RupeeClock

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.

@TrogdorTheBurninator
Someone 100% the game without seeing it.
https://youtu.be/iC_ClvO-FZE

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.

I actively avoid voice chat features, both speaking and listening to others speak, I won't ever use GameChat.

@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.

@Spider-Kev

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.

If the Switch 2 game card technology is of a similar spec to that of microSD express cards, it makes me wonder if microSD express cards cannot be manufactured smaller than 64GB.
The smallest microSD express card I've found online is 128GB.

Whilst I sincerely hope that 64GB is not the maximum game card size available, it being the minimum looks like it could be an unfortunate reality due to the manufacturing process, the technology specifications, or something else.

The "press the same button three times" thing I think was intended for avoiding accidentally waking and resuming the system, like when you're carrying it in your bag with a carry case and maybe fumble the power or home buttons to wake the device.

A proper pin on the device though? That's good, and probably even more important now that GameChat is a major feature.

Homebrew as it's currently implemented on Switch 1 is undetectable if done properly, at least for firmware v19 and earlier. The latest firmware is something that custom firmware devs and the scene are currently figuring out.
Of course Nintendo isn't happy with anyone tampering with their software and never have been, but it's very interesting that they're specifically prohibiting reverse engineering and decompilation, things which legally are fair game.

It all begins with finding a way to dump your digital game purchases and update data anyway, and that still seems to be undetectable for the time being.

@bones
This may come as a surprise, but software developed in Game Maker doesn't perform particularly well on the Switch 1 due to the system's lacking single-threaded performance.
Game Maker doesn't utilise multiple processor cores or threads, and doesn't really take advantage of the Switch's GPU capabilities much either. This is why Antonblast has performance issues on Switch 1.

The Switch 2 version of Deltarune is also able to take advantage of the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode, for both controllers at once, and also makes use of the motion-sensing orientation like you may've seen demoed in some Switch 2 trailers.
Toby Fox did something similar for the Switch 1 release of Undertale, there's a special room that has a special battle that requires the use of dual analogue sticks.

@Ogbert
It sounds like the Switch 1 and Switch 2 versions are two separate software titles, and that buying either version entitles you to the other.
It made me wonder if it could possibly be done as one of those digital bundles you often see on the eShop, but as a Switch 1 + Switch 2 bundle.

I suppose it could mean that you also get the option to play the Switch 1 version of Deltarune on your Switch 2 system, as a way to check out both versions of the special room on a single system.

I want to point out that separate to this this $200 collector's edition, they're selling a separate Maxi-size poster for $50.
A $50 poster for crying out loud.

It does seem like some additional Switch 2 stock is available on the UK store, just not the Mario Kart World bundle.

Feel like I should mention, any "restocks" that occur before launch are more like they're accepting additional pre-orders.
This could be that the retailer is throttling pre-orders to keep interest up and give more people a chance at different times.
It could also be that for other retailers, they're requested additional supply and therefore can take additional pre-orders.

I'm honestly not surprised, Genki have made good accessories like their mini-docks and mini-capture cards, but their Kickstarter campaigns repeatedly make use of Nintendo's IP.
I don't mean things like products that show Nintendo software in use, but making graphics outright use Nintendo wholly or partly owned characters like Kirby, Ness, or Ice Climbers.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/humanthings/genki-covert-dock/description
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/humanthings/genki-alpine/description

I'd initially pre-ordered a Switch 1 physical from Play-Asia, but had to cancel when the then-June release date was pushed back to December (as it'd delay the whole order).
Now with there being a Switch 2 version, I'd rather wait and see, there's going to be a lot of that with Switch 1/2 games now to be honest.

I'd only consider it strictly as second-hand purchase, and only if it's heavily discounted.
It has to compete with digital sales, and the reality is that eShop sales are probably going to offer a much better discount than the physical units ever will.

Sadly, as ever it falls upon the community to take up preservation themselves.
Internally, these businesses probably have superb preservation practices, but the difference is that they're not meant for public or general access and may not be ever be intended as a retail product again.

With LRG's change in practices, it's become niave to assume that physical media sold as a product is the standard for preservation. The real practice will continue to be modding software or hardware and dumping the data, and ensuring mirrors and backups are kept intact.

@PikminMarioKirby
For your multi-account scenario, it seems like the "Use Online Licenses" option for your user account won't work either. It mentions that "only the user signed into the Nintendo account that purchased the software will be able to play it".
For a single-account scenario, the trick of launching the game on an online secondary system, whilst the primary system is offline may still work, but this will complicate save games.

I can see this being a headache for Pokémon players that like to use multiple accounts for multiple save files too.

@ROBLOGNICK
It's basically the license check that secondary Switch systems had been using this whole time, where any time you launch a digital game, or a physical game that has digital DLC, it performs an online check that the game or DLC is not currently being played on another Switch system.

