Online needs to be retooled. My main gripe with Splatoon was the map rotation system. Let us pick the mode and map when we play with randoms, let us chat with strangers or at the very least our friends. It's not like Nintendo can't afford dedicated servers with us having to soon start paying for online.
Little disappointed with initial returns on the new hardware, not seeing a leap in visuals for a "next gen" system, hybrid or no. Splatoon not being at least 1080p or at the very least implementing a rudimentary form of AA is concerning to say the least.
On the positive side the game was a lot of fun but I hope they do away with the map rotation system from the last game as it was frustrating to have no choice in mode or map unless you happened to have a lot of friends online.
I'd say the 3ds has been more or less coasting since the end of 2015 and needs to be quietly retired within the next year or two. Switch needs all of Nintendo's energy focused on it until third parties decide to start bringing retail releases to it.
Launch has been a success but it's interesting to see the lack of first party releases before e3 that aren't just ports of Wii U titles. Nintendo has been in the dark with both 3ds and Wii U for about a year and some change and I'm surprised they don't have more for a console they need to succeed. To say nothing of the fact we're back to using friend codes and the online (with no voice chat) and eshop are as barebones as can be.
Nintendo released a system that is about 3-4 months away from being "complete" in my eyes so I hope they improve on the issues and announce plenty of first party titles as third parties are currently not on board just yet.
I'm sorry but as someone who watched a lot of videos at the X1 chip there isn't going to be majorly impressive coming for the Switch. It's still basically strong enough to play "definitive" editions of PS3/360 era games (Trine 2 for example) but it's not going to be putting out anything the Wii U couldn't do without some tweaking.
As a handheld that's perfectly acceptable performance but as a system that Nintendo wants us to use like a traditional home console it's too weak and more of a side grade than a true upgrade which after 4 years is disappointing.
I'm starting to wonder how much of the Switch's frame drops are due to lack of optimization for new hardware, it was a Wii U title after all and how much of it is due to the fact the Switch isn't actually that much stronger than a Wii U. It makes sense given the Wii U is dead and buried and the mobile market is all Nintendo really has left if I'm being completely honest outside of course the core contingency of Nintendo fans whose numbers have dwindled I'm sure. Mario Kart 8 is 1080p with 0 AA which tells me the Switch is stronger than the Wii U but not enough to implement even a basic form of AA.
Worrying to be sure, but not totally unexpected given the Switch is a handheld you can hook up to your TV despite the claims Nintendo is marketing the Switch as a home console a la ps4 and one when it doesn't come close to matching either and is really a marginal upgrade over the 4 year old system it replaces.
I'd imagine Nintendo is letting the 3ds slowly die off and is content to launch mediocre games in the mean time to "nudge" people to pick up a Switch. Fire Emblem is about the only quality game to look forward to this year first party wise and it's clear that they've moved on. To develop what I can't be sure but 2016 wasn't exactly overflowing with first party releases as well
Third party support for the Switch is key to its success and I have to say it seems like it's going to be Wii U all over again. There hasn't been much announced that's exclusive to the Switch and the current slew of indies are mostly ports of games that have been out for a year plus in some instances. To say nothing of the total lack of any AAA third party support exclusive or multiplat.
As a day one purchaser of the Switch I'm content with Zelda but I'm not looking to double dip on Mario Kart and Lego City so outside of those games there isn't much announced and the lack of indies has been troubling to say the least.
I understand it doesn't really all tie in to this article but it certainly is worrying and worth watching.
Nintendo bias is strong here, friend codes are an archaic relic from Nintendo's past that needed to go the way of the dodo. Regardless if it's one way it's the only feasible way to add friends right now and I have no idea why you can't add people using their NNID which is also absent from the Switch right now.
Also, the lack of games at launch is appalling no matter how you try to rationalize it. At launch if you're dropping major coin to pick up a system there needed to be more than Zelda and a few overpriced indie titles that have been available on other systems. In addition there's isn't a major first party release that isn't a port coming within the next 3 months which is very concerning on the heels of a console Nintendo constantly forgot to make games for. It's as valid a complaint as any.
For a company that had been pretty much pulling back on Wii U support since 2015 and the 3ds since 2016 given all the ports I'm shocked the Switch line up is so mediocre. Wonder what Nintendo has been doing in the past 2 years, there should've been at least another key Nintendo IP available a time launch and it seems they're repeating the same 1 new game every 2 months or so like the Wii U. Call me jaded but this is rather concerning
Nintendo really needs things to boost consumer confidence in the Switch. Most people are going to be done with Zelda in a couple weeks leaving them almost a month plus without much else to play until Mario Kart 8 provided it's a title they're interested in. Splatoon 2 seems to be a summer release which imo is too far away, it could have easily been a launch title or releasing when Mario Kart 8 comes out.
While the games announced look pretty good the Switch is looking a lot like the Wii U early on in terms of notable releases and that's something they will have to rectify.
For 300 bucks Nintendo is already putting themselves at a precarious position and offering less features than their cheaper competition isn't a wise business move. Hopefully Nintendo adds things like Netflix and such later as they are very important in this tech-focused world we live in. Dedicated gaming consoles are nice but people have been convenienced with do-it-all devices for quite some time and not having apps is a huge misfire given the premium price.
I'm still not convinced the Switch is 100% ready to go unless Nintendo reveals a lot more information about the system before launch. If there online is an "in progress," deal at launch it's confirmed they weren't ready to go but wanted to avoid having to compete with Scorpio later this year.
I wish they would've waited a few months and launch in May when Mario Kart 8 and possibly Arms are finished. The game lulls that plagued the Wii U are still present at least at the start and that's rather troubling as most people agree that the Wii U had a game problem in terms of variety and quantity.
$299.99 with basically just Zelda is a tough sell. I don't think 1-2 Switch is really the "next big thing," Nintendo thinks it is, and I wouldn't be surprised if it bombs. The rest of the titles are ports or games that they are charging way too much for, the aforementioned 1-2 Switch is about 20 dollars more than it should be, honestly it should be a pack in, and Bomberman is a $19.99 eshop game they are charging full price for.
