@NEStalgia F-Zero GX on cube is a mastrpiece made as a nintendo-sega love child...lol. Whats even cooler is there was an Arcade build of this game and thru some hackery you can unlock it in the GC release. The game wasn't just fast it actually ran @60fps in 480p which was not a common thing back then.
Thru other hackery you can run this game (and all GC) on Wiiu in upscaled 1080p and it sill looks and plays amazing.
Nintendo should get their heads out of their asses and make a HD F-Zero and they also have other great racers like excitbike64 and Waverace that they haven't touched in forever. I like MK but hopefully 8D will get them off it for a while with Switch and as far as their BS ' we integrated FZ features in MK8 who gives a fig they are totally different games. its like saying don't make DeusEX because its an FPS like COD.
Wow.....People are just insane....when I look at the circuit board compared to a DS cart its amazing to think we are getting something 1.5-3x (go/home) as powerful as WiiU in this dinky little board.....running at this power level (8-20w).
Those that act like a chipset like pascal that is in grafx cards that cost more than a Switch ($400 on the low end)......and act like because they used Maxwell they cheaped out? Your just nuts OK. If we got a Pascal based Switch it would be what $600......and NO ONE would buy it.
Switch has more power and RAM than WiiU and also I think the entire architecture is much faster as WiiU had some serious bottlenecks so Switch will have a much faster bus. You were always hamstrung by ODD or USB2 on WiiU so you werent ever loading data faster then 25-30mbit/sec. Carts or fast MicroSD will easily create load rates 2-3x that rate.
I think its a slick design and I believe it is going to be very scaleable. As the line grows with a portable only option we could also get a home only option. All they got to do is drop that cheap little board in a shell and could sell a Home only micro console for $150 that plays all the same games as the hybrid and mobile only.
Lets just relax as this Spring launch gives N plenty of time to build to an incredible xmas.
Well Disgaea is a pretty solid SRPG series with, as others have said, a whacky ass side. I haven't played it since the PSP days but honestly it makes a better portable game then home (IMO). I give them credit as they are constantly tweaking and improving the combat system and it seems quite 'full'.
I will likely get it if there is nothing else more interesting to me by that time, but what I would farrrrrrrr prefer is they give us Fire Emblem with GC VC. If you like JRPG/SRPG and cute little anime hotties then this game might appeal to you.
You people are all such grafx....lol. I can't even tell how good or bad FIFA looks when shown on a small screen at that distance. Look here is what we know......it is being custom built and so its grafx should end up somewhere between ps360 and ps4/xb1. Why is that not good enough? I mean does being able to see a hair sticking out of someone mole really make that much difference to the game?
I could care less as I have not played a FIFA game since the first real 3D one on the......3DO. It was actually pretty cool and quite a marvel but it seems to me like they have hardly changed it much since 20 years ago.
As to who will buy it over the other versions.......People who want home and away play. Its that simple and for most multiplat games that is going to be the deciding factor. If the home/away dynamic matters little to you then for god sakes get the ps4 version and shut up already. If home/away matters then that is a major features and some small sacrifice in graphical fidelity aint gonna mean beans.
Honestly Nintendo and main realistic sports games have mostly been a bust over the generations. I personally wish Nintendo would commit to putting out their own sports lineup for Switch (they pretty much ignored WiiU) and we would see a new Mario Golf using motion controls like the excellent TigerWoods did on Wii, a new mario strikers, mario sluggers and how about a Super Smash Mouth Football (not soccer) game that uses all the lineups and Amibos from Smash for a arcade football.
This is what I dont get about people and their expectations with Nintendo platforms.....we know what they are, we know what kind of games and more importantly unique games we will get and we know Nintendo has really never been a home for lots of FPS and Sports games.............don't fricking buy Nintendo if those are the games you love.....get a damned ps4.
As to grafx I have no faith in commercial clips......Every video I ever saw of a WiiU game looked choppy and like poop and then that was not the case when playing them. Even many of the ports so many people female dogged about were not bad at all. I played AC4, DuesEX, SplinterCell, ME3, NFSMW all on WiiU and had seen or played them on ps360 as well and for those games the grafx, frame rates, and effects were clearly better than ps360 versions.
Why do so many haters even come here? Its like a lesbian feminist at a Trump rally......you only want to show up to female dog, moan and protest when everyone else wishes you had just stayed home!
Actually the new 1.1 PS4 controller is retailing @ $64.99 although you can get them much cheaper on sale (I got a white one off Amazon for $34 @ Xmas).
Still this price is not that bad. First its launch pricing so I expect it will come down by say Xmas2017, second as others have mentioned it has a lot of tech in it as to maintain compatibility with joy-con supported features. I liked the WiiU pro controller, though didn't think it was as great as some. The weight, and battery life are the high points, plus funny story....I was at Walmart, bought a bunch of non-gaming stuff right after launch and the checker somehow forgot to ring up my WiiU pro controller so I got it FREE. I am getting so amped for Switch.......bring it!
@Thomas Whitehead..............Thanks for writing this great article and laying out the various 'possibilities' for Switch. I have been saying the same things since the first promo video launched.
I think Switch will have multiple form and power factors over its generation. I think Nintendo will first let it get established for the 2-2.5yr type period you suggest and then we will see Switch GO. Which could be smaller, lighter, better battery life portable only with integrated controls (like you suggest) but with motion, ir, NFC and everything on the joy-con and pro controller.
But why not take it a step further with a very small (based off the same 1.5 sliming used for the new mobile) and cheap Switch Home micro console. Then we get a Switch VR which is a new hybrid line that has 1080p screen, nextgen Nvidia to power it and comes with VR Headgear and works with existing Docs. And lastly we get Switch Home pro. Another console using the updated VR hardware (matched by the VR docked config) to give them a 4K capable home console.
All devices support all controllers and run the same software just at difference performance levels, which Nintendo is already establishing with the Switch and as you mention other manufactures are as well.
In this way I could see Nintendo selling 100+ million Switch. Really if you listen to all Nintendo has been saying in the last few years it indicates they are building Switch as a platform, not just a one off device. They have merged their team, and also said in prior statements that they wanted to create an environment more like mobile (ios/droid) that had continuous compatibility. Then they make a very long term deal with Nvidia (A very aggressive and active chipset maker).
So they have put all the parts in place to deliver on what you and I are conjecturing so why wouldn't they do it? What they need now is to deliver and attract software.
If you do the math (and we will no exactly in a few more weeks) Switch has a 4amp ish battery. At full settings it runs for 2.5hrs. That means on about 8watts the undocked Switch is delivery better than WiiU performance and power a LCD screen as well. That is ridiculously amazing. Even docked (with screen off) and 100% GPU it is probably going to pull 20watts.
People criticizing the hardware really know nothing as this performance level at this power level is an achievement. Anyone who claims to be green (not me) should be buying this console as a PS4/XB1 uses at least 10x the energy.
As to your concerns about game formats and all. Don't worry the Switch accommodates everything and every game type, so it will get everything. I think we will have great mobile experiences with the benefit of relaxing on the couch and using a TV when we want and we will have great home experiences (like Zelda, Skyrim) that we can just pop out and carry on the road. We will have local and network multiplayer and numerous control options. I personally believe they need to be selling about 1+Mil Switch a month from launch until forever. If they are hitting that mark then its will attract plenty of support.
People relax......3rd party support is not going to be won or lost at launch with the Switch.
Some devs/pubs are obviously dubious and want to see how Switch does. It needs to be selling aout 2mil a month regularly and then more support will come. Say its sells 5-6mil units by E3 and you will see support. Nintendo is gonna have to earn it with unit sales.
Next......any Spectrum game can be scaled to any platofrm within reason. Obviousy N has done more than ever to make sure modern engines and tools are supported. Far too many ppl that know nothing about developing, coding, rendering, or anything shoot their mouths off.
Ps4/xb1/pc are essentially the same platform. Switch is going to take effort to port a major AAA title but the tools are there and it could be done.....but it has to make sense. Some games just don't make sense and won't sell well.
A real key is does portabilty matter or make sense to a game. Skyrim will be a good litmus test. Will it be adopted, will people enjoy playing it home/away.
Look if Switch does 3DS like sales its going to get lots of RPGs including DQ, Xeno, MH, FE, and many others. I stand with others that would rather see new or special project for Switch than most x86 multiplats (most, but I would love to see some).
Switch is a far far cry concept wise from WiiU. I will be shocked if it fails. It will be the home for all Nintendo project within 2yrs and I expect by next year it may be gettin released in different form factors like a lite mobile only or home only box which could both be chepaer than the hybrid
Ummm.......For my money MGS5 (ps4) and MGS4 (ps3) are two of the best looking games ever and they came out of Japan. Capcom has done some really nice realistic graphx work as well with recent RE games.
Honestly I value art direction and graphx style so much more than pure horsepower. I have been re-playing some NGC games lately and even nearly 15yrs later some of them look excellent when running on my WiiU in 16x9 with Nintedont. Seriously SartFox Adventures looks like it could have just come out on a current system and Beyond GE, as well as the Metroid Prime games still hold up very well.
I think Eastern devs should just keep doing what they do and not worry to much about what comes out of the West as so much of it is just eye candy and gameplay.
As long as it comes out at same time and has similiar quality/features it will sell great! I really hope it does well so EA considers further projects.
I am in the vibration turned off crowd but its sort of due to the crassness of current feedback. HDRumble sounds quite cool and may make a convert of some of us.
I really think many are underestimating the value of motion and analogue and lots of buttons 'seperately' in each hand. I always hated the wiimote-chuck combo because the damned tether. Also the size of wiimote made you hold it like a wand and it wasnt comfortable for extneded durations, joy-con fit entirely in your hand and should be far more natural.
As to those worried yhe features wont be utilized....be patient they will. First its not that hard to implement code for something like hdrumble, no big cost or time issue and second devs in talking about it are excited and already talking about cool concepts for games.
Imagine a real wild west game like red dead or Red Steel 3 where you use those joycon for quickdraw showdowns and i still dont know why we never saw a Lightsaber Star Wars game for Wii (especially after the motionplus upgrade).
All in all I am excited about the controller options, the pro looks nice and has hdrumble, motion, and NFC in a standard dual analogue.....sounds good and allows devs to offer the same experiences in either format.
Just blows that one again WiiU gets the shaft. Project Cars was the worst and this isnt much better. You know many eShop games have sold very well on WiiU in some cases outselling other platforms. So really it would be nice to see this and the rash of other cancelations come to WiiU. Not all WiiU users will jump to Switch ASAP so I expect many will use use the system to play Zelda and publishers could have a window to still sell on eShop. Its just dissapointing in that I am sad to see WiiU ending so incompletely. Never had a 3D Mario, nor a Fire Emblem game, no Metroid, AC or Pokemon. It was ideally suited for a game like Advance Wars but no. It ended up with a decent libray but truly Nintendo failing to deliver all the games they put on past generations is the reason its dying too young.
I am preordered for Switch but really want to see if this turns out good, then would prefer cart if it is good....lol. Please lord let Switch get a Metroid game 2D or 3D.
A strong 2017 and then a drift off in 2018 beyond that I could see a real market for the 2ds sticking around for kids with a lot of cheap/used games for years which is what GBA did. I bought one of yhose new GBA micros long after DS was out.
