@Dualmask I like Brawlhalla - it's a fun and surprisingly popular Smash Bros. clone. It is a bit different in ways that some people like and others don't, and it doesn't feature Nintendo's roster of fan favorites, but I would definitely not say it's "garbage" and neither would NintendoLife's sister site, PushSquare, which gave it 7/10. Kotaku also liked it, and it's done well at PAX.
The RGB display on the Sony CRT monitor is amazing. Now I wish I had more virtual console games on the Wii since it supports analog video output!
Pretty encouraging that these guys like the Switch emulation. I was also surprised and annoyed that you can't turn the border off, but hopefully they will fix that in a future update.
I would say that Sony isn't leaving it all to NIntendo though.... they're leaving it to Nintendo and ... smartphones. You know, those things without buttons where everything is "free to play." I've heard that Fortnite and Pokémon GO are popular on those devices.
edit: I guess you did footnote that mobile phones are the "primary share" of the handheld game market with the Switch as a "high-quality alternative."
@Beetoe The PSVita was the "new PSP" but it wasn't a hit; while the PSP sold some 75 million units, the PSVita is stuck at something like 16 million.
I am a big fan of the PSVita/PSTV - high quality games in a handheld, and the ability to play the same games on a TV if you want to. Fortunately the Switch does both of those things as well, and like the Vita it also seems like it will become a home for quirky indie games and JRPGs.
I do miss the Vita's beautiful OLED screen and the cool cellular data feature, as well as PS1 and PSP backward compatibility... You can play Final Fantasy I through X on the Vita, as well as FFVII Crisis Core (!!) Persona 1 through 4 (including 2: Innocent Sin!) Disgaea 1-4. The list goes on... It's like the ultimate classic JRPG handheld! The Switch is off to a good start though with FFVII/IX/X/XII/(and XV pocket HD) and Disgaea 1/5 as well as upcoming games like Grandia 1 and 2. I wonder if we'll see some Atlus games - we did get SMT4/Devil Survivor/Persona Q on the 3DS.
The PSVita also supports voice chat (!) natively, to both VIta and PS4, as well as PS4 remote play. I think playing games on the Switch has actually made me appreciate the Vita more. Though I never want to go back to expensive proprietary memory cards. ;-p
@electrolite77 @Quarth Regarding playing Game Boy games on a TV... isn' that called the Super Game Boy (SNES) and/or Game Boy Player (GC)?
Edit: It really is like the great grandfather of the Switch! (or the PSVita/TV.) I think a lot of GBA games would play great on a larger screen.... Darn, now I have to get a real gamecube since it doesn't work with the Wii's backward compatibility. ;-(
I have actually been playing some Smash Bros. clones recently - Brawlhalla and PlayStation All-Stars!!
Bizarrely enough Brawlhalla may make it to the Switch before Smash Bros. Ultimate itself!!
I kind of commend Nintendo for enabling Brawlhalla for Switch - if you like Smash Bros., all of these games are fun to play.
Of course all of the original Smash editions are great - I've been carrying the 3DS version around a bit for random practice. (And I note PS All-Stars also runs on the Vita/PSTV, which is nice.)
@mac6375 It sounds similar to the way the PS4's DRM scheme works, except I believe Sony allows you to change which console is designated as your "primary" PS4 whenever you like. The confusing aspect is that you only should log in on the "secondary" system and never (or only rarely) on the "primary" system - otherwise it will shut down the game on the other system.
@rjejr It is/was better on the PS3, where any registered console (originally 5, now 3) could play any game regardless of whether you were logged in. I believe iOS allows you to play any game on up to 5 registered devices, online or offline, and you can also change them at will.
@bstie1198 The PSVita is an awesome Final Fantasy handheld for that reason!! Shame they never released XII for it though. The (launch model) PS3 was also kind of amazing that way: every numbered FF game from I-XIV except for III (and XI and XIV are sadly no longer playable on it.) And both systems can run VIII, which as I've noted is my personal favorite.
@Syrek24 Final Fantasy VIII gets little love, but it's my favorite of the numbered series (though I haven't yet played III, V, X-2 or XIII-2 or LR.) It has so many wonderful moments, and it drew me in more than most FF games. I like everything about it: the Junction system where casting magic weakens you, the "gotta catch 'em all" draw system, the science fiction/magic story, the beautiful environments (from Esthar City to the Moon), the music, the way you see your whole party onscreen, and the awesome Triple Triad card game that you can play with every NPC! Like many wonderful PS1 games (Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill) its 3D graphics haven't aged well, but the last time I picked it up it seemed oddly nostalgic, even though the characters are often barely recognizable pixelated blobs. It definitely deserves an HD remake (along with other Squaresoft PS1 gems like Vagrant Story, Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Valkyrie Profile...)
[Though I also think PS1 games (and other games from the 1990s) probably tend to look somewhat better on a small CRT monitor or TV, which is what they were designed for.]