Switch will sell well at launch because it's new and has Nintendo on it but the longevity of the system is something to watch as I'm not seeing third parties jump to support this thing outside of indies, which are nice "me too," kind of games but don't really excuse the lack of retail releases.
If this gives Nintendo the kick in the pants to put effort into releasing more older games than so be it. Mother 3, for example, has been held over our heads for the past several years and you know what, I played it last year FOR FREE. I got tired of waiting and if Nintendo is going to showcase so little regard for customers wanting to play its classic titles idc how many people pirate games.
Unless you are morally against ROMs there is very little reason to fork over hard earned money if Nintendo won't even bother keeping the mini nes in stock... or even give us a halfway decent controller cable length.
It's a handheld that can hook up to your tv with an hdmi output on the dock that it comes with. It's made with a mobile chipset and the core of the Switch is in the tablet-portion. The "home console," aspect, as mentioned before, is just a dock with a fan for overclocking (which could be done on the Switch itself if you rooted it or something, for stability purposes its underclocked by default) and an hdmi out. It's not doing any additional work. In addition, 2 of the 3 uses for the Switch according to Nintendo are portable options. It's really clear the device is a handheld but they are marketing it as a home console with portable options because they cannot compete in home marketplace anymore head to head so they've created a niche for themselves.
It's no more a home console than a laptop hooked up to a TV is a desktop, it's all just buzzwords Nintendo is throwing around to create a market. Personally, I'd rather they just market the Switch as, "The Most Powerful Handheld ever," but obviously that would cannibalize 3ds sales but hey, it's more appealing than "underpowered home console that won't be getting any major multiplatform titles once again."
From a tech perspective, it's a handheld. From a design/marketing standpoint, it's a handheld. The only "home console," aspect is a tv hook up. Nintendo can keep calling something that quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, walks like a duck and has the same genetic composition as a duck a swan but it's a duck.
Wii U's last real year on the market was 2015 and even then it was clear by e3 2015 Nintendo was basically done with the console. 2016 we got Color Splash and that was about it of major note. We did get some good indies, ya know, 6 plus months after they had already been out for other consoles, but indies are no real subsistute for Nintendo titles which have always been in short supply for the Wii U. Droughts of 3-4 months between releases were woefully common and honestly I'm hoping the Switch is everything the Wii U wasn't.
Where Nintendo grew the stones to charge $49.99 for 1, 2 Switch is beyond me. It's also extending to other titles as well, I though Bomberman was going to be a $20 eshop title but nope, $49.99 retail release. Seems like Nintendo launching with few games gives them and the third parties the ability to charge way too much for their titles.
I find it telling that everyone who tried out 1, 2 Switch has come to the conclusion that in no way is it worth what Nintendo is charging for it but will stop short of telling it like it is, it's a cash grab that Nintendo in all their misguided ways thought would sell a la Amiibo Festival. This game has the depth of a puddle and will probably be fun for about 2-3 minutes before the novelty quickly wears off. If they were smart they'd include it with a joy con or something so that at least people get some bang for their buck.
Nintendo is woefully unprepared to deal with how the market has changed. These "video game parties," don't really happen anymore and when they do people would rather play something more substantial like Smash or Mario Kart.
Tales of Zestiria was a dumpster fire, honestly I'd rather they give us an enhanced version of Abyss or just port Vesperia over. Would also like an exclusive tales title.
I'm just hoping third parties are actually on board. Claiming to be on board isn't enough for me, there was optimism for the Wii U and we all saw what happened there. Nintendo cannot be the sole provider of games for yet another gen as less and less people are willing to buy a console just for first party stuff. Multiplats matter.
I'm hoping the system is decently speced (at or around xbox one is the bare minimum), priced decently (250-300 if the specs are xbox one level, any less and 250 is the absolute max), has online on par with live or psn with voice chat in ALL games and has a good launch library with at least one solid exclusive. If they got all this I'll be content.
Also hoping the system memory can be expanded as 16 gb per the rumors is still way too low given how big games are getting and if they want that all-important third party support they'll need to make sure you can buy digital versions of their games.
Hoping for some original titles and not just ports during the treehouse. While I fully expect launch Switch to have Zelda and a port of Mario Kart 8, Smash or something (most likely with a few added bells and whistles) I'm curious if they are going to get any third party support as this is the real key for the Switch being viable in the market. Also hoping for some insight on their online functionality as well as I found the Wii U online dreadful compared to even the original Xbox.
Nintendo hasn't really had much of an impact on the gaming market in a long time and I'm hoping the switch can change people's mind.
As a first effort I thought it was fine but the game felt very much like Nintendo wanted players to have 0 control over what they did during their time online. Sure you can change clothes but you can't select your map or mode or even change individual loadouts to suit your playstyle. Not to mention they released the game half-done and basically got a pass.
Online is something Nintendo desperately needs to work on because they have yet to give us a game with the same quality and features as Halo 2 on the original Xbox. (Talking to friends, matchmaking, etc)
I'm cautiously optimistic for the Switch as if it's close to xbox one specs on the go that's a huge win imo. That said, let's talk about the complete dumpster fire that was the Wii U. Honestly I don't know how it could've possibly succeeded as there was, and still is, so much wrong with the system, my problems are:
1. Online infrastructure is a mess- They finally made purchases tied to accounts which is great, however the account is tied to the system so in reality, purchases are tied to a system still. This is archaic and needs to be fixed asap. In addition, online features like voice chat are still not included in any game (don't give me that lobby in mario kart 8 horse crap, it's a garbage compromise). When you have a system with last gen specs and still doesn't have an online as good as ps3/360 you have a problem. Yes, it's free, but so is online gaming on pc which is leagues better.
2. Low specs, lack of hdd space- R&D clearly did not think this system through. Not only was this system laughably outdated at launch they give you a measly 32gb of space to work with. Games like Xenoblade Chronicles had patches upwards of 5gb in size. Nintendo is clearly trying to get us to buy digital with the Nintendo rewards (which are also crap honestly I miss the physical stuff) but they don't give us any space. Sure you can buy a hdd, but at 300 dollars your system better include some space.