I dont think ppl realize how scalable Switch can be for Nintendo. I fully expect it to be without doc in Japan next year, maybe sooner. I think in 2 yrs after its established the will offer a Switch GO which will be mobile only, cheaper, better battery and lighter but running all yhe same games as yhe hybrid. Then How about a Switch Home Pro model that bundles Pro controller and supports 4K upscaling and streaming, but runs the same software as the hybrid. This is hopefully the strategy Nintendo is considering. Establish the platform as hybrid then offer forks.
All this talk about power is sort of nonsense. Games, Engines, grafx......they all scale. They always have but now more than ever its easier to scale games one way or the oher. Sony and M$ have established scaleable platforms so its no nig deal to devs.
This is how N could push Switch as a platform for,years that still gives them multiple itterations. Lets hope....I personally loved Gamepad for OffTV.....most didnt and by 2014 N should have accepted their market failure and sold a solo WiiU at $199. With the great 2014/2105 lineup they may have revived it. I think they are in a smarter position with Switch
Most of you are probably too young to remember before laptops there were some computers called transportables that looked about like a sewing machine.....Switch modern transportable.
Look its a portable with a home element. They just dont want to market that way to kill off 3DS too soon. I fully expected a nomdock version in Japan by years end. 2017 good year for 3DS 2018 its the little bro system and then maybe a Switch Light thats slimmer better battery life and cheaper cause no dock support and a Switch pro thats 1080p/4K docked and supports Nintendo's VR.
Switch is a very scaleable platform that could offer s lot of iiterations.....Want a cool idea.....a dual switch doc that teams the cpus/gpus to offer more power and ram....
Its supposed to get a physical release and buying if does. Great game on WiiU and well worth the price. Double the tracks and up the performance slap it on a cart and sold!
Its hard to place this game but its no F-zero in controls and the track designs are heavy on long open stretches. Its fun to play and the blue/orange dynamic adds something....it looks super smooth and fast on WiiU...most vids dont do it justice
Ppl saying Switch will bomb worse than WiiU are just silly. 40mil in 4 seems possible. Ninendo is not going to cut its own throat so expect 2017to be last fully supported year for 2/3DS. It will linger on just as GBA and DS did for a while but don't expect more frontline games after this year.
Switch is being wrongly positioned (shocking right) as what it is is the most powerful portable ever with a home component. I expect it will get sorted out and as long as dock is available seperately why not offer a no dock version soon as well?
Switch will do fine because it is both the wiiu and 3DS succesor and once it has the likes of pokemon, fir emblem and all the jrpgs from vita and 3ds it is going to shift a lot of units.
They have Zelda, Kart, MarioO, Splatoon, and a pokemon game by xmas and you tell me they arent shifting major units...bull.
I am ready for launch, but admit the lineup is thin ATM and that is irksome. Yet Zelda is a beefy game and will likely take a weeks for to complete. I really hope we get Fast RMX as I love that on WiiU and would love to have on cart and portable. Also lets hope they have some could eshop and a little new VC launch day.
Dont know why but $70 pro controller nowhere to be seen for preorder in USA.....my launch day is Switch, Zelda, and ProCon unless some suprise games show up between now and launch.
Ok....have to agree in that Nintendo is certainly not going agressive and I wish they were........but look at the ps4 and xb1. M$ took a real hit with all the bowback about kinnect being firced and the threat off drm only gaming.......they launched poorly and $ony had a great launch......but both the ps2/ps3 launches were rough and bad and expensive and truly backwards compat and dvd/brd helped save their bacon.
So most launches are rough and prices are high. Ps4 399 and xb1 499 no games no second controllers.
I have spent about $600-$700 on most launches......plus lord what I dont get is people easily drop more money than this oj their mobile gear and think nothing of it.
I expected a fast sellout, constant stock shortages and every game Nintendo publishes to be late or delayed....lol. I also,think the entire year is tuning time for xmas were I expect both Mario and Pokemon to be launched alongside a mk8dc bundle and it will outsell everything around.
It is true that better dev tools/kits allow consoles to be maxed out sooner but it still takes time. I waited a year to buy ps4 at then od of 14 and it took until fall of 2015 until MGS5 came out....which blew me away and truly looked nextgen.
We always get a lot of ports, and re masters in year one. It took a while to get the max out of WiiU but look at games like Bayo2, xeno, and fastneo that just look sweet.....so no I dont think launch titles will show us what Switch can do .
That aside switch looks like a WiiU powered portable which is pretty amazing, docked it is probably like WiiUPro...lol.
I think its a good start......one thing I keep thinking about was how Iwata said shortly before his death that Nintendo wanted to move to a more scaleable design platform and said more like Ios/Droid. So i think Switch is a possible new direction and their long term deal with Nvidia plays in to this. So a SwitchPro could eaily be possible in 2.5 years and be 1080/4k support their virtual tech and run all Switch software......so this could just be the beginning of a much better technology stategy for the big N.
Boy everyone in here is so negavtive.....and too me it so funny.
First point is ummm no one is making anyone buy a system. I mean some people here act like Nintendo took their dog hostage and demanded ransom......like somehow Nintendo must earn your trust back bcause they have so wronged you over said dog... Really?
My view od Nintendo is of a great game company that has made a lot of 'intersting' contributions hardware wise. I have had soooo much fun on Nintendo platforms and I game everything portable/home and have been a gamer since the beginning (Arcades) of games. So game Nintendo or don't.
A true online experience started with Money$oft on XB. It costs money, sony eventually joined the frey charging, now its Nintendo's turn.......those saying oh online gaming is all p2p and costs nothing.....ummm wrong. It takes servers and bandwidth, and IT staff, and you get the idea.....it is not free. So lets see what they deliver and if you are to cheap to pay a few bucks a month for onlne then Switch it up (Ha) and go face to face with uo to 8 players in adhoc.
Lastly......I have seen it all, every launch, every console. Switch is a better product than WiiU by so many measures. Nintendo will unify all their dev forces behind it soon and the price will come down. Ppl havent even touched a joycon but female dog its a gimick, meanwhile reporters have said HD rumble is awesome and the design is smart.....think about it analogue and motion in each hand this could be useful.
I am sold at launch but thats me, I would say if you have doubts wait till xmas and the library, online, and bundles should be there. I think a 6" gaming tablet with multiple comtrollers and a 1080p dock sounds fabulous!
I think its Neo with DLC and maybe a little new content so. Directors cut hence the RMX tag........great game easily in league with f-zero or wipeout.......will be nice to have on cart/portable
Hahaha.....man I read here often and post every so often but I have to post......So many of you guys are so jaded....and I get it with the last two gens being Wii/WiiU.....but I honestly believe Nintendo has recognized that and will do better for us 'core' Ninity fans.
Soon all of Nintendo's resource will be behind one platform and I think they will be able to feed both their 'core' crowd and their cassual affair.
Its so early and anyone fretting does not seem to remember that many launches are rough and that doesn't mean squat to overall success. I think this Spring launch is nothing but a build to xmas when the system will get bundled and price dropped and have a decent library.
Another point to the early 'haters'......This is not supposed to be and never was going to be a ps4/xb1 alternative. What it needs to be is an 'attractive' platform for Nintendo and other games. I think it will suceed at that and here are some reasons:
1. The tech is slick. Devs seem to like it, Nvidia seems proud, and people getting hands on as we speak are writing possotive things. 2. It appears to be easy to dev with Nvidia and major engines on board. 3. WiiU and Wii were GC derrived meaning it been 3 gens since Nintendo made new hardware. This chipset and Nvidia aliance means they are much more scaleable. They could do a SwitchPro in two years easy with 1080/4K that we all wanted now. 4. Joycons will be more impactful than you ppl realize.....think about it.....this is the new controller standard for mobile and home gaming. 5. This is the first true gaming tablet, which also is a gaming portable, a home console and lord nows what else. Wayyyyy more diverse a product than WiiU or Wii or anything they have made before.
This is it for Nintendo people. If Switch is not a hit I fear they will be out of the hardware business. They are leveraging their years of continued dominance in handheld gaming and funneling that into Switch.....I think this will work.
@gatorboi352......dude your are always like the most cynical Nintendo fan........
I have to fully disagree on portable........and so do 60mil+ 3DS users and another 12mil with Vita.
You may not like portable gaming or feel a phone is sufficient and I get that but many gamers want portable gaming and phones/tablets are still not ideal gaming devices.
This Xmas Switch will be the only handheld in the market and as long as the library is filled in it will sell like mad.
Homestly, maybe you are over valuing home or TV based gaming? Word is that market is shrinkng but PS4/xb1 sales would not back that up.....I think there is still room for both and cool think is Switch gives us both in one device.
I love how they spent a bunch of time on telling me what a button on the joycon does but then they just slide over the 3rd party reel and say nothing about so many great games.
Fast Racing Neo on WiiU is awesome BTW. It is everybit as good as FZero or Wipeout. Very fun, very fast, and very nice looking. Getting a 1.5 version on Switch is about the best thing we could ask for short of a real F-Zero title
I should just shut up after that mega post I just made, but last point is I think the launch period is a good thing for Switch. E3 should be super exciting with Mario playable and 3rd parties hopefully showing support.
By Xmas I bet the core is down to $250 and plenty of great games should be out...........The Spring launch gives them some margin for error but if they are not fully ready to roll by XMAS with the right price and games then they are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past
I will go with others that said the presentation was a mixed bag:
Starting with the Bad:
1. The 32GB memory is a joke, both by current needs and considering how cheap flash memory is these days. No clue as to whether 32GB is an included microSD or is that actually internal? This is only minimally bad because they decided to go with very standard SD cards which are cheap and plentiful. I got a 64gb @ xmas for $15 (san disk) and a 128gb for a little over $40....memory storage really shouldn't be a problem.
2. The lack of software details....they showed some nice things but kind of whitewashed a lot of it......leaving me confused as to what will really be available at launch.
3. Accessories pricing......ouch what I load of crap. I mean Joycons with a grip will cost you $110, the Dock is $90, and the pro controller is $70. Hopefully this is just launch window pricing and by xmas 2017 these prices will be more reasonable. In all fairness ps4/xb1 controllers are $65 (but go on sale often). The joycons really do pack a lot of tech in those little controllers so the price may be justified but still.
4. The realization that this is no ps4.......look form factor, the power consumption, the storage medium.......this is going to be a cool hybrid portable that can play a lot of different types of games because of its form and control options......still games like MGS5 or Tomb Raider are still likely not going to be ideal fits for Switch.......good thing I own a ps4....lol.....but I don't think Switch will be a one machine fits all as some have hoped for.
5. Lack of launch title details......confirming what only 3 games for March 3.......that's just crap......we know there will be more (there better be) but minus Zelda and I think Arms looks fun, the lineup looks super slim and lame....hopefully more titles will be confirmed for March 3 soon.
6. No VC details and really not much on eShop details at all other than we will soon be paying.....which is fine especially if the do a PSN+ type deal. I got so many good free games for Vita that it kept the system relevant for me. Still what about unified accounts, putting my purchases on multiple systems and not having to by old VC games for the 3rd or 4th time.
Ok now for what I considered the Good:
1. Region free......I don't personally care that much but I know a lot of people do. With the Switch being a portable in a world of travelers it makes sense it should be region free. At least now I don't have to listen to the poor Euros whine any longer...
2. Price......I think the system price at $299 is solid. The joycons obviously house a lot of tech and if the system has 4gb and a solid Tegra chipset then the price is not too bad.....minus the accessories (which we know will come down).
