I think I’m at the end of Donkey Kong Bananza. I did slow down as I got closer to the end and did a bit of backtracking and started playing another game, but now I am ready to finish off the main story. I will of course revisit it occasionally to collect some more bananas and dip into whatever additional post game content there is.
I also started Nier Automata on Switch 1 and am enjoying it so far, it is pretty unique and I am enjoying that. I do wish it was stable on Switch 2 (I haven’t tried myself but am trusting the warning on the eShop page). I don’t have any other platforms to play it on so I am happy enough with this version, even if I do wonder a bit what it would be like to play it on another platform.
A random thing I meant to mention: I got the Savage Raven Dockable Switch 2 grip (the Neo Grip) and I really like it. I got the bundle with their Max Carry case which is large but nice. I use MobaPad M6 HD for handheld mode on Switch 1, but decided to get a grip for Switch 2 for now. I am really happy with the grip. I also sort of on impulse bought the Savage Raven thumb stick grips. I got the ones that match the accent colors to add a bit more color since I got the all black grip. The thumbstick grips improve the feel of the sticks more than I expected them to.
This. I just bought it in the recent sale and started it on Switch 1 last night due to the reports of it not working on Switch 2. It would be great if they fix it at some point.
I'm still working my way through DK Bananza and enjoying it I like how they mix some things up a little bit as you progress. I feel like based on the number of Kingdoms in Odyssey I may be getting close to the end, but who knows. I also may want to backtrack and do a bit more collecting (at least finding and doing all the challenge levels — I've been doing them as I come across them if I find them).
I also played more TMNT: Splintered Fate with a friend the last two days. Still really enjoying that game. It definitely has some bugs, but they don't really affect the gameplay. And there are some tweaks I wish they'd make. I wish that in multiplayer it did a better job of tell you when you get hit (in single player there is a red overlay on the screen). I also wish it did a better job of communicating when your special and tool charged with controller vibration or some graphical effect close to your character. The corner of the screen where it tells you is too far away to really look at at least when playing in TV mode. So I just have to do it based on feel and timing.
I've played a little Dead Cells in between other things lately. I bought it a few years ago and never got into it, but I am liking it now. It is definitely difficult and I've only gotten to the first boss once in the few hours I've played recently. I need to be better about remembering that refilling health is manual and takes a little time.
I didn’t want the game until after the direct when they explained it in full, but the smashing itself is actually way more fun than I expected! It is such a good game all around! I think my favorite thing so far is to find the more hidden banana in the challenge stages where 2 are obvious and 1 is hidden.
@Moose_4 that sounds like a great collection! I didn’t hold on to my systems and games from years ago. I think It would be cool if I had. It would be neat to play on literally the same SNES or N64 I had as a kid.
I had lots of digital 3rd party games for switch 1. The convenience factor really won me over to digital for switch 2 for first party. I am much more likely to pop into a game for a short time to do some post game stuff or replay a bit if it is digital. Virtual game cards let me share my digital games with my kids now as well (if they end up with a Switch 2 at some point — they have Switch Lite now so sharing switch 1 digital games has been nice).
Does anyone know if there is a zip around case that fits the Switch 2 with this and the large handles installed? It seems like they have a bundle with a case but it it is unclear to me if it fits the grip with the larger handles installed.
I am considering one of these, but I am also considering waiting for something like the Mobapad M6 HD for Switch 1. On switch 2 I had two Hori Split Pad Pros (first one got worn down from use), and then shortly into using the second one I found out about the Mobapad M6 HD and bought that with the case for the rumble and gyro. Trying to avoid buying as many ergonomic hand held solutions for switch 2. I also play less in handheld mode than I used to though.
I've also considered trying to 3d print a switch 2 grip for now from a design people have shared online. I have a 3d printed one I've used for the 3DS XL and 2DS XL that worked okay. I also considered trying to design my own 3d printed "adapter" for mounting the Mobapad M6 HD to the switch 2, but it would be complicated a lot by the magnetic attachment (and of course I'd need to charge them separately even if I solved the magnetic attachment problem by embedding some metal into it).
I’ve still been playing TMNT: Splintered Fate. I tried a few solo runs this week. Still enjoying it. That has also got me to revisit Dead Cells which I bought a few years ago but never got in to (I think I was coming off of playing a bunch of Hades). Getting into it a bit more now though!
Also been playing Mario vs DK and Mario Kart World in between other things. It seems to me that MKW single player got rebalanced with one of the updates. It feels to me like rubber banding was decreased a little and now it feels more like playing previous Mario Kart games where I can actually be in 1st for a bit (I’ve only played 150cc single player knockout tour lately)
Looking forward to DK Bananza this week (still need to finalize my decision on if I am going digital for switch 2 like I was planning).
This story is interesting from a technical perspective. I always assumed modern Nintendo cartridges would contain technology similar to a Hardware Security Module (or Trusted Platfom Module on a computer) which is essentially a chip that contains a unique private key where that key cannot be read, but only overwritten or asked to do asymmetric cryptographic operations such as performing a signature of some data. This can be used for challenge response authentication which would strongly prove possession of the game card. This is similar to how passkeys work for web authentication (although for passkeys the private key is less strongly protected in most cases where no special hardware is being used — although hardware options exist)
Perhaps this technology is just too expensive to integrate into the chip they put in game cards since they are mass produced and instead they use some kind of static identifier.
I wonder if since game key cards do not contain significant memory if they contain a stronger authentication mechanism such as what I described above.