3. Overpriced, gamepad never took off- I'll be frank, the gamepad is awful. As a controller it works but as far as a "OMG I've never played a game before where I could do (insert cool gamepad feature here) Nintendo is on to something," it never had anything of the sort and was quietly nixed and relegated to off-tv play and on the low res screen everything looks muddy and washed-out and frankly isn't fun to play. While Nintendoland showed promise Nintendo never capitalized and as such left the gamepad which adds 50 bucks to a system already overpriced. The Wii U is still retailing for 250-300 dollars which is a joke considering you can get a one of ps4 for the same price.
4. Lack of games- How many months was common between releases? 3, 4? And what if you didn't like said game genre, especially platformers because early on that's all the Wii U had so it wasn't uncommon to go a whole year in between releases that were worth a pick up. Nintendo never bothered to court third parties (ie: throw money at them) and their indie stuff was mostly games released months earlier on other consoles, the scraps if you will, and as such was unable to make games for the system. The 3ds and Wii U both existing stretched Nintendo to thin and it wasn't rare at all to see one system thriving and the other getting next to nothing and the system that got the shaft was mostly the Wii U.
These are just a few things I found wrong with the Wii U. While most fans will say things like, "lazy third parties," and "Nintendo never advertised," the truth is the Wii U had no business existing in its current state given everything that was wrong with it. The Switch looks cool but I have a hard time putting 100% faith in a company that abandoned a sinking ship 2 years ago and forced Wii U owners to deal with that trainwreck of a system in hopes the NX(at the time) is awesome.
For the switch to succeed online and voice chat are a must, indies and third party devs must be on board (not just with boards, they need the multiplats), at least one first party title every 2 months and the system must have specs comparable to at least the xbox one to be a viable home console. If not, it's a handheld you can hook up to your tv which is fine but low specs leads to poor performance once you go from 720p to 1080p. Also hoping the screen is of decent quality as well. Hoping for OLED or something similar.
The VC has been one of the main things Nintendo still hasn't done right. From overpricing games, especially when you can get them for free online (legalities aside, they have to take into account how easy it is to acquire a ROM, which a VC game basically is), to not having a consistent release schedule. I'm not holding my breath, the VC along with the eshop has been woefully short compared to the competition.
Bought the reprint because my original copy is held together with scotch tape and is missing a page or two. Really good comic and probably the most accurate representation of Mario in any non-gaming media. Love how Peach is more than a damsel in distress too, a side we rarely see in game.
If the comic has any flaws it's that it puts the other comics to shame. I have the collection of the other Mario comics and they aren't very good.
Little overpriced imo. Should've been around 40 bucks considering it only plays the games listed. Would've liked a combo unit that has access to the VC Nes library in addition to playing actual cartridges as well.
@Operative The technology is still there it's just up to Nintendo to have game carts that support 32, 64, etc gigs of storage. Standard is by no means the only option the Switch has for game carts.
I'm waiting to hear more. Wii U looked pretty cool and had tons of third parties "on board," and look how that came out. Being a Nintendo site I'm not surprised by the results but I'm waiting. I've been disappointed this gen by both the 3ds and Wii U (much more so the Wii U, the 3ds has been lacking of late but was pretty solid until 2015 release wise) so I need to see that Nintendo made at least a decently powered system. Seeing Skyrim Remaster on it doesn't really impress me as it's an old game despite the system requirements on pc being WAY too high. Would like to see something akin to final fantasy 15. BOTW looked ugly on the Switch if I'm being completely honest.
It's pretty, but I feel like we're just seeing the same areas over and over again. Yes, it's open-world but I'm more interested in Zelda staples such as the story, little towns, mini games, proper dungeons (not those 100 shrines or whatever), side quests, etc. I know Nintendo says this game will have everything but I'm waiting till I see it.
I didn't care for either Bravely game. I don't mind old-school games but those games were WAY too old-school for me. Flat characters and the brave/default system wasn't as interesting as it could have been. Plus most of the interesting characters were just one-off bosses that you acquire their class and never hear from again. Plus the padding, omg the padding.
Nintendo... Online exists, it's a thing. A lot of your fans are grown and their buddies aren't next door anymore. For many, online is the only way you can play with friends. While I often get on Nintendo for half-assing their online, not having it as an option is worse than their recent online efforts limiting modes or not allowing people to communicate (a la triforce heroes)
Their digital presence is still, quite frankly, a joke compared to the competition. Games with Gold and the PSN stuff is infinitely better than what Nintendo is currently offering. The "discounts," are either on games people already own or bargain bin level eshop titles.
The 3ds was a decent system for sure but let's be real. Its library has been seeing less and less support from the big N and it's clear the NX is going to be a unified platform so I don't really care at this point what happens as they have been pretty transparent in the fact they've moved onto the NX
Really wish Nintendo would get back to being on top of everything instead of playing catch up. A lot of these games, like many "nindies" have been out for months on most platforms already. They need to start procuring more exclusives and getting multiplat indies to arrive at the same time on their systems.
Nintendo needs to showcase themselves as a viable alternative to the Xbox and ps4. They currently have nothing to entice people that aren't already fans and we can see their hardcore fanbase has been dwindling.
Personally the NX needs to be at least decently powerful but current rumors point at is a Wii U on the go which is decent but not very good for 2017 if you want to use it as a home console. Hopefully the connector to the tv has extra computational power or else the NX will be seen as yet another gimmicky system no one wants.
I'm sorry but Nintendo has long missed their window to knock people's socks off. With Scorpio and Neo coming out soon I doubt most people care about the NX and it's alleged below ps4/one power. No one wants a system that doesn't get major multiplats which the NX is guaranteed to not see a single one leaving it as just a Nintendo box once again.
I would've loved to have seen Nintendo try to make a console with decent specs, online and actively courting major third party developers but Nintendo has continued to showcase zero desire to actually attempt to learn from their mistakes. 720p on a handheld isn't bad but on a home console it's bad... look at the digital foundry spec analysis on the rumored specs for the NX and you'll see it's a joke spec-wise.
It was alright, the Mario sports mix could be really cool provided the features aren't half baked. I'd like a Mario baseball akin to super sluggers where I can select every position player not a handful and then a bunch of Toad fill ins. Ditto with the other sports. Horse racing doesn't really interest me and I'm curious if they're going to make a full-feature golf game considering Mario Golf is already on the 3ds.
