bleeflooflah

@JJtheTexan I went back and looked at those stretch goals. They were just selling the idea that other knights be "playable" this narrative that people have about them overpromising is just untrue. What YC did was overdeliver by giving those playable characters full campaigns and challenge modes instead of just making them "playable." like the KS campaign promised.

I'm glad they went all out, it shows a clear appreciation for their fans, and those campaigns were sincerely cool and original. People don't give them enough credit for how unique they all feel. YC legitimately made 4 full standalone games, and bundled them all into the "treasure trove."

That being said, they should have been working on other projects WHILE fulfilling those promises. And while its cool that they did amiibos, board games, and all those little side projects, I think they got a little ambitious with making Shovel Knight a thing. He's one of my favorite characters, but them trying to make him as mainstream as Mario or any other Nintendo character isn't going to happen when he only has one game. Focus, guys.

One of my favorite games from my favorite generation. I was actually revisiting this last week and made it all the way to Empire! I plan on beating it before the year is over. There really is no other game like this one. It really attempts to deliver an authentic classic western tale with some sharp dialogue and classic shootouts. A bit rough around the edges but full of charm. From the studio behind Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, no less! If you pay attention you can feel the gameplay DNA between the games.

I'm not saying he HAS to, but I'm kinda bummed he only plays through the "first 30 minutes or so" like dude...this is your BABY, don't you want to see everything? I think Miyamoto is a really passionate developer and gamer...so it kind of makes me wonder if there other executives play at ALL.

And while not ALL gaming executives need to be gamers...I feel very strongly that Nintendo's board does. Nintendo is such a tight ecosystem that designs their games with great intention and with very exacting detail. The board needs to play the games to at least be familiar with how their leadership is affecting game design culture in their own company.

I think everybody at Apple would be really uncomfortable if Tim Cook was an Android user. Everybody at Toyota would raise their eyebrows if the CEO was driving a Honda.

Chefs taste their own cooking don't they? That's where the term "baker's dozen" came from...You need to taste/experience the thing you make. I'm a lifelong gamer and while I can typically tell if I like the game from the first thirty minutes...I definitely wouldn't claim to know anything about it.

@LoroTalby I have to disagree that they're "not needed." Nintendo has financial expectations to meet. Even if Switch 2 is selling, the margins on systems isn't nearly as high as the margins on their software. Third party may be supporting, but Nintendo only makes 30% off of those sales. Their investors will be expecting a major AAA Nintendo IP to round out the year. Besides MKW and Bonanza, everything we've seen so far is a port, including Prime 4.

This tells me there is no new animal crossing in 2026. And based on Kirby, no new Smash either. It’s also still too early for a new Zelda. Splatoon is getting a spinoff and the 3D Mario team just finished Bonanza….which may mean 2026 is a dry year for Nintendos biggest selling franchises. More and more it seems like I was right. Nintendo wasn’t ready to launch Switch 2.

Let’s be clear when he says “innovate” there, he’s referring to innovative new ways of raking in money

who would have thought we would go ten years between 3D mario games

I distinctly recall Microsoft saying COD would be “day and date” on switch 2. The excuse of late development kits seems very doubtful to me. I have to question how serious this company is about their support for S1/S2.

if you told me six months ago that the new AAA Donkey Kong wouldn't convince me to get a S2...but rather a Kirby racing game, I would have spat my coffee laughing. I can't believe Sakurai made me care about that little pink puffball. It is genuinely blowing my mind how cool this looks to me.

Dude...I am not a Kirby fan and I never even played the original...but this looks like the first great Switch 2 game. I think they got me.

not to be a doomsayer, but I have a strong suspicion that sales are going to slow down significantly after it hits 15 million. I don't think the Switch 2 appeals to gamers the same way a Switch 1 did. I have several friends who bought a Switch thinking they would play it and didn't. When I talk to them about Switch 2, they have absolutely zero interest.

Nintendo fans like myself will (eventually) buy it. So I think it hits 60-75 million. Maybe even 80. I have strong doubts it sells anywhere close to 130 lifetime that S1 hit.