I’ve been playing quite a bit of TMNT: Splintered Fate with my son. We are really enjoying it. Had our first successful run last weekend. I was unsure of this game being so similar to Hades, but I really like it, especially the co-op aspect. It is on sale right now too and I’d recommend it.
Like some others have said, I am planning to switch my preference from physical to digital for Switch 2. I am going to get by for a while with internal storage by removing games with no Switch 2 enhancements and playing those on my OLED. I’ll be curious to see the price of these and other 512GB cards in the US (right now I think only 256 is readily available).
I thought a lot about the digital vs physical decision (way more than is reasonable). I came to the conclusion that the reason I bought physical for Switch 1 was mostly for price (buying used) and being able to let my kids play my games in their consoles. If I am buying a game day 1 the price one doesn’t apply, and virtual game cards solve the other issue nicely (if the kids even end up with their own Switch 2s at some point). I like being able to quickly swap between games as well. I also decided that the long term benefits of one vs the other are hard to predict and decided to not worry about it. I may still end up with some physical here and there for switch 2 if I buy used but I am planning on going digital for day one purchases. Not that this will happen, but if Nintendo had a program for trading in physical Switch 1 games for digital, I might even do it (especially for games with large Switch 2 edition downloads anyway).
I am considering going more digital for Switch 2, but can’t make up my mind. I bought almost all physical for 1st party stuff for Switch 1. Since I think all cartridges these days (including Switch 1 of course) are just flash memory I am a bit unsure of their longevity. At least I can back up the encrypted data on a MicroSD Express card and can transfer it to another card as long as my console lives. There may even be offline console to console transfers but I am less sure of that.
I am not too interested in game key cards, but they make sense for folks that want to play and resell (or buy a digital game used).
Been bouncing between games: Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion, F-Zero X, F-Zero GX. I feel like the analog stick controls in GX are super sensitive. I’m using an original pro controller though. I tried the in-game calibration and I’m not sure it helped much.
I also am not a big FPS fan, but I started playing Goldeneye on NSO in widescreen with the N64 controller setup with move on the d-pad and look on the stick. I played this game a bunch back in the day so I have some nostalgia for it. Not sure if I’ll continue playing it all the way through, but it was fun to pop in to for a bit.
I did finally take another 3 tries at the final boss in Metroid Prime Remastered to finish that one off.
Now that I am planning to get DK Bonanza, I’m trying to decide what in the backlog I should get in to before that comes out.
Now I have to decide if I am going physical or digital. I did physical for most first party titles for switch 1. I got Mario Kart World digitally with the bundle. I generally bought physical because it was generally cheaper and I could let my kids use the games in their Switch Lites and liked the idea of (somewhat) “guaranteeing” my access to the game in the future. The new virtual game card features solve some of that. I see ways in which both are better: digital means my access to the game is not dependent on a physical game card that could get lost or damaged or degrade over time, but it does mean that my access to the game would be tied to my console if Nintendo shuts down re-downloading at some point in the future. Digital isn’t tied to a particular MicroSD express card or internal storage because you can at least back up the encrypted data in it. I still like the idea of physical, but I am thinking the benefits are increasingly an illusion with updates and the durability of the game card storage technology being somewhat uncertain.
I was not planning to get this game until I watched the direct. Every through the first half or so of it I was thinking the mechanics were cool but was wondering what the goal of the game was going to be and then when they showed the enemies and collectibles and challenges I was happy to see it was not just a sandbox with no goals.
I was excited to find the widescreen option for F-Zero GX over the weekend. I thought the game looked quite good in spite of its age.
I also realized the widescreen option in Goldeneye works in the N64 app now. I think it didn’t previously, but I hadn’t played it that much. I think when I tried it previously I was mostly playing in handheld with a Hori Split Pad Pro that I could not remap at the OS level at the time. I never used it back in the day, but I realized the control map where the dpad is move and analog stick is look on an n64 controller works quite well. It just means holding the left and middle handles which I don’t recall ever doing back in the day. I also need to try connecting 2 controllers and doing the dual analog setup.
@cvrator I picked up and 8bitdo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth as an extra pro-style controller and have been happy with it (although ai still generally use my original Switch Pro controller).
I was surprised to see NL recommending a different model here that doesn’t seem to officially advertise switch/switch 2 compatibility (but also their product naming is a bit confusing in general so maybe I am mistaken). I’m also curious if the model they pointed at requires a dongle. I have an 8bitdo USB dongle for connecting and Xbox one controller to the Switch and have not been impressed with the wireless range.
One note about the Switch 2 Firmware update on the Ultimate 2C Bluetooth: you need to use the “ultimate v2” software and not the other firmware update that they have. I also could only get it to work on Windows and not on macOS. You may need to enable beta updates too.
If existing third party controllers for Switch 1 can be patched to wake switch 2, then it seems odd that Nintendo didn’t allow their first party switch 1 controllers to wake switch 2. I thought many third party controllers couldn’t even wake switch 1 though.
I’ve stuck with my Switch 1 Pro controller so far for Switch 2 and just push the power button on the console. It’d be nice to be able to wake it from the controller but not that big of an annoyance.
I bought TMNT: Splintered Fate on sale last weekend and played it with a friend and it was a lot of fun.
I tried 13 Sentinels this week which I had bought on sale a while back. Doesn’t seem like it is for me, or at the very least I am not in the mood for it.
