Comments 46

Re: More Switch 2 Estimated File Sizes Seemingly Revealed

gonzilla

This is my biggest concern with the Switch 2.

256GB is paltry, and although MicroSD Express cards can be used, they cost 2-3x as much as the fastest non Express cards today, talking $200+ for a 1TB MicroSD Express card currently. 1TB is the largest available at the moment, and AFAIK, only available from Lexar. SanDisk only has up to 256GB MicroSD Express cards currently, no other major manufacturers have put any out yet.

1TB is going to fill up real fast if games are going to be this size. Not to mention folks that already have a substantial digital Switch library that they want to move over.

If I want to move my Switch library over to the Switch 2, I have to buy at least a 1TB MicroSD Express card, or just keep my OG Switch around which I'd rather not do if I don't have to. Sure I could keep deleting and redownloading games as needed, but who wants to have to deal with that? Especially given the eShop's historically abysmal download speeds.

Re: Sony Vet Shuhei Yoshida Says Nintendo Is "Losing Their Identity" With Switch 2

gonzilla

@riggah I was contemplating this too.

SNES->N64 they moved to true 3D graphics (first hardware transform and lighting that allowed 1 million polygons per second), and introduced analog controls, the trigger, and added shoulder buttons, changing the controllers drastically with the trident design. Also 4 players native.

N64->GC they moved to discs, added dual analog controls, analog/digital combo triggers (also new at the time), and integrated haptics (rumble). They were big on ergonomics. The N64 had the rumble pack but it was an addon to the controller. GC also had the GBA link, their first step towards unifying mobile and console gaming, which has been a goal of theirs since around this time. Fun fact, people wonder why it was called "Project Dolphin", pretty certain it was because they were all about being able to effectively render water effects.

GC->Wii they went all in on motion controls, and again drastically changed the controls. Totally unique.

Wii->WiiU they moved to a dual-screen setup, with the controller as the 2nd screen, and added touchscreen controls. Totally unique again. This was also a big step towards the Switch today.

WiiU->Switch they kind of merged everything, finally achieving their goal of unifying mobile and console gaming, while also combining analog and motion controls and the novel and clever split controller approach. There was also the unique (but hardly used) IR sensor on the Joy-Con.

Switch->Switch 2 there's...mouse controls and game chat? They're not really introducing much more here besides these two things, besides a hardware upgrade.

All that being said, I think that's what the devs mean when they say every Nintendo console in the past has introduced several new and unique ideas, but in this case they're just iterating on what they have and not adding or changing much at all.

You could argue that some of the console changes weren't that big of evolutions, but one common theme is that every Nintendo console has changed the controllers in a pretty significant way, and for the first time in a very long time (ever?) the controllers aren't really changing at all (besides adding mouse control).

Can't say I blame Nintendo given the monstrous success of the Switch, and I'm personally okay with it (eagerly awaiting pre-orders to start!), but I agree with what they're saying as far as there not being much innovation this round for the first time in a long time.

Re: Talking Point: Will Metroid Prime 4 Get A Switch 2 Release?

gonzilla

@PikaPhantom Uh huh.

"Since Nintendo was so tight-lipped about the Switch successor, they couldn't announce this obvy or show the game off, as that'd let the cat out of the bag about the Switch successor, which would detract from Switch sales. They intentionally did not show anything or say anything about the title as to not tip off that it was not running on Switch hardware and no longer a Switch title. All they could say was that it was still in development."

Again I wouldn't be surprised if it's a Switch 2 title at this point. Maybe it could still release on the Switch, 8 years after it was announced, after the Switch 2 comes out, I suppose.

Re: Talking Point: Will Metroid Prime 4 Get A Switch 2 Release?

gonzilla

I've suspected this was going to be a Switch 2 game for about 4-5 years now. I don't even think it'll be a port, it'll be a Switch 2 native game, potentially at launch.

The game was announced in 2017. Year after year, no info, no info, no info, every year after it was announced, besides that it was in development. I suspected the Switch just wasn't capable enough to support what Retro wanted to do with the title and they pivoted to the Switch 2 mid-development. It was very odd that they showed nothing for years.

Since Nintendo was so tight-lipped about the Switch successor, they couldn't announce this obvy or show the game off, as that'd let the cat out of the bag about the Switch successor, which would detract from Switch sales. They intentionally did not show anything or say anything about the title as to not tip off that it was not running on Switch hardware and no longer a Switch title. All they could say was that it was still in development.

