PhantomStranger

Nintendo's focus is always Japan first and that market. Who still prize physical media for various reasons.

tonyc3742

I have bought a lot more digital recently, but usually on sale. So it's a little more justifiable.
I wish "they" would come up with a way to either sell, trade, or transfer digital content. I would buy even more. I'm sure it's technically possible, just a market decision not to (which I understand from a company's perspective). There are games I've either played and finished, or know I will never play again (that are still available on digital marketplaces), that I would gladly sell back to the store for a certain percentage of its price. Or transfer the license to another player. The easiest example is I bought games on my account for my son when he was younger, and now he's older and has his own console. Odds are he is no longer interested in the game (he basically plays Minecraft, Borderlands and Fortnite) but theoretically I'd like to be able to transfer the license to him.

fujishig

The problem with backward compatibility with Nintendo digital games is threefold:
Nintendo sucks at online and is like years if not decades behind. Part of that is because they want to "protect the kids" but having to have a phone app to communicate/set up stuff in Splatoon is so backwards. Not being able to quickly connect with a group of friends in 1st party games is insane to me.

Nintendo is the quirky company, so their consoles have been like miles apart from each other in the digital age. Wii games need the Wiimote. WiiU games would need some way to replicate the gamepad screen (and sometimes the Wiimote). Similar for DS games.

If you want to be cynical they want to resell you the same game again (though they usually update it in some way at least)

That doesn't excuse having to buy the same snes games over and over, but they "solved" this problem in this generation by having subscription only access to those games. But I have to believe the switch 2 if backward compatible would honor the switch, at least. At the very least, the switch will continue to play the digital games, which is the same limitation you'd have with the physical cart (if the switch 2 is not backward compatible). And then there's the issue that a LOT of games don't come out on physical anyway, or they do just to be collectible.

Sub-Zero

The Nintendo Switch is approaching 140 million consoles sold:

Nintendo Switch Sales Surpass 139.36 Million and is On Track to Outsell the PlayStation 2

PhantomStranger

I have a pretty large friends list on my Switch account (probably numbering in the hundreds) and I see fewer people playing online than at any point in the past 5 years. I'd say a good chunk of people have moved on to newer systems if I'm being honest.

Mike86

Limited Run Games is releasing Felix the Cat. One of my all time favorite NES games. I sprung for the Classic Edition with the extras and also got a t-shirt. Might even double up and get a copy on PS5 too.

bluetoast

Thanks for the heads up. That game had a great soundtrack and I’m tempted.

OldBoy

Is there any sense to getting a Switch and controller at this stage of the game?

I mean I have enough trouble maintaining activity on one system, let alone this would be my third or fourth if you include my hooked up GameCube. I feel like some games would be worth it though. Like a Super Mario or Zelda or Bayonetta 2. And, I want to go online to download classics and stuff. Does this do WiFi or only internet via LAN?

Just not sure…

fujishig

I want you to think really hard about whether this portable system requires you to do internet only over LAN.

In all seriousness, look at the games and decide, or wait about a year and the next console should be out, maybe even backward compatible with this (or at the very least with remakes or new iterations of each franchise).

Mike86

Switch is a fun console/handheld but I’d probably lean towards waiting at this point. It came out in 2017 so I have to imagine the successor will be announced soon-ish. You probably could get it cheap though and it has a good library.

OldBoy

I have no use for the portability either. Strictly used as console for tv.

Adam Tyner

Like Mike and fujishig said, a successor is surely not that far off on the horizon. The rumor mill was for a Switch 2 this year, but the tides seem to have shifted to March-ish 2025.

So it depends on how intense your desire for a Switch is. If you’re really excited and there are a bunch of games you’re itching to play, I’d say go for it! If there’s a bit of hesitation or if you’re mostly interested in just a couple of games, it could be worth waiting a year, either to pick up the shiny, new Switch 2 or to get the OG Switch at a discount.

RichC2

Yeah just buy a used one. It's a great console.

Adam Tyner

Goldberg74

The Nintendo Direct was a simple Partner Showcase with nothing super special announced.

• Epic Mickey Rebrushed
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
• Endless Ocean Luminous
• Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream
• Pentiment
• Grounded
• Unicorn Overlord
• ... and a bunch of other random stuff, none of which is very interesting

As far as Nintendo Online, we're getting:

• Normal Tier:
  • RC Pro Am
  • Killer Instinct
  • Battletoads in Battlemaniacs
  • Snake Rattle and Roll
• Expansion Pass Tier:
  • Blast Corps

Goldberg74

... oh, and it seems that Japan's Direct included the Mother 3 announcement for Nintendo Switch Online, exclusive to Japan.

X - Formerly Twitter

GatorDeb

In for Epic Mickey. My next game is coincidentally Grounded (on PC) after Midnight Suns, which I already started.

Adam Tyner

All sorts of Microsoft-owned stuff coming to Switch: the vintage Rare games, Pentiment, and Grounded.

I thought that was a pretty solid Partner Direct. My wife is interested in the Suika Game DLC and will be downloading the Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! demo. Pepper Grinder and Penny's Big Breakaway were already on my list. Curious about SMT V: Vengeance and Epic Mickey Rebrushed; haven't played any games in those franchises before.

fujishig

There was also this, for picross fans:


GatorDeb

The Questyen

I really wanted to love Epic Mickey but the camera and motion controls were terrible and I couldn't force myself to finish it. Hopefully that stuff gets fixed.

GatorDeb

Yes it's been on my radar for months now we got a release date! Thanks for thinking of me I did all the e's in the 3ds, I'm not sure I'll but any other than the previously unreleased one.

tonyc3742

Felix the Cat is one of the few NES games I remember having. Enjoyed it a lot. Tempted....I wish the collector's edition had the soundtrack and the t-shirt, I don't care about posters or additional boxes.

Couple questions:
- How bad is it to take out a game cart without 'closing' the software? I did it once and the Switch yelled at me next time I turned it on.
- Is it ok to put carts in the little pockets in a carrying case? I presume so but it seems weird - the magic game making stripes on the bottom of the cart aren't protected, is it OK for them to rub on cloth?

milo bloom

We’ve used those carry cases for years now and haven’t had any problems with the carts.

tanman

I'm really excited for Snake Rattle and Roll and Killer Instinct! I know they're already available just haven't gotten a minute to play them. SRaR was a hidden gem on the NES. I don't hear many people at all talking about it but it is a great co-op game. I could never beat it though. I could always get up to the very last boss but could never beat it. I couldn't lick the foot fast enough to make it explode.

Decker

Release dates for Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Paper Mario : The Thousand Year Door remake announced today (6/27 and 5/23 respectively) for MAR10 Day.


Both are full priced at $59.99 and Nintendo Online Voucher-eligible.