Nintendo makes the Switch!

[mr3urious]

Pun totally intended here.

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/first-look-at-nintendos-new-home-gaming-system

This is Nintendo's newest system called the Switch (formerly known by its codename the NX), a console/handheld hybrid that seems like a bizarre cross between their last two consoles and their current handheld, the 3DS. It will be expected to come out March of next year.

I am cautiously optimistic that this would be far more successful than the Wii U, as it at least has a better, less confusing name. With the company's mobile push, I'm hoping enough casuals would be swayed into Switch-ing over. And that new Mario game shown in the trailer looks awesome, seemingly going between linear and open-ended levels in a way not seen since Super Mario Sunshine.

 

[C to the J]

A home console and a handheld console in one! And the controller arrangement is very remarkable. Gotta love that snap/click sound that's heard whenever the logo is shown. What's more, a lot of third-party developers are supporting it.

 

[mr3urious]

What's more, a lot of third-party developers are supporting it.

Of course, they could always jump ship whenever the system doesn't sell like they hoped.

 

[mr3urious]

Looks like all the game footage in the trailer was added in post, and the Switch used was a non-functioning device. It was only meant to show off the system, not the games, which is a bit disappointing but understandable.

http://nintendoeverything.com/switc...t-assume-the-video-shows-actual-game-footage/

I had a feeling this was the case all along. Bethesda said that they have no plans to bring Skyrim to the Switch at the moment. There's also that scene that showed Breath of the Wild with a choppy frame rate, which I had a strong feeling was from the Wii U version.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

Truthfully, I've lost all interest in console gaming now that I have a gaming computer.

I mean I haven't touched my wii or ps3 in months. That said, the Switch seems...interesting? I guess? But the whole games on cartridges thing...I realize there's SD cards that can cram a lot of information, but I can't see how it could hold a large, AAA game on it and have it run well on a tv.

I feel like nintendo is trying too hard to be innovative anymore, which really restricts developers. Wasn't that the problem with the Wii U? The way it was set up made it hard for people to make games for it?

Idk, I'm so out of the loop with consoles anymore.

 

[Drtooth]

I feel like nintendo is trying too hard to be innovative anymore, which really restricts developers. Wasn't that the problem with the Wii U? The way it was set up made it hard for people to make games for it?

Personally, I'm out of the video game loop completely, and I know someone's gonna give me something for being a retro-gaming fan over all the newest innovations and games. I never really cared much for 3-D platforming games and I really just can't into FPS and stuff like that. The last thing remotely related to a current video game I bought was a Lego Dimensions Benny the Spaceman because it was at Five Below and I really like The Lego Movie. And I have some Skylanders I got dirt cheap too, but not even any really current ones.

But I agree that's Nintendo's big problem, trying to be innovative when most gamers just want the stuff they usually want. It's a shame, too. I like how everyone apparently hated the Wii U Wario Ware game for some reason. I mean, sure, I played the Demo and there felt like there was too much to do at once, but I didn't dislike the thing. And I also see that it's a real restriction on developers who just want more powerful hardware rather than something overly unique.

Still... ugh... I hate the concept of them reverting to cartridges. That was their problem as early as the NES, and they failed to be innovative and move onto disks (cheaper for everyone involved) with the N64. I mean, at this point even the concept of physical games is becoming obsolete.

I dunno. I still think Nintendo would do itself good to license out characters for outside media. It's not the 1980's, we can make good Mario and Zelda cartoons. It's telling that the biggest hit Nintendo has had in recent years was an app based Pokemon game they just licensed out.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

But I agree that's Nintendo's big problem, trying to be innovative when most gamers just want the stuff they usually want. It's a shame, too. I like how everyone apparently hated the Wii U Wario Ware game for some reason. I mean, sure, I played the Demo and there felt like there was too much to do at once, but I didn't dislike the thing. And I also see that it's a real restriction on developers who just want more powerful hardware rather than something overly unique.

As someone who used to have at least one console of every generation, I'm just...really really tired of the big three trying to be all innovative with their consoles. I just wanna buy my game and play it, and at this point, it seems like the only thing you can do that on is computers.

Even consoles make it difficult just to play games anymore with firmware updates, patches, mandatory installations even if you have the disk. Apparently it can take up to a DAY for some games to install on a PS4 because sony restricted how much data the thing can process.

Sure you got a whole set of different pc related problems (such as the game not running on your pc at all despite it being powerful enough), but overall, you just download the game you want, maybe wait a few minutes for it to install some additional software to run, and there you go. Most games auto configure to fit your computer's settings.

