I wonder if Switch 1 games on Switch 2, are generally experiencing "shader stutter" due to how the compatibility/emulation layer works?
Scarlet and Violet had moments of brief stutter too, but it was dipping just under 60 FPS, whereas the engine for Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom has that frustrating behaviour where it drops to 30 if it dips even slightly under 60 FPS.
@AG_Awesome Cyberpunk 2077 would be the prime example of a game using ray tracing. Real-time ray tracing in 3D software is a simulation of the way light reflects and refracts around an environment, and can dynamically calculate how different surfaces and atmospheres should appear depending on light sources and their attributes like distance, intensity, colour, obstruction, and more. Some of the most common examples of effective ray tracing is the accurate reflections of light sources in puddles, lakes, or wet surfaces (like on rainy nights), or the appearance of light beaming through a window or leaves, and the obstructions cause the appearance of Crepuscular Rays (aka "god rays"). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_rays Ray tracing also allows for much more accurate shadow rendering.
@nand Right? Exactly what I wanted to bring up. OpenAI isn't the only one here that's thrown their hat into the Pokémon Red and Blue ring. Anthropic's Claude AI has gained attention for its ongoing experiments and progress with letting it try to beat Pokémon Red, and Google's Gemini model actually succeeded in completing Pokémon Blue.
The experiments run on the basis of giving the AI minimum information and a goal of completing the game, and letting it try to figure out how all on its own. Arguments like "the AI picked the best starter for defeating the first two gyms" aren't apt, since the AI has no prior knowledge of what a grass type is useful against, or what the first two gym battles will be. Which incidentally, is knowledge that a lot of 90s kids who hadn't even started playing the games would know, thanks to the Pokémon anime and playgrounds.
That'd be an interesting approach actually, how well do these AI models perform when they've "watched" the first season of Pokémon? What do they learn, and how do they apply it to playing the game?
@Max_the_German The issue is historic data. To filter by user, you need to record that as meta data to each screenshot and clip, and that's not something that can be done retroactively. This time around, Switch 2 screenshots record that user identifier to meta data along other data like what game it came from. I'll be curious to see if the meta data could be used to identify who created the screenshot if you circulated the original file online; meta data intact (as many sites automatically scrub EXIF data as it's a privacy concern).
For a moment there, I thought that the face buttons had individual LCDs for completely customisable displays, but it appears to insert be a rotating lens and RGB lighting behind them.
That's still very cool, and I guess helpful for anyone not used to switching between Xbox/PC and Switch gaming.
Nintendo got it right with the "north/east/south/west" button guides, since that's more universal with everything using a diamond face button layout these days.
@kevinm360 @Munchlax It's not just the lack of specialism, they fell into the trap of trying to peddle lots of merch and toys. They're competing against the likes of Menkind in that respect.
I pre-ordered my Switch with my local GAME store, a retail presence that once sat on the main street and since then got tucked away onto the first floor of a Sports Direct. What a sad state of affairs for GAME, wish they'd never taken GameStation from us.
There's so much I wanna check out with Switch 2, it's equal parts new and old. New stuff? Mario Kart World, BotW/TotK Switch 2 Editions, the Welcome Tour, GameCube games. Older stuff? Updated version of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (still haven't played it), Bakeru, and a big assortment of games I wanna test for improved performance.
@Vyacheslav333 I wonder if it might work with smart phones, I tried it briefly with my Samsung phone but couldn't find where to view or copy the Switch screenshots. It should've worked like connecting a digital camera.
This isn't "Add Nintendo Today to your personal calendar", it's "Add your personal calendar to Nintendo Today". There's no way that this doesn't sniff some kind of user data even if it's anonymised.
For video and screenshot management, I used to unplug the microSD card after turning off the Switch system, and plugging it into my computer. It's not ideal though because the screenshots are organised by a folder structure of years, months, and days.
However there's a USB connection mode for PCs that makes copying screenshots to your PC very easy, since it organises them by title instead. It only lets you copy though, so you need to delete them using your Switch afterwards.
The phrasing of the announcement suggests that they might not be selling a Switch 2 Edition of Legends Z-A, just a Switch 1 physical.
Edit: Nope! The official Pokémon Games Press site shows packaging for the Switch 2 edition physical.
@Galaxy2IsTheGOAT The situation seems to be that the hardware has a bare-minimum firmware, waiting to be updated. Switch 2 game cards will most likely have an early firmware on them ready to perform an offline installation, just as a failsafe for when internet is not available. Understandably, a Switch 1 game card will not have Switch 2 firmware on it. Shipping the hardware without the bare minimum to start playing games is very strange though, even inserting a microSD express card requires an online update.