3. Joycons........Look as long as the fit ok in the hand (I am 6'1 and have 'big' hands) then I think they look really cool. They have a lot of tech with the motion, ir, nfc, HD rumble. Nintendo has made so many great controller advances I think they are doing it again.
4. Mario and Zelda..........Zelda keeps looking better and better and the fact that it will look better on a portable than WiiU is amazing. Mario just looks awesome.....like in a way they are finally bringing 3d Mario into the 21st century.
5. Developer enthusiasm.......I think devs are fired up.....which they never really were about WiiU. This device truly will be the most powerful portable game system and has awesome input options............I think this will help attract a wide range of devs.
All in all it was a good enough presentation. I was super hyped and at times the hype was justified but sometimes it was like meh.............I think Nintendo is learning from past mistakes in that they (as they said they would) unifying all game development under one umbrella which will surely lead to a decent regular stream of their games. They have learned a lot about working with Indies thru WiiU which is great because as a result Switch will be well supported by Indies.
My last point is it is 7 weeks till launch........what the hell are they holding out info for at this point? Today every 3rd party or Indy making games should be out talking about the system. I think the tech is slick and Nintendo make awesome games, but will they learn enough from past mistakes to allow Switch to truly be a mass success or will this be the last system Nintendo makes before just becoming a software publisher?
I want Skyrim on the go......just didn't make playing this at the end of the last generation, purchased the remaster for PS4 and haven't touched it since I heard a portable was coming.
For me big, time consuming RPGs are almost impossible to play exclusively at home any more.....just not enough time. I have however put serious time into games like FireEmblem and Jrpg on 3DS and Vita.....so for me Zelda and Skyrim will be best played on Switch so I can come and go as I please......
As for the 'underpowered' compared to PS4.......uhhhh yeah....this is a frikcing hybrid portable.....no way in hell something that runs on probablay less than 20w could have the horsepower of the PS4 or XB1 which uses 10x that power consumption.......so look these are not directly competing products. Nintendo has designed a very powerful handheld that undocked appears more powerful than WiiU and docked will be even stronger.......So please knock off the underpowered crap as for what it is I think Switch is a nice kit with great promise.
Ok......last night I had a brilliant concept and I think Nintendo should hire me or just steal my idea and implement it or hell maybe they are a step ahead and already thinking it.......
Those of you in the IT or Datacenter world have probably seen blade servers before. Basically you have a chassis and then 'blades' pop in the chassis to expand serving power. Usually used for Virtual server farms.
Imagine the Switch is a blade as it is pretty much going to be a circuit board and a screen.
How about a year after release Nintendo releases a dual Switch docking station. If Switch is using USB C then the doc essentially has a very high speed bus that should in theory be able to tie two Switches together, doubling you CPU/GPU/RAM spec.
The arrow seems to be pointing at multi-scale games meaning we have PS4/pro xb1/scorpio and now Switch which will run at docked/mobile performance levels. So why not have another 'stacked' performance level that pairs two Switches? The devices will be cheap and its very possible to have 2 or more in a household (dad, mom, kids).
Games will scale easily so the same game can run mobile, docked or dual docked and allow different fidelity. Tell me that wouldn't be awesome........I call it Switch Blade.....lol
I really think $250-$300 can produce a good piece of hardware and here is why.......There is so little extraneous cost with switch so really all the money is going twoards the chipset and screen.
Look at the design choices we know:
Uses carts (no odd cost) Likely uses microsd (no hdd cost) and likely no internal flash mem like 3ds Joycons hub thing is plastic inexpensive. The doc is mostly plastic with a fan and usb c bus meaning its inexpensive
I think the design is going to be clever and for those worried and spreading fear why is Nividia saying such glowing things and is not just talking it up but proudly bragging that they helped deign something slick?
Everything in tech is a price/power/features equation. You have to hit the right combo to have a true winner and I truly think and hope N got it right this time. Specs do not exist in a vaccum.
Man once again such negativity about the 'power' equation....
Here are some things I know have been saisd or seen that give me hope.
1. Nvidia has been talking this up and has been qouted as saying 'based on our latest gen grafx tech'. Why say that then put out a box with a modded 2yr old chipset? They have made other strong statements and also have badly wanted market share in dedicated gaming. I think this will be a 'modern',potent chipset that again if you listen to Nividia is highly specialized and took significant manhour investment to create...does this sound like a rejiggered x1/shield?
2. Bethseda said we won't put our games on platforms to weak to support our vision and then boom......Skyrim looks like a lauch title.
3. The launch video and JF debut looked pretty damned good.
4. WiiU did not have a bad 'chipset' per se. The overall deign was weak. Should have had more ram, faster cpu and hdd/sdd. Even with that said some pretty amazing work was done it.
5. Switch appears to have made better 'design' choices. Honestly being cart based and god willing microsd (always more gb for less $$$) keeps thing cheap and reliable and fast. Point is the bulk of the money spent on the chipset and not gamepads and optical drives.
So who knows but I have a good fealing it will be potent. The clock down to 40% undocked sounds about right. The Vita gpu would do 222mhz but that was never officially unlocked. Default was 111 but some games do use 166. Cpu would do 444 but was again capped at 333 though some games clocked it down for battery life.
Here is what we do know.....lthis will be the most powerful handheld ever made with Nintendo games on it. I can't wait as Nintendo focusing all their studios on one platform is going to be amazing and I think they will largely have the same 3rd party model that has worked on ds/3ds which is more exclusives aimed at specific audiences vs. the big multi system ports.
Great review, very thorough and thanks for being a gem and answering questions here in the forum.
I am just greatly stoked for this game. This is truly an awesome 4th qtr as I have been neck deep in MGS V on the PS4 (only about 50% done as all the FOB crap has been keeping me from finishing the main story). Then Fallout 4 drops and I haven't even touched it. Both Sony and Nintendo had some great cyber Monday eShop sales which led to me buying more stuff I don't have time to play. Man life is great...lol. Anyways with GC unlocked and reward money I got this for $30 at BestBuy plus you get $10 in ePizza money. I will likely put off Fallout to start this.
My only disappointment is that we don't have the orginal Xeno on the eShop here in the USA.....what the hell NOA.....get it on eShop and I would buy it again just to be able to play it on gamepad, but what would have been really nice is a download code included in X........a lot of people in the USA still never played Xeno because it came to USA late in Wii life and then was hard to find at retail and then super pricey after its launch window.
Given the size/scope and development time of this game its just hard to believe Monolith and Nintendo will break even on it............maybe it gets a re-release on NX in 2017!
I also questioned Kirby and wonder if I should try it. I did see a kid playing it and thought it looked very polished. I also agree with you on 3DS releases other than if you count jrpg. It was a good year for jrpg on 3DS quality more than quanity but Bravely, Pokemon ORAS, PersonaQ and EO5 are all awesome games.
What really dissapoints and baffles me on 3DS is the lack of Western 3rd party. Nintendo appears so at odds with these publishers that nothing good can be made for a system with a base of 50mil units? ISad because I would like to see some of those major licenses on 3DS in unique forms. Good 3rd party ganes sold on GBA and DS so it suprises me that pubishers won' consider it more now that the base is so big.
I think U both make some good points......truly there is no way to give 'Next Gen' console gaming on portable hardware.....really I don't know how it can ever happen in that processing takes power and until we get wayyyyyyy better battery technologies something like that will never happen.
I see Sony's model with psp/Vita and ps3/4 as a viable example of portable/home system that share OS structure and development tools. A few games like Sly TiT and the drake game turned out impresively close to a ps3 experience.
I have always been a fan of portable/console fusion since the N64 transfer pack. Still I think what has made Nintendo handheld hardware so much more sucesssful than Sony is that Nintendo makes specific games for portable hardware. The conecept of AAA console type games has not really boomed for Sony. Even the recent Vita revival is based on quality Indy titles. Gamers on the go typically don't want what home gamers want.
Nintendo could do 'Fusion' right now with their current platforms. Make a BIG splash with a real pokemon game for WiiU and make it so you can import/export from pokecloud. Make Amibo that can move data between home/portable version of games like Mario Kart...Imagine a Zelda game where certain dungeons could only be played handheld but that was required to get the items needed to progress in the console version. This is the type Fusion I would like to see more of.
Well.....3DS semi-abandoned??? Do you say this because they just released the New 3DS and it has features (2nd analogue nubbie) and power (cpu/ram) that the current model doesn't have? Sort of, but I doubt the difference in power is enough that it will cause many games to not support the original models......
My biggest disappointment with 3DS is the fact that it has sold 45mil units and can't get crap in western 3rd party support. Devs support the Vita (which I own) when it has a base of 7-8mil but treat the 3DS like its poison. I know it is a less powerful machine and wouldn't be ideal for a lot of 3rd party games, but you would think they would use their big named licenses like GTA, COD, AC to put games specifically developed for 3DS out....kind of like China Town wars on DS. I think it speaks overall to Nintendo's real problems with 3rd parties which is they don't want to compete against Nintendo. The 3DS release schedule was certainly a little slim this year, although it contained some great games. I suspect 2015 will be strong as they will want some main line titles to help push new 3DS sales.
One thing I found interesting was that Nintendo said they are basically going the IOS/Droid route with the OS and their machines starting with WiiU. That means they could possibly put out a WiiU+ that has more horsepower, ram, storage space, still have it be compatible with the current and forthcoming WiiU library, but have a more powerful machine just incase the 3rd parties want to port their ps4/xb1 games......I guess we will see but I honestly don't care as I own those other systems and as long as Nintendo keeps putting out their gems and supporting special projects like W101, Bayonetta, X, and Devils Third I am a happy camper with WiiU......
Yeah I loved its use in SC Black List and a few other games have done some nice things as well like Deus Ex and Batman AC. I really agree that the second screen conept is cool and should be more than has so far been shown, i have several solid ideas myself so I hope some dev things of them as well. The fact that we are 2 years in to WiiU with no real jrpg or srpg is obsurd, the system was made for it, also no TCG or puzzle games is odd considering how well suited they woud be. Last one is poin and click adenture like Walking dead or Wolf Among us makes total sense.
One place I think ppl are off base is that Ninendo will abandon WiiU early. Why, when WiiU is a decent enough box for Nintendo to make the transistion to HD and better online features. It is taking them time but so far the results are awesome. I can't wait to get Metriod, a real 3D mario, some sort of Fire Emblem game and others wiiU will surely get
While some of your assessments aren't wrong they aren't all right either. 3DS sales are way down, but still the 3DS and XL combined week in and out moves more units than any other system. So what U fail to acknowledge is the entire dedicated gaming machine market is in flux and sort of down. PS4 has done great, but mostly off hype and remakes like TLoU and TRaider. Many PS4 owners I know are sort of bored until more content comes. Xbone has under performed everywhere but USA and is not eve outselling PS4.
So its a strange new world and all of the manufacturers and publishers are going to have to navigate some rough waters. It is important that Nintendo has stemmed the bleeding as they were posting sizable losses and now essentially broke even.
As for WiiU.......2015 is stacked even if 1/2 of it gets pushed back there is a lot more coming than just Zelda and even after Zelda I still expect to see a new Metroid an true 3D Mario before WiiU life is up.
I agree with a lot of what U are saying......I find for games that are map heavy it really is a nice thing. I loved playing ME3 on WiiU as it was the only way to play the game with a real time map. Batman AC was great and I really like Pikman after the patch for touch play.
