Yep. No ridiculous update wait times, the games are unchanging and timeless, and it accepts itself as a console rather than a full blown entertainment unit. Also one of the few places you can still find good couch co-op.
>...rather than a full blown entertainment unit.
This can't be understated. I'm not bogged down by music and video streaming service ads, or a firehose of "entertainment" garbage on my home screen. It's just the games I want to play.
Yesss, all the news is about games coming out, not whatever pop culture moment gets clicks, but then again, it's been a while since I had a different console so maybe they don't do that as much anymore. As well as no forced multiplayer, if you want to you can see who's online but it's not constantly popping up and there's no party feature unless in game as far as I have looked.
Also, I really like the points system for online accounts, just by playing I usually get 30 a week and I can trade those in for some pretty neat icons to customize. I even changed my region so I could get the Mother 3 ones here in the USA (sorry if you're just hearing you could have done that now).
Definitely! This is why nintendo didn't put a Netflix app on the switch even though one was ready within months of launch. They knew what they were doing
Maybe it's just me and how often I don't turn my switch on but I literally have an update anytime I power it on. BUT they are never longer than 10 minutes. Also it's always dead. I don't keep it plugged in lol.
This gives it the nice parts of mobile gaming. Games are either suspended, or "still in memory", which literally makes them "pick up and play".
It also helps that Switch games are smaller (16 GB is roughly the limit?), so load times are faster.
honestly yeah. It was refreshing to grab my switch that I hadn't played in months, hop on an airplane, and I wasn't met with a "software updated required" message when I booted it up after taking up.
Came here to say this. Some days it’s hard to commit to gaming, and any kind of obstacle like finding controllers or navigating menus feels like too much. But the Switch…you just pick it up. It’s probably still open to the last game you played. Couldn’t be easier.
Form factor. Nintendo are toy makers. They know how to design consoles that are fun to play in and of themselves. Little details like clicking the joy con into place, or different sound effects for unlocking the devices.
These details add up to a unique and addictive experience, and relationship with the device. The same principles are also carried through their 1st-party games.
Exactly this. The Nintendo Switch is not just a console, *it is a toy*. This is why they hold the second, third, and fourth place for the best selling consoles of all time. PS2 only holds #1 because they were literally flooding the market with devices and releasing new games for a decade. No other company has been able to grasp this, and they treat their consoles like nerfed computers, serious and badass, not *fun*.
... And I remember getting my PS3 (which I was going to get eventually anyway) sooner because it was the best Blu-ray player for the money.
We're all digital and streaming now, but PS5 really needed to piggy back on another new physical media like its predecessors to make people feel they needed to buy a new "media box".
Ps2 sold well because it had the highest library of games in quantity and quality. DVD was a factor in that yes, but all of Sonys devices sell well. Never has Sony been in last place, ps1/ps2/ps4 all passed 100+ million
And that’s insane considering ps3 came out over a year after the 360, and had a rough start. Huge gamble but it paid off well. I know this is a Nintendo sub and I love Nintendo, but Nintendo was the largest tyrant of the industry, this resulted in them directly creating the most successful game platform of all time, playstation, after backstabbing Sony to work with Phillips.
Nintendo’s harsh tactics made the industry’s devs flock to PlayStation who offered way more freedom, bigger profits and more support, all to spite Nintendo.
I know this thread is to praise Nintendo, but I guess we can also praise them for the PlayStation too lol
Honestly, if it weren’t for Nintendo inadvertently helping in creating the PlayStation, we likely wouldn’t have gotten some of the greatest Nintendo titles as well given that they wouldn’t have any proper competition to push them to make better games.
So true, they could’ve been an authoritarian monster possibly, the fact Sony humbled them in so many ways, literally forced Nintendo to adopt their policy an strategy today
Many like to pretend as if Nintendo’s always been this way, but it’s only in modern times. Before Nintendo competed traditionally and beefed up hardware to compete. The ps2 and the psp forced them to go the weaker hardware/innovation.
They straight up cut the GBA’s life short to rush out the DS when the psp came out, having to add a screen and touch just cause they know a traditional handheld wouldn’t sell when Sony is competing.
And things are better because of those things
Maybe sega could've recovered from the saturn in this timeline. Atari was still incompetent, nec botched the pc engines successor. We still would have seen microsoft looking to join in on consoles. I feel like this tineline would've seen a more colorful 2000s.
I Love my switch. I’ve always played Nintendo due to Zelda but got pretty obsessed with my Xbox for ages with dragon age and the pit that is Desti my. However discovering games like dredge and save the diver..those games are born of the switch. I know they are elsewhere but those games I know I need on my switch and not my Xbox if that makes sense
Nintendo sells as well as it does because it retains a hardcore exclusivity on IPs and games in a way that the other console makers don't do.
Other than emulation, pretty much the only way you play Nintendo games is with a Nintendo console.
Pretty much every Sony or Microsoft release goes straight to PC immediately.
As a sole PC user, this is very apparent when looking at whether or not to buy a PS5, Xbox, or Switch.
I personally would have literally no reason to buy an Xbox or PS5, but I'd need to buy a Switch to legally play a lot of Switch games.
It’s accessible and convenient. Turning on my Xbox is a chore. Besides occasionally finding it’s powered on and super warm for some reason. When I do turn it on I have to hit the button a few times as it beeps at me and then it takes a minute or more to boot up. Then it probably has some giant update to download and install. 30 minutes later. Then I have to remember what I was going to play in the first place.
The switch is instantly on and exactly at the spot of the game I left it. I play for a bit and turn it off able to go right back later.
This is an important part of the experience. Combined with unique game franchises I have a history with. It’s always been Nintendo for me.
This is all you my man. The xbox and playstation also have rest modes and boot up instantly. You are either manually turning it off, or have a setting somewhere. And automatic updates are the same on every console. The only reason you'd wait for your Xbox and not your switch is because you use your switch more, and it's downloading in rest mode. Meanwhile you are powering off your Xbox so it cant update.
There are plenty of reasons to like a switch, but this is not one of them.
Xbox one still has a suspend feature though, but it doesn't work on all games.
"You can suspend 1 game at a time on Xbox One. You play a game, then go to Home or turn the Xbox off and hopefully, but not with every game, it will pick up right back where you were when you stopped. This feature only works if you have Instant On enabled. If you start another game the suspend state for you previous game is released and it's fully shutdown."
Hope that helps! I used that feature a lot on my switch, and I used it a bunch on ps4 too
That's fine if you don't want to debate. I'm just saying it's not more seamless. And that's a feature that's been on every console for at least 2 generations now. It's not "xbox is a chore", it's you not knowing what you are doing. You are putting your switch into rest mode and then amazed how fast to is to "boot up", and resume your game, yet on Xbox you are completely powering it down and complaining it's not booting up your game quickly, when you aren't even using the feature for doing exactly that.
If I don’t shut it down completely the Xbox is hot to the touch just on standby and absolutely consumes more energy than the switch when both are in standby mode. The Xbox requires far more updates that take far longer to do than the switch. It’s not even debatable. I don’t know why you are being such a Xbox fanboy in a thread in the switch subreddit about the switch being great. Unless you are a majority stock holder in Microsoft I think you are going a little too hard on a casual comment that the switch is more user friendly. There is a reason it’s outsold Xbox by magnitudes. And yes ease of use for casual gaming is one of them. I never said they invented standby mode simply that combined with its portability, which no Xbox truly has in a standalone console, it’s a great way to game. Particularly when you just want to pop in and play for a few minutes.
>If I don’t shut it down completely the Xbox is hot to the touch just on standby and absolutely consumes more energy than the switch when both are in standby mode.
That may be the case, but again that's the previous generations xbox that came put almost 5 years before the switch.
>The Xbox requires far more updates that take far longer to do than the switch.
That's mostly because the games are bigger. If you had you were using the features mentioned, you wouldn't ever see downloads because they'd happen when idle.
>I don’t know why you are being such a Xbox fanboy in a thread in the switch subreddit about the switch being great.
I'm not. I said every modern console does it. You specifically mentioned Xbox. I don't even have an xbox. I have ps4, switch and switch oled. In fact i actively dislike xbox and microsoft. But that doesnt mean im jisy going to make stuff up or insinuate it doesnt have somwthing thay it does. Nintendo is my platform of choice. I think you are being a fan boy. The main points in your original post apply to every console, and the stuff said about xbox just simply isn't true.
>I never said they invented standby mode simply that combined with its portability
You said you liked their standby mode, and then said that xbox doesn't have it and you'd have to wait for updates and wait for it to boot up. You never even mentioned portability. You did mention the library though. The portability and the library are the best parts for sure. That I agree with. And at that price point too, it's the best bang for your buck
Not sure how you can say nintendo is more user friendly when to chat with your friends you either 1) can't. Or 2) have to install an app on your phone. The store is easily the worst to search through. Most of the home screen between consoles function the same, so I'm not sure what's more user friendly
Okay fine you win I’ll delete my account on Reddit and throw all my games in the trash. Thank you for finding time in your day to find fault in everything I said. If you could please go back in my comment history and fact check each of those since it seems to be your life’s work. Based on the results of that I’ll reevaluate my life and the meaning of existence. I really do appreciate your attention to detail it makes me feel special like when someone has a crush on you and they neg you a little. It’s cute really.
Absolutely this. And everything works quickly, simply and easily.
