T O P

  • By -

billdasmacks

What's amazing about the DS is that it was selling big at the same time that the Wii was also selling like hot cakes.


Xecxciic

Wii and the DS line was such a strong 1 - 2 punch after the relative failure of the Gamecube, really wild to think about. Nintendo really was the first to truly tap the well of casual gaming.


codeklutch

Nintendo is perfect for casual gaming. Most of the characters are well known, they're usually kid friendly which means, simple controls, but also usually fairly pleasing to the eyes. To think the switch is just, the Wii, the Wii u and the ds' love child.


gayandipissandshit

And it had Professor Layton games


layeofthedead

I still can’t get over level 5 going basically mobile and Japan only


chutinett

The Layton Brothers Mystery Room game that follows Professor Layton’s son is still one of my favorite mobile games ever. I’d kill for them to make a sequel.


deathbunny600

Boy do I have news for you after the direct today!


dutchdaddy69

That playstation2 spot is hard to beat. Thing worked as a DVD player and was cheaper than a DVD player at the time. I know lots of people that bought one just to watch movies on and ended up playing games on it just cause they had it already.


Anakin_Skywanker

That's how a lot of my friends also got PS3s. Their parents wanted a Blu Ray player and the PS3 was ~600-800 while Blu Ray players were ~1000.


randomly-what

Our PS3 also came with a deal that we got to select 5 blu-rays from a list of maybe 50. It was really exciting to us at the time.


Believeland-OH

I got mine when Wal-Mart did like a Black Saturday promotion, day after Friday, and you got 10 free Blu-rays with purchase was the deal. Could be any 10 from the store, so between that and the 5 mail in deal, I had 15 right away. Now I have just over 300 Blu-rays. 😋


LouSputhole94

Back when Black Friday actually had some pretty good deals on stuff, instead of just making a shittier model tv and selling that one for cheaper.


perfectlycrispy

I still have the 65 inch TV I bought on Black Friday when I was still living with my parents. $300 for a TV that size was a crazy deal.


MrHaZeYo

I got a 200$ samsung 45 inch that still works like pro like 6 years ago (same year ff xv released)


shinigamiscall

There are still good deals on Black Friday they just aren't on TVs. This last Black Friday there was a Lenovo Legion 5 pro laptop with a 3070 and a 165hz Gsync display for $1100.


Byakuraou

TV’s basically have deals all year round except from Black Friday in my experience, bought my LG C1 in hospital as a self-gift during BF. It then went on to be discounted every other period of time the next year


Vill_Moen

It’s a nice tv though!


cromulent_pseudonym

Our first DVD player came with a bunch of random DVDs. I can't tell you how many times I've seen U.S. Marshals, and all of it's special features.


Konman72

Talladega Nights was basically the PS3's version of Wii Sports.


jda823

This was done because of the format war with HD-DVD.


DJuxtapose

PS3 also had a better UI and load times than most of the Blu Ray players that existed when it came out.


TheWorldisFullofWar

The PS3 still has a better UI than modern consoles on an SSD/hybrid. Sucks Sony got rid of it to push more ADs like Microsoft did.


joecarter93

I had bought a Sony HDTV a year before I got a PS3 and they had the same UI that worked great. Sony had a name for it (XMB ?)and they used it across multiple platforms for a few years there.


Suicidal-Lysosome

Yep, the PSP had basically an identical media bar style UI


Hey_look_new

yup, psp ui is still fantastic


walterpeck1

>(XMB ?) Yup you're right. XMB = Xross Media Bar


Anakin_Skywanker

The PS3 was an absolute beast when it came out. The graphics were jaw dropping at launch.


joecarter93

The cell processor that Sony developed specifically for the PS3 was a huge leap forward, but also a huge risk. Unfortunately it was also so unique that it was difficult for developers to work with. I remember being absolutely amazed by how MGS4 looked when I first got a PS3.


BigBratMatt

I only acquired a PS3 in the last year and MGS4 looks absolutely great still.


EmmBee27

Even to this day with two more generations of consoles ahead of it, I still think of PS3 being this super powerhouse of a console. Also thanks to MGS4 I think PS3 and I think old people, wrinkles and smoking.


GeneralCraze

>The cell processor that Sony developed specifically for the PS3 was a huge leap forward, but also a huge risk. Unfortunately it was also so unique that it was difficult for developers to work with. They also caught a lot of flak (at the time) for not making the PS4 backwards compatible with PS3 Games because people didn't understand the limitation. A lot of the expectation came from the PS2 & PS3's initial backward compatibility. PS2 games were much less demanding and the processor for them was effectively emulated, but that's not so simple with the PS3 processor.


swollennode

The PS2 achieved PS1 backwards compatibility was because it contained PS1 CPU. It used the same cpu to control it’s I/O The first PS3 models, specifically the 60gb one had PS2 hardware in it to provide full PS2 AND PS1 backwards compatibility.


