Nintendo Switch

[henke]

(We had an earlier Nintendo Switch thread, but it has for some reason been re-titled Some Issue and consisted to 90% of Manwe being angry at VR anyway for some reason, so I'm making this new one.)

I picked up a Nintendo Switch + Mario Odyssey tonight!

First Impressions:
-the A and B buttons are in the wrong place! >:|
-the first level of Mario Odyssey is very minimal and dull. I suspect this is so that when the second level is introduced it will blow your friggin mind. It did.
-My friend code is SW-7641-0216-5814 and I am very lonely.
-I'd heard sales weren't as big a thing on Switch/Nintendo as on other systems, and a glance at the eShop's Current Offers page confirms that. 33% off is the biggest discount!
-It was almost impossible to get the grip attachment off the left joycon after putting it on, even with consulting Nintendo's online documentation.

Games besides Odyssey I've got my eye on:
-BOTW, OBVS
-Mario+Rabbids
-Golf Story

Is there anything else worth getting? Must admit I bought it mainly for these 4, but I'm hoping new, good things are on the horizon as well.

[Renzatic]

Welcome to the Nintendo Club, Henke! Cake and colas are in the back!

Two games to get besides Mario and Zelda?

Fast RMX. It's pretty much F-Zero in all but name, with Wipeout style aesthetics thrown into the mix. If mention of those two games excites you, you really have no excuse not to get it.



Blaster Master Zero!



edit: As far as big game sales go, it all depends on when you hit it up. Last week, I guess they had a Halloween spree going on, because there were about 15 games or so on sale for as much as 50% off. Right now, I think there are only three discounted at, like you said, 33%.

One good thing to keep in mind is that there is no regional lock on the Switch. You could make an account regioned for the US or Japan, and get demos and games exclusive from there if you want.

[Brethren]

I buy Nintendo consoles mainly for the first party titles like Mario, Zelda, Metroid. A bit limiting but worth it IMO. Metroid Prime 4 will hopefully be out next year. Also a Yoshi title I believe.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will be out in December. Also, Doom, Skyrim, and LA Noire. So yeah, a lot of games you probably own already.

I think in the future, the Switch will be great for indies, but at the moment most of the indie stuff available are games you likely have for other platforms already.

[Renzatic]

I wouldn't bother with LA Noire on the Switch. Rockstar apparently cheaped out by stuffing the game on the low capacity 4GB cartridges to save money, forcing everyone to download the rest of the game through the eStore.

...so what's the damn point of buying the cartridge at all?

[Brethren]

Not sure if this is right, but I thought I read that the Switch by itself doesn't have enough space for LA Noire, so you're forced to by an SD card to accommodate it. Lame.

[Renzatic]

The whole storage thing is one big clusterfuck, and probably the biggest downside to the system.

The Switch by itself does have enough space for LA Noire, 32GB, but it won't leave much room for anything else. You could solve this just by getting the game on cartridge, which come in 4,8,16,32, and 64GB flavors for developers to choose from, but the higher tier options cost more than the discs on the other consoles, leaving the less scrupulous developers to pull stunts like what Rockstar is doing with LA Noire to save money.

Best thing to do is buy a solid performing 128GB SD card, and call it a day to avoid the drama.

[Brethren]

As mentioned, I'm only in it for the Marios/Zeldas, but I don't quite get Nintendo releasing all these games that are 5-6 years old and charging full retail price for them. L.A. Noire for 50 bucks? Doom and Skyrim for 60? You can get those games for half that on other platforms. And if I'm not mistaken, these versions are watered down and don't have near the visuals that the normal versions do.

[Renzatic]

Actually, you'd be surprised at how well the Switch is handling these ports. Doom looks a little muddier due to using lower res textures, but it's still very much Doom, and Skyrim is about identical to the special editions on the big consoles.

Now that Doom on the Switch is about to come out, there are a few quality comparison videos already floating about on the internets. Yeah, it's the weakest of the 4, but it's also the only one running on what's basically a glorified smartphone. The fact it can pull off a port that's still competitive to the more powerful machines is impressive in and of itself.

[PigLick]

Remember the Wii, and how a ton of people who would never have bought a console got one? I think the same thing with the Switch, which is why it is worth porting these older "classic" games because these are games that are new to them.

[henke]

Blaster Master Zero!

I downloaded the demo, will give it a spin tonight. Never played much Wipeout, but Fast RMX does look nice. Adding it to the wishlist.

I buy Nintendo consoles mainly for the first party titles like Mario, Zelda, Metroid.

Yes, I bought it for pretty much the same reason. Well, that and I wanted a portable gaming system with meatier gaming experiences than the iPad can serve up.