I had no preorder for a Switch 2, so I didn’t expect to get one for a bit. However my wife went to a local Target not too long before they opened and she was only number 10 or so in line and got me a Mario Kart World bundle (the store had 50 of each). So now I’ve been playing that! I have the expansion pass subscription so I’ll probably be trying out NS2 edition of TOTK as well since I haven’t finished it.
Well I didn’t expect to get one, but my wife decided to go to a Target 30m-45m before opening and they had plenty of them and got one of the Mario Kart bundles!
So apparently the lining up was not as bad as I would have expected — at least at this location.
I’ve been playing the AW1 campaign Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp. I am on the final mission and stayed up too late saying “I’m sure I’ll finish in a few more turns.” I think I am rather slow at these turn based games and think too much about my moves. The earlier levels I was quicker at but the last two have been quite long. Good game though. I played the original a bit On Wii U VC a few years back, but have gotten more into it this time.
No Switch 2 preorder for me so I will be continuing with this or maybe taking a break after the first campaign to play something else. Maybe I’ll have another try at the final boss in Metroid Prime Remastered, go back to continuing on with TOTK, or maybe start something new.
I am in the US and without a preorder. Standing in line for hours for the possibility of maybe getting one does not appeal to me. I will wait for my invite from Nintendo or when I can order one from a retailer when they stop selling out instantly.
As unpopular of an opinion as this is, if I get to the point where I really want one badly enough I’d personally rather pay a $100 premium on eBay than wait in line. If the premium is much more than that I wouldn’t do it though.
I’ve thought of this game recently since I bought a second TV for the house and now have more opportunities to game outside of handheld mode. I have the Wii U hooked up to the new TV so maybe I’ll play it again. I did play it within the past 3-5 years for the first time probably. I played the original when it came out.
I am curious if they’ll ever do a Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 for Switch and/or Switch 2. (I have 3D all stars but it would be nice to see both get a re release together )
I am without a preorder so I am still happily playing my ample backlog of Switch 1 games. I will buy a Switch 2 as soon as Nintendo invites me or when they eventually end up in stock and don’t sell out within seconds.
I’d love to get an official physical release of a widescreen Super Mario World game. Maybe the’ll do something like this as a movie tie in. Or Super Mario World 3?
It may just be that I first played it as a kid, but I do feel like of all the 2D Mario games, Super Mario World has the most potential to be fleshed out into a bigger story.
I loved Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64 as a kid. I still love a lot about Super Mario Kart (the music especially!), but I am not a fan of the controls. Mario Kart 64 still holds up pretty well for me.
I love seeing how technical limitations affected old games. Like knowing that characters in MK64 are pre-rendered sprites. Those details make me appreciate the games more. I think they give them a certain charm as well.
I started the Advance Wars campaign in the remake (I started it on Wii U VC a few years back but never finished it, I restarted on Switch and am probably about to where I left off). I also resumed Metroid Prime Remastered this week after ~2 years away to collect the last 2 artifacts and do the last bosses. I got to the final boss, so I’ll do that one day soon. Needing to go back and collect artifacts (and the release of TOTK) made me not finish when it first came out, but other than that it was a great game.
Speaking of TOTK, maybe I’ll get back to that again as well. I went back to it a bit recently.
I suppose I have plenty to play in spite of not getting an invite to buy Switch 2… (and I didn’t even mention the backlog I have)
I’m hoping Nintendo is just spreading out the invites to reduce load on their site or something. Does anyone know the latest sign up time that we’ve heard of that has gotten an invite?
I have no invite so far. I signed up for the Mario Kart bundle at around 4:30pm ET the day of the announcement. (So I was a little late). I meet all the requirements though.
@Sylamp @J-Biz Thanks for the info. I guess I remember now that the May 8 date was NOA-specific. Knowing that they did invites and then were able to open it up in the UK gives me hope that maybe there will be enough that I get an invite. But, then again, who knows what these supply situation is like in the US…
I usually get games on sale or used, but when there is something I really want to play right away I will pay full price (probably 2-3 times a year). I’ll probably keep doing this.
I haven’t been super successful with this, but I feel like I should be better about not buying used or on-sale games just because I heard they are good or I liked other games in the series. It’d probably be better to just buy games as I am actively wanting to play them and not worry too much about getting the best possible deal. I think the main reason I will tend to buy games like this is out of some “collection” desire and maybe some FOMO if they become hard to find eventually. One way in which I’ve had some limited success on this front is not collecting the rest of a series that I have only recently experienced for the first time. Example: I wanted to try a Xenoblade game and I decided to get XC3. I played it and enjoyed it. Part of me wants to “collect them all” but the chances of me actually playing them all is quite small. I think it is better to just buy another one if and when I actually am in the mood to play one again.
I haven’t posted on this feature in a while. I finished up the main story of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 a few weeks ago. I think I was around 65 hours or so. So there is plenty of side content if I decide to go back for more. I am intrigued by all the combat systems in this game and I feel like playing on normal I’ve only scratched the surface. In spite of all the tutorial screens in the game I didn’t feel like it explained it super well. I think there may also be some practice mode or something that I didn’t engage with much though. I think it would take a lot of time to really understand everything going on and get good at higher difficulties. Maybe something to do one time if I want to try to dig more deeply into something.
Then, I went back to Tears of the Kingdom which I never finished back when it came out and did the 4th temple and some other stuff. I played Shredder’s Revenge the last couple nights. A friend and I had been playing through It Takes Two and we finished that up last weekend. So, yeah… bouncing around between games I’ve started previously I guess.
