Early thoughts on the Switch's games

[skywake]

So in the WAN show they went over some of the stuff from the Switch and as a Nintendo fan? I think they were pretty spot on. I had basically the same thoughts about all of the stuff after presentation itself. But I've actually now watched some more footage and while some those thoughts stand some of this stuff actually looks a lot better. So rather than making a thread for each one of these I'm just going to make one thread to say what I want to say.

 

To start there are the big games. Zelda and Mario. Nothing more needs to be said about these that hasn't been said already. They look like they're running well on the hardware and they're the first year's system sellers. If you like Nintendo you're buying the Switch for these. It is worth noting that Zelda, Mario Kart and Splatoon are all basically on the Wii U in one way or another. Oddly the way I feel about it Splatoon is the only one that doesn't seem worth getting on the Switch if you have a Wii U. Zelda looks like it's running a lot better on the Switch. Mario Kart is a "deluxe" edition but it actually has battle mode now and new tracks. Splatoon? .... I loved it on Wii U and this one is supposedly a sequel but it kinda looks like more of the same.

 

Then there are the oddball releases. Arms and 1-2 Switch. I didn't really care for either of them until I saw them in action. 1-2 Switch I first thought was just a shallow duelling game and that's kinda what it is. But there appears to be a fair amount of variety in those duels. It's basically like a WarioWare type game but with Wario removed from the package so it doesn't scare off the average consumer. Worth full retail? eh, maybe not for the enthusiasts, but as a mass market game it's fine. It should be included in the box. Arms on the other hand actually looks pretty decent. When they first showed it I thought it was a Wii Boxing type thing but it really isn't. There are motion controls but they're optional and even with motion you still need to use buttons. More importantly there appears to be a lot of depth to the combat. If this game is like anything it's kinda a bit like Tekken or something. With long arms. If the character roster for Arms ends up being something like 3x as big? It's definitely worth full retail IMO.

 

Lastly there are a bunch of other smaller games. Like that RPG from Square Enix, the Street Fighter 2 game and whatever the hell Snipperclips is. There are a few others like that and they all look like something you'd see on a 3DS not a home console. And initially I kinda brushed them off as boring. But then it clicked, this is also a portable system. Those games could actually fit this system pretty well. And at this point lets have our fingers crossed for Pokemon sooner rather than later.

 

Anyways, what are everyone else's impressions?

 

edit: Montage footage of some of the minigames from 1-2 Switch in action

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by skywake

[Simurgh]

I like them, I like the system. I don't buy Nintendo consoles to play much besides weird Nintendo games and storied franchises. 

(I'll probably buy NBA 2K17/18 on the switch if it's good, being able to play in bed would be awesome)

 

It's kind of like the Wii, nobody thought Wii sports were going to be so fun, but it was  

[SCHISCHKA]

i havnt seen the videos as my data is low. i can't find anything on google. is the switch running android and does it have a better processor than the nvidia shield tablet?

[Ithanul]

They can have my money if the rumor on that Pokemon game is true.  Feels like ages since the Pokemon Stadium games on the N64 and Gamecube.

 

The Zelda game has my interest, but I rather a new Metroid like the Metroid Prime Trilogy was made.  Or, if Platinum Games make a spiritual successor to Okami (my all time favorite game).

[skywake]

@SCHISCHKA

I think we can pretty much assume that it's not running Android. It's a console, it's going to be running a stripped down OS with a very small overhead. Very little will be running in the background during games. Also the price would suggest that it's quite a bit more capable than the Shield Tablet. The Shield Tablet launched about 3 years ago at $299US. This is launching in a couple of months at the same price. So in terms of horsepower it's probably closest to the XBOne if anything and what they've shown so far would seem to back that up. But with that said, all we know for certain is that it's a custom Tegra Chip. That's it.

[SteveGrabowski0]

Maybe I just don't like art style with all the cel shading, but I'm not that impressed by the Zelda trailers. Now Mario Odyssey, that looks amazing.

