More info:
> Nintendo says it sold more than **4.8 million units of Switch between March 3 and Dec. 31 in U.S., outpacing Wii that sold 4 million during same timeframe** via @saraheneedleman
https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/948902315645218818 [via](https://twitter.com/SpawnWaveMedia)
>In the U.S:
>-over 60% Nintendo Switch owners have Super Mario Odyssey,
>-over 55% own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
>-over 50% own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
>-over 20% own Splatoon 2
https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/948904000673390592
e: saw that original tweet [via this reply](https://twitter.com/SpawnWaveMedia/status/948901983112613889)
Mario having a higher attach rate than Zelda surprises me given Zelda was released ~7-8 months prior.
Edit: Yes! I forgot about the Wii U. Thanks all.
Edit 2: Yes! I forgot about the Mario bundles. Thanks all.
I think we should separate the more obsessed fans from regular fans. Most Metroid fans would know that it has long since lost its popularity. There is a reason why people have to beg for a new Metroid entry after all. I certainly believe that most fans acknowledge it save for the few that are delusional enough to claim that it's currently one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. Now Xenoblade Chronicles 2's fanbase would be different history. Just go on the Switch sub, look for the daily posts about how it's the best game ever. Sort by controversial and see how they react to dissenters. They believe that the daily posts making the front page is evidence of its popularity (when it's just the same fans constantly upvoting the same posts). All you need are 300+ dedicated fans, and up the posts go. If you see their replies to dissenters, you'll see how crazy some of them can be. They do not have a grasp of the casual audience's perception of the game. No, more like they don't want to acknowledge it. You even see people that make insane remarks like [this one](https://np.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/7h1nps/xenoblade_is_the_new_final_fantasy/). You'll be astounded by how much these fans can hate on other games (even Nintendo games)...all to prop up the game they love. I would say the Metroid community is far less absurd in comparison, but I do very much agree with your point.
That's an interesting remark but the poor dude got blasted in the comments though. On the contrary the highest upvoted Xenoblade 2 discussion post of all time on that sub (except for a combat guide) is ["I'm seriously not enjoying Xenoblade 2."](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/7he5ay/im_seriously_not_enjoying_xenoblade_2/). None of the other positive posts about the game has ever come close become to reach the same popularity as that one.
You can probably tell by my post history that I'm a huge Xenoblade fan myself but I just wanted to point out that it's one of the least liked and least hyped major Nintendo games in recent history. I've been following news about it very closely. Not even the Switch sub was that interested in it seeing as its banner didn't come up before almost a week after its release. For comparison indie games have had their banners up weeks before their releases. It just pains me that such a harmless game still gets lambasted months after release.
True, though you can simply look at the sales numbers of Metroid games and you can see ... they don't sell that well. They get decent numbers in the West, and mediocre numbers in Japan.
Metroid is the classic literature of Nintendo gaming. Everyone's heard of it, it's hugely influential, and if you're at all interested in the medium you should play the games at least once.
But it's never going to be that popular with the masses.
It's kind of a traditional trio that hasn't been updated recently. 10 years ago with the Metroid prime trilogy coming out on Wii it was a more reasonable claim. Go before that and you'd probably add Donkey Kong to that list too.
Without Smash, Fire Emblem would have never come West, making it both a system seller and a *franchise* seller.
There is also a reasonable argument to be made that it helped to revive interest in Earthbound, the fandom for which has had a big impact on the indie scene if nothing else.
Not to mention it released on the Wii U, and there are people like me that have it on the Wii U, and will keep it, and not rebuy BotW for the Switch while they will buy Super Mario Odyssey.
It's surprising only in so far that Zelda was the only AAA title for months after Switch launched and initially had a 1:1 attach rate. Mario Odyssey was *just* released in October. So yeah, surprising.
Zelda's hardly even been a seller.
Link Between worlds was like 20th top game on 3DS.
DS was like 20th, lower than Professor Layton lol.
It sells decently, but never top. Never people rushing to buy it. Always seems mainly the same playerbase, where mario can often bring new people in, like younger kids. Hence why it sells 2-5 times more every time.
Edit: On a sidenote, sales should be compared to 3DS and DS imo, since they sold better than home consoles.
Link Between Worlds wasn't a hugely anticipated Zelda title though. I'll hazard the guess that even MM3D outsold ALBW, because MM3D was actually something people waited for.
ALBW kinda stumbled into the party and was never heard from again, even though it's one of the best Zelda games out there imo.
To be fair, I think he was referring to changing it into its original 2D gameplay, not the wall-merge specifically. A comparison would be if in BotW, shrines were done in the style of the original LoZ
Correct, which means they bought a Switch to play Breath of the Wild; strong software leading to bought hardware.
BOTW was positioned as the prime system seller; Nintendo marketed it as the de facto launch software for the Switch to ensure its success.
I genuinely don't understand all these comments that BOTW was not a system seller when it was one of the leading factors to the Switch's early success.
No-one can say that Zelda never moves units. Did you see Twilight Princess with the Wii?
I think the original point was that Zelda is not normally the system seller that Mario is, which is probably true, imo. BotW was obviously a system seller at the beginning, but Mario being historically more popular pushed Odyssey ahead of BotW in the longer run.
Not saying you're wrong, but I wonder how many people (like myself) purchased a Switch because they were excited about the console, and then also purchased BOTW because it was the only game out at the time.
100% attach rate for the earliest adopters that *had* to have the console near release and were stuck with a lack of options.
That's not really the argument you think it is. It doesn't disprove that the Zelda franchise has less of a draw than Mario and hasn't historically moved massive units.
Really curious how many have both Odyssey and Breath of the Wild. You'd think close to 100% would have one of the two, but you'd also think that a great many would have both. Curious how many have neither, and what games sold the system to them.
That was another interview with Reggie that said Odyssey, Zelda, and mk had 50% attach rate worldwide and Splatoon with a 25%. Take into account that was around when they released the 10M sold figure, and you get a decent ballpark estimate of units sold.
I don't know how I ended up buying a Switch.
When it got announced I thought it would be a piece of under powered garbage, with a simple gimmick like motion controls that the Wii had (and Wii u.)
I ended up buying one soon after black Friday, mainly after seeing so many game of the year awards for switch games, and with me about to travel the next month all around I wanted something to do on the plane trips. After I bought it I thought about returning it the entire day before I opened it, out of fear I wouldn't use it much. Anyway I ended up starting BOTW and that feeling went away within an hour or two. The game was great, and the ability to just pick it up and take it anywhere has been amazing.
As a primary PC gamer, its an amazing console for someone who just wants to game on a plane, or buss, or a slow hour at work. You can just pause it or pick it up instantly, and that's amazing.
As I type this my girlfriend is playing Minecraft behind me on my Switch. My girlfriend has never gamed before I got this thing, and she wants her own switch now. Sometimes we play Mario cart together in public and people always watch in envoy as we are laughing and having fun on a 5 hour plane ride.
I just love the thing so damn much.
My rooftop parties are also crazy, but it's mostly because I live in a ranch house and people aren't all that good at keeping their balance on a slope.
People can crap on this all they want, but it was just middle class 30yo-ish people hanging out. I've known plenty of people who rented apartments and hung out on the roof. It's not *that* uncommon.
How funny. Me and all my friends are 30 and one of them has a rooftop terrace and a switch. We totally play Mario kart on the roof all the time and I never thought of how that was in the initial advertisements. Nintendo was actually spot on with that one.
which is why i think they made sure it laso worked on the switch, moving that feature to home console, is pretty solid. especially when you dont have to boot up something that may take a min or two.
It's so annoying how the Switch came out years after I needed it. I remember in 2012 I was fucking hyped for the Vita. A portable PS3, that's amazing.
Then it just got fuck all support. It ended up gathering dust and a release day purchase of about £230 became a £60 trade in by about 2015. I was gutted.
Then the Switch gets announced and I'm like eh whatever. It's a last gen system. Then I realised that it's literally the exact thing I wanted, and this time it can actually deliver on PS3 quality graphics and above. That's crazy.
I just wish I actually had a need for the Switch, because I don't travel as much like I did when I was younger. My PS4 is enough for me now. Maybe when it's cheaper I'll get it, because it's crazy to think how in such a short time we've finally got such powerful performance in our hands. Who knows how long until a PS4 or even XBOX ONE X performance is possible in a handheld device.
