kalosn

kalosn

Switch 2 - The Future is Here

Comments 1,675

Re: Nintendo Switch 2: Specs - How Powerful Is The New Switch?

kalosn

While I'm obviously not asking for it to have PS5/Xbox Series X one-one numbers (an hybrid console with those specs at comparable price would instantly put them out of business), what I hope is this console can serve as an handheld companion to the higher end of the current generation standards. You know, you have a PS5 for example, there you can play a current-gen game with excellent quality, but then you want to play it elsewhere and that's where the Switch 2 comes. Maybe with lower settings, but still playable to the point the single fact it can run current-gen-tailored games is impressive.
And considering how close the Steam Deck is to the Xbox Series S at least, I hope it can get that longetivity, as this generation seems like it just got off a slower start relatively, which somehow gave the Switch's sucessor a timely advantage.

Re: Digital Foundry Digs Deep Into Mario Kart World's Tech And Specs

kalosn

Speaking about open-world racing, I hope Forza Horizon 5 does come to Switch 2, so we can get a closer look at multiplatform comparison.
@kCaracal Oh pardon me, I actually meant "4K (60fps) and 120fps(with lower numbers) separately. 4k120fps is PS5 Pro territory anyway, so it's not much of a surprise. DLSS could help with both performance and quality options.

Re: Digital Foundry Digs Deep Into Mario Kart World's Tech And Specs

kalosn

A 120fps mode? Sounds interesting.
It's not exactly the Mario movie Rainbow Road quality it could've been, but it's okay, since Nintendo clearly focused here on using the new hardware to improve the gameplay rather than the visuals. It's a more real-time based pipeline with some physics on even, it sometimes makes it look less vibrant than MK8, even if the entire engine is actually a leap.
With an open-world focus and 24-player battles, I hope they get as crazy on the gameplay as they can, please justify that price, even if it's still quite high.
I just wish they employed DLSS more though, they could possibly reach something closer to 4K and maybe 120fps without sacrificing image quality, though in general it's still impressive how much the console can reach those high native resolutions.

Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal

kalosn

@HeadPirate However, it would also eliminate the second-hand market that physical media was always inheren to. Even if the price change was not so much, I think it would still cost comparable to a Steam Deck or a PS5 Digital Edition. But even if that isn't enough to at least lower its price to even $409.99, then I guess its better off the no pun intended (cards)
In fact, thinking about it, no PC Handheld is compatible with physical media, no matter how much they cost. I guess card-reading hardware always had a price advantage then...

Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal

kalosn

I hate depressing reads, and I truly can't believe Nintendo would ofuscate the messaging here.
Look, they tried to make the messaging simple, and I can't believe there would be an article that actually agrees that those are mistakes and not misinformation.
The prices thing is one thing, and one that they can hopefully stabilize later on, but what I really know about the system is, it's going to be a new standard for the Switch, for Nintendo and its software.
Maybe a Digital Edition of the system could work for many, as was the case with PS5 and Series S. Just, just stop thinking about false assumptions and just focus on the message they are delivering.

Was there any confusion during the original Switch reveal? Yes, definitely, but I never saw any of it. I still got my console, played its games and enjoyed most of it thoroughly its life, never to "worry" about things completely irrelevant to what I was doing.

Re: Masahiro Sakurai Provides Brief Development Update On His New Switch 2 Game

kalosn

I think this game could be well more than just a racing game like the previous one. The GameCube game had a mode where you would travel and battle on an open city environment, and that was the closest thing to a 3D Kirby game back then.
It felt like a 3D Smash Bros, and guess what? You could say the same about Kid Icarus Uprising's multiplayer modes. It feels Sakurai has been teasing concepts for a 3D Smash Bros since while ago, this game could continue them pretty well

Re: Hands On: Cyberpunk 2077 Might Pull A 'Witcher 3' On Switch 2

kalosn

Awesome to see this huge game coming to a Nintendo console and on handheld form (for the second time)
But the Switch 2's "The Witcher 3 moment"? Maybe for the Switch Pro that never came it would've been one, but here, not necessarily. It's a graphical and gameplay showcase of course, and a hugely demanding game, but it's not like if was a current-gen taxing game. It runs at 1440p approximately on the current gen consoles, with 30 or 60fps targets depending on which mode or Series S you choose. 1080p30fps and dynamic 40fps on Switch 2 suddenly feels like a good comparison point, and that's without even confirming the use DLSS. Plus, Steam Deck can run it, and Rog Ally can go beyond 30fps (if you don't have issue with it lasting for less than 1 hour though).

