Topic: Six months in, thoughts on Switch?

[Adrock]

Personally, I'm impressed. I already have four games, three of which were full price $60 games (minus Amazon Prime pre-order discounts).

Games I own:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Cave Story+
Splatoon 2

Games I've pre-ordered:
Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Axiom Verge: Multiverse Edition (2017)
Fire Emblem Warriors (2017)
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (2017)
Indivisible (2018)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (2018)

That's potentially 10 non-used games within roughly a single year. I don't think I've ever done that with any console or handheld. Even more impressive is that these are launch year releases and only one is a double dip.

Otherwise, the hardware is mostly great. I haven't run into the Joy-Con connectivity issues, but I have encountered the Pro Controller D-Pad problem. Switch feels good in handheld mode. The screen looks great though the bezels are a bit large and Nintendo should have opted for glass. It would have been nice if Nintendo managed to get Nvidia's Parker SOC, but I think Nintendo gets there eventually. Switch's operating system is very clean and responsive.

The only major negatives I have: the peripheral prices are insane in the membrane and the Nintendo Switch Online app is so utterly asinine. Semi-related: I had some local multiplayer connectivity drops sitting like four feet away from a friend.

Thus far, Switch is a strong system. It's nice to see Nintendo get so many things right though frustrating to see it continually get other things wrong. Still, what's most important is the release lineup, and Nintendo has done a great job of getting content (first and third party, including indies) on the system.

[nickmitch]

I've bought:
Zelda: BotW
1, 2, Switch
Mario Kart 8D
Snipperclips
ARMS
NBA Playgrounds
Human Resource Machine
Splatoon 2

I also haven't run into the joy-con issue, but I have noticed the D-pad thing on the pro controller.

I played Splatoon 2 for over 15 hours this past weekend (I know it was a three day weekend, but one had to be dedicated to chores), so that shows how much I'm enjoying that game.  But overall, I'm loving the system.  There's already games I wish I could spend more time playing, and there's enough games in the immediate pipeline to not make me concerned about a drought.  I like that it tells me when people log on and what they're playing.  I really like the multiplayer out of the box aspect of it; it's my favorite thing to show off about it.  I've brought it out a work a few times to take Mario Kart breaks.   

I also really like how it occasionally turns my life into one of their commercials.  There have been times where I played Zelda on the train/bus and then dropped it in the dock when I got home to play on the big screen/let it charge.  Or picking it up while playing on the couch to play while I poop instead.

I don't like the cost of accessories either, but I'm still compelled to buy the pink and green Splatoon joy-con.  And the online app is depressingly non-functional, but the parental control app was useful for that one stat I mentioned.

[Mop it up]

For me, I think it's the weakest game lineup for the launch months of any Nintendo console, though it is in line with the weak launches of their handhelds. Judging from history, it almost seems like a weak launch is one of the keys to a successful system, hee hee.

I find there's very little that appeals to me about the Switch. I don't care about the portability aspect, so for me it's just an underpowered console with a high price tag, especially when things like Switch game tax, controllers, online fees, and mandatory microSD cards are taken into account. Since I would be using it exclusively in docked mode, durability issues do concern me, such as warped Switches and other issues that may arise from heat buildup. Only time can reveal durability problems, so I'll have to wait and see. It doesn't have any extra applications included, such as Miiverse, StreetPass, Everybody Votes, etc. That said, I really like the versatility of the Joy-Cons, and I'm glad they haven't abandoned motion control. The library just needs to be expanded some more to see how much they get utilized.

Currently, the only Switch game I really want to play is Super Mario Odyssey. It's too bad there are no longer rental stores, because if I could just rent a Switch and play Odyssey, I'd probably be good waiting another year and seeing how things go.

On another note, why do people like glass screens? They seem like nothing but trouble on phones, as people are always dropping their phones and the screen cracks. But phones are something that can generally be replaced at little or no cost on many data plans, which is not the case with Switch.  I'm glad the Switch has some kind of plastic screen, it seems much more durable.

[ShyGuy]

I don't understand why people love this and hated the Wii U.

[BranDonk Kong]

Try playing your Wii U on an airplane.

[nickmitch]

I think some of it had to do with Wiimotes.  Also the screen resolution.  Also the battery life of the controller.

[nickmitch]

Try playing your Wii U on an airplane.

Travelling with it was a pain in and of itself.

[NWR_insanolord]

The Wii U (which I personally loved despite all its flaws because of the games it had) made too many compromises and was clunky and poorly designed. The Switch takes one aspect of the Wii U, Off-TV play, and executes it extremely well. The Wii U tried to do too many things at once and then didn't do any of them particularly well.