Really this is more confirmation the 3ds/wii u line is on their last legs as the 3ds has been mostly ports this year and the wii u has been basically on life support since May of 2015. Hoping the NX is decent because I have been disappointed with Nintendo this last gen on both fronts. Clearly they can no longer support two consoles without leaving one to rot so hopefully unification will lead to more games as I doubt major third party support is coming back given the rumored specs of the NX placing it as the strongest handheld to date, but basically the Wii U as a home console, provided the docking bay doesn't add some extra horsepower.
With 720p the target I can't imagine the specs in the NX are gonna be decent enough to output to a 1080p screen. With the new systems coming with even better specs I find it odd that Nintendo is trying to find a market for themselves that no one seems to care about. Either make the most powerful handheld system yet or make a solid home console, this bizarre hybrid isn't going to be getting meaningful third party supports as they gimped on the specs yet again. I'm honestly convinced Nintendo has no idea how to make consoles anymore. Innovation is nice but so is learning from your mistakes to make a better product. Crap that Wii U didn't sell well because of marketing. No. It was underpowered has a bad online infrastructure and had no effing games for months at a time. NX needed to be something amazing to put Nintendo back on the map, instead we're getting a love child no one is going to want.
Honestly I'm not all the psyched for the NX at present. All these rumors are pointing to an underpowered (especially if they want us to use the NX like a home console when we're home) and gimmicky system once again.
I just assume it's going to be underpowered with no third party support, this way I'll be surprised with anything else. It's a bleak view but Nintendo hasn't really knocked it out of the park from a design standpoint since the GameCube (proprietary storage media notwithstanding)
With the exception of Kid Icarus, Mario Kart, and Animal Crossing every single Nintendo franchise has taken a step back this gen. 3d mario has gone completely linear, smash botched the single player experience, Mario party is in the tubes, paper Mario is completely anti original ideas and story, etc. Metroid is also getting a mediocre spin off. Call it fan basis but I'm calling a spade a spade. Hopefully the NX will see a return to form as Nintendo really dropped the ball with their franchises this gen.
I'm just not excited for the NX at this time. For all im hearing it's powerful "for a handheld" and Nintendo is banking on it hooking up to your tv with a box and unless said box also has more computational power we're looking at a system that isn't even as powerful as the Wii U. With TV technology increasing I want to be able to enjoy 1080p at the very least with an X1 it's more suited for 720p which is great on a handheld, not so much on a home console.
While they can have a dedicated home console down the pipeline Nintendo should really be banking on unifying their game development teams for one system as the Wii U/3ds gen showed us they no longer can support two consoles when they're basically supporting them alone
An x1 powered device on a handheld is solid but on a home console it's pretty much a step backwards from the Wii U. It's good for 720p but not so much 1080p. Doesn't surprise me Nintendo is gimping on the specs once again because we all know Nintendo never learns anymore but they'll realize once third parties leave after the initial honeymoon they'll learn. Hopefully
It was a decent first effort but for a multiplayer focused game I found the inability to choose the map, mode, or your load out (outside the presets) a bit confusing. Nintendo has long been incapable of offering an online comparable to Xbox live or PSN and I was really hoping splatoon would be that game but alas Nintendo needs to be in total control even barring users from speaking with friends (no excuse voice chat couldn't have been implemented in one way or another especially for a social game) or having any real control whatsoever. The constant updates were nice but a decent percentage of those were already on disc in addition to essentially being the rest of the game as the game was cleared released unfurnished.
Despite my numerous qualms the game was enjoyable. The controls were solid and the graphics were bright and colorful.
This is cool. I have the original version but it's pretty beat up that I don't really touch it much for fear of it falling apart more. I might pick this up as the comic is a great read.
Hopefully there are more new pokemon to be revealed later, not a huge fan of just having a large contingent of old pokemon getting new forms. It seems lazy.
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Re: Talking Point: Defining a Sequel and How It Affects Games Like Splatoon 2
Online needs to be retooled. My main gripe with Splatoon was the map rotation system. Let us pick the mode and map when we play with randoms, let us chat with strangers or at the very least our friends. It's not like Nintendo can't afford dedicated servers with us having to soon start paying for online.
Re: First Impressions: Splatoon 2 - What We Learned About Weapons, Visuals and Controls
Little disappointed with initial returns on the new hardware, not seeing a leap in visuals for a "next gen" system, hybrid or no. Splatoon not being at least 1080p or at the very least implementing a rudimentary form of AA is concerning to say the least.
On the positive side the game was a lot of fun but I hope they do away with the map rotation system from the last game as it was frustrating to have no choice in mode or map unless you happened to have a lot of friends online.
Re: The 3DS is Six Years Old in the Americas, How Time Flies
I'd say the 3ds has been more or less coasting since the end of 2015 and needs to be quietly retired within the next year or two. Switch needs all of Nintendo's energy focused on it until third parties decide to start bringing retail releases to it.
Re: Video: Nintendo Releases Localised ARMS Character and Weapon Showcases
Hoping for at least 16 characters, 12 unlocked and 4 secret, with a decent number of stages and maybe a 2 v 2 option
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Upgraded Confidence in Switch is a Relief
Launch has been a success but it's interesting to see the lack of first party releases before e3 that aren't just ports of Wii U titles. Nintendo has been in the dark with both 3ds and Wii U for about a year and some change and I'm surprised they don't have more for a console they need to succeed. To say nothing of the fact we're back to using friend codes and the online (with no voice chat) and eshop are as barebones as can be.
Nintendo released a system that is about 3-4 months away from being "complete" in my eyes so I hope they improve on the issues and announce plenty of first party titles as third parties are currently not on board just yet.
Re: Nintendo Switch Chip X-Ray Suggests The Console Is Running A Stock Nvidia Tegra X1
I'm sorry but as someone who watched a lot of videos at the X1 chip there isn't going to be majorly impressive coming for the Switch. It's still basically strong enough to play "definitive" editions of PS3/360 era games (Trine 2 for example) but it's not going to be putting out anything the Wii U couldn't do without some tweaking.
As a handheld that's perfectly acceptable performance but as a system that Nintendo wants us to use like a traditional home console it's too weak and more of a side grade than a true upgrade which after 4 years is disappointing.