I have a steam deck. I love the steam deck. I did the whole tinkering to the enth degree with emulators and OS changes and hardware upgrades etc etc. But now it's back to simple steam deck. I play it around the house but do you know what gets more play time?
If I'm commuting the Switch easy to fit into a bag and it just works all the time and works well. Perfect size. Battery is relatively good. And the game library is steller for both nintendo 1st party with most of the indie games I love to play.
It's not without its faults, for sure. But somehow I move on from other consoles but keep coming back to the switch.
You bring up great points! As a deck owner myself, I’m also stuck in deciding between the deck or switch oled (own both at the moment).
So question - do you see yourself playing 3rd party games on the switch as well instead of the deck? For example; games like dredge, dave the diver, prince of Persia (lost crown) and etc..?
I know heavier games like resident evil villages and stuff are more cloud based on the switch (not sure if all triple a games are)
I have a PC, so I'd use that for pretty much all my AAA playing or citybuilders. That said, AAA's these days don't really interest me like they used to... But mostly because AAA's aren't what they used to be.
If I had no commute, I'd probably opt to keep the steam deck. I think the switch is the perfect size, so if portability were important to me I'd keep the switch. After using the deck the switch felt like a toy, but it is much more comfortable to use for long periods.
Additionally, my switch is more of a local multiplayer and co-op machine. I tried to change my steam deck to suit that purpose but messing with controllers got very annoying - another point to the switch's simplicity.
I'm looking at getting an OLED switch and modding it when the inevitable switch oled sales or second hand bargains come around the time of the switch 2 announcement/launch. I tend to get a lot more fun exploring old backlogs and classics patient gaming than I do keeping up with new releases. My Xbox 360 gets more use than all my other gaming platforms combined.
Thanks for sharing and completely agree with you! I might just stick to my deck oled to be honest.
I’ve been in this weird “rut” where I’m constantly switching from my high-end pc and ps5. So I’ve been trying to “simplify” my tech/gaming life lol.
I think the deck is the best option in the long run if you don't do much portable gaming and own a PC. The steam deck will have a constantly expanding library but the switch is nearing end of life for game releases.
Unless you're interested in the switch 2 of course, which will likely have backwards compatibility with the switch.
I highly doubt those toy makers you mention are actually working, they are retired. What’s the last toy Nintendo did that was recolutionary like say, the ultra hand? It used to be a toy making company
Honestly I've become a huge fan of the PDP controllers. I have a Rock Candy controller, it's a bit smaller so it's better for my kids, and for myself I have an Afterglow which is on the bigger side, but fits my hands great (and I have beat up mechanic hands). They're cheap too. I think the Rock Candy was 25, and the Afterglow was $30ish. The only downside is no rumble on those two specific controllers
Not OP, but I hear the Mobapad M6 HD are really good. I’m probably going to buy a pair myself soon, everyone has been talking highly of them. Here’s a link, I think you can only get them from the website.
https://www.mobapad.com/products/mobapad-m6-hd
There's a little bit of a learning curve, but once you understand the basics it's very fun. Best tip I think is to go buy the spell "clairvoyance" from the wizard in Whiterun, because it leads you to whichever quest you have active and it makes things a lot easier.
Nier: Automata
Breath of the Wild
Persona 5 Royal
Dark Souls: Remastered
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
Advance Wars 1 + 2
Smash Ultimate
Metroid Dread
Super Mario RPG
Hollow Knight
Final Fantasy I thru X-2, XII
Portal 1 and 2
Pikmin 1 thru 4
Doom Eternal
Super Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy, Odyssey
Xenoblade 1 thru 3
All on one platform....
For me it's the variety , my family is watching TV no problem il play handheld my kids notice im playing something fun and want to join no problem il disconnect joy cons and use the switch as a screen on the couch then everybody wants to play no problem il dock it put it on the TV and we can all play 4 player mario party , switch is great with ps5 becasue on ps5 I can play big new games but on switch I can play older games or indie games which are dirt cheap if you follow dekudeals sales and ofcourse the exclusives are fun
This is the answer for me. I alternate quite a bit lately between all 3 modes: handheld, TV, and tabletop, depending on what I'm doing at the time while in the mood for a game.
Portability, exclusivity, and gameplay. For the longest time I thought Nintendo was just for kids, strictly PC/Amiga gamer since the late 80s. Wasn't too interested in a handheld console which ate batteries (Gameboy, Lynx, Gamegear, NeoGeo Pocket). Then in 2021 I decided to pick up a Switch Lite for shits and giggles, bought an abused example for like usd80, and spent 40 hours in Metroid Dread, and was hooked. Bought an OLED a few months later and started BoTW. My 4080 gaming PC was gathering dust, with me ignoring Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty for months because I simply had to upgrade my sword to the true Master Sword, and that quest is not easy at all.
I grew up with a NES in the 90s, then GBC, but found the Gameboy to be a pain with no backlight and eating batteries, and ended up skipping right over most the Gameboy games, also the DS I missed completely as I was weary.
Eventually my son was asking for a game console and we decided we would try the switch. I'm not lying when I say we didn't even play a game on it right away. I was mesmerized by just the dang menus and the store etc. Crazy compared to what we had growing up
There's a glitch for the master sword that you can pick-up after you spend time in a campfire, in a very specific location near it. No hearts required. I found it hilarious that after you can try to pull the master-air (it runs the pulling animation but there's no sword. It requires the 13-so hearts to pull the air though)
Picking it up, pressing the home button and jumping right back into a game you didn't think would be playable on a handheld is even more satisfying than using Quick Resume on my Xbox Series X
True, no 4k no 1829292 hz, no “realism” just straight up fun gameplay.
I just put in like 200 hours in botw. And believe mario odyssey is my favorite switch game. What an absolute blast
Mario Odyssey is definitely my kids' equivalent to my SM64. My 3yo loves playing it, my 9yo got to the Darker side of the moon on his own.
I spent so many hours with SM64 and it's pretty neat watching them discover a huge Mario universe too. Honestly I think it's my top switch game
I just started sm64, growing up i only had a snes. Since thats what my parents could afford and i love them for that.
But just rediscovering all these classics
New to internet? Some people keep begging for more powerful switch some dont. Switch isnt an identity that as soon as someone buys one they would all share a single brain.
Before you use “you”, maybe the guy claiming, 4k isnt what he wants, is not part of that group? But such complexities are probably not your cup of tea
Not wanting a more powerful Switch makes zero sense tho.
The main complaints about the console have to do with performance issues and frame dips (Not saying these are prevalant, but they obviously aren't nonexistent either)
It's like saying "No, I don't want a better Switch"
Why? Saying you want the Switch to be more powerful isn't saying the Switch is bad, lol.
Because unlike you i live in the real world and know how energy works. More powerful switch means - needs more power which in turn demands a larger battery to feed that power. Unless more energy efficient chips come up, that would mean bigger battery and higher weight less portability.
When someone says i dont care about more power, they dont mean - oh i reject keeping everything else as good as it is and giving more power, what they mean is keep gameplay priority, the limited manpower you have should focus on gameplay and fun rather than giving us 4k displays to make another ubisoft clones.
Now if a power efficient chip comes up thats great, but in handheld market, steam decks and rog allys are not able to manage the weight and size of switch with their “power”
So i hope it made more than “zero” sense for you
This feud mentality is so ridiculous.
Some of the greatest games ever made have come out on Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo consoles.
Souls games started with Sony, and those games are literally popular due to their gameplay mechanics.
I think Nintendo understands IPs and exclusivity is king more than the other 2 companies tho.
That seems to be the biggest thing that distinguishes them.
Being able to play as a console (which the immensely popular DS couldn't do) offers a great way to play at home. Since it's Nintendo's only console, all of their developers could focus all of their efforts on bringing high quality games to the console, rather than splitting them as was true in previous generations.
And, the on-the-go nature as well is perfectly suited to playing long games like JRPGs, because we can play a bit, then put the console to sleep, and pick it up later.
For me it's about collecting fun games, so physical cartridges is a big factor in choosing the console.
I don't even own that many first party Nintendo games, I just like the ecosystem and commitment by Nintendo to deliver a solid system and support for collectors.
There is one secret sauce to the Switch almost no one talks about.
Since nearly the beginning, Nintendo has split game development between two systems: their consoles and their handhelds.
For the first time ALL of their games are on ONE system. We have never experienced FULL Nintendo before. That is all their talent focused on one system.
Their output has been insane. I feel like they drop a major release every two months!
Just look at the Pokemon company. How many games have they released on Switch? What is it 14 games now? That output would have been split before: mainline games to handheld, spin-offs to console. Now we get ALL the games.
Contrast this to PlayStation and Xbox which has had the lowest output either company has ever experienced. (And people wonder why Microsoft went on a buying spree of studios.)
For me, it’s the style of games i prefer playing. I have an Xbox one but rarely play on it since the style of play I like (Pokemon, Mario kart and Mario wonder) is on switch plus if I want to play on my Xbox, I have to wait for it to turn on, put in my code, load the game and sometimes requires large updates whereas on my switch, I turn on my switch, put it my game,select the user and it loads quicker
I bought one for my wife in 2021 after a lifetime of being first a Sega, then a Microsoft fan boy. Selling points for me:
- Wife grew up on a GBC and prefers to cozy up in a little corner to game. I prefer gaming on big screens. We wouldn't have to choose.
- Nintendo still actively supports physical media, and most cartridges have the entire game on them, no download required.
- Downloads are always optional and won't stop you from playing a game if you decline.
- Time from start up to playing a game can be measured in seconds, not minutes.