[Luigi Dude]

I don't understand why people love this and hated the Wii U.

Because it fixes literally ever flaw the Wii U had in it's first year and is way more accessible to the general public then the Wii U ever was.  The Switch is the hybrid people dreamed about Nintendo making for years and pulls it off beatifically while the Wii U Game Pad was a Frankenstein monster that nobody asked for or wanted which caused Nintendo to jacked up the price of the system that didn't offer anything new to the table.

Then it asked people to spend over $400 for another New Super Mario Bros game, something the average player would probably beat in less then 20 hours, only 3 months after they just released another NSMB on the much cheaper 3DS.  The Switch on the other hand launches with a genre revolutionizing 3D Zelda with literally hundreds of hours worth of gameplay for the average consumer to enjoy.

Then there's the fact the Wii U literally had a 9 month gap of nothing until Pikmin 3, which was a pretty niche series in the first place, so to the average consumer, it wasn't until Wind Waker HD that the Wii U finally got another title worth owning since NSMB U at launch.  The Switch on the other hand had Mario Kart 8 Deluxe less then 2 months later, followed by Arms, less then 2 months after which outsold Pikmin 3 lifetime total in less then a month, followed by Splatoon 2 a little over 1 month after Arms, with Mario X Rabbid coming a month after, with Pokken coming out a month later, seriously the list goes on.  Not only are they releasing more titles but these titles also have more appeal then what they were releasing during the early Wii U days as well.

Yeah when viewed overall the Wii U had a great library by the end of it's lifespan but the Wii U's first year was beyond awful and is what shaped the overall public perception of the system.  The Switch first year on the other hand is the complete opposite which is why it's been a huge success, and will ensure the system last longer and receives better support then the Wii U ever did.

[Adrock]

I don't care about the portability aspect, so for me it's just an underpowered console with a high price tag...

I don't particularly care about portability either. I strongly prefer playing in docked mode so I only use handheld mode when I absolutely need to such as Splatoon 2 local multiplayer. It works well even if I'd prefer splitscreen. You bring up a good point though I see Switch differently. It's expensive for a single piece of hardware yet still cheaper than buying two pieces of Nintendo hardware has been for over a decade. Consolidating Nintendo's first party offerings into one system is the best thing to happen to my gaming life since getting a full time job.

On another note, why do people like glass screens?

Glass is far more scratch resistant than plastic especially with advancements Corning has made since the rise of smartphones. It launched the fifth generation of its Gorilla Glass last year. Also, I personally think glass feels better than plastic.

[lolmonade]

It's my Nintendo system, I got it to get my Nintendo fix.  It's good in that respect.  Still in a lot of ways feels like my Zelda machine, considering how many hours I poured into that, and how my multiplayer time has diverted from Mariokart/Splatoon to Overwatch and PUBG.


It's going to be my go-to indie multiplayer machine once some of the games that were announced start actually getting released.  The timeline for this has been less than I had hoped.


I agree with the general consensus that "HD Rumble" is IMO not a value add.  Although I also suspect the cost additive to include it is negligible, and the price point for Joycons is more based on what Nintendo wants for a profit margin rather than covering cost.


That said, I couldn't have been happier when I was able to take it with on the plane ride to Vegas with my wife back in May.  We were even able to play snipperclips and tetris on the plane together.  I see the use case and see the benefit of it. 


I don't regret buying at launch.  I do hope the trickle of games is more because devs were caught flat footed on the console's success and will start developing for Switch along other platforms in the future for parity in release date.


Biggest gripe - eShop layout is garbage, and I miss background music.  I seriously hope they provide some options to sort and curate titles soon.

[Mop it up]

I don't understand why people love this and hated the Wii U.

I understand some of it, but the quick turnaround is certainly surprising especially considering all the problems that still exist with Switch.

I think some of it had to do with Wiimotes.  Also the screen resolution.  Also the battery life of the controller.

What was wrong with Wiimotes? I was glad I didn't have to buy more controllers to play most games. Also, isn't the battery life of the Switch even worse than the GamePad (and 3DS)?

It's expensive for a single piece of hardware yet still cheaper than buying two pieces of Nintendo hardware has been for over a decade. Consolidating Nintendo's first party offerings into one system is the best thing to happen to my gaming life since getting a full time job.