Re: Video: Zelda: Breath of the Wild Given More Framerate 'Stress Tests' on Wii U and Switch
I'm starting to wonder how much of the Switch's frame drops are due to lack of optimization for new hardware, it was a Wii U title after all and how much of it is due to the fact the Switch isn't actually that much stronger than a Wii U. It makes sense given the Wii U is dead and buried and the mobile market is all Nintendo really has left if I'm being completely honest outside of course the core contingency of Nintendo fans whose numbers have dwindled I'm sure. Mario Kart 8 is 1080p with 0 AA which tells me the Switch is stronger than the Wii U but not enough to implement even a basic form of AA.
Worrying to be sure, but not totally unexpected given the Switch is a handheld you can hook up to your TV despite the claims Nintendo is marketing the Switch as a home console a la ps4 and one when it doesn't come close to matching either and is really a marginal upgrade over the 4 year old system it replaces.
Re: Review: Mario Sports Superstars (3DS)
I'd imagine Nintendo is letting the 3ds slowly die off and is content to launch mediocre games in the mean time to "nudge" people to pick up a Switch. Fire Emblem is about the only quality game to look forward to this year first party wise and it's clear that they've moved on. To develop what I can't be sure but 2016 wasn't exactly overflowing with first party releases as well
Re: Nintendo Switch Owners Will Have To Wait Longer And Pay More For RiME
Third party support for the Switch is key to its success and I have to say it seems like it's going to be Wii U all over again. There hasn't been much announced that's exclusive to the Switch and the current slew of indies are mostly ports of games that have been out for a year plus in some instances. To say nothing of the total lack of any AAA third party support exclusive or multiplat.
As a day one purchaser of the Switch I'm content with Zelda but I'm not looking to double dip on Mario Kart and Lego City so outside of those games there isn't much announced and the lack of indies has been troubling to say the least.
I understand it doesn't really all tie in to this article but it certainly is worrying and worth watching.
Re: Feature: We Grade the Various Nintendo Switch Launch Complaints from the Web
Nintendo bias is strong here, friend codes are an archaic relic from Nintendo's past that needed to go the way of the dodo. Regardless if it's one way it's the only feasible way to add friends right now and I have no idea why you can't add people using their NNID which is also absent from the Switch right now.
Also, the lack of games at launch is appalling no matter how you try to rationalize it. At launch if you're dropping major coin to pick up a system there needed to be more than Zelda and a few overpriced indie titles that have been available on other systems. In addition there's isn't a major first party release that isn't a port coming within the next 3 months which is very concerning on the heels of a console Nintendo constantly forgot to make games for. It's as valid a complaint as any.
Re: Nintendo Unleashes a Nintendo Switch Infographic of Confirmed Nindie Games
Not enough exclusives for me to consider the "nindies showcase" a smashing success but still worth watching if Nintendo can get some exclusives.
That Advance Wars-like game looks good, is it exclusive to the Switch, could fill that tactical void.
Re: Guide: Nintendo Switch Launch Games & Release Dates 2017
For a company that had been pretty much pulling back on Wii U support since 2015 and the 3ds since 2016 given all the ports I'm shocked the Switch line up is so mediocre. Wonder what Nintendo has been doing in the past 2 years, there should've been at least another key Nintendo IP available a time launch and it seems they're repeating the same 1 new game every 2 months or so like the Wii U. Call me jaded but this is rather concerning
Re: Video: We Work Up a Sweat in Mario Sports Superstars
Would have much preferred a fully fledged version of any of these modes instead of this barebones collection.
Re: Talking Point: Splatoon 2 is Set to be a Vital Early Arrival on Nintendo Switch
Nintendo really needs things to boost consumer confidence in the Switch. Most people are going to be done with Zelda in a couple weeks leaving them almost a month plus without much else to play until Mario Kart 8 provided it's a title they're interested in. Splatoon 2 seems to be a summer release which imo is too far away, it could have easily been a launch title or releasing when Mario Kart 8 comes out.
While the games announced look pretty good the Switch is looking a lot like the Wii U early on in terms of notable releases and that's something they will have to rectify.
Re: Poll: Does Nintendo Switch Need Streaming Apps and a Web Browser, Or Is It All About Games?
For 300 bucks Nintendo is already putting themselves at a precarious position and offering less features than their cheaper competition isn't a wise business move. Hopefully Nintendo adds things like Netflix and such later as they are very important in this tech-focused world we live in. Dedicated gaming consoles are nice but people have been convenienced with do-it-all devices for quite some time and not having apps is a huge misfire given the premium price.
Re: Soapbox: Think of 1-2-Switch as Less of a "Video Game" and Suddenly It Gets Better
$50 for a tech demo, Nintendo is out of their damn mind.
Re: Editorial: No, Nintendo Switch Isn't Having a 'Soft Launch', But The Perception is a Problem
I'm still not convinced the Switch is 100% ready to go unless Nintendo reveals a lot more information about the system before launch. If there online is an "in progress," deal at launch it's confirmed they weren't ready to go but wanted to avoid having to compete with Scorpio later this year.
I wish they would've waited a few months and launch in May when Mario Kart 8 and possibly Arms are finished. The game lulls that plagued the Wii U are still present at least at the start and that's rather troubling as most people agree that the Wii U had a game problem in terms of variety and quantity.
$299.99 with basically just Zelda is a tough sell. I don't think 1-2 Switch is really the "next big thing," Nintendo thinks it is, and I wouldn't be surprised if it bombs. The rest of the titles are ports or games that they are charging way too much for, the aforementioned 1-2 Switch is about 20 dollars more than it should be, honestly it should be a pack in, and Bomberman is a $19.99 eshop game they are charging full price for.
Switch will sell well at launch because it's new and has Nintendo on it but the longevity of the system is something to watch as I'm not seeing third parties jump to support this thing outside of indies, which are nice "me too," kind of games but don't really excuse the lack of retail releases.
Re: New Hack Offers A Full Game Library On Your NES Classic Edition
If this gives Nintendo the kick in the pants to put effort into releasing more older games than so be it. Mother 3, for example, has been held over our heads for the past several years and you know what, I played it last year FOR FREE. I got tired of waiting and if Nintendo is going to showcase so little regard for customers wanting to play its classic titles idc how many people pirate games.