- It still offers authentically fun couch multiplayer
- We have kids between ages 1-10, so all of the killer app titles being rated E is a big plus.
I think it’s the handheld factor. The portability option. Being able to do it anywhere.
Kind of like how a lot of us would rather watch a video on our phone instead of turning on the computer and kind of being stuck in stationary mode.
And I agree about JRPG’s being more fun on handhelds. Persona 3 and 4 really got me into JRPG genre back in the days of PSP and Vita.
I feel the same and I’m more of Nintendo fan myself so I already loved the switch. Then the OLED came out, I have not put it down since and I also haven’t played on any other system 😂 it’s been a few years. I actually I even downloaded fortnight on switch so my son could play with me and it ran just fine.
For me it’s the huge library of games. So many amazing indie games, great first party library, and the most third party support/ports Nintendo has ever had. Add in the fact that it’s a console AND portable and it’s just a winning combination. Nintendo is back on top
0. The games.
1. Instantly turn it on and start playing.
2. Play it on your tv or curled up under your covers or on the toilet.
3. The games.
4. All the great games.
Seriously, I can go from playing *Nier: Automata* to *The Thousand Year Door* to *Dark Souls* to *Advance Wars* to *Persona 5 Royal* to *Breath of the Wild* to *Monster Hunter Rise* to *Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga* to *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2* to *Pokemon TCG* all on one platform. That's incredible
The switch just eliminates a lot of the obstacles to getting into a game. I don’t have to sit up and stare at my tv screen in a specific position, I can take my oled out from the dock and just lay back in bed with the handheld if I feel like it. I can take it out for 20-30 minutes when I’m on the go or porch. It’s just very convenient, and i personally like that a lot.
It's simply about the game.
- UI - fast and simple. You jump in and out of games quickly.
- handheld mode - Nintendo gave a stat on this, it's almost 50/50 console mode v handheld mode.
- tons of third party games, most ever for Nintendo system.
This point has definitely been made before but I definitely feel that it's the ease of being able to just pick up your Switch, sit in a comfortable chair, load the game and just play.
I'm biased because I primarily play games on the Switch and only recently have I been trying to play games on PC more, but I definitely find it easier to set up my Switch than having to set up my PC 😅
Right now I only have a Switch and a PS3.
So I havenot much to compare.
If you like JRPGS would you mind if I recommend you my favorite JRPG?
I do enjoy recommending it to others.
My favorite Videogame is "Fuga Melodies of Steel".
Its a 20 houer long turn based JRPG about a groupe of anthropomothic animal children that go on a quest to save there families. They live inside a giant ancient mysterious powerful fortress like Tank. Its a bit like Howls Moving castle but based on technology instead of magic.
If you are interested in trying Fuga out:
It has a free demo which is just straight up the first 3 chapters of the game.
It also has a direct sequel: "Fuga Melodies of Steel 2" but I advice against playing the second game before the first game unless you do not care about the story and characters.
However Fuga is only available in digital Form. There is no physical release.
I definitely will. I'm currently really enjoying the original Paper Mario through the Switch Online N64 thingy, I'll check out the Demo soon though and let you know.
Bro I'm the exact same way. I don't get a ton of time to game anymore, so the switch is nice when I do get an hour here or there. I purposely try games that I wouldn't otherwise, and I love having so many games I can pick up and put down easily without having to try to remember where I was at and what I was going to do next. I also love that my wife can put her shows on the TV and I can lay there on the couch with her playing my game without taking up the TV.
We bought a PS5 about 8 months ago. It's mostly just sitting and collecting dust.
It really is the hybrid gimmick. Instead of splitting development/publishing between two systems like they did in the past it's all on one platform. Plus, it gives the player options as the same system, and the same game can generally be played in TV mode, handheld mode, or some combo of both.
Speaking of giving the player options, it's the small things for me too. For example, I was always annoyed how in the original Wii era it felt like most games with waggle action controls could've just been a button press instead like DKC Returns. To me, that kind of stuff felt less organic like Wii Sports did (or rail shooters), and more like they were forcing their new toy/gimmick onto players when it didn't necessarily always make sense for every context/game. With the Switch, on the other hand, the motion controls are usually optional with the average game having the option for both joy-cons, or the pro controller (save for some rare exceptions like Super Mario Party).
Edit: Word/Grammar.
This feels like semantics, or the same difference, but either way, I wasn't saying that as a derogatory term just to be clear. Rather, I was saying that as a descriptor term in this context. Personally, I'm a fan of the Switch's hybrid gimmick, and for the most part, I just want its successor to be a more powerful hybrid system with backwards compatibility.
A good chunk of folk use the "gimmick" tag regarding Nintendo as a derogatory term (like waggle, in the Wii days) functionality would be the better descriptor, yeah.. definitely semantics 😁. I'm genuinely excited for the next generation of this form factor. I also hope we get some kind of fps boost/upres with the backwards compatibility too. Could we possibly see a hybrid approach from the others?
Hybrid console nature. Being able to pick up and play whenever, and docking it for a a big screen experience is amazing.
Also because the sleep mode is so easily available. I just push one button and store it to later just grab it and continue. It has lowered the barrier for really long games immensely. Especially games where you are not able to save whenever.
I imagine this helps for a lot of people.
For me it is about the nostalgic experience, I'm 42 and remember playing Mario games on the SNES and the TMNT games as well. Fast forward to now I can play Mario games again, TMNT games ( with the Cowbunga Collection ), and I have quite a few games from my 360 days on my Switch
You can play on big screen at home, or bring it with you when going out and play handheld. Different setups of the joy-cons when multiple players are involved.
(Xbox owner here) Does the Switch have a similar service to Gamepass, if so is it any good? What puts me off is potentially having to pay full price for games again, I subscribe to GP and thats that, I hardly ever pay for a game on Xbox so it a consideration if I was to buy a Switch.
Mileage. They've been designing successful handhelds for decades. They know art direction and fun beats hardware, and that limitations push creativity and battery life. The killing point for me though is how simple it is to just start from where I've stopped. I grab the switch, and with 4 clicks, I'm back in the game, with it fully charged. The ports are amazing too. They nailed all aspects of "simple and fun".
It’s simplicity. I have a gaming a PC and honestly haven’t turned it on ever since I got the OLED. It made me realize I don’t care about games running perfectly. But they do need to be playable and fun.
As someone who owns all three consoles, Nintendo has most retained the "purity" of the art/medium. They just put out fun games or interestingly weird games. I think it's a Japanese vs Western sentiment because on PS5 I mainly enjoy games from Japanese devs. Capcom, From Software, Square. Western development has really cratered outside of the indie space, and I love playing Indies on my Switch most. My Xbox absolutely collects dust.
As a first time Nintendo player, the Switch is a modern console with the great traits of older console generations. Consider being able to play games right out of the box without necessarily bloated updates and the huge variety of local split-screen multiplayer games. Plus favorites from older generations have ported over, like Borderlands, Bioshock, Portal, Red Dead Redemption, etc.
The portable form factor, reliable performance, and top notch Nintendo first party games adds up to a complete winner for Nintendo in this current console generation.
I hate playing handheld, I only use it that way when traveling. But, I love 2D games like Dread, Hollow Knight, and Mario Wonder. So, I love that the switch gives me access to all types of games.
So much better than earlier generations where say, Metroid Fusion was only available on handheld, and Prime was only available on the GC/Wii.
I've found it's two fold.
First, some games just feel better playing handheld.
Second, it's the ability to pick up and put down without any issues. Oh, I'm half way through a Hades run but need to go do something? I'll pause, put the Switch in rest mode and go do what I need to do without losing progress.
Handhelds hold a nostalgic place in my heart. My parents were adamant about no consoles. We had one tv and they didn’t want it to be used all the time for games. We had a Mac for dad’s work but they also didn’t want me to spend all my time on it.
They did get me a Gameboy Color (Lime Green) along with Pokémon Blue for me to socialize with other kids because Pokémon was big and every other kid at school brought a GameBoy of some kind and the trading cards to recess. I already was having trouble making friends and they wanted to help.
Portable with the option to turn it off and on right where you left off. No other gaming console does that. Even mobile will have you restart your games if you tab out long enough. The switch is the lowest commitment device that a person can take advantage of while having just as much fun as any other platform by far.
Also the high quality exclusives and great ports, but this is just my 2 cents.
Xbox and PlayStation consoles are a one person thing now days split screen is hardly supported. The console belongs to the player and the player belongs to the console. But with Nintendo I feel like it’s more inviting, it supports and promotes everyone coming together on one system to play together
Same. Since I got my switch OLED I've only touched my series x like 3 times n I got it like 4 months ago. I only play in handheld though, have never even used the dock lol. I love playing in handheld mode, especially with my Nyxi Hyperion Pro joycons. Can play for hours on end with no problem. So comfortable.
Oh also, I'm a big fan of jrpgs too. Check out ONINAKI. it's an action jrpg made by Tokyo RPG Factory and Square Enix and it's so good. It's one of the best games I've played in awhile. Really good, deep story and fun combat. I beat it a couple weeks ago and I'm sad it's over. It was an amazing journey for a video game.
I’m glad the switch got you into those games because they’re all good games but if you were to play them on console the performance and graphics are significantly better than the switch. I have a hard time picking up my switch now since the hardware is so behind now
I’ve a Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. I play on both of them, mainly because I’m either travelling a lot and have loads of time when travelling or at home it’s just more convenient than my PS5.
