Makes sense they have one, and would be getting ready to release it everywhere. Pretty sure they already stated that digital game card ownership would be able to be managed on web browsers (hence the need for an online connection when "inserting" or "ejecting" the virtual game cards to/from the system), for example, and having a dedicated app to manage things like family group members and digital game cards makes sense. It would be preferable to always relying on logging into browsers.
After experimenting with it a bit, it seems like the biggest draw for it right now is the calendar widget it provides!
You can customize what gets included onto the calendar by series, and it marks release dates, in game events, etc.
I missed more than a few things like the Tetris 99 events and a couple Splat Fests because I simply forgot about them on the day(s) they were happening. Having them on a widget and keeping that info right at hand is a great improvement!
Between the new Everybody Golf game, the Metroid Prime 4 footage, the digital game card thing, and the Nintendo Today phone app, I got a good mix of pleasant surprises! I give it a solid 9.
Still no Twilight Princess or Wind Waker, but watchagonnado, I guess.
I'll definitely experiment with this feature, and try out lending a digital game to my sister once it's live to see how it performs.
Also sounds like a pretty handy way to juggle games between my OLED Switch and the Switch 2, compared to the primary/secondary thing they've been doing. I plan to keep my OLED Switch, even when I pick up a Switch 2.
Not being able to set individual days had been the deal breaker. I work an irregular schedule, so all my alarm clocks need that extra flexibility.
If they've resolved that...well, now Alarmo is on my radar! Will definitely consider swinging by Target sometime this week and pick one up to try it out.
I could see this technique being useful for increasing compatibility with various devices and accessories, to give increased access to parts which are only present on the top or bottom for the intended use case.
An off-the-cuff example is making it possible to more effectively use the U-shaped kickstand as a hanger to attach the Switch 2 screen to the back of a car seat in some way, for example, if the orientation of the screen also flips appropriately.
Or if there's a non-joycon accessory, it makes it possible to only manufacture one version of it that can attach to either side of the system, and maybe leave a standard joycon plugged into whichever side is more appropriate for the person or application.
Any ambidextrous people out there no doubt know how annoying it is when computer mice are designed specifically to be left or right handed when you want to use it for both. Saves everyone involved time and money when one device can serve several purposes, especially if one of those purposes is relatively niche.
Most of my online friends that I've stayed in contact with for more than a passing moment, are people that I met in "gated communities" for various games.
At bare minimum, in such places, there is an established common ground of "Hey, we're both playing this game, and enjoying it! Let's talk about it."
So...yeah! I'd be up for a Miiverse 2.0.
And Miiverse posts gave the Wii U UI a lot of personality, too.
I've certainly liked that Switch cases take up so much less shelf space than my other games, thanks to the smaller cases used compared to other consoles.
Will be a bit of a bummer if the Switch 2 games remove that benefit, but I do understand the reasoning. They most likely want to clearly differentiate that the Switch 2 is a new console, not an incremental upgrade. And, a bigger case would be an easy way to do that, also possibly drawing more attention to the release year Switch 2 games compared to the Switch 1 games that will be sitting next to them, to get the ball rolling.
The trailer felt a bit disingenuous, honestly. Comparing everything to the OG Switch to advertise a larger contrast/upgrade from the previous generation, rather than acknowledging the more recent OLED.
Due to the Switch 2 having bezels, screen looks to be about the same size as the OLED. Not a big boost like the trailer implies. Similar situation for the kickstand enhancements. The OLED has a very good kickstand.
Since they opted to not really show the games (genuinely didn't notice the couple seconds of footage was a new Mario Kart at first), not much to be excited about presently, IMO.
Still nice to get some official confirmation that yes, the new system is a "Switch Pro", and everything that implies.
If I have time for an extended, dedicated gaming session when outside the home, chances are I have access to a car/backpack/suitcase these days. So bigger is better, whether it's a portable PC like the Steam Deck, or the next Switch.
Mobile gaming has gotten a lot better in recent years, in my experience, and easily fills the niche use-case of shorter gaming sessions. Also, it's possible to pick up a solid gaming-oriented phone for pretty reasonable prices these days, if storage space isn't a huge concern. Or if storage space IS a concern, even going all out, paying a premium for the convenience, and reaching for top-of-the-line bleeding edge phones with 1TB+ of storage can slide under the magical $1,000 price point these days. Got a release day RedMagic 10 Pro under that price point, and it's been a solid performer.
Thanks for the mentioning that this is available as part of the Crunchyroll games! I'm subscribed for the shows, but always forget about the gaming portion of their service.
I played this off-and-on, but I tried to play it pretty consistently for the last month, sending farewell gifts and such to the randomly enlisted friends that stuck with me all the way until the end of the sinking ship.
I plan to purchase the replacement standalone version in a few days.
A company aims to use its millions/billions of dollars to directly invest into expanding and reinforcing company resources and new ideas, rather than purchasing gutted brand names at a premium to put on a splash screen?
It's a solid app! Lets me get straight into listening to some game soundtracks when working, avoiding the "scrolling" trap of doing it through Youtube or whatever.
If they add a few more soundtracks, it might just make some of my other music service subscriptions largely redundant.