The official site warns you that you'll need an update as soon you plug in a microSD express card, I'm surprised Nintendo have gotten so serious with this initial batch of Switch 2 units that they apparently need an online update to even function. Future units probably won't behave like that, but from their viewpoint I'm guessing they don't want people staying on the lowest possible firmware, or just playing the thing early.
@Blofse I don't think that's a complete picture. Nintendo's official emulators have a reputation for going for accuracy and not taking shortcuts, it's why the SNES Virtual Console games were exclusive to New 3DS; Old 3DS lacked the processing power to emulate them fully properly, homebrew emulators like SNES9X For Old 3DS take concessions like not emulating the mosaic effects.
As for GameCube, the case of the Nvidia Shield having GameCube titles that were determined to be emulated, I'm fairly sure that's a special bespoke case like Super Mario 3D All-Stars used a per-game implementation and solution to make just one GameCube and one Wii game happen. Something impractical for adding loads of games over time. The GameCube emulator for Switch 2, is more likely to be a much broader solution that needs far less work to keep adding games.
I do agree however that it's possible that Nintendo are willingly withholding features that the Switch 1 should be capable of, in favour of promoting their new Switch 2 system. The CRT filter is a prime example of that, especially since the other systems available Switch 1 NSO already have a CRT filter. Unless it's a particularly fancy CRT filter or something?
@KingMike Yeah, rewind requires a lot of memory and is usually capped at a short duration for that reason. The NSO rewind features are period snapshots like you mention, not full per-frame rewind like many emulators support. The Switch 1 likely did not have enough memory to provide any meaningful rewind functionality for N64.
@AllBLK I can't see a Switch 2 revision (such as an OLED or Pro model) being digital only, the cartridge slot is a minor thing to include on the system and it would prevent people from playing their large collections of physical games on a newer system.
A Switch 2 successor however, assuming it has zero backwards compatibility with the Switch 1 or 2, I would begrudingly understand it becoming a fully digital system at that point.
@SpacedDuck
My speculation is that Switch 1 games without specific updates, will function like Switch 1 emulators where simply running the game on more powerful hardware will allow it to achieve more stable target performance.
Meaning if a game targets 30 or 60 FPS, they won't exceed that target but they should be able to maintain it much more easily.
As for resolution, a game might use dynamic resolution and in practice should be able to maintain the maximum resolution most of the time.
It'll be up to the developers to provide Switch 1 updates or upgrades that'll enable improved performance and graphical fidelity beyond the Switch 1's limitations.
For many Unity developers, this might be a quick win, since Unity games capped at 30 FPS on Switch are known to have severe input delay that completely disappears when the cap is set to 60 FPS.
My concern is that Switch 1 games, without updates, will be capped at 1080p video output, instead of allowing proper 4k video modes.
There is a justification for that, some games look fine with a 2x docked resolution boost, but others do not if they use sub-native internal resolutions and upscaling technologies like AMD Fidelity FX or FXAA.
Tears of the Kingdom for example, has a native docked resolution of 900p and when emulating the stock software, produces some jarring grid or checker-like patterns all over the screen. Mods are needed to bump up the internal resolution and/or disable the FXAA, but this something that Nintendo's official Switch 2 Edition is likely to do anyway since it officially supports 4k60.
The news of Yooka-Replaylee having disappointing wishlist performance is disheartening, especially because there is no Switch 2 version you can wishlist right now.
That's where I want to play Replaylee.
As for their publishing duties, they have published some strong games like Lil Gator Game, Demon Turf, and Victory Heat Rally, but they've also had some stuff I'm not sure about like Cattle Country, and Dunk Dunk.
Either way I'm really sad to hear they're suffering redundancies.
Determined archivists wouldn't rely on Android's or a vendor's built-in screen recording utilities anyway, since that converts the data rather than preserving it.
They'd instead look to secure the raw data stream for lossless capture. I'd be surprised if this hasn't already been achieved.
Something they absolutely can't block would be hardware captures, such as if you have video output from an Android device into a capture card.
I think the main reason Nintendo wants to stop screen recording is just so that people HAVE to use their app to view the content, and can't be reshared on social media, messaging services, etc.
Oh and something to add about the archiving efforts, is that Nintendo at any time could decide to silently revise or remove any of the content available on the service for any reason, even if most people will only look at what's featured today.
I'll be grabbing Cookie Clicker as it's just £3.43 and something I spent an unhealthy amount of time on years back. Pipistrello however I've got pre-ordered physical.