I love that I can take the console anywhere, also so many cute games (acnh, Pokemon, Nintendo sports, Mario kart, super Mario bros, etc) also very colorful 😍
I don't even play in handheld mode, but I love the portability regardless because it's so damn easy to just have a dock in the bedroom and living room and just bring my switch to whatever TV I want.
I feel this exact same way about the Switch! Having a proper and powerful handheld console again feels incredible, and it's been doing a lot to get me back into (incidentally) indie games and JRPGs. Indie games fit the handheld format really well and JRPGs really benefit from being able to dip in and out a lot more than I would on a stationary TV console.
Plus it can run way more games than I thought it could before owning one. Like, I know the Switch has a reputation for *not* being powerful relative to PS5/Xbox Series, but c'mon, any handheld console that can run Doom Eternal and run it well deserves respect in my eyes.
Ease of use, gorgeous display (OLED model), amazing battery life, slim body, the best console for indies and exclusives that put gameplay above everything else.
It’s a masterpiece and literally only needs a successor with faster hardware.
It’s a couple of things for me.
1) Like others have said, the ability to pick it up and play for a few minutes as a mental pallet cleanser is a wonderful thing. I don’t have to turn a TV on and off, or leave a system on in sleep mode for fast wake ups.
2) It seems like Switch has a lot of “fun games.” Since Nintendo doesn’t seem to give a damn about being in the race for “most powerful console,” I feel like game developers focus on features other than lifelike graphics when developing a switch game. So some games may not “look as good as possible,” but they sure are fun.
3) It doesn’t heat up the whole freaking room like my PS4 or 5.
4) I can play it in bed when insomnia decides to come visit.
It’s just comfortable to use. I bought myself a steam deck since I don’t have a pc and while I love it, it’s so hard to use in bed while laying down watching tv. The deck is clumsy and too big and the controls are awkward. I have tiny hands so the controls are too far spaced to be comfortable and almost every game needs custom control settings. Switch is up and ready to go and has a pretty long battery life. It’s easy to use as well and the accessories that are available are much better looking.
Every since getting a gaming laptop I no longer want to sit on a computer chair or play much on a TV. I usually play games in handheld. Heather it be the Switch, Steam Deck, or laptop. I don't play my other consoles almost at all. It might be different if I didn't have young kids, but I don't want my 2 year old daughter watching me kill a bunch of people in games.
It is absolutely that you pull it out, can play for five minutes, get interrupted, power it off, and pick it back up immediately from where you left off and continue playing whenever you get back to it. It’s outrageously convenient. Take it on the bus, to work, to bed, play it on the TV, etc. Wonderful
You're not alone. For me it's the portability. In the past I used to lock myself in the movie room with the projector, living room or the bedroom depending on what screens in those rooms are being used by other members of the family. In any case I was always gaming in the different room.
With Switch I can sit on the living room sofa playing my games while missus watches her Golden Girls reruns and still be present and able to parlay with her casually.
It makes me happier, it makes the wife happier and the relationship feels much better.
Sure, had I bought the PS5 system and the handheld screen device they've introduced (forgot the name) I could've achieved the same, but it came too late, after I had bought my Switch already.
Now it's too late to turn back as I'm perfectly happy with Switch. All of the platforms have enough games to keep me occupied and other platform exclusives that I'm missing out on are only a minor annoyance (ok, Baldur's Gate 3 and Dragon Age: Veil Guard are a major thing as I'm a huge fan of both franchises).
But yeah, the portability is the thing. Getting to bring my Switch to work and pass some time when there's very little work to do is a godsent.
It's called the Nintendo Effect. You see, when they were making the Famicom, they asked a Japanese sorcerer to imbue all games released on their consoles to draw ppl in. The sorcerer thought they meant EVERY console, so he placed a spell to make every console fun. All they needed to do to keep it going is eat 3 bowls of sour Udon before the release of a console, including new versions of existing consoles. They continued this tradition up until the Wii U, and that's why it flopped so hard. They then went back and reset the spell for the Switch, andvthe rest is history.
Nowhere online can I find it to be the case. People who own digital games on Wii U can still download them.
[info](https://www.nintendo.com/en-za/Support/Purchasing/Download-games/Nintendo-eShop/Notice-of-End-of-Purchases-in-Nintendo-eShop-for-Wii-U-and-Nintendo-3DS-Update-January-2024-2174073.html#:~:text=If%20I%20visit%20Nintendo%20eShop,Download%20existing%20software%20updates)
Anyone who still owns a Wii U still has time to backup their games
Personally, the immersion of the experience is just 1000x greater in handheld for me, for JRPGs especially. Even after I upgraded my TV to a big OLED and could not wait to see the Switch graphics on there (they look amazing) I still rarely dock it and play on TV. Handheld is perfect.
Nothing, the damn thing has been outdated and underpowered since release. It's just barely good enough for it's own exclusives which is pretty sad, and that's all I dare use it for.
The ability to play anywhere. I can't play games on my large TV anymore I'm too used to playing on a monitor so I can't just drag my PS5 into the living room to sit on my couch and play unless it's a sandbox game like minecraft. Being able to play handheld and while a movie or YouTube is playing is what keeps me getting games for it.
Ehh, I’d rather play on Xbox if I have the choice. I only play first party games on switch
Games like persona and nier look way better.
In fact everyone game runs and Looks Better
Try the Steam Deck. I was pretty much only using my Switch for a long time, but I was really tired of all the Switch limitations. I got a Steam Deck and it's like 50 times better. Now my Switch mostly just gathers dust. Best purchase I've made in a very long time.
Hey there! If you don’t mind me asking; why do you use your switch more? Do you buy games like prince of Persia lost crown, tunic and etc.. on the switch over the steam deck?
Asking because I also have both and trying to decide on one handheld to be honest.
Thank you!
It's the game!
My PS5 just collect dust.
I played some things here and there, mostly stuff that were free with PS Platinum.
But if a game is available for Switch i take it on switch. It's portable, it's dockable!
And i just prefer Nintendo better. Their first party offers are just excellent! I want to encourage them and make sure THEY succeed. Sony and Microsoft shown that the minute they have the upper hand, they become anti-consumer and crooked.
I just want Nintendo to take over the market anew so that their console have both their First Party, and uncompromised 3rd party support!
It’s a 7 year old console. What are you trying to play on it that it can’t run? Baldur’s Gate 3? I haven’t spent more than $40 on a game except Zelda Botw and Fire Emblem Three Houses. If you’re buying games at full price, you’re doing it wrong…
It's nice being able to grab the switch and start playing almost instantly.
Yep. No ridiculous update wait times, the games are unchanging and timeless, and it accepts itself as a console rather than a full blown entertainment unit. Also one of the few places you can still find good couch co-op.
>...rather than a full blown entertainment unit. This can't be understated. I'm not bogged down by music and video streaming service ads, or a firehose of "entertainment" garbage on my home screen. It's just the games I want to play.
Yesss, all the news is about games coming out, not whatever pop culture moment gets clicks, but then again, it's been a while since I had a different console so maybe they don't do that as much anymore. As well as no forced multiplayer, if you want to you can see who's online but it's not constantly popping up and there's no party feature unless in game as far as I have looked. Also, I really like the points system for online accounts, just by playing I usually get 30 a week and I can trade those in for some pretty neat icons to customize. I even changed my region so I could get the Mother 3 ones here in the USA (sorry if you're just hearing you could have done that now).
Definitely! This is why nintendo didn't put a Netflix app on the switch even though one was ready within months of launch. They knew what they were doing
Maybe it's just me and how often I don't turn my switch on but I literally have an update anytime I power it on. BUT they are never longer than 10 minutes. Also it's always dead. I don't keep it plugged in lol.
Yeah that’s what I mean, the updates are usually 2-3 minutes on games and honestly near a minute for system updates
The key
This gives it the nice parts of mobile gaming. Games are either suspended, or "still in memory", which literally makes them "pick up and play". It also helps that Switch games are smaller (16 GB is roughly the limit?), so load times are faster.
Damn. Yep
honestly yeah. It was refreshing to grab my switch that I hadn't played in months, hop on an airplane, and I wasn't met with a "software updated required" message when I booted it up after taking up.
You can do that with ps5 too. It takes me less than 15 secs to get into a game
Not on the bus
Came here to say this. Some days it’s hard to commit to gaming, and any kind of obstacle like finding controllers or navigating menus feels like too much. But the Switch…you just pick it up. It’s probably still open to the last game you played. Couldn’t be easier.
Form factor. Nintendo are toy makers. They know how to design consoles that are fun to play in and of themselves. Little details like clicking the joy con into place, or different sound effects for unlocking the devices. These details add up to a unique and addictive experience, and relationship with the device. The same principles are also carried through their 1st-party games.
Exactly this. The Nintendo Switch is not just a console, *it is a toy*. This is why they hold the second, third, and fourth place for the best selling consoles of all time. PS2 only holds #1 because they were literally flooding the market with devices and releasing new games for a decade. No other company has been able to grasp this, and they treat their consoles like nerfed computers, serious and badass, not *fun*.
Ps2 sold well because it played DVDs at a time when it was basically cheaper to buy a ps2 than an expensive DVD player.
... And I remember getting my PS3 (which I was going to get eventually anyway) sooner because it was the best Blu-ray player for the money. We're all digital and streaming now, but PS5 really needed to piggy back on another new physical media like its predecessors to make people feel they needed to buy a new "media box".