When you hit the start button in Prime that menu music is absolutely banging. Makes me not want to actually start the game. Alas, Dread is my favorite game…and that menu is kinda depressing

wonderful contributor. thank you or all your hard work, Zion! Best wishes and good days ahead!

@jwfurness you absolutely nailed it lol. There was a surprisingly low number of new announcements for an hour long direct. I had my suspicions that Nintendo was having production issues with their games when they delayed the Switch 2 launch...and now it seems my suspicions are confirmed. They don't have anything ready. MK World and DK Bananza was it.

this number would be way higher if it weren't for that price

@Jester676 I'm in the states, where the price of PS5 hasn't changed from its $400 base (yet). As a PlayStation owner, I check the weekly sales regularly. Sony games go on sale for up to 50% off several times a year.

I'm transitioning over to Playstation. Nintendo games never going on sale, plus 3rd party sales still being more expensive than they are on PS, I can't justify the gouging anymore. There are going to be 4-5 amazing life changing games on Switch 2, just like any console...but I'm not going to pay $80 for each one of them. GOW Ragnarok and Horizon FW we just on sale for 40% off. Being able to play AAA games after a few years at half the price is a much more attractive option for me. It helps that I already have the console, and when I need to replace it, I will still pay less.

@Tfox245 this is a great point! It is worth noting that MS isn't afraid of marking their games up (Indiana Jones is $70, and most of their releases have early access "Deluxe" editions) MS remains the best value for gamers overall, especially when considering low end gaming PC's.

The market will adjust itself. The price of games will go back down when people stop paying for them. You already see this when AAA Ubisoft games go on sale three months after launch.
IF Nintendo games are not selling at the $70-$80 price point they will absolutely adjust their strategy. I still don't think $450 is unreasonable for a Switch 2 (and apparently the market doesn't either) given the tech inside it. The GAME pricing on the other hand...is stupid. I have strong suspicions that sales will be less than Nintendo is anticipating, and they will mark down Mario Kart (with sales at the very least)

Regarding the increase in the Xbox price, I think this is a temporary adjustment under market conditions. Its important to remember that this is not permanent: the trade war is only going to happen until one of the major economies becomes negatively impacted. Once it does, someone is going to give in, and things will (mostly) go back to normal. When it does, Xbox will adjust their prices again. They are in a distant third place, and have created a model that profits from subscriptions. They are more than happy to sell the Series S at a small loss (as they have for years). They will go back down to being the "low cost option" as soon as they can.

Its also worth pointing out, Xbox has chosen not to change the price of their controllers in over ten years. Their base controller remains the same price: $60 USD.

I have spent the last two weeks feeling like a complete fool for being ready to pre-order this thing despite all the terrible communication, price hikes, arrogance and bad faith in Nintendo....and now I see that although I am a fool...I am not alone LOL

Nintendo's variable pricing strategy suggests to me that this will be 1/8th as fun as Mario Kart World. I have trouble believing that. Maybe 1/80th. Make it 99 cents.

This, combined with the price increases on controllers has me seriously questioning my pre-order. This is quickly getting into Apple levels of arrogance (and I’m an iPhone/Mac owner!) if this is true, it will dilute half the reason I am even buying this thing (perfected versions of two Zelda games-my all time favorites)

@Folkloner I think there is still a TON of stuff they didn't show. In the Oddysey coins served multiple roles, and even in MK8 they were used to gradually unlock new Karts. I am willing to bet they don't just serve a purpose on the track.

This is probably the most exciting aspect of the game for me. I suspect exploring and doing these little challenges will make up the bulk of the play time, and will be the piece that "justifies" the extra price tag Nintendo is putting on it.

That being said, this Direct was a flop in my eyes. They spent the sweeping majority of the video going over things we have already seen plenty of with the original Switch 2 reveal trailer and the subsequent treehouse streams.

Why aren't we talking about that new teal icon? Is it like a mail app? The original Switch has 7 icon on the bottom. This one has ten. two of the new icons are certainly Gamechat and the virtual game cards, but that teal looking rectangle is...gameshare?