I’ve been meaning to do some more Slay The Spire. I enjoy that game but am not good at it (I’ve had only a few successful runs and have not touched acensions). It may be fun to learn what it takes to be better at it.
I also have quite a few things in the backlog so I’ll see if I end up getting stuck into something else.
I went to the GameStop site at some point this morning before they were available and another point after they were gone. I was working so I wasn’t on top of it. I also just figured it’d be a big mess like last night too.
I am resigned to just waiting for my email from Nintendo. I doubt I’ll get one at launch, but maybe by September? I do hope that registering for the Mario kart bundle at Nintendo doesn’t mean they will just ignore me once those are gone.
@adventurousshark nice! I just tried that and was able to add to cart and place order but then it said out of stock before completing. I hope your order stays good!
Before getting in bed, I refreshed Best Buy one last time and got "in line" but I am pretty sure I am too late there as well... I probably got "in line" at 12:45 It would be nice if they would not let you be "in line" if they know there are way more people queued up than they have stock.
@AussieMcBucketAt Walmart I see "This item is likely to sell out, but you can stay in line and we'll let you know if any are available when it's your turn." and "Hold my spot and Keep Shopping" That sounds different than what it said for you when you got in the line for real (you mentioned an estimated time).
I am just going to bed and hoping for a nintendo invite. Staying up was a waste.
Target let me add it to the cart but only on my phone and trying to pay isn't working. I assume it is gone, but I kept trying for a bit. I switched to my phone too late I think.
Best buy never said anything other than "coming soon"
Walmart says I am "in line" but I think that is BS
If I can't get this to go through in the next 5 minutes at target I am just going to call it a loss and hope for an invite from Nintendo in a couple weeks
Nice! I wonder if the Nintendo store itself still plans to wait until May 9th to send out its invites. If so I’ll probably see if I can snag a retailer preorder before then.
I don’t really have a great reason to buy a switch 2 at launch, but I probably will if I can get a preorder once they open in the US. I’m not generally an early adopter of things, but it just seems fun to get this right away. I think the one piece of hardware I’ve ever bought on launch day was a Dreamcast because I was into video games a lot with N64 and wanted to get the first next gen system to come out. However I don’t remember enjoying my Dreamcast all that much. Maybe that is a bad omen and I should not get switch 2 at launch…. There is a chance if the price ends up being a bunch higher in the US I’ll hold off.
If there is a 3rd party comfortable mouse that will be compatible then I may give it a try with Metroid Prime 4. I may try it as is but I don’t expect it to be comfortable. I also could see myself designing and 3D printing a grip to make it larger and comfortable if I want to use it. I suppose the chances of me playing with mouse mode are probably low since I mostly play in handheld mode though.
I was skeptical of Mario Kart 9, but after seeing more about it I am planning to get the bundle (with some uncertainty around what happens with pricing here in the US).
I’ll possibly be getting more digital games with switch 2 if digital ends up being cheaper. I like physical for several reasons, including lower used game prices (at least currently with switch 1), and the ability to put them in other consoles (like sharing with the kids — although with the price they’ll just be sharing my switch 2 with me for quite some time). The digital game card feature addresses the lending issue. I never sell games anymore so that is not an issue for me.
I’m not sure Nintendo is actually doing digital games cheaper going forward for switch 2 though (and if it would be cheaper than used physical copies), but at least for the Mario Kart bundle the effective $30 difference is enough to get me to go digital.
Comments 367
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (2nd August)
I think I’m at the end of Donkey Kong Bananza. I did slow down as I got closer to the end and did a bit of backtracking and started playing another game, but now I am ready to finish off the main story. I will of course revisit it occasionally to collect some more bananas and dip into whatever additional post game content there is.
I also started Nier Automata on Switch 1 and am enjoying it so far, it is pretty unique and I am enjoying that. I do wish it was stable on Switch 2 (I haven’t tried myself but am trusting the warning on the eShop page). I don’t have any other platforms to play it on so I am happy enough with this version, even if I do wonder a bit what it would be like to play it on another platform.
A random thing I meant to mention: I got the Savage Raven Dockable Switch 2 grip (the Neo Grip) and I really like it. I got the bundle with their Max Carry case which is large but nice. I use MobaPad M6 HD for handheld mode on Switch 1, but decided to get a grip for Switch 2 for now. I am really happy with the grip. I also sort of on impulse bought the Savage Raven thumb stick grips. I got the ones that match the accent colors to add a bit more color since I got the all black grip. The thumbstick grips improve the feel of the sticks more than I expected them to.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 20.3.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
> Please tell me they fixed NieR…
@SplatRay001
This. I just bought it in the recent sale and started it on Switch 1 last night due to the reports of it not working on Switch 2. It would be great if they fix it at some point.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (26th July)
I'm still working my way through DK Bananza and enjoying it I like how they mix some things up a little bit as you progress. I feel like based on the number of Kingdoms in Odyssey I may be getting close to the end, but who knows. I also may want to backtrack and do a bit more collecting (at least finding and doing all the challenge levels — I've been doing them as I come across them if I find them).
I also played more TMNT: Splintered Fate with a friend the last two days. Still really enjoying that game. It definitely has some bugs, but they don't really affect the gameplay. And there are some tweaks I wish they'd make. I wish that in multiplayer it did a better job of tell you when you get hit (in single player there is a red overlay on the screen). I also wish it did a better job of communicating when your special and tool charged with controller vibration or some graphical effect close to your character. The corner of the screen where it tells you is too far away to really look at at least when playing in TV mode. So I just have to do it based on feel and timing.