It's perplexing, but the mushrooms in the Mario Kart series are not actually Super Mushrooms (the kind that make you big), but are actually Dash Mushrooms (the kind that makes car go fast).
I would've guessed that you don't eat Dash Mushrooms lol.
@Eel For now, I'd be content for Smash Bros Ultimate to just get a Switch 2 edition or an uplift update, but yes Ultimate very much represented a value package that focused wholly on the playable fighters and the stages, as compared to Brawl that had a huge focus on the Subspace Emissary story mode, and Wii U that had a big focus on that forsaken Smash Tour board game mode.
Smash Bros has also served as a platform to promote other games, it arguably is what lead to the Fire Emblem series gaining traction in the west when Melee featured then-obscure characters Marth and Roy.
Any direct sequel, refresh, or reimagining of Smash Bros will ultimately had to manage that the roster cannot be as big or complete as Ultimate, especially not with the large number of third party guest characters that present licensing issues. It's a miracle that Sora even happened.
@SillyG Their site is very strange, but I was able to figure out placing an order, but even things like logging in and managing your account aren't as straight forward as they should be. This is a physical release I've been waiting for as well, and this "EDITION" is nice enough that I'd very much like to grab it. Oh and I was able to find a 5% discount code for their site too, so I saved on the £6 shipping cost within the UK.
@MrDocena It's an interesting example of how your product's name alone can help or hinder its sales and visibility. The key word "Pokémon" is missing from the title "Pokkén Tournament", except in Germany where it's called "Pokémon Tekken" instead due to Pokken meaning Smallpox.
Similarly, there's Detective Pikachu for 3DS, and Detective Pikachu Returns on Switch, however they have Pikachu's mascot recognition to rely on there. The film on the other hand, is actually titled "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" to make absolutely clear that it's a Pokémon film.
Otherwise, the vast majority of Pokémon games make absolutely sure the word Pokémon is in there. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_games The odd exceptions are things like PokéPark Wii, which has a variation on the iconic logo and itself was based on a Japanese theme park, or Pokédex 3D Pro which still has the recognisable Poké prefix.
@ancientlii Realistically, a lot of these indie games primarily develop a PC title since it has the lowest publication and development barriers. It's pretty easy to build a game that works on most PCs running Windows or Linux, and then it's easy to distribute the game on an Itch.io or Steam store front. Itch.io I don't think is subject to games rating bodies like ESRB or PEGI, but Steam can, so that's an added hurdle to getting your game out there. This was something I mentioned to the devs in a YouTube trailer, as it features a Blackjack mini-game that might result in Aurascope being rated PEGI 18 if they keep it.
Depending on the development environment they're using, a Switch release then becomes more or less viable, and may entail hiring a porting specialist or rejigging their development environment to make Switch builds possible. There's then the added step of getting your game approved for the Switch eShop, since there's a whole submissions process.
Aurascope's campaign was $30k for funding, $45k for a Switch release, and $60k for Xbox and PlayStation release, so they had had budget expectations for what they could achieve and knew what they wanted to prioritise.
@dew12333 Unfortunately, throwing the word "Mario" or "Zelda" in there is a cheap SEO and traffic boosting trick and is not likely to ever end. This isn't on the Aurascope team either, they didn't cite any "influences" like many Kickstarter campaigns do.
I supported this one too and was aware of it some time before the Kickstarter, it looks great and the news of it hitting the Switch / Switch 2 stretch goal is wonderful. The Kickstarter campaign ended, but it's still supporting late pledges if it's caught your eye.
If it's like Switch 1 emulation where just running the software on more powerful hardware yields more stable performance, I'm hoping that means Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom never drop below that 60 FPS target.
Bakeru is one of the first titles I want to try out on Switch 2, because it's a title that targets 60 FPS but never hits it. It theoretically should be able to maintain a solid 60.
Despite being a 4k screenshot, that still looks sub-native resolution. That only matters if you're zooming in to really look closely though, so I'd hope that 1080p or 1440p video modes look sharper.
@sanderev The fact that it needs dedicated resources isn't a surprise, but the article really frames just how many resources needs to be dedicated. On the other hand, they're actually allocating a suitable amount of resources to the OS this time around, so things like the NSO and eShop applets should no longer be a slog to use.
Highly regrettable that a large portion of compute resources is being dedicated to a GameChat feature I'd rather outright disable.
Is this gonna turn into a Pokémon Sun/Moon situation, where on the Old 3DS it would outright disable parts of the OS in order to squeeze out a bit more memory for the game software? Like if a game doesn't need or allow GameChat, I'd rather dedicate more memory and compute to that game.
