot up the old GameCube when I want to play it. Still, it would have been nice to have the trilogy on Switch.

Having both versions now, I think there's no wrong way to play this stone cold classic. My only caveat with the Switch version is that I couldn't get the nostalgic tunes badge fast enough. The original soundtrack remains definitive, in my book.

The remastered graphics look great on Switch, but I'm still just as happy to play the GameCube version. I get why Nintendo chose to update the graphics. To the uninitiated, TTYD might as well be a brand new game. It's aged that well!

I'm really glad that a new generation gets to enjoy one of my all time favorite RPGs.

Now remaster Chibi Robo, Nintendo! It deserves another shot.

I have the original GameCube version and play through it once a year, or so. Still picking this up for the added convenience of portable play. It will be interesting to compare the two. TTYD aged very well.

As someone who owns and plays through the original on my GameCube fairly often, I can tell they put a lot of work into overhauling the graphics. Everything looks wonderful. Not that I had a problem with the original.

Only time will tell which version is truly better. I'll definitely be picking this up for the portability factor alone. It will be interesting to see which version will be definitive for me ten years down the road.

For me, it's Mario 64 (the N64 original). It set the template for nearly every 3D action game that followed it. Provided you play it with an N64 controller, it holds up surprisingly well. It's one of the few games I play through at least a few times a year.

When it comes to Mario, all of the mainline games are so good. It's hard to find much fault with any of them. It remains one of my favorite series since I got my NES as a kid.

I'm not too fussed about it, as I still have the original SNES version to play on my Analogue Super NT. It's still the same fantastic game it was in the 90's.

I would definitely take an hd-2d remaster, but I wouldn't want a full remake like final fantasy vii. I still enjoy my turn based battles.

I'm playing Mario Golf Toadstool Tour on GameCube and Advance Tour on my Analogue Pocket. Truly, Mario Golf at it's best.

I also just started a playthrough of Earthbound on my Super NT. Still one of my all time favorite JRPGs.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

As much as I've enjoyed N64 games on NSO, I'm much more excited about the Analogue 3D than any new games coming to the service.

Up until now, I've had my N64 fix on a combination of NSO and my N64 hooked up via an Eon Super 64. The adapter works well enough for expansion pak games. NSO takes care of the rest, mostly.

It will be nice to have the entire catalog of N64 games playable on my 4K TV. I love my other fpga clone systems. They've brought new life to my collection that I no longer have space for keeping the original systems hooked up to a CRT.

I'm mainly playing Dragon Warrior III on my Analogue Pocket and Chrono Trigger on my Super NT. Playing a bunch of smaller games on my RetroUSB AVS. Super Mario Bros, Pinball, Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong Classics.

Clearly, I'm in a retro mood. I haven't hardly touched my Switch for a week. Just enjoying the classics.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊

I'm in a retro mood right now. I'm mostly playing Dragon Warrior III GBC on my new Analogue Pocket. I'm also playing Castlevania Double Pack GBA and Wario Land GB.

When I have time for playing on the TV, I'm playing the odd NES or SNES game. Games like the original Castlevania, Super Mario Bros 2 and Final Fight.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful holiday!

I couldn't agree with this article more. It's one of the many reasons why I find the N64 original to be the definitive version of OoT. As much as I love the 3DS version for it's mesmerizing 3D effect, too many of the puzzles were dumbed down. Every achievement in the original felt well earned and contributed to the feeling of being on an epic adventure.

For those who haven't experienced the original, I highly recommend the NSO expansion with the official N64 controller. The game was built around the N64 controller, so I wouldn't recommend playing it with anything else. I can't wait to play it on the Analogue 3D when it releases.

I love OoT. I play through it a couple of times a year. In every way that matters, it still feels like a modern game. Graphics have since gotten more detailed. Game worlds are much larger. But, the core of what makes a modern 3D game great is all accounted for in OoT.

Mario 64 and OoT became the DNA of modern action adventure games. Things like precision movement in a three dimensional space, free camera control, locking onto enemies, interesting exploration and engaging combat had their beginning in games like these and others.

Because of this, there will always be a place for the originals. Unfortunately, because of the uniqueness of the N64 controller, these games are often misunderstood by those who try to play them with a modern controller. For that reason alone, a remake would have its place as well.

Younger gamers should experience the magic that influenced nearly every 3D action/adventure game to follow. Whether that means sprucing up the graphics and adding QoL features, or remaking the game from the ground up is debatable. I trust that no matter what happens, Nintendo would treat a project like that with the greatest of care.