Unless you are morally against ROMs there is very little reason to fork over hard earned money if Nintendo won't even bother keeping the mini nes in stock... or even give us a halfway decent controller cable length.
Re: Talking Point: Is the Nintendo Switch a Handheld or Console? Does it Matter?
It's a handheld that can hook up to your tv with an hdmi output on the dock that it comes with. It's made with a mobile chipset and the core of the Switch is in the tablet-portion. The "home console," aspect, as mentioned before, is just a dock with a fan for overclocking (which could be done on the Switch itself if you rooted it or something, for stability purposes its underclocked by default) and an hdmi out. It's not doing any additional work. In addition, 2 of the 3 uses for the Switch according to Nintendo are portable options. It's really clear the device is a handheld but they are marketing it as a home console with portable options because they cannot compete in home marketplace anymore head to head so they've created a niche for themselves.
It's no more a home console than a laptop hooked up to a TV is a desktop, it's all just buzzwords Nintendo is throwing around to create a market. Personally, I'd rather they just market the Switch as, "The Most Powerful Handheld ever," but obviously that would cannibalize 3ds sales but hey, it's more appealing than "underpowered home console that won't be getting any major multiplatform titles once again."
From a tech perspective, it's a handheld. From a design/marketing standpoint, it's a handheld. The only "home console," aspect is a tv hook up. Nintendo can keep calling something that quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, walks like a duck and has the same genetic composition as a duck a swan but it's a duck.
Re: Reggie on Wii U Support Going Forward
Wii U's last real year on the market was 2015 and even then it was clear by e3 2015 Nintendo was basically done with the console. 2016 we got Color Splash and that was about it of major note. We did get some good indies, ya know, 6 plus months after they had already been out for other consoles, but indies are no real subsistute for Nintendo titles which have always been in short supply for the Wii U. Droughts of 3-4 months between releases were woefully common and honestly I'm hoping the Switch is everything the Wii U wasn't.
Re: Editorial: Pricing Blunders Have Distorted The Narrative Around Nintendo Switch
Where Nintendo grew the stones to charge $49.99 for 1, 2 Switch is beyond me. It's also extending to other titles as well, I though Bomberman was going to be a $20 eshop title but nope, $49.99 retail release. Seems like Nintendo launching with few games gives them and the third parties the ability to charge way too much for their titles.
Re: First Impressions: 1-2-Switch is an Ideal Pack-In Game That's Missing Its Chance
I find it telling that everyone who tried out 1, 2 Switch has come to the conclusion that in no way is it worth what Nintendo is charging for it but will stop short of telling it like it is, it's a cash grab that Nintendo in all their misguided ways thought would sell a la Amiibo Festival. This game has the depth of a puddle and will probably be fun for about 2-3 minutes before the novelty quickly wears off. If they were smart they'd include it with a joy con or something so that at least people get some bang for their buck.
Nintendo is woefully unprepared to deal with how the market has changed. These "video game parties," don't really happen anymore and when they do people would rather play something more substantial like Smash or Mario Kart.
Re: Tales of & Taiko Drum Master Franchises in Development for Switch
Tales of Zestiria was a dumpster fire, honestly I'd rather they give us an enhanced version of Abyss or just port Vesperia over. Would also like an exclusive tales title.
Re: Talking Point: The Challenges and Opportunities of the Nintendo Switch Presentation
I'm just hoping third parties are actually on board. Claiming to be on board isn't enough for me, there was optimism for the Wii U and we all saw what happened there. Nintendo cannot be the sole provider of games for yet another gen as less and less people are willing to buy a console just for first party stuff. Multiplats matter.
I'm hoping the system is decently speced (at or around xbox one is the bare minimum), priced decently (250-300 if the specs are xbox one level, any less and 250 is the absolute max), has online on par with live or psn with voice chat in ALL games and has a good launch library with at least one solid exclusive. If they got all this I'll be content.
Also hoping the system memory can be expanded as 16 gb per the rumors is still way too low given how big games are getting and if they want that all-important third party support they'll need to make sure you can buy digital versions of their games.
Re: Nintendo Treehouse to Provide 'In-Depth Look' at Nintendo Switch Games on 13th January
Hoping for some original titles and not just ports during the treehouse. While I fully expect launch Switch to have Zelda and a port of Mario Kart 8, Smash or something (most likely with a few added bells and whistles) I'm curious if they are going to get any third party support as this is the real key for the Switch being viable in the market. Also hoping for some insight on their online functionality as well as I found the Wii U online dreadful compared to even the original Xbox.
Nintendo hasn't really had much of an impact on the gaming market in a long time and I'm hoping the switch can change people's mind.
Re: Talking Point: Splatoon May Be Winding Down, But Its Legacy Could Be Significant
As a first effort I thought it was fine but the game felt very much like Nintendo wanted players to have 0 control over what they did during their time online. Sure you can change clothes but you can't select your map or mode or even change individual loadouts to suit your playstyle. Not to mention they released the game half-done and basically got a pass.
Online is something Nintendo desperately needs to work on because they have yet to give us a game with the same quality and features as Halo 2 on the original Xbox. (Talking to friends, matchmaking, etc)
Re: Editorial: As Games Jump to Nintendo Switch, We See How Quickly the Industry Moves On
I'm cautiously optimistic for the Switch as if it's close to xbox one specs on the go that's a huge win imo. That said, let's talk about the complete dumpster fire that was the Wii U. Honestly I don't know how it could've possibly succeeded as there was, and still is, so much wrong with the system, my problems are:
1. Online infrastructure is a mess- They finally made purchases tied to accounts which is great, however the account is tied to the system so in reality, purchases are tied to a system still. This is archaic and needs to be fixed asap. In addition, online features like voice chat are still not included in any game (don't give me that lobby in mario kart 8 horse crap, it's a garbage compromise). When you have a system with last gen specs and still doesn't have an online as good as ps3/360 you have a problem. Yes, it's free, but so is online gaming on pc which is leagues better.