Yep! Haha I never actually played any blue ray movies on it tho…but the option was there!
Ps2 sold well because it had the highest library of games in quantity and quality. DVD was a factor in that yes, but all of Sonys devices sell well. Never has Sony been in last place, ps1/ps2/ps4 all passed 100+ million
Right, even without selling 100 million units, PS3 still surpassed the 360 by the end of the seventh gen worldwide.
And that’s insane considering ps3 came out over a year after the 360, and had a rough start. Huge gamble but it paid off well. I know this is a Nintendo sub and I love Nintendo, but Nintendo was the largest tyrant of the industry, this resulted in them directly creating the most successful game platform of all time, playstation, after backstabbing Sony to work with Phillips. Nintendo’s harsh tactics made the industry’s devs flock to PlayStation who offered way more freedom, bigger profits and more support, all to spite Nintendo. I know this thread is to praise Nintendo, but I guess we can also praise them for the PlayStation too lol
Honestly, if it weren’t for Nintendo inadvertently helping in creating the PlayStation, we likely wouldn’t have gotten some of the greatest Nintendo titles as well given that they wouldn’t have any proper competition to push them to make better games.
So true, they could’ve been an authoritarian monster possibly, the fact Sony humbled them in so many ways, literally forced Nintendo to adopt their policy an strategy today Many like to pretend as if Nintendo’s always been this way, but it’s only in modern times. Before Nintendo competed traditionally and beefed up hardware to compete. The ps2 and the psp forced them to go the weaker hardware/innovation. They straight up cut the GBA’s life short to rush out the DS when the psp came out, having to add a screen and touch just cause they know a traditional handheld wouldn’t sell when Sony is competing. And things are better because of those things
Maybe sega could've recovered from the saturn in this timeline. Atari was still incompetent, nec botched the pc engines successor. We still would have seen microsoft looking to join in on consoles. I feel like this tineline would've seen a more colorful 2000s.
My brothers PS2 was our first dvd player.
And PS2 was awfully easy to pirate games for.
Yep, we got a PS2 because it was not only a cheap DVD player, it was a better DVD player too.
I got a ps2 because I wanted to play gta3 but yeah the dvd player was a huge plus
Blue ray
I Love my switch. I’ve always played Nintendo due to Zelda but got pretty obsessed with my Xbox for ages with dragon age and the pit that is Desti my. However discovering games like dredge and save the diver..those games are born of the switch. I know they are elsewhere but those games I know I need on my switch and not my Xbox if that makes sense
Nintendo sells as well as it does because it retains a hardcore exclusivity on IPs and games in a way that the other console makers don't do. Other than emulation, pretty much the only way you play Nintendo games is with a Nintendo console. Pretty much every Sony or Microsoft release goes straight to PC immediately. As a sole PC user, this is very apparent when looking at whether or not to buy a PS5, Xbox, or Switch. I personally would have literally no reason to buy an Xbox or PS5, but I'd need to buy a Switch to legally play a lot of Switch games.
It’s accessible and convenient. Turning on my Xbox is a chore. Besides occasionally finding it’s powered on and super warm for some reason. When I do turn it on I have to hit the button a few times as it beeps at me and then it takes a minute or more to boot up. Then it probably has some giant update to download and install. 30 minutes later. Then I have to remember what I was going to play in the first place. The switch is instantly on and exactly at the spot of the game I left it. I play for a bit and turn it off able to go right back later. This is an important part of the experience. Combined with unique game franchises I have a history with. It’s always been Nintendo for me.
This is all you my man. The xbox and playstation also have rest modes and boot up instantly. You are either manually turning it off, or have a setting somewhere. And automatic updates are the same on every console. The only reason you'd wait for your Xbox and not your switch is because you use your switch more, and it's downloading in rest mode. Meanwhile you are powering off your Xbox so it cant update. There are plenty of reasons to like a switch, but this is not one of them.
I should specify I’m a few gens behind with a Xbox one. Nothing has compelled me to upgrade
Xbox one still has a suspend feature though, but it doesn't work on all games. "You can suspend 1 game at a time on Xbox One. You play a game, then go to Home or turn the Xbox off and hopefully, but not with every game, it will pick up right back where you were when you stopped. This feature only works if you have Instant On enabled. If you start another game the suspend state for you previous game is released and it's fully shutdown." Hope that helps! I used that feature a lot on my switch, and I used it a bunch on ps4 too
It’s much more seamless and universal on the switch and the boot time is minimal. That was my point. I’m not here for a logistical debate.
That's fine if you don't want to debate. I'm just saying it's not more seamless. And that's a feature that's been on every console for at least 2 generations now. It's not "xbox is a chore", it's you not knowing what you are doing. You are putting your switch into rest mode and then amazed how fast to is to "boot up", and resume your game, yet on Xbox you are completely powering it down and complaining it's not booting up your game quickly, when you aren't even using the feature for doing exactly that.
If I don’t shut it down completely the Xbox is hot to the touch just on standby and absolutely consumes more energy than the switch when both are in standby mode. The Xbox requires far more updates that take far longer to do than the switch. It’s not even debatable. I don’t know why you are being such a Xbox fanboy in a thread in the switch subreddit about the switch being great. Unless you are a majority stock holder in Microsoft I think you are going a little too hard on a casual comment that the switch is more user friendly. There is a reason it’s outsold Xbox by magnitudes. And yes ease of use for casual gaming is one of them. I never said they invented standby mode simply that combined with its portability, which no Xbox truly has in a standalone console, it’s a great way to game. Particularly when you just want to pop in and play for a few minutes.
>If I don’t shut it down completely the Xbox is hot to the touch just on standby and absolutely consumes more energy than the switch when both are in standby mode. That may be the case, but again that's the previous generations xbox that came put almost 5 years before the switch. >The Xbox requires far more updates that take far longer to do than the switch. That's mostly because the games are bigger. If you had you were using the features mentioned, you wouldn't ever see downloads because they'd happen when idle. >I don’t know why you are being such a Xbox fanboy in a thread in the switch subreddit about the switch being great. I'm not. I said every modern console does it. You specifically mentioned Xbox. I don't even have an xbox. I have ps4, switch and switch oled. In fact i actively dislike xbox and microsoft. But that doesnt mean im jisy going to make stuff up or insinuate it doesnt have somwthing thay it does. Nintendo is my platform of choice. I think you are being a fan boy. The main points in your original post apply to every console, and the stuff said about xbox just simply isn't true. >I never said they invented standby mode simply that combined with its portability You said you liked their standby mode, and then said that xbox doesn't have it and you'd have to wait for updates and wait for it to boot up. You never even mentioned portability. You did mention the library though. The portability and the library are the best parts for sure. That I agree with. And at that price point too, it's the best bang for your buck Not sure how you can say nintendo is more user friendly when to chat with your friends you either 1) can't. Or 2) have to install an app on your phone. The store is easily the worst to search through. Most of the home screen between consoles function the same, so I'm not sure what's more user friendly
Okay fine you win I’ll delete my account on Reddit and throw all my games in the trash. Thank you for finding time in your day to find fault in everything I said. If you could please go back in my comment history and fact check each of those since it seems to be your life’s work. Based on the results of that I’ll reevaluate my life and the meaning of existence. I really do appreciate your attention to detail it makes me feel special like when someone has a crush on you and they neg you a little. It’s cute really.
Absolutely this. And everything works quickly, simply and easily. I have a steam deck. I love the steam deck. I did the whole tinkering to the enth degree with emulators and OS changes and hardware upgrades etc etc. But now it's back to simple steam deck. I play it around the house but do you know what gets more play time? If I'm commuting the Switch easy to fit into a bag and it just works all the time and works well. Perfect size. Battery is relatively good. And the game library is steller for both nintendo 1st party with most of the indie games I love to play. It's not without its faults, for sure. But somehow I move on from other consoles but keep coming back to the switch.
You bring up great points! As a deck owner myself, I’m also stuck in deciding between the deck or switch oled (own both at the moment). So question - do you see yourself playing 3rd party games on the switch as well instead of the deck? For example; games like dredge, dave the diver, prince of Persia (lost crown) and etc..? I know heavier games like resident evil villages and stuff are more cloud based on the switch (not sure if all triple a games are)
I have a PC, so I'd use that for pretty much all my AAA playing or citybuilders. That said, AAA's these days don't really interest me like they used to... But mostly because AAA's aren't what they used to be. If I had no commute, I'd probably opt to keep the steam deck. I think the switch is the perfect size, so if portability were important to me I'd keep the switch. After using the deck the switch felt like a toy, but it is much more comfortable to use for long periods. Additionally, my switch is more of a local multiplayer and co-op machine. I tried to change my steam deck to suit that purpose but messing with controllers got very annoying - another point to the switch's simplicity. I'm looking at getting an OLED switch and modding it when the inevitable switch oled sales or second hand bargains come around the time of the switch 2 announcement/launch. I tend to get a lot more fun exploring old backlogs and classics patient gaming than I do keeping up with new releases. My Xbox 360 gets more use than all my other gaming platforms combined.
Thanks for sharing and completely agree with you! I might just stick to my deck oled to be honest. I’ve been in this weird “rut” where I’m constantly switching from my high-end pc and ps5. So I’ve been trying to “simplify” my tech/gaming life lol.
I think the deck is the best option in the long run if you don't do much portable gaming and own a PC. The steam deck will have a constantly expanding library but the switch is nearing end of life for game releases. Unless you're interested in the switch 2 of course, which will likely have backwards compatibility with the switch.
