Comments 533

Re: UFO 50 Gets A Surprise Shadow Drop On Switch Today

Hwatt

I have this on Steam and while I’ve only played approx. 10 games, a few really stood out to me.

Ninpek is probably my favourite. It’s essentially an old school side scroller like Ninja Gaiden on NES. It doesn’t try to do anything super unique or revolutionary, but the execution is done so well. It’s tough but not cheap.

On the opposite spectrum, Party House is quite unique and isn’t akin to any NES game I’ve played. It’s more roguelike/ deck builder and it’s quite deep.

I don’t think I’ll double dip but if I had the choice today, I’d opt for Switch over Steam.

Re: Nintendo Sends Out Second Game-Key Card & Physical Game Survey

Hwatt

Physical

Pros:

  • Game can be easily resold
  • Game can be easily playable offline in most circumstances,
  • Game does not use significant internal / external storage
  • Games can be purchased used or on sale at various retailers vs. platform locked store
  • Not tied to a user account (can be shared easily)

Cons:

  • Usually requires a day-one patch or if multiplayer, a constant online connection to play
  • Additional time, effort to swap games
  • Games carts can get lost or damaged
  • Load times can be slower vs. digital on internal storage
  • Requires travel or delivery to purchase (carbon footprint, fuel, time)
  • Some game cards don’t contain significant content on card, and require large downloads for assets

Digital

Pros:

  • Can be pre-loaded or downloaded immediately upon release
  • Easily swap between multiple games on one account and/or console
  • Load times may be faster vs. physical version if installed on internal storage

Cons:

  • Requires network connection at minimum to initially install or play
  • Cannot be resold
  • Cannot be easily shared between accounts or friends
  • Possibility access to the game could be lost or revoked if servers go offline, preventing downloads

Both physical and digital have their place but when we’re talking key cards… I just see more cons than pros.

Still requires additional storage, still requires a connection to download, still a possibility, albeit low today, you would not be able to download it if servers go down etc. At least they can be resold or bought used, which is their one saving grace.

If they were, let’s say $5 or $10 USD cheaper than a physical cart with the game installed on it, like CP2077, the conversation would be different.

I’m not 100% against them but I’d rather go digital than key cart if those were my only two options and if they're the same price. Just for the convenience.

Re: UK Charts: No Prizes For Guessing Who Overtook Donkey Kong Bananza This Week

Hwatt

@SBandy1 I appreciate the reply and I agree it’s best not to necessarily worry about it, but I do like to be aware of what a company is doing before buying their products.

Personally, if I see a trend towards practices I don’t support, I’ll certainly vote with my wallet.

It’s no different than Microsoft. I’ve had a Series X for a few years (Diablo IV bundle that was on sale). I barely boot the console and have no desire to buy games for it or have Gamepass given all of their shenanigans. Hardware price increases, layoffs, trying to follow Nintendo with $80 game prices, extremely disturbing behaviour (military contracts), and probably the most unclear vision I have ever seen from a company. Those are just a few examples this past year…

Re: UK Charts: No Prizes For Guessing Who Overtook Donkey Kong Bananza This Week

Hwatt

Anyone else catch how Mario Kart 8 still beat a new release?

This is particularly why I am critical of Nintendo’s strategy with Switch 2. More concretely, understanding they’re in a financially, excellent position, it makes me more critical of: game pricing, NSO offerings (example: vaulted Wind Waker HD), price increases like the one Canada is scheduled to receive in a few days etc., adoption of advertised technology like VRR and Nvidia DLSS, on going legal battles, patents, and more.

I have suspicion that the Switch 2 generation won’t be as competitive (corporation fighting for value for the consumer) in comparison to the Switch 1. Just a gut feeling…

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (26th July)

Hwatt

🎶 DK - DONKEY KONG 🎶

I’ve just made it to SL400 last night. Approx 10 hours in.

I have about 150 bananas, which seems absurd this early in the game. I’m not actively trying to clear each surface level (SL). I’m just finding myself wanting to explore and in doing so, I end up collecting majority of the collectables.

On average I’ve noted I’ve grabbed about 80% of the items before I moved on, and it was all natural. I am curious what the post game will be like.