So yeah, I think we still have to see Switch 2's Witcher 3 moment, but if you ask me, a game like Starfield or Dragon's Dogma 2 could be well deserving of that merit.

Re: First Impressions: Nintendo Switch 2 'Wows' Most When You Go Back To Your Old Switch

kalosn

It'll be an interesting journey. Nintendo adressed many of Switch 1's flaws but also bought in some new challenges. It's a premium hybrid console, a decently powerful home console, and a high-end handheld definitely. It's like my dream of a more powerful Switch from few years ago more than came true, and honestly I couldn't be more excited for that (even as I also became more content for simplicity and fun as time passed)
It really didn't needed a new innovation (or "gimmick" as many call them) to drastically change the hybrid concept that made the Switch 1 so successful and versatile. In fact, once again the potential for new ideas will reside on hardware features and peripherals, the new Chat button is awesome, and game sharing has very positive potential.

I'm also wondering how future-proof it'll be. Thanks to its high performance and DLSS it'll surely remain relevant for the coming years, even as devs would push PS5 and Xbox Series to their limits.
However, some (especially Microsoft) are already talking about the next-gen from current-gen, but it still seems pretty early to think about that, this console generation had really just began taking off from cross-gen from 2023 onwards, games are already huge (and costly), and full of detail, and Nintendo is finally joining the club with their new console. How they'll handle current-gen challenges is another thing, hopefully they can do the industry favors.
What will drive consoles next could well be beyond prettier visuals and high performance, tech is more than just that after all.

Re: Opinion: No One Is Talking About The Switch 2's Best Feature

kalosn

This console is surely packed with high-end tech, Nintendo heavily invested in building this new console with the fortunes of its previous console's massive success. Heck, they even have Sony to thank for the 3D audio there! And now, HD Rumble will become comparable to DualSense's Haptic Feedback, which is cool too.

Re: Hang On, Are People More Excited For Tomodachi Life Than Switch 2?

kalosn

Now that we're living the Switch 2 extravaganza, it's easy to see how games like this and Rhythm Heaven help Nintendo create that balance between high-end and the mainstream, premium and cheap. Something tells me the Switch Lite will become more popular the coming months, especially if you're also planning to buy a Switch 2 and/or another current-gen console

Re: Hands On: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond On Switch 2 Is Staggering

kalosn

The graphical quality shown on the Direct was apparently a test footage, as this demo is reportedly running with a higher visual fidelity than anything show previously on Switch 1, which is awesome. Either that or the game generally went through a visual upgrade.
Remember the HD (4K!) Metroid Prime everyone wanted since the Wii U days? It's finally coming. It's finally coming.

Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?

kalosn

Ruining the industry? Nintendo? That's unvelievable, they ought to do the complete opposite of that...

For all the Switch 2 hype there are some concerning asteriks regarding the prices... those are PS3-level of console launch concerns in fact, and for Nintendo to not remediate most of them would be a irony of unbelievable proportions.
The value of the console should remain as it is, considering how much it packs, yet I still see the kind of barrier that some consumers could face if $450 is still pretty expensive. Probably the best solution would be offering a Digital Edition, maybe with even more storage (unless that'd increase its price too). If it's too expensive overall, simply sell your current Switch and buy a Switch Lite while you save money until buying the next-gen console.

The games are another thing though. Digital games will be cheaper, but on retail (the market Nintendo is known for supporting pretty well even today), many games that cost $80 should definitely drop their price. I know Mario Kart World will be huge, and its online focus is also something to consider. I didn't knew there was an additional cost to online services (in fact, its ironic when microtransactions are a way of making them cheaper), but the most ridiculous case here is definitely the "remastered" games. Kirby and Super Mario Party should cost only $70, even with all the camera functions they're adding, there's no justification to that price considering the camera is separate even.
Zelda TOKT already costed $70 on Switch 1, so its price increase may seem more justified. Honestly though, I don't remember even Starfield costing that much...
As for GTA 6, $100 sounds incredibly ridiculous. I know its development costs must be a record high, but... it's still not fair for everyone. I'm really worried those prices could potentially overshadow the Switch 2 launch games. Nintendo is aiming for diversity with its line-up

The industry is moving maybe at a too fast pace, to the point we're already talking about such prices for games? That's one thing, but Nintendo's case definitely needs fixing here. Mario Kart World can either still cost that much or drop its price to a digital equivalent depending on what they show on the Direct. Zelda TOKT is maybe justified since it is indeed a big game becoming even more plentiful with these updates (I hope they're not all though, Master Mode...). But Kirby and Super Mario Party? Definitely drop their prices.. I don't wanna know how much they could charge for an enhanced AC New Horizons edition...

