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.

[Lemonade]

I still likethe Switch very much. Im also glad that it seems to be successful so far.
Only time will tell if it replaces the Wii U as my favourite console. It all depends on the games.

[Nemo]

Retail games:
Zelda- played about 130 hours. Loved it. Didn't do everything the game had to offer. Didn't get DLC. Might be my favorite game of all time, and I own hundreds of games, so that is quite a feat.
Binding of Isaac: Played this one over 100 hours. I love the challenge and the way that things are different every time I play it.
ARMS: hardly played it. Kind of regret getting it, but I'll have to play some more.

Digital:
Snake Pass: A fun collect-a-thon. Mastering the controls is really fun once you get over the hump. Found all the goodies. Very satisfying.
Snipperclips: played this one with the wife. Tons of fun but we wish it lasted longer.
Blaster Master Zero: Fun. Retro. Solid. Beat it once. The (timed free) DLC is neat.
Death Squared: beat the regular mode with the wife. We enjoyed it. It got pretty tough near the end. We still need to play the other mode.
Jackbox pack 3: fun with large groups, especially with creative funny people.

I like being able to play the Switch on the TV or take it with me easily on vacation. On a plane or in bed next to my wife.

I did have issues with one of my joy cons. I sent it out for repairs and it is better, but still isn't great. If anything is between my joy con and system, it'll briefly lose connection. I can't sit with my knees up. It's the case with both joy cons. I think the wireless just is weak. I did get a pro controller and that works fine.

I feel that there are plenty of games coming down the pipeline that I'm excited for. Mario Odyssey, Steam World Dig 2, Skyrim. Metroid Prime 4. There's honestly more games than I have time for as a responsible adult.

I hope that Nintendo improves the eShop and menus soon. I hope that virtual console is linked to Wii U and 3DS, even though that's unlikely. I hope that streaming services come out eventually. Even if none of these things are fixed, I'll still be pleased with the games.

Overall, I'm very happy.

[Caterkiller]

I'm a day oner and have been very pleased with the Switch so far.


Games:
1 - Zelda - 345 hrs (1 save file, all Koroks, missing one itsy bitsy portion of the map)
2 - Mario Kart - 20+ hrs
3 - Splatoon - 20+ hrs
4 - Arms - 5 hrs
5 - Puyo Tetris - 15+ hrs
6 - Cooking Indy - under 5 hrs
7 - Snake Pass - Under 5 hrs
8 - Sonic Mania - 20+ hrs
9 - Mario X Rabbids - 10+ hrs


All digital and boy I am having a great time! Since the thing released I have yet to feel like I have nothing to play. Zelda and Sonic have me coming back over and over to get something of a 100% out of them and I'm always jumping in and out of Mario Kart and Splatoon for multiplayer. I certainly enjoy Arms but then Sonic came out and completely stole my time away. Mario X Rabbids is something I did not want but now I love it!


I've had no problems with the dock scratching the screen or the machine itself warping. I also have 2 kids who love video games. A 5 year old and 2 year old. Not a single scratch going in and out of the dock by my daughter. My pro controller has been perfect as I don't have the d-pad issue.


I did buy a second set of neon joy cons and the left one is acting up. Plus I had no sound coming out of my tv several times and it just magically fixes itself after a day of just leaving it alone. Besides those things though my hardware has been great.


I'm very pleased with the release schedule, the form factor of the hardware as well as what its capable of. I give it 13 thumbs up!

[Khushrenada]

1 - Zelda - 345 hrs (1 save file, all Koroks, missing one itsy bitsy portion of the map)

I was wondering if you ever found out what part of the map you missed and got your 100% but I guess not yet.

[Mop it up]

It would seem the key to having a successful system is to have it follow a failed system, then pull games from the failed platform to increase the year-one lineup, hee hee.

[NWR_insanolord]

Definitely helped the PS4.

[Khushrenada]

Hasn't seemed to help Microsoft. Hi-yoooooooooo!