I've played a little Dead Cells in between other things lately. I bought it a few years ago and never got into it, but I am liking it now. It is definitely difficult and I've only gotten to the first boss once in the few hours I've played recently. I need to be better about remembering that refilling health is manual and takes a little time.
Re: Random: Shigeru Miyamoto Did Exactly What We Did When Playtesting Donkey Kong Bananza
I didn’t want the game until after the direct when they explained it in full, but the smashing itself is actually way more fun than I expected! It is such a good game all around! I think my favorite thing so far is to find the more hidden banana in the challenge stages where 2 are obvious and 1 is hidden.
Re: ICYMI: Here's A Look Inside Donkey Kong Bananza's Switch 2 Game Case
@Moose_4 that sounds like a great collection! I didn’t hold on to my systems and games from years ago. I think It would be cool if I had. It would be neat to play on literally the same SNES or N64 I had as a kid.
I had lots of digital 3rd party games for switch 1. The convenience factor really won me over to digital for switch 2 for first party. I am much more likely to pop into a game for a short time to do some post game stuff or replay a bit if it is digital. Virtual game cards let me share my digital games with my kids now as well (if they end up with a Switch 2 at some point — they have Switch Lite now so sharing switch 1 digital games has been nice).
Re: ICYMI: Here's A Look Inside Donkey Kong Bananza's Switch 2 Game Case
I did almost all physical for Switch 1, but got Mario Kart World and this digitally for Switch 2.
Re: Review: Savage Raven By Skull & Co. NeoGrip For Nintendo Switch 2 - Does The Job Very Nicely
Does anyone know if there is a zip around case that fits the Switch 2 with this and the large handles installed? It seems like they have a bundle with a case but it it is unclear to me if it fits the grip with the larger handles installed.
I am considering one of these, but I am also considering waiting for something like the Mobapad M6 HD for Switch 1. On switch 2 I had two Hori Split Pad Pros (first one got worn down from use), and then shortly into using the second one I found out about the Mobapad M6 HD and bought that with the case for the rumble and gyro. Trying to avoid buying as many ergonomic hand held solutions for switch 2. I also play less in handheld mode than I used to though.
I've also considered trying to 3d print a switch 2 grip for now from a design people have shared online. I have a 3d printed one I've used for the 3DS XL and 2DS XL that worked okay. I also considered trying to design my own 3d printed "adapter" for mounting the Mobapad M6 HD to the switch 2, but it would be complicated a lot by the magnetic attachment (and of course I'd need to charge them separately even if I solved the magnetic attachment problem by embedding some metal into it).
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th July)
I’ve still been playing TMNT: Splintered Fate. I tried a few solo runs this week. Still enjoying it. That has also got me to revisit Dead Cells which I bought a few years ago but never got in to (I think I was coming off of playing a bunch of Hades). Getting into it a bit more now though!
Also been playing Mario vs DK and Mario Kart World in between other things. It seems to me that MKW single player got rebalanced with one of the updates. It feels to me like rubber banding was decreased a little and now it feels more like playing previous Mario Kart games where I can actually be in 1st for a bit (I’ve only played 150cc single player knockout tour lately)
Looking forward to DK Bananza this week (still need to finalize my decision on if I am going digital for switch 2 like I was planning).
Re: PSA: You Might Want To Be Careful Buying Pre-Owned Switch 1 Games For Your Switch 2
This story is interesting from a technical perspective. I always assumed modern Nintendo cartridges would contain technology similar to a Hardware Security Module (or Trusted Platfom Module on a computer) which is essentially a chip that contains a unique private key where that key cannot be read, but only overwritten or asked to do asymmetric cryptographic operations such as performing a signature of some data. This can be used for challenge response authentication which would strongly prove possession of the game card. This is similar to how passkeys work for web authentication (although for passkeys the private key is less strongly protected in most cases where no special hardware is being used — although hardware options exist)
Perhaps this technology is just too expensive to integrate into the chip they put in game cards since they are mass produced and instead they use some kind of static identifier.
I wonder if since game key cards do not contain significant memory if they contain a stronger authentication mechanism such as what I described above.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
I’ve been playing quite a bit of TMNT: Splintered Fate with my son. We are really enjoying it. Had our first successful run last weekend. I was unsure of this game being so similar to Hades, but I really like it, especially the co-op aspect. It is on sale right now too and I’d recommend it.
Re: Struggling For Switch 2 Storage? TeamGroup Launches A Range Of Micro SD Express Cards For The Console
Like some others have said, I am planning to switch my preference from physical to digital for Switch 2. I am going to get by for a while with internal storage by removing games with no Switch 2 enhancements and playing those on my OLED. I’ll be curious to see the price of these and other 512GB cards in the US (right now I think only 256 is readily available).
I thought a lot about the digital vs physical decision (way more than is reasonable). I came to the conclusion that the reason I bought physical for Switch 1 was mostly for price (buying used) and being able to let my kids play my games in their consoles. If I am buying a game day 1 the price one doesn’t apply, and virtual game cards solve the other issue nicely (if the kids even end up with their own Switch 2s at some point). I like being able to quickly swap between games as well. I also decided that the long term benefits of one vs the other are hard to predict and decided to not worry about it. I may still end up with some physical here and there for switch 2 if I buy used but I am planning on going digital for day one purchases. Not that this will happen, but if Nintendo had a program for trading in physical Switch 1 games for digital, I might even do it (especially for games with large Switch 2 edition downloads anyway).