2. Low specs, lack of hdd space- R&D clearly did not think this system through. Not only was this system laughably outdated at launch they give you a measly 32gb of space to work with. Games like Xenoblade Chronicles had patches upwards of 5gb in size. Nintendo is clearly trying to get us to buy digital with the Nintendo rewards (which are also crap honestly I miss the physical stuff) but they don't give us any space. Sure you can buy a hdd, but at 300 dollars your system better include some space.
3. Overpriced, gamepad never took off- I'll be frank, the gamepad is awful. As a controller it works but as far as a "OMG I've never played a game before where I could do (insert cool gamepad feature here) Nintendo is on to something," it never had anything of the sort and was quietly nixed and relegated to off-tv play and on the low res screen everything looks muddy and washed-out and frankly isn't fun to play. While Nintendoland showed promise Nintendo never capitalized and as such left the gamepad which adds 50 bucks to a system already overpriced. The Wii U is still retailing for 250-300 dollars which is a joke considering you can get a one of ps4 for the same price.
4. Lack of games- How many months was common between releases? 3, 4? And what if you didn't like said game genre, especially platformers because early on that's all the Wii U had so it wasn't uncommon to go a whole year in between releases that were worth a pick up. Nintendo never bothered to court third parties (ie: throw money at them) and their indie stuff was mostly games released months earlier on other consoles, the scraps if you will, and as such was unable to make games for the system. The 3ds and Wii U both existing stretched Nintendo to thin and it wasn't rare at all to see one system thriving and the other getting next to nothing and the system that got the shaft was mostly the Wii U.
These are just a few things I found wrong with the Wii U. While most fans will say things like, "lazy third parties," and "Nintendo never advertised," the truth is the Wii U had no business existing in its current state given everything that was wrong with it. The Switch looks cool but I have a hard time putting 100% faith in a company that abandoned a sinking ship 2 years ago and forced Wii U owners to deal with that trainwreck of a system in hopes the NX(at the time) is awesome.
For the switch to succeed online and voice chat are a must, indies and third party devs must be on board (not just with boards, they need the multiplats), at least one first party title every 2 months and the system must have specs comparable to at least the xbox one to be a viable home console. If not, it's a handheld you can hook up to your tv which is fine but low specs leads to poor performance once you go from 720p to 1080p. Also hoping the screen is of decent quality as well. Hoping for OLED or something similar.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Has the Potential to Deliver the Ultimate Virtual Console
The VC has been one of the main things Nintendo still hasn't done right. From overpricing games, especially when you can get them for free online (legalities aside, they have to take into account how easy it is to acquire a ROM, which a VC game basically is), to not having a consistent release schedule. I'm not holding my breath, the VC along with the eshop has been woefully short compared to the competition.
Re: Book Review: Super Mario Adventures
Bought the reprint because my original copy is held together with scotch tape and is missing a page or two. Really good comic and probably the most accurate representation of Mario in any non-gaming media. Love how Peach is more than a damsel in distress too, a side we rarely see in game.
If the comic has any flaws it's that it puts the other comics to shame. I have the collection of the other Mario comics and they aren't very good.
Re: Hardware Review: NES Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System
Little overpriced imo. Should've been around 40 bucks considering it only plays the games listed. Would've liked a combo unit that has access to the VC Nes library in addition to playing actual cartridges as well.
Re: Rumour: Nintendo Switch Game Cards Limited To 16GB Size
@Operative The technology is still there it's just up to Nintendo to have game carts that support 32, 64, etc gigs of storage. Standard is by no means the only option the Switch has for game carts.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think of the Nintendo Switch?
I'm waiting to hear more. Wii U looked pretty cool and had tons of third parties "on board," and look how that came out. Being a Nintendo site I'm not surprised by the results but I'm waiting. I've been disappointed this gen by both the 3ds and Wii U (much more so the Wii U, the 3ds has been lacking of late but was pretty solid until 2015 release wise) so I need to see that Nintendo made at least a decently powered system. Seeing Skyrim Remaster on it doesn't really impress me as it's an old game despite the system requirements on pc being WAY too high. Would like to see something akin to final fantasy 15. BOTW looked ugly on the Switch if I'm being completely honest.
Re: New Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Footage Looks Jaw-Droppingly Gorgeous
It's pretty, but I feel like we're just seeing the same areas over and over again. Yes, it's open-world but I'm more interested in Zelda staples such as the story, little towns, mini games, proper dungeons (not those 100 shrines or whatever), side quests, etc. I know Nintendo says this game will have everything but I'm waiting till I see it.
Re: Square Enix Teases Bravely Default News As Original Game Turns Four
I didn't care for either Bravely game. I don't mind old-school games but those games were WAY too old-school for me. Flat characters and the brave/default system wasn't as interesting as it could have been. Plus most of the interesting characters were just one-off bosses that you acquire their class and never hear from again. Plus the padding, omg the padding.
Re: Review: Mario Party: Star Rush (3DS)
Nintendo... Online exists, it's a thing. A lot of your fans are grown and their buddies aren't next door anymore. For many, online is the only way you can play with friends. While I often get on Nintendo for half-assing their online, not having it as an option is worse than their recent online efforts limiting modes or not allowing people to communicate (a la triforce heroes)
Re: Poll: Six Months On - How Do You Feel About My Nintendo?
Their digital presence is still, quite frankly, a joke compared to the competition. Games with Gold and the PSN stuff is infinitely better than what Nintendo is currently offering. The "discounts," are either on games people already own or bargain bin level eshop titles.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Continued Commitment to the 3DS Makes Sense
The 3ds was a decent system for sure but let's be real. Its library has been seeing less and less support from the big N and it's clear the NX is going to be a unified platform so I don't really care at this point what happens as they have been pretty transparent in the fact they've moved onto the NX
Re: Video: Nintendo Gives Us All a Taste of This Year's Nindies@Night PAX Event
Really wish Nintendo would get back to being on top of everything instead of playing catch up. A lot of these games, like many "nindies" have been out for months on most platforms already. They need to start procuring more exclusives and getting multiplat indies to arrive at the same time on their systems.
Re: Talking Point: Unique and Affordable - Nintendo's NX Needs to Avoid Direct Competition With PlayStation and Xbox
Nintendo needs to showcase themselves as a viable alternative to the Xbox and ps4. They currently have nothing to entice people that aren't already fans and we can see their hardcore fanbase has been dwindling.