I dropped from the $50 plan down to the $20 plan when I renewed. I kept it at all mostly just so I can play Splatoon 3, and even that was being questioned when deciding to renew. Most of the emulation options I find work better on other platforms (Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooie on the Xbox 360/One or Game Pass, for example, and my 3DS/Wii are still alive and kicking for Zelda and such), and I buy my DLC outright when it's available and I intend to use it, so there is zero draw on select DLC being available as part of the plan. I would still purchase emulated games I really enjoy if they were available to be permanently purchased. Just saying.
I will say, the music app for phones was a nice addition to the subscription service! Certainly feels like I'm getting more value than paying $20 a year solely for the privilege of playing Splatoon 3 online, at least, and I've been using it to play music regularly. I also like the online backup of saves, although I don't feel that feature should be paywalled in the first place; made it less of hassle when transferring to new Switches as I upgraded. And I do use a custom player icon, too; which again, is nice, but I feel shouldn't be paywalled in the first place.
Glad to get official confirmation! That's one checkbox fulfilled for considering picking it up day one.
The other "must-haves" for me on the mysterious Switch 2 is expandable memory (or very large default memory sizes as an option), and OLED screens with the release model.
I downloaded it in less than two minutes after hearing it existed, and am listening to it right now!
Don't know how often I'll use it, but I'm very glad it exists, and it seems to work decently enough. I'm always looking for additional ways to play music while working!
That would make a LOT of sense, actually. Stress testing a streaming app/service in a controlled environment with existing Switch games, in preparation for potential plans to stream Switch 2 games to existing Switch hardware.
I'm not in a big hurry to get the Switch successor when it arrives, but my streaming experience on the Xbox One X to play games the hardware can't handle were generally very positive with a wired connection. Games that were either borderline unplayable when installed on the One X so I streamed them instead, or are only able to be installed on Series consoles (with streaming as the only option for playing them on the One X). I still never actually picked up a Series console, but have played several Series games this way. So if Nintendo does something similar with Switch 2 games, I might get a foot into the door and join the new game ecosystem in some capacity sooner rather than later.
If it isn't something they're currently planning, this is a good idea they should look into.
I have tried several joy con charging stands (including the officially licensed one from PowerA) but they've all suffered from the same issue: once the joy cons reach a full charge, the joy cons start to discharge over the next few days all the way to a dead battery, but the charger doesn't detect this nor does it try to charge them again unless they're removed from the charger and put back in. Meaning if I don't use them immediately, it's like they were never charged in the first place.
This is an issue I've only ever experienced with joy con chargers, all my other experiences with other controllers/chargers is they keep them at a full charge.
@MysticX It shouldn't matter, really. But there's no shortage of people who still cite the PS2 as the most successful console of all time and are fully aware of its sales success, even more than two decades later. So data like that clearly has a long staying power and influence.
Although, it's more likely the second point if any delays have actually occurred. (wanting to keep making a high profit per unit sold for as long as possible).
@MysticX It's pretty simple, really. If one of Nintendo's flagship consoles is objectively and factually the best selling system on the market, it makes both developers and investors pay more attention to everything they do, and less attention to what competitors are doing. It's a pretty big marketing point.
Plus, they still haven't reduced the price of the current Switch, even after all these years, so they're making a tidy profit per unit at this point in the console's life cycle selling what they've already established (with manufacturing being very streamlined and established), and they likely want to keep that going for as long as possible. As evidenced by Nintendo being officially the richest company in Japan.
Generally I'm not a fan of story-based spoilers, with one big, notable exception: if the story or game mechanics pull any kind of "bait-and-switch" halfway through. Also, a bad ending can retro-actively ruin an otherwise good experience.
At least if you know right up front that the ending of something sucks, you're prepared to not expect satisfactory closure if you choose to partake in it anyway, and are more likely to walk away somewhat satisfied in a "it's okay, except for the ending" scenario.
Your information is out of date. Going with exclusively major brand names and higher grade memory, prices are basically identical, even not taking into consideration shopping in areas other than Amazon, or waiting for any sales.
Also note that even going higher grade, Micro SD cards bottleneck hard, with read/write speeds consistently 1/5th what an internal drive is capable of. Even Nintendo themselves has already told people to install to internal memory for certain games with the current Switch, when they can. So relying on Micro SD long term is clearly a problem.
Using my Steam Deck as a point of comparison for an all-digital library, 512GB SSD + 1TB micro SD was "manageable", but absolutely not possible to have all games I might want to play installed at the same time, let alone my entire library. There's a reason I put a 2TB SSD into the OLED model when I upgraded. Also, at present, high-capacity SSD's are noticeably cheaper to purchase than high-capacity micro SD cards, so there's not much reason a company shouldn't maximize internal storage for users, ESPECIALLY if they don't intend to let users replace the internal memory themselves.
With a large physical cart presence for my Switch OLED collection and equipped with a 1TB micro SD (so, 64GB internal + 1TB external), I have my entire library accessible on the system at present, with less than 100GB remaining.
From a "new user" perspective to a new Switch model, I feel like 512GB internal memory should be the bare minimum. From a "returning user" perspective, there is still an expectation the system would be backwards compatible, and by extension I'd want options much larger than that so I could still have both my existing library, in addition to whatever new things come to the system.
There's 180 videos on the channel in total, currently. From the first video to now, that averages out to be a new video about every 3 days for the past 1 1/2 years. It's quite a lot of raw straight-to-the-point information, which easily qualifies as a full semester (or longer) of the sorts of things that would be discussed in a college. Way more than most people were expecting, probably.