Re: Forget Switch 2 Game Key-Cards - "Full On-The-Cart Physical Releases" Are What People Want, Says Publisher Lost In Cult
I am considering going more digital for Switch 2, but can’t make up my mind. I bought almost all physical for 1st party stuff for Switch 1. Since I think all cartridges these days (including Switch 1 of course) are just flash memory I am a bit unsure of their longevity. At least I can back up the encrypted data on a MicroSD Express card and can transfer it to another card as long as my console lives. There may even be offline console to console transfers but I am less sure of that.
I am not too interested in game key cards, but they make sense for folks that want to play and resell (or buy a digital game used).
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st June)
Been bouncing between games: Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion, F-Zero X, F-Zero GX. I feel like the analog stick controls in GX are super sensitive. I’m using an original pro controller though. I tried the in-game calibration and I’m not sure it helped much.
I also am not a big FPS fan, but I started playing Goldeneye on NSO in widescreen with the N64 controller setup with move on the d-pad and look on the stick. I played this game a bunch back in the day so I have some nostalgia for it. Not sure if I’ll continue playing it all the way through, but it was fun to pop in to for a bit.
I did finally take another 3 tries at the final boss in Metroid Prime Remastered to finish that one off.
Now that I am planning to get DK Bonanza, I’m trying to decide what in the backlog I should get in to before that comes out.
Re: Reaction: Donkey Kong Bananza Has Instantly Become My Most Anticipated Game Of 2025
Now I have to decide if I am going physical or digital. I did physical for most first party titles for switch 1. I got Mario Kart World digitally with the bundle. I generally bought physical because it was generally cheaper and I could let my kids use the games in their Switch Lites and liked the idea of (somewhat) “guaranteeing” my access to the game in the future. The new virtual game card features solve some of that. I see ways in which both are better: digital means my access to the game is not dependent on a physical game card that could get lost or damaged or degrade over time, but it does mean that my access to the game would be tied to my console if Nintendo shuts down re-downloading at some point in the future. Digital isn’t tied to a particular MicroSD express card or internal storage because you can at least back up the encrypted data in it. I still like the idea of physical, but I am thinking the benefits are increasingly an illusion with updates and the durability of the game card storage technology being somewhat uncertain.
Re: Reaction: Donkey Kong Bananza Has Instantly Become My Most Anticipated Game Of 2025
I was not planning to get this game until I watched the direct. Every through the first half or so of it I was thinking the mechanics were cool but was wondering what the goal of the game was going to be and then when they showed the enemies and collectibles and challenges I was happy to see it was not just a sandbox with no goals.
Re: PSA: Select GameCube Games Can Be Played In Widescreen Mode On Switch 2
I was excited to find the widescreen option for F-Zero GX over the weekend. I thought the game looked quite good in spite of its age.
I also realized the widescreen option in Goldeneye works in the N64 app now. I think it didn’t previously, but I hadn’t played it that much. I think when I tried it previously I was mostly playing in handheld with a Hori Split Pad Pro that I could not remap at the OS level at the time. I never used it back in the day, but I realized the control map where the dpad is move and analog stick is look on an n64 controller works quite well. It just means holding the left and middle handles which I don’t recall ever doing back in the day. I also need to try connecting 2 controllers and doing the dual analog setup.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 2 Controllers
@cvrator I picked up and 8bitdo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth as an extra pro-style controller and have been happy with it (although ai still generally use my original Switch Pro controller).
I was surprised to see NL recommending a different model here that doesn’t seem to officially advertise switch/switch 2 compatibility (but also their product naming is a bit confusing in general so maybe I am mistaken). I’m also curious if the model they pointed at requires a dongle. I have an 8bitdo USB dongle for connecting and Xbox one controller to the Switch and have not been impressed with the wireless range.
One note about the Switch 2 Firmware update on the Ultimate 2C Bluetooth: you need to use the “ultimate v2” software and not the other firmware update that they have. I also could only get it to work on Windows and not on macOS. You may need to enable beta updates too.
Re: Gulikit Claims To Be The First Third Party Supporting Wake-Up Functionality On Switch 2
If existing third party controllers for Switch 1 can be patched to wake switch 2, then it seems odd that Nintendo didn’t allow their first party switch 1 controllers to wake switch 2. I thought many third party controllers couldn’t even wake switch 1 though.
I’ve stuck with my Switch 1 Pro controller so far for Switch 2 and just push the power button on the console. It’d be nice to be able to wake it from the controller but not that big of an annoyance.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (7th June)
I bought TMNT: Splintered Fate on sale last weekend and played it with a friend and it was a lot of fun.
I tried 13 Sentinels this week which I had bought on sale a while back. Doesn’t seem like it is for me, or at the very least I am not in the mood for it.
I had no preorder for a Switch 2, so I didn’t expect to get one for a bit. However my wife went to a local Target not too long before they opened and she was only number 10 or so in line and got me a Mario Kart World bundle (the store had 50 of each). So now I’ve been playing that! I have the expansion pass subscription so I’ll probably be trying out NS2 edition of TOTK as well since I haven’t finished it.
Re: Poll: So, Did You Order A Nintendo Switch 2?
Well I didn’t expect to get one, but my wife decided to go to a Target 30m-45m before opening and they had plenty of them and got one of the Mario Kart bundles!
So apparently the lining up was not as bad as I would have expected — at least at this location.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st May)
I’ve been playing the AW1 campaign Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp. I am on the final mission and stayed up too late saying “I’m sure I’ll finish in a few more turns.” I think I am rather slow at these turn based games and think too much about my moves. The earlier levels I was quicker at but the last two have been quite long. Good game though. I played the original a bit On Wii U VC a few years back, but have gotten more into it this time.