This may actually be helpful for people that were making use of multiple Switch systems and playing the same game on multiple system simultaneously. It should in practice make it that the primary system with the Virtual Game Card loaded can go offline, and the secondary system can do the license check instead.
This set-up does make it harder for a third system in the equation though.

The primary system being offline is important here because there's a persistent online check whilst the secondary system is playing the title. It'll force-suspend the secondary system if it detects that another system is currently playing that software.

It's more than just Donkey Kong, the icons for Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, and power-ups, as well as Pikmin were also updated.
Some are subtle enough that you may not notice if you weren't using them.
https://x.com/megarock_exe/status/1917447669221581255

This makes a lot of sense for the free roam mode specifically, so you can have a good look around beyond the race track.
I doubt I'd use this in the middle of a race though.

Seems like LRG are just in charge of the collector's edition swag, whilst SEGA themselves are responsible for the Game-Keys that go in the package.
This still makes LRG complicit in this sordid affair though, shame on them for even entertaining the Game-Keys.

Having had a chance to watch the video now, it's great to see that tricks like whistle sprinting and wind bombs have been preserved for the Switch 2 Edition.
I'm sure that Nintendo will have taken the opportunity to fix certain bugs and exploits in the Switch 2 Editions of BotW and TotK (particularly things like item duping), but I'm really glad that wind bombs in particular has been kept because that one is so much fun to do.

Competing with beating Ocarina of Time within the 5 minute time limit of the "Masterpieces" demo in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, I see!
This is arguably even more exclusive, though. You can only do it in person, and on a console that hasn't launched yet!

Something to correct about Annalynn.
It's only published by Summitsphere (and just the Switch version), not made by the developers of Anton Ball and Anton Blast.
However, because of this publishing deal, it exclusively features Anton as a bonus playable character!

This seems like a wholly unnecessary re-release and the new features hardly justify it.
As for everyone complaining about the game key release, I'm with you, but the issue fundamentally seems to be that Switch 2 game cards are too expensive to manufacture and are unjustifiable for small downloads.

Down the line, I bet we'll end up seeing Limited Run Game releases of SEGA Switch 2 games that otherwise only got Game Key releases.
That's just the sort of publisher they are these days.

You know, it kinda highlights the absurdity of not having a small camera in the Switch 2 somewhere.
DSi, did it, 3DS did it, even the Wii U GamePad did it.
I guess doing so could've compromised the form factor though, or added cost.

£16.99 for the TotK amiibo in the UK isn't so bad, remembering that the Zelda Loftwing amiibo was more than that.
Looking at Sidon's amiibo, it's disappointing that the Lightscale Trident is just white plastic instead of having a glossy paint matching his own silver wear.
Tempted to pick up Tulin at the very least.

With prices for Switch 2 games starting to materialise on Nintendo's websites, I checked and it looks like Sonic x Shadow Generations won't be offering an upgrade path at all.
What they're offering is a £44.99 base game and a £54.99 Digital Deluxe version, notably lacking a "Digital Deluxe Upgrade" like was available for Switch 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXFktITQtg4
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-2-games/SONIC-X-SHADOW-GENERATIONS-2807539.html

I'm gonna go ahead and wishlist those because the way things are going, there'll be no physical release (game key at best), and SEGA always end up slashing prices in regular sales.
https://www.dekudeals.com/items/sonic-x-shadow-generations

Will I have to buy the game all over again if I have the Switch 1 version, or do I get to buy a Switch 2 edition upgrade, or what exactly?

Publishers selling separate titles at full price with no upgrade path is what I'm most worried about.

I can't believe they dedicated a whole analogue stick to the new GameChat feature. Why's it yellow though?

@SalvorHardin
That's the part that doesn't sit right. The key is data, not a mechanism.
The prod keys are part of the firmware used in a Switch system, an emulator can support both a firmware and prod keys as a means to decrypt and execute game software data.
The prod keys themselves are obtained as the result of use of circumvention technology, and are not the circumvention technology onto themselves. Upcoming 3DS and Switch emulator projects have taken notice of this, and are being designed to run with already decrypted game data that does not implement anything that Nintendo could describe as "circumvention technology" by their current arguments.

Edit: I think I misunderstood, but if the streamer was linking to a site that both distributed the keys, AND the means of circumventing the technological protections, then yes that would actually make sense.
The naming of the site is what threw me off because it looked like a file with an extension.

In doing so, Nintendo believes he effectively trafficked in circumvention devices.

This doesn't sit right with me. How do you define a "circumvention device"? Did he distribute any of the tools necessary for a user to perform their own circumvention of protections? Further, "device" implies hardware, but the streamer was trafficking in software and data.