[TheBestUserName]

I ordered two Switch consoles, because I put that much stock in Nintendo's long-term success more than I like the announced lineup of games. The only ones that interest me so far are just the first-party titles. But not all of them. So far I'm just in it for Zelda, Mario, Splatoon, and Mario Kart.  I have a Wii U and a lot of games on it, but I don't have Splatoon or MK on it.   (But I've borrowed MK from a co-worker so that I can try before I buy on Switch.)  I'm also moderately interested in No More Heroes because I have them on the Wii and they're kinda cool.  

 

1-2 Switch does not interest me at all.  I didn't spend all this money on video game consoles to play an audio game. 

But I'm also expecting new iterations, at some point, of Donkey Kong and Metroid. A new Kirby would be nice, too.  Probably some others whose names elude me right now. 

[atavax]

So the thing is, ALOT depends on just how good the controllers are. I could see the ARMs game being super fun or I could see it being totally useless depending on just how well the controllers work. Also, how long do those controller's batteries last? They're tiny so i can't see them having a very large battery and lasting that long... So how long can you actually game with them?

 

I have serious doubts about many ps4 or xbone games being ported to the Switch. I mean, i don't think devs are going to want to butcher the visuals to get it to run and a far less powerful console. Also, i imagine Sony and Microsoft sponsored games won't be ported just because of competition. Plus, even in the absolute best case scenario, the Switch's userbase will be way smaller than the xbone and ps4 for like at the very least 3 years, so there would be even less incentive to port to the switch.

 

I do however see a lot 3ds devs going to the switch, so i think we're going to see a lot of those types of games available on the platform.

 

Another concern is that the switch only has 32gb of internal storage... Goodluck having any kind of digital library... I mean, in this day and age, I don't see how they can justify that in a full console, PCs have that much RAM...

 

The optional controller seems absurdly expensive and nothing special.

 

With all that said, i pre ordered it. Considering it is both a mobile console and a full console, I can see how the price is justified. Supply is limited, i figure if i don't want it at launch, i can probably just sell it and make at least $75.

[skywake]

@atavax

Switch: 3 hour charge, 2.5-6.5 hours of battery depending on the game. Charges via USB Type C

Joycon: 3.5 hour charge, ~20 hours of battery. Charges passively when connected to the main unit

Pro Controller: 6 hour charge time, ~40 hours of battery. Charges via a USB cable (no idea what type)

 

Also all the controllers have haptic feedback (they're calling it "HD Rumble) and full motion control. The right Joycon has a distance sensor which I'm not sure what the point is TBH. Additionally both the right Joycon and the Pro Controller have NFC. Whether or not these are things worth having? I guess it's arguable. But it does explain the pricing. I don't know about other regions but here the Pro Controller is the same price as the PS4 and XBOne controllers. Is the pricing radically different elsewhere? Because I don't understand what people are complaining about with that.....

[atavax]

For US Prices

 

the pro controllers are $70, as opposed to xbone and ps4 controllers being $60. 116% the price. Which is pretty bad because the pro controller looks much cheaper in quality imo.

 

But what is really bad is If you want a 2nd controller like the one that comes with the switch, its $110, it would cost you nearly double what an official microsoft one or ps4 controller would cost.

 

Finally, whats the worst is the charging dock. $90 to be able to plug your Switch into another place and charge it.

 

I also think that people are more upset with the Nintendo controller prices because i think Nintendo fans are more likely to use their console for local multiplayer than PS4 or Xbone fans, so they are going to be forced to pay ALOT for these controllers.

 

What i'm personally most concerned about is the online subscription they want to get people to play. As i'm primarily a PC gamer, i don't think i would use it enough to justify spending even $5 a month on it. I also hate recurring expenses like a passion.

[KuJoe]

I know nothing about the games coming out for the Nintendo Switch nor do I care, I'm buying one regardless because Nintendo is the only company who puts out consoles I can play with my wife and kid without having to worry about content or any learning curve (excluding Sega, but they don't make consoles anymore so I hope my Dreamcast lives forever).