There's a lot of cool insight about the game design process within a team environment, and plenty of general advice for independent creators and managing work loads, too.
I watched a good chunk of them, and didn't always agree with the opinions of some of the videos (which can be said for any teacher's lectures, really), but it certainly helped look at things from a lot of different angles and perspectives.
Several of the points deemed to be more important tend to get brought up again in some form throughout the video series. One of the biggest points that is frequently stressed in various forms is the importance of "push and pull" for player vs. game (the effort-to-reward ratio), a piece of advice I can easily agree with.
English versions of Richman 10 and Richman 11 are both already available on the Switch (in the US eshop anyway, don't know about other regions). Richman 11 was originally released in late 2022, apparently. I think their inclusion in the video is just for the ports to other consoles.
Never played either of them, but stumbled across Switch gameplay of the games looking for more info about the series on Youtube.
Over the past few years, I've bought 3 Switches (bought both incremental upgrades/revisions). All of them are still in good working order, and I put the two older ones into the hands of family members as I upgraded. It worked out pretty well for all parties involved. It would be pretty hard to justify another cycle of such trickle-down shenanigans for a successor, though, now that the economy has shifted in the ways that it has.
The Switch might be under-powered compared to some alternatives, but in some aspects I consider that a good thing. Forces developers to actually need to optimize things once in a while, if they want to tap into the massive Switch install base. Which in turn improves performance on other platforms.
Although the obvious drawbacks being sometimes they opt to just skip it entirely, or it "technically" works, at sub-30 frames per second at various times throughout the game, especially when playing in portable mode.
However, as long as fun exclusives keep launching on the current Switch, I'll keep buying them. I wouldn't be quick to rush in buying any theoretical successor, or the games for it, I'm spoiled for choice as it is. The Steam Deck currently fills in any gaps that the Switch has, and the two live in harmony in my suitcases and on my TV.
Short version is: the ability to review Switch games went live on February 23, 2018, and it got axed less than a week later. Allowed for 1-5 star ratings and the ability to provide additional details. Was only available on their web site's eShop listings, rather than the Switch itself.
Here was one of the PR responses on the removal of the feature:
"Nintendo.com recently offered a trial customer review feature to let users share feedback about Nintendo Switch games on our website. The response has been positive, and Nintendo appreciates the time and effort that reviewers put into their thoughtful commentary on the games. Nintendo has removed this feature as we evaluate the future of the ratings functionality on Nintendo.com. We have no estimate on when an update will be provided on the status of this initiative, but we appreciate the enthusiasm shown for the trial."
A reminder to nobody in particular that the Switch eShop HAD a game rating system, and they removed it from the eShop shortly after it was implemented because Nintendo didn't like 1-2-Switch getting negative reviews.
The solution to help people filter out shovelware in the eShop was not only there, but implemented. But a fair system also potentially puts Nintendo's own games under fire, which they apparently decided was bad for business.
Surprised it hadn't already surpassed the 360, honestly.
Then again...there was a LOT of RROD 360's. And I do mean a lot. Some people playing in non-optimal operating conditions went through them like candy, but kept buying more, as it was the preferred portal for playing the trendiest games of the time (mostly Halo and Call of Duty, here in the US).
And unlike the PS2 (which also had significant issues with its launch models, in the form of failing disc drives), it took years rather than months to more or less finally put a stop to the 360's hardware failures with revisions.
I haven't picked up the game yet, left it as a potential gift idea for the holidays. So will probably play it sometime later this month (if it ends up being a gift), or next month (if I buy it myself).
Never tried the demo, but I've heard from multiple people that the performance in the demo is noticeably worse than the actual game, so hopefully the demo, and gameplay of said demo floating around online, didn't sour too many people's first impressions.
Even so, I have a feeling playing docked will be a better experience than playing handheld in terms of performance (which is the case for a lot of Switch games, honestly).
I signed up for the newsletter yesterday, as suggested in the article, and started getting emails from them, but never received a code for "Pirates: All Aboard!". I even checked the Spam folder. So missed the start of the chain.
Yeah, the desert temple was definitely the high point of the game for me, they did a lot of interesting things inside of it in terms of puzzles and exploration.
I found the Fire Temple to be the least like a dungeon. Maybe it would have felt more like one if I paid any attention to the mine carts. But the thing was, one of the primary game mechanics of TOTK (crafting vehicles/contraptions) switched me to a "take the path of least resistance" mindset pretty early on in the game. I just hover-biked to the five glowing dots and called it a day. At least some of the other dungeons occasionally had a wall or door blocking my path.
Which highlights the main issue with unrestricted open world gameplay. If you can simply walk around and ignore the obstacles with no notable consequences for doing so, the entire core of the game is fundamentally broken.
TOTK magnified the problems of possessing Revali's Gale in BOTW to the nth degree (which was the main way to completely break a lot of BOTW's puzzles and challenges within the intended gameplay mechanics, no exploits required; just jump into the air and glide over everything). In replays of BOTW, I always made a conscious decision to always get that ability last.
I've spent more time playing Genshin Impact than any other game both this year and last year, and have enjoyed it more than most other games I've played recently. By most objective measurements, it's my "Player's Choice".
The Fontaine chapters and exploration released this year have been a real treat, and there's been some beefy limited time events, too. I liked the world inside the bottle, for instance.
I've held off on playing through the original Dragon Quest III again for quite a few years now, even though I've had the itch to give it a spin. Last time I played it was...a long, long time ago (the GBC version when it originally released, back in 2001).