While this could be a good point, technically, it's still unclear if Switch will take over 100% of Nintendo's output. They're still releasing 3DS games and there are rumblings of a 3DS successor, however this could just be a "third-pillar" type of back-up plan for if the Switch fails. It obviously isn't so far, so we'll see what happens. I certainly hope Switch becomes the one-stop shop for Nintendo games, as that was the exciting idea when it was unveiled.

Glass is far more scratch resistant than plastic especially with advancements Corning has made since the rise of smartphones.

I've never scratched one of my handheld screens, though the Switch does have a larger screen and no clam-shell design so I s'pose there is more potential for that...

[Khushrenada]

I see Switch differently. It's expensive for a single piece of hardware yet still cheaper than buying two pieces of Nintendo hardware has been for over a decade. Consolidating Nintendo's first party offerings into one system is the best thing to happen to my gaming life since getting a full time job.

But they haven't done that just yet. Admittedly, Nintendo does seem to be slowing down in making 3DS games but they are still supporting the handheld. At the moment, there are two offerings and I find myself sticking with the 3DS (and Wii U backlog) to bother making the Switch. Price point is the sticking point for me. I could easily buy the Switch if I wanted since I've got the funds but I just don't think it is worth it yet. Consoles basically drop in price unless it is something rare like the Virtual Boy. NES, SNES, Wii, etc can be found used / refurbished at a third of their original cost. Do I really want to plunk down $400 now when that console could be $200.00 in perhaps 4 years? Then there's the cost of controllers. Another pair of Joy-Cons is about $100 while the Pro Controller is about $90.00. Games are about $70.00 - $80.00 each. Buying a Switch now with another pair of Joycons and ARMS is $580 right there and if I want to buy Mario Odyssey and a Pro Controller I'm probably at the $750.00 mark before taxes. Don't forget that Nintendo now wants to charge for online play on top of that. Plus, Nintendo keeps dipping into extra DLC content for games. I'd have thought Mario Odyssey would be a high likely candidate for this but so far there seems to be no announcement on that front. In any case, it can make an $80 game into a $100 or $120 game if one indulges in it. And let's not forget Amiibo content for a few more dollars to tempt gamers with. Again, if I wait it out a few years then chances are I can buy a lot of these games for 1/2 what they are being sold now.

While it is easy to point at the Switch and complain about high prices, I recognize that it's close to the same as the competition's level. However, even 3DS games have gone up and up. 3DS games use to be in the $30 - $35 dollar range when the system was released but now every 3DS game released is pretty much $50.00. I get that the Canadian Dollar has decreased in value from the US dollar in the past couple years but these are games being developed for a 6 year old system. Are development costs really that high at this point in the 3DS lifespan that this higher price point is needed? My impression of the Kimishima era so far is to just raise prices, charge for everything and cut off anything that might be costing them money like Miiverse even though you've still got a current console (3DS) that uses the app. As a company, I can't fault them for doing that as it is basic business sense to increase profits but as a consumer it does make me question whether the products are worth the cost.


However, even though the software appeal may have been a slower start for on the Switch for me by being able to get BotW on the Wii U, it is definitely putting together a very good first year to make me tempted to buy the console now even at the high entry cost. Snipperclips, ARMS, Sonic Mania, and Mario Odyssey are games I want to dive into. There's some other offerings I'm interested in but need a bit more info on before insta-buy status like Rime, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Fire Emblem Warriors. And there are others that if the price is right, I'd probably pick-up like 1,2,Switch, Bomberman, Yooka-Laylee, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Sonic Forces. The recent LA Noire port interests me as well since I've always stuck with Nintendo hardware so it is new to me and it's a story and setting that appeals to me. So, as far as software goes, Nintendo is really bringing it with the Switch.


The other great thing about the Switch and its success is being able to look back at this thread  and enjoy the hilariously wrong prediction and proclamations by Mr. Right aka Miyamoto. It's a good thing Insanolord locked the thread to preserve those golden statements.

[nickmitch]

I think some of it had to do with Wiimotes.  Also the screen resolution.  Also the battery life of the controller.

What was wrong with Wiimotes? I was glad I didn't have to buy more controllers to play most games. Also, isn't the battery life of the Switch even worse than the GamePad (and 3DS)?

My biggest beef with Wiimotes was that Nintendo added the Motion+, not enough games really took advantage of it.  Notably, Wii Fit U only had a few minigames use M+ and didn't retro fit it to older minigames (at least not consistently).  Also the nunchuck, while great at the time, never had its motion controls upgraded.  It was nice to feel fully stocked on peripherals, but the technology being used in games was often dated.  My other beef with them was having to keep a stock of batteries.  I genuinely appreciate how effortlessly I can charge the joycon.