No Switch 2 preorder for me so I will be continuing with this or maybe taking a break after the first campaign to play something else. Maybe I’ll have another try at the final boss in Metroid Prime Remastered, go back to continuing on with TOTK, or maybe start something new.
Re: Poll: With One Week To Go, What Are Your Switch 2 Launch-Day Plans?
Now that I am hearing about Costco taking orders online on the 5th maybe I’ll give that a try.
Re: Poll: With One Week To Go, What Are Your Switch 2 Launch-Day Plans?
I’ll be playing Switch 1. I am in the US and don’t have a preorder. Hopefully Nintendo will invite me to buy one sometime in the next few months.
I am not willing to try to wait outside a retailer to hope to maybe get one.
Re: US Retailers Are Reportedly Starting To Receive Switch 2 Stock
I am in the US and without a preorder. Standing in line for hours for the possibility of maybe getting one does not appeal to me. I will wait for my invite from Nintendo or when I can order one from a retailer when they stop selling out instantly.
As unpopular of an opinion as this is, if I get to the point where I really want one badly enough I’d personally rather pay a $100 premium on eBay than wait in line. If the premium is much more than that I wouldn’t do it though.
Re: How Well Do You Remember Super Mario Galaxy 2?
I’ve thought of this game recently since I bought a second TV for the house and now have more opportunities to game outside of handheld mode. I have the Wii U hooked up to the new TV so maybe I’ll play it again. I did play it within the past 3-5 years for the first time probably. I played the original when it came out.
I am curious if they’ll ever do a Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 for Switch and/or Switch 2. (I have 3D all stars but it would be nice to see both get a re release together )
Re: GameStop To Offer Additional Switch 2 Units In-Store And Online At Launch
@derickw69 yes at first I was very excited by the email… and then I read it…
Re: GameStop To Offer Additional Switch 2 Units In-Store And Online At Launch
It is not worth it to me to try to wait in line for at a store for ages to maybe get one. I’ll get one when Nintendo eventually invites me someday.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Ghosting Switch 1 To Save Yourself For Switch 2?
I am without a preorder so I am still happily playing my ample backlog of Switch 1 games. I will buy a Switch 2 as soon as Nintendo invites me or when they eventually end up in stock and don’t sell out within seconds.
Re: Super Mario World Looks To Be The Official Name Of The Next Mario Movie
I’d love to get an official physical release of a widescreen Super Mario World game. Maybe the’ll do something like this as a movie tie in. Or Super Mario World 3?
It may just be that I first played it as a kid, but I do feel like of all the 2D Mario games, Super Mario World has the most potential to be fleshed out into a bigger story.
Re: Feature: The Long & Rainbow Road To 'Mario Kart World', From SNES To Switch 2
I loved Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64 as a kid. I still love a lot about Super Mario Kart (the music especially!), but I am not a fan of the controls. Mario Kart 64 still holds up pretty well for me.
I love seeing how technical limitations affected old games. Like knowing that characters in MK64 are pre-rendered sprites. Those details make me appreciate the games more. I think they give them a certain charm as well.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th May)
I started the Advance Wars campaign in the remake (I started it on Wii U VC a few years back but never finished it, I restarted on Switch and am probably about to where I left off). I also resumed Metroid Prime Remastered this week after ~2 years away to collect the last 2 artifacts and do the last bosses. I got to the final boss, so I’ll do that one day soon. Needing to go back and collect artifacts (and the release of TOTK) made me not finish when it first came out, but other than that it was a great game.
Speaking of TOTK, maybe I’ll get back to that again as well. I went back to it a bit recently.
I suppose I have plenty to play in spite of not getting an invite to buy Switch 2… (and I didn’t even mention the backlog I have)
Re: PSA: My Nintendo Store Switch 2 Invites Are Starting To Roll Out
Okay, I think I have a problem: I literally dreamed of getting an invite email from Nintendo last night. 🤣. Reality: No email.
Re: PSA: My Nintendo Store Switch 2 Invites Are Starting To Roll Out
I’m hoping Nintendo is just spreading out the invites to reduce load on their site or something. Does anyone know the latest sign up time that we’ve heard of that has gotten an invite?
Re: PSA: My Nintendo Store Switch 2 Invites Are Starting To Roll Out
I have no invite so far. I signed up for the Mario Kart bundle at around 4:30pm ET the day of the announcement. (So I was a little late). I meet all the requirements though.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Now Open To All Paid NSO Members In The UK
@Sylamp @J-Biz Thanks for the info. I guess I remember now that the May 8 date was NOA-specific. Knowing that they did invites and then were able to open it up in the UK gives me hope that maybe there will be enough that I get an invite. But, then again, who knows what these supply situation is like in the US…
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Now Open To All Paid NSO Members In The UK
I am in the US, so hoping for my invite tomorrow. Did they do invites in the UK or just open it straight away to all paid members?
Re: Talking Point: With Prices Rising, Are Your Gaming Habits Changing?
I usually get games on sale or used, but when there is something I really want to play right away I will pay full price (probably 2-3 times a year). I’ll probably keep doing this.