Anyway I'm already drowning in games on the other systems, so just having a few must-have titles doesn't feel like a big negative.

[N'Al]

I'd pick up the Switch in a heartbeat if it had access to Nintendo's Virtual Console store.

[henke]

Yes, as someone who hasn't owned a Nintendo system since the GameBoy, I'd also love access to games from the last few generations. I'm hoping Super Mario Galaxy shows up in some form (VC, HD remake, etc.) at some point.

[Malf]

Regarding controls, the Pro controller's pretty essential, but it's also a bit over-priced for what it is.

If I could get a widescreen remaster of F-Zero X that I could play on the fly on the Switch, I'd be ecstatic. Same goes for 1080°. Even standard definition widescreen would be fine by me.

Edit: Oh, and the first level is deceptively barren the first time round. When you get a chance to head back there later and you're used to Mario's moveset, you'll find a lot more there

[Brethren]

What's the selling point of the pro controller? Since launch, I've just used the joycons and haven't had any issues with controls. Maybe it's a case of not realizing what I'm missing.

[Renzatic]

I'd pick up the Switch in a heartbeat if it had access to Nintendo's Virtual Console store.

Nintendo's doing something weird with the Switch. They might bring the VC around eventually, but the only thing they've mentioned recently is some new thing they're bringing out alongside Nintendo Switch Online in 2018, where you can download old games with expanded functionality for free, like SMB3 or Dr. Mario with online multiplayer and whatnot, so long as you've got an active subscription going.

Considering it's just $30 a year, I'll happily hop on that.

What's the selling point of the pro controller? Since launch, I've just used the joycons and haven't had any issues with controls. Maybe it's a case of not realizing what I'm missing.

Just think of it as a really, really well built, but also really, really expensive standard controller. The Pro fits your hands better than the Joycons, has much bigger buttons, a proper d-pad, and a lot more play on the analog sticks alongside all the neat gyroscope and accelerometer stuff. If that sounds like it's worth $70 to you, then grab one.

[henke]

When I have Odyssey in handheld mode I find the spin throw hard to pull off, much easier with detached joycons. Does that kinda stuff work well with the Pro controller?

[Malf]

There's a way to perform the spin throw if you don't want to bother with motion controls. Twirl the movement stick so Mario starts helicoptering, then throw the hat.

Spin throw is easy with the Pro controller, but irritating. I don't want to be doing sharp movements with the controller while trying to finely control Mario. I wish Nintendo would just give up on the gimmick of motion controls. Gyro's okay-ish for fine aim adjustment in Zelda, although still not as good as the twing-twang game in Heavenly Sword on the PS3.

[Renzatic]

It's still quicker and easier than spinning the analog stick to get Mario spinning, then hitting the throw button.

[Malf]

True. To be honest, the amount of times I use the spin throw is minimal, and I only noted the alternate way to do it as I discovered it by accident.

But this is in danger of becoming very Mario-centric, and we have a separate topic for that.

So, in order to further the Switchiness of the thread:

Renz, how are you publishing your piccies and vids from your Switch? I know how to record them, but have no idea how to access them on the web.

[Renzatic]

I set up a Twitter account to send all my shots and movies to. I'll upload them there, grab them, then move them all to their appropriate places.

[henke]

I'd like to post some Mario shots too, but that sounds like a whole thing.

[Renzatic]

Eh, it's kind of annoying at first, but pretty straightforward once you get it all banged out.

Also: STARDEW VALLEY AND A 128GB SD CARD! I CAN'T STOP BUYING GAMES AND ACCESSORIES!

[Aja]

What's the selling point of the pro controller? Since launch, I've just used the joycons and haven't had any issues with controls. Maybe it's a case of not realizing what I'm missing.

It feels really great for its weight, button presses and shape and is much more comfortable than the Joycons, I think. Yeah, it’s a little expensive, but I don’t regret buying it at all; it’s probably the most comfortable controller I’ve used. The joycons are functional, but the small, clicky buttons aren’t the best, particularly in games like Mario Kart, where you’re holding down a button for long periods of time. The throw on the pro controller’s joysticks is also a bit greater, so they feel more precise.

[Brethren]

Awww, no Hollow Knight for Switch until next year.

I just picked up Golf Story after seeing some good reviews - anyone play it yet?

[Renzatic]

Yeah, I saw that. Doesn't bother me at all, since I've already played it, sans the most recent expansion, and I'd rather the port be as good as possible, considering it's going to be my nice, physical copy of the game.

As for Golf Story, I've heard a lot of good about it, but it hasn't piqued my interest, personally. If I get it, it'll be something I grab later on down the road at everyone else's insistence.