Nvidia having the processor finalised at that time, doesn't necessarily mean Nintendo's system design had yet been finalised. They might've decided earlier or later on to use Nvidia's T239 chip, whilst figuring out the other designs for the system design include other components, the display technology, the software and firmware, etc.
It certainly does feel like Nintendo intended to have a system out much earlier than it did though, doesn't it? What with the 2020 lockdown and the success Animal Crossing New Horizons found during it.
@Jeronan Sadly this is a real problem for legacy hardware, where they might operate better or can only operate with a 2GB or smaller card. MicroSDXC (64GB and higher) and MicroSDHC (4-32GB) will continue for some time as an affordable storage expansion especially where performance isn't needed, but the much older SD formats for 2GB and lower are less relevant for modern consumers.
I keep asking and no one has said anything, how much data does a Key Card hold?
Nobody can actually answer that for certain until Switch 2 systems and game cards get into people's hands. However, two possibilities come to mind.
First is that the Game-Key format only stores maybe a few megabytes of meta data, which would be information about the game, a game icon graphic, unique headers and certificates, publisher information, links to the eShop, etc.
Second is that the Game-Key format, potentially has a small slow speed NAND flash that stores an image of the Switch 2 firmware, used to perform an offline update. Whilst that might seem pointless for a format that requires being online to download the game data, this might be an important thing for the out-of-box experience on a system that's never been connected online. From Nintendo's own site about using a microSD express card for the first time: "Please note: a system update via the internet is required the first time you use a microSD Express card"
All Nintendo Switch game cartridges store a firmware image around 300MB in size, and allow the system to perform an offline update if the game requires it in order to run. I imagine Switch 2 game cards will also be doing this, and that the firmware image will probably be larger.
Comments 7,628
Re: Site News: We've Got A Switch 2
@UltimateOtaku91
I got an SMS message at 4pm, not an email, and the Argos order details page hasn't updated.
Re: Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom And Link's Awakening Are Improved On Switch 2, But It's Not Perfect
I wonder if Switch 1 games on Switch 2, are generally experiencing "shader stutter" due to how the compatibility/emulation layer works?
Scarlet and Violet had moments of brief stutter too, but it was dipping just under 60 FPS, whereas the engine for Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom has that frustrating behaviour where it drops to 30 if it dips even slightly under 60 FPS.
Re: Site News: We've Got A Switch 2
Argos has shipped, a text message has given me a DPD tracking ID that doesn't actually work, but it's on its way!
Re: Mario Kart World Update Is Out Now, Here Are The Patch Notes
Interesting, LAN play for Switch 2 games?
So you could do a docked setup with multiple Switch 2 systems and TV set-ups?
Re: Mario Kart World Producer Answers The Biggest Question Of All: Does Cow Eat Hamburgers?
It's like the conundrum of making sandwiches and curries in the recent Pokémon games.
Where does the meat come from? Is it even meat?
Re: Moo-ve Aside Mario Kart World, Garfield Kart 2 Is Racing Onto Nintendo Switch
@r_p_trzy
Videogame dunkey had a video out two days ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd8QbFeFYjI
Feature length even.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Chip "Unlike Anything We've Ever Built Before" Says Nvidia CEO
@AG_Awesome
Cyberpunk 2077 would be the prime example of a game using ray tracing.
Real-time ray tracing in 3D software is a simulation of the way light reflects and refracts around an environment, and can dynamically calculate how different surfaces and atmospheres should appear depending on light sources and their attributes like distance, intensity, colour, obstruction, and more.
Some of the most common examples of effective ray tracing is the accurate reflections of light sources in puddles, lakes, or wet surfaces (like on rainy nights), or the appearance of light beaming through a window or leaves, and the obstructions cause the appearance of Crepuscular Rays (aka "god rays").
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_rays
Ray tracing also allows for much more accurate shadow rendering.
Re: Nintendo Prepping For All Switch 2 Eventualities With 'Out Of Stock' Signs
But how will I know that the Switch 2 is out of stock, when the out of stock signs are out of stock?
Re: Random: It Turns Out That AI Isn't Very Good At Pokémon Red
@nand
Right? Exactly what I wanted to bring up.
OpenAI isn't the only one here that's thrown their hat into the Pokémon Red and Blue ring. Anthropic's Claude AI has gained attention for its ongoing experiments and progress with letting it try to beat Pokémon Red, and Google's Gemini model actually succeeded in completing Pokémon Blue.
The experiments run on the basis of giving the AI minimum information and a goal of completing the game, and letting it try to figure out how all on its own.
Arguments like "the AI picked the best starter for defeating the first two gyms" aren't apt, since the AI has no prior knowledge of what a grass type is useful against, or what the first two gym battles will be.