As for the battery life, with the Switch, it only sucks if I'm playing in handheld mode.  Wii U's Gamepad battery life sucked all of the time.  Though you could buy a better battery on eBay (which I did).

[Luigi Dude]

While this could be a good point, technically, it's still unclear if Switch will take over 100% of Nintendo's output. They're still releasing 3DS games and there are rumblings of a 3DS successor, however this could just be a "third-pillar" type of back-up plan for if the Switch fails. It obviously isn't so far, so we'll see what happens. I certainly hope Switch becomes the one-stop shop for Nintendo games, as that was the exciting idea when it was unveiled.

The talk of a 3DS successor was before the Switch was released.  After the Switch had a massive launch and continues to sell out every new shipment Nintendo hasn't mentioned anything since.  Just like how they dropped all talk of the DS being a third pillar when it exploded at the end of 2005.

Plus all the games still being released on the 3DS doesn't mean much when we know many like Samus Returns started development in 2015.  That would have been insanely stupid to start killing 3DS support back then when they had no idea how the Switch would be received years later.  But the signs have been pretty clear since launch they're internally moving all support to the Switch.  Especially with the announcement of a mainline Pokemon at E3 something that Nintendo would never do if they're were planning on releasing another separate handheld system.

[Mop it up]

Luigi Dude, you pretty much said the same thing I said, so I guess you misinterpreted the point I was making.

My biggest beef with Wiimotes was that Nintendo added the Motion+, not enough games really took advantage of it. My other beef with them was having to keep a stock of batteries.

I do agree the Wii U could have made better use of the Wiimote and the added Motion+, but even so, I'm glad it carried over. I always forget about people having problems with the Wiimotes using AA batteries, as I got rechargeable ones long ago so it was never really a problem for me.

The Wii U did have the Pro Controller as an option which has pretty lengthy battery life. Granted, it couldn't be used in every game though, and was sold separately, though the price was a bit less than extra Switch controllers.

Do I really want to plunk down $400 now when that console could be $200.00 in perhaps 4 years? Then there's the cost of controllers. Another pair of Joy-Cons is about $100 while the Pro Controller is about $90.00. Games are about $70.00 - $80.00 each. Buying a Switch now with another pair of Joycons and ARMS is $580 right there and if I want to buy Mario Odyssey and a Pro Controller I'm probably at the $750.00 mark before taxes... In any case, it can make an $80 game into a $100 or $120 game if one indulges in it...

I always forget the prices of these things is higher in Canada. I s'pose the US prices don't seem so bad in comparison...!

[Luigi Dude]

Luigi Dude, you pretty much said the same thing I said, so I guess you misinterpreted the point I was making.

You said it was still unclear if the Switch would take up 100% of Nintendo's output.  I was saying it's actually very clear the Switch is going to take up 100% of Nintendo's output.  To me there's no more wait and see, so anybody that want's to buy the system now should have no problem since they won't have to worry about suffering long droughts like every home console since the N64 got hit by as well as worrying about buying a separate handheld for the full Nintendo experience anymore. 

[Mop it up]

Ah, I see. In that case, we're not that far off, as I think (and hope) it will happen. Where we differ is that I acknowledge there is still a possibility that it won't, however unlikely (and that it hasn't happened yet, but you did acknowledge that part). I could probably be more clear about stating what I think vs. what's possible, though.

[Order.RSS]

Haven't made the leap yet, since I jumped on the Wii U train fairly late and am surprisingly loving that system still. (Also, any future console purchases hinge roughly 100% on the presence of Beyond Good & Evil 2 for me.)
That said, I think the software line up is pretty impressive. Especially for people who didn't have a Wii U (i.e.: almost everyone), there's some killer stuff for the first year lined up.

Zelda, Mario Kart, a 3D Mario, Pokkén DX, a surprise Bomberman out of nowhere, Splat2n, Xenoblade 2; that's some GameCube level first year stuff already. Sure there's 3 ports in there and Splatoon doesn't seem like a giant step forward for the series, but with the Rabbids game and ARMS there's some riskier stuff there too.

I like that it's attracting a lot of indie developers and weird stuff like Rocket League and Disgaea 5. I hope they'll be able to get some yearly sports/racing/shooters titles too. I'm not gonna buy Madden or Call of Duty, but those are important titles if it wants to stand a chance in the market.