Totally agree on MK8 and async.....what gives as COD and Sonic Kart use it.
The real question is can Nintendo establish dual screen console gaming as viable this generation? RPG ans SRPG should be no brainers for WiiU...also how about TCG and trader simms.....so many missed oppertunities. My best two contributions are a diablo type crawler for 4 player where a dungeon master uses the gamepad to act as the antaganonist. Second.....an American Football sim that uses gamepad for player and play management while plays play out in Hd on the big screen....
Easy Flux, don't blow a capacitor....lol. Look I said I love the Gamepad, and I do, I like it for offTV and also like it when its even minimally used for second screen purposes......still the point is and this is what Star Wolf was saying is even with an uptick in sales the WiiU is not going to be a mainstream commercial success. If it does 25mil that will be about max.
A device like I am describing could be real game changer taking WiiU sales to much higher numbers. You know already I don't need a gamepad to play almost every great game on WiiU. So this non-gamepad, would be offering your MarioKart, B2, Smash, Zelda, and everything else.
Look I like WiiU, and conceptually I think the gamepad is great, the problem is Nintendo has done little to justify its existence, and third parties haven't either. Nintendo's greatest asset is their IPs, which are being held back by poor hardware sales. Mario Kart on Wii sold what 30million units, MK8 which is the best MK ever will be lucky to 5mil in its life.
I have some great, awesome game ideas for gamepad use, and I think Nintendo is cooking some stuff (starfox and splatoon) that may make it a must, but so far it is not a required part of the WiiU experience. No worries though because Nintendo will likely not change course so don't sweat it.
Mostly and sadly agree with your assesment, especially in the UK.
Not sure why you think WiiU OS is bad? I think its better than say ps3 but slower than it should be for nextgen. I think there are things to like, eShop is solid, Miiverse, the browser are nice.
I think WiiU is overpriced in the UK market and could use a 50£ cut. For that matter I think a cut is timely in all regions for xmas as they really have a nice lineup and library to push new system sales.
I never thought I would say this but I think Nintendo should consider a gamepad detatched WiiU mini. Let it sync all controllers, hex the drive, 128gb flash and then remove vWii but bring Wii and GC to VC so you can buy the greats in digital and launch from WiiU dashboard. Sell it with a pro controller for cheap $149 bundled with smash or MK. Then make a new slimmer gamepad available seperately (for mini or original). Then offer both models old/new. I love the gamepad, but I also love that WiiU offers so many controller choices. I don't think gamepad would die if the offered with/without and separately. If they ever make a damned game that demands the gamepad it will sell more gamepads. Getting to be so many great WiiU games that could be played on a much cheaper platform.
WiiU has some nice Indies. I liked Trine2 DC, Unepic, and recently Tesla.
Really looking forward to Stealth2, Shinen's racer and also missing from this event is Pier Solar which is coming soon.
Still my favorite Indy tittle of all time is Mark of the Ninja (M$ published on Pc and x360). It is flat out the best 2D platform/stealth game I can ever remember. I hope they do a follow up and bring it to handhelds. Klei also makes Don't Starve which is a survival sim that would be great on WiiU.
See....I totally agree with you that Wii or even GC games could be launched directly from WiiU dashboard and Nintendo is crazy to not be doing this as we should be able to buy best of GC and Wii games on eShop.
To others on here that are freaking.......OK the adapter is $20 in the USA which is not much more than the cost of lunch or a pizza. I still have a couple wqvebirds and wired so just for Smash it makes sense to drop $20 for more controller options. To that point, that is what WiiU usually offers many controller options and why is this bad. I would think for 4 player local like Mario3D or Kart we will see patched support.
They could easily add support to VWii mode and may do it or maybe we get GC VC......if not it will still be worth it to us that use Ninendont or Devolution as long as it gets supported by those apps.
Man I am stoked for this.....homestly I am not much of a beat-em up or fighting game fan......so the holiday release schedule of HW, B1&2 and SSB really didn't do that much for me. This was the game I was looking forward to the most as puzzle/platformers from large devs are a rarity now a days.
I agree with U but add to it that Japanese gamers just seem to be lagely burned out on standard games. Bayo2 is just not new after numerous GOW, DMC, Bayo1, Castlevaia LoS the genre appears burned out there.
I am actually a little shocked by poor ps4 performance in Japan. It seems the erosion of console play is bound to effect these companies sooner than later. How can Nintendo continue to support projects like W101 or Bayo2 when they fail so miserably commercially? W101 is not everyones cup of tea but it is an awesome game with so much sass and polish.
I really worry about the future of gaming when so many great games are ignored or unappreciated. Last years Splinter Cell BL was one of the best games in the series in years but sold horribly across all platforms. I greatly enjoyed it on x360 and then WiiU. Go look up sales on Bioshock Infinite....it bombed pretty big even though it released to 3 major platofrms and had a TV add campaign in the US and reviewed excellent.
The most disturbing thing I saw recently was some data on how few people finish games. People complain on here about WiiU and missing DLC but it turns out not even single digit % of people finish the main story of a gane like AC4.
So expect changes in gaming because shorter games, more online, and incremental content would seem to be the future. Nintendo will be fine as they will survive of their mega hits even if some projects fail financially. I think Amibo is going to be huge in the USA.
Not realoy fair as this is a port and not even a directors cut. So it does what it is supsed to do in that its a port of a 5yr old game that looks and runs slightly better than its previous best version.
If U want to see how much better the WiiU can perform over x360 than look at Bayo2 which looks stunning, runs 720@60fps and has effects you couldn't touch on a x360. Lets remember this is a freebie so a slightly better port is all we could ask for.
I think you are being a little cynical ZT. First off this was done for SSB diehards or compeditive players. Cube controllers were the choice for Wii SSB as classic and classic pro were a joke. So these peeps have all played two gens of Smash os GC controllers. If anything its fan service which is great. Many people love the cube controller and I prefer it for VC and playing cube games. If it leads to Cube VC I am all in.
Now we have a decent WiiU controller and I imagine plenty will play SSB with that. Nintendo has pretty much supported a lot of controllers on WiiU and that is great. Many games supprort gamepad, WiiU pro, wiimote, classic pro, and now where applicable GC. Why are options bad or confusing?
Last bit of info for those reading this far down....the WiiU USB adapter is being sold seperate for $20 measly bucks. Search WiiU Gamecube @gamestop. Also if U like GC form but want something more modern check out Wired Fight Pad @ GS. It is a GS exclusive 3rd party licensed by Nintendo replica controller. It is a Cllasic pro that connects to the wiimote and comes in different themes....$25 but likely limited run and released around Smash.
Yeah the entire core, hardcore, casual..........its all just labels that I guess industry pinheads use to try to figure out who to sell their games to and how much they are going to sell. That's why I call myself an old school gamer. I have been at it since the beginning of time (video game time that is). I started playing arcade games in the late 70s, had my first console (Atari 2600) at 11 and have owned just about everything ever made since.
I wish some gamers would be more adventurous and open to different games. I have honestly known x360 shooter bros who own and play nothing other than COD,BF, and Halo. Those games are fine but there is more in life than military FPS. FPS is probably my least favorite genre, but I like story driven games so something like DeusEX would be more my type.
My favorite type of multiplayer would have to be local co-op multi. Games like DKCTF, Rayman, or even RE5 are great fun. After all isn't it better to shoot soulless zombies together vs. shooting each other in the face?
My point exactly, we have a culture saturated with it. I for one find it exhausting...lol. Atualoy I rented the first Bayo on x360 and thought it was technically excellent but didn't find the story to be that captivating.
I am not that much of a fan of the genre of this game but have thought Bayo2 looks just superb (again technically). It appears to have more story going on and the gameplay will be tight. You are right in that the original has very passionate fans and I hope that does put a WiiU in some peoples houses that want the game.
I am more interested to see Nintendo's latest attempt at publishing something 'mature'. This and Devils Third both look hyper-violent and over the top hardcore. I would more like to see another stab at geist or hope they localize Fatal Frame. I liked TLoU and Heavy Rain on ps3 which were certainly 'mature' but not so focused on 'shooter bro' juveniles.
Last point and that is I think I am sort of mystified by Nintendo giving Bayo1 outfits from their 'good girls' like Zelda, Peach, Daisy. That seems a bit perverse to me like when Miley went from Hanna Montana to a big ho over night.
While I respect your opinion, the hyper sexualization sort of does serve a purpose In this series as it defines her character.....remember she is a witch, this is not a nice girl. Its a bit cheeky but it works.
I would say make your choice on if you like 3Rd person melee/beat em ups. If you like DMC or God of War you are gonna like Bayo and after you play you will see the hyper-sex serves a higher purpose then just titilating crotch shots.
Just about every movie, show, commercial, magazine, ect. sexualizes women so this game is more poking fun at it than joining the parade.
Comments 519
Re: Gallery: Here's How Nintendo Switch Game Cards Compare To Practically Everything Else
@Tempestryke
Its about shelf space and visibility.
Re: RiME Will Take Around 10 Hours To Complete "If You Really Want To Take Your Time"
@Lord
By those rules I would have paid over $200 each for FE Awakenings and MGS5....lol. Fallout3 and Oblivion would have bankupt me.
I truly hope we see a wide price range strategy with Switch but I fear stuff released on cart will never start out less than $40.
Re: FAST RMX is Still 'Coming Soon' and Will Utilise HD Rumble
@NEStalgia
F-Zero GX on cube is a mastrpiece made as a nintendo-sega love child...lol. Whats even cooler is there was an Arcade build of this game and thru some hackery you can unlock it in the GC release. The game wasn't just fast it actually ran @60fps in 480p which was not a common thing back then.
Thru other hackery you can run this game (and all GC) on Wiiu in upscaled 1080p and it sill looks and plays amazing.
Nintendo should get their heads out of their asses and make a HD F-Zero and they also have other great racers like excitbike64 and Waverace that they haven't touched in forever. I like MK but hopefully 8D will get them off it for a while with Switch and as far as their BS ' we integrated FZ features in MK8 who gives a fig they are totally different games. its like saying don't make DeusEX because its an FPS like COD.
Re: Nintendo Switch Teardown Images Pop Up Online
Wow.....People are just insane....when I look at the circuit board compared to a DS cart its amazing to think we are getting something 1.5-3x (go/home) as powerful as WiiU in this dinky little board.....running at this power level (8-20w).
Those that act like a chipset like pascal that is in grafx cards that cost more than a Switch ($400 on the low end)......and act like because they used Maxwell they cheaped out? Your just nuts OK. If we got a Pascal based Switch it would be what $600......and NO ONE would buy it.
Switch has more power and RAM than WiiU and also I think the entire architecture is much faster as WiiU had some serious bottlenecks so Switch will have a much faster bus. You were always hamstrung by ODD or USB2 on WiiU so you werent ever loading data faster then 25-30mbit/sec. Carts or fast MicroSD will easily create load rates 2-3x that rate.
I think its a slick design and I believe it is going to be very scaleable. As the line grows with a portable only option we could also get a home only option. All they got to do is drop that cheap little board in a shell and could sell a Home only micro console for $150 that plays all the same games as the hybrid and mobile only.
Lets just relax as this Spring launch gives N plenty of time to build to an incredible xmas.
Re: Disgaea 5 Complete Gets A Solid Release Date For Nintendo Switch
Well Disgaea is a pretty solid SRPG series with, as others have said, a whacky ass side. I haven't played it since the PSP days but honestly it makes a better portable game then home (IMO). I give them credit as they are constantly tweaking and improving the combat system and it seems quite 'full'.