Which incidentally, is knowledge that a lot of 90s kids who hadn't even started playing the games would know, thanks to the Pokémon anime and playgrounds.
That'd be an interesting approach actually, how well do these AI models perform when they've "watched" the first season of Pokémon? What do they learn, and how do they apply it to playing the game?
Re: Switch 2's Album Will Finally Let You Filter Screenshots And Videos By User
@Max_the_German
The issue is historic data.
To filter by user, you need to record that as meta data to each screenshot and clip, and that's not something that can be done retroactively.
This time around, Switch 2 screenshots record that user identifier to meta data along other data like what game it came from.
I'll be curious to see if the meta data could be used to identify who created the screenshot if you circulated the original file online; meta data intact (as many sites automatically scrub EXIF data as it's a privacy concern).
Re: Random: This Switch-Compatible Pad Has Hall Effect Triggers, TMR Sticks & A Very Cool Button-Transforming Trick
For a moment there, I thought that the face buttons had individual LCDs for completely customisable displays, but it appears to insert be a rotating lens and RGB lighting behind them.
That's still very cool, and I guess helpful for anyone not used to switching between Xbox/PC and Switch gaming.
Nintendo got it right with the "north/east/south/west" button guides, since that's more universal with everything using a diamond face button layout these days.
Re: UK Retailer GAME Cancels A Bunch Of Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders
@kevinm360 @Munchlax
It's not just the lack of specialism, they fell into the trap of trying to peddle lots of merch and toys.
They're competing against the likes of Menkind in that respect.
Re: Poll: With One Week To Go, What Are Your Switch 2 Launch-Day Plans?
You know what this poll's missing? amiibo! The Tears of the Kingdom Sages amiibo line also launches on June 5th.
Re: UK Retailer GAME Cancels A Bunch Of Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders
I pre-ordered my Switch with my local GAME store, a retail presence that once sat on the main street and since then got tucked away onto the first floor of a Sports Direct.
What a sad state of affairs for GAME, wish they'd never taken GameStation from us.
Re: Poll: With One Week To Go, What Are Your Switch 2 Launch-Day Plans?
There's so much I wanna check out with Switch 2, it's equal parts new and old.
New stuff? Mario Kart World, BotW/TotK Switch 2 Editions, the Welcome Tour, GameCube games.
Older stuff? Updated version of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (still haven't played it), Bakeru, and a big assortment of games I wanna test for improved performance.
Re: Nintendo Switch Online App Undergoes Major Revamp For Switch 2
@Vyacheslav333
I wonder if it might work with smart phones, I tried it briefly with my Samsung phone but couldn't find where to view or copy the Switch screenshots.
It should've worked like connecting a digital camera.
Re: Nintendo Today! Update Lets You Link Your Own Schedule With Nintendo's
This isn't "Add Nintendo Today to your personal calendar", it's "Add your personal calendar to Nintendo Today".
There's no way that this doesn't sniff some kind of user data even if it's anonymised.
Re: Nintendo Switch Online App Undergoes Major Revamp For Switch 2
For video and screenshot management, I used to unplug the microSD card after turning off the Switch system, and plugging it into my computer. It's not ideal though because the screenshots are organised by a folder structure of years, months, and days.
However there's a USB connection mode for PCs that makes copying screenshots to your PC very easy, since it organises them by title instead. It only lets you copy though, so you need to delete them using your Switch afterwards.
Re: Pokémon Legends: Z-A Secures Switch & Switch 2 Release Date
The phrasing of the announcement suggests that they might not be selling a Switch 2 Edition of Legends Z-A, just a Switch 1 physical.
Edit: Nope! The official Pokémon Games Press site shows packaging for the Switch 2 edition physical.
October 16th though? Fantastic, can't wait.
Re: Switch 2 Units Are Allegedly Out In The Wild, But You Might Need An Update To Play Games
@Galaxy2IsTheGOAT
The situation seems to be that the hardware has a bare-minimum firmware, waiting to be updated.
Switch 2 game cards will most likely have an early firmware on them ready to perform an offline installation, just as a failsafe for when internet is not available. Understandably, a Switch 1 game card will not have Switch 2 firmware on it.
Shipping the hardware without the bare minimum to start playing games is very strange though, even inserting a microSD express card requires an online update.
Re: Switch 2 Units Are Allegedly Out In The Wild, But You Might Need An Update To Play Games
The official site warns you that you'll need an update as soon you plug in a microSD express card, I'm surprised Nintendo have gotten so serious with this initial batch of Switch 2 units that they apparently need an online update to even function.