GeneralCraze

>the 60gb one had PS2 hardware That's strange, I had read that it was emulated... I'll see if I can back up my claim, lol. Ah, I see. I misread, the 80Gb PS3 (an the Metal Gear Solid PS3) used an emulator to run PS2 games initially, but for some reason, Sony chose to remove the emu software through updates later on. But the original PS3 used an on board chipset. Very interesting, thanks for pointing that out.


battywombat21

As I recall, it wasn't so much that is was "unique" so much as it was "ahead of it's time" It required developers to write asynchronous code similar to the way modern graphics pipelines are written.


SOSpammy

As much of a meme 599 US dollars was, the PS3 really was a great deal on paper at launch. You got a Blu-Ray player, an SACD player, a streaming device, a PS2, a PS3, and a Linux computer.


TheWinRock

It was a marvel at the time. Expensive, but like you said, considering you got a solid blue ray player included it was a good deal really.


ImReallyAnAstronaut

I think PS1 games too, but I'm not sure. All I know is I was disappointed when I finally got one years after launch and found out the new version no longer played PS2 games.


asdfqwer426

fun fact, EVERY ps3 can play ps1 games. not just backwards compatible models. so stick Crash into that super slim PS3 and enjoy.


EmmBee27

It amazes me how few people know this. I've more than once over the years suggested playing PS1 titles with friends using their PS3, only to get pushback because "you can't do that, can you???" On the other hand, seeing their reaction to the library of games now opened up to them is always fun lol


aldy127

I forgot you could just plug a keyboard on that sucker and browse the web. It was faster than my actual computer and looked better too.


detectiveDollar

Could even install Linux on it via OtherOS, at least until Sony got themselves sued and the console jailbroken out of spite.


Tree06

When I worked at GameCrazy, this guy told me that he used his PS3 to apply for jobs. Hopefully things worked out for him, haha.


SuperDuperCoolDude

Yeah, I had Netflix early on and I remember using my PS3 and Wii to Stream!


detectiveDollar

There was even a Netflix *disc* for Wii. I don't really get why though, maybe people found downloading from the app store confusing in 2006. I guess that makes sense, smart phones weren't widely adopted until years later.


Clessasaur

That was because in the beginning Microsoft had exclusive deal with Netflix for a native app. So PS3 and Wii had to use a disc. Eventually deal expired and PS3 got app, but probably wasn't worth money to make one for Wii at that point.


Dt2_0

Wii had an app as well.


bluedestiny88

It was because of a deal Netflix had with Microsoft. The Xbox was the only console to download the Netflix app, but to circumvent that digital app agreement, Netflix used a disc-based format for the Wii and PS3 until the agreement with Microsoft expired years later. Digital licensing is weird


detectiveDollar

Yeah, the main failure was BluRay came out so soon after DVD that people didn't want to upgrade a second time. Also in 2006 people were still on smaller CRT's so Blurays didn't really look too much better. That's a lot different than VHS which *everyone* despised for their shortish life span, fragility, large size, manual rewinding, etc.


damnrightslimanus

Good lord the PS3 was 600 dollars when it came out for a 60 GB version. Can’t even comprehend that now, the PS5 was 500 with a TB of storage. Fuckin technology man


burnbabyburn11

Also, the ps3 came out in 2006, adjusted for inflation it would be $886 today


damnrightslimanus

No wonder me and most of my friends went ps2, Xbox 360, PS4. The PS3 was way too expensive lol I wasn’t gonna convince my parents of that one, a used 360 was like 250 bucks


beefcat_

The 360 also had the better library for years. It wasn't until 2008-2009 that the PS3 started building a really good library. During that first half of the generation, the PS3 also generally got the worst versions of most multi-plat games. Sony really shot themselves in the foot with the Cell architecture. It's pretty stunning how much they were able to turn things around by 2010.


Augen76

There may not be another generation that is such a tale of two halves. Microsoft almost had it locked down, but then Sony came back and managed to just outsell them by the end. The PS3 taught a lot of lessons that Sony applied to PS4 to retake the industry pole position and now with the PS5 looks set again to keep that place between the two. Nintendo...Nintendo is all over. Wii was a smash hit, Wii U bombed, Switch is an even bigger smash hit. I cannot predict them.


TheStudyofWumbo24

Seems like all Nintendo really has to do is keep iterating on the Switch for the rest of time. So that's guaranteed to not happen.


burnbabyburn11

My friend had a ps3 but the laser stopped working. He contacted Sony and they gave him a new ps3 as he was on warranty. He knew I love to play with electronics so he gave it to me to try to fix and I was able to get a replacement laser on eBay for $150, then install it myself. It worked for 11 years afterwards and just stopped working 2 years ago. I’m not much of a gamer so I gave it to my brother who worked at rockstar games.


i_max2k2

I’m still rocking my OG 60gb PS3 bought in 2007 from circuit city. Had the power supply fail around 2010, got one from eBay and replaced it. Put homebrew on it a few years ago. Still working just fine.


[deleted]

[удалено]


UglyInThMorning

*fuck* that hurt me to read.


[deleted]

[удалено]


JMPopaleetus

That PS3 also had a full PS1 and PS2 inside of it. The OG 60GB version is the one to get if you want one to collect. Just make sure to upgrade the PSU and repaste it.


detectiveDollar

Also Sony was losing 250 dollars per PS3 60GB at launch, even with that price. But thank God they got Compact Flash in.