I will likely get it if there is nothing else more interesting to me by that time, but what I would farrrrrrrr prefer is they give us Fire Emblem with GC VC. If you like JRPG/SRPG and cute little anime hotties then this game might appeal to you.
Re: Video: FIFA 18 Gets Shown Off In Japanese Nintendo Switch Commercial
You people are all such grafx....lol. I can't even tell how good or bad FIFA looks when shown on a small screen at that distance. Look here is what we know......it is being custom built and so its grafx should end up somewhere between ps360 and ps4/xb1. Why is that not good enough? I mean does being able to see a hair sticking out of someone mole really make that much difference to the game?
I could care less as I have not played a FIFA game since the first real 3D one on the......3DO. It was actually pretty cool and quite a marvel but it seems to me like they have hardly changed it much since 20 years ago.
As to who will buy it over the other versions.......People who want home and away play. Its that simple and for most multiplat games that is going to be the deciding factor. If the home/away dynamic matters little to you then for god sakes get the ps4 version and shut up already. If home/away matters then that is a major features and some small sacrifice in graphical fidelity aint gonna mean beans.
Honestly Nintendo and main realistic sports games have mostly been a bust over the generations. I personally wish Nintendo would commit to putting out their own sports lineup for Switch (they pretty much ignored WiiU) and we would see a new Mario Golf using motion controls like the excellent TigerWoods did on Wii, a new mario strikers, mario sluggers and how about a Super Smash Mouth Football (not soccer) game that uses all the lineups and Amibos from Smash for a arcade football.
This is what I dont get about people and their expectations with Nintendo platforms.....we know what they are, we know what kind of games and more importantly unique games we will get and we know Nintendo has really never been a home for lots of FPS and Sports games.............don't fricking buy Nintendo if those are the games you love.....get a damned ps4.
As to grafx I have no faith in commercial clips......Every video I ever saw of a WiiU game looked choppy and like poop and then that was not the case when playing them. Even many of the ports so many people female dogged about were not bad at all. I played AC4, DuesEX, SplinterCell, ME3, NFSMW all on WiiU and had seen or played them on ps360 as well and for those games the grafx, frame rates, and effects were clearly better than ps360 versions.
Why do so many haters even come here? Its like a lesbian feminist at a Trump rally......you only want to show up to female dog, moan and protest when everyone else wishes you had just stayed home!
Re: Best Buy and GameStop Offering Switch Pro Controller Pre-Orders in the US
Actually the new 1.1 PS4 controller is retailing @ $64.99 although you can get them much cheaper on sale (I got a white one off Amazon for $34 @ Xmas).
Still this price is not that bad. First its launch pricing so I expect it will come down by say Xmas2017, second as others have mentioned it has a lot of tech in it as to maintain compatibility with joy-con supported features. I liked the WiiU pro controller, though didn't think it was as great as some. The weight, and battery life are the high points, plus funny story....I was at Walmart, bought a bunch of non-gaming stuff right after launch and the checker somehow forgot to ring up my WiiU pro controller so I got it FREE. I am getting so amped for Switch.......bring it!
Re: Talking Point: Considering Nintendo's Portable Future
@Thomas Whitehead..............Thanks for writing this great article and laying out the various 'possibilities' for Switch. I have been saying the same things since the first promo video launched.
I think Switch will have multiple form and power factors over its generation. I think Nintendo will first let it get established for the 2-2.5yr type period you suggest and then we will see Switch GO. Which could be smaller, lighter, better battery life portable only with integrated controls (like you suggest) but with motion, ir, NFC and everything on the joy-con and pro controller.
But why not take it a step further with a very small (based off the same 1.5 sliming used for the new mobile) and cheap Switch Home micro console. Then we get a Switch VR which is a new hybrid line that has 1080p screen, nextgen Nvidia to power it and comes with VR Headgear and works with existing Docs. And lastly we get Switch Home pro. Another console using the updated VR hardware (matched by the VR docked config) to give them a 4K capable home console.
All devices support all controllers and run the same software just at difference performance levels, which Nintendo is already establishing with the Switch and as you mention other manufactures are as well.
In this way I could see Nintendo selling 100+ million Switch. Really if you listen to all Nintendo has been saying in the last few years it indicates they are building Switch as a platform, not just a one off device. They have merged their team, and also said in prior statements that they wanted to create an environment more like mobile (ios/droid) that had continuous compatibility. Then they make a very long term deal with Nvidia (A very aggressive and active chipset maker).
So they have put all the parts in place to deliver on what you and I are conjecturing so why wouldn't they do it? What they need now is to deliver and attract software.
If you do the math (and we will no exactly in a few more weeks) Switch has a 4amp ish battery. At full settings it runs for 2.5hrs. That means on about 8watts the undocked Switch is delivery better than WiiU performance and power a LCD screen as well. That is ridiculously amazing. Even docked (with screen off) and 100% GPU it is probably going to pull 20watts.
People criticizing the hardware really know nothing as this performance level at this power level is an achievement. Anyone who claims to be green (not me) should be buying this console as a PS4/XB1 uses at least 10x the energy.
As to your concerns about game formats and all. Don't worry the Switch accommodates everything and every game type, so it will get everything. I think we will have great mobile experiences with the benefit of relaxing on the couch and using a TV when we want and we will have great home experiences (like Zelda, Skyrim) that we can just pop out and carry on the road. We will have local and network multiplayer and numerous control options. I personally believe they need to be selling about 1+Mil Switch a month from launch until forever. If they are hitting that mark then its will attract plenty of support.
Re: There Are Currently 'No Plans' For Final Fantasy XV On Nintendo Switch
People relax......3rd party support is not going to be won or lost at launch with the Switch.
Some devs/pubs are obviously dubious and want to see how Switch does. It needs to be selling aout 2mil a month regularly and then more support will come. Say its sells 5-6mil units by E3 and you will see support. Nintendo is gonna have to earn it with unit sales.
Next......any Spectrum game can be scaled to any platofrm within reason. Obviousy N has done more than ever to make sure modern engines and tools are supported. Far too many ppl that know nothing about developing, coding, rendering, or anything shoot their mouths off.
Ps4/xb1/pc are essentially the same platform. Switch is going to take effort to port a major AAA title but the tools are there and it could be done.....but it has to make sense. Some games just don't make sense and won't sell well.
A real key is does portabilty matter or make sense to a game. Skyrim will be a good litmus test. Will it be adopted, will people enjoy playing it home/away.
Look if Switch does 3DS like sales its going to get lots of RPGs including DQ, Xeno, MH, FE, and many others. I stand with others that would rather see new or special project for Switch than most x86 multiplats (most, but I would love to see some).
Switch is a far far cry concept wise from WiiU. I will be shocked if it fails. It will be the home for all Nintendo project within 2yrs and I expect by next year it may be gettin released in different form factors like a lite mobile only or home only box which could both be chepaer than the hybrid
Re: Nintendo's Dev Teams Rival Western Counterparts In Terms Of Skill, Claims Miyamoto
Ummm.......For my money MGS5 (ps4) and MGS4 (ps3) are two of the best looking games ever and they came out of Japan. Capcom has done some really nice realistic graphx work as well with recent RE games.
Honestly I value art direction and graphx style so much more than pure horsepower. I have been re-playing some NGC games lately and even nearly 15yrs later some of them look excellent when running on my WiiU in 16x9 with Nintedont. Seriously SartFox Adventures looks like it could have just come out on a current system and Beyond GE, as well as the Metroid Prime games still hold up very well.
I think Eastern devs should just keep doing what they do and not worry to much about what comes out of the West as so much of it is just eye candy and gameplay.
Re: EA Confirms Vancouver Team Will Produce FIFA 18 on Nintendo Switch
As long as it comes out at same time and has similiar quality/features it will sell great! I really hope it does well so EA considers further projects.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Switch Countdown - Considering the Joy-Con
These truly are VR ready controllers.
I am in the vibration turned off crowd but its sort of due to the crassness of current feedback. HDRumble sounds quite cool and may make a convert of some of us.
I really think many are underestimating the value of motion and analogue and lots of buttons 'seperately' in each hand. I always hated the wiimote-chuck combo because the damned tether. Also the size of wiimote made you hold it like a wand and it wasnt comfortable for extneded durations, joy-con fit entirely in your hand and should be far more natural.
As to those worried yhe features wont be utilized....be patient they will. First its not that hard to implement code for something like hdrumble, no big cost or time issue and second devs in talking about it are excited and already talking about cool concepts for games.
Imagine a real wild west game like red dead or Red Steel 3 where you use those joycon for quickdraw showdowns and i still dont know why we never saw a Lightsaber Star Wars game for Wii (especially after the motionplus upgrade).
All in all I am excited about the controller options, the pro looks nice and has hdrumble, motion, and NFC in a standard dual analogue.....sounds good and allows devs to offer the same experiences in either format.
Re: Yooka-Laylee Formally Confirmed for Switch Along With Wii U Backer Options
Just blows that one again WiiU gets the shaft. Project Cars was the worst and this isnt much better. You know many eShop games have sold very well on WiiU in some cases outselling other platforms. So really it would be nice to see this and the rash of other cancelations come to WiiU. Not all WiiU users will jump to Switch ASAP so I expect many will use use the system to play Zelda and publishers could have a window to still sell on eShop. Its just dissapointing in that I am sad to see WiiU ending so incompletely. Never had a 3D Mario, nor a Fire Emblem game, no Metroid, AC or Pokemon. It was ideally suited for a game like Advance Wars but no. It ended up with a decent libray but truly Nintendo failing to deliver all the games they put on past generations is the reason its dying too young.
I am preordered for Switch but really want to see if this turns out good, then would prefer cart if it is good....lol. Please lord let Switch get a Metroid game 2D or 3D.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo 3DS, A System That Still Has a Role to Play
A strong 2017 and then a drift off in 2018 beyond that I could see a real market for the 2ds sticking around for kids with a lot of cheap/used games for years which is what GBA did. I bought one of yhose new GBA micros long after DS was out.
I dont think ppl realize how scalable Switch can be for Nintendo. I fully expect it to be without doc in Japan next year, maybe sooner. I think in 2 yrs after its established the will offer a Switch GO which will be mobile only, cheaper, better battery and lighter but running all yhe same games as yhe hybrid. Then How about a Switch Home Pro model that bundles Pro controller and supports 4K upscaling and streaming, but runs the same software as the hybrid. This is hopefully the strategy Nintendo is considering. Establish the platform as hybrid then offer forks.
All this talk about power is sort of nonsense. Games, Engines, grafx......they all scale. They always have but now more than ever its easier to scale games one way or the oher. Sony and M$ have established scaleable platforms so its no nig deal to devs.
This is how N could push Switch as a platform for,years that still gives them multiple itterations. Lets hope....I personally loved Gamepad for OffTV.....most didnt and by 2014 N should have accepted their market failure and sold a solo WiiU at $199. With the great 2014/2105 lineup they may have revived it. I think they are in a smarter position with Switch
Re: Talking Point: Is the Nintendo Switch a Handheld or Console? Does it Matter?
Most of you are probably too young to remember before laptops there were some computers called transportables that looked about like a sewing machine.....Switch modern transportable.