Future units probably won't behave like that, but from their viewpoint I'm guessing they don't want people staying on the lowest possible firmware, or just playing the thing early.
Re: Nintendo Shares Video Detailing New N64 Features For Switch Online
@Blofse
I don't think that's a complete picture.
Nintendo's official emulators have a reputation for going for accuracy and not taking shortcuts, it's why the SNES Virtual Console games were exclusive to New 3DS; Old 3DS lacked the processing power to emulate them fully properly, homebrew emulators like SNES9X For Old 3DS take concessions like not emulating the mosaic effects.
As for GameCube, the case of the Nvidia Shield having GameCube titles that were determined to be emulated, I'm fairly sure that's a special bespoke case like Super Mario 3D All-Stars used a per-game implementation and solution to make just one GameCube and one Wii game happen. Something impractical for adding loads of games over time.
The GameCube emulator for Switch 2, is more likely to be a much broader solution that needs far less work to keep adding games.
I do agree however that it's possible that Nintendo are willingly withholding features that the Switch 1 should be capable of, in favour of promoting their new Switch 2 system. The CRT filter is a prime example of that, especially since the other systems available Switch 1 NSO already have a CRT filter.
Unless it's a particularly fancy CRT filter or something?
Re: Nintendo Shares Video Detailing New N64 Features For Switch Online
@KingMike
Yeah, rewind requires a lot of memory and is usually capped at a short duration for that reason. The NSO rewind features are period snapshots like you mention, not full per-frame rewind like many emulators support.
The Switch 1 likely did not have enough memory to provide any meaningful rewind functionality for N64.
Re: Nintendo Shares Video Detailing New N64 Features For Switch Online
Proper controller remapping for N64 games is a big win, and even better that it's supported on both the Switch 1 and Switch 2 versions.
I don't tend to use emulator rewind functions, but I appreciate them including it here since the Switch 2 is powerful enough to pull it off.
Re: Street Fighter 6 Somehow Combines Game-Key Card And Code-In-A-Box On Switch 2
@AllBLK
I can't see a Switch 2 revision (such as an OLED or Pro model) being digital only, the cartridge slot is a minor thing to include on the system and it would prevent people from playing their large collections of physical games on a newer system.
A Switch 2 successor however, assuming it has zero backwards compatibility with the Switch 1 or 2, I would begrudingly understand it becoming a fully digital system at that point.
Re: Nintendo Updates Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility List
@SpacedDuck
My speculation is that Switch 1 games without specific updates, will function like Switch 1 emulators where simply running the game on more powerful hardware will allow it to achieve more stable target performance.
Meaning if a game targets 30 or 60 FPS, they won't exceed that target but they should be able to maintain it much more easily.
As for resolution, a game might use dynamic resolution and in practice should be able to maintain the maximum resolution most of the time.
It'll be up to the developers to provide Switch 1 updates or upgrades that'll enable improved performance and graphical fidelity beyond the Switch 1's limitations.
For many Unity developers, this might be a quick win, since Unity games capped at 30 FPS on Switch are known to have severe input delay that completely disappears when the cap is set to 60 FPS.
My concern is that Switch 1 games, without updates, will be capped at 1080p video output, instead of allowing proper 4k video modes.
There is a justification for that, some games look fine with a 2x docked resolution boost, but others do not if they use sub-native internal resolutions and upscaling technologies like AMD Fidelity FX or FXAA.
Tears of the Kingdom for example, has a native docked resolution of 900p and when emulating the stock software, produces some jarring grid or checker-like patterns all over the screen. Mods are needed to bump up the internal resolution and/or disable the FXAA, but this something that Nintendo's official Switch 2 Edition is likely to do anyway since it officially supports 4k60.
Re: Street Fighter 6 Somehow Combines Game-Key Card And Code-In-A-Box On Switch 2
There it is, they found a way to hurt the resale value of a format that enables resale value.
Re: Yooka-Laylee Dev Playtonic Is The Latest Studio Hit By Layoffs
The news of Yooka-Replaylee having disappointing wishlist performance is disheartening, especially because there is no Switch 2 version you can wishlist right now.
That's where I want to play Replaylee.
As for their publishing duties, they have published some strong games like Lil Gator Game, Demon Turf, and Victory Heat Rally, but they've also had some stuff I'm not sure about like Cattle Country, and Dunk Dunk.
Either way I'm really sad to hear they're suffering redundancies.
Re: Nintendo Today! Update Prevents Users From Recording Promotional Videos
Determined archivists wouldn't rely on Android's or a vendor's built-in screen recording utilities anyway, since that converts the data rather than preserving it.