[NWR_insanolord]

Seems like their problem is that the 360 wasn't a failed system.

[Mop it up]

Definitely helped the PS4.

It did have a number of ports, but the PS3 wasn't a failed system.

[Khushrenada]

Seems like their problem is that the 360 wasn't a failed system.

Oh right. All those red rings of death were just system failures.

[NWR_insanolord]

Definitely helped the PS4.

It did have a number of ports, but the PS3 wasn't a failed system.

Not on the same level of the Wii U, certainly, but it definitely failed to live up to Sony's expectations.

[Mop it up]

Definitely helped the PS4.

It did have a number of ports, but the PS3 wasn't a failed system.

Not on the same level of the Wii U, certainly, but it definitely failed to live up to Sony's expectations.

True, but Sony had some hugely egotistical expectations for the system, hee hee. It did have a rough start that took years to fully recover from, but after all was said and done it still sold over 80 million units worldwide, which is about on par with the Xbox 360 and getting close to Wii. In the end it was a successful platform by any reasonable measure.

Then again, it does seem like Sony learned from their mistakes with the PS3 launch, so perhaps the early failings of the PS3 has indeed been a factor in the PS4 being successful from the outset, hee hee.

[ThePerm]

PS3 is an example of a slow burn comeback. They might still be selling systems with hopes it will surpass the Wii.

[Shaymin]

The PS3 has been discontinued in all territories. They're not going to pass the Wii, but I think they're content with passing the 360.

[Khushrenada]

True, but Sony had some hugely egotistical expectations for the system, hee hee. It did have a rough start that took years to fully recover from, but after all was said and done it still sold over 80 million units worldwide, which is about on par with the Xbox 360 and getting close to Wii. In the end it was a successful platform by any reasonable measure.

Half of those sales came from Harold Finch just to keep The Machine alive, though. I'm not sure that makes it a successful "gaming" platform.

[Mop it up]

I've realized that the Switch poses a dilemma for me. My choice is that either I become totally spoiled on Super Mario Odyssey before playing it (which let's face it, everyone will be talking about so it'll be unavoidable unless I stay off the Internet), or I get a Switch next month and then go on to regret buying it too early.

You folks (sort of) know me well enough. Which one do you think is not as bad as the other?

[NWR_insanolord]

With the Switch selling as well as it is I don't think it's likely to drop in price for a while, and there's a lot of other good stuff on there apart from Mario. I don't know if you'd regret buying it then.

[Ian Sane]

I've realized that the Switch poses a dilemma for me. My choice is that either I become totally spoiled on Super Mario Odyssey before playing it (which let's face it, everyone will be talking about so it'll be unavoidable unless I stay off the Internet), or I get a Switch next month and then go on to regret buying it too early.

You folks (sort of) know me well enough. Which one do you think is not as bad as the other?

I would say the biggest regret for buying a system too early is if it gets a price drop shortly afterwards and you don't feel that it was worth the extra money for you to have bought the system when you did.  That tends to happen to struggling systems or really successful systems after sales start leveling off and the manufacturer is trying to win over fence sitters.  With the Switch still routinely selling out I don't think a price cut is happening any time soon.  So I think you're safe with a purchase now.

Though with handhelds Nintendo tends to release superior models as time goes on making it annoying to be an early adopter stuck with an inferior design.  Now I don't know if the handheld "rules" apply to the Switch.  It's also only six months old so IF Nintendo has a new design it isn't coming out until late 2019 at the earliest.  At that point I figure you'll have gotten your money's worth out of the Switch.

[MagicCow64]

If I had the spare scratch this year I'd absolutely buy a Switch. Forgoing Zelda was bad enough, but missing out on Odyssey is going to fucking kill me. This'll probably be the longest I've gone without a Nintendo home console after release since the SNES. The only upshot is that whenever I'm finally able to pick one up I'll have continuous months of content, which, actually could be problematic in itself . . .