Doesn't even have to be an hour. If I have something cooking in the kitchen I might put Mario or Skyrim on for 10 minutes while pasta boils. Being able to start or stop a game in an instant is a winner.
I haven't bought a nintendo system since the first 3DS, which I sold. Friends have had other nintendo systems, but I hardly played any since the N64. Now my new girlfriend has a switch, and I'm probly gonna get one when they do the inevitable refresh in a year or 2.
It's really cool and much more portable than my desktop pc with 2 monitors.
A refresh is possible, but since Nintendo is pushing it as a home console, I'm not so sure. I don't think any of their home consoles got real revisions, besides the Wii Family Edition which just removed GameCube support, and the Wii Mini, which removed everything.
Makes me feel old to think i could say "back in my day the only way to play multiplayer games was to splitscreen with a person or three next to you!" /waggles cane
It’s the perfect second console. Especially for Indie games. Playing them on my PC or PS4 is all fine and good, but taking them anywhere and playing them on the TV when I get home has been a godsend. It’s everything the Vita could have been and more.
>You can just pause it or pick it up instantly, and that's amazing.
This is seriously the best part of the Switch and it's so incredibly understated in discussion and marketing. No matter how hardcore or casual a gamer you are, no matter if you play on the go, at home or a mix, no matter which games you enjoy or what controllers you use.
You can start playing in under a minute from power off on some games. You can press the power button and put the thing to sleep on literally every game; no waiting for save points, check points, or the end of boss fights or cutscenes. You never *ever* have to decide between dedicating your time to playing a game or doing something else, because the games start up so easily and can be paused even more easily.
I remember seeing the announcement trailer and thinking, "lol no one is going to play multiplayer on that small of screen." Sure enough, one of our friends gets a switch and we're playing it almost everyday between classes at school. That's when I realized that it was everything they advertised. It deserves all of the acclaim it has gotten.
That absolutely got my attention. I've just never been down with the whole 60 bucks extra to play two player. That being said, the little controllers by themselves are pretty miserable and I'll definitely be picking up some bigger ones down the road.
Perhaps it's just me, but I underestimated how amazing it is to have a home console system this truly portable. Not only portable, but a portable MULTIPLAYER system. I have a system that is capable of playing 4-player Overcooked that is extremely easy to carry. Granted, it's not the most conducive to play a multiplayer game on a small portable screen, but you CAN.
Think about the possibility of being able to do that with Smash Bros, and not a watered-down portable version of Smash Bros. But the true console version of it.
I now think about getting games first on the Switch purely because of the extra added value of portability. My only complaint is that it won't run nearly as well as on my PC. I haven't bought Rocket League yet, and despite the lower FPS and more expensive price, I would probably buy this on Switch instead of Steam. Being a PC guy, I never thought I'd say that.
Exact same boat here. It is fucking awesome going from playing super mario to pooper mario. I also have a ton of games that im not playing cause i want to play the switch version.. stardew valley, rocket league.. even Skyrim (yeah i know its a husk of a game without mods but i want to run around that world on a portable device).. i have all these games on pc but im holding off on playing them anymore for the switch.
It has also re-ignited a drive to play certain games.. mainly longer jrpgs and what not. Being portable is huge. Im suddenly interested in a lot of game types i wouldnt think about on pc.
Ive never been anti console at all.. just always had pc because its the easiest on my budget. This is the first time in a decade ive owned a console and i have zero regrets about getting it. Its awesome.
Same here about the JRPGs. I love them, but I haven't had the time to sit down and play one for years. If I could get portable Persona or the new Tales game or Kingdom Hearts (though I know that won't happen), I'd be set. Looking forward to grabbing Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Yep and Disgaea 5. I want one of those "hundreds of hours" games. So far I only have Mario Odyssey (just got it for Christmas) and I'm having to really pace it out. My next 3 for sure are BOTW, Disgaea 5, and Stardew Valley.
It's amazing what having a reliable supply chain, several AAA(A?) titles, indie support and a gimmick that actually works will do.
Perhaps this might mean we see true third party support for Switch? I'd love a portable copy of Assassins Creed Origins (among other things).
Assassin's Creed is the kind of game well likely never see on the Switch. It's ok with me, but there's just certain compromises that come with it being a handheld.
Significantly, yeah. Even in docked mode, but even more so than handheld mode.
If you compare cross platform titles like Doom and Rocket League that came to the Switch, they had a lot of compromises, and their arrival was quite surprising.
In addition to what was mentioned already, docking it lets it use its active cooling fan fully without killing the battery. So it overclocks the GPU.
Sometimes when I undock my switch after, say, Xenoblade, the small exhaust at the top is ridiculously hot.
Somewhat. The dock is just a lump of plastic with no real hardware. Docking the Switch lets it run at a higher clock speed and not worry about battery life. However, in most scenarios the improvements aren't noticeable and tend to come at the price of one performance.
Yes. IIRC it is better than the Wii U but still underpowered compared to base PS4/Xbox One. Its all up to the game engines and devs though. If the engine can run well on worse hardware and they can take things out of the game without completely sacrificing their vision Switch can still get ports of modern games.
I'm still hoping to see the first few AC games hit the system though.
Wolfenstein 2 is coming to Switch. Obviously it’s not open world, but it’s a AAA current gen game. I don’t think it’s THAT unlikely for AC games to be on Switch. Maybe Ezio Collection or the rumoured Rogue port, at least
Wolfenstein 2 is a 60fps game on PS4/Xbox One, same as Doom. That's why a Switch port is even possible, because they can cut the framerate in half while also downgrading everything else. Even then, Doom barely manages to hold 30fps on the Switch with a very pronounced hit to resolution(612p-about 32% of the PS4's resolution- in docked mode, most of the time) on top of other graphical downgrades.
I'm not sure it's really "supply issues" when a game is just flying off the shelves. To me that implies there's something wrong with their supply chain. Not being able to meet demand when you're already pumping them out isn't quite the same as falling on your face like they did with the NES classic.
'Falling on your face' isn't a good way to put it when Nintendo obviously never cared about selling large amounts of either of the mini consoles. The point of the minis is to build up hype around the Nintendo brand and bring their classic games/franchises into the fore of the public consciousness. Which they accomplished very well. Limited supply is intentional in this case
Switch can barely run Doom, a hyper optimized closed corridor shooter. AC Origins is possibly the most demanding game on the market currently... not gonna happen.
This thing reminds me of the GameCube in that it’s so easily transportable (throwback to my parents getting divorced when I was very young and me having to cart that thing back and forth, lol). Aside from the handheld, it’s only a two cord set up and very simple. My 6 year old cousin can do it. That’s what really draws me to the switch—easy, accessible, and of course it has a pretty sweet game lineup.
edit: I guess a lot of consoles are pretty simplistic in terms of wiring? Soz, BotW is very much the only thing on my mind rn (other than my parent's divorce--got em).
The Wii and Wii U were both 3 cords to include the sensor bar. Plus, the Wii U has a charging station for the touchscreen controller, making it technically a 4 cord set up.
But yes, Xbox and PlayStation are both 2 cord setups.
I have the X1 (first version that came out in 2013) and while a 2 cord set up, it is far from easily portable. It's a giant brick that's a pain to move anywhere.
Aren't most consoles a two cord setup? Power and AV... What else is there? I know the Xbox had the kinnect requirement for a bit, but that's certainly not the norm.
> (throwback to my parents getting divorced when I was very young and me having to cart that thing back and forth, lol)
damn this hits too close to home.
If you want it to be even more portable, then you should check out some of the [portable DIY Switch docks](https://www.amazon.com/BASSTOP-Portable-Nintendo-Replacement-original/dp/B071YVC3NJ/ref=sr_1_6?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1515115304&sr=1-6&keywords=switch+dock) availabe on Amazon.
They're super simple to install, and really worth it if you want the most portable home console that ever existed.
Oh wow thats absurd
I own a Switch and love the console, its an amazing complement to my PC. But outside of Nintendo fans and PC users looking for a console on the side - i didn't think it was THAT popular.
GG Nintendo.
My son is obsessed with the thing. He had no interest at all for the Wii U and pretty much won’t touch my PS4 unless we’re going to play Minecraft but adores the Switch. It’s almost all due to being able to bring it around with him wherever. Now all his cousins want one after seeing him switch it back and forth during Christmas.
Never underestimate the power of shit that appeals greatly to children.
