*** Nintendo Switch ***

[pioneer2000]

Lol how the Scorpio is being argued against as too expensive if it's £400+ but the Switch is good value at less than £300! Ones a Tegra and the other is a 1000 series equivalent!

 

[megalomanic]

I stand corrected

Watched a fair few videos, picking the trailer apart this morning.

MK8 (if thats what it is!) not only has king boo, but the sky is different - better clouds etc... and also shows players holding two power ups rather then just the one, though still with a single player, unlike dual power up system in MKDD.

Splatoon, I haven't played, but most of the videos I watched point to it being a different looking version to the Wii U.

Yeah I just read about the other Mario Kart changes, cool that there will be gameplay changes too.

Splatoon - I didn't recognize the level and the customisations shown are definitely new.

So they're looking like enhanced ports with new content and features. I wasn't planning to buy these games again but Nintendo may do enough to pull me in, dammit! .

Finally some educated guesses on the grunt of this thing. All thats officially stated is its using a 'custom' solution from Nvidia and that Nintendo won't be releasing full specs until the new year, waiting for Pascal based perhaps? Also....apparently the Tegra X2 is roughly 80% the power of an Xbox One, more speculation suggests if they remove all the car centric guff (CAN interface?) and utilize the extra space for more GPU cores, driving the chip up to near PS4 performance. So, custom X2?

Unless some major flaw is revealed, I'll be getting a release day console from amazon

Would this suggest Pascal?:

"The high-efficiency scalable processor includes an NVIDIA GPU based on the same architecture as the world’s top-performing GeForce gaming graphics cards."

I don't think it's confirmation but it's interesting nonetheless.
There are strong rumours that the dock does indeed increase power when in use, which would make a lot of sense. It could just be running at higher clocks while docked or something more elaborate. Let's also not forget about Nintendo's SCD patent.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Lol how the Scorpio is being argued against as too expensive if it's £400+ but the Switch is good value at less than £300! Ones a Tegra and the other is a 1000 series equivalent!

You are looking at it one dimensionally, CPU power.

 

[Zatoichi.uK]

Even as a 41 year old, if it launches with a new Mario and MK8 I'll probably pick one up for the right price. Nintendo has a magic others cannot recreate.

 

[pioneer2000]

You are looking at it one dimensionally, CPU power.

The GPU is likely the most expensive component, by far.

It's maddening that Nintendo can get away with charging over the odds for old / substandard tech. Look at the price of a 3DS and tell me that's not insanely priced for what you're actually getting.

 

[Raymond Lin]

The GPU is likely the most expensive component, by far.

It's maddening that Nintendo can get away with charging over the odds for old / substandard tech. Look at the price of a 3DS and tell me that's not insanely priced for what you're actually getting.

Which brings me back to me first point, you are still looking at it one dimensionally, still.

(no one is disputing the CPU differences, we no one is just looking it it one dimensionally either)

 

[pgi947]

Yeah I just read about the other Mario Kart changes, cool that there will be gameplay changes too.

Splatoon - I didn't recognize the level and the customisations shown are definitely new.

So they're looking like enhanced ports with new content and features. I wasn't planning to buy these games again but Nintendo may do enough to pull me in, dammit! .



Would this suggest Pascal?:



I don't think it's confirmation but it's interesting nonetheless.
There are strong rumours that the dock does indeed increase power when in use, which would make a lot of sense. It could just be running at higher clocks while docked or something more elaborate. Let's also not forget about Nintendo's SCD patent.

If its based on the X2 it will almost certainly be Pascal. I think people are underestimating what a little power house Nintendo could have here and seem quick to write it off as its not in a traditional form factor.

The dock part does make plenty of sense, runs at say 60% speed on the battery as the screen resolution is lower yet higher PPI (less need for AA for example) then cranks up to full speed once docked and running at 1080p for gaming. The idea of a dock update with supplemental hardware is a fantastic one too, especially if they want to offer 4K gaming in the future.

 

[lakitu]

The GPU is likely the most expensive component, by far.

It's maddening that Nintendo can get away with charging over the odds for old / substandard tech. Look at the price of a 3DS and tell me that's not insanely priced for what you're actually getting.

Which brings me back to me first point, you are still looking at it one dimensionally, still.

I think £300 is appropriate. I don't mind paying for something that I will genuinely get a lot of use out of and is a lot of fun. I have a feeling I'll be using this a lot more than my PS4 as I can play these full AAA games on the sofa while the misses watches TV, use on holiday, use on the plane, use on a commute etc. R&D must cost a bit too. I realise Nintendo products are not the cheapest but £300 is fine imo.

 

[Raymond Lin]

£300 is fine, there are plenty more things costing more that do less. Of course the natural thing is comparing it to other consoles, but other consoles don't do what the Switch does.

 

[pumaz]

Sorry I don't get it, sure it's a new direction and a great advert but it does nothing for me. This will be too niche for the masses and Devs alike, I expect it to go the same way as the Wii U with only Nintendo fans buying it to play Nintendo games.

I don't know why Nintendo is constantly trying to reinvent the wheel, I wish they would either release a normal console with a normal controller that at the very least matched the power of a PS4 Pro or just release their games on other consoles, phones, tablets and PC.