[Luigi Dude]

Lets just put it this way.  The last time Nintendo had a system that was a hit at launch and was still supply constrained over 6 months after launch was the Wii.  The Wii didn't see its first price cut until 3 years after it launched.  Considering the Switch isn't even close to reaching the point where Nintendo can match demand yet, a price cut is the last thing anyone should worry about.

Actually I'm tempted to buy a Switch at least a week before Mario Odyssey because I worry that once Mario Odyssey comes out it'll be even harder to find the system then it already is.  We all saw how huge Zelda was at launch, the way things are looking with Mario I wouldn't be surprised if it's even bigger.  Mario has always been a bigger series in the first place but the combination of everything Odyssey seems to be doing and pulling off so beautifully I could see it being a much bigger event and becoming like a second launch, which I'm not sure Nintendo will have anywhere near enough Switch's ready for it.

[Khushrenada]

Like Luigi Dude mentions, I personally don't expect a price drop anytime soon as Nintendo clearly has no reason to do so. I have been hoping for a bundle type situation (or possible new color) and the upcoming Mario bundle is pretty tempting but I'm still going to wait. The pull of Mario is strong but I've still got a lot to play on my Wii U (especially with Miiverse soon to end) and my 3DS plus I'm probably going to sink a lot of time replaying some games on the SNES Classic (along with a couple I've never played before like FF6 and Secret of Mana). Knowing this, I can wait out the initial hype. I don't really think it expect to be spoiled to much on the game and feel I can I avoid a lot of spoilery type news. Plus, I think there's a good chance I can forget things that might get spoiled by the time I finally do get around to playing it.

I know you regretted getting the 3DS early and Nintendo didn't really do a lot to help allieviate buyer's remorse at the time but I think the Switch is at a better state now than the whole first year of the 3DS was even if you got BotW for Wii U and don't want to repurchase Mario Kart 8. If I had a Switch, I'd be looking for Odyssey, Arms, Xenoblade 2, Rime and, yes, even Yooka-Layle still, for the system. That's a lot to keep me busy and the Yoshi and Kirby games on the way are my cup of tea also. And Bomberman also. And Fire Emblem Warriors. Well, the point is, the software list and appeal is growing more and more for me. But, you should know what appeals to you for software and how much mileage you may get based on your play style so use that to judge if it is worth jumping in now. Even though Nintendo is taking their time still in announcing certain features or improving the interface to what others would like, I see a lot of positives with the current state anyways and I do think it is going to get better since Nintendo seems more determined to succeed with the Switch than in past consoles they've released.

[pokepal148]

With the Switch selling as well as it is I don't think it's likely to drop in price for a while, and there's a lot of other good stuff on there apart from Mario. I don't know if you'd regret buying it then.

I'm getting it for 25% off by abusing employee discounts though.

[ShyGuy]

I was in a Target today and I saw three Switches in the cabinet. One color and two gray. It looks like the gravy train is over boys! back to NintenDoomed!

[lolmonade]

I was in a Target today and I saw three Switches in the cabinet. One color and two gray. It looks like the gravy train is over boys! back to NintenDoomed!

Yep, there's about 4-5 at my Target, 2-3 at my Wal-Mart, including a Splatoon bundle.  I suspect at this point in the year' they're looking to stock up for Christmas shoppers. 

[Mop it up]

While the Switch may be unlikely to receive a price drop (even the Wii U barely dropped in price despite its sales), what could happen is a good bundle deal releasing. The Wii U had several nice bundles that I could have gotten if I waited a bit. That said, the Switch already has two official game bundles, and both of them have actually increased the price of the Switch. So I s'pose it looks unlikely that an actual bundle deal will be coming out any time soon.

Then again, I s'pose I should be thankful I don't have to pay the Canadian prices. Wowee.