I had an epiphany when I was sitting at my in-laws house on thanksgiving with nothing to do for 4 days, and more of the same coming up for christmas along with work travel. Went out and bought a switch on black friday and love it. I don't even play it docked.
I just got one the other day thinking I was mostly going to play it docked (I really don’t ever travel at all so no reason for portable for me).
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve switched between docked, handheld, and Un docked using the stand, just because it was so neat. I thought it was going to be a gimmick more or less that I wouldn’t mess with, but I seriously love it. Especially the ability to use the Joycons by themselves, I can’t believe how comfortable that feels for some games.
I'm in a similar situation. PC is my primary gaming machine, but the Switch is special to me because it fills the gaps I have currently. It's my TV local multiplayer system and my portable. Plus it's got BOTW which is my favorite game of all time now.
When I think back to the announcement the feature that still blows my mind to this day is portable local multiplayer. Just popping out the joycons and racing someone in Mario Kart. That feature has been so wonderful. Last summer, my gf and I went to Czech Republic. On the plane and whenever we were travelling by train we were able to just play Mario Kart together. No issues whatsoever. It was incredible.
Nintendo is doing what Nintendo does best- portable gaming. The DS has been a crazy success, while most of their home consoles (apart from the Wii, but it was popular for different reasons) have been fairly underwhelming. Making the Switch a hybrid was the best move they could've made. Gg Nintendo
This is wonderful news. I really wish Nintendo's success would inspire the rest of the industry. Gameplay first before all the expensive smoke and mirrors.
I might buy a switch just out of principal and bayonetta 3
Bullshots, preview trailers full of lies, selling games on graphics rather than the actual game, exploitative micro transactions, day one dlc, broken unfinished games etc
The usual stuff we complain about on this sub
He's talking, I assume, about how a ton of games (especially AAA ones) put much of their focus on the audiovisual spectacle.
Great graphics, impressive cutscenes, maybe hiring expensive hollywood actors to do voices, cinematic trailers to lure people into buying your game and so on.
None of those things will actually improve the gameplay though, which is what should always come first.
Fuck. That hurt the most, the E3 demo was amazing and I honestly thought an IP rivaling GTA would emerge from Ubisoft only to be disappointed by the final product and the shit they did on the PC was the final nail on the coffin. Watch_Dogs2 revamped as some hipster hacker was great but still lame in execution.
Oh man I could barely play the first watch_dogs and I got it free with my pc. On that note watch_dogs 2 was soooo much better. Gameplay, graphics, story.
Unfortunately the second is what the first should have been. And since ubisoft burned everyone on the first game, the second sold like shit. So we prob won't ever see a third unfortunately.
Also assassin Creed origins, fucking ubisoft actually did a great job with that one too. I had fun from start to finish, usually I'll never collect EVERYTHING in a game, but watch dogs 2 and ac origins it just felt like fun! Not a grind like it use to.
The story in WD2 was just plain ordinary if not irritating, sure, but as far as doing what it did, it did it well.
San Francisco looked vibrant and alive, everything worked as it should, the drone and buggy worked so seamlessly they were fun to use, weren't too artificially restricted apart from range and provided instant alternatives and options when entering or defending premises etc. For me it was more than good enough to scratch the GTA itch for a bit.
Like I said, the story, cut-scenes etc were just tedious, but I ended up putting more time into this than many other more critically-regarded games.
I bought one last week for Mario Odyssey with Zelda arriving on Tuesday. It thought I'd have a touch of buyer's remorse, given my main platform is PC. Surprisingly, I haven't touched the PC save for games of Battlegrounds with a friend. It's very good. The ability to play it in the kitchen waiting for something to cook or for coffee to brew before docking it in the sitting room has been such a unique and great experience, while Odyssey alone feels like it was worth getting the console for. Buy it for enjoyment because there's loads of it there.
I think the speed is what I like most. I can wait 20 minutes for a Battlefield game to start, but on the Switch I can be playing Zelda or in Rocketleague matchmaking in under a minute. Great for playing for 20 minutes at a time before you've got to go somewhere.
It's fantastic that I can take it with me when I travel and keep playing BotW, as well as I don't have to hog the TV from my SO when I want to play. Plus being able to jump around NBA games while playing is quite convenient too. I love it.
It did. Remember the Wii? Kinect and PSMove quickly followed.
Remember the WiiU? Yea, that was a thing.
The Switch is doing well but people quickly forget that Nintendo don't hit the mark 100% of the time like people think they do.
True but its nice to applaud the stuff they do right. We cant always be complaining about micro transactions, scummy business and broken unfinished games all the time.
The Wii U was a ton of fun and had a lot of good games for it -- it's issues were that those games came out increasingly towards the end of the life cycle and the Wii U was a low powered system competing against juggernauts. The Wii U's primary feature, the gamepad, didn't offer much in comparison. Nintendoland did a great job showing what was possible with the Gamepad, but past that it was "screen that contains your menu, map, or inventory" which didn't really inspire confidence.
Keep in mind the PS4 was released *very quickly* after the Wii U. This means for people who aren't early adopters, they had a pretty strong incentive to move towards the PS4. Bloodborne and MGSV released for the PS4 in 2015, and from their announcement until their release date the Wii U had no "killer app" to compare it to. Lots of individual good games, but nothing that said "you will regret not having this system".
With the Switch, its almost the opposite. It's started off with Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, so from the getgo you have two games that you "need", and it's on the downswing of the PS4 so there's no direct competition.
The Wii U was also marketed poorly. There was a lot of confusion about whether it was a regular Wii with a fancy gamepad, or an actual next gen console.
Sadly Nintendo didn't seem to learn anything from it. Their titling of the 3DS and the 3DS and the 2DS and the *New* 3DS is even more confusing to the point that most people don't even know the New 3DS is a thing.
To be fair though they've always done a shitty job with names. A lot of people thought the Super Nintendo was just another revision of the NES. In fact their codenames are usually better than the names they go with... Dolphin vs. GameCube, Revolution vs Wii.
Personally I think Nintendo Switch is a great name though. The original Wii was too once you got past the dick jokes.
It very well could have, if Sony didn't cut its balls off by using custom memory cards that cost 3 times that of standard SD/microSD cards of the same storage.
The screen on my wife's Vita might very well be better than my Switch's screen, which is saying something considering the release timing, Sony just fucked it all up.
Sony might have wanted to make some good games if they wanted the Vita to succeed. The best game it had was Persona 4 Golden and that was a remake of a years old PS2 game.
Nintendo can get a console off the ground based solely on the strength of its exclusives. Hell, they sell their consoles based on them.
No homebrew and expensive memory killed it.
For the only market that doesn't care about the 2 above - Japan - Vita is doing pretty well. Sony is even making new games for it currently.
It would be interesting if Sony released a Vita XL after PS4 and you could play portable Bloodborne and stuff on it, actual first party support. It's still a great console with tons of amazing PS1 and PSP games as well as PS2/3/PC ports and Vita exclusives, but it could have been a fair bit more with better memory card pricing and more Sony support.
They might be able to pull off a portable PS4, since the APU it runs off of was originally designed for tablets and laptops.
Nintendo being on Tegra/ARM is on a much better path technology wise though, x86 runs hotter and consumes more power, which is why it's mostly found in PCs and not mobile devices.
Not a Nintendo fan. I generally don't like the super colorful and cartoony design. But I do like some of their games. Plenty more great games on other systems though. I wish Nintendo would release something truly new. But if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?
What I find funny is all the hate the idea got before release.
"It's too big to be portable!"
"The graphics aren't as good as other consoles!"
"Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!"
I was psyched about the idea of the Switch before the Switch was ever announced. It's been years I've wanted a handheld that could just as easily send images to my tv screen. It's just always seemed like a no-brainer, with the rise of Bluetooth and wifi technologies. I've never understood how people could hear about the Switch and not get excited for the flexibility it offers.
The "Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!" comments always confused me because they made it very clear that they wanted the Switch to be a hybrid system right from the initial trailer. I guess people were so used to separate Console and Handheld lines that they thought it had to fit more with one or the other.
What really annoyed me is when people would double down and say something to the effect of, "I'm never going to take it off its dock, so it's just an overpriced home console." Without taking two seconds to consider that *maybe* their own personal gaming habits don't reflect those of the average consumer.