P.S. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing “BA NA NA”

Re: Rumoured Plants vs. Zombies Remaster Potentially Releasing On Switch This Year

Hwatt

I’m good with my original versions. If this rumour is true, I really don’t see why this should be $20 in 2025.

On a more positive note, Peggle / Zuma / PvZ… a really good time on 360 arcade. I really loved that age when indies were just getting the spot light and prime real-estate on the Xbox store. Limbo, Braid, Rez HD, Pacman Championship DX, Fez, Hexic HD, Undertow, Shadow Complex etc. I could go on all evening

Re: Zelda: BOTW & TOTK Are "Transformative" On Switch 2, Says Digital Foundry

Hwatt

@sixrings I believe NL, and most media sites, will write articles to encourage engagement, clicks, discussions. Doesn’t mean that they’re “clickbait” as some may state but the previous article about DK was written, in my view, out of context. The full video from DF demonstrated a lot of praise for the game.

Either way, it’s best we [the community] avoid generalizing. I don’t believe the community actually flip flops that hard, and the vocal minority rarely represents how most feel. Why NL rushed that article is beyond me, but it reminds me to take its best to check multiple sources to help form an opinion.

I watched the video and refrained from commenting on that article. I also went to buy the game after watching that DF video…

Re: Zelda: BOTW & TOTK Are "Transformative" On Switch 2, Says Digital Foundry

Hwatt

Short story warning: I didn’t have NSO before Switch 2. I was conflicted if I should buy it with or without the expansion pass, to get these upgrades.

I realized I will probably rarely, if ever use majority of the features in the expansion. The only thing I was immediately interested were these upgrades and I know I play Zelda over years at a time. So I opted for NSO (basic) and the TotK upgrade. I booted it up first without the patch download for some context, then I immediately exited, downloaded, and jumped in and the difference was huge!

I think it ultimately was too expensive because it tacked on features I don’t care about, but the performance and resolution uplift made it feel like a substantial upgrade over the original Switch version.

I’ll eventually get the BotW upgrade, but since I didn’t finish TotK on Switch 1, I am excited to finish the back half of my adventure in Switch 2 glory.

No surprise DF gave it a positive review. The proof is in the pudding!

Re: Borderlands 4 On Switch 2 Will "Mostly" Run At 30fps

Hwatt

Maybe my bar is low but Borderlands 1 & 2 on 360 ran at 30fps, and had dips when you were launching missiles into crowds of flesh, with tears on screen because variable refresh didn’t exist.

30 fps is not something I will advocate for but it’s not the end of the world either, especially for a hybrid console. I do think a 40fps mode would be ideal but Nintendo needs to ensure 3rd parties can enable 120hz for VRR. It’s becoming increasingly worrying that we are not seeing good VRR implementation.

RE: Storage, it’s beating a dead horse at this rate. If there are physical copies without any content on the cart, people will skip. No I am not a purist and need to have this game 100% playable without a patch. I'm simply asking to not allocate 60gb+ of my internal storage when I spend $70 on a physical game. I don’t believe that’s an unreasonable ask.

At the end of the day, I still think this game could be a good fit for the Switch but I am more inclined just to get it on PC if my options are digital or key cart.

Re: Poll: Has Donkey Kong Bananza Made You Feel Ill?

Hwatt

The intro level is very small and forces the camera to break. I found it only went into “underground” mode (camera shades background brown) and provides some distance between the frame and DK consistently when I got to the first world (Lagoon).

When the camera isn’t working correctly, not in underground mode, it’s very tight to DK, and it results in very rapid movement. Which causes me to feel disoriented. I won’t get into my exact eye condition, but I am more susceptible to motion sickness than probably the average person. I play FPS’ just fine and prefer to drive, rather than be a passenger in a car. If that context helps…

I certainly felt it in the intro level and I was a bit nervous to proceed, thinking this game might not be for me. Lucky, once I played more than an hour and got to stretch my legs and found the bigger levels, everything clicked, and I felt fine.

I’ve played the intro level and some of the lagoon world on a 55” C9 OLED. I played the rest on handheld mode. A total of 3-4 hrs of total playtime over two days. I don’t think the handheld screen / slow pixel response is the cause and I am curious how the camera affects others in the intro level…

Re: Mini Review: WaterField Designs Magnetic Case For Switch 2 - Simple, But Brilliant

Hwatt

@Alienfanatic

Agreed. The price pushes it out of reach for me too.