Personally the NX needs to be at least decently powerful but current rumors point at is a Wii U on the go which is decent but not very good for 2017 if you want to use it as a home console. Hopefully the connector to the tv has extra computational power or else the NX will be seen as yet another gimmicky system no one wants.
Re: Talking Point: What Approach Should Nintendo Take With Its NX Reveal?
I'm sorry but Nintendo has long missed their window to knock people's socks off. With Scorpio and Neo coming out soon I doubt most people care about the NX and it's alleged below ps4/one power. No one wants a system that doesn't get major multiplats which the NX is guaranteed to not see a single one leaving it as just a Nintendo box once again.
I would've loved to have seen Nintendo try to make a console with decent specs, online and actively courting major third party developers but Nintendo has continued to showcase zero desire to actually attempt to learn from their mistakes. 720p on a handheld isn't bad but on a home console it's bad... look at the digital foundry spec analysis on the rumored specs for the NX and you'll see it's a joke spec-wise.
Re: Poll: Did the 3DS Nintendo Direct Boost Your Hype for the Portable's Line-Up?
It was alright, the Mario sports mix could be really cool provided the features aren't half baked. I'd like a Mario baseball akin to super sluggers where I can select every position player not a handful and then a bunch of Toad fill ins. Ditto with the other sports. Horse racing doesn't really interest me and I'm curious if they're going to make a full-feature golf game considering Mario Golf is already on the 3ds.
Really this is more confirmation the 3ds/wii u line is on their last legs as the 3ds has been mostly ports this year and the wii u has been basically on life support since May of 2015. Hoping the NX is decent because I have been disappointed with Nintendo this last gen on both fronts. Clearly they can no longer support two consoles without leaving one to rot so hopefully unification will lead to more games as I doubt major third party support is coming back given the rumored specs of the NX placing it as the strongest handheld to date, but basically the Wii U as a home console, provided the docking bay doesn't add some extra horsepower.
Re: Rumour: Potential Nintendo NX Details on Screen Size and More Do the Rounds
With 720p the target I can't imagine the specs in the NX are gonna be decent enough to output to a 1080p screen. With the new systems coming with even better specs I find it odd that Nintendo is trying to find a market for themselves that no one seems to care about. Either make the most powerful handheld system yet or make a solid home console, this bizarre hybrid isn't going to be getting meaningful third party supports as they gimped on the specs yet again. I'm honestly convinced Nintendo has no idea how to make consoles anymore. Innovation is nice but so is learning from your mistakes to make a better product. Crap that Wii U didn't sell well because of marketing. No. It was underpowered has a bad online infrastructure and had no effing games for months at a time. NX needed to be something amazing to put Nintendo back on the map, instead we're getting a love child no one is going to want.
Re: Rumour: Detachable NX Controllers Will Offer Wii-Like Motion Control And Advanced Force Feedback
Honestly I'm not all the psyched for the NX at present. All these rumors are pointing to an underpowered (especially if they want us to use the NX like a home console when we're home) and gimmicky system once again.
Re: Nvidia Formally Ditches SHIELD Tablet Successor, Reinforcing NX Reports
I just assume it's going to be underpowered with no third party support, this way I'll be surprised with anything else. It's a bleak view but Nintendo hasn't really knocked it out of the park from a design standpoint since the GameCube (proprietary storage media notwithstanding)
Re: Video: New Metroid Prime: Federation Force Trailer Arrives, and It's Still Fighting Dislikes
With the exception of Kid Icarus, Mario Kart, and Animal Crossing every single Nintendo franchise has taken a step back this gen. 3d mario has gone completely linear, smash botched the single player experience, Mario party is in the tubes, paper Mario is completely anti original ideas and story, etc. Metroid is also getting a mediocre spin off. Call it fan basis but I'm calling a spade a spade. Hopefully the NX will see a return to form as Nintendo really dropped the ball with their franchises this gen.
Re: Dragon Quest X Confirmed for Nintendo NX, Again
I'm just not excited for the NX at this time. For all im hearing it's powerful "for a handheld" and Nintendo is banking on it hooking up to your tv with a box and unless said box also has more computational power we're looking at a system that isn't even as powerful as the Wii U. With TV technology increasing I want to be able to enjoy 1080p at the very least with an X1 it's more suited for 720p which is great on a handheld, not so much on a home console.
While they can have a dedicated home console down the pipeline Nintendo should really be banking on unifying their game development teams for one system as the Wii U/3ds gen showed us they no longer can support two consoles when they're basically supporting them alone
Re: Report Points to Nintendo NX Manufacturing Ramping Up in Q4 2016
An x1 powered device on a handheld is solid but on a home console it's pretty much a step backwards from the Wii U. It's good for 720p but not so much 1080p. Doesn't surprise me Nintendo is gimping on the specs once again because we all know Nintendo never learns anymore but they'll realize once third parties leave after the initial honeymoon they'll learn. Hopefully
Re: Talking Point: Splatoon May Be Winding Down, But Its Legacy Could Be Significant
It was a decent first effort but for a multiplayer focused game I found the inability to choose the map, mode, or your load out (outside the presets) a bit confusing. Nintendo has long been incapable of offering an online comparable to Xbox live or PSN and I was really hoping splatoon would be that game but alas Nintendo needs to be in total control even barring users from speaking with friends (no excuse voice chat couldn't have been implemented in one way or another especially for a social game) or having any real control whatsoever. The constant updates were nice but a decent percentage of those were already on disc in addition to essentially being the rest of the game as the game was cleared released unfurnished.
Despite my numerous qualms the game was enjoyable. The controls were solid and the graphics were bright and colorful.
Re: Super Mario Adventures is Being Reprinted as a Graphic Novel
This is cool. I have the original version but it's pretty beat up that I don't really touch it much for fear of it falling apart more. I might pick this up as the comic is a great read.
Re: Gallery: Take a Close Look At All The Latest Pokémon and Features in Pokémon Sun and Moon
Hopefully there are more new pokemon to be revealed later, not a huge fan of just having a large contingent of old pokemon getting new forms. It seems lazy.