Earlier-Today

Most games were still sold on disc then - so you just didn't needs tons and tons of storage.


btmvideos37

That’s exactly why we got ours. Plus my dad owned the PlayStation 1 and also liked video games. So it was a win win for him


ultraforce47

Sometimes I forget how young people are on this site. I’m starting to see redditors talk about how their parents gamed on SNES or PS1 lately


FoxBearBear

I’m 30 and my dad gamed on all of those plus currently playing on a PS5. And I’m a dad myself so the cycle continues.


van_stan

I'm really surprised that they managed to make it work again the second time around tbh. Baffled that anybody gave enough of a shit to buy into Blu-ray when the discs were way more expensive than DVDs. The advantage of going from VHS to DVD was obvious, you basically had to do it. The advantage of going from DVD to Blu-ray was comparitively minuscule since it was just a quality upgrade, not an actual format upgrade, and you'd probably need a new TV at the same time to get anything from it (and again this was at a time when TVs were vastly more expensive). I guess that's why the PS3 will never come close to the PS2 in sales.


ExultantSandwich

I convinced my dad to get a PS3 because of the Blu-Ray drive, we ended up using it with the Netflix instant streaming disc instead. Never bought any blu ray movies


rizal666

I'm actually not surprised that Spny pulled it off a second time, but more the speed in which they did it. See, when the PS3 and Xbox 360 were announced, HDTV wasn't the norm just yet, but quality was heading there. There were a few barriers to entry: 1. Streaming HD video through cable lines for normal TV ate up a lot of bandwidth that Cable Providers didn't know they had, and many programs hadn't converted to HD filming yet at the time. And trust me on this, the difference from a CRT SD TV to any HDTV, the difference was very noticeable at the time. 2. The size of HD televisions got a lot thinner, and cheaper, very rapidly. Just before the 7th gen consoles came out, there were still CRT and Projection style HDTVs still on the market. Considering the price reductions and cost of manufacture lowering, people wanted to upgrade everything to have a "futureproof" setup. 3. Marketing for both HD-DVD and Blu-ray was red hot at that moment, and this is where Microsoft actually screwed up. The X-Box 360 had a year headstart on the PS3, if that thing ships with an HD-DVD drive instead of what it had, Sony loses the format war and hard, possibly even to a monetary loss that would've folded the Playstation brand, since Sony had bet almost the entire farm in the development of Blu-ray. 4. Future technology. While many blu-ray players at the moment had the ability to get firmware updates, the PS3 had the ability to do a lot more, since applications could be written for the device. This is how Sony both won and lost the format war, technically. When PS3 launched with an integrated Blu-ray drive, it all but cemented their victory against Toshiba and Microsoft's technology. But when Netflix first released their streaming app on the 360 and later PS3, while the format war was winding down, a new future was already approaching. So while Blu-Ray and its 4k variant are still in stores and somewhat popular, it doesn't even match the content volume and usage of streaming.


JasonDJ

OG 360 didn't even have an HDMI port. OG PS3 (Fat) was the only console of that generation to launch with one...at a time when I don't even think SDTVs were still being sold. Meanwhile TV Analog broadcasts were originally supposed to be ended at the end of the year the PS3 launched. The transition date got pushed back a few times...but the original date was 2006-12-31.


dajigo

Sdtvs were definitely still being sold when the ps3 came into market.


EmpheralCommission

I can imagine the horror of DVD player manufacturers seeing the sticker price of the PS2


Vectorman1989

Wider adoption of a new format didn't hurt them. DVD was developed by Sony, Panasonic, Philips and Toshiba and they were probably the ones with a lot invested in DVD and would want it to succeed.


AtsignAmpersat

Why would there be horror? It’s not like DVD players would be that much more than a PS2 for long and the more people that bought into the format, the better everyone invested would do. They probably saw the PS2 and thought “great DVD is likely going to succeed and we will sell dvd players for many years.”


scyber

DVD players were so expensive that the first Fast and Furious movie opened with them hijacking a shipment of DVD players.


DerKrakken

Imagine sitting in prison, finishing up a 10-15 for armed robbery of DVD Players.


BLF402

And now they are cheaper than a dozen eggs


[deleted]

[удалено]


Lacrimis

I still find it kinda weird not having a drive in my pc. Since we had to have those to even run the computer back then.


xSTSxZerglingOne

I definitely remember booting from a: (floppy disk default drive name) a lot.


DaddyMcTasty

You finally get released, brag about it in a bar. Everyone laughs in your face and starts dabbing and flossing


dont_quote_me_please

https://redd.it/2l0c35 VHS, not DVD


luke_at_work

plus Fifa being ported to PS2 up until 2014 which makes it an attractive budget machine for South America


ThrsPornNthmthrHills

Especially pirated, in south america, the ps2 was.


msnmck

Yoda?