I haven’t been super successful with this, but I feel like I should be better about not buying used or on-sale games just because I heard they are good or I liked other games in the series. It’d probably be better to just buy games as I am actively wanting to play them and not worry too much about getting the best possible deal. I think the main reason I will tend to buy games like this is out of some “collection” desire and maybe some FOMO if they become hard to find eventually. One way in which I’ve had some limited success on this front is not collecting the rest of a series that I have only recently experienced for the first time. Example: I wanted to try a Xenoblade game and I decided to get XC3. I played it and enjoyed it. Part of me wants to “collect them all” but the chances of me actually playing them all is quite small. I think it is better to just buy another one if and when I actually am in the mood to play one again.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (3rd May)
I haven’t posted on this feature in a while. I finished up the main story of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 a few weeks ago. I think I was around 65 hours or so. So there is plenty of side content if I decide to go back for more. I am intrigued by all the combat systems in this game and I feel like playing on normal I’ve only scratched the surface. In spite of all the tutorial screens in the game I didn’t feel like it explained it super well. I think there may also be some practice mode or something that I didn’t engage with much though. I think it would take a lot of time to really understand everything going on and get good at higher difficulties. Maybe something to do one time if I want to try to dig more deeply into something.
Then, I went back to Tears of the Kingdom which I never finished back when it came out and did the 4th temple and some other stuff. I played Shredder’s Revenge the last couple nights. A friend and I had been playing through It Takes Two and we finished that up last weekend. So, yeah… bouncing around between games I’ve started previously I guess.
I’ve been meaning to do some more Slay The Spire. I enjoy that game but am not good at it (I’ve had only a few successful runs and have not touched acensions). It may be fun to learn what it takes to be better at it.
I also have quite a few things in the backlog so I’ll see if I end up getting stuck into something else.
Re: Switch 2 Launch Day Delivery "Not Guaranteed" From Nintendo In The US
I went to the GameStop site at some point this morning before they were available and another point after they were gone. I was working so I wasn’t on top of it. I also just figured it’d be a big mess like last night too.
I am resigned to just waiting for my email from Nintendo. I doubt I’ll get one at launch, but maybe by September? I do hope that registering for the Mario kart bundle at Nintendo doesn’t mean they will just ignore me once those are gone.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
I didn’t get a retailer preorder, but I am getting a 2nd TV for my house this weekend so I can “Switch 2” playing in docked mode more often.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
@adventurousshark nice! I just tried that and was able to add to cart and place order but then it said out of stock before completing. I hope your order stays good!
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
I am giving up again and going to bed for real this time.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Before getting in bed, I refreshed Best Buy one last time and got "in line" but I am pretty sure I am too late there as well... I probably got "in line" at 12:45 It would be nice if they would not let you be "in line" if they know there are way more people queued up than they have stock.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
@AussieMcBucketAt Walmart I see "This item is likely to sell out, but you can stay in line and we'll let you know if any are available when it's your turn." and "Hold my spot and Keep Shopping" That sounds different than what it said for you when you got in the line for real (you mentioned an estimated time).
I am just going to bed and hoping for a nintendo invite. Staying up was a waste.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Target let me add it to the cart but only on my phone and trying to pay isn't working. I assume it is gone, but I kept trying for a bit. I switched to my phone too late I think.
Best buy never said anything other than "coming soon"
Walmart says I am "in line" but I think that is BS
If I can't get this to go through in the next 5 minutes at target I am just going to call it a loss and hope for an invite from Nintendo in a couple weeks
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 US Pre-Orders Start 24th April, System & Launch Game Pricing Unchanged
Nice! I wonder if the Nintendo store itself still plans to wait until May 9th to send out its invites. If so I’ll probably see if I can snag a retailer preorder before then.
Re: Video: Switch 2 'Joy-Con 2' Magnet Strength Tested
I mean if jiggling the demo unit by the Joy-Con like that caused it to fall apart I’d be pretty concerned.
Re: Nintendo Understands Switch Owners May Not Be "Ready To Jump To Switch 2"
I don’t really have a great reason to buy a switch 2 at launch, but I probably will if I can get a preorder once they open in the US. I’m not generally an early adopter of things, but it just seems fun to get this right away. I think the one piece of hardware I’ve ever bought on launch day was a Dreamcast because I was into video games a lot with N64 and wanted to get the first next gen system to come out. However I don’t remember enjoying my Dreamcast all that much. Maybe that is a bad omen and I should not get switch 2 at launch…. There is a chance if the price ends up being a bunch higher in the US I’ll hold off.
Re: Opinion: Oh No, I'm Not A Fan Of Switch 2's Mouse Mode At All
If there is a 3rd party comfortable mouse that will be compatible then I may give it a try with Metroid Prime 4. I may try it as is but I don’t expect it to be comfortable. I also could see myself designing and 3D printing a grip to make it larger and comfortable if I want to use it. I suppose the chances of me playing with mouse mode are probably low since I mostly play in handheld mode though.
Re: Community: Which Switch 2 Games Are You Wishlisting?
I was skeptical of Mario Kart 9, but after seeing more about it I am planning to get the bundle (with some uncertainty around what happens with pricing here in the US).
I’ll possibly be getting more digital games with switch 2 if digital ends up being cheaper. I like physical for several reasons, including lower used game prices (at least currently with switch 1), and the ability to put them in other consoles (like sharing with the kids — although with the price they’ll just be sharing my switch 2 with me for quite some time). The digital game card feature addresses the lending issue. I never sell games anymore so that is not an issue for me.
I’m not sure Nintendo is actually doing digital games cheaper going forward for switch 2 though (and if it would be cheaper than used physical copies), but at least for the Mario Kart bundle the effective $30 difference is enough to get me to go digital.