Look its a portable with a home element. They just dont want to market that way to kill off 3DS too soon. I fully expected a nomdock version in Japan by years end. 2017 good year for 3DS 2018 its the little bro system and then maybe a Switch Light thats slimmer better battery life and cheaper cause no dock support and a Switch pro thats 1080p/4K docked and supports Nintendo's VR.
Switch is a very scaleable platform that could offer s lot of iiterations.....Want a cool idea.....a dual switch doc that teams the cpus/gpus to offer more power and ram....
Re: First Impressions: Getting Some Laps In With FAST RMX
Its supposed to get a physical release and buying if does. Great game on WiiU and well worth the price. Double the tracks and up the performance slap it on a cart and sold!
Its hard to place this game but its no F-zero in controls and the track designs are heavy on long open stretches. Its fun to play and the blue/orange dynamic adds something....it looks super smooth and fast on WiiU...most vids dont do it justice
Re: DFC Intelligence Believes Nintendo Switch Can Shift 40 Million Units by 2020
Ppl saying Switch will bomb worse than WiiU are just silly. 40mil in 4 seems possible. Ninendo is not going to cut its own throat so expect 2017to be last fully supported year for 2/3DS. It will linger on just as GBA and DS did for a while but don't expect more frontline games after this year.
Switch is being wrongly positioned (shocking right) as what it is is the most powerful portable ever with a home component. I expect it will get sorted out and as long as dock is available seperately why not offer a no dock version soon as well?
Switch will do fine because it is both the wiiu and 3DS succesor and once it has the likes of pokemon, fir emblem and all the jrpgs from vita and 3ds it is going to shift a lot of units.
They have Zelda, Kart, MarioO, Splatoon, and a pokemon game by xmas and you tell me they arent shifting major units...bull.
I am ready for launch, but admit the lineup is thin ATM and that is irksome. Yet Zelda is a beefy game and will likely take a weeks for to complete. I really hope we get Fast RMX as I love that on WiiU and would love to have on cart and portable. Also lets hope they have some could eshop and a little new VC launch day.
Dont know why but $70 pro controller nowhere to be seen for preorder in USA.....my launch day is Switch, Zelda, and ProCon unless some suprise games show up between now and launch.
Re: Editorial: Pricing Blunders Have Distorted The Narrative Around Nintendo Switch
Ok....have to agree in that Nintendo is certainly not going agressive and I wish they were........but look at the ps4 and xb1. M$ took a real hit with all the bowback about kinnect being firced and the threat off drm only gaming.......they launched poorly and $ony had a great launch......but both the ps2/ps3 launches were rough and bad and expensive and truly backwards compat and dvd/brd helped save their bacon.
So most launches are rough and prices are high. Ps4 399 and xb1 499 no games no second controllers.
I have spent about $600-$700 on most launches......plus lord what I dont get is people easily drop more money than this oj their mobile gear and think nothing of it.
I expected a fast sellout, constant stock shortages and every game Nintendo publishes to be late or delayed....lol. I also,think the entire year is tuning time for xmas were I expect both Mario and Pokemon to be launched alongside a mk8dc bundle and it will outsell everything around.
Re: Video: Digital Foundry Puts Breath of the Wild, MK8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2 to the Test
It is true that better dev tools/kits allow consoles to be maxed out sooner but it still takes time. I waited a year to buy ps4 at then od of 14 and it took until fall of 2015 until MGS5 came out....which blew me away and truly looked nextgen.
We always get a lot of ports, and re masters in year one. It took a while to get the max out of WiiU but look at games like Bayo2, xeno, and fastneo that just look sweet.....so no I dont think launch titles will show us what Switch can do .
That aside switch looks like a WiiU powered portable which is pretty amazing, docked it is probably like WiiUPro...lol.
I think its a good start......one thing I keep thinking about was how Iwata said shortly before his death that Nintendo wanted to move to a more scaleable design platform and said more like Ios/Droid. So i think Switch is a possible new direction and their long term deal with Nvidia plays in to this. So a SwitchPro could eaily be possible in 2.5 years and be 1080/4k support their virtual tech and run all Switch software......so this could just be the beginning of a much better technology stategy for the big N.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo's Switch Plan is Starting to Take Shape
Boy everyone in here is so negavtive.....and too me it so funny.
First point is ummm no one is making anyone buy a system. I mean some people here act like Nintendo took their dog hostage and demanded ransom......like somehow Nintendo must earn your trust back bcause they have so wronged you over said dog... Really?
My view od Nintendo is of a great game company that has made a lot of 'intersting' contributions hardware wise. I have had soooo much fun on Nintendo platforms and I game everything portable/home and have been a gamer since the beginning (Arcades) of games. So game Nintendo or don't.
A true online experience started with Money$oft on XB. It costs money, sony eventually joined the frey charging, now its Nintendo's turn.......those saying oh online gaming is all p2p and costs nothing.....ummm wrong. It takes servers and bandwidth, and IT staff, and you get the idea.....it is not free. So lets see what they deliver and if you are to cheap to pay a few bucks a month for onlne then Switch it up (Ha) and go face to face with uo to 8 players in adhoc.
Lastly......I have seen it all, every launch, every console. Switch is a better product than WiiU by so many measures. Nintendo will unify all their dev forces behind it soon and the price will come down. Ppl havent even touched a joycon but female dog its a gimick, meanwhile reporters have said HD rumble is awesome and the design is smart.....think about it analogue and motion in each hand this could be useful.
I am sold at launch but thats me, I would say if you have doubts wait till xmas and the library, online, and bundles should be there. I think a 6" gaming tablet with multiple comtrollers and a 1080p dock sounds fabulous!
Re: Fast RMX
I think its Neo with DLC and maybe a little new content so. Directors cut hence the RMX tag........great game easily in league with f-zero or wipeout.......will be nice to have on cart/portable
Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Offers Hope for Those Dreaming of Mother 3, Metroid and More on Switch
Hahaha.....man I read here often and post every so often but I have to post......So many of you guys are so jaded....and I get it with the last two gens being Wii/WiiU.....but I honestly believe Nintendo has recognized that and will do better for us 'core' Ninity fans.
Soon all of Nintendo's resource will be behind one platform and I think they will be able to feed both their 'core' crowd and their cassual affair.
Its so early and anyone fretting does not seem to remember that many launches are rough and that doesn't mean squat to overall success. I think this Spring launch is nothing but a build to xmas when the system will get bundled and price dropped and have a decent library.
Another point to the early 'haters'......This is not supposed to be and never was going to be a ps4/xb1 alternative. What it needs to be is an 'attractive' platform for Nintendo and other games. I think it will suceed at that and here are some reasons:
1. The tech is slick. Devs seem to like it, Nvidia seems proud, and people getting hands on as we speak are writing possotive things.
2. It appears to be easy to dev with Nvidia and major engines on board.
3. WiiU and Wii were GC derrived meaning it been 3 gens since Nintendo made new hardware. This chipset and Nvidia aliance means they are much more scaleable. They could do a SwitchPro in two years easy with 1080/4K that we all wanted now.
4. Joycons will be more impactful than you ppl realize.....think about it.....this is the new controller standard for mobile and home gaming.
5. This is the first true gaming tablet, which also is a gaming portable, a home console and lord nows what else. Wayyyyy more diverse a product than WiiU or Wii or anything they have made before.
This is it for Nintendo people. If Switch is not a hit I fear they will be out of the hardware business. They are leveraging their years of continued dominance in handheld gaming and funneling that into Switch.....I think this will work.
Re: Hands On: Putting the Nintendo Switch Hardware Through Its Paces
@gatorboi352......dude your are always like the most cynical Nintendo fan........
I have to fully disagree on portable........and so do 60mil+ 3DS users and another 12mil with Vita.
You may not like portable gaming or feel a phone is sufficient and I get that but many gamers want portable gaming and phones/tablets are still not ideal gaming devices.
This Xmas Switch will be the only handheld in the market and as long as the library is filled in it will sell like mad.
Homestly, maybe you are over valuing home or TV based gaming? Word is that market is shrinkng but PS4/xb1 sales would not back that up.....I think there is still room for both and cool think is Switch gives us both in one device.
Re: Minecraft, Sonic, Street Fighter And Bomberman Are All Coming To Switch
I love how they spent a bunch of time on telling me what a button on the joycon does but then they just slide over the 3rd party reel and say nothing about so many great games.
Fast Racing Neo on WiiU is awesome BTW. It is everybit as good as FZero or Wipeout. Very fun, very fast, and very nice looking. Getting a 1.5 version on Switch is about the best thing we could ask for short of a real F-Zero title
Re: Poll: What Did You Think of the Nintendo Switch Presentation?
I should just shut up after that mega post I just made, but last point is I think the launch period is a good thing for Switch.
E3 should be super exciting with Mario playable and 3rd parties hopefully showing support.
By Xmas I bet the core is down to $250 and plenty of great games should be out...........The Spring launch gives them some margin for error but if they are not fully ready to roll by XMAS with the right price and games then they are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past
Re: Poll: What Did You Think of the Nintendo Switch Presentation?
I will go with others that said the presentation was a mixed bag:
Starting with the Bad:
1. The 32GB memory is a joke, both by current needs and considering how cheap flash memory is these days. No clue as to whether 32GB is an included microSD or is that actually internal? This is only minimally bad because they decided to go with very standard SD cards which are cheap and plentiful. I got a 64gb @ xmas for $15 (san disk) and a 128gb for a little over $40....memory storage really shouldn't be a problem.
2. The lack of software details....they showed some nice things but kind of whitewashed a lot of it......leaving me confused as to what will really be available at launch.
3. Accessories pricing......ouch what I load of crap. I mean Joycons with a grip will cost you $110, the Dock is $90, and the pro controller is $70. Hopefully this is just launch window pricing and by xmas 2017 these prices will be more reasonable. In all fairness ps4/xb1 controllers are $65 (but go on sale often). The joycons really do pack a lot of tech in those little controllers so the price may be justified but still.
4. The realization that this is no ps4.......look form factor, the power consumption, the storage medium.......this is going to be a cool hybrid portable that can play a lot of different types of games because of its form and control options......still games like MGS5 or Tomb Raider are still likely not going to be ideal fits for Switch.......good thing I own a ps4....lol.....but I don't think Switch will be a one machine fits all as some have hoped for.
5. Lack of launch title details......confirming what only 3 games for March 3.......that's just crap......we know there will be more (there better be) but minus Zelda and I think Arms looks fun, the lineup looks super slim and lame....hopefully more titles will be confirmed for March 3 soon.
6. No VC details and really not much on eShop details at all other than we will soon be paying.....which is fine especially if the do a PSN+ type deal. I got so many good free games for Vita that it kept the system relevant for me. Still what about unified accounts, putting my purchases on multiple systems and not having to by old VC games for the 3rd or 4th time.
Ok now for what I considered the Good:
1. Region free......I don't personally care that much but I know a lot of people do. With the Switch being a portable in a world of travelers it makes sense it should be region free. At least now I don't have to listen to the poor Euros whine any longer...
2. Price......I think the system price at $299 is solid. The joycons obviously house a lot of tech and if the system has 4gb and a solid Tegra chipset then the price is not too bad.....minus the accessories (which we know will come down).
3. Joycons........Look as long as the fit ok in the hand (I am 6'1 and have 'big' hands) then I think they look really cool. They have a lot of tech with the motion, ir, nfc, HD rumble. Nintendo has made so many great controller advances I think they are doing it again.