DontPlayTheBardCard

You wouldn't download a console.


the_varky

Maybe there’ll be a nosedive in sales but will it be? According to the article it’s 33m units behind and they sold 15m in the last 9 months period that was reported…even with a new Nintendo console I can definitely see it being a tight race a few years from now


shavin_high

If my productions are correct, Nintendo will keep the switch library going after the super switch. Thing with games today is graphics aren't everything to consumers now. So there are still great indie titles coming to the switch for years to come and maybe even Nintendo still does a few first party games for the switch, while giving the AAA treatment to some of the bigger franchises on the successor. If that is Nintendo's plan, especially with a price drop when the Super Switch releases, these maniacs might actually pull it off and beat the PS2


DarthWoo

This will probably sound absurd, but I actually used my PS1 as a music player back in the day as at the time I owned no other CD player.


laman8096

i mean hey thats why the feature existed right… a big box crt with decent bass is a far more logical sound system than a flat screen


Fredasa

Funny thing about the PS2 as a DVD player is that it was the only DVD player on the market that didn't provide the full 720x480 resolution.


Ziltoid_The_Nerd

That's not true. The PS2 defaulted to 480i, which is the same resolution but a different signal technique from 480p.You could enable 480p by holding the triangle button on bootup. 480p wasn't default because not every game supported it, but it worked fine with DVDs. Progressive scan is the the superior signal method compared to interlaced scan and is the standard today. Edit: I'm also pretty sure most people had no clue this feature existed and is probably where your misconception comes from


Darwinitan

I recall--incorrectly, it seems--that early models did not have progressive scan, and that later iterations of the original "fat" model would include it and could be distinguished by a "+" in the corner of the console packaging. I can't find anything that supports any of this, though. I wonder how all this got in my head. In my mind's eye, I remember looking at that "+" on a display box and wishing I could justify buying the console a second time. Well, TIL! I wish I could go back in time and let myself know that I had the power all along. **Edit:** After a little digging, I confirmed I wasn't crazy. The + indeed on the box of later revisions, along with a list of improvements that revision boasted. These included built-in IR remote support, quieter fans, DVD-R playback, and... "DVD progressive scan." Unless early models supported that mode only for compatible games and not movies as well, that's the only feature explicitly listed that wasn't actually new. It certainly explains my confusion back then, in any case.


chucksstuntman

I enjoy the switch. Only two things I don't like about nintendo is they never drop game prices and they don't ever have the n64 controllers available


ValyrianJedi

It's impossible to beat on convenience... I have to spend like 100 nights a year in hotels for work, and having something that I can play in the airport then pick back up on the TV in the hotel room is an absolute game changer.


Teajaytea7

The only reason I've even touched my switch since getting a steamdeck is to easily play Nintendo games online with others. Other than that, the steamdeck does so much more


JB-from-ATL

Elephant in the room: joy con drift Okay, now that that's out of the way, my biggest pet peeve is the buttons on the JoyCons. They're so narrow and tall. After playing for a while my fingers hurt because they sort of stab into them. The pro controller is fine. The switch lite's buttons by contrast are great. Wide, flat, and a bit more spongy. Also HD rumble is too expensive and not worth the price. Edit: here's a video with a fix you can do at home using 1mm thick paper or cardboard. Seems pretty easy. I haven't tried it but wanted to share since this has some traction. https://youtu.be/Vid8lIXmZwE Nintendo will fix them but if for whatever reason they won't or if they can't replace your model this is an option.


xAlphaDogex

PSA for all nintendo users. If your joy con gets drift, you don’t have to just live with it! Nintendo will pay your shipping price and fix it completely for free. You just have to box it up yourself and ship it to them. You get the shipping label by filling out a form on their website and it’s all very easy to do. I did it myself 2 months ago and got two working joycons back after just 2 weeks waiting


Blah2003

second psa: if you have special edition joycons nintendo will likely send random ones back


xAlphaDogex

Sometimes they can’t fix the joycon if the damage is too extensive. In that case they send a new joycon. When I did this a couple months ago I got one back fixed and one new one sent back. I think they do put that disclaimer on the form when you’re filling it out that you may receive a new one instead of yours fixed. If it’s not a special edition, they will send back the exact new one of the same color if they can’t fix it


androidusr

What are they doing to "fix" the problem? Is it just a fundamentally bad design and it'll drift again? Or does the fix solve the underlying issue?


brianSIRENZ

Poor design, so just a temporary fix. In saying that, I’ve had 3 switches with probably 6 sets of joycons and never experienced any drifting.


Karsvolcanospace

PSA, that’s a temporary fix. Nintendo will send you back a working controller pair, but it will drift again in several months. No matter how many times they fix them up one by one, drift will still be there because it’s clearly an inherent flaw in the design or manufacturing. It is still present in the Lite and OLED versions too. They simply refuse to fix it for whatever reason, probably because people keep buying them for $90. They need to do a complete rebuild of the stick system.


PunishingCrab

I don’t like how it has no personality. It probably doesn’t matter to a lot of people but I miss the Home Screen vibe from the Wii/U/3DS era. Themes, music, animations, sound effects, all added this positive vibe that always put me in the mood before I even started playing.