I bought a Super Mario Odyssey case (used) from a collector who had the Mario Odyssey bundle. It’s my favourite Switch game and I love the case design, weight, and pouch. I bought it for $20 CAD ($15 USD).

I’m holding out for a similar case for my Switch 2. A yellow DK case with little bananas would be fantastic… just saying Nintendo!

Re: Mini Review: WaterField Designs Magnetic Case For Switch 2 - Simple, But Brilliant

Hwatt

@Alienfanatic

While I agree it’s a light review, I don’t think this site is prepared to do full, systematic testing and detailed analysis for all these cases.

They feel like more of a pulse check. Is it a scam or a decent product? That’s the vibe I get.

Personally, I rarely take my Switch out of the house. If I do, it’s for flight in my personal item (backpack etc.). I only need a light case to avoid scraping, scratches, and it can carry at least 3 to 5 Switch games.

I like this more mature / adult case. I just think a zipper would be nice for a better seal than this magnet approach, but it’s probably strong enough for their target customer.

Re: Opinion: Honestly, I'm So Glad We Had To Wait For Donkey Kong Bananza

Hwatt

I like the staggered releases but I think an additional first party title on launch day would reduce the urgent need to clear up ambiguity going into the fall and winter.

The context is important because a lot of people have a sizeable backlog and we’re generally not in a software drought. I just feel Nintendo is intentionally starving consumers from Switch 2 games that showcase the capabilities.

I really enjoyed my time with Mario Kart World. However, I won’t congratulate Nintendo from pushing out other titles, both first and third party to make it the only worth while title to justify the cost of a new console.

Re: Sakurai Gives An Update On 'Kirby Air Riders' And Pays Tribute To Iwata

Hwatt

I’m not planning to buy the game based on the merit of Sakurai alone. I do however believe we will see something special.

I will wait patiently and hope the game meets all of Sakurai’s goals.

Smash Ultimate, and the level of dedication to meet their goals to put EVERYONE in was a true testament of his team’s effort.

Really curious how all those learnings shape up a sequel to a game that quite genuinely wasn’t that good. It was fun with friends in one mode, but it really lacked scope and features to warrant full price back in the day.

Re: Poll: How Many Hours Have You Spent In Mario Kart World So Far?

Hwatt

10hrs+

Those hours represent +90% of my game time across all games. So it’s quite a bit for me. Personally, I really love the game. I really like how tracks connect with each other and the modifications to the formula. I am impressed with the open world but wish I could explore with randoms in a Dark Souls kind of way. Meaning players are always present and maybe you could call them in for challenges? Something more cooperative and encouraging exploring the world, together.

I think Knockout Tour is the best mode to justify an online subscription and I really like how out of control it is. The strategy to not stay in first works well there and I love how absolutely absurd it gets on the roads with items buzzing around.

I wish there were some tweaks to let me quickly change outfits and not have them change during a race but it’s a minor grievance. It also took me a while to understand how in a GP don’t typically have 3 laps. I kinda wish you could have both interconnected races and 3 laps. Or at least a hardcore mode that offers that with longer races.

I skipped MK8 / MK8 Deluxe so this entry feels fresh to me. I’d give it a great 8 / 10. If you asked me at launch, I’d give it a 9 but the hype has gone down.

Re: Switch 2 Dock Supports VRR After All, But It Doesn't Actually Work With Console

Hwatt

@Regelion1

It hasn’t been confirmed as a root cause from the chipset. If the system supports VRR and works in handheld mode, there must be more to the story.

My instinct is the Nvidia gsync component / firmware, which has a really wide range of VRR, doesn’t play nicely over USB-C.

When all the other handheld devices, which are AMD, exclusively support the more common and readily available form of VRR, free-sync.

Nvidia GPUs support both free-sync / gsync compatible and g-sync (monitor or display with an Nvidia chipset). I am not sure if this custom Tegra chipset plays the same way.

Someone will like do a deep dive and share with us an answer before Nintendo deploys a patch. Assuming they can…

Re: Furukawa's Defence Of Game-Key Cards Ain't All That Convincing

Hwatt

@kmtrain83

I don’t need everything instantly playable, but at these costs (higher console price, higher game prices), I do expect to have more storage. Especially when, generally speaking, cost for storage continues to decrease.