Thanks a lot for this! Yeah I just need to decide what to do and where to play games. I do enjoy playing on the deck a lot
omg i never thought of this it's genius..
I highly doubt those toy makers you mention are actually working, they are retired. What’s the last toy Nintendo did that was recolutionary like say, the ultra hand? It used to be a toy making company
Don't act dense, you know what they mean.
Not being tethered to a tv is so liberating. Once you get some comfy joy-con replacements, there is no going back. It changed everything for me.
Same with the pro controller.
Honestly I've become a huge fan of the PDP controllers. I have a Rock Candy controller, it's a bit smaller so it's better for my kids, and for myself I have an Afterglow which is on the bigger side, but fits my hands great (and I have beat up mechanic hands). They're cheap too. I think the Rock Candy was 25, and the Afterglow was $30ish. The only downside is no rumble on those two specific controllers
No rumble but a lot better than joycons lol
Ever since I got Mobapads, they haven’t come off. It’s my preferred way to play now.
Which joy cons are you using now?
Not OP, but I hear the Mobapad M6 HD are really good. I’m probably going to buy a pair myself soon, everyone has been talking highly of them. Here’s a link, I think you can only get them from the website. https://www.mobapad.com/products/mobapad-m6-hd
Do they charge thru the switch?
Yep!
The fact that you can play games like Mario Odyssey, Botw, Smash Bros, Totk ext... on a handheld is crazy.
And skyrim. I love playing skyrim while cozy in my bed on a nice rainy day... some things are still good about the 21st century.
I tried Skyrim a few months back and kinda abandoned it. Seemed too much. I think I need to pick it back up.
There's a little bit of a learning curve, but once you understand the basics it's very fun. Best tip I think is to go buy the spell "clairvoyance" from the wizard in Whiterun, because it leads you to whichever quest you have active and it makes things a lot easier.
Ok thanks. I’ve heard people say that using a bow as your primary weapon is the way to go. Guess I’ll try that too.
I didn't use a bow for a long time, and if you don't like that, don't feel obligated to stick with it! All fighting styles are fun.
Nier: Automata Breath of the Wild Persona 5 Royal Dark Souls: Remastered Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Advance Wars 1 + 2 Smash Ultimate Metroid Dread Super Mario RPG Hollow Knight Final Fantasy I thru X-2, XII Portal 1 and 2 Pikmin 1 thru 4 Doom Eternal Super Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy, Odyssey Xenoblade 1 thru 3 All on one platform....
My exact thought when playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3
For me it's the variety , my family is watching TV no problem il play handheld my kids notice im playing something fun and want to join no problem il disconnect joy cons and use the switch as a screen on the couch then everybody wants to play no problem il dock it put it on the TV and we can all play 4 player mario party , switch is great with ps5 becasue on ps5 I can play big new games but on switch I can play older games or indie games which are dirt cheap if you follow dekudeals sales and ofcourse the exclusives are fun
This is the answer for me. I alternate quite a bit lately between all 3 modes: handheld, TV, and tabletop, depending on what I'm doing at the time while in the mood for a game.
Your lack of periods is disturbing 🤪
I am illiterate
Portability, exclusivity, and gameplay. For the longest time I thought Nintendo was just for kids, strictly PC/Amiga gamer since the late 80s. Wasn't too interested in a handheld console which ate batteries (Gameboy, Lynx, Gamegear, NeoGeo Pocket). Then in 2021 I decided to pick up a Switch Lite for shits and giggles, bought an abused example for like usd80, and spent 40 hours in Metroid Dread, and was hooked. Bought an OLED a few months later and started BoTW. My 4080 gaming PC was gathering dust, with me ignoring Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty for months because I simply had to upgrade my sword to the true Master Sword, and that quest is not easy at all.
I grew up with a NES in the 90s, then GBC, but found the Gameboy to be a pain with no backlight and eating batteries, and ended up skipping right over most the Gameboy games, also the DS I missed completely as I was weary. Eventually my son was asking for a game console and we decided we would try the switch. I'm not lying when I say we didn't even play a game on it right away. I was mesmerized by just the dang menus and the store etc. Crazy compared to what we had growing up
There's a glitch for the master sword that you can pick-up after you spend time in a campfire, in a very specific location near it. No hearts required. I found it hilarious that after you can try to pull the master-air (it runs the pulling animation but there's no sword. It requires the 13-so hearts to pull the air though)
Oh i mean the three quests to make the master sword glow permanently, with 60 damage always, not just around Sheika tech.
Oh, cool, never knew that was a thing!
It's part of the DLCs. I'm pretty sure I developed carpal tunnel in my right wrist from that game, but no ragrets.
Picking it up, pressing the home button and jumping right back into a game you didn't think would be playable on a handheld is even more satisfying than using Quick Resume on my Xbox Series X
The one thing that Sony and Microsoft don’t get. Gameplay is king.
True, no 4k no 1829292 hz, no “realism” just straight up fun gameplay. I just put in like 200 hours in botw. And believe mario odyssey is my favorite switch game. What an absolute blast
Mario Odyssey is definitely my kids' equivalent to my SM64. My 3yo loves playing it, my 9yo got to the Darker side of the moon on his own. I spent so many hours with SM64 and it's pretty neat watching them discover a huge Mario universe too. Honestly I think it's my top switch game
I just started sm64, growing up i only had a snes. Since thats what my parents could afford and i love them for that. But just rediscovering all these classics
Oh got it, that's why you all keep begging for a more powerful Switch. Makes perfect fucking sense.
New to internet? Some people keep begging for more powerful switch some dont. Switch isnt an identity that as soon as someone buys one they would all share a single brain. Before you use “you”, maybe the guy claiming, 4k isnt what he wants, is not part of that group? But such complexities are probably not your cup of tea
Not wanting a more powerful Switch makes zero sense tho. The main complaints about the console have to do with performance issues and frame dips (Not saying these are prevalant, but they obviously aren't nonexistent either) It's like saying "No, I don't want a better Switch" Why? Saying you want the Switch to be more powerful isn't saying the Switch is bad, lol.
Because unlike you i live in the real world and know how energy works. More powerful switch means - needs more power which in turn demands a larger battery to feed that power. Unless more energy efficient chips come up, that would mean bigger battery and higher weight less portability. When someone says i dont care about more power, they dont mean - oh i reject keeping everything else as good as it is and giving more power, what they mean is keep gameplay priority, the limited manpower you have should focus on gameplay and fun rather than giving us 4k displays to make another ubisoft clones. Now if a power efficient chip comes up thats great, but in handheld market, steam decks and rog allys are not able to manage the weight and size of switch with their “power” So i hope it made more than “zero” sense for you
Ehhhhhhhh, I don't agree, I haven't played my Xbox, PS5, or Switch in like a year other than for esports.
So you don't game then
Yeahh, Sony doesn’t get that? They’ve won most generations have have stacked exclusives, they have both quality and quantity 🙄
This feud mentality is so ridiculous. Some of the greatest games ever made have come out on Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo consoles. Souls games started with Sony, and those games are literally popular due to their gameplay mechanics. I think Nintendo understands IPs and exclusivity is king more than the other 2 companies tho. That seems to be the biggest thing that distinguishes them.
Nah, you’re wrong
Nintendo is the only console maker left that has a distinct identity. PS and Xbox might as well be identical gaming PCs at this point.
Being able to play as a console (which the immensely popular DS couldn't do) offers a great way to play at home. Since it's Nintendo's only console, all of their developers could focus all of their efforts on bringing high quality games to the console, rather than splitting them as was true in previous generations. And, the on-the-go nature as well is perfectly suited to playing long games like JRPGs, because we can play a bit, then put the console to sleep, and pick it up later.
Imagine thinking Nintendo invented rest mode.
I can't explain it. It's just a lot of fun.
For me it's about collecting fun games, so physical cartridges is a big factor in choosing the console. I don't even own that many first party Nintendo games, I just like the ecosystem and commitment by Nintendo to deliver a solid system and support for collectors.
There is one secret sauce to the Switch almost no one talks about. Since nearly the beginning, Nintendo has split game development between two systems: their consoles and their handhelds. For the first time ALL of their games are on ONE system. We have never experienced FULL Nintendo before. That is all their talent focused on one system. Their output has been insane. I feel like they drop a major release every two months! Just look at the Pokemon company. How many games have they released on Switch? What is it 14 games now? That output would have been split before: mainline games to handheld, spin-offs to console. Now we get ALL the games. Contrast this to PlayStation and Xbox which has had the lowest output either company has ever experienced. (And people wonder why Microsoft went on a buying spree of studios.)
For me it is being able to play anywhere in the world and the game selection..
For me, it’s the style of games i prefer playing. I have an Xbox one but rarely play on it since the style of play I like (Pokemon, Mario kart and Mario wonder) is on switch plus if I want to play on my Xbox, I have to wait for it to turn on, put in my code, load the game and sometimes requires large updates whereas on my switch, I turn on my switch, put it my game,select the user and it loads quicker
Nostalgia
I bought one for my wife in 2021 after a lifetime of being first a Sega, then a Microsoft fan boy. Selling points for me: - Wife grew up on a GBC and prefers to cozy up in a little corner to game. I prefer gaming on big screens. We wouldn't have to choose. - Nintendo still actively supports physical media, and most cartridges have the entire game on them, no download required. - Downloads are always optional and won't stop you from playing a game if you decline. - Time from start up to playing a game can be measured in seconds, not minutes. - It still offers authentically fun couch multiplayer - We have kids between ages 1-10, so all of the killer app titles being rated E is a big plus.