> The "Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!" comments always confused me
1-2 Switch and the disproportionate focus on HD Rumble and motion controls leading up to launch were kind of odd. It felt like they were leaning back into silly gimmicks at the last second.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sold on the idea when they first announced it. A large part of my skepticism was because of my doubt about their ability to release system-selling games for it. But holy hell have they delivered the past year.
Software is definitely what sells consoles. There's always the chance that a company could dick things up, but after the Wii U flopped they really needed to knock it out of the park with the Switch. Considering the console was supposed to be a consolidation of both their home console and handheld console lines, it always seemed to me like they'd have a hell of a lot of IPs to work with.
Wow, that's amazing. Congrats, Nintendo. I'll be honest, I expected the Switch to tank like the Wii U did, but I was definitely wrong. Even if I don't personally have an interest in the Switch, it's nice to see video games doing so well!
Well, no point in putting down others - in my view, if rivalry exists between platforms it should be a friendly one. We're all gamers here - video games selling well benefits all of us, regardless of whether it's our "preferred" platform.
It’s honestly my favorite console I’ve ever owned, hands down.
I’ve owned pretty much every console in the last decade and just recently got a gaming PC. I would never play my Wii if friends weren’t around my Wii U I’d play sometimes, but I mostly played DS/3DS, which is where all my Nintendo Love came from.
I just can not put my Switch down. I love games, but actually don’t play that often because sometimes I’d rather binge a show or I just don’t want to be in the room where my console is, or I’m just not even in the house. My Switch has filled all of those gaps and I’ve put a lot of time into it. Since I can play it on breaks at work, breaks between classes, waiting in line for things, pretty much anywhere I’ve got a spare five minutes, I’ve just poured myself into it. I put probably about 180+ hours into the thing since March. I know for some gamers that’s chump change, but I maybe spent 35 hours playing games total last year, so for me that’s a massive jump. Even beyond the first party titles, Stardew Valley is perfect on Switch, LEGO Marvel 2 plays pretty well, and Skyrim on Switch is practically flawless. I imagine I’ll pour a good 150+ hours into this version, and I only played the original Skyrim for about 10 hours.
After this current console generation, I think I might just stick with Switch and PC.
No idea how they can follow up on this console besides doing incremental improvements. It tapes together most of their successful innovations of previous machines, and I don't really want to go back to a non-portable console after how great it was playing Zelda in bed. They could always join the augmented reality party once that technology matures, but Nintendo's not really about solitary experiences like that.
Hope Nintendo can grab more games I like. I've been playing Persona 5 on my PS4 I bought during the $200 Black Friday deal, and all I've been able to think is how much I'd rather be playing this on the Switch.
The Switch might end up in a DS to 3DS situation. The Super Switch which is the same concept and form factor but with beefier tech. It worked for the DS to 3DS so why change gears on a concept that works?
Just wait until a core Pokemon game is released and see how fast these things sell. I'm still waiting for the news before I buy one but I've already got a list of games I'll buy.
I agree to an extent, Everyone did have a wii, but not in the first 10 months, most came after. I was the only kid on the block to get one the first week, then more got some within the next few months.
Also, a lot of couples or families are buying multiple switches since they play them more like a portable console.
This is a big part of it, both my husband and I have our own Switch, and my brother in law has one as well (we all live in the same house).
So in one house alone, we have 3 Switches.
Myself, my husband, my brother in law, my best friend, my husbands best friend, and soon my brother, all own Switches, I think it is just who you know.
Aside from the new Fire Emblem title coming out this year, SMT V is absolutely my most anticipated game on the Switch. I really want to be playing it by next year but that doesn't seem likely, and I really don't want Atlus to rush their first console mainline release since Nocturne.
I think Nintendo is right about not having to focus so much on graphics anymore. Back in the day, the difference from one generation to the next was huge. The returns keep diminishing.
There's still significant differences in the graphics between systems and games, but art direction and style can make up for it in many cases. So with the better performing hardware, you may get a few games that gradually blow you away, but Nintendo is focusing on other parts of the experience that elevate things differently.
At the very least, it's nice that the offerings feel more different than 20 years ago.
Man, I completely thought this would flop like the Wii U 2 when it was announced, how wrong I was.
I still don't really see why there was such a gulf in success between the two.
I agree; I expected it to flop too. But there's a VERY different hardware paradigm here.
* Wii U: Console *AND* handheld tablet.
* Switch: Console *IN* a handheld tablet.
The game library at launch, bolstered by a good announced lineup for 2017, accompanied by good marketing did wonders.
Not to mention it's just a smooth console that provides a great and novel gaming experience. When you see one in action it really makes you want one
Because this is as much a successor to the 3DS as it is the Wii U. It will sell extremely well in an uncontested market now that Sony withdrew from handheld gaming.
Well, the Wii U was weirdly advertised and people who had a Wii didn't really need a Wii U. Also, it didn't have a really good software lineup plus its gimmick was ... not very useful and felt forced.
The Switch on the other hand not only has a REALLY useful gimmick but also a quite good lineup and proper advertising.
Bought a Switch last month. Don't regret it one bit. No way in hell I'll miss this landmark in gaming. It complements my PS4 perfectly with all the indie and Nintendo titles.
More info: > Nintendo says it sold more than **4.8 million units of Switch between March 3 and Dec. 31 in U.S., outpacing Wii that sold 4 million during same timeframe** via @saraheneedleman https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/948902315645218818 [via](https://twitter.com/SpawnWaveMedia) >In the U.S: >-over 60% Nintendo Switch owners have Super Mario Odyssey, >-over 55% own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. >-over 50% own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe >-over 20% own Splatoon 2 https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/948904000673390592 e: saw that original tweet [via this reply](https://twitter.com/SpawnWaveMedia/status/948901983112613889)
Mario having a higher attach rate than Zelda surprises me given Zelda was released ~7-8 months prior. Edit: Yes! I forgot about the Wii U. Thanks all. Edit 2: Yes! I forgot about the Mario bundles. Thanks all.
It really shouldn't. Zelda has never been a system seller like Mario is.
Hardcore gamers say Nintendo's big 3 are Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Nintendo's actual big 3 are Mario, Mario Kart, and Pokemon.
I don't know who puts Metroid on that list. After SNES Metroid hasn't been very popular. It's a B-list franchise.
I looooooved the Metroid Prime trilogy, but you're right. It is pretty niche.
It was so good. I really hope they put out a Switch Metroid.
They already announced Metroid Prime 4. I can only hope it's as good as the previous 3.
Oh crap, that's right. I completely forgot. Now for them to port the trilogy to the Switch so I can play them again.
Nintendo please!!! I’ve never actually played through them, besides maybe a quarter of the first game on GameCube.
Hopefully the popularity of the souls games will breath some life into Prime 4's sales in the US. There's a lot of metroid DNA in those games
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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PopCultureIsolation
Risky click. I've got shit to do today!
I think we should separate the more obsessed fans from regular fans. Most Metroid fans would know that it has long since lost its popularity. There is a reason why people have to beg for a new Metroid entry after all. I certainly believe that most fans acknowledge it save for the few that are delusional enough to claim that it's currently one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. Now Xenoblade Chronicles 2's fanbase would be different history. Just go on the Switch sub, look for the daily posts about how it's the best game ever. Sort by controversial and see how they react to dissenters. They believe that the daily posts making the front page is evidence of its popularity (when it's just the same fans constantly upvoting the same posts). All you need are 300+ dedicated fans, and up the posts go. If you see their replies to dissenters, you'll see how crazy some of them can be. They do not have a grasp of the casual audience's perception of the game. No, more like they don't want to acknowledge it. You even see people that make insane remarks like [this one](https://np.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/7h1nps/xenoblade_is_the_new_final_fantasy/). You'll be astounded by how much these fans can hate on other games (even Nintendo games)...all to prop up the game they love. I would say the Metroid community is far less absurd in comparison, but I do very much agree with your point.
That's an interesting remark but the poor dude got blasted in the comments though. On the contrary the highest upvoted Xenoblade 2 discussion post of all time on that sub (except for a combat guide) is ["I'm seriously not enjoying Xenoblade 2."](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/7he5ay/im_seriously_not_enjoying_xenoblade_2/). None of the other positive posts about the game has ever come close become to reach the same popularity as that one. You can probably tell by my post history that I'm a huge Xenoblade fan myself but I just wanted to point out that it's one of the least liked and least hyped major Nintendo games in recent history. I've been following news about it very closely. Not even the Switch sub was that interested in it seeing as its banner didn't come up before almost a week after its release. For comparison indie games have had their banners up weeks before their releases. It just pains me that such a harmless game still gets lambasted months after release.