Though with handhelds Nintendo tends to release superior models as time goes on making it annoying to be an early adopter stuck with an inferior design.  Now I don't know if the handheld "rules" apply to the Switch.  It's also only six months old so IF Nintendo has a new design it isn't coming out until late 2019 at the earliest.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. If the Switch follows the 3DS, it could have a revision announced as early as mid-2018, especially because there are a lot of little things about the Switch design which could be improved by a revision. However, thinking back to the 3DS, I was able to sell my original 3DS for close to the price I paid for my XL. If the Switch remains popular, then I could probably sell my old Switch for close to the price of any hypothetical new model, especially if I sell it around the holidays. So that, too, may not be as much of a worry as I first thought.

I'm sure I'll still regret getting it too early, but it shouldn't be too strong of a feeling. I also still have plenty of Wii U and 3DS games to play during inevitable Switch game droughts. I don't really like the current colour choices, though. Grey is boring, but neon is too garish from the mismatch, and I don't like the neon red. I wonder if they will release some other colours of grips, to go with the coloured Joy-Cons.

[broodwars]

I'm still waiting on Nintendo to give me a reason to want a Switch. So far, I've only seen games that I would buy if I HAD a Switch, but nothing that justifies the $300+ coat of buying one yet. All the indie games I largely can & have gotten on other platforms. Mario x Rabbids looked interesting, but I hear it fizzles out halfway through. Splatoon 2 & Xenoblade 2 are just more Splatoon & Xenoblade, from the looks of things. Mario is just more Mario, even if it's a return to my type of Mario. Besides, I'm wary of buying a console for just one game after being completely disappointed in the Xbone after buying it for Sunset Overdrive.

Not sure what will interest me in the Switch, but I suppose I'll know it when I see it. Maybe Prime 4.

What I see so far is a solid, but not exactly exciting, lineup.

[NWR_insanolord]

The Wii U didn't drop in price because it used a lot of custom hardware components that never came down in price, which limited what Nintendo could do. The Switch uses mostly off the shelf hardware, which should be a lot more likely to drop in price.

[alegoicoe]

I finally got my switch yesterday with mario+rabbids and bought golf story. I got to say that i didnt expect to enjoy the system so much. The hd rumble caught me by surpise how good it feels. The portability aspect is another deal breaker. I imagine how much fun its going to be to be able to play skyrym on the go. Cant wait to play Mario Oddessy.

[Mop it up]

I decided to buy a Switch instead of a new EpiPen.

...I may be regretting this already...

[Khushrenada]

Why? Are you allergic to it?

[nickmitch]

I decided to buy a Switch instead of a new EpiPen.

...I may be regretting this already...

Just don't lick the cartridges!

[Mop it up]

Why? Are you allergic to it?

You know the coating on game cards which makes them taste bad? As it turns out, the coating is made from crushed-up bees.

[Arbok]

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

This about sums up my feelings on it too. I love the quick start aspect of the system and the flexibility. While I vastly prefer docked mode, it's great to know I can just grab it for a trip too real quick (literally it uses the same charging cable as my Galaxy S8 so don't even need to take an extra cord).

My only regret with it is that I bought a physical copy of Mario Kart for it.. in hindsight, digital would have been so much better since pretty much every trip I want to play it with others but will often have a single player game in the card slot.

[Evan_B]

So I know it's a few months late, but I'd like to chime in.

The Switch is a bit of a conundrum, to me. On one hand, I never intended on getting one, at launch. That opportunity was gifted to me by some very charitable people, but I would have been satisfied playing Zelda on Wii U, as a sort of swan song for the system and hopefully closing a chapter on gaming in general. But, I did get a Switch, and while my library of games is rather small at the moment, I really love the system and what it does. Specifically, it gives me a reason to take it anywhere and play with other people. When I say "play with other people," however, I will list one caveat, which is that it doesn't really have any multiplayer games that have enduring longevity.

ARMS team battles are a mess. Mario Kart 8 isn't really compelling. Splatoon 2 is a slippery slope that requires far too much time investment. I personally love Snipperclips, but finding someone to play with is an uphill struggle. I want to get the DLC but again, it's hard to justify when the people I surround myself with don't find it all that addictive or enjoyable. What it needs is something that isn't just gimmicky, but also has great pick-up-and-play options. I love showing other people my Switch- even though I recently returned Splatoon 2 and now only have two full-size games in my library, those two games are so fantastic and fun that it is always exciting to show off. For me personally, however, I'm gonna need those JRPGs, and a few other landmark titles like Prime 4, Doom, Smash Bros., and maybe Pikmin before it can attempt to take the place of the Wii U in my heart.