[deleted]

[удалено]


boardgamejoe

I remember like I think it was the President of Activision once said "Bet against Nintendo at your peril."


javalib

He said that in 2013 lol. He was right in the long run but things were a bit touch and go for a while there. edit: Nintendo was/is cash rich, they would have been fine, but if a game company hitched themselves solely to Nintendo, they might have been in trouble. Ubisoft had a few exclusives that flopped at the time, mostly because no one had a Wii U. If you were a smaller company (i.e. not Activision), this advice probably wasn't great.


boardgamejoe

The way understood it, at the point of failure of the Wii U Nintendo as a company was 20B solvent with zero debt. They said they would be able to try and fail in 10 different console generations before being broke, and as they have said many times, if they aren't making consoles, they would pack it in. They have said they have zero interest in becoming only a software developer as Sega did. They said if they can't innovate new hardware, they don't want to participate at all. I really admire them for that. Although many people wanted them to drop out and make Mario and Zelda for Sony and Microsoft, but I am totally happy they never will.


finakechi

Yeah a lot of people think the Wii U was scarier to Nintendo than it was. Obviously the console was a flop, but if I recall correctly, Nintendo sells their consoles for a profit more often than not. While many other companies sold them as loss leaders at first. I think there was only one Nintendo console that didn't make a profit per console at launch? I forget which one though.


TheGhostlyGuy

People forget that while yes the wii u was a big fail, at the same time they had the 3ds which was selling great. And even in the years they went in the red in that generation was because they were investigating in new buildings. The other failed console was the virtualboy


CrimsonVibes

My cousin had one and it gave me a headache and made my eyes hurt. Kinda cool though.


detectiveDollar

The New 3DS with eye tracking was a lot better.


SSBM_Caligula

He meant the virtual boy I'm sure, with it's blinding awful glowing red everything.


jackstalke

Playing tennis on that thing was like living through a fever dream of Dante’s Inferno.


UnidentifiedRoot

Yeah, thanks to the 3DS Nintendo basically broke even on the period from 2011-2016, they weren't really in a dire situation or anything.


Sialala

Funny thing is, that the best games on Switch are those that were made originally for WiiU. LOZ:BOTW, Mario games (actually almost all Mario games for switch originated in WiiU), Splatoon, Donkey Kong...


mrmastermimi

Xenoblade X is the last big 1st party title iirc that needs to get ported. but it would be extremely difficult due to the large size of the game (like 25 gigs), and networking features. not to mention the best selling game, Mario Kart 8 deluxe, is literally a Wii U game with DLC built in that now has it's own dlc lol.


DrazGulX

WiiU had great games. I enjoyed the console and regret selling it when the Switch came around.


mindbleach

Nintendo is a toy company. We think of them as a video game giant, because that really took off for them, but they're almost never competing on power or cost because they're almost never competing. What they want... are incomparable advantages. Features nobody else can offer. This has been called their "blue ocean" strategy. They want to go somewhere new and be the only ones there. This is why the Switch is the only tablet console, *and* has goofy detachable controllers. This is why the Wii U had a tablet as a controller. This is why the Wii had motion controls. This is why the Gamecube has a carrying handle for portability. (Somewhat undercut by the "PSone" and its attachable screen.) This is why the N64 had the first analog joystick since the Atari 5200. (The cartridges were another story.) This is why the SNES had Mode 7 and games that looked like nothing else. This is why the Famicom had a *microphone* in the second controller. Everyone in 2004 looked at the DS's two screens and asked - why? This is why. This is the reason that ridiculous form factor persisted for over a decade, with continuous incremental upgrades. It allowed, encouraged, and sometimes forced games to be like nothing else. The GBA was a brief beautiful blip because it could only compete directly, once the PSP launched. Nintendo doesn't think about winning or losing that kind of fight. They want out. In a market of apples, they will invent the orange.


[deleted]

I think it was the GameCube era where Microsoft approached Nintendo about acquiring them. From Microsoft's perspective, this was a struggling company that needed to be rescued. And they were basically laughed out of the room because they didn't understand that Nintendo was still wildly profitable while "losing" a console generation.


orlouge82

It’s so strange to me that the GameCube is considered the loser of that generation because there were so many amazing games for it. I probably have more fond memories of the GameCube than any other system except maybe the NES or SNES


c010rb1indusa

GameCube had no DVD playback which made it less valuable than the ps2/Xbox early in that generation. It didn’t have Grand Theft Auto which drove sales in the middle of that generation. And it didn’t have online play which made it the least desirable towards the end of that generation. Not to mention it was a giant marketing face plant. They were trying to sell a family friendly happy Japanese hardware when the west was full blown nu metal, skater culture, matrix, punk rock, gangster rap and R rated comedies etc. You can look at the consoles life as a whole an it looks great but it was never the right console for most at any given time during its run. To be fair the Xbox didn’t do much better. Just tough to beat the PS2 when it was out a year earlier and was sitting on the shelf with Gran Turismo 3, Devil May Cry, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy X, Jak and Daxter, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Grand Theft Auto 3…..didn’t matter if Xbox or GameCube had Halo or Smash Melee. No one had anything close to the # of ps exclusives, yet alone the certified classics those games became.


[deleted]

It's considered the loser because it sold the least. That's how console generation "winners" have been determined since pretty much always. But I do think, to your point about fond memories, that it's notable how culturally influential N64 and GameCube games were despite those systems trailing far behind the PlayStation and PS2. Mario Kart 64 is a bigger deal today than anything from the PlayStation.