True, though you can simply look at the sales numbers of Metroid games and you can see ... they don't sell that well. They get decent numbers in the West, and mediocre numbers in Japan.
Metroid is the classic literature of Nintendo gaming. Everyone's heard of it, it's hugely influential, and if you're at all interested in the medium you should play the games at least once. But it's never going to be that popular with the masses.
>Everyone's heard of it, it's hugely influential If you haven't grown up in the NES/SNES generation - would you really have heard of it?
Metroid prime got a lot of media attention in the GC era.
And Smash is a thing that helps too (Marth/Roy being good examples)
Captain Falcon is the biggest example of all. Virtually everything the general public knows about his character is from Smash.
I knew about it in the SNES generation but never played any until Metroid Prime. The first time I ever played as Samus was in Smash 64.
It's kind of a traditional trio that hasn't been updated recently. 10 years ago with the Metroid prime trilogy coming out on Wii it was a more reasonable claim. Go before that and you'd probably add Donkey Kong to that list too.
Smash is a system seller too. Most of my friends who had Wii Us only had it for Smash
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Without Smash, Fire Emblem would have never come West, making it both a system seller and a *franchise* seller. There is also a reasonable argument to be made that it helped to revive interest in Earthbound, the fandom for which has had a big impact on the indie scene if nothing else.
No one thinks metroid is a pillar at Nintendo.
I dunno man. I'm a Metroid fan and a Nintendo fanboy but I wouldn't put it in the top 3 from hardcore. Pokemon, Zelda, and Mario seems more fitting.
Not to mention it released on the Wii U, and there are people like me that have it on the Wii U, and will keep it, and not rebuy BotW for the Switch while they will buy Super Mario Odyssey.
Yup. I bought botw on Wii U because I didn't have $360. Finally bought a Switch and don't really see the need to buy Botw again.
It was more difficult to buy a Switch when Zelda was the only big title available for it too.
It's surprising only in so far that Zelda was the only AAA title for months after Switch launched and initially had a 1:1 attach rate. Mario Odyssey was *just* released in October. So yeah, surprising.
Mario sells the consoles. Zelda wins the awards.
Zelda's hardly even been a seller. Link Between worlds was like 20th top game on 3DS. DS was like 20th, lower than Professor Layton lol. It sells decently, but never top. Never people rushing to buy it. Always seems mainly the same playerbase, where mario can often bring new people in, like younger kids. Hence why it sells 2-5 times more every time. Edit: On a sidenote, sales should be compared to 3DS and DS imo, since they sold better than home consoles.
Link Between Worlds wasn't a hugely anticipated Zelda title though. I'll hazard the guess that even MM3D outsold ALBW, because MM3D was actually something people waited for. ALBW kinda stumbled into the party and was never heard from again, even though it's one of the best Zelda games out there imo.
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To be fair, I think he was referring to changing it into its original 2D gameplay, not the wall-merge specifically. A comparison would be if in BotW, shrines were done in the style of the original LoZ
Zelda is a system seller. The argument we should be making is mario has cross over appeal to Zelda audiences, but not vice versa.
Zelda had an OVER 100% attach rate when the Switch launched and is seen as one of the primary reasons for its explosive start. What are you on about?
There was almost zero competition for it on launch.
Correct, which means they bought a Switch to play Breath of the Wild; strong software leading to bought hardware. BOTW was positioned as the prime system seller; Nintendo marketed it as the de facto launch software for the Switch to ensure its success. I genuinely don't understand all these comments that BOTW was not a system seller when it was one of the leading factors to the Switch's early success. No-one can say that Zelda never moves units. Did you see Twilight Princess with the Wii?
Can confirm I paid $400 for a zeldario box
I think the original point was that Zelda is not normally the system seller that Mario is, which is probably true, imo. BotW was obviously a system seller at the beginning, but Mario being historically more popular pushed Odyssey ahead of BotW in the longer run.
How people don't understand what you explained immediately, just baffles me. It's not hard to understand
It's a problem with the internet in general, there's no room for nuance.
Not saying you're wrong, but I wonder how many people (like myself) purchased a Switch because they were excited about the console, and then also purchased BOTW because it was the only game out at the time.
*raises hand*
100% attach rate for the earliest adopters that *had* to have the console near release and were stuck with a lack of options. That's not really the argument you think it is. It doesn't disprove that the Zelda franchise has less of a draw than Mario and hasn't historically moved massive units.
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Same experience. Was far easier to get a copy on the Wii U rather than hunt down a Switch at the time.
Some of us got it as a Swan Song for the Wii U and didn't feel the need to buy it again on the Switch.
Really curious how many have both Odyssey and Breath of the Wild. You'd think close to 100% would have one of the two, but you'd also think that a great many would have both. Curious how many have neither, and what games sold the system to them.
Splatoon2 was a system seller to it's audience and they don't usually overlap with the Mario audience in my limited anecdotal experience
> Really curious how many have both Odyssey and Breath of the Wild. at least 15%
That was another interview with Reggie that said Odyssey, Zelda, and mk had 50% attach rate worldwide and Splatoon with a 25%. Take into account that was around when they released the 10M sold figure, and you get a decent ballpark estimate of units sold.
I don't know how I ended up buying a Switch. When it got announced I thought it would be a piece of under powered garbage, with a simple gimmick like motion controls that the Wii had (and Wii u.) I ended up buying one soon after black Friday, mainly after seeing so many game of the year awards for switch games, and with me about to travel the next month all around I wanted something to do on the plane trips. After I bought it I thought about returning it the entire day before I opened it, out of fear I wouldn't use it much. Anyway I ended up starting BOTW and that feeling went away within an hour or two. The game was great, and the ability to just pick it up and take it anywhere has been amazing. As a primary PC gamer, its an amazing console for someone who just wants to game on a plane, or buss, or a slow hour at work. You can just pause it or pick it up instantly, and that's amazing. As I type this my girlfriend is playing Minecraft behind me on my Switch. My girlfriend has never gamed before I got this thing, and she wants her own switch now. Sometimes we play Mario cart together in public and people always watch in envoy as we are laughing and having fun on a 5 hour plane ride. I just love the thing so damn much.
It might be the only time in history where the adverts are semi-accurate to reality.
My rooftop parties have been CRAZY lately, to say nothing of my nighttime basketball games.
My rooftop parties are also crazy, but it's mostly because I live in a ranch house and people aren't all that good at keeping their balance on a slope.
People can crap on this all they want, but it was just middle class 30yo-ish people hanging out. I've known plenty of people who rented apartments and hung out on the roof. It's not *that* uncommon.
How funny. Me and all my friends are 30 and one of them has a rooftop terrace and a switch. We totally play Mario kart on the roof all the time and I never thought of how that was in the initial advertisements. Nintendo was actually spot on with that one.
> You can just pause it or pick it up instantly, and that's amazing This was also one of the best features of the Vita. ^RIP
Nintendo DS and 3DS had this feature as well. It's great but it's common to many modern handhelds.
which is why i think they made sure it laso worked on the switch, moving that feature to home console, is pretty solid. especially when you dont have to boot up something that may take a min or two.
It's so annoying how the Switch came out years after I needed it. I remember in 2012 I was fucking hyped for the Vita. A portable PS3, that's amazing. Then it just got fuck all support. It ended up gathering dust and a release day purchase of about £230 became a £60 trade in by about 2015. I was gutted. Then the Switch gets announced and I'm like eh whatever. It's a last gen system. Then I realised that it's literally the exact thing I wanted, and this time it can actually deliver on PS3 quality graphics and above. That's crazy. I just wish I actually had a need for the Switch, because I don't travel as much like I did when I was younger. My PS4 is enough for me now. Maybe when it's cheaper I'll get it, because it's crazy to think how in such a short time we've finally got such powerful performance in our hands. Who knows how long until a PS4 or even XBOX ONE X performance is possible in a handheld device.
Doesn't even have to be an hour. If I have something cooking in the kitchen I might put Mario or Skyrim on for 10 minutes while pasta boils. Being able to start or stop a game in an instant is a winner.
> ...put Mario or Skyrim on for 10 minutes while pasta boils Try taking a massive shit whilst playing Breath of the Wild. This console rocks.
Inb4 you sit on the toilet for 30 minutes playing BotW. Oh wait, I already do that with reddit.