The circumvention itself would be the process of sourcing the data from the hardware itself, not the distribution of sourced data, whether that be game files, keys, or firmware.
It would be an argument about where in the chain of Nintendo Switch system exploiting that circumvention occurs, as I would argue if you've successfully obtained the data needed to decrypt, read, and execute the game data, this is past the point of circumvention and is instead an implementation that meets the original system's protections.
This is why all Switch emulator devs take the position that you must source your own data and don't bundle such data.

Nintendo's positions right now I'm not confident that they've been effectively proven in court or are properly enforcible, and are just optics to scare the little people that can't or won't fight back legally.

Of course none of this justifies what the streamer was doing, openly advocating piracy and breaking street date on new games.

I want to know how good the d-pad is.
The launch Switch Pro Controller d-pad was terrible and soured me on using it forever.

@SNAAAAAKE
They actually explained their naming choice in one of their articles.
"Super Nintendo Switch" was considered, but was not chosen because of how the Super Nintendo Entertainment System wasn't backwards compatible with Nintendo Entertainment System games.
Whereas "Switch 2" very keenly communicates the backards compatibility.
https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-16-nintendo-switch-2-part-4/

@Solid_Python oh, that should've been in the article!

I wish they'd stuck with the bit of recreating the 90s commercial, but it just turned into Marvel Cinematic Universe quipping and banter.
Does everything have to be dripping with irony now?

If this statement is correct it cleanly answers two questions I had.
One is that the Switch 2 Edition game cards can be used in a Switch 1 game console to play the Switch 1 version.
Two is that all of the data necessary for the Switch 2 Edition can be on the game card, as opposed to downloading the Switch 2 Edition data to the console (though it's possible some Switch 2 Edition game cards may do that?)

This is a Game Boy Color black cartridge situation, where the new format is backwards compatible, nice.

I wonder if it has to do with potential 1-way incompatibility between the Switch 1 and Switch 2 editions of TotK?
They might be worried about save data sanitation as a possible exploit vector between Switch 1 into Switch 2 or something.

@-wc-
I think rewind is intended for parts you can't logically reverse, like the demonstrated failed jump from a wall ride? Can't reverse back up a cliff lol.
It's also a useful anti-frustration feature for the open roaming mode.

@B3RTAY
Eh, true, you're probably right that it's just social media clout chasers.
Even so, at the very least it helps enforce accountability and transparency that big companies aren't forward enough with.
There will probably be some unwelcome surprises when consumers finally get their hands on Switch 2 systems.

@B3RTAY
Internet archivists and historians take this sort of thing seriously since it ties into consumer rights.
If promises are made, consumers expect them to be kept.

Also there are services that can actively monitor a web page for changes and send notifications when something happens, as well as snapshotting every little change. No manual work needed.

I still remember the time I dodged a blue shell in Mario Kart Wii, but with a Dash Mushroom that'd been dropped on the track!

This is a long shot, but this might be a desperate cost-saving measure if there's anything like licensing of technologies involved.
Suppose Nintendo has to pay a licensing fee to allow the use of G-Sync / FreeSync on their system over HDMI.
If they disable the feature in a firmware update, no more license fee cost. Same way the Xbox has DVD support but only accessible when using their official DVD remote accessory (which was secretly the license key to use DVD playback).

You know, with all the pre-order price scares for the Switch 2 in America right now.
If it's a feature that not many people will end up using, it could become one that requires a one-time fee to unlock on the system.

I want to know if handheld mode has an option to toggle between 60hz and 120hz.
A lot of smart phones give you this option because 120hz reduces battery life.

@larrythumbs
Switch 1 game cards are closer to microSD performance, as are Switch 2 game cards to microSD express.
Due to that, the Switch 2 game cards are much more expensive to manufacture even before considering the capacity, so this could have an unfortunate effect of limiting boutique releases earlier on due to impractical costs; moreso depending on what the minimum capacity is.

@Chocobo_Shepherd

Yeah there's a Japanese import of the Switch physical available on a few sites.
https://videogamesplus.ca/products/rusty-rabbit-jpn-import-multi-language-pre-order
https://www.play-asia.com/rusty-rabbit-multi-language/13/70i56j
I have it pre-ordered and am looking forward to it, ships this week.

@WarioInAHardees
In terms of software, at least for Nintendo Switch, a game installed to the system is called a title.
There's three kinds of titles; Base applications (normally games, but can be things like apps), Updates, and DLCs.
On Switch, only a single update can be installed at a given time, they are not incremental so downloading an update replaces any previous update title that may have been installed.

Hopefully this means that it can also finally get the physical release it always deserved, but was never able to get through Special Reserve Games.
Devolver Deluxe however? I'm sure they'll work something out.