I find the value of access to basically all multimedia apps on the Steam Deck to be quite handy, which as a gaming device is functionally identical to the Switch in many ways. If I can only take one of these two devices with me on a trip, it's leaning far more in favor of the Steam Deck due to having additional perks like those these days.
So, yeah, seeing more of that on the Switch as an option would be good for competition.
That being said, whether it's a console, a phone, a Roku, or something similar (which is to say, a closed ecosystem), anything short of a PC usually has some amount of weird, annoying restrictions on their multimedia apps, assuming they have the specific one you're looking for in the first place. For example, I can't view my purchased Funimation content on the Switch's Funimation app.
So even if more of such apps were added to the Switch, it would be hard to beat the versatility that the Steam Deck offers in comparison for media (that has the advantage of being a fully fledged Linux PC).
You might know this, but it's possible to turn off rumble for all devices by going into System Settings -> Controllers and Sensors -> Controller Vibration.
I have some comfortable to hold Binbok joycons that have some unfortunate excessive non-HD rumble in certain games, and end up doing that regularly while gaming on the go when the rumble is becoming an issue.
Just a heads-up, in mid-2017 they patched the first Bomberman R to reward the in-game currency while playing the multi-player mode (including local matches).
I still never bothered unlocking every possible item, but that update made unlocking all the levels and a few variants of every head decoration simple enough by playing with friends (especially if playing local matches on the max power stage).
It's also a good sign that they realized the grind was too much in the first one initially, so chances are the economy will be better in this one right out of the gate.
Comments 286
Re: Switch 2's Pre-Order Date Might Have Been Accidentally Leaked By Best Buy
I hope I can just casually place an order, at a time and place that is convenient to me. If I can, I'll likely be placing a pre-order.
I've stopped trying to order things that require me to be on standby to bum rush buttons at a specific moment or right after a specific announcement.
Re: 'My Nintendo' App Icon Spotted, But Will It Come To The West?
Makes sense they have one, and would be getting ready to release it everywhere. Pretty sure they already stated that digital game card ownership would be able to be managed on web browsers (hence the need for an online connection when "inserting" or "ejecting" the virtual game cards to/from the system), for example, and having a dedicated app to manage things like family group members and digital game cards makes sense. It would be preferable to always relying on logging into browsers.
Re: 'Nintendo Today', A New Mobile App, Will Deliver Fresh Switch 2 News Every Day
After experimenting with it a bit, it seems like the biggest draw for it right now is the calendar widget it provides!
You can customize what gets included onto the calendar by series, and it marks release dates, in game events, etc.
I missed more than a few things like the Tetris 99 events and a couple Splat Fests because I simply forgot about them on the day(s) they were happening. Having them on a widget and keeping that info right at hand is a great improvement!
Re: Iconic Sony Sports Series 'Everybody's Golf' Tees-Off On Switch This Year
While a fair number of games caught my attention in the direct, this one was the highlight for me. Looking forward to it!
Re: Rhythm Heaven Groove Announced For Switch, Launching 2026
Glad it's coming, I'm a big fan of the series, so new entries are appreciated!
Re: Poll: So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Direct For March 2025?
Between the new Everybody Golf game, the Metroid Prime 4 footage, the digital game card thing, and the Nintendo Today phone app, I got a good mix of pleasant surprises! I give it a solid 9.
Still no Twilight Princess or Wind Waker, but watchagonnado, I guess.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
I'll definitely experiment with this feature, and try out lending a digital game to my sister once it's live to see how it performs.
Also sounds like a pretty handy way to juggle games between my OLED Switch and the Switch 2, compared to the primary/secondary thing they've been doing. I plan to keep my OLED Switch, even when I pick up a Switch 2.
Re: 'Nintendo Today', A New Mobile App, Will Deliver Fresh Switch 2 News Every Day
I will download and use this. Sounds handy.
Certainly not an announcement I expected, but a welcome one!
Re: Nintendo Direct Confirmed For Tomorrow, 27th March 2025
I'll put all my bets on Twilight Princess HD and Wind Waker HD!
Other than that, I assume there will be a good showcasing of Metroid Prime 4 gameplay.
Re: Nintendo Alarmo Update Adds Multiple Highly-Requested Features
Not being able to set individual days had been the deal breaker. I work an irregular schedule, so all my alarm clocks need that extra flexibility.
If they've resolved that...well, now Alarmo is on my radar! Will definitely consider swinging by Target sometime this week and pick one up to try it out.
Re: Switch 2 Patent Suggests You Can Flip The Console Upside Down
I could see this technique being useful for increasing compatibility with various devices and accessories, to give increased access to parts which are only present on the top or bottom for the intended use case.
An off-the-cuff example is making it possible to more effectively use the U-shaped kickstand as a hanger to attach the Switch 2 screen to the back of a car seat in some way, for example, if the orientation of the screen also flips appropriately.
Or if there's a non-joycon accessory, it makes it possible to only manufacture one version of it that can attach to either side of the system, and maybe leave a standard joycon plugged into whichever side is more appropriate for the person or application.
Any ambidextrous people out there no doubt know how annoying it is when computer mice are designed specifically to be left or right handed when you want to use it for both. Saves everyone involved time and money when one device can serve several purposes, especially if one of those purposes is relatively niche.
Re: Opinion: Miiverse Was Fine, But Does Anybody Really Want It Back In 2025?