Why is disabling a potentially useful feature a good thing? Why does it seem so hard for Nintendo to get this right when other companies seem to have figured it out years ago?
It is strange that copyright can last 100 years or more in the US, though it does provide a strange incentive for Nintendo to keep rereleasing their old games. Probably copyright should expire after a more reasonable term, and much earlier if the game is no longer being sold and/or the company is defunct.
On the other hand, I'm OK with paying Nintendo $2 per game on the NES Classic Edition - which even comes with a hardware mini-console and Wii remote compatible controller!
I'd be fine buying more games at that price, particularly if I was paying once for the game/ROM and it wasn't locked to a specific device. I mean, I think I have purchased Super Mario Bros 3 at least 5 times already (maybe more?)
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Re: Soapbox: Why Do We Want More Games When We've Already Got Too Many?
@Spectra FFXIV is a great game.
Re: Shovel Knight Digs A Fight In Ubisoft's Free-To-Play Platform Fighter Brawlhalla
@Dualmask I like Brawlhalla - it's a fun and surprisingly popular Smash Bros. clone. It is a bit different in ways that some people like and others don't, and it doesn't feature Nintendo's roster of fan favorites, but I would definitely not say it's "garbage" and neither would NintendoLife's sister site, PushSquare, which gave it 7/10. Kotaku also liked it, and it's done well at PAX.
Re: Shovel Knight Digs A Fight In Ubisoft's Free-To-Play Platform Fighter Brawlhalla
I was aware of Brawlhalla and PS All Stars, but are Rivals of Aether and Indie Pogo also Smash Bros. clones? How do they compare?
In any case, I'm ready for more original Shovel Knight games also!
Re: Video: How Do NES Games On Switch Compare To The NES Mini, Virtual Console And More?
The RGB display on the Sony CRT monitor is amazing. Now I wish I had more virtual console games on the Wii since it supports analog video output!
Pretty encouraging that these guys like the Switch emulation. I was also surprised and annoyed that you can't turn the border off, but hopefully they will fix that in a future update.
Re: Sony Will Step Away From The Handheld Games Business In 2019, Leaving It All To Nintendo
I would say that Sony isn't leaving it all to NIntendo though.... they're leaving it to Nintendo and ... smartphones. You know, those things without buttons where everything is "free to play." I've heard that Fortnite and Pokémon GO are popular on those devices.
edit: I guess you did footnote that mobile phones are the "primary share" of the handheld game market with the Switch as a "high-quality alternative."
Re: Sony Will Step Away From The Handheld Games Business In 2019, Leaving It All To Nintendo
@Beetoe The PSVita was the "new PSP" but it wasn't a hit; while the PSP sold some 75 million units, the PSVita is stuck at something like 16 million.
I am a big fan of the PSVita/PSTV - high quality games in a handheld, and the ability to play the same games on a TV if you want to. Fortunately the Switch does both of those things as well, and like the Vita it also seems like it will become a home for quirky indie games and JRPGs.
I do miss the Vita's beautiful OLED screen and the cool cellular data feature, as well as PS1 and PSP backward compatibility... You can play Final Fantasy I through X on the Vita, as well as FFVII Crisis Core (!!) Persona 1 through 4 (including 2: Innocent Sin!) Disgaea 1-4. The list goes on... It's like the ultimate classic JRPG handheld! The Switch is off to a good start though with FFVII/IX/X/XII/(and XV pocket HD) and Disgaea 1/5 as well as upcoming games like Grandia 1 and 2. I wonder if we'll see some Atlus games - we did get SMT4/Devil Survivor/Persona Q on the 3DS.
The PSVita also supports voice chat (!) natively, to both VIta and PS4, as well as PS4 remote play. I think playing games on the Switch has actually made me appreciate the Vita more. Though I never want to go back to expensive proprietary memory cards. ;-p
Re: Feature: 5 Times Sony Shamelessly Copied Nintendo
@electrolite77 @Quarth Regarding playing Game Boy games on a TV... isn' that called the Super Game Boy (SNES) and/or Game Boy Player (GC)?
Edit: It really is like the great grandfather of the Switch! (or the PSVita/TV.) I think a lot of GBA games would play great on a larger screen.... Darn, now I have to get a real gamecube since it doesn't work with the Wii's backward compatibility. ;-(
Re: Feature: 5 Times Sony Shamelessly Copied Nintendo
I have actually been playing some Smash Bros. clones recently - Brawlhalla and PlayStation All-Stars!!
Bizarrely enough Brawlhalla may make it to the Switch before Smash Bros. Ultimate itself!!
I kind of commend Nintendo for enabling Brawlhalla for Switch - if you like Smash Bros., all of these games are fun to play.
Of course all of the original Smash editions are great - I've been carrying the 3DS version around a bit for random practice. (And I note PS All-Stars also runs on the Vita/PSTV, which is nice.)
Re: Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD - An Inferior Clone Of An Already Divisive Game
@JaxonH I'm not sure Sony has had too many true FF exclusives - FF7 came out for PC in 1998, so that's only one year of exclusivity.