@KritterXD I understand your sentiment, but I hear about this "gaming is a luxury" and I just disagree with it. I grew up POOR dude, and I still had an NES...later a SNES....later a Playstation. There are a lot of poor families that buy these consoles, because the parents know you can get a LOT of entertainment out of them compared to just about any other hobby. Bang for the buck, Gaming is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment there is. I'm a high school teacher and I can tell you objectively that literally 90% of my students have new iphones. And I work in a low income district. The poor will find a way to afford entertainment, trust me.

@Citrus_Architect man this is a GREAT point. No one would care if Nintendo was putting out trash games. They would just move on with their lives. The fact that they are up in arms says they really want to be able to play them

There's a lot of factors here. Firstly, just in the raw data we see: this is essentially the most expensive system Nintendo has ever released, besides the original (which was considerably cheaper compared to the competition). So that's the first reason consumers are justified to balk at it.

Secondly, as others have pointed out: food, housing, and transportation are all comparatively much more expensive when adjusted for inflation and modern wages. Thats the second reason to balk at the price.

Thirdly, with most of these consoles listed, iPhone's and iPad's weren't a thing. Laptops were also significantly more expensive, and you had way fewer options for mobile gaming at those price points (if you had options at all). Compared to the options available to consumers today, $450 is a LOT for a "Game Boy" that can plug into the TV.

Fourth: Frivolous items like a gaming console APPEAR expensive during economically uncertain times, because they are non-essential. I think this may be Nintendo's biggest hurdle to overcome in it's first year on the market.

All that being said...I'm still buying it day one. I love this Kool-Aid.

LOL!!!! Nintendo...please...you've gotta stop dude. This is getting worse and worse....I mean c'mon you even included the Wii U DLC for Mario Kart 8. C'mon guys.

This $80 crybaby stuff about Mario Kart is so blind to the wider realities of the market. Nintendo is one of the only companies that isn't stuffing their games with microtransactions, or manipulating customers to pay more by providing "early access" (which translates to mean the game is done and they are just arbitrarily keeping you from it). They also don't offer "deluxe" editions that have a few measly cosmetics that mean absolutely nothing.

They need to make more money, so they are charging $10 more. I wish all companies were that straightforward and honest. And for what its worth, MK World is the only game we know of that is going to be $80. All other games are priced lower. Last time Nintendo used this strategy was for TOTK, which is probably the biggest game Nintendo has ever built, and a game I continue to enjoy after hundreds of hours. I have a feeling after that upcoming MK Direct (and the eventual launch) that a lot of you are going to feel pretty dumb.

@Jack_Goetz Thats a silly question. Nintendo has been making consoles for 40 years, with more than a dozen significant console launches (and iterations) under their belt. They have a VERY good idea of how long a console's life will last.

A sincere question I have (that I doubt they are going to answer) is how long we can expect to wait for OTHER Switch 2 edition games to be announced? is TTYD going to get one with 60fps? Will Smash Bros. get a boost? What about Tropical Freeze at 120fps?

I would 100% be willing to pay for upgrades to all of those games, but I don't want to be waiting 2-3 years for them. Just boost them now (or within the first 24 months) and then focus on the new stuff.

I am worried Nintendo will milk the Switch library like they did the Wii U, and wait 8 years to release an improved version of Arms (for example)

this sincerely looks like a fantastic party games that anyone could play. The mouse functionality is literally the most user friendly input a game company could possibly implement. Everyone knows how to use a mouse.

@Wakkawipeout I strongly agree with your theory about their best selling Switch games being priced at $80. I also think all of those games are what Nintendo is going to focus on as "live service" offerings. I think they will go all-in making Animal Crossing a live service style game with lots of post-launch content. Same with Smash Bros.

I had strong suspicions about this. They charged an extra $10 for TOTK and we came to find out that it was because the game was flipping huge, with hundreds of hours of things to do.