Most of my online friends that I've stayed in contact with for more than a passing moment, are people that I met in "gated communities" for various games.
At bare minimum, in such places, there is an established common ground of "Hey, we're both playing this game, and enjoying it! Let's talk about it."
So...yeah! I'd be up for a Miiverse 2.0.
And Miiverse posts gave the Wii U UI a lot of personality, too.
Re: Rumour: Switch 2 Game Cases Might Take Up More Space On Your Shelf
I've certainly liked that Switch cases take up so much less shelf space than my other games, thanks to the smaller cases used compared to other consoles.
Will be a bit of a bummer if the Switch 2 games remove that benefit, but I do understand the reasoning. They most likely want to clearly differentiate that the Switch 2 is a new console, not an incremental upgrade. And, a bigger case would be an easy way to do that, also possibly drawing more attention to the release year Switch 2 games compared to the Switch 1 games that will be sitting next to them, to get the ball rolling.
Re: Poll: So, What Did You Think Of The Switch 2 Reveal?
The trailer felt a bit disingenuous, honestly. Comparing everything to the OG Switch to advertise a larger contrast/upgrade from the previous generation, rather than acknowledging the more recent OLED.
Due to the Switch 2 having bezels, screen looks to be about the same size as the OLED. Not a big boost like the trailer implies. Similar situation for the kickstand enhancements. The OLED has a very good kickstand.
Since they opted to not really show the games (genuinely didn't notice the couple seconds of footage was a new Mario Kart at first), not much to be excited about presently, IMO.
Still nice to get some official confirmation that yes, the new system is a "Switch Pro", and everything that implies.
Re: Talking Point: Is The Switch 2 Going To Be Too Big?
If I have time for an extended, dedicated gaming session when outside the home, chances are I have access to a car/backpack/suitcase these days. So bigger is better, whether it's a portable PC like the Steam Deck, or the next Switch.
Mobile gaming has gotten a lot better in recent years, in my experience, and easily fills the niche use-case of shorter gaming sessions. Also, it's possible to pick up a solid gaming-oriented phone for pretty reasonable prices these days, if storage space isn't a huge concern. Or if storage space IS a concern, even going all out, paying a premium for the convenience, and reaching for top-of-the-line bleeding edge phones with 1TB+ of storage can slide under the magical $1,000 price point these days. Got a release day RedMagic 10 Pro under that price point, and it's been a solid performer.
Re: Mini Review: Victory Heat Rally (Switch) - Great Looks, But Can't Quite Make The Podium
@Kyloctopus
Thanks for the mentioning that this is available as part of the Crunchyroll games! I'm subscribed for the shows, but always forget about the gaming portion of their service.
Re: It's Over! Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp's Online Service Has Officially Ended
I played this off-and-on, but I tried to play it pretty consistently for the last month, sending farewell gifts and such to the randomly enlisted friends that stuck with me all the way until the end of the sinking ship.
I plan to purchase the replacement standalone version in a few days.
Re: Nintendo Would Rather "Organically Expand The Organisation" Than Rely Solely On Acquisitions
A company aims to use its millions/billions of dollars to directly invest into expanding and reinforcing company resources and new ideas, rather than purchasing gutted brand names at a premium to put on a splash screen?
Pshhhhh, that'll never work.
Re: 'Nintendo Music' Smartphone App Surpasses One Million Downloads
It's a solid app! Lets me get straight into listening to some game soundtracks when working, avoiding the "scrolling" trap of doing it through Youtube or whatever.
If they add a few more soundtracks, it might just make some of my other music service subscriptions largely redundant.
Re: Nintendo Says Switch Online Expansion Pack Subs Are "Steadily Increasing"
I dropped from the $50 plan down to the $20 plan when I renewed. I kept it at all mostly just so I can play Splatoon 3, and even that was being questioned when deciding to renew. Most of the emulation options I find work better on other platforms (Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooie on the Xbox 360/One or Game Pass, for example, and my 3DS/Wii are still alive and kicking for Zelda and such), and I buy my DLC outright when it's available and I intend to use it, so there is zero draw on select DLC being available as part of the plan. I would still purchase emulated games I really enjoy if they were available to be permanently purchased. Just saying.
I will say, the music app for phones was a nice addition to the subscription service! Certainly feels like I'm getting more value than paying $20 a year solely for the privilege of playing Splatoon 3 online, at least, and I've been using it to play music regularly. I also like the online backup of saves, although I don't feel that feature should be paywalled in the first place; made it less of hassle when transferring to new Switches as I upgraded. And I do use a custom player icon, too; which again, is nice, but I feel shouldn't be paywalled in the first place.
Re: Reaction: Rest Easy, Folks, Your Switch Backlog Ain't Going Anywhere
Glad to get official confirmation! That's one checkbox fulfilled for considering picking it up day one.
The other "must-haves" for me on the mysterious Switch 2 is expandable memory (or very large default memory sizes as an option), and OLED screens with the release model.
Re: So, Will You Be Listening To The New Mobile App Nintendo Music?
I downloaded it in less than two minutes after hearing it existed, and am listening to it right now!
Don't know how often I'll use it, but I'm very glad it exists, and it seems to work decently enough. I'm always looking for additional ways to play music while working!