I would not be surprised if we get more footage on 4/2 and it's announced as a Switch 2 launch title. What better way to blow up the Switch 2 hype train and show off its capabilities than with one of the most eagerly anticipated titles in years?

Re: Marvel's Midnight Suns On Switch "No Longer Planned"

gonzilla

"No reason has been given for the Switch port's cancellation."

Does there need to be one? If you've played the game, first guess, underpowered hardware. Developers unable to satisfactorily achieve their vision on the platform with performance acceptable to their standards.

Might be seeing more of this as the Switch hardware is getting a little long in the tooth, and personally I'm okay with that. Bring on your next gen, Nintendo.

Re: Nintendo Download: 7th April (North America)

gonzilla

@imgrowinglegs ...two and a half years ago.

I already own it on PS4, bought it right away. It'd be nice to play on Switch if I wanted to play it again on the go, but for full price again, and for an inarguably technically inferior version? Not so sure.

Vanillaware games have gorgeous art. Personally, I'd prefer to play them at full resolution, without any reduction in asset quality, if I have a choice.

But for those that haven't ever played it or bought it on PS4 before, yah, probably worth it.

Re: Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack Release Date And Pricing Revealed

gonzilla

2.5 times the price for what added value, on top of what the $20 pays for already? Access to N64 and Genesis games? Yeah no thanks. That's utterly absurd.

Excluding the AC DLC since that only applies to people who play AC, that shouldn't be included by Nintendo as justification for the price.

If this included access to games across their entire backlog, sure, but not for just N64 and Genesis. This is ridiculous.

Re: Switch OLED Upgrades Reportedly Cost Nintendo "Around $10 More Per Unit"

gonzilla

I'm almost more bothered by the fact the additional 32GB only costs around $3.50. I'd much rather pay an extra $50 or even $100 for a Switch with 128GB or 256GB of system storage.

I also thought this was supposed to be the "Switch Pro" but fell victim to the chip shortages, so we got every planned upgrade except the horsepower. I was thinking we'd still see that in a year or so or whenever the supply chain is back to normal, but then thought...Nintendo selling this half-upgrade now is cannibalizing their user base, why not wait?

...and then remembered we're talking about Nintendo here, and they're more than happy to release several small hardware revisions at a profit, knowing they'll still sell

Re: We Could Have Had A New "Ultra-Realistic" F-Zero On Switch, But Nintendo Turned It Down

gonzilla

@Narrator1 Sure. Don't disagree, but not my point, nor what was quoted, at all.

Them reusing old IPs because they make money is an obvious conclusion (assumption) that people can make, but that's not what was said.

They (or the dev) said they (Nintendo) are wary about using old IP and would rather go with new IP as it's "much easier". If "much easier" means more lucrative, then we'd be seeing more new IPs, which we're not. If "much easier" means easier to develop or market, then we'd be seeing more new IPs, which we're not. Clearly they like going with old IP (most likely because they sell, like you said), but that's not what was stated.

So, them saying they're wary to go with old IP and it's much easier to go with new IPs over old, whatever the reasons are, yeah, BS. I'll believe it when I see it.

Re: We Could Have Had A New "Ultra-Realistic" F-Zero On Switch, But Nintendo Turned It Down

gonzilla

"Yeah, Nintendo are very wary about using old IP because it's such a huge thing for them to do. It's much easier to go with a new idea, a new IP, than to reuse an old one."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

takes breath

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yeah, right. After the umpteenth Mario, Mario Party, Mario Kart, Zelda, etc.? Yeah, sure. Nintendo is wary of using old IP and prefers to go with new IP. Right.

Re: Random: The NSO Icon On The Switch Home Menu Is Driving Some Users Crazy

gonzilla

Not so worried about its appearance (it is kinda loud though), but I do 100% agree that the app is totally useless and is essentially an advertisement. I'm thinking Nintendo added it to the home screen to flout its features to try to get people to sign up for it that haven't already. The app itself doesn't serve any useful purpose for people who already subscribe.

Re: The State Of The Switch eShop Is "Heartbreaking" Says No More Robots Boss

gonzilla

Doesn't help that there's loads of shovelware every week. Called it early on, and it's only gotten worse. Even if you don't want to call it shovelware, just the sheer number of releases every week is nuts. Every week there's like 30 new releases on the eShop, it's too much. The system's success and popularity is its downfall when it comes to the eShop.