Remember when Nintendo dropped the 3DS price when it wasn't selling, and even the Wii U in some markets. With the Switch that wasn't necessary, especially after the Switch Lite came by, thanks to its immediate sales success, something that's not guaranteed here, both the 3DS and PS3 had early challenges because of similar reasons. The PS2 on the other hand... I don't really remember, but I'm pretty sure its price wasn't an issue.

It's not like devs with reputation could simply increase their game prices without excuse. The only thing that is certain and will become relevant for this generation is that Nintendo's games will also become bigger and more expensive to make. Ideally, and knowing how much they betted into researching DLSS, that means they could be working on turnarounds that could positively affect the rest of the industry, while still working on smaller scale games like Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Price Has Been Confirmed

kalosn

This definitely should be a free included game on the console. Astro's Playroom was, why not this?!
In fact, this seems to lack the charm of Astro's second appearance in comparison, which is something I would've NEVER thought I'd say about a Nintendo game...
I really hope they somehow backtrack and make this a free game. Knowing Nintendo, it's not likely... but there's always the chance for change.

Re: Nvidia: Switch 2 Has "10x The Graphics Performance Of The Nintendo Switch"

kalosn

Now that is impressive! It's like, two console generations ahead of the Switch 1, and several mobile generations ahead it. We've yet to see how capable it'll be of running current-gen games, but cross-gen games show tons of promise already.
DLSS is confirmed here, which is even better news! Even though we still need to see it in some way, I wouldn't be surprised that's how many games will reach its highest resolution/performance targets, hopefully close to Xbox Series S at least. Ray-tracing is there too, but considering how demanding it is even for PS5/XSX, its usage will definitely be on select games (Fortnite?)
While price and battery life could be affected by demanding games, there is something Nvidia is incredibly ahead compared to its competitors: efficency. We need more hands-on to see how capable it'll be.

Re: Hands On: I Didn't Think I Could Love BOTW Or TOTK More, Then I Played Them On Switch 2

kalosn

It's truly amazing to see definitive editions of two of the best games from the last generation. There have been even more improvements than just resolution and framerate, I think indirect lighting is different here, or at least ambient occlusion. And Korok Forest just runs marvelous here.

What I'm not sure is if the resolution is still 1440p, considering the reported 4K 60fps demo from two years ago, but that ran with DLSS, and that's still a topic of question right now... Natively, it seems to reach just the perfect numbers anyway.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct April 2025 - Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer

kalosn

It's surprising to see so many titles on launch day!
In fact, I'm a bit worried about the fact a lot of them are coming the same day. You might normally be super excited about such launch lineup, but one of Nintendo's mistakes with the Wii U was releasing everything on the launch day. Consequently, most third-party games on the console fared poorly, they simply outshined themselves and there was really few incitation to get them on Wii U rather than the other consoles.

This time though, there is the handheld factor and the unique aspects of the Switch 2, which should be enough for many. I'm still worried if they could be outshined easily, but hopefully not, considering the diversity is definitely excellent.

Also, I just noticed there wasn't a single Microsoft-published (including Bethesda and Activision) game announced here. Hmmmm....

Re: Star Wars Outlaws Is Coming To Nintendo Switch 2

kalosn

This is definitely a game that will showcase how the Switch 2 will handle current-gen games (likely thanks to DLSS), a good one I heard. If those screenshots are truly from Switch 2, then it's definitely a good sign.
More importantly, it's one that deserves more sales, so this release will hopefully bring more players to its story.

Re: The Switch 2's Screen Isn't OLED, But It Will Support 1080p/120fps Gameplay

kalosn

Mario looks really pixelated there, that's what happens when you turn anti-aliasing off.
Who knows how much more it'll have costed had the screen been OLED. Leave that for the future!
Will it also be compatible with VRR though? That wasn't confirmed, but it was included on a recent leak which correctly predicted these new features. Maybe they thought it wouldn't be easily understood with the audience?
And very fun way to explain 120fps with Mario's animations lol

Re: Gallery: Here's A Closer Look At The Switch 2 Console And Accessories

kalosn

I wonder if we can call it a 'Beast' now. Maybe it's still too early until multiplatform comparisons are made, but it surely packs a big price... I can't really imagine a world where 8 people use 8 Switches 2 to play wirelessly, but it's possible if there's passion for it lol

I imagine they'll eventually release a Switch 2 Lite or something, but as it stands now that size is the most appropiate considering its bulk. Would you buy an iteration without the dock?