FF7 Crisis Core, though... the shining exclusive of the PSP! Though the DS got FF12 Revenant Wings.
Re: Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD - An Inferior Clone Of An Already Divisive Game
@Majora101 Not a coincidence.
Re: Nintendo Switch Now Supports Digital Game Sharing, But There's A Catch
Well, this is a step in the right direction.
@mac6375 It sounds similar to the way the PS4's DRM scheme works, except I believe Sony allows you to change which console is designated as your "primary" PS4 whenever you like. The confusing aspect is that you only should log in on the "secondary" system and never (or only rarely) on the "primary" system - otherwise it will shut down the game on the other system.
@rjejr It is/was better on the PS3, where any registered console (originally 5, now 3) could play any game regardless of whether you were logged in. I believe iOS allows you to play any game on up to 5 registered devices, online or offline, and you can also change them at will.
Re: Final Fantasy VII Is Finally Coming To A Nintendo Console
@bstie1198 The PSVita is an awesome Final Fantasy handheld for that reason!! Shame they never released XII for it though. The (launch model) PS3 was also kind of amazing that way: every numbered FF game from I-XIV except for III (and XI and XIV are sadly no longer playable on it.) And both systems can run VIII, which as I've noted is my personal favorite.
Re: Final Fantasy VII Is Finally Coming To A Nintendo Console
@Syrek24 Final Fantasy VIII gets little love, but it's my favorite of the numbered series (though I haven't yet played III, V, X-2 or XIII-2 or LR.) It has so many wonderful moments, and it drew me in more than most FF games. I like everything about it: the Junction system where casting magic weakens you, the "gotta catch 'em all" draw system, the science fiction/magic story, the beautiful environments (from Esthar City to the Moon), the music, the way you see your whole party onscreen, and the awesome Triple Triad card game that you can play with every NPC! Like many wonderful PS1 games (Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill) its 3D graphics haven't aged well, but the last time I picked it up it seemed oddly nostalgic, even though the characters are often barely recognizable pixelated blobs. It definitely deserves an HD remake (along with other Squaresoft PS1 gems like Vagrant Story, Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Valkyrie Profile...)
[Though I also think PS1 games (and other games from the 1990s) probably tend to look somewhat better on a small CRT monitor or TV, which is what they were designed for.]
Re: Dust: An Elysian Tail - Another Classic Indie Gem Makes Its Way To Switch
It's as if my PSN game library is being ported to the Switch (though as noted this game originated on the 360.) And that isn't a bad thing.
Re: Nintendo Switch System Update 6.0.0 Launches Alongside Online Service
@Agramonte Nice user icon.
Re: Nintendo Switch System Update 6.0.0 Launches Alongside Online Service
Why is disabling a potentially useful feature a good thing? Why does it seem so hard for Nintendo to get this right when other companies seem to have figured it out years ago?
Re: This Switch Dongle Can Replace Your Dock And Includes An Ethernet Port
@YANDMAN
Re: high performance/higher resolution in docked mode:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/01/13/nintendo-admits-switch-performance-upgrade-when-docked
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-super-mario-odyssey-docked-vs-mobile
Note that Zelda seems to run smoother undocked:
https://heavy.com/games/2017/03/breath-of-the-wild-digital-foundry-switch-performance-docked-vs-handheld-undocked/
Of course bricked Switch consoles run at 0 FPS, so it may not matter much.
Re: This Switch Dongle Can Replace Your Dock And Includes An Ethernet Port
@ryancraddock That last paragraph is worrisome! Can you (and nintendolife) confirm that this device is:
1. Licensed by Nintendo
2. Guaranteed to not brick your Switch
3. Capable of running the Switch in high-performance "docked" mode
I don't think it's a good idea to recommend it otherwise – especially if (2) isn't true.
Re: Feature: What Does Nintendo's Shutdown Of ROM-Sharing Sites Mean For Video Game Preservation?
@impurekind Clearly more libraries need to loan out video games and consoles!!
Re: Feature: What Does Nintendo's Shutdown Of ROM-Sharing Sites Mean For Video Game Preservation?
@AlternateButtons How much money do you think Nintendo is losing because of unauthorized downloads?
Re: Feature: What Does Nintendo's Shutdown Of ROM-Sharing Sites Mean For Video Game Preservation?
It is strange that copyright can last 100 years or more in the US, though it does provide a strange incentive for Nintendo to keep rereleasing their old games. Probably copyright should expire after a more reasonable term, and much earlier if the game is no longer being sold and/or the company is defunct.
On the other hand, I'm OK with paying Nintendo $2 per game on the NES Classic Edition - which even comes with a hardware mini-console and Wii remote compatible controller!
I'd be fine buying more games at that price, particularly if I was paying once for the game/ROM and it wasn't locked to a specific device. I mean, I think I have purchased Super Mario Bros 3 at least 5 times already (maybe more?)