Plus the eShop's performance is...lackluster. Even paging through all of the new releases every week is painful, and performance only seems to degrade the further down the list you go.

Also agree that my eShop usage is largely relegated to the wishlist — look through new releases every week and flag whatever I'm interested in, check my wishlist every week for sales or whatever I'm interested in playing at the time.

Re: Review: Ninjala - A Vibrant And Surprisingly Strategic Arena Brawler, But There's Room For Improvement

gonzilla

I started excited about it, it was fun at launch, and even pitched in to the devs by getting the battle pass or whatever, but the more time I've spent with it, the game is turning out to be or turning into kinda doodoo.

Defense is non-existent once in a battle — if you get hit once and don't have s-gauge or whatnot to initiate a parry (to either parry OR dash away, your only real kind of defense once in a battle), you're pretty much dead. And if you use your parry and they delay their attack and you run out of s-gauge, too bad. Once hit you're stunned for longer than it takes your opponent to do their next attack, leaving you stuck in a combo with zero opportunity to break out of it, or blow a bubble for defense, or dash, or do absolutely anything to defend yourself, at all. Just wait until you're KOd. The time you're stunned after a single hit is kind of ridiculous. Your only chance to survive typically is if they miss a hit or they get attacked by someone else. Your choices for defense if you're attacked is either s-parry if you can and either dash away (and have them chase you, rinse and repeat with less s-gauge this time) or risk the RPS game, or just deal with being stuck in a combo. Cool.

Players are already finding spammable attacks, and will spam stun attacks for example (one of the hammers), then finish you off. Also cool.

Weapons are not that varied. There's swords, hammers, and yo-yos. There's 4 combinations of specials for each weapon type.

Matchmaking is terrible. I just reached level 15 before I started getting a little fed up, but up until now, I've been in more matches than not where I've been the only one that's not level 25-30.

Played a team match, and somehow the opposing team had 12k points before I even saw a single opponent. It was my first team match and didn't understand how the score bar worked — it was such a high number so early I thought maybe it was a cumulative score. Once I saw my first opponent and Ipponed them, I was the first player to put ANY points up for my team, yet they had 12k already. That doesn't seem right. We ended up losing 1200 to 22000 or something completely stupid.

The Eagle City stage (I think..? The only other stage, the one that's not the arena) is not good. I've spent entire matches just trying to find opponents or drones, seeing maybe one or two opponents in the entire 4 minutes.

I'm no slouch, I've gotten my fair share of wins. The game can be fun at times, but it is or has become more frustrating than fun, IMO.

Re: Wonderful 101 Kickstarter Backers Hit With Customs Charges And Handling Fees

gonzilla

I never got my physical copy.

Because of delays in shipping due to COVID-19 and etc., I moved between when it was supposed to ship and it actually shipped. NBD, didn't change the address on the Kickstarter since my old address is a friend and I could just get it from them. Problem is it was sent via USPS and with instructions to not forward, so when USPS got it and saw my change of address in place (i.e., forwarding), they disposed of it (what they do when there are instructions in place to not forward).

So, I never received it. I've reached out to them, no response.

Re: 3DClouds Responds To Criticism Of The Switch Version Of Xenon Racer

gonzilla

Great they are responding to their users and attempting to address these issues rather than just ignore them, but..

28fps after both patches? That's an improvement, but seems like they're just trying to force a game onto the system that the system can't handle. Will they ever be able to achieve acceptable performance on the Switch?

Or maybe they just really need some help with optimization. The game doesn't really look like something the Switch can't handle, relatively speaking.

Re: Nintendo Download: 28th February (North America)

gonzilla

The Switch sure seems to be suffering from the "shovelware" problem the Wii had. It's a victim of its own success. Every week there's like 30+ new games released (39 this week?), the vast majority of them are usually junk, the eShop is a cluttered mess with a lackluster UI not built well to navigate the volume, and quality titles are lost in the massively diluted library.

Great the Switch is doing awesome and everyone wants to release games on it, and great that Nintendo has a platform that's so easy to develop for and so popular, but something really needs to be done about this..

Could lead to profits on higher budget indie titles taking a hit or performance of those titles slowing significantly (relative to when 10-ish titles were being released per week), which could lead to less developers willing to take a risk on the platform and in turn less quality or less creative/risky titles. Not good.