[atavax]

6 minutes ago, KuJoe said:

I know nothing about the games coming out for the Nintendo Switch nor do I care, I'm buying one regardless because Nintendo is the only company who puts out consoles I can play with my wife and kid without having to worry about content or any learning curve (excluding Sega, but they don't make consoles anymore so I hope my Dreamcast lives forever).

yep, i totally agree. It seems like Nintendo is the only true console anymore. Sony and Microsoft are just PC wannabees with their consoles. Constantly trying to play catch up with the much more powerful, popular, and profitable PC GAMING is. But Nintendo knows its place and focuses on making a unique wholly Nintendo gaming experience.

[KuJoe]

1 minute ago, atavax said:

yep, i totally agree. It seems like Nintendo is the only true console anymore. Sony and Microsoft are just PC wannabees with their consoles. Constantly trying to play catch up with the much more powerful, popular, and profitable PC GAMING is. But Nintendo knows its place and focuses on making a unique wholly Nintendo gaming experience.

Agreed. If I wanted a realistic gaming experience then I hop on my desktop, if I want to have fun with my family and friends then I pull out a Nintendo console.

[skywake]

@atavax

On the controller prices, for a start those prices in the US relative to other controllers is odd. Because in Australia the Pro Controller is about the same price as the new XBOne controller. But in any case the controller, despite your assumption that it's a cheaper piece of hardware, is actually far more complicated. Even assuming the HD rumble doesn't cost any extra the Pro Controller does have NFC and Motion controls. So based on the hardware alone I think it should cost a bit more. It's an XBOne controller with NFC and Motion control and people are shocked it's not cheaper?

 

With the Joycons themselves? Well ok, a pair of them is expensive compared to a regular single controller. But to be fair each of them can be used independently. I don't see any real reason why you'd need to buy more than one extra pair. Because if I'm playing local-multiplayer Mario Kart? Player 3 and 4 are going to have to share. And even if there's a game that needs more than that the device is portable. There's probably going to be more than one Switch in a lot of houses anyways and they are effectively giving you two controllers in the box. I don't think its as big a deal as it initially seems.

 

The dock? Well you don't need the dock to charge. I'm sure that even if Nintendo don't make them someone else will make a dock that charges only. It's literally just USB Type C, you can grab a standard USB Type C cable and charge it if you want. What's actually inside the dock is a DisplayPort alt-mode USB Type C HDMI hub. Looking on Amazon there are some of those on sale for ~$30US with the regular prices being ~$70US. So the pricing for the Switch dock is high but not too outlandish.

 

/corrective rant

[atavax]

@skywake

I guess the question is how many people are really going to appreciate having motion controls in a gamepad? I think most people would prefer a $10 cheaper gamepad without NFC and motion controls. The general consensus appears to be that the controller doesn't feel as solid and the xbox one's.

 

I don't think you can call what comes in the box has 2 legitimate tv console controllers. Using them as controllers for 2 seperate people appears as more of a gimmick to allow easy mobile multiplayer. And that they aren't meant as two seperate and legitimate console controllers.

 

Input is so important for gaming and we don't know which input will turn out the best. But what if the most natural controller for you and your friends are the joypads attached to the charging grip? Then it comes with 1 controller and you have to spend $110 per friend that wants to use it.  Plus have you ignored the color schemes? Clearly Nintendo plans to sell limited edition versions of the joycons of different colors to get people to buy many of them.

 

Also, especially with the extremely limited supply in the first wave of Switches, i defiantly don't think you can just assume most households will have multiple switches.

 

companies selling something comparable to the dock for $30 and you don't think $90 is outlandish? i disagree.

[skywake]

@atavax

You can say that you don't care about motion controls at all but some people do. For example I had a Wii U and thought that the way they used motion controls in Splatoon brought it much closer to a KB + Mouse setup. An analogue stick is quick but not precise and motion controls are precise but slow. Combine them and you get controls that are both quick and precise. So you can quickly turn around to get someone behind you but then also track them as they move. The only other control setup I've used that was as good as that was KB + Mouse.