I would bet money that the new Mario Kart has a comparable amount of content, and they may even be planning a long post-launch support roadmap

@batmanbud2 I'm with you. I'm invested in my PlayStation, but I have no faith in Sony being consumer friendly or giving a rip about their customer base. That company has SOMEHOW, in the last few years, managed to say less than even Nintendo about their software, and they've also managed to put out far less, all while continuing to charge more and support bad practices. That company is a shell, and its a shame the third party market is so incredibly healthy that it seemingly doesn't even matter. Meanwhile, Nintendo as a whole has become much more customer focused since their failings in the Wii U, and even with a few missteps, they are consistently showing their commitment to bringing back old favorites while exploring new ideas.

@Spider-Kev is this still true? I'm reading the headlines now and I'm not seeing other countries conceding...maybe it's getting buried?

@Ultimapunch I suspect Nintendo gave SOME buffer for the tariffs... but not this much. By my calculations, it could cost the price of the S2 to $650-$700. I think thats why Nintendo froze pre-orders. I was comparing the specs of the Steam Deck with the S2...at $450 its actually a REALLY well priced kit. Nintendo isn't making boatloads of cash on that unit.

Some might disagree about that kind of power being necessary in a handheld or whether inflation has gotten out of control. Those are slightly different arguments. But in today's money, the price is pretty fair.

@AmplifyMJ to your point, the Switch has a boatload of games I still haven't gotten around to. And I am feeling you on the pricing too. I am such a die-hard that I'm going to do some Ubering to make the extra money necessary for it. But I also have the free time to do it, and many people don't due to having so many responsibilities. The higher tag is a tough price to swallow right now. It is SOME comfort that Nintendo is putting Prime 4 and the new Tomodachi on the OG Switch (plus likely some others that haven't been announced yet)

those goofballs at Nintendo. So quirky and unnecessary. But I love it.

I'm convinced Mario Kart is going to be a massive game that is packed with content...We won't be needing anything else from first party for a few months. DK is the icing on the cake

@the_beaver I completely agree. MKWorld is going to be a juggernaut. This would do way better two years from now.

@Riku3456 I don't know if you are being fair to them. I watched the video you're referring to, and they gave a LOT of caveats, saying (paraphrasing) that they expected Nintendo to work some magic with the hardware. They also weren't wrong. Mario Kart is the showcase game, and 1440p, while impressive, is not true 4k. In addition, that 1440p is upscaled through DLSS, meaning the game is running at 1080 and the system is working some magic. By my estimation, DF was spot on.

@RPGenie I will be buying the Zelda upgrades because I know I'm going to play through each of them again and put another 200 hours into each, so to me its a very good deal. However, I do agree with you that with these game prices I will be definitely be buying fewer games

This was a stellar surprise announcement, and the tech and graphics scream next gen. There is no way this game was running on the last switch. And the idea is so original and fun. I was excited about running around DK island in 3D or maybe swinging on some jungle vines with him, but I will absolutely take this. I don't like the price, but I will still be there day one. 🤷‍♂️

I just asked AI if there were Japanese equivalent words that start with "C" for all of the ideas that have been suggested. The only two that came up as words that start with C in both English AND Japanese are "Change, " "Chat," "Challenge," and "Channel."

@Lizuka it doesn't take long to go to the menu and select one, sure. But having to wait for a game to load and go through menus? that can take a minute or more depending on the game

@Sonicka I don't see it being used as a chat option like everyone is saying. I suspect they are still going to use the NSO app for that. We also haven't gotten any indication that there are microphones on the joy con OR the system itself (and those are pretty easy to spot)

Community also doesn't make much sense. Nintendo knows that basically all comments sections are toxic and they won't want to moderate it. They tried Miiverse and although it had good ideas it didn't really take off like they wanted.

I'm gonna double down and say this is for "Card" and it lets you very quickly "switch" games that it has stored in RAM (like Xbox Quick Resume" that would play awesomely into the concept of the "Switch" and it would be a killer feature everyone would use.

Their recent showcase of the "virtual game card" plays into this too. I envision a on-screen animation where the two games swap spots and the games resume instantly.

this is absolutely fantastic news. They will likely use this opportunity to show off major third party partner games in more detail, while spilling a few sweet beans of first party stuff as well. I wonder if they will show a little bit of Red Dead here?