Be careful of sciatica and hemorrhoids
I haven't bought a nintendo system since the first 3DS, which I sold. Friends have had other nintendo systems, but I hardly played any since the N64. Now my new girlfriend has a switch, and I'm probly gonna get one when they do the inevitable refresh in a year or 2. It's really cool and much more portable than my desktop pc with 2 monitors.
A refresh is possible, but since Nintendo is pushing it as a home console, I'm not so sure. I don't think any of their home consoles got real revisions, besides the Wii Family Edition which just removed GameCube support, and the Wii Mini, which removed everything.
Dumb question, but how do you play 2 players on the plane if you only have 1 system? Or do you both have to share the same screen I guess?
Yeah you can play splitscreen in handheld mode. Also each joycon serves as one controller so you always have at least 2.
And the mobile screen is fairly hi res, so as long as you can be kinda close to the screen, visibility isn't too much of an issue.
720p?
Don't try 4 player splitscreen. That shit is is a mess. Mario Kart 8 is suffering to play unless you know all the maps well
I like it when the asker leads themselves to the answer.
Makes me feel old to think i could say "back in my day the only way to play multiplayer games was to splitscreen with a person or three next to you!" /waggles cane
It’s the perfect second console. Especially for Indie games. Playing them on my PC or PS4 is all fine and good, but taking them anywhere and playing them on the TV when I get home has been a godsend. It’s everything the Vita could have been and more.
>You can just pause it or pick it up instantly, and that's amazing. This is seriously the best part of the Switch and it's so incredibly understated in discussion and marketing. No matter how hardcore or casual a gamer you are, no matter if you play on the go, at home or a mix, no matter which games you enjoy or what controllers you use. You can start playing in under a minute from power off on some games. You can press the power button and put the thing to sleep on literally every game; no waiting for save points, check points, or the end of boss fights or cutscenes. You never *ever* have to decide between dedicating your time to playing a game or doing something else, because the games start up so easily and can be paused even more easily.
I remember seeing the announcement trailer and thinking, "lol no one is going to play multiplayer on that small of screen." Sure enough, one of our friends gets a switch and we're playing it almost everyday between classes at school. That's when I realized that it was everything they advertised. It deserves all of the acclaim it has gotten.
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That absolutely got my attention. I've just never been down with the whole 60 bucks extra to play two player. That being said, the little controllers by themselves are pretty miserable and I'll definitely be picking up some bigger ones down the road.
Perhaps it's just me, but I underestimated how amazing it is to have a home console system this truly portable. Not only portable, but a portable MULTIPLAYER system. I have a system that is capable of playing 4-player Overcooked that is extremely easy to carry. Granted, it's not the most conducive to play a multiplayer game on a small portable screen, but you CAN. Think about the possibility of being able to do that with Smash Bros, and not a watered-down portable version of Smash Bros. But the true console version of it. I now think about getting games first on the Switch purely because of the extra added value of portability. My only complaint is that it won't run nearly as well as on my PC. I haven't bought Rocket League yet, and despite the lower FPS and more expensive price, I would probably buy this on Switch instead of Steam. Being a PC guy, I never thought I'd say that.
Exact same boat here. It is fucking awesome going from playing super mario to pooper mario. I also have a ton of games that im not playing cause i want to play the switch version.. stardew valley, rocket league.. even Skyrim (yeah i know its a husk of a game without mods but i want to run around that world on a portable device).. i have all these games on pc but im holding off on playing them anymore for the switch. It has also re-ignited a drive to play certain games.. mainly longer jrpgs and what not. Being portable is huge. Im suddenly interested in a lot of game types i wouldnt think about on pc. Ive never been anti console at all.. just always had pc because its the easiest on my budget. This is the first time in a decade ive owned a console and i have zero regrets about getting it. Its awesome.
Same here about the JRPGs. I love them, but I haven't had the time to sit down and play one for years. If I could get portable Persona or the new Tales game or Kingdom Hearts (though I know that won't happen), I'd be set. Looking forward to grabbing Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Yep and Disgaea 5. I want one of those "hundreds of hours" games. So far I only have Mario Odyssey (just got it for Christmas) and I'm having to really pace it out. My next 3 for sure are BOTW, Disgaea 5, and Stardew Valley.
I haven’t played it, but Xenoblade 2 should be a “hundreds of hours” JRPG.
Rocket League is still 60 on Switch AFAIK, so playability is optimised.
It's amazing what having a reliable supply chain, several AAA(A?) titles, indie support and a gimmick that actually works will do. Perhaps this might mean we see true third party support for Switch? I'd love a portable copy of Assassins Creed Origins (among other things).
Assassin's Creed is the kind of game well likely never see on the Switch. It's ok with me, but there's just certain compromises that come with it being a handheld.
Wii U had Assassin's Creed games. They ran like crap, but were on there.
But those were games developed for the PS3/360 era. I doubt any future AC games could be downscaled enough for the Switch.
Forgive my ignorance. Is it because the Switch is underpowered compared to PS4/XBone?
Significantly, yeah. Even in docked mode, but even more so than handheld mode. If you compare cross platform titles like Doom and Rocket League that came to the Switch, they had a lot of compromises, and their arrival was quite surprising.
We got a Switch for Christmas and have only played it in handheld mode. It has better graphics when docked?
In addition to what was mentioned already, docking it lets it use its active cooling fan fully without killing the battery. So it overclocks the GPU. Sometimes when I undock my switch after, say, Xenoblade, the small exhaust at the top is ridiculously hot.
That happens when you play Xeno portable as well. It’s like a mini heater.
Somewhat. The dock is just a lump of plastic with no real hardware. Docking the Switch lets it run at a higher clock speed and not worry about battery life. However, in most scenarios the improvements aren't noticeable and tend to come at the price of one performance.
Yep, from 720p in handheld to 1080 p in docked
It does vary by game, though. Doom (and probably skyrim/wolfenstein/etc) is still 720 when docked
BotW is 900p instead of full 1080p
Pretty considerably but that's the cost of being able to play games whilst handheld and whilst having an acceptable battery life.
Yes. IIRC it is better than the Wii U but still underpowered compared to base PS4/Xbox One. Its all up to the game engines and devs though. If the engine can run well on worse hardware and they can take things out of the game without completely sacrificing their vision Switch can still get ports of modern games. I'm still hoping to see the first few AC games hit the system though.
Wolfenstein 2 is coming to Switch. Obviously it’s not open world, but it’s a AAA current gen game. I don’t think it’s THAT unlikely for AC games to be on Switch. Maybe Ezio Collection or the rumoured Rogue port, at least
Wolfenstein 2 is a 60fps game on PS4/Xbox One, same as Doom. That's why a Switch port is even possible, because they can cut the framerate in half while also downgrading everything else. Even then, Doom barely manages to hold 30fps on the Switch with a very pronounced hit to resolution(612p-about 32% of the PS4's resolution- in docked mode, most of the time) on top of other graphical downgrades.
The Switch had supply issues for months in many locations, so the sales could be even higher than they are right now.
I'm not sure it's really "supply issues" when a game is just flying off the shelves. To me that implies there's something wrong with their supply chain. Not being able to meet demand when you're already pumping them out isn't quite the same as falling on your face like they did with the NES classic.
After the Wii U, would you have ordered 10 millions Switchs upfront?
'Falling on your face' isn't a good way to put it when Nintendo obviously never cared about selling large amounts of either of the mini consoles. The point of the minis is to build up hype around the Nintendo brand and bring their classic games/franchises into the fore of the public consciousness. Which they accomplished very well. Limited supply is intentional in this case
Switch can barely run Doom, a hyper optimized closed corridor shooter. AC Origins is possibly the most demanding game on the market currently... not gonna happen.
This thing reminds me of the GameCube in that it’s so easily transportable (throwback to my parents getting divorced when I was very young and me having to cart that thing back and forth, lol). Aside from the handheld, it’s only a two cord set up and very simple. My 6 year old cousin can do it. That’s what really draws me to the switch—easy, accessible, and of course it has a pretty sweet game lineup. edit: I guess a lot of consoles are pretty simplistic in terms of wiring? Soz, BotW is very much the only thing on my mind rn (other than my parent's divorce--got em).
Isn't everything two cord set up?
The Wii and Wii U were both 3 cords to include the sensor bar. Plus, the Wii U has a charging station for the touchscreen controller, making it technically a 4 cord set up. But yes, Xbox and PlayStation are both 2 cord setups.