Re: Nintendo Asks Switch Online Playtest Program Participants To "Not Discuss Or Disclose Content"
@Max_the_German
That would make a LOT of sense, actually. Stress testing a streaming app/service in a controlled environment with existing Switch games, in preparation for potential plans to stream Switch 2 games to existing Switch hardware.
I'm not in a big hurry to get the Switch successor when it arrives, but my streaming experience on the Xbox One X to play games the hardware can't handle were generally very positive with a wired connection. Games that were either borderline unplayable when installed on the One X so I streamed them instead, or are only able to be installed on Series consoles (with streaming as the only option for playing them on the One X). I still never actually picked up a Series console, but have played several Series games this way. So if Nintendo does something similar with Switch 2 games, I might get a foot into the door and join the new game ecosystem in some capacity sooner rather than later.
If it isn't something they're currently planning, this is a good idea they should look into.
Re: Nintendo Announces Official Switch Joy-Con Charging Stand
Might have to consider this.
I have tried several joy con charging stands (including the officially licensed one from PowerA) but they've all suffered from the same issue: once the joy cons reach a full charge, the joy cons start to discharge over the next few days all the way to a dead battery, but the charger doesn't detect this nor does it try to charge them again unless they're removed from the charger and put back in. Meaning if I don't use them immediately, it's like they were never charged in the first place.
This is an issue I've only ever experienced with joy con chargers, all my other experiences with other controllers/chargers is they keep them at a full charge.
I wonder if this one will finally address that.
Re: Rumour: New Report From Nikkei Corroborates 'Switch 2' Delay Into 2025
@MysticX
It shouldn't matter, really. But there's no shortage of people who still cite the PS2 as the most successful console of all time and are fully aware of its sales success, even more than two decades later. So data like that clearly has a long staying power and influence.
Although, it's more likely the second point if any delays have actually occurred. (wanting to keep making a high profit per unit sold for as long as possible).
Re: Rumour: New Report From Nikkei Corroborates 'Switch 2' Delay Into 2025
@MysticX
It's pretty simple, really. If one of Nintendo's flagship consoles is objectively and factually the best selling system on the market, it makes both developers and investors pay more attention to everything they do, and less attention to what competitors are doing. It's a pretty big marketing point.
Plus, they still haven't reduced the price of the current Switch, even after all these years, so they're making a tidy profit per unit at this point in the console's life cycle selling what they've already established (with manufacturing being very streamlined and established), and they likely want to keep that going for as long as possible. As evidenced by Nintendo being officially the richest company in Japan.
Re: Random: Sonic Superstars' Free Shadow Costume Is Certainly Something
Anyone remember the classic exchange between Sonic and Shadow?
"I found you, faker!"
"Faker? I think you're the fake hedgehog around here. You're comparing yourself to me...ha! You're not even good enough to by my fake."
"I'll make you eat those words!"
Now imagine Sonic wearing this outfit during that exchange.
Re: It's Official, Nintendo Switch Is The Best-Selling Hardware In Japan
Well deserved sales!
Glad to see the Switch going as far as it has, as I love the hybrid console/portable concept and want it to continue thriving as the new standard.
Re: Talking Point: Is Knowing A Game's Ending Really That Bad?
Generally I'm not a fan of story-based spoilers, with one big, notable exception: if the story or game mechanics pull any kind of "bait-and-switch" halfway through. Also, a bad ending can retro-actively ruin an otherwise good experience.
At least if you know right up front that the ending of something sucks, you're prepared to not expect satisfactory closure if you choose to partake in it anyway, and are more likely to walk away somewhat satisfied in a "it's okay, except for the ending" scenario.
Re: Poll: How Much Internal Storage Would Be Reasonable For 'Switch 2'?
@Bizzyb
Your information is out of date. Going with exclusively major brand names and higher grade memory, prices are basically identical, even not taking into consideration shopping in areas other than Amazon, or waiting for any sales.
Also note that even going higher grade, Micro SD cards bottleneck hard, with read/write speeds consistently 1/5th what an internal drive is capable of. Even Nintendo themselves has already told people to install to internal memory for certain games with the current Switch, when they can. So relying on Micro SD long term is clearly a problem.
Here's some proof:
256GB Samsung internal = $20
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-256GB-Internal-Solid-Factor/dp/B09NF1MV2P/
256GB Samsung external = $30 standard pricing
https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-microSD-MicroSDXC-MB-MD256SA-AM/dp/B0C1PPWTWT/
512GB Samsung internal = $45-55
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-PM991a-MZ9LQ512HBLU-Surface-Ultrabook/dp/B0BDWCC47L/
512GB Samsung external = $50
https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-microSD-MicroSDXC-MB-MD512SA-AM/dp/B0C1PRYPYX/
1TB Samsung internal = $95-$100
https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-PM991a-MZ9LQ1T0HBLB-Surface-Ultrabook/dp/B0B86JFXR2/
1TB Sandisk external = $95-100
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B09X7MPX8L/
2TB Sabrent internal = $200, or about $10 per 100GB
https://www.amazon.com/SABRENT-Rocket-Performance-Compatible-SB-213Q-2TB/dp/B0C5YS3QY4/
1.5TB Sandisk external = $150, or about $10 per 100GB. Also has slower read/write than smaller cards.
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-1-5TB-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B0CJMRW771/
Re: Poll: How Much Internal Storage Would Be Reasonable For 'Switch 2'?