4. Mario and Zelda..........Zelda keeps looking better and better and the fact that it will look better on a portable than WiiU is amazing. Mario just looks awesome.....like in a way they are finally bringing 3d Mario into the 21st century.
5. Developer enthusiasm.......I think devs are fired up.....which they never really were about WiiU. This device truly will be the most powerful portable game system and has awesome input options............I think this will help attract a wide range of devs.
All in all it was a good enough presentation. I was super hyped and at times the hype was justified but sometimes it was like meh.............I think Nintendo is learning from past mistakes in that they (as they said they would) unifying all game development under one umbrella which will surely lead to a decent regular stream of their games. They have learned a lot about working with Indies thru WiiU which is great because as a result Switch will be well supported by Indies.
What bothers me is what they possibly didn't learn. God bless them for trying weird poo and that is part of Nintendo but their fans want some things so badly and instead of just giving us what we want......Imagine if they had showed a real Metroid game 2d or 3d. How about Fzero, Excitebike, 3DDK, Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Mario Golf.......I mean for the love of jesus they just refuse to give their diehard fans what we want and show me 1-2 Switch and Arms (which could be cool). Also......the GC hold such great nostalgia with their hardcore fans.....they could have easily put GC on WiiU (I play them on WiiU with Nintendont).
My last point is it is 7 weeks till launch........what the hell are they holding out info for at this point? Today every 3rd party or Indy making games should be out talking about the system. I think the tech is slick and Nintendo make awesome games, but will they learn enough from past mistakes to allow Switch to truly be a mass success or will this be the last system Nintendo makes before just becoming a software publisher?
Re: Skyrim Confirmed for Nintendo Switch
I want Skyrim on the go......just didn't make playing this at the end of the last generation, purchased the remaster for PS4 and haven't touched it since I heard a portable was coming.
For me big, time consuming RPGs are almost impossible to play exclusively at home any more.....just not enough time. I have however put serious time into games like FireEmblem and Jrpg on 3DS and Vita.....so for me Zelda and Skyrim will be best played on Switch so I can come and go as I please......
As for the 'underpowered' compared to PS4.......uhhhh yeah....this is a frikcing hybrid portable.....no way in hell something that runs on probablay less than 20w could have the horsepower of the PS4 or XB1 which uses 10x that power consumption.......so look these are not directly competing products. Nintendo has designed a very powerful handheld that undocked appears more powerful than WiiU and docked will be even stronger.......So please knock off the underpowered crap as for what it is I think Switch is a nice kit with great promise.
Re: Soapbox: The Nintendo Switch's Final Specs Don't Matter
Ok......last night I had a brilliant concept and I think Nintendo should hire me or just steal my idea and implement it or hell maybe they are a step ahead and already thinking it.......
Those of you in the IT or Datacenter world have probably seen blade servers before. Basically you have a chassis and then 'blades' pop in the chassis to expand serving power. Usually used for Virtual server farms.
Imagine the Switch is a blade as it is pretty much going to be a circuit board and a screen.
How about a year after release Nintendo releases a dual Switch docking station. If Switch is using USB C then the doc essentially has a very high speed bus that should in theory be able to tie two Switches together, doubling you CPU/GPU/RAM spec.
The arrow seems to be pointing at multi-scale games meaning we have PS4/pro xb1/scorpio and now Switch which will run at docked/mobile performance levels. So why not have another 'stacked' performance level that pairs two Switches? The devices will be cheap and its very possible to have 2 or more in a household (dad, mom, kids).
Games will scale easily so the same game can run mobile, docked or dual docked and allow different fidelity. Tell me that wouldn't be awesome........I call it Switch Blade.....lol
Re: Best Buy Rumour Reinforces Talk of $250 Nintendo Switch Price
I really think $250-$300 can produce a good piece of hardware and here is why.......There is so little extraneous cost with switch so really all the money is going twoards the chipset and screen.
Look at the design choices we know:
Uses carts (no odd cost)
Likely uses microsd (no hdd cost) and likely no internal flash mem like 3ds
Joycons hub thing is plastic inexpensive.
The doc is mostly plastic with a fan and usb c bus meaning its inexpensive
I think the design is going to be clever and for those worried and spreading fear why is Nividia saying such glowing things and is not just talking it up but proudly bragging that they helped deign something slick?
Everything in tech is a price/power/features equation. You have to hit the right combo to have a true winner and I truly think and hope N got it right this time. Specs do not exist in a vaccum.
Re: Editorial: The Nintendo Switch 'Power' Debate is Likely Missing the Point
Man once again such negativity about the 'power' equation....
Here are some things I know have been saisd or seen that give me hope.
1. Nvidia has been talking this up and has been qouted as saying 'based on our latest gen grafx tech'. Why say that then put out a box with a modded 2yr old chipset? They have made other strong statements and also have badly wanted market share in dedicated gaming. I think this will be a 'modern',potent chipset that again if you listen to Nividia is highly specialized and took significant manhour investment to create...does this sound like a rejiggered x1/shield?
2. Bethseda said we won't put our games on platforms to weak to support our vision and then boom......Skyrim looks like a lauch title.
3. The launch video and JF debut looked pretty damned good.
4. WiiU did not have a bad 'chipset' per se. The overall deign was weak. Should have had more ram, faster cpu and hdd/sdd. Even with that said some pretty amazing work was done it.
5. Switch appears to have made better 'design' choices. Honestly being cart based and god willing microsd (always more gb for less $$$) keeps thing cheap and reliable and fast. Point is the bulk of the money spent on the chipset and not gamepads and optical drives.
So who knows but I have a good fealing it will be potent. The clock down to 40% undocked sounds about right. The Vita gpu would do 222mhz but that was never officially unlocked. Default was 111 but some games do use 166. Cpu would do 444 but was again capped at 333 though some games clocked it down for battery life.
Here is what we do know.....lthis will be the most powerful handheld ever made with Nintendo games on it. I can't wait as Nintendo focusing all their studios on one platform is going to be amazing and I think they will largely have the same 3rd party model that has worked on ds/3ds which is more exclusives aimed at specific audiences vs. the big multi system ports.
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
Great review, very thorough and thanks for being a gem and answering questions here in the forum.
I am just greatly stoked for this game. This is truly an awesome 4th qtr as I have been neck deep in MGS V on the PS4 (only about 50% done as all the FOB crap has been keeping me from finishing the main story). Then Fallout 4 drops and I haven't even touched it. Both Sony and Nintendo had some great cyber Monday eShop sales which led to me buying more stuff I don't have time to play. Man life is great...lol. Anyways with GC unlocked and reward money I got this for $30 at BestBuy plus you get $10 in ePizza money. I will likely put off Fallout to start this.
My only disappointment is that we don't have the orginal Xeno on the eShop here in the USA.....what the hell NOA.....get it on eShop and I would buy it again just to be able to play it on gamepad, but what would have been really nice is a download code included in X........a lot of people in the USA still never played Xeno because it came to USA late in Wii life and then was hard to find at retail and then super pricey after its launch window.
Given the size/scope and development time of this game its just hard to believe Monolith and Nintendo will break even on it............maybe it gets a re-release on NX in 2017!
I
Re: Video: Remind Yourself Of Nintendo Life's Top Picks For 2014
@ningeek185
I also questioned Kirby and wonder if I should try it. I did see a kid playing it and thought it looked very polished. I also agree with you on 3DS releases other than if you count jrpg. It was a good year for jrpg on 3DS quality more than quanity but Bravely, Pokemon ORAS, PersonaQ and EO5 are all awesome games.
What really dissapoints and baffles me on 3DS is the lack of Western 3rd party. Nintendo appears so at odds with these publishers that nothing good can be made for a system with a base of 50mil units? ISad because I would like to see some of those major licenses on 3DS in unique forms. Good 3rd party ganes sold on GBA and DS so it suprises me that pubishers won' consider it more now that the base is so big.
Re: Video: Watch The Mario Kart 8 × Zelda DLC Running In Silky-Smooth 1080p 60fps
I just think Nintendo DLC Rules.....i mean this much new content for essentially $6.......i really hope more Nintendo titles support meaningful DLC
Re: Nintendo Download: 13th November (North America)
Why oh why can' we have a new Pokemon TCG for 3DS and WiiU? NFC in the cards and all it coud be epic lets get it together Ninendo.
Re: Genyo Takeda Discusses Nintendo's Hardware Future
@aaronsullivan @duffmmann
I think U both make some good points......truly there is no way to give 'Next Gen' console gaming on portable hardware.....really I don't know how it can ever happen in that processing takes power and until we get wayyyyyyy better battery technologies something like that will never happen.
I see Sony's model with psp/Vita and ps3/4 as a viable example of portable/home system that share OS structure and development tools. A few games like Sly TiT and the drake game turned out impresively close to a ps3 experience.
I have always been a fan of portable/console fusion since the N64 transfer pack. Still I think what has made Nintendo handheld hardware so much more sucesssful than Sony is that Nintendo makes specific games for portable hardware. The conecept of AAA console type games has not really boomed for Sony. Even the recent Vita revival is based on quality Indy titles. Gamers on the go typically don't want what home gamers want.
Nintendo could do 'Fusion' right now with their current platforms. Make a BIG splash with a real pokemon game for WiiU and make it so you can import/export from pokecloud. Make Amibo that can move data between home/portable version of games like Mario Kart...Imagine a Zelda game where certain dungeons could only be played handheld but that was required to get the items needed to progress in the console version. This is the type Fusion I would like to see more of.
Re: Nintendo Returns to Profit as Wii U Sales Show Signs of Life
@Yorumi
Well.....3DS semi-abandoned??? Do you say this because they just released the New 3DS and it has features (2nd analogue nubbie) and power (cpu/ram) that the current model doesn't have? Sort of, but I doubt the difference in power is enough that it will cause many games to not support the original models......
My biggest disappointment with 3DS is the fact that it has sold 45mil units and can't get crap in western 3rd party support. Devs support the Vita (which I own) when it has a base of 7-8mil but treat the 3DS like its poison. I know it is a less powerful machine and wouldn't be ideal for a lot of 3rd party games, but you would think they would use their big named licenses like GTA, COD, AC to put games specifically developed for 3DS out....kind of like China Town wars on DS. I think it speaks overall to Nintendo's real problems with 3rd parties which is they don't want to compete against Nintendo. The 3DS release schedule was certainly a little slim this year, although it contained some great games. I suspect 2015 will be strong as they will want some main line titles to help push new 3DS sales.
One thing I found interesting was that Nintendo said they are basically going the IOS/Droid route with the OS and their machines starting with WiiU. That means they could possibly put out a WiiU+ that has more horsepower, ram, storage space, still have it be compatible with the current and forthcoming WiiU library, but have a more powerful machine just incase the 3rd parties want to port their ps4/xb1 games......I guess we will see but I honestly don't care as I own those other systems and as long as Nintendo keeps putting out their gems and supporting special projects like W101, Bayonetta, X, and Devils Third I am a happy camper with WiiU......
Re: Nintendo Returns to Profit as Wii U Sales Show Signs of Life
@Yorumi
Yeah I loved its use in SC Black List and a few other games have done some nice things as well like Deus Ex and Batman AC. I really agree that the second screen conept is cool and should be more than has so far been shown, i have several solid ideas myself so I hope some dev things of them as well. The fact that we are 2 years in to WiiU with no real jrpg or srpg is obsurd, the system was made for it, also no TCG or puzzle games is odd considering how well suited they woud be. Last one is poin and click adenture like Walking dead or Wolf Among us makes total sense.