It’s not sustainable for everything to get so expensive without some additional value.

I suspect demand for 3rd party key cards games sold at retail will stay low at these prices. The market must react accordingly. Why would I buy Yakuza 0 for $80 CAD+, effectively digitally, when I can buy it on Steam for ~$10? General consumers aren’t stupid and only the few niche users who don’t have access to other platforms will be buying old games at full retail price. The outliers will be the Cyberpunks. The developers who put in extra effort and try to get the consumer who is interested in physical (niche) with all the bells and whistles will come out on top, because they understand their customers.

I also expect express SD cards will slowly drop in price by this time next year. Some publishers will react and avoid exclusively publishing key cards (physical). They won’t go away but it surely won’t be the only option at the store. I also expect physical game prices to eventually separate from digital / key cards. It just makes sense with more consumers going digital than ever before. Otherwise, there is very little incentive to buy a key card.

Re: Furukawa's Defence Of Game-Key Cards Ain't All That Convincing

Hwatt

@The_Spanner

No thanks. Nintendo games rarely go on sale and the ones that do only go down 30%.

BotW, Smash Ultimate, Odyssey… I all bought physical and used. Lower price and no tax.

I like buying physical games for the Switch and I like selling games. I don’t buy games exclusively physical and I predominantly play on PC where my entire library is essentially digital but expandable storage is dirt cheap. I’m not spending $200+ CAD for a proprietary SD card today, so I’ll wait a while before considering adding more storage to my Switch 2, which will push me to avoid buying large games digitally.

Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Direct: Every Announcement - How Would You Rate It?

Hwatt

Great! It seems a bit too much like Mario Odyssey, but that’s not a bad thing.

Odyssey was my favourite Switch game but I feel it won’t hit the same. 100% I am going to pick it up and I hope it plays even better than Odyssey.

I love all the banana hype, banana puns, Pauline, I think the DK flair is 100% on point, and I love the music!!

Re: Review: Split Fiction (Switch 2) - Peerless, Visually Stunning Co-op Adventure With Boundless Variety

Hwatt

70GB is ~30% of the system storage. While it’s manageable, I feel it’s a missed opportunity. This should have been a game card and I am surprised that is even at that file size for Switch port.

I may still buy it in the future (digital) when it’s on sale but then I will probably just opt for PC since it’s digital anyway. If it was all on the cart, I’d definitely consider full price on Switch 2…

Re: Random: Watch The Moment A Delivery Man Apparently Chucks A Switch 2 Up A Customer's Path

Hwatt

What a pickle head.

I don’t know about other Canadians but mine came through Purolator. They arrived at 9am! I was already at work, they called, and they refused to leave it at the door (signature required). Whilst I was disappointed I couldn’t get it launch day, I was relieved it was safe and the delivery driver was super nice on the phone.

They came back the next day before 9am, it was packed well too and it came with a generous trial for a meal box program (11 free meals).

Re: Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Carry Case - The Official Option Is A Solid One

Hwatt

Personally, I love the Nintendo first party accessories. For Switch 2, I’ll wait until there are some unique cases.

I have the Super Mario Odyssey case (red) I picked up of local ads for $20 CAD. If I can nab a Metroid Prime 4, DK Bananza, or [Insert new Mario] themed case, sign me
up!

The original Switch case only held 6 carts as well, but the little mesh patch would also hold more carts. So I kept my top 6 in the cart sleeves and whatever else I thought I might play, in the sleeve. Truth is I never swapped that many games in a long commute, like an overseas flight. But it’s nice to have a large variety of games on hand for any occasion!

Re: Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour - Surprising, Delightful, And You Know Where It Belongs

Hwatt

8 is too generous in my opinion considering what you can buy for $10, and diminishes the weight of the rating scale from Nintendolife. I’m extremely skeptical this game at this cost really deserves an 8 when there are so many better games out there for a similar price or less.

I’m not in the camp that this 100% needs to be free to be good, but I believe even at $10 it’s over priced. Max I would pay is $5 CAD ($3 USD) for the novelty and even then I’d hesitate.

The biggest issue I have is the mini game quality is too low for this to be a Nintendo game sold at cost. With so much basic and fun info about the console presented in an inventive way, this really should be free.