I love my Wii U.

[broodwars]

So, I decided to bite the bullet yesterday & get a Switch, due mainly to the industry's recent aggressive push against SP games. As I noted before, my biggest hangup with the Switch was the price.

Well, after getting rid of my 3DS & all my 3DS & DS games, I managed to get the price down to $186 for the Mario Bundle + Zelda, and that was pretty acceptable to me. I never liked or wanted to play the 3DS anyway.

Mario's fun, as expected, but I'm kind of shocked at how half-finished the Switch is. There's no download manager, something even the Wii U & 3DS had. You can't pause downloads at all. The Switch also won't tell you how big files being downloaded ARE, all of which are major issues for me right now on a limited tethered connection.

Mario was also a digital download, which was just fantastic considering that, but thankfully I had the bandwidth. I couldn't see the box when I got it, so I just didn't know beforehand that I'd have to wait 3-4 hours to play it.

The eShop right now is a total cluster****, with no categorization or sorting options to make finding ANYTHING easier. One of my favorite things to do when I first get a system is to go look at all the demos. There's no sort for that, despite the 3DS having this. I had to go look at a GameSpot article to find a list of Switch demos. Incidentally, there aren't very many "new" demos, either, though Octopath is neat.

Speaking of, Snipperclips' demo can go die in a fire, the way it kept forcing my controls to 2P & horizontal layout IN THE SYSTEM MENU, with no option to fix it except going into the system menus & recalibrating.

The Switch also seems to be a colossal resource hog. Even PSN on my connection would download a 5.6 GB file faster than 3-4 hours, and while Mario was downloading NO other game systems I had could connect to my network. Maybe that's just my weak network, but my PS4 & Xbone never had a problem sharing a network.

Speaking of downloading issues, there doesn't seem to be a great way to just set the Switch idle to do downloads. "Sleep Mode" is just the Power Off state. There doesn't seem to be a Standby Mode where it does updates but isn't fully on & doesn't have to be monitored.

My first impression of the Switch experience right now is that it feels pretty half-assed. I still need to pick up Mario + Rabbids, Splatoon 2, &...I dunno, maybe Arms when I have more money.

[ShyGuy]

I've never had bandwidth issues while downloading on the Switch.

[that Baby guy]

I've downloaded games in sleep mode a few times now, no issues like you're describing there.

[broodwars]

I've downloaded games in sleep mode a few times now, no issues like you're describing there.

*shrug* All I know is that every time I've brought my Switch out of Sleep Mode, I've had to manually reconnect to my network because it disconnected in Sleep Mode.

[nickmitch]

Have you updated to the latest firmware?  I think I remember having connection issues initially, with Splatoon demos, but not after the game launched.

Thinking about it, the solution there was to power off the system completely to reconnect.  So, I'm not sure if it was the same issue you're having.

[broodwars]

Have you updated to the latest firmware?  I think I remember having connection issues initially, with Splatoon demos, but not after the game launched.

Thinking about it, the solution there was to power off the system completely to reconnect.  So, I'm not sure if it was the same issue you're having.

Yeah, I made sure I was up-to-date but I'll doublecheck when I get home. It's increasingly sounding like the Switch just doesn't like mobile networks.

[that Baby guy]

It very well could, particularly with your router's setup or just general brand. I've seen that complaint online before.

I will say I even purchased Super Mario Odyssey from my internet browser on my laptop, and the game downloaded without me touching the Switch. Granted it was the predownload, but I turned it on the day after, it verified the software's release, androgynous that was it.