As a collector, I'll hold onto my launch and OLED Switch consoles. My gaming is split between playing new games and my retro collection. I have a setup that allows me to play every Nintendo console game and Gameboy/Color/Advance on my 4k TV. Whether or not Switch 2 is backwards compatible, I'll be playing Switch games for years to come.

I started coming here way back in 2007. I didn't sign up and start commenting until 2011. Thank you NL for many years of entertainment and information. There truly is a great community here. I hope I'm enjoying NL for years to come.

Even though I have the entire series, including the NES games, GBC game and Twin Snakes, I can't help but get this on Switch, despite the shortcomings. I've wanted Metal Gear on Switch since day one. As it is, this collection will be relegated to mostly portable play. It will be nice to not have to dig out my PSP to play MGS portably or my 3DS to play Snake Eater portably. When all is said and done, the Switch collection will be the best way to play these games portably. I'm sure they'll look great on the OLED screen.

My first portable was the DMG in '89, so I was a young adult when I picked up the Gameboy Color. I remember playing a lot of Wario Land, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and Dragon Quest. Great little system. My biggest memory with all the Gameboys before the SP was finding that perfect spot near a lamp that illuminated the game without causing glare. Nostalgic to recall, but I'm glad those days are over. I have back light modded Gameboy systems, a Super Gameboy and a Gameboy Player for replaying those games now.

I couldn't be more excited for this. N64 is notoriously difficult to get a good picture on anything but a CRT. I have mine hooked up with an Eon Super 64 adapter and it works well enough. Compared to my other HD solutions (AVS, Super NT, Retrobit Prism) it's still lacking. I've been waiting for FPGA tech to catch up to the N64 for years. Will definitely be picking this up.

I sure hope it is backwards compatible. I have hundreds of Switch games. I would really hate to start from square one with a new console. Switch is just large enough for me not to want to carry it and the successor console at the same time. I want access to my library without having to dust off another system. It would be a foolish move on Nintendo's part, because I would be hard pressed to buy any of these games again. I hope you're wrong about this one.

This is one of my favorite GameCube games. I will happily double dip to be able to play it portably. Looks like the graphics got some sprucing up too.

That's great news! I've been thinking about picking a couple of these mod kits up. I have a couple of N64 controllers with worn out joysticks. I already have two official NSO N64 controllers, but I'd like to have a full set of four for multiplayer games. The expansion pass really is a great service if you love N64. But perhaps, more than any other system, N64 needs an original controller to be fully appreciated. With the limited stock of NSO N64 controllers, it's really nice to see a good alternative.

I wish more games followed this design philosophy. Too many incomplete games are being pushed on consumers nowadays. Not to mention, the ideas seem to flow better when the developers aren't being pushed to meet deadlines.

I can't wait for Wonder. It looks like it's going to be full of surprises and great fun.

Just Major's Mask on NSO at the moment. It still holds up so well. Fantastic game. I'm about halfway through, so I'll be playing awhile longer.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

These previews have me excited for Wonder in a way I haven't been since reading previews for Super Mario World in Nintendo Power. Modern 2D Mario has always been solid with quality content, but despite "New" being in the title for so long they haven't really felt like new experiences. More like retreading past glory. It's about time Nintendo brings some innovation and creativity to 2D Mario again.

I thought Wonder looked great! I'll definitely be picking it up day one. The original SMB is what really got me into gaming and Nintendo so many years ago. It's awesome that Nintendo is still doing new things with 2D Mario. Unlike a lot of modern games, Mario is still about pure fun. It's a shame to see so many are disinterested just because it's a side scrolling platformer. It looks like a lot of creativity went into Wonder.

I really wish they would have included Twin Snakes, but at least I still have my GameCube for that. Still really looking forward to being able to play these games on Switch. I've been waiting for nearly seven years now.

My N64 is hooked up to my 4k TV via an Eon Super 64 adapter. Still, NSO is the best way to officially play N64 games on an HD TV. That is, provided you have the official wireless N64 controller. I have two. The emulation is leagues better than the Wii or Wii U Virtual console ever was. One of the advantages of the subscription model is that it gives Nintendo an incentive to continuously improve it. We never really owned VC games anyway. Best to just get an actual N64 and cartridges if you really want to own them. I'm still holding out hope that Analogue will eventually make an FPGA N64 clone.

If it reviews well, I'll preorder the physical edition. I never got a chance to play this game when it originally released. I have the sequel on my laptop, but I haven't had a chance to put much time into it.