I am disappointed

 

[jonneymendoza]

£300 is fine, there are plenty more things costing more that do less. Of course the natural thing is comparing it to other consoles, but other consoles don't do what the Switch does.

The Switch is not really a console though so i would not compare it to a console but compare it to an ipad

 

[Raymond Lin]

The Switch is not really a console though so i would not compare it to a console but compare it to an ipad

Define a console.

Define am iPad.

Not sure about you, a console is an electronic equipment designed specifically for computer games, an iPad is a tablet designed to to be multipurpose. Gaming is not the core of its design, if it is, it would have physical buttons.

 

[lakitu]

I wish they would either release a normal console with a normal controller that at the very least matched the power of a PS4 Pro or just release their games on other consoles, phones, tablets and PC.

I am disappointed

Nintendo don't watch to release a 'normal console' they want each console and it's games to provide something new when the technology allows them to at a reasonable price. Wii, Wii U, 3DS now the Switch.

I and many millions love this about Nintendo, it's exciting and their games are unique. As has been said a hundred times before we don't need 3 players in the game all making the same console and we certainly wouldn't have the magic of Nintendo on other consoles.

It would be awful if Nintendo went in to software only. And don't get me started on Zelda on a phone/tablet! C'mon!

 

[mahius]

Incoming wall of text, you have been warned!

Before I start, I'll disclose my bias: I hate Nintendo these days, they are stingy jerks who hate fun.

A very simple two cents here: the Nintendo Switch is a handheld console, much like a the PSP or DS. Anyone thinking it's a home console is a fool, it just has the ability to play games on the big screen like you already can with things like the PSTV (plays PSP/PSVita on TV). It has been confirmed that the dock is only for charging/power and TV output.

And that explains why various folks don't like this... they want a home console to go up against the PS4/XB1 (and PC). This is anything but that. It sure as hell looks like Nintendo are ditching that pointless fight, but keeping their home console gaming and moving it to portable. When Nintendo said it would not be a successor or replacement to the WiiU, they weren't joking (for once). WiiU is a home console, no question. Switch is a portable, with the ability to output HDMI.

Gotta give it to Nintendo for standing out form the crowd and not trying to make their console into a PC (though they do seem to be making it into a tablet). Competing with PC is laugable, even with terrible PC ports. Modern day consoles lose the advantages (of being a console) their predecessors had, all they have left are a few exclusives.

The only odd thing is that Nintendo have now truly given up on home consoles (no more WiiU games, the releases this year have been tripe), but they still have tons of things releasing on 3DS in the future... I sure hope the Switch buries the 3DS. I don't want to have to deal with 10fps Pokemon any longer (which is why I was upset that the new one is still on 3DS).

You could visit a mates house who's playing Monster Hunter.

While I couldn't bat an eyelid at a new console, if it has Monster Hunter on it... I'm pre-ordering the Monster Hunter Console bundle ASAP! Funny thing is, that's exactly why I have a WiiU. No interest till I saw MonHun was on it and then I bought it. Also got Nintendo Land with it, which is fun multiplayer, but MH was the crowning jewel.

Very odd move when the New 3DS is still quite young.

This fixes all the problems with the 3DS.
An overpriced gimmick not usable by everyone (3D)?
Anyone can switch the controls on this thing.
Inferior controls?
Now you can either attach controls of your choice or use a traditional (pro) controller. No longer stuck with a c-nipple or no 2nd analogue at all.
Ancient resolution and abysmal framerate?
The Nintendo Switch can at least compete with cheaper tablets on that front. The 3DS just about matches the PSP... decade old hardware.
Overpriced for performance it offers?
Jury is still out on that one. Vita is priced same as the (newer models of) 3DS, yet is a better console, as far as the actual hardware and features go. Problem was that it was lacking in both games and support.

I hope the 3DS is phased out in favour of this. At least it's a significant upgrade for a handheld, no going back to a 3DS once you've had a home console level experience in your hands.

You mean proprietary SD Cards

Not entirely. Flash carts for DS and 3DS have been on the market for ages, though mostly for the purpose of piracy. My uncle told me he bought one for a couple bob in the local market. Though I will say you can't quite get an adaptor to plug it into a PC (or can you?), the flash carts usually use microSD for storage. So you aren't far off. But the proprietaryness has been much worse elsewhere. Remember the PSP/PSVita? Good luck getting affordable storage for those.

Finally, the reason why I haven't bought an xbox or ps4 is lack of coop local.
This has nailed it.

I think I'm sold and gf is too. I may hold off on 3ds

Not bothered about 4k. I like retro games and care more about play mechanics

By all means hold off on a 3DS. Or... buy one form a black friday sale this year for dirt cheap and look around some corners of the internet to find that 'the dark side' is very easy on that hardware.

And speak the truth, none of my PS4 games even support the use of a 2nd controller, despite the fact I have one. It boggles my mind that 343i/Microsoft ditched splitscreen on Halo due to worries about performance and yet this handheld device will happily do splitscreen... for shame. Incidentally, best place for splitscreen/local multiplayer this gen is WiiU.

Funnily enough, Nintendo are the only one with games that have it, but even they have been ditching it in the last bunch of WiiU titles. I swear none of the WiiU games in the past 12 months