Re: Elden Ring Coming To Switch 2

kalosn

The first third-party port for Switch 2 is a strong contender.
I know many played this game before, but this will likely be the best (and most accessible) portable version, especially if the install base rises high.
I still have to know about the launch lineup, I'll comment about it on such article.

It'll definitely run a 30fps. Considering not even the PS5 and Xbox Series X can run at a stable 60fps, and the last-gen versions had unlocked frame-rate for some reason... At least this one will be stable, hopefully.
Unlocking the frame-rate would provide a nice benchmark though.

Re: FromSoftware's 'The Duskbloods' Looks Like Bloodborne 2, Coming To Nintendo Switch 2 In 2026

kalosn

Okay, a Nintendo-exclusive FromSoftware game, I did NOT expect that. But guess what, that doesn't make it any less exciting!

A T/M-rated third-party exclusive for a Nintendo console's launch is a tradition many not know. Rogue Squadron II for the Gamecube, Red Steel for the Wii, ZombiU for the Wii U... The Nintendo Switch had Super Bomerman R, but that was for everyone, so it was an exception. This time, they surely packed a big surprise.

I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually comes to other platforms, unless they want to play the Bloodborne game here too... If it makes maximum use of Switch 2's Joy-Cons though, that'll remain the best experience

Re: Standard Micro SD Cards Won't Work On Nintendo Switch 2

kalosn

@Serpenterror That explains quite a lot for the PC Handhelds and Steam Deck... Fortunately this is a new solution that was hinted early last year, so hopefully it'll be able to strike a balance.
Switch loading times were quite low already (for Nintendo games at least), so I wonder how they'll be on the new console.

Re: Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Is Getting A Free Performance Upgrade On Switch 2

kalosn

Thank goodness!
Both free upgrades and paid upgrades uh? Thanks Nintendo for at least being generous with the smaller games. It's going to be fascinating which and how much games will be benefitted.
And even without paying for the upgrade pack, I'm sure these titles will still run pretty great on the new console. The benchmarks for this will be Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Bayonetta 3.

And Korok Forest, of course...

Re: Nintendo's Switch 2 'Game-Key Cards' Somehow Manage To Make Codes-In-A-Box Worse

kalosn

This seems like their simpler solution to the "download additional data" and "Switch Tax" thing. But it's still far from ideal.
Truth be told, I don't know which would be the best, most ideal solution to this, so it would be good to know, even if it's not realistic. Think about the most ideal solution even if it's not feasible, and work your best to make it feasible... ah that's another topic, but I hope they work on something like that for the future.

Physical media is seriously seemingly going into some kind of transition right now, this at least shows Nintendo is not willing to abandon it.

Re: Street Fighter 6 Is Heading To Switch 2 With New Game Modes, amiibo & More

kalosn

This reminds me a lot of Super Street Fighter IV 3D, which was also avaliable on 3DS' launch and made good use of the console features.
Here though, this is definitely more in par with the othe console versions, with the added bonuses of the Switch 2
And about amiibo, I don't know what to think, but hopefully it will be at least useful in some ways.

Re: Switch 2 Games Cost A Bit More Than You're Probably Expecting

kalosn

Cartridges are the only reason I can think of this about, I mean who knows how this game is gonna weight. I doubt its going to be 64GB though, so is Nintendo really suggesting to Switch to digital. For some cases at least?

For Donkey Kong Bananza, it's a bit acceptable, in line with the current-gen standards (I hope that means I'll truly be huge).

For Mario Kart World. I guess they really want to make this game incredibly premium, but $80 is still incredibly ridiculous, it's not like this will be the biggest game in the world right? I really hope this is the only case of a game costing that. This seriously will bring backlash otherwise.
Nintendo is (sadly...) not known for offering the cheapest game options, somehow Bananza will only cost $10 more than a remaster of a 2010 Wii game.

Are they saying something along the lines of "if you want a cheaper Mario Kart, just buy 8 Deluxe?" In that case...

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