Have you seen the other competitive. Microsoft and Sony basically does the same thing every gen. While Nintendo is creative with theirs
Portability, I'd guess. I love playing JRPGs in handheld mode, that's just so much more comfortable, imo.
I think it’s the handheld factor. The portability option. Being able to do it anywhere. Kind of like how a lot of us would rather watch a video on our phone instead of turning on the computer and kind of being stuck in stationary mode. And I agree about JRPG’s being more fun on handhelds. Persona 3 and 4 really got me into JRPG genre back in the days of PSP and Vita.
I feel the same and I’m more of Nintendo fan myself so I already loved the switch. Then the OLED came out, I have not put it down since and I also haven’t played on any other system 😂 it’s been a few years. I actually I even downloaded fortnight on switch so my son could play with me and it ran just fine.
For me it’s the huge library of games. So many amazing indie games, great first party library, and the most third party support/ports Nintendo has ever had. Add in the fact that it’s a console AND portable and it’s just a winning combination. Nintendo is back on top
For me it’s the convenience. Easy to start. Easy to stop. Getting interrupted on Xbox blows. Getting interrupted on switch? Home Screen suspend.
Hey op, just wanted to suggest playing Graceful Explosion Machine
0. The games. 1. Instantly turn it on and start playing. 2. Play it on your tv or curled up under your covers or on the toilet. 3. The games. 4. All the great games. Seriously, I can go from playing *Nier: Automata* to *The Thousand Year Door* to *Dark Souls* to *Advance Wars* to *Persona 5 Royal* to *Breath of the Wild* to *Monster Hunter Rise* to *Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga* to *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2* to *Pokemon TCG* all on one platform. That's incredible
For me is the portability, not being tethered to a screen so i can get real comfy while gaming
The switch just eliminates a lot of the obstacles to getting into a game. I don’t have to sit up and stare at my tv screen in a specific position, I can take my oled out from the dock and just lay back in bed with the handheld if I feel like it. I can take it out for 20-30 minutes when I’m on the go or porch. It’s just very convenient, and i personally like that a lot.
It's simply about the game. - UI - fast and simple. You jump in and out of games quickly. - handheld mode - Nintendo gave a stat on this, it's almost 50/50 console mode v handheld mode. - tons of third party games, most ever for Nintendo system.
This point has definitely been made before but I definitely feel that it's the ease of being able to just pick up your Switch, sit in a comfortable chair, load the game and just play. I'm biased because I primarily play games on the Switch and only recently have I been trying to play games on PC more, but I definitely find it easier to set up my Switch than having to set up my PC 😅
Tru, get this every time I feel those joycons and fire it up!
Right now I only have a Switch and a PS3. So I havenot much to compare. If you like JRPGS would you mind if I recommend you my favorite JRPG? I do enjoy recommending it to others.
Which one is it?
My favorite Videogame is "Fuga Melodies of Steel". Its a 20 houer long turn based JRPG about a groupe of anthropomothic animal children that go on a quest to save there families. They live inside a giant ancient mysterious powerful fortress like Tank. Its a bit like Howls Moving castle but based on technology instead of magic. If you are interested in trying Fuga out: It has a free demo which is just straight up the first 3 chapters of the game. It also has a direct sequel: "Fuga Melodies of Steel 2" but I advice against playing the second game before the first game unless you do not care about the story and characters. However Fuga is only available in digital Form. There is no physical release.
It sounds pretty cool, I'll definitely check out the demo. Thank you for sharing 🤙
If you do check out the Demo csn you tell me your first impresion after you cleared chapter 1? Those first impresions can be fun.
I definitely will. I'm currently really enjoying the original Paper Mario through the Switch Online N64 thingy, I'll check out the Demo soon though and let you know.
Thanks
Bro I'm the exact same way. I don't get a ton of time to game anymore, so the switch is nice when I do get an hour here or there. I purposely try games that I wouldn't otherwise, and I love having so many games I can pick up and put down easily without having to try to remember where I was at and what I was going to do next. I also love that my wife can put her shows on the TV and I can lay there on the couch with her playing my game without taking up the TV. We bought a PS5 about 8 months ago. It's mostly just sitting and collecting dust.
It really is the hybrid gimmick. Instead of splitting development/publishing between two systems like they did in the past it's all on one platform. Plus, it gives the player options as the same system, and the same game can generally be played in TV mode, handheld mode, or some combo of both. Speaking of giving the player options, it's the small things for me too. For example, I was always annoyed how in the original Wii era it felt like most games with waggle action controls could've just been a button press instead like DKC Returns. To me, that kind of stuff felt less organic like Wii Sports did (or rail shooters), and more like they were forcing their new toy/gimmick onto players when it didn't necessarily always make sense for every context/game. With the Switch, on the other hand, the motion controls are usually optional with the average game having the option for both joy-cons, or the pro controller (save for some rare exceptions like Super Mario Party). Edit: Word/Grammar.
I wouldn't call hybrid a gimmick, it's an inevitable evolution of the medium.
This feels like semantics, or the same difference, but either way, I wasn't saying that as a derogatory term just to be clear. Rather, I was saying that as a descriptor term in this context. Personally, I'm a fan of the Switch's hybrid gimmick, and for the most part, I just want its successor to be a more powerful hybrid system with backwards compatibility.
A good chunk of folk use the "gimmick" tag regarding Nintendo as a derogatory term (like waggle, in the Wii days) functionality would be the better descriptor, yeah.. definitely semantics 😁. I'm genuinely excited for the next generation of this form factor. I also hope we get some kind of fps boost/upres with the backwards compatibility too. Could we possibly see a hybrid approach from the others?
Hybrid console nature. Being able to pick up and play whenever, and docking it for a a big screen experience is amazing. Also because the sleep mode is so easily available. I just push one button and store it to later just grab it and continue. It has lowered the barrier for really long games immensely. Especially games where you are not able to save whenever. I imagine this helps for a lot of people.
convenience and range of games
For me it is about the nostalgic experience, I'm 42 and remember playing Mario games on the SNES and the TMNT games as well. Fast forward to now I can play Mario games again, TMNT games ( with the Cowbunga Collection ), and I have quite a few games from my 360 days on my Switch
You can play on big screen at home, or bring it with you when going out and play handheld. Different setups of the joy-cons when multiple players are involved.
(Xbox owner here) Does the Switch have a similar service to Gamepass, if so is it any good? What puts me off is potentially having to pay full price for games again, I subscribe to GP and thats that, I hardly ever pay for a game on Xbox so it a consideration if I was to buy a Switch.
The bug bit in the end, and I have just bought myself a Switch OLED along with Metroid Prime remaster and Mario Bros Wonder to arrive tomorrow!
Mileage. They've been designing successful handhelds for decades. They know art direction and fun beats hardware, and that limitations push creativity and battery life. The killing point for me though is how simple it is to just start from where I've stopped. I grab the switch, and with 4 clicks, I'm back in the game, with it fully charged. The ports are amazing too. They nailed all aspects of "simple and fun".
It’s simplicity. I have a gaming a PC and honestly haven’t turned it on ever since I got the OLED. It made me realize I don’t care about games running perfectly. But they do need to be playable and fun.
As someone who owns all three consoles, Nintendo has most retained the "purity" of the art/medium. They just put out fun games or interestingly weird games. I think it's a Japanese vs Western sentiment because on PS5 I mainly enjoy games from Japanese devs. Capcom, From Software, Square. Western development has really cratered outside of the indie space, and I love playing Indies on my Switch most. My Xbox absolutely collects dust.
Playstation was and is mostly just popular becuse it was a cheap dvd player/ maybe people like it for bluray also i dont know.
As a first time Nintendo player, the Switch is a modern console with the great traits of older console generations. Consider being able to play games right out of the box without necessarily bloated updates and the huge variety of local split-screen multiplayer games. Plus favorites from older generations have ported over, like Borderlands, Bioshock, Portal, Red Dead Redemption, etc. The portable form factor, reliable performance, and top notch Nintendo first party games adds up to a complete winner for Nintendo in this current console generation.
I hate playing handheld, I only use it that way when traveling. But, I love 2D games like Dread, Hollow Knight, and Mario Wonder. So, I love that the switch gives me access to all types of games. So much better than earlier generations where say, Metroid Fusion was only available on handheld, and Prime was only available on the GC/Wii.
Just being able to take it nearly anywhere and being able to play on TV is amazing. Also having old school game options is nice
The portability is the main thing for me. I can pick up the switch and play it anywhere.
I've found it's two fold. First, some games just feel better playing handheld. Second, it's the ability to pick up and put down without any issues. Oh, I'm half way through a Hades run but need to go do something? I'll pause, put the Switch in rest mode and go do what I need to do without losing progress.
Affordability, the sheer amount of quality in their library and catalogue, and the various play styles you can have with the console. a 10/10 system.
It's the games.
Handhelds hold a nostalgic place in my heart. My parents were adamant about no consoles. We had one tv and they didn’t want it to be used all the time for games. We had a Mac for dad’s work but they also didn’t want me to spend all my time on it. They did get me a Gameboy Color (Lime Green) along with Pokémon Blue for me to socialize with other kids because Pokémon was big and every other kid at school brought a GameBoy of some kind and the trading cards to recess. I already was having trouble making friends and they wanted to help.