Have a lot of concerns too: paid online, no virtual console, seemingly some hardware issues, lack of internal storage, and I heard it uses friendcodes?! Might hold out for a revised model if they make one in a year or two. They look smaller than I expected, but it's a sleek design. Glad to see a lot of people enthusiastic about it, I've not heard this many non-gaming acquintances talking about videogames since the early Wii days I think. Well, since Pokémon GO, probably.

[Adrock]

But they haven't done that just yet.

Nintendo hasn't, but it will. The writing has been on the wall since 2013 when Iwata announced Nintendo was restructuring its hardware divisions. It finally happened about two years ago.

More importantly, if the Switch price is currently too high for you, there's no harm in waiting. If current sales are anything to go by, Switch will be there when/if you make the jump. I created this thread to hear everyone's thoughts regardless of whether one bought a Switch yet, not to convince/shame those who haven't.

So, as far as software goes, Nintendo is really bringing it with the Switch.

This is what impresses me the most about Switch. I haven't purchased a 3DS game since November 2015 (if my Amazon orders history is to be believed). I have Metroid: Samus Returns pre-ordered which is likely my final 3DS game. Buying a Switch made sense for me. It's the successor to a dead platform and a dying platform.

[Khushrenada]

I created this thread to hear everyone's thoughts regardless of whether one bought a Switch yet, not to convince/shame those who haven't.

Not to worry. I'm not shamed by not having one. When it comes to the Switch, my two biggest thoughts are the costs involved with it currently and a growing list of titles that look pretty fun to play so that's what I stuck with. Since I haven't adopted one or played one yet myself, I don't have much to say about the actual user experience so all I can chime in on are my thoughts on why I am still Switch-less but that doesn't mean I think it is a lackluster product. It is very tempting especially when I am in a store and they have a few in stock at the moment. There's a sudden impulse to quickly grab one before its gone. But so far, I continue to resist.

[Soren]

Owner of a Switch since launch:

Physical Games I own:
- Breath of the Wild
- ARMS
- Splatoon 2
- Mario + Rabbids

Digital Games:
- Thumper
- FAST RMX
- Kamiko

Pros: It's a great looking system. It can be sleek and modern if you like boring black and grey, and it can also be playful and unique with the color choices of the Joy-Con. As a piece of hardware it's pretty good and so far performance has been great. The games that I've played all look great and for the most part perform splendid. I've done 99% of my gaming on docked mode and the image on the big screen looks great. The games I've bought on the system all have good attention to detail.

Cons: The Joy-Cons are terrible. The height of the sticks is bad, the buttons are too small and they're an ergonomic mess for the most part. I can sort of get used to handheld mode but it's impossible for me to find a good angle to play in tabletop mode. Games like Thumper and FAST demand quick reflexes and I just can't get used to playing them well on the Switch's small screen or with Joy-Cons. The e-shop is already a cluttered mess and the network options for the system are a complete bust.

Games I'm interested in the immediate future:
- Stardew Valley
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Fire Emblem Warriors
- Indivisible
- Kentucky Route Zero
- Runner 3

Overall I would say the Switch is the Wii U I probably always wanted. It's still though firmly my alternate console, strictly for Nintendo games and the odd exclusive. And it's not really doing a lot to pull me away from something like Overwatch on PS4 or my emerging pivot to PC gaming. It's the most boring answer but it's basically the console to play Nintendo games on and that's pretty much it.

[NWR_insanolord]

So, uh, I've gone a little overboard with Switch.

Games I Own:

The Legend of Zelda: breath of the Wild
Fast RMX
Snipperclips
Shovel Knight Treasure Trove
Blaster Master Zero
Kamiko
The Binding of Isaac
New Frontier Days: Founding Pioneers
Mr Shifty
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Tumbleseed
Battle Sports Mekuru
Metal Slug
Super Bomberman R
Mighty Gunvolt Burst
Graceful Explosion Machine
Minecraft
GoNNER
Death Squared
Arms
Splatoon 2
Cave Story+
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
Ironcast
Sonic Mania
Retro City Rampage DX
Forma.8
Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Super Sidekicks
Namco Museum
Piczle Lines DX
Slime-San


As that ridiculous list suggests, I absolutely adore the Switch. From a hardware perspective it's my favorite game system ever and I'd prefer to play just about everything on it

[Order.RSS]

Wow Insanolord that's quite the list already for just 6 months haha! Have there been any major stinkers so far, or is it all mostly in decent-good-great category?

[NWR_insanolord]

The only one I didn't think was at least decent was Super Sidekicks, as my review indicated, though I haven't put as much time into some of them as I'd like.