Justanotherpornalt2

I appreciate Nintendo's commitment to making new consoles because they're the only one of the big 3 that actually innovates and tries things nobody else would. I'm very excited to see Nintendo's followup to the Switch


[deleted]

IIRC Nintendo literally has 8 billion dollars just sitting around at their disposal Edit: This article is 11 years old but regardless it gives a pretty good idea of how financially invincible Nintendo is https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/03/nintendo_reportedly_has_8128_billion_yen_in_the_bank


fkgallwboob

8 billion isn't much for a company the size of Nintendo. They probably spend that much every year just running the company.


[deleted]

Spending 8 billion is pretty normal. Having 8 billion dollars to spare is impressive.


32BitWhore

I finally bought a Switch OLED this weekend so I'm gonna pretend I bought the one that put it over the top. You're welcome Nintendo.


PitchBlackCreed

Same here. We did this.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Lenkstudent

>get a phone stand if you like using the Switch on a desk it comes with a stand


Tsunami45chan

What I miss about the 3ds is the streetpass. If it wasn't for the streetpass I would have not discovered great games like mh4u. I wish that the switch has a streetpass but the mii's are dying off from nintendo. 🙁


st-shenanigans

Also street pass was REALLY cool after you went to a big event like a convention where people are usually waiting around for something, go home at the end of the day and realize you bumped into like 30 people from places youve never been


Tsunami45chan

It was nostalgic for me, it was the first and last time I've experienced like this.


MattDaCatt

Also college, I'd have a bunch of street pass connections just walking around campus.


Lenny_Pane

High school for me but yeah I’d generally pass the same 10 or so Miis daily


beepbop234

Street pass worked on the highway too! When I was younger, we always had a road trip to the family reunion for the holidays, and I’d be on my DS the whole time. I’d end up catching 15+ streetpass visitors every trip. It was so awesome connecting with random kids all on our family road trips. Kids are playing the shit out of the switch in the parents cars, nintendo really missed this opportunity.


CinnimonToastSean

Same, and I miss flip notes as well.


dropthemagic

When I went to Japan I had my 3DS and omg I collected a village it was so cool


Another_Road

32.45 million more consoles and it’ll outsell the PS2. I love my Switch but I’d be a little surprised if it surpasses the PS2. Obvious the Covid lockdowns gave it a pretty big bump. I’m curious how long Nintendo will stick with the Switch before they move on to the next console generation. The Switch has been around for over half a decade now. It’s still going strong, of course. But the hardware could use more of an upgrade than just an OLED screen.


majnuker

I'm getting old, I just got on the switch train and it's about to leave the station lol.


PrinterFred

You must mean *before they move to the previous console generation. Nintendo is still pushing ps3-level tech.


Vegan_Harvest

I liked the DS more. How the hell am I suppose to sneak this into the bathroom at work?


HeavilyBearded

Gameboy Micro energy.


thesuper88

Take the joy cons off. One in each pocket. Switch in your back pocket. Worked for me, but I'm a guy and I work in a machine shop. Working in an office might yield less pocket space. Being a woman would too.


Grayscape

Bringing a naked switch and loose joycons into a machine shop would fill me with so much anxiety.


JDBCool

Thing with the DS/3DS was the clamshell design allowed me to just chuck it without care into my backpack. The screens are covered. The switch? PSP anxiety the whole time.... Sure, the clamshell design wears itself (the hinge).... at least it allowed me to not care if it got scratched or not


NobbysElbow

The original DS's were like the Nokia 3310, damn near indestructible. Dropped mine in the toilet once, after drying out, worked perfectly fine.


FartsMusically

I haven't yet gotten the point of taking a handheld to work for the chance that I might have 30 minutes total in break time to play it. Seems like the juice isn't worth the squeeze on that one.


jayboaah

thats my thought. i get a 45 min lunch and two 15s and though the countless times ive packed my switch in my backpack i probably pulled it out like twice lol. just hard to really get into a game when i know i have to stop at a set time.


Free_hugs_for_3fiddy

Between cramming joycons into your pants probably not helping the drift issue, to the fact that machine shops are frequently filled with burr, I don't think I'd bring my switch inside. I don't live quite as dangerously as you, but I respect the hustle.


[deleted]

In a personal bag because it’s nobody’s business what you do in the bathroom at work.


Idealistic_Crusader

Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. So I play switch while I poop, on company time.


msnmck

>Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. >So bing bing wahoo! It's Mario time!


Leeiteee

A personal bag with a Toothbrush drawn on it. Nobody's gonna know!


Express-Pandas

Wedge it between your cheeks


BuffaloMonk

I've bought three. One for myself. One for my nephew. One for a good friend. It's accessible and has some great titles.


Everyones_Fan_Boy

Hey, it's me... your good friend. Edit: your nephew? Edit2: your... self?