Nintendo's problem is that they wanna appeal to both casual and 'hardcore' gamers and just have no idea on how to do that. What they really end up doing is alienating BOTH groups. Casual people don't understand how the tech works (those people didn't even understand the wii u was a new console, they thought it was some kind of addon) and the hardcore gamers dont care about gimmicks, and don't have any interest in the games that are available because major developers wont develop for the console.

Sure, you're always gonna have that group of people who buy anything with Nintendo's name on it, but just how many mario games can you play before you get tired of it?

tl;dr, I just wanna play my game. I don't care about fancy gimmicks and new technology. Stop making it difficult for people to just play the darn game.

 

[Drtooth]

At this point, the only real reason to own a Nintendo system is to play games with Nintendo characters. And that's perfectly fine by me. I'm glad Jaxx Pacific actually has a Nintendo toy line as spotty as the distribution is. Nintendo's viable as a brand outside making actual video games as far as I'm concerned. Not saying they should put trust in a movie just yet where they aren't cameos, but they really should consider more outside markets as a backup if the video game industry gets shaky enough that they'd stand to be the next Sega, making games for the competition.

Their only cartoon series in production is Pokemon, and that's only because young kids' anime lasts forever, and Pokemon has the same longevity as Doraemon and Anpanman at this point. I've always felt cheated that the only Mario anime are a movie from 1986, a pointless, any character could be in it series of Fairy Tale retellings, some fire safety PSA, and like...some weird thing for a Japanese video game system that's a play phone. And I feel even more cheated that, yeah...Legend of Zelda manga was republished by Viz, but Super Mario-kun is somehow out of the question. So they're basically just as stick up their butts about licensing them out to movies and cartoons in their native country as they are in the US. I know it's weird to keep steering the conversation about their consoles to this all the time, but I really think that they could connect more with outside media, and it's also a nice fall back if things ever go south for them.

As for the "how many Mario Games" thing... I'd say at least they try with their games to make them slightly more unique every time. I still get baffled why Mega Man 9 was treated like it was the greatest thing in history, but when Mega Man 10 came out, it landed with a franchise killing thud for being the same as the other 11 games before it. Yet if they made a MM game that was completely different from those, they'd get crap for it as well. I don't see why repetition in some games are tolerated yet blasted on others. Video game sequels always had that problem since the beginning. Either they get crap for being the same or crap for being too different. It's a shame that innovation gets you just as crapped on as consistency in some cases.

 

[mr3urious]

But I agree that's Nintendo's big problem, trying to be innovative when most gamers just want the stuff they usually want.

For better or worse, the Wii was a big hit for Nintendo, and lightning failed to strike twice for the successor. I feel like they're doing it right for the Switch's marketing by putting no emphasis on motion controls or touch screens that it may or may not have. Just the fact that you can take this console with you on the go and maybe play some instant multiplayer with a complete stranger.

Still... ugh... I hate the concept of them reverting to cartridges. That was their problem as early as the NES, and they failed to be innovative and move onto disks (cheaper for everyone involved) with the N64. I mean, at this point even the concept of physical games is becoming obsolete.

Cart-based technology has gotten a lot better since then, with flash memory getting cheaper than ever before. Plus, Sony tried using discs in one of its handhelds, and that was a problem, what with the long load times and all.

Nintendo's problem is that they wanna appeal to both casual and 'hardcore' gamers and just have no idea on how to do that. What they really end up doing is alienating BOTH groups. Casual people don't understand how the tech works (those people didn't even understand the wii u was a new console, they thought it was some kind of addon) and the hardcore gamers dont care about gimmicks, and don't have any interest in the games that are available because major developers wont develop for the console.

Doesn't seem like they're aiming at casuals this time. Note how the trailer only features young adults rather than families or seniors, and how the games don't seem to be of the "casual" type. No Wii Sports or party games here.

 

[Drtooth]

Cart-based technology has gotten a lot better since then, with flash memory getting cheaper than ever before. Plus, Sony tried using discs in one of its handhelds, and that was a problem, what with the long load times and all.

Hopefully the advances in technology helped with the cost. One of the biggest problems with game developers in the NES era was that it was a financial drain for the developers to have to send things to Nintendo's factories to encase their games in expensive plastics. Among other things Nintendo had to regulate because of how screwed up video game development was before the crash.

On the other hand, if costs of cartridge production hinders lesser game developers that are inclined to shovelware, that's a massive plus in my book. I mean, did we really need a Cold Stone Creamery video game?