 

With the NFC well there is this thing called Amiibo. Whether or not the core audience cares about it they are fairly popular. As a kid friendly console Skylanders are also a thing they want to support. Nintendo would be stupid not to include NFC so the question is more about where to include the chip. If they put it on the Switch itself you'd have to physically walk upto the console to use it when its docked. Not ideal. So they've put it in the controller instead. Whether you think they're needed or not it makes sense that they're there. It also explains the price.

 

The idea of a more simplified controller that doesn't have all that extra stuff? Well sure. But they already have such a controller. The Wii U Pro Controller is basically the same as this new Pro Controller but without the motion controls and NFC. There are also WiiMotes and Classic Controllers from the Wii era. They exist. All they'd need to do to make you happy would be to allow those older controllers to be used on the new system. Which they might do with zero fanfare given that it's all just bluetooth. We don't know at this point but frankly I wouldn't be surprised.

 

The bit about different colours? I don't see how that is any different to any other controller ever made. Microsoft has various limited edition and different coloured versions of the controllers for the XBOne. There is even an official site where you can make your own custom one. And that's before we consider the Elite or the various third party options. That sort of thing has been happening for every single console released for decades.

 

 

Lastly the point about the dock being too expensive. You do realise that the ~$30US price I quoted was the discounted price right? The regular price was ~$70US. And in any case if there is an option out there for $30US why are you complaining about the price of the official one? There are going to be and arguably there already are cheaper third party versions of the dock. All I said was that as a launch product and official accessory the price of the dock isn't outlandish. I'm not getting one at that price but still, I can see how they've justified the price. Also worth noting that the cheapest "dock equivalent" I can find is $99AU + $10AU shipping. My local retailer is charging $129AU.

[atavax]

Idk, i've never seen motion controls used in a gamepad before. Just in like wand form with the wii and like the ps4 version. I'm skeptical, we will see. As for just making the old pro controller compatible. The old pro controller wasn't a very good controller period. Two analog sticks on the top on both sides? what were they thinking? I just want a good controller at a reasonable price. Not a price that can be justified through gimmicks.

 

As for the DisplayPort alt-mode USB Type C HDMI hub  being on sale: With electronics an electronic comes out, when its brand new, its expensive. After the tech is old, it goes on "sale" Its not like a GTX 970 is really still worth $650 and they're all just on sale now for $350. Unless its some holiday or maybe a singular brand is having a special sale, when there is more than one brand's version of a specific item, its typically because the item has become worth less. This isn't some menial small percentage discount, this is the price dropped to a third of what it was, and its not like there is some holiday or anything to justify some kind of massive sale.

[skywake]

59 minutes ago, atavax said:

Idk, i've never seen motion controls used in a gamepad before. Just in like wand form with the wii and like the ps4 version. I'm skeptical, we will see. As for just making the old pro controller compatible. The old pro controller wasn't a very good controller period. Two analog sticks on the top on both sides? what were they thinking? I just want a good controller at a reasonable price. Not a price that can be justified through gimmicks.

I can only speak for myself and frankly I'd be a bit annoyed if it didn't have motion controls. Trying to use a standard controller for any kind of precision aiming is pretty garbage. This isn't the waggle kind of thing that people associate with motion controls. What I'm talking about is a sort of motion assisted analogue stick. You hardly notice that you're using motion controls until you play a game without it and notice you've lost that extra little bit of precision.

 

With the Wii U Pro Controller I couldn't disagree with you more. I have one hooked upto my PC and have never had an issue with it. People love to make a big deal about the stick placement but again I never had an issue with that. For a lot of games that placement I'd argue is better. Especially games which are more about dual analogue and triggers than the face buttons. But even for 2D games it's not like the D-Pad and A/B/X/Y are unreachable. It's all personal preference I guess and each to their own. I just think people mostly complain about the Wii U Pro Controller because the Wii U never gained enough momentum for anyone to get used to it.