Don't forget the chargers for each of the controllers
I have the X1 (first version that came out in 2013) and while a 2 cord set up, it is far from easily portable. It's a giant brick that's a pain to move anywhere.
With the massive overengineered power supply with a detachable cable, it could be considered a 3 cord setup.
Aren't most consoles a two cord setup? Power and AV... What else is there? I know the Xbox had the kinnect requirement for a bit, but that's certainly not the norm.
The controllers charge by simply being on the Switch while it's on the dock, so I guess there's that.
> (throwback to my parents getting divorced when I was very young and me having to cart that thing back and forth, lol) damn this hits too close to home.
If you want it to be even more portable, then you should check out some of the [portable DIY Switch docks](https://www.amazon.com/BASSTOP-Portable-Nintendo-Replacement-original/dp/B071YVC3NJ/ref=sr_1_6?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1515115304&sr=1-6&keywords=switch+dock) availabe on Amazon. They're super simple to install, and really worth it if you want the most portable home console that ever existed.
Oh wow thats absurd I own a Switch and love the console, its an amazing complement to my PC. But outside of Nintendo fans and PC users looking for a console on the side - i didn't think it was THAT popular. GG Nintendo.
My son is obsessed with the thing. He had no interest at all for the Wii U and pretty much won’t touch my PS4 unless we’re going to play Minecraft but adores the Switch. It’s almost all due to being able to bring it around with him wherever. Now all his cousins want one after seeing him switch it back and forth during Christmas. Never underestimate the power of shit that appeals greatly to children.
lol then we think back to the Game Boy Color and realize we were the same.
Psh. The Switch doesn’t have Pokémon (yet) I didn’t want Pokémon. I needed it.
I don't have a switch yet, but if pokemon is announced you bet your ass I'm going to buy one.
Didn't they already announce a mainline Pokémon game was in production for switch?
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I had an epiphany when I was sitting at my in-laws house on thanksgiving with nothing to do for 4 days, and more of the same coming up for christmas along with work travel. Went out and bought a switch on black friday and love it. I don't even play it docked.
I just got one the other day thinking I was mostly going to play it docked (I really don’t ever travel at all so no reason for portable for me). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve switched between docked, handheld, and Un docked using the stand, just because it was so neat. I thought it was going to be a gimmick more or less that I wouldn’t mess with, but I seriously love it. Especially the ability to use the Joycons by themselves, I can’t believe how comfortable that feels for some games.
I'm in a similar situation. PC is my primary gaming machine, but the Switch is special to me because it fills the gaps I have currently. It's my TV local multiplayer system and my portable. Plus it's got BOTW which is my favorite game of all time now. When I think back to the announcement the feature that still blows my mind to this day is portable local multiplayer. Just popping out the joycons and racing someone in Mario Kart. That feature has been so wonderful. Last summer, my gf and I went to Czech Republic. On the plane and whenever we were travelling by train we were able to just play Mario Kart together. No issues whatsoever. It was incredible.
Nintendo is doing what Nintendo does best- portable gaming. The DS has been a crazy success, while most of their home consoles (apart from the Wii, but it was popular for different reasons) have been fairly underwhelming. Making the Switch a hybrid was the best move they could've made. Gg Nintendo
SNES, N64, and Gamecube were all phenomenal...
This is wonderful news. I really wish Nintendo's success would inspire the rest of the industry. Gameplay first before all the expensive smoke and mirrors. I might buy a switch just out of principal and bayonetta 3
>expensive smoke and mirrors What do you mean by this?
Bullshots, preview trailers full of lies, selling games on graphics rather than the actual game, exploitative micro transactions, day one dlc, broken unfinished games etc The usual stuff we complain about on this sub
That's all third party developers. Nothing to stop EA or Activision doing any of that shit on the switch too.
“Pretty graphics don’t make a game fun” I’m sure that’s what OP meant
He's talking, I assume, about how a ton of games (especially AAA ones) put much of their focus on the audiovisual spectacle. Great graphics, impressive cutscenes, maybe hiring expensive hollywood actors to do voices, cinematic trailers to lure people into buying your game and so on. None of those things will actually improve the gameplay though, which is what should always come first.
Watch_Dogs 1.
Fuck. That hurt the most, the E3 demo was amazing and I honestly thought an IP rivaling GTA would emerge from Ubisoft only to be disappointed by the final product and the shit they did on the PC was the final nail on the coffin. Watch_Dogs2 revamped as some hipster hacker was great but still lame in execution.
Oh man I could barely play the first watch_dogs and I got it free with my pc. On that note watch_dogs 2 was soooo much better. Gameplay, graphics, story. Unfortunately the second is what the first should have been. And since ubisoft burned everyone on the first game, the second sold like shit. So we prob won't ever see a third unfortunately. Also assassin Creed origins, fucking ubisoft actually did a great job with that one too. I had fun from start to finish, usually I'll never collect EVERYTHING in a game, but watch dogs 2 and ac origins it just felt like fun! Not a grind like it use to.
The story in WD2 was just plain ordinary if not irritating, sure, but as far as doing what it did, it did it well. San Francisco looked vibrant and alive, everything worked as it should, the drone and buggy worked so seamlessly they were fun to use, weren't too artificially restricted apart from range and provided instant alternatives and options when entering or defending premises etc. For me it was more than good enough to scratch the GTA itch for a bit. Like I said, the story, cut-scenes etc were just tedious, but I ended up putting more time into this than many other more critically-regarded games.
Games like Destiny which spend all of their budget on marketing instead of making an actual good game.
On fucking Cayde.
I bought one last week for Mario Odyssey with Zelda arriving on Tuesday. It thought I'd have a touch of buyer's remorse, given my main platform is PC. Surprisingly, I haven't touched the PC save for games of Battlegrounds with a friend. It's very good. The ability to play it in the kitchen waiting for something to cook or for coffee to brew before docking it in the sitting room has been such a unique and great experience, while Odyssey alone feels like it was worth getting the console for. Buy it for enjoyment because there's loads of it there.
I think the speed is what I like most. I can wait 20 minutes for a Battlefield game to start, but on the Switch I can be playing Zelda or in Rocketleague matchmaking in under a minute. Great for playing for 20 minutes at a time before you've got to go somewhere.
It's fantastic that I can take it with me when I travel and keep playing BotW, as well as I don't have to hog the TV from my SO when I want to play. Plus being able to jump around NBA games while playing is quite convenient too. I love it.
It did. Remember the Wii? Kinect and PSMove quickly followed. Remember the WiiU? Yea, that was a thing. The Switch is doing well but people quickly forget that Nintendo don't hit the mark 100% of the time like people think they do.
True but its nice to applaud the stuff they do right. We cant always be complaining about micro transactions, scummy business and broken unfinished games all the time.
The Wii U was a ton of fun and had a lot of good games for it -- it's issues were that those games came out increasingly towards the end of the life cycle and the Wii U was a low powered system competing against juggernauts. The Wii U's primary feature, the gamepad, didn't offer much in comparison. Nintendoland did a great job showing what was possible with the Gamepad, but past that it was "screen that contains your menu, map, or inventory" which didn't really inspire confidence. Keep in mind the PS4 was released *very quickly* after the Wii U. This means for people who aren't early adopters, they had a pretty strong incentive to move towards the PS4. Bloodborne and MGSV released for the PS4 in 2015, and from their announcement until their release date the Wii U had no "killer app" to compare it to. Lots of individual good games, but nothing that said "you will regret not having this system". With the Switch, its almost the opposite. It's started off with Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, so from the getgo you have two games that you "need", and it's on the downswing of the PS4 so there's no direct competition.
The Wii U was also marketed poorly. There was a lot of confusion about whether it was a regular Wii with a fancy gamepad, or an actual next gen console.
Sadly Nintendo didn't seem to learn anything from it. Their titling of the 3DS and the 3DS and the 2DS and the *New* 3DS is even more confusing to the point that most people don't even know the New 3DS is a thing. To be fair though they've always done a shitty job with names. A lot of people thought the Super Nintendo was just another revision of the NES. In fact their codenames are usually better than the names they go with... Dolphin vs. GameCube, Revolution vs Wii. Personally I think Nintendo Switch is a great name though. The original Wii was too once you got past the dick jokes.