Using my Steam Deck as a point of comparison for an all-digital library, 512GB SSD + 1TB micro SD was "manageable", but absolutely not possible to have all games I might want to play installed at the same time, let alone my entire library. There's a reason I put a 2TB SSD into the OLED model when I upgraded. Also, at present, high-capacity SSD's are noticeably cheaper to purchase than high-capacity micro SD cards, so there's not much reason a company shouldn't maximize internal storage for users, ESPECIALLY if they don't intend to let users replace the internal memory themselves.
With a large physical cart presence for my Switch OLED collection and equipped with a 1TB micro SD (so, 64GB internal + 1TB external), I have my entire library accessible on the system at present, with less than 100GB remaining.
From a "new user" perspective to a new Switch model, I feel like 512GB internal memory should be the bare minimum. From a "returning user" perspective, there is still an expectation the system would be backwards compatible, and by extension I'd want options much larger than that so I could still have both my existing library, in addition to whatever new things come to the system.
Re: Masahiro Sakurai Plans To "Wrap Up" His YouTube Channel This Year
There's 180 videos on the channel in total, currently. From the first video to now, that averages out to be a new video about every 3 days for the past 1 1/2 years. It's quite a lot of raw straight-to-the-point information, which easily qualifies as a full semester (or longer) of the sorts of things that would be discussed in a college. Way more than most people were expecting, probably.
There's a lot of cool insight about the game design process within a team environment, and plenty of general advice for independent creators and managing work loads, too.
I watched a good chunk of them, and didn't always agree with the opinions of some of the videos (which can be said for any teacher's lectures, really), but it certainly helped look at things from a lot of different angles and perspectives.
Several of the points deemed to be more important tend to get brought up again in some form throughout the video series. One of the biggest points that is frequently stressed in various forms is the importance of "push and pull" for player vs. game (the effort-to-reward ratio), a piece of advice I can easily agree with.
Re: Round Up: Eastasiasoft Reveals 11 Switch Games In New Year Showcase
@Princess_Lilly
English versions of Richman 10 and Richman 11 are both already available on the Switch (in the US eshop anyway, don't know about other regions). Richman 11 was originally released in late 2022, apparently. I think their inclusion in the video is just for the ports to other consoles.
Never played either of them, but stumbled across Switch gameplay of the games looking for more info about the series on Youtube.
Re: Talking Point: Could Nintendo Go Another Year Without A Switch Successor?
Over the past few years, I've bought 3 Switches (bought both incremental upgrades/revisions). All of them are still in good working order, and I put the two older ones into the hands of family members as I upgraded. It worked out pretty well for all parties involved. It would be pretty hard to justify another cycle of such trickle-down shenanigans for a successor, though, now that the economy has shifted in the ways that it has.
The Switch might be under-powered compared to some alternatives, but in some aspects I consider that a good thing. Forces developers to actually need to optimize things once in a while, if they want to tap into the massive Switch install base. Which in turn improves performance on other platforms.
Although the obvious drawbacks being sometimes they opt to just skip it entirely, or it "technically" works, at sub-30 frames per second at various times throughout the game, especially when playing in portable mode.
However, as long as fun exclusives keep launching on the current Switch, I'll keep buying them. I wouldn't be quick to rush in buying any theoretical successor, or the games for it, I'm spoiled for choice as it is. The Steam Deck currently fills in any gaps that the Switch has, and the two live in harmony in my suitcases and on my TV.
Re: Nintendo Offering Free Pikmin Greeting Cards And Decorations
Presents are already wrapped and cards are already sent, but I AM tempted to attach a few of those Pikmin tags to presents.
Re: WTF: What Exactly Is This Switch eShop Garbage, Nintendo?
@HatesCheese
If you're curious about the exact details, here's an article that talked when, where, and for how long reviewing Switch games was available:
https://nintygamer.com/switch-eshop-reviews-system/
Short version is: the ability to review Switch games went live on February 23, 2018, and it got axed less than a week later. Allowed for 1-5 star ratings and the ability to provide additional details. Was only available on their web site's eShop listings, rather than the Switch itself.
Here was one of the PR responses on the removal of the feature:
"Nintendo.com recently offered a trial customer review feature to let users share feedback about Nintendo Switch games on our website. The response has been positive, and Nintendo appreciates the time and effort that reviewers put into their thoughtful commentary on the games. Nintendo has removed this feature as we evaluate the future of the ratings functionality on Nintendo.com. We have no estimate on when an update will be provided on the status of this initiative, but we appreciate the enthusiasm shown for the trial."
Re: WTF: What Exactly Is This Switch eShop Garbage, Nintendo?
A reminder to nobody in particular that the Switch eShop HAD a game rating system, and they removed it from the eShop shortly after it was implemented because Nintendo didn't like 1-2-Switch getting negative reviews.
The solution to help people filter out shovelware in the eShop was not only there, but implemented. But a fair system also potentially puts Nintendo's own games under fire, which they apparently decided was bad for business.
Re: 'Piczle Cross: Story Of Seasons' Plants More Nonogram Puzzles On Switch Next Year
I'm a sucker for quirky themed puzzle games.
Have the Kemono Friends and Hatsune Miku ones. Will probably end up picking this one up, too!
Re: Nintendo Switch "Lifetime US Unit Sales" Surpass Xbox 360
Surprised it hadn't already surpassed the 360, honestly.
Then again...there was a LOT of RROD 360's. And I do mean a lot. Some people playing in non-optimal operating conditions went through them like candy, but kept buying more, as it was the preferred portal for playing the trendiest games of the time (mostly Halo and Call of Duty, here in the US).