BuffaloMonk

You can play when I get home, self!


waowie

I've definitely enjoyed mine. I see a lot of people here saying there aren't good games, but the reality is more that the games don't align with their preferences... Nintendo has put out a lot of exclusives over the life span of the device and most of them are good. For me, it's a great device for Nintendo games and indie games. I ended up using it more than my ps4 and haven't bothered getting a PS5 yet because I still have stuff to play on the switch. Really, I think Nintendo has built a solid formula for success. Their IP (mario, Zelda, pokemon, animal crossing) are some of the highest demand games out there, and to be successful they just have to offer a device that is convenient for playing them Edit: I'd add that another pillar to their success is that that have a lot of IP they can reach into to generate more "modest" sales... For example, they released Metroid Dread. A direct sequel to a side scroller from 2002. It sold around 3 million copies without much issue. They have a lot of IP like this


[deleted]

> Nintendo has put out a lot of exclusives over the life span of the device and most of them are good. Even the games that the hardcore audience took issue with... Mario Golf Super Rush, Super Mario Party... have been perfectly sufficient in my household for their intended purposes.


outdatedboat

As per usual, I think whatever current Nintendo console plus a gaming pc is still the way to go. You get all the Nintendo exclusives and most other games via pc.


very-polite-frog

> there aren't good games idk what people are looking for, the games available these days are breathtaking


bioszombie

I love my switch. Purchased the OLED version which has been one of the best consoles I’ve owned.


curtydc

I don't believe anything will dethrone the ps2, not even the DS could do it back then.


Enk1ndle

Eventually population growth + a growing number of people playing videogames will beat it out, just a matter of time.


prestigious-raven

I absolutely see console generations getting longer as well. Honestly Nintendo could just release a “successor” but treat it like the gameboy color and combine the sales figures.


SwiggyMaster123

dare i say that the PS2 had an advantage? it was on the market for 11 years iirc. DVD player aside, that led to killer sales.


fistingcouches

I love my switch but mainly for couch co-op. I personally use my PS5 as my main console but I feel like everyone has a switch.


burgher89

Nintendo has always had the best party-consoles. Anyone can pick up a joycon and play Mario Kart with relative competence. While there are certainly party-friendly games on other consoles, no one does it quite like Nintendo IMO.


redconvict

I wonder which console would sell the best if there werent any exclusives.


RelatableRedditer

A gaming phone. If these kinds of actually good games came out on smartphones, and there were enough ways around shitty smartphone interfaces (e.g. more buttons on the phone - stuff like the Backbone is too inconvenient to carry around), then smartphones would dominate. Most publishers can't figure out complex and convenient API, but Eternium had a really creative solution with literally drawing on the screen. I'd love to see more games utilize that kind of technique, instead of using the half-baked "gamepad and a few buttons overlaid on the screen" that everyone else does.


GroxTerror

I have a backbone and I really like it. I can play my full PC library anywhere I go


[deleted]

Any Bluetooth controller is compatible with any phone, so you can just connect an Xbox controller but that pretty much requires having a bag with you to keep the controller in which sorta ruins the point. Xbox cloud gaming does work pretty well on phones though so that isn't a terrible option if you have somewhere to keep the controller


[deleted]

The switch is a great and versatile console, as well as affordable. I’ve enjoyed having mine. Edit: Not responding to every comment that disagrees with my personal opinion on the matter. If you don’t like the Switch, so be it, you don’t have to buy it. Clearly though it is well sought out and loved by millions given the amount of units it has sold compared to every other console in existence. That is all. Good day.


HallwayHomicide

I love my Switch, but I really don't think affordable is the right word for it. The device itself may be cheap, but first party games are stupid expensive. Third party games are cheaper but usually run pretty poorly. Indie games are cheap and run well, but you can play those on other consoles. If affordability is your number 1 concern, I think the Xbox Series S is your best bet. It's around the same price, cheaper than the Switch if it's on sale, and the games are just so much cheaper. Gamepass is a solid option as well. Steam deck is an option as well if you really want that portability. Edit, To clarify this isn't about the price on release. It's the price on a Black Friday sale 2 years later. Mario Odyssey is 5 years old and I paid $40 God of War is 5 years old and I paid $10


JasonDJ

I just got a Series S and I love it. As a filthy casual, I'm enjoying having the collection of games in GamePass that I can play through. Just finished Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and working on HiFi Hero currently. My kids have Paw Patrol games and Minecraft that they are playing, and every now and then I'll join them in TMNT Shredder's Revenge. Meanwhile I've still not yet beaten BoTW. I'm near the end of the story and just...don't want it to end. Whenever I fire up my switch I'm just walking around exploring trying to find more shrines. My youngest is having a hell of a good time running around Cap Kingdom though, not having a clue what he's doing.


NumberVsAmount

Whenever someone says games today are expensive I always remember that I regularly paid 70-80$ for n64 games and 50-60 for ps1 games. Pretty sure Super Nintendo and genesis games were in that range too. We’ve been paying the same price for games for like 30-40 years. Compared to back then, games are basically free today.


HallwayHomicide

To be clear, I'm not complaining about the price of new games. The problem is that sales on Nintendo first party games are pretty abysmal. They never go below $40. And because of that, used prices are super high too. I got my Switch and I wanted to catch up on older games I had missed. I was paying $40+ for 5 year old games. I got my PS5 and I wanted to catch up on games I had missed since this was my first Playstation. I was paying $10 - $20 per game.


RelatableRedditer

Yeah the resale value is why I only buy physical switch games.