They'd instead look to secure the raw data stream for lossless capture. I'd be surprised if this hasn't already been achieved.
Something they absolutely can't block would be hardware captures, such as if you have video output from an Android device into a capture card.
I think the main reason Nintendo wants to stop screen recording is just so that people HAVE to use their app to view the content, and can't be reshared on social media, messaging services, etc.
Oh and something to add about the archiving efforts, is that Nintendo at any time could decide to silently revise or remove any of the content available on the service for any reason, even if most people will only look at what's featured today.
Re: Nintendo Download: 22nd May (North America)
I'll be grabbing Cookie Clicker as it's just £3.43 and something I spent an unhealthy amount of time on years back.
Pipistrello however I've got pre-ordered physical.
Re: Random: Mario Kart World's Devs Had To Double Check Mario Actually Eats Power-Up Mushrooms
It's perplexing, but the mushrooms in the Mario Kart series are not actually Super Mushrooms (the kind that make you big), but are actually Dash Mushrooms (the kind that makes car go fast).
I would've guessed that you don't eat Dash Mushrooms lol.
Re: Nintendo Explains Why Mario Kart World Isn't Called 'Mario Kart 9'
@Eel
For now, I'd be content for Smash Bros Ultimate to just get a Switch 2 edition or an uplift update, but yes Ultimate very much represented a value package that focused wholly on the playable fighters and the stages, as compared to Brawl that had a huge focus on the Subspace Emissary story mode, and Wii U that had a big focus on that forsaken Smash Tour board game mode.
Smash Bros has also served as a platform to promote other games, it arguably is what lead to the Fire Emblem series gaining traction in the west when Melee featured then-obscure characters Marth and Roy.
Any direct sequel, refresh, or reimagining of Smash Bros will ultimately had to manage that the roster cannot be as big or complete as Ultimate, especially not with the large number of third party guest characters that present licensing issues. It's a miracle that Sora even happened.
Re: Nintendo Explains Why Mario Kart World Isn't Called 'Mario Kart 9'
Are you sure it's not because 7 8 9?
Re: 'Thank Goodness You're Here' Headlines Physical Game Label From Lost In Cult
@SillyG
Their site is very strange, but I was able to figure out placing an order, but even things like logging in and managing your account aren't as straight forward as they should be.
This is a physical release I've been waiting for as well, and this "EDITION" is nice enough that I'd very much like to grab it.
Oh and I was able to find a 5% discount code for their site too, so I saved on the £6 shipping cost within the UK.
Re: The Iconic Pokémon Logo Took One Month To Create
@Zufolobelisk
Brand recognition and search engine optimisation (SEO) are terrifyingly powerful things.
Re: The Iconic Pokémon Logo Took One Month To Create
@MrDocena
It's an interesting example of how your product's name alone can help or hinder its sales and visibility.
The key word "Pokémon" is missing from the title "Pokkén Tournament", except in Germany where it's called "Pokémon Tekken" instead due to Pokken meaning Smallpox.
Similarly, there's Detective Pikachu for 3DS, and Detective Pikachu Returns on Switch, however they have Pikachu's mascot recognition to rely on there.
The film on the other hand, is actually titled "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" to make absolutely clear that it's a Pokémon film.
Otherwise, the vast majority of Pokémon games make absolutely sure the word Pokémon is in there.
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_games
The odd exceptions are things like PokéPark Wii, which has a variation on the iconic logo and itself was based on a Japanese theme park, or Pokédex 3D Pro which still has the recognisable Poké prefix.
Re: Random: Is This The Best Piece Of Final Fantasy Merch Ever?
Funny how this article gets published at the exact same time Play-Asia sends me an email about this exact product.
Re: Mario-Inspired 2D Platformer Secures A Switch 2 Release On Kickstarter
@ancientlii
Realistically, a lot of these indie games primarily develop a PC title since it has the lowest publication and development barriers.
It's pretty easy to build a game that works on most PCs running Windows or Linux, and then it's easy to distribute the game on an Itch.io or Steam store front.
Itch.io I don't think is subject to games rating bodies like ESRB or PEGI, but Steam can, so that's an added hurdle to getting your game out there.
This was something I mentioned to the devs in a YouTube trailer, as it features a Blackjack mini-game that might result in Aurascope being rated PEGI 18 if they keep it.
Depending on the development environment they're using, a Switch release then becomes more or less viable, and may entail hiring a porting specialist or rejigging their development environment to make Switch builds possible.
There's then the added step of getting your game approved for the Switch eShop, since there's a whole submissions process.