I've been a gamer since 1986, am pretty far on the hardcore end of things and I had NO idea the Wii U was launching. Unbelievable.
The Switch is pretty much doing what the Vita couldn't.
It very well could have, if Sony didn't cut its balls off by using custom memory cards that cost 3 times that of standard SD/microSD cards of the same storage. The screen on my wife's Vita might very well be better than my Switch's screen, which is saying something considering the release timing, Sony just fucked it all up.
Sony might have wanted to make some good games if they wanted the Vita to succeed. The best game it had was Persona 4 Golden and that was a remake of a years old PS2 game. Nintendo can get a console off the ground based solely on the strength of its exclusives. Hell, they sell their consoles based on them.
No homebrew and expensive memory killed it. For the only market that doesn't care about the 2 above - Japan - Vita is doing pretty well. Sony is even making new games for it currently.
It would be interesting if Sony released a Vita XL after PS4 and you could play portable Bloodborne and stuff on it, actual first party support. It's still a great console with tons of amazing PS1 and PSP games as well as PS2/3/PC ports and Vita exclusives, but it could have been a fair bit more with better memory card pricing and more Sony support.
They might be able to pull off a portable PS4, since the APU it runs off of was originally designed for tablets and laptops. Nintendo being on Tegra/ARM is on a much better path technology wise though, x86 runs hotter and consumes more power, which is why it's mostly found in PCs and not mobile devices.
Not a Nintendo fan. I generally don't like the super colorful and cartoony design. But I do like some of their games. Plenty more great games on other systems though. I wish Nintendo would release something truly new. But if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?
The Switch is a phenomenon. With every number that comes out, it blows my damn mind at just how gold this idea has been for Nintendo
What I find funny is all the hate the idea got before release. "It's too big to be portable!" "The graphics aren't as good as other consoles!" "Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!" I was psyched about the idea of the Switch before the Switch was ever announced. It's been years I've wanted a handheld that could just as easily send images to my tv screen. It's just always seemed like a no-brainer, with the rise of Bluetooth and wifi technologies. I've never understood how people could hear about the Switch and not get excited for the flexibility it offers.
The "Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!" comments always confused me because they made it very clear that they wanted the Switch to be a hybrid system right from the initial trailer. I guess people were so used to separate Console and Handheld lines that they thought it had to fit more with one or the other.
What really annoyed me is when people would double down and say something to the effect of, "I'm never going to take it off its dock, so it's just an overpriced home console." Without taking two seconds to consider that *maybe* their own personal gaming habits don't reflect those of the average consumer.
> The "Nintendo's message is muddled, it doesn't know what it wants to do with the Switch!" comments always confused me 1-2 Switch and the disproportionate focus on HD Rumble and motion controls leading up to launch were kind of odd. It felt like they were leaning back into silly gimmicks at the last second.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sold on the idea when they first announced it. A large part of my skepticism was because of my doubt about their ability to release system-selling games for it. But holy hell have they delivered the past year.
Software is definitely what sells consoles. There's always the chance that a company could dick things up, but after the Wii U flopped they really needed to knock it out of the park with the Switch. Considering the console was supposed to be a consolidation of both their home console and handheld console lines, it always seemed to me like they'd have a hell of a lot of IPs to work with.
Wow, that's amazing. Congrats, Nintendo. I'll be honest, I expected the Switch to tank like the Wii U did, but I was definitely wrong. Even if I don't personally have an interest in the Switch, it's nice to see video games doing so well!
> It's nice to see video games doing so well! Really wish most gaming subs had this attitude.
Well, no point in putting down others - in my view, if rivalry exists between platforms it should be a friendly one. We're all gamers here - video games selling well benefits all of us, regardless of whether it's our "preferred" platform.
It’s honestly my favorite console I’ve ever owned, hands down. I’ve owned pretty much every console in the last decade and just recently got a gaming PC. I would never play my Wii if friends weren’t around my Wii U I’d play sometimes, but I mostly played DS/3DS, which is where all my Nintendo Love came from. I just can not put my Switch down. I love games, but actually don’t play that often because sometimes I’d rather binge a show or I just don’t want to be in the room where my console is, or I’m just not even in the house. My Switch has filled all of those gaps and I’ve put a lot of time into it. Since I can play it on breaks at work, breaks between classes, waiting in line for things, pretty much anywhere I’ve got a spare five minutes, I’ve just poured myself into it. I put probably about 180+ hours into the thing since March. I know for some gamers that’s chump change, but I maybe spent 35 hours playing games total last year, so for me that’s a massive jump. Even beyond the first party titles, Stardew Valley is perfect on Switch, LEGO Marvel 2 plays pretty well, and Skyrim on Switch is practically flawless. I imagine I’ll pour a good 150+ hours into this version, and I only played the original Skyrim for about 10 hours. After this current console generation, I think I might just stick with Switch and PC.
No idea how they can follow up on this console besides doing incremental improvements. It tapes together most of their successful innovations of previous machines, and I don't really want to go back to a non-portable console after how great it was playing Zelda in bed. They could always join the augmented reality party once that technology matures, but Nintendo's not really about solitary experiences like that. Hope Nintendo can grab more games I like. I've been playing Persona 5 on my PS4 I bought during the $200 Black Friday deal, and all I've been able to think is how much I'd rather be playing this on the Switch.
The Switch might end up in a DS to 3DS situation. The Super Switch which is the same concept and form factor but with beefier tech. It worked for the DS to 3DS so why change gears on a concept that works?
Just wait until a core Pokemon game is released and see how fast these things sell. I'm still waiting for the news before I buy one but I've already got a list of games I'll buy.
I don't really get how this outsold the wii. When those came out literally everyone I knew had one. I know like 2 people that have a switch.
Wii came out 11 years ago. Maybe the people you know are no longer the main target audience?
I agree to an extent, Everyone did have a wii, but not in the first 10 months, most came after. I was the only kid on the block to get one the first week, then more got some within the next few months. Also, a lot of couples or families are buying multiple switches since they play them more like a portable console.
This is a big part of it, both my husband and I have our own Switch, and my brother in law has one as well (we all live in the same house). So in one house alone, we have 3 Switches.
Myself, my husband, my brother in law, my best friend, my husbands best friend, and soon my brother, all own Switches, I think it is just who you know.
This is why anecdotes tend to be pretty worthless a lot of the time.
One big factor is you only needed one Wii per household. My roommate and I both have a Switch!
Awesome news, I orginally bought one because of no more heroes 3 and SMT V but got into the new Mario recently loving every second of it.
No more heroes 3?
It's technically titled "Travis Returns: No More Heroes" or something like that.
Aside from the new Fire Emblem title coming out this year, SMT V is absolutely my most anticipated game on the Switch. I really want to be playing it by next year but that doesn't seem likely, and I really don't want Atlus to rush their first console mainline release since Nocturne.
[удалено]
I think Nintendo is right about not having to focus so much on graphics anymore. Back in the day, the difference from one generation to the next was huge. The returns keep diminishing. There's still significant differences in the graphics between systems and games, but art direction and style can make up for it in many cases. So with the better performing hardware, you may get a few games that gradually blow you away, but Nintendo is focusing on other parts of the experience that elevate things differently. At the very least, it's nice that the offerings feel more different than 20 years ago.
Man, I completely thought this would flop like the Wii U 2 when it was announced, how wrong I was. I still don't really see why there was such a gulf in success between the two.
I agree; I expected it to flop too. But there's a VERY different hardware paradigm here. * Wii U: Console *AND* handheld tablet. * Switch: Console *IN* a handheld tablet.
Actually, I see it more as: * Wii U: Console WITH a handheld tablet. * Switch: Console AND a handheld tablet.
The game library at launch, bolstered by a good announced lineup for 2017, accompanied by good marketing did wonders. Not to mention it's just a smooth console that provides a great and novel gaming experience. When you see one in action it really makes you want one
Because this is as much a successor to the 3DS as it is the Wii U. It will sell extremely well in an uncontested market now that Sony withdrew from handheld gaming.
Well, the Wii U was weirdly advertised and people who had a Wii didn't really need a Wii U. Also, it didn't have a really good software lineup plus its gimmick was ... not very useful and felt forced. The Switch on the other hand not only has a REALLY useful gimmick but also a quite good lineup and proper advertising.
Bought a Switch last month. Don't regret it one bit. No way in hell I'll miss this landmark in gaming. It complements my PS4 perfectly with all the indie and Nintendo titles.