One place I think ppl are off base is that Ninendo will abandon WiiU early. Why, when WiiU is a decent enough box for Nintendo to make the transistion to HD and better online features. It is taking them time but so far the results are awesome. I can't wait to get Metriod, a real 3D mario, some sort of Fire Emblem game and others wiiU will surely get
Re: Nintendo Returns to Profit as Wii U Sales Show Signs of Life
@SahashraLA
While some of your assessments aren't wrong they aren't all right either. 3DS sales are way down, but still the 3DS and XL combined week in and out moves more units than any other system. So what U fail to acknowledge is the entire dedicated gaming machine market is in flux and sort of down. PS4 has done great, but mostly off hype and remakes like TLoU and TRaider. Many PS4 owners I know are sort of bored until more content comes. Xbone has under performed everywhere but USA and is not eve outselling PS4.
So its a strange new world and all of the manufacturers and publishers are going to have to navigate some rough waters. It is important that Nintendo has stemmed the bleeding as they were posting sizable losses and now essentially broke even.
As for WiiU.......2015 is stacked even if 1/2 of it gets pushed back there is a lot more coming than just Zelda and even after Zelda I still expect to see a new Metroid an true 3D Mario before WiiU life is up.
Re: Poll: Should Nintendo Follow Microsoft's Lead With A Wii U Price Cut?
@JaxonH
I agree with a lot of what U are saying......I find for games that are map heavy it really is a nice thing. I loved playing ME3 on WiiU as it was the only way to play the game with a real time map. Batman AC was great and I really like Pikman after the patch for touch play.
Totally agree on MK8 and async.....what gives as COD and Sonic Kart use it.
The real question is can Nintendo establish dual screen console gaming as viable this generation? RPG ans SRPG should be no brainers for WiiU...also how about TCG and trader simms.....so many missed oppertunities. My best two contributions are a diablo type crawler for 4 player where a dungeon master uses the gamepad to act as the antaganonist. Second.....an American Football sim that uses gamepad for player and play management while plays play out in Hd on the big screen....
Re: Nintendo UK Executive Says Wii U Has Had "Quite a Good Year So Far"
@FLUX_CAPACITOR
Easy Flux, don't blow a capacitor....lol. Look I said I love the Gamepad, and I do, I like it for offTV and also like it when its even minimally used for second screen purposes......still the point is and this is what Star Wolf was saying is even with an uptick in sales the WiiU is not going to be a mainstream commercial success. If it does 25mil that will be about max.
A device like I am describing could be real game changer taking WiiU sales to much higher numbers. You know already I don't need a gamepad to play almost every great game on WiiU. So this non-gamepad, would be offering your MarioKart, B2, Smash, Zelda, and everything else.
Look I like WiiU, and conceptually I think the gamepad is great, the problem is Nintendo has done little to justify its existence, and third parties haven't either. Nintendo's greatest asset is their IPs, which are being held back by poor hardware sales. Mario Kart on Wii sold what 30million units, MK8 which is the best MK ever will be lucky to 5mil in its life.
I have some great, awesome game ideas for gamepad use, and I think Nintendo is cooking some stuff (starfox and splatoon) that may make it a must, but so far it is not a required part of the WiiU experience. No worries though because Nintendo will likely not change course so don't sweat it.
Re: Nintendo UK Executive Says Wii U Has Had "Quite a Good Year So Far"
@Starwolf_UK
Mostly and sadly agree with your assesment, especially in the UK.
Not sure why you think WiiU OS is bad? I think its better than say ps3 but slower than it should be for nextgen. I think there are things to like, eShop is solid, Miiverse, the browser are nice.
I think WiiU is overpriced in the UK market and could use a 50£ cut. For that matter I think a cut is timely in all regions for xmas as they really have a nice lineup and library to push new system sales.
I never thought I would say this but I think Nintendo should consider a gamepad detatched WiiU mini. Let it sync all controllers, hex the drive, 128gb flash and then remove vWii but bring Wii and GC to VC so you can buy the greats in digital and launch from WiiU dashboard. Sell it with a pro controller for cheap $149 bundled with smash or MK. Then make a new slimmer gamepad available seperately (for mini or original). Then offer both models old/new. I love the gamepad, but I also love that WiiU offers so many controller choices. I don't think gamepad would die if the offered with/without and separately. If they ever make a damned game that demands the gamepad it will sell more gamepads. Getting to be so many great WiiU games that could be played on a much cheaper platform.
Re: Nintendo Highlights 'Nindies' and Their Games at IndieCade 2014
WiiU has some nice Indies. I liked Trine2 DC, Unepic, and recently Tesla.
Really looking forward to Stealth2, Shinen's racer and also missing from this event is Pier Solar which is coming soon.
Still my favorite Indy tittle of all time is Mark of the Ninja (M$ published on Pc and x360). It is flat out the best 2D platform/stealth game I can ever remember. I hope they do a follow up and bring it to handhelds. Klei also makes Don't Starve which is a survival sim that would be great on WiiU.
Re: Turns Out The GameCube Controller Adapter Won't Be Compatible With Other Wii U Software
@Discostew
See....I totally agree with you that Wii or even GC games could be launched directly from WiiU dashboard and Nintendo is crazy to not be doing this as we should be able to buy best of GC and Wii games on eShop.
To others on here that are freaking.......OK the adapter is $20 in the USA which is not much more than the cost of lunch or a pizza. I still have a couple wqvebirds and wired so just for Smash it makes sense to drop $20 for more controller options. To that point, that is what WiiU usually offers many controller options and why is this bad. I would think for 4 player local like Mario3D or Kart we will see patched support.
They could easily add support to VWii mode and may do it or maybe we get GC VC......if not it will still be worth it to us that use Ninendont or Devolution as long as it gets supported by those apps.
Re: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Begins North American Adventure on 5th December
Man I am stoked for this.....homestly I am not much of a beat-em up or fighting game fan......so the holiday release schedule of HW, B1&2 and SSB really didn't do that much for me. This was the game I was looking forward to the most as puzzle/platformers from large devs are a rarity now a days.
Re: Super Smash Bros. Slams the Competition Yet Again, 3DS Sales Drop
@FourBs
I agree with U but add to it that Japanese gamers just seem to be lagely burned out on standard games. Bayo2 is just not new after numerous GOW, DMC, Bayo1, Castlevaia LoS the genre appears burned out there.
I am actually a little shocked by poor ps4 performance in Japan. It seems the erosion of console play is bound to effect these companies sooner than later. How can Nintendo continue to support projects like W101 or Bayo2 when they fail so miserably commercially? W101 is not everyones cup of tea but it is an awesome game with so much sass and polish.
I really worry about the future of gaming when so many great games are ignored or unappreciated. Last years Splinter Cell BL was one of the best games in the series in years but sold horribly across all platforms. I greatly enjoyed it on x360 and then WiiU. Go look up sales on Bioshock Infinite....it bombed pretty big even though it released to 3 major platofrms and had a TV add campaign in the US and reviewed excellent.
The most disturbing thing I saw recently was some data on how few people finish games. People complain on here about WiiU and missing DLC but it turns out not even single digit % of people finish the main story of a gane like AC4.
So expect changes in gaming because shorter games, more online, and incremental content would seem to be the future. Nintendo will be fine as they will survive of their mega hits even if some projects fail financially. I think Amibo is going to be huge in the USA.
Re: Bayonetta on Wii U Bewitches as the Best Version
@RancidVomit86
Not realoy fair as this is a port and not even a directors cut. So it does what it is supsed to do in that its a port of a 5yr old game that looks and runs slightly better than its previous best version.
If U want to see how much better the WiiU can perform over x360 than look at Bayo2 which looks stunning, runs 720@60fps and has effects you couldn't touch on a x360. Lets remember this is a freebie so a slightly better port is all we could ask for.
Re: Limited GameCube Controller Edition of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Comes to Light
@ZenTurtle
I think you are being a little cynical ZT. First off this was done for SSB diehards or compeditive players. Cube controllers were the choice for Wii SSB as classic and classic pro were a joke. So these peeps have all played two gens of Smash os GC controllers. If anything its fan service which is great. Many people love the cube controller and I prefer it for VC and playing cube games. If it leads to Cube VC I am all in.
Now we have a decent WiiU controller and I imagine plenty will play SSB with that. Nintendo has pretty much supported a lot of controllers on WiiU and that is great. Many games supprort gamepad, WiiU pro, wiimote, classic pro, and now where applicable GC. Why are options bad or confusing?
Last bit of info for those reading this far down....the WiiU USB adapter is being sold seperate for $20 measly bucks. Search WiiU Gamecube @gamestop. Also if U like GC form but want something more modern check out Wired Fight Pad @ GS. It is a GS exclusive 3rd party licensed by Nintendo replica controller. It is a Cllasic pro that connects to the wiimote and comes in different themes....$25 but likely limited run and released around Smash.
Re: Review: Bayonetta (Wii U eShop)
@TheLobster
Yeah the entire core, hardcore, casual..........its all just labels that I guess industry pinheads use to try to figure out who to sell their games to and how much they are going to sell. That's why I call myself an old school gamer. I have been at it since the beginning of time (video game time that is). I started playing arcade games in the late 70s, had my first console (Atari 2600) at 11 and have owned just about everything ever made since.
I wish some gamers would be more adventurous and open to different games. I have honestly known x360 shooter bros who own and play nothing other than COD,BF, and Halo. Those games are fine but there is more in life than military FPS. FPS is probably my least favorite genre, but I like story driven games so something like DeusEX would be more my type.
My favorite type of multiplayer would have to be local co-op multi. Games like DKCTF, Rayman, or even RE5 are great fun. After all isn't it better to shoot soulless zombies together vs. shooting each other in the face?
Re: Review: Bayonetta (Wii U eShop)
@TheLobster
My point exactly, we have a culture saturated with it. I for one find it exhausting...lol. Atualoy I rented the first Bayo on x360 and thought it was technically excellent but didn't find the story to be that captivating.
I am not that much of a fan of the genre of this game but have thought Bayo2 looks just superb (again technically). It appears to have more story going on and the gameplay will be tight. You are right in that the original has very passionate fans and I hope that does put a WiiU in some peoples houses that want the game.
I am more interested to see Nintendo's latest attempt at publishing something 'mature'. This and Devils Third both look hyper-violent and over the top hardcore. I would more like to see another stab at geist or hope they localize Fatal Frame. I liked TLoU and Heavy Rain on ps3 which were certainly 'mature' but not so focused on 'shooter bro' juveniles.
Last point and that is I think I am sort of mystified by Nintendo giving Bayo1 outfits from their 'good girls' like Zelda, Peach, Daisy. That seems a bit perverse to me like when Miley went from Hanna Montana to a big ho over night.
Re: Review: Bayonetta (Wii U eShop)
@TheLobster
While I respect your opinion, the hyper sexualization sort of does serve a purpose In this series as it defines her character.....remember she is a witch, this is not a nice girl. Its a bit cheeky but it works.
I would say make your choice on if you like 3Rd person melee/beat em ups. If you like DMC or God of War you are gonna like Bayo and after you play you will see the hyper-sex serves a higher purpose then just titilating crotch shots.
Just about every movie, show, commercial, magazine, ect. sexualizes women so this game is more poking fun at it than joining the parade.