Dan

Wii U = Windows 8
Switch = Windows 10

Drexl

Yeah, I'm not excited about it either. It's too big to be a real portable (unless you're carrying a bag like somebody mentioned), and the dual nature means the home portion will be compromised in power.

No D-pad means it will be shitty for retro games (at least on the go), and I'm not even sure about the structural integrity of the thing with all those breakaway parts.

I don't even want to play the same kinds of games on the go. In a portable game, I want something I can play in very short bursts and not have to come back to it too soon. Even if you can suspend at any time, I don't want to have to stop in the middle of a dungeon or quest and then later try to remember where I was and what I was doing. At home I always make sure to finish a dungeon or quest before stopping for the day.

Dan

I'm not saying it does (because it probably doesn't) but the dock could end up having extra graphical processing power, not unlike the Surface Book where the tablet portion is serviceable for basic needs, but the dock itself has additional power, not just battery, for better performance.

SmackDaddy

Looks interesting, to say the least. Don't get the "tablets already do this" comments. Until they release the specs, I'm going to withhold judgement. If that was the updated Skyrim, then no, your tablet can't do that!

But, unless it's considerably more powerful than the WiiU (that i already own and don't play) I doubt this will be a launch purchase. I just hope they can KEEP that third party support. I remember all the third party support they touted before the WiiU launched, then....nothing after the initial game releases.

Rob V

I wanted to crap all over another weak Nintendo release... but this looks pretty slick. I won't buy on Day 1... but eventually. Chalk me up as someone who won't play portable or tablet games that require any amount of thumb dexterity; but this looks much more appealing.

robin2099

I'm not really impressed. On the one hand I think Nintendo is somewhat smart for going after different markets as they obviously will never be able to compete with Sony or Microsoft on the home console front. However, there problem seems to be that they almost are going too niche. I just don't see the need to be playing a game, and taking it with me to get five more minutes in while I'm waiting for a table at a restaurant. It also brings up a lot of questions. What do you do if you happen to lose it when you take it out? Does this basically make your console worthless? Is it effected by distance? What happens if you crack the screen?

So yeah I'm not impressed. I think most people who will be interested in it will be the really, really hardcore gamers while the mainstream will be more interested in just playing their PS4 or XBO.

redbill

for me that = 0 enjoyment (assuming F2P implies Free to look at ads to buy stupid add-ons to increase your score and "enjoyment")

pinata242

Right, and that's all I've been willing to pay for mobile experiences. I can go as high as $10 or $20 for something like Dragon Quest VIII but, for the most part, I'm "playing" games that make me wait hours to refill energy. It just leaves a lot to be desired.

A console-level portable Metroid Prime, though?

Adam Tyner

A lot of the early Wii ads did the same thing, going heavy on twentysomethings.


It makes sense.

If you're trying to make something look cool to little kids, who do you put in your ads? Twentysomethings.
If you're trying to make something look cool to teenagers/twentysomethings, who do you put in your ads? Twentysomethings.
If you're trying to make something look cool to people in their thirties or forties, who do you put in your ads? Twentysomethings.

Kids of a certain age aren't wild about being pandered to. Commercials with an entire family huddled around the couch playing Mario Kart or whatever are about as far from cool as it gets. Nintendo's marketing (at least in the U.S.) for the Wii U was pretty much nothing but precocious little kids and family time, and I think that misdirected focus is at least part of the reason it never went anywhere.

mattysemo247

When the guy was on the plane with the game pad on the stand, didn't he have a controller in each hand? I was assuming that would be motion controls? Unless you really wanted a control in one hand for movement and the other controller for button presses.

mattysemo247

BTW, if anyone wants to sign up for notifications, Amazon already has a page

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LTHP2ZK

stingermck

That ad tho

Nintendo thinks people gonna stop playing basketball and crowd around someones tablet and play with tiny t-rex controllers lol

Edit* And damn that controller looks like xbox and dreamcast had a baby.

slop101

They're really pushing the portability aspect of it, which is something that I would never use, just like I never used the controller on the WiiU to play a game using it's screen alone.

fujishig

I don't think an Amazon notification has ever worked in time to get a preorder in on a hot item. Ever.

I love Nintendo, I like that they're doing something different, but I'm in the same boat where I love my 3ds and yes, even my vita, but it's so inconvenient to carry even those small machines around. And if this ends up killing off 3ds support early, I'm going to be ticked.

So the half controllers have all the buttons of a regular controller, or are only certain game modes supported or something?

I see they're still believers in the headphone jack, though.

Adam Tyner

To be fair, the 3DS will be six years old by the time the Switch launches.

It feels like software hasn't really been where it should be for the 3DS for a pretty long while already, unfortunately.

Decker

It won't for one simple reason : Price. Kids love to bring their 3DS with them. They bring them to my office all the time (well, they used to, most just watch videos on their mothers' phone's these days). Anyway, parents won't want to buy a $300 portable system for their kids -- not only is it very expensive, but lord help the kid who drops his console on the sidewalk. Plus a lot of families have more than one kid who enjoys gaming. I don't think many siblings would share as nicely as those Millennials in the VW van did.

pinata242

I suppose it's possible but I didn't read it that way. It just seemed to indicate another configuration for the controllers. If it was motion-based, it was purely gyroscopic since there was no "sensor" bar. They definitely didn't convey motion controls.

And an airplane seat, even aisle, would be the worst place to advertise that!

Music

Yeah, I thought it was just the 2 halves of the controller part.

The Questyen

It was obvious from the video that they weren't motion controls it was just splitting out the controls from the screen so he could have the screen on the stand. They showed those same controls and how they work multiple times in the video.

Decker

Question : Why would anyone want to do the controllers like that as opposed to a WiiU/Vita style? Those two minicontrollers look awful awkward held like that.

Music

The regular controller is ugly as hell - its like the new Duke controller, but square.

The Questyen

So you don't have to hold the screen the whole time. Those mini controllers are just basically a regular controller cut in half so your hands would fit on them just like a regular controller not sure why that would be awkward. There's been controllers that do that for awhile now.

It's more about options if you want to hold it like a regular portable you can. If you want to bring your pro controller and play it you can. If you want to set the screen on a table and use the minicontrollers you can.

Draven

My son uses the Wii U screen all the time- that way he can play his game without dominating the main TV in the house. If he could take this up to his room instead, that would be even better. I'm in on Day 1 - looks cool.

bluetoast

Nintendo. Just when I thought I was out...

DVDTalker76

I was all ready to bitch about how they had to sacrifice usability for yet another gimmick.. except this concept is actually solid all around. Thankfully they will have the Pro Controller out of the gate to alleviate that one problem.

Of course, it would be better not to have to cherry-pick a particular controller to have the optimal experience, but hey - it's a Nintendo machine. :/