[BranDonk Kong]

So six...err almost eight months in and Switch has the #1 and #5 highest rated games of all time. pretty god damn impressive. http://www.gamerankings.com/browse.html

[Ian Sane]

So six...err almost eight months in and Switch has the #1 and #5 highest rated games of all time. pretty god damn impressive. http://www.gamerankings.com/browse.html

And apparently to be in the top rankings you have to be a Zelda, Mario or Grand Theft Auto game.

[Khushrenada]

Switch Mario Galaxy 1 with Mario 64 and I'd actually be ok with that list although I think OoT is a but dated and would switch that with BotW at least for top Zelda.

Coming in at #13 is the first GameCube game on the list and it's Metroid Prime. I think the list could use more GameCube games also but c'est la vie.

[Luigi Dude]

And apparently to be in the top rankings you have to be a Zelda, Mario or Grand Theft Auto game.

So if Nintendo can just get a port of GTAV with Mario and Zelda Amiibo support, we could have the first 100% rated game then. 

[Khushrenada]

Grand Theft Smash Bros.

[Mop it up]

I've been having a problem with the Switch not charging the Joy-Cons until they get down to the red bar. Apparently they only like to charge when the system battery is also charging, but I don't take it out of the dock. They also don't charge past half way this way. This means that sometimes when I take them off, they happened to be just above red and quickly die.

So I guess I'm going to need the charging grip then? It now makes even less than zero sense that the Switch doesn't include the charge grip. I guess they really want to force people to use it as a handheld, hee hee.

[Adrock]

That’s strange. According to Nintendo’s website:

1. Undock the console and detach the Joy-Cons.
2. Press the Sync button on each Joy-Con for one second to reset them.
3. Unplug the AC adapter from both ends to reset it.
4. If the console’s charge is almost out, charge it for at least 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Attach the Joy-Cons and connect the AC adapter directly to the console and to the wall
6. On the Home screen, select ”Controllers” to check the battery.

Also, check for any damage on anything. If none of that solved the charging issue, you may have to get it repaired (nooooooooooo...)

I don't take it out of the dock.

I’d recommend taking the console off the dock when not using it. Apparently, the warping issues are caused by keeping the console docked all the time.

I didn’t get the charging grip, but I did get an extra AC adapter for charging the Pro Controller.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I've been having a problem with the Switch not charging the Joy-Cons until they get down to the red bar. Apparently they only like to charge when the system battery is also charging, but I don't take it out of the dock. They also don't charge past half way this way. This means that sometimes when I take them off, they happened to be just above red and quickly die.

So I guess I'm going to need the charging grip then? It now makes even less than zero sense that the Switch doesn't include the charge grip. I guess they really want to force people to use it as a handheld, hee hee.

Nintendo tends to be really good about returns so if you can't resolve it another way you may want to contact them.


Anway, in regards to what I think of the Switch, I think it has had one of the better first 6 months in the last several console launches. PS4/Xbox One/Wii U all had pretty average lineups within 6 months but Switch so far has several games I am really enjoys such as BOTW, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart Deluxe, along with games I want to play such as ARMS, Splatoon 2 and the upcoming Xenoblade next month.

I seldom play the system in handheld mode though since the need seldom arises but it is nice to have that feature. Still appreciate the suspend mode on Switch far more than any other console, it is nice to almost instantly get back into a game where you left off when the console is turned on, not to mention having a clean user interface (especially compared to Xbox One's which is so cluttered and chaotic to navigate).

[Mop it up]

My problem is not a defect, it is the way the system is designed to work. You'll notice the documentation tells you to charge the Joy-Cons while the console is charging, so if the console is full then they won't charge past half. They charge fully when the console charges.

What might be an actual defect is that sometimes, the buttons I press on the right Joy-Con are delayed or ignored. That could be tough to fix though, if Nintendo can't replicate the issue.

I’d recommend taking the console off the dock when not using it. Apparently, the warping issues are caused by keeping the console docked all the time.

I find it tough to believe that, we're talking about warping metal here. I think some Switches were already warped as a defect, and it just took a bit before people noticed. I'll need to see some actual evidence that the dock caused it before I believe it.