Portable with the option to turn it off and on right where you left off. No other gaming console does that. Even mobile will have you restart your games if you tab out long enough. The switch is the lowest commitment device that a person can take advantage of while having just as much fun as any other platform by far. Also the high quality exclusives and great ports, but this is just my 2 cents.
Xbox and PlayStation consoles are a one person thing now days split screen is hardly supported. The console belongs to the player and the player belongs to the console. But with Nintendo I feel like it’s more inviting, it supports and promotes everyone coming together on one system to play together
Same. Since I got my switch OLED I've only touched my series x like 3 times n I got it like 4 months ago. I only play in handheld though, have never even used the dock lol. I love playing in handheld mode, especially with my Nyxi Hyperion Pro joycons. Can play for hours on end with no problem. So comfortable.
Oh also, I'm a big fan of jrpgs too. Check out ONINAKI. it's an action jrpg made by Tokyo RPG Factory and Square Enix and it's so good. It's one of the best games I've played in awhile. Really good, deep story and fun combat. I beat it a couple weeks ago and I'm sad it's over. It was an amazing journey for a video game.
I❤️❤️❤️my switch 🎮
I never play handheld unless it's on one of my (yes I have multiple) switch lites. And I still think it's great
I love the joycons because I can get comfortable or gesture at the game. I'm not locked into holding my hands a few inches apart.
Switch has saved jrpg
I’m glad the switch got you into those games because they’re all good games but if you were to play them on console the performance and graphics are significantly better than the switch. I have a hard time picking up my switch now since the hardware is so behind now
The switch is so versatile and such a blast to play on! ☺️
I’ve a Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. I play on both of them, mainly because I’m either travelling a lot and have loads of time when travelling or at home it’s just more convenient than my PS5.
I love that I can take the console anywhere, also so many cute games (acnh, Pokemon, Nintendo sports, Mario kart, super Mario bros, etc) also very colorful 😍
Portability
I don't even play in handheld mode, but I love the portability regardless because it's so damn easy to just have a dock in the bedroom and living room and just bring my switch to whatever TV I want.
I feel this exact same way about the Switch! Having a proper and powerful handheld console again feels incredible, and it's been doing a lot to get me back into (incidentally) indie games and JRPGs. Indie games fit the handheld format really well and JRPGs really benefit from being able to dip in and out a lot more than I would on a stationary TV console. Plus it can run way more games than I thought it could before owning one. Like, I know the Switch has a reputation for *not* being powerful relative to PS5/Xbox Series, but c'mon, any handheld console that can run Doom Eternal and run it well deserves respect in my eyes.
It reminds me of my childhood. Its nostalgic. And I like the simple games you can play while doing other stuff
Exclusive.
Being able to play anywhere, on the couch, upside down, on the toilet, in bed
Ease of use, gorgeous display (OLED model), amazing battery life, slim body, the best console for indies and exclusives that put gameplay above everything else. It’s a masterpiece and literally only needs a successor with faster hardware.
It's a handheld computer
It’s a couple of things for me. 1) Like others have said, the ability to pick it up and play for a few minutes as a mental pallet cleanser is a wonderful thing. I don’t have to turn a TV on and off, or leave a system on in sleep mode for fast wake ups. 2) It seems like Switch has a lot of “fun games.” Since Nintendo doesn’t seem to give a damn about being in the race for “most powerful console,” I feel like game developers focus on features other than lifelike graphics when developing a switch game. So some games may not “look as good as possible,” but they sure are fun. 3) It doesn’t heat up the whole freaking room like my PS4 or 5. 4) I can play it in bed when insomnia decides to come visit.
You can lie on bed and play vidya.
Xbox is,and always will be my go to. My switch is a nice change of pace,it's fun to take a break and play those 1st party Nintendo titles
It’s just comfortable to use. I bought myself a steam deck since I don’t have a pc and while I love it, it’s so hard to use in bed while laying down watching tv. The deck is clumsy and too big and the controls are awkward. I have tiny hands so the controls are too far spaced to be comfortable and almost every game needs custom control settings. Switch is up and ready to go and has a pretty long battery life. It’s easy to use as well and the accessories that are available are much better looking.
Every since getting a gaming laptop I no longer want to sit on a computer chair or play much on a TV. I usually play games in handheld. Heather it be the Switch, Steam Deck, or laptop. I don't play my other consoles almost at all. It might be different if I didn't have young kids, but I don't want my 2 year old daughter watching me kill a bunch of people in games.
It is absolutely that you pull it out, can play for five minutes, get interrupted, power it off, and pick it back up immediately from where you left off and continue playing whenever you get back to it. It’s outrageously convenient. Take it on the bus, to work, to bed, play it on the TV, etc. Wonderful
The convenience is a big factor. Also its a cool device. Cooler than the black box and the other black box with its Detachable colorful controllers.
Endless metroidvanias. Battery life. Great for on the go, on vacation, sitting anywhere around the house.
Its that handheld design that reminds you of gaming on the 3DS or Gameboy.
You're not alone. For me it's the portability. In the past I used to lock myself in the movie room with the projector, living room or the bedroom depending on what screens in those rooms are being used by other members of the family. In any case I was always gaming in the different room. With Switch I can sit on the living room sofa playing my games while missus watches her Golden Girls reruns and still be present and able to parlay with her casually. It makes me happier, it makes the wife happier and the relationship feels much better. Sure, had I bought the PS5 system and the handheld screen device they've introduced (forgot the name) I could've achieved the same, but it came too late, after I had bought my Switch already. Now it's too late to turn back as I'm perfectly happy with Switch. All of the platforms have enough games to keep me occupied and other platform exclusives that I'm missing out on are only a minor annoyance (ok, Baldur's Gate 3 and Dragon Age: Veil Guard are a major thing as I'm a huge fan of both franchises). But yeah, the portability is the thing. Getting to bring my Switch to work and pass some time when there's very little work to do is a godsent.
playing fortnite on it is so much easier. And it's portable. OH, and it's so quick to charge back up
It's called the Nintendo Effect. You see, when they were making the Famicom, they asked a Japanese sorcerer to imbue all games released on their consoles to draw ppl in. The sorcerer thought they meant EVERY console, so he placed a spell to make every console fun. All they needed to do to keep it going is eat 3 bowls of sour Udon before the release of a console, including new versions of existing consoles. They continued this tradition up until the Wii U, and that's why it flopped so hard. They then went back and reset the spell for the Switch, andvthe rest is history.
Until they retire the system, and you lose all your games like people on the Wii U did
Nowhere online can I find it to be the case. People who own digital games on Wii U can still download them. [info](https://www.nintendo.com/en-za/Support/Purchasing/Download-games/Nintendo-eShop/Notice-of-End-of-Purchases-in-Nintendo-eShop-for-Wii-U-and-Nintendo-3DS-Update-January-2024-2174073.html#:~:text=If%20I%20visit%20Nintendo%20eShop,Download%20existing%20software%20updates) Anyone who still owns a Wii U still has time to backup their games
Personally, the immersion of the experience is just 1000x greater in handheld for me, for JRPGs especially. Even after I upgraded my TV to a big OLED and could not wait to see the Switch graphics on there (they look amazing) I still rarely dock it and play on TV. Handheld is perfect.
Nothing, the damn thing has been outdated and underpowered since release. It's just barely good enough for it's own exclusives which is pretty sad, and that's all I dare use it for.
I like the lack of achievements. I feel less pressure
The ability to play anywhere. I can't play games on my large TV anymore I'm too used to playing on a monitor so I can't just drag my PS5 into the living room to sit on my couch and play unless it's a sandbox game like minecraft. Being able to play handheld and while a movie or YouTube is playing is what keeps me getting games for it.
It's basically a console I can play lying down on my couch. Also nintendo is legitimately good at programming.
I like playing on the couch, or in the bed. That said. I'm probably getting a steam deck next year and skipping switch 2.
I like playing while lounging in bed or on the couch. Bonus points if I'm binge watching a series on TV while I play.
Ehh, I’d rather play on Xbox if I have the choice. I only play first party games on switch Games like persona and nier look way better. In fact everyone game runs and Looks Better
Try the Steam Deck. I was pretty much only using my Switch for a long time, but I was really tired of all the Switch limitations. I got a Steam Deck and it's like 50 times better. Now my Switch mostly just gathers dust. Best purchase I've made in a very long time.
I have a Steam Deck but use my Switch more. I use Deck for streaming PS5 games and emulators mainly.
Hey there! If you don’t mind me asking; why do you use your switch more? Do you buy games like prince of Persia lost crown, tunic and etc.. on the switch over the steam deck? Asking because I also have both and trying to decide on one handheld to be honest. Thank you!
It's the game! My PS5 just collect dust. I played some things here and there, mostly stuff that were free with PS Platinum. But if a game is available for Switch i take it on switch. It's portable, it's dockable! And i just prefer Nintendo better. Their first party offers are just excellent! I want to encourage them and make sure THEY succeed. Sony and Microsoft shown that the minute they have the upper hand, they become anti-consumer and crooked. I just want Nintendo to take over the market anew so that their console have both their First Party, and uncompromised 3rd party support!
Tough to choose between the embarrassingly weak hardware and the offensively overpriced games
It’s a 7 year old console. What are you trying to play on it that it can’t run? Baldur’s Gate 3? I haven’t spent more than $40 on a game except Zelda Botw and Fire Emblem Three Houses. If you’re buying games at full price, you’re doing it wrong…