And unlike the PS2 (which also had significant issues with its launch models, in the form of failing disc drives), it took years rather than months to more or less finally put a stop to the 360's hardware failures with revisions.
Re: Feature: Dragon Quest Monsters Producer On Introducing Series To A Whole New Audience
I haven't picked up the game yet, left it as a potential gift idea for the holidays. So will probably play it sometime later this month (if it ends up being a gift), or next month (if I buy it myself).
Never tried the demo, but I've heard from multiple people that the performance in the demo is noticeably worse than the actual game, so hopefully the demo, and gameplay of said demo floating around online, didn't sour too many people's first impressions.
Even so, I have a feeling playing docked will be a better experience than playing handheld in terms of performance (which is the case for a lot of Switch games, honestly).
Re: No Gravity Games Is Giving Away 12 Free Switch Games This Month (North America)
I signed up for the newsletter yesterday, as suggested in the article, and started getting emails from them, but never received a code for "Pirates: All Aboard!". I even checked the Spam folder. So missed the start of the chain.
So, no free games for me, I guess? shrug
Re: Zelda Producer Responds To Fans Who Want A More "Traditional Linear" Adventure
@BLD
Yeah, the desert temple was definitely the high point of the game for me, they did a lot of interesting things inside of it in terms of puzzles and exploration.
Re: Zelda Producer Responds To Fans Who Want A More "Traditional Linear" Adventure
@mariomaster96
I found the Fire Temple to be the least like a dungeon. Maybe it would have felt more like one if I paid any attention to the mine carts. But the thing was, one of the primary game mechanics of TOTK (crafting vehicles/contraptions) switched me to a "take the path of least resistance" mindset pretty early on in the game. I just hover-biked to the five glowing dots and called it a day. At least some of the other dungeons occasionally had a wall or door blocking my path.
Which highlights the main issue with unrestricted open world gameplay. If you can simply walk around and ignore the obstacles with no notable consequences for doing so, the entire core of the game is fundamentally broken.
TOTK magnified the problems of possessing Revali's Gale in BOTW to the nth degree (which was the main way to completely break a lot of BOTW's puzzles and challenges within the intended gameplay mechanics, no exploits required; just jump into the air and glide over everything). In replays of BOTW, I always made a conscious decision to always get that ability last.
Re: Grab Darkrai And Shiny Lucario In Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Distribution Event
Thanks for the heads-up! Much appreciated.
Will have to remember to redeem these later when I've got the chance.
Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Makes The Final 5 Of "Players' Voice" At The Game Awards
I've spent more time playing Genshin Impact than any other game both this year and last year, and have enjoyed it more than most other games I've played recently. By most objective measurements, it's my "Player's Choice".
The Fontaine chapters and exploration released this year have been a real treat, and there's been some beefy limited time events, too. I liked the world inside the bottle, for instance.
Re: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Is Now Being Playtested, Says Series Creator
Still looking forward to this.
I've held off on playing through the original Dragon Quest III again for quite a few years now, even though I've had the itch to give it a spin. Last time I played it was...a long, long time ago (the GBC version when it originally released, back in 2001).
Hopefully early 2024 is on the cards.
Re: Talking Point: Would You Like To See More Streaming Media Apps On 'Switch 2'?
I find the value of access to basically all multimedia apps on the Steam Deck to be quite handy, which as a gaming device is functionally identical to the Switch in many ways. If I can only take one of these two devices with me on a trip, it's leaning far more in favor of the Steam Deck due to having additional perks like those these days.
So, yeah, seeing more of that on the Switch as an option would be good for competition.
That being said, whether it's a console, a phone, a Roku, or something similar (which is to say, a closed ecosystem), anything short of a PC usually has some amount of weird, annoying restrictions on their multimedia apps, assuming they have the specific one you're looking for in the first place. For example, I can't view my purchased Funimation content on the Switch's Funimation app.
So even if more of such apps were added to the Switch, it would be hard to beat the versatility that the Steam Deck offers in comparison for media (that has the advantage of being a fully fledged Linux PC).
Re: Review: CRKD Nitro Deck For Nintendo Switch - Almost Great, But With One Major Flaw
@Arehexes
You might know this, but it's possible to turn off rumble for all devices by going into System Settings -> Controllers and Sensors -> Controller Vibration.
I have some comfortable to hold Binbok joycons that have some unfortunate excessive non-HD rumble in certain games, and end up doing that regularly while gaming on the go when the rumble is becoming an issue.
Re: Nintendo Direct September 2023: Every Announcement, Game Reveal, Trailer
It's all about the Trombone Champ! Will buy it today.
I considered buying the PC version a while ago, but the IR hand controls seem like they'll be significantly more entertaining versus mouse controls.
Re: Review: Super Bomberman R 2 - A Feature-Rich Return With A Cracking New 'Castle' Mode
@Solomon_Rambling @kurtasbestos
Just a heads-up, in mid-2017 they patched the first Bomberman R to reward the in-game currency while playing the multi-player mode (including local matches).
I still never bothered unlocking every possible item, but that update made unlocking all the levels and a few variants of every head decoration simple enough by playing with friends (especially if playing local matches on the max power stage).
It's also a good sign that they realized the grind was too much in the first one initially, so chances are the economy will be better in this one right out of the gate.