Aurascope's campaign was $30k for funding, $45k for a Switch release, and $60k for Xbox and PlayStation release, so they had had budget expectations for what they could achieve and knew what they wanted to prioritise.
Re: Mario-Inspired 2D Platformer Secures A Switch 2 Release On Kickstarter
@dew12333
Unfortunately, throwing the word "Mario" or "Zelda" in there is a cheap SEO and traffic boosting trick and is not likely to ever end.
This isn't on the Aurascope team either, they didn't cite any "influences" like many Kickstarter campaigns do.
Re: Mario-Inspired 2D Platformer Secures A Switch 2 Release On Kickstarter
I supported this one too and was aware of it some time before the Kickstarter, it looks great and the news of it hitting the Switch / Switch 2 stretch goal is wonderful.
The Kickstarter campaign ended, but it's still supporting late pledges if it's caught your eye.
Re: Zelda Fans Are Concerned About The Free Switch 2 Updates, But Don't Worry
If it's like Switch 1 emulation where just running the software on more powerful hardware yields more stable performance, I'm hoping that means Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom never drop below that 60 FPS target.
Bakeru is one of the first titles I want to try out on Switch 2, because it's a title that targets 60 FPS but never hits it. It theoretically should be able to maintain a solid 60.
Re: Here's Your First Look At Pokémon Scarlet And Violet On Switch 2
Despite being a 4k screenshot, that still looks sub-native resolution.
That only matters if you're zooming in to really look closely though, so I'd hope that 1080p or 1440p video modes look sharper.
Re: Goodbye Productivity, 'Cookie Clicker' Is Coming To Switch Next Week
Hah, I might need a charging stand for the Switch in tabletop mode.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed
@sanderev
The fact that it needs dedicated resources isn't a surprise, but the article really frames just how many resources needs to be dedicated.
On the other hand, they're actually allocating a suitable amount of resources to the OS this time around, so things like the NSO and eShop applets should no longer be a slog to use.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed
Highly regrettable that a large portion of compute resources is being dedicated to a GameChat feature I'd rather outright disable.
Is this gonna turn into a Pokémon Sun/Moon situation, where on the Old 3DS it would outright disable parts of the OS in order to squeeze out a bit more memory for the game software? Like if a game doesn't need or allow GameChat, I'd rather dedicate more memory and compute to that game.
Re: Random: 'New' Super Mario 64 Sound Effect Can Only Be Heard By Leaving The Game On...For 14 Months
@TrogdorTheBurninator
Someone 100% the game without seeing it.
https://youtu.be/iC_ClvO-FZE
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Chip Was Potentially Finalised As Early As 2021
Nvidia having the processor finalised at that time, doesn't necessarily mean Nintendo's system design had yet been finalised.
They might've decided earlier or later on to use Nvidia's T239 chip, whilst figuring out the other designs for the system design include other components, the display technology, the software and firmware, etc.
It certainly does feel like Nintendo intended to have a system out much earlier than it did though, doesn't it? What with the 2020 lockdown and the success Animal Crossing New Horizons found during it.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Excited At All For Switch 2 GameChat?
I actively avoid voice chat features, both speaking and listening to others speak, I won't ever use GameChat.
Re: Rumour: New Leak May Explain Why So Many Switch 2 Physicals Are Game Key Cards
@Jeronan
Sadly this is a real problem for legacy hardware, where they might operate better or can only operate with a 2GB or smaller card.
MicroSDXC (64GB and higher) and MicroSDHC (4-32GB) will continue for some time as an affordable storage expansion especially where performance isn't needed, but the much older SD formats for 2GB and lower are less relevant for modern consumers.
Re: Rumour: New Leak May Explain Why So Many Switch 2 Physicals Are Game Key Cards
@Spider-Kev
Spider-Kev wrote:
Nobody can actually answer that for certain until Switch 2 systems and game cards get into people's hands.
However, two possibilities come to mind.
First is that the Game-Key format only stores maybe a few megabytes of meta data, which would be information about the game, a game icon graphic, unique headers and certificates, publisher information, links to the eShop, etc.
Second is that the Game-Key format, potentially has a small slow speed NAND flash that stores an image of the Switch 2 firmware, used to perform an offline update.
Whilst that might seem pointless for a format that requires being online to download the game data, this might be an important thing for the out-of-box experience on a system that's never been connected online.
From Nintendo's own site about using a microSD express card for the first time:
"Please note: a system update via the internet is required the first time you use a microSD Express card"
All Nintendo Switch game cartridges store a firmware image around 300MB in size, and allow the system to perform an offline update if the game requires it in order to run.
I imagine Switch 2 game cards will also be doing this, and that the firmware image will probably be larger.