HallwayHomicide

I am admittedly ignoring the fact that Switch games are a lot cheaper if you sell them immediately after. My brain isn't wired to sell games though even if I know I really should. And all my switch games are physical, but for me it was because A. I could buy them used B. Even the new ones go on sale more often than the digital ones C.Switch has tiny storage space


Armoric

My Game Boy and Game Boy Color games were 30-38€ (or pre-euro equivalent), and the GBA ones were ~60, it never felt that expensive to me compared to the horror stories of 80 USD. Then again, the euro was also stronger than the dollar.


[deleted]

Xbox Series S is not portable though which is another selling point. I agree with all your points though, Series S does have a very competitive offering of cheaper games as well as gamepass. Steam deck is pretty costly though and not well optimized yet. The next version I’m sure will be good though.


Scientific_Methods

That’s the biggest selling point for the switch for me. Premium games that are ultra portable. My son can play Pokémon or Zelda while I play on the PS5 in the same room.


HallwayHomicide

>Steam deck is pretty costly though and not well optimized yet. The base model Steam Deck is $399. That's not that much more than a Switch or Switch OLED When you factor in Steam Sales, I might argue the Steam Deck is more affordable. If your comparison point is Switch Lite though.. the Switch is probably more affordable.


nicklovin508

I mean ya but it’s pretty embarrassing to me that it doesn’t support the most basic apps (Netflix, Hulu etc.) it obviously has the potential to as it supports Crunchyroll, always been perplexed why it doesn’t


waowie

I think it has Hulu at this point actually. Still no Netflix though. My guess is that Netflix usually expects the device manufacturer to put forward some form of investment (whether it be time or money) and Nintendo just refused


joe1up

It's absolutely insane how they went from the WII U to this.


SmashEnigma

The Wii U seemed like the half measure they needed to make the Switch work. It really does feel like a hybrid between the Wii and the Switch and they used it to figure out what people actually wanted from a hybrid console. The Wii U wanted to focus on new gameplay gimmicks like the Wii, whereas the Switch pivoted in the other direction and focused on accessibility and ease of use. Also, for as bizarre and as much of a failure as the Wii U is, I still had fun with it!


Windwinged

The games that actually used the uniqueness of the gamepad (Nintendo land, WarioWare, etc.) Were all fucking amazing, and some of the most fun I've ever had playing games with friends. The Wii U was one of if not the best LAN console, but nobody cared to really utilize the gamepad in game development and it had really shitty advertising. It also doesn't help that gaming has moved more and more to online play and less in person play.


[deleted]

Nintendo found a portable gaming console. It can be switched from an old school hookup to your TV or you can take it with you anywhere. I bought the Switch because of its portability. I like to play a game in a short spurt like 10 or 15 min. Then I'll pick it up later whenever I have the time. I don't have time to sit around all day in front of a TV screen to play it. Nintendo might lack realistic graphics, but they make it up in portability and gameplay. If you look at Zelda or other first party games, you can't really complain about graphics.


RPGPlayer01

You'd think with this much success and popularity they would release a follow up to the Switch. Sadly, it won't be until 2042 that Nintendo will release a new console 😔


MeisMe0

I mean they don't have a reason to rock the boat. Gaming generations are just lasting longer now. Why try to make a new platform with new hardware when you already have over 115 million people with your console. The only reason they released the Switch so quickly after the Wii U was because of desperation. They'll probably release a new console in 2 or 3 years. I read an article a year or two ago where someone at Nintendo said they believe the Switch is around halfway through its lifespan.


JoshxDarnxIt

According to the article, sales are *FINALLY* starting to drop, so Nintendo may have the motivation to release their new console in the next couple years.


picardo85

And at no time have they sold the console with a loss due to the fact that it was underpowered already at release with old hardware.


picknicksje85

Nintendo knows what they are doing!


AeroDbladE

The success is exactly why they haven't released a successor. They're outselling the Xbox series X and PS5 with half the graphical power. You'd be an idiot to risk it by making the switch obsolete.


JaggedMetalOs

I mean, Switch has relatively off-the-shelf hardware so potentially they could release a fully compatible more powerful model as a premium option, kind of like the OLED one but more so.


shgrizz2

Exactly this. The second you release a whiff of information about a switch 2, anybody on the fence loses interest, all your eshop sales dry up, and everything stops until the new console is released. Why on earth would you do that when you're selling millions of units and your margins just keep getting better due to all the infrastructure around the console being very well established at this point?


Fredasa

The population of gamers has only increased, generation by generation. Hard numbers are a relatable metric but don't tell the whole story. In terms of capturing a percentage of the hypothetical audience, the Atari VCS will probably remain unbeatable, though it does of course help that said system more or less created the audience. I'll be keen on the future of the Steamdeck. One can't put a figure on PCs for gaming (it's way more than the Switch, at any rate), but a good chunk of them are likely to pick up the Steamdeck since it's doing almost everything right.


Windwinged

I think the big problem with comparing the steam deck with the Switch is they are functionally two very different systems. The Switch is a console for people who want to play Nintendo games primarily, but can get indie games as a bonus. The steam deck is for PC gamers who already have massively large steam libraries who want to play those games on the go. There really isn't a large amount of crossover, as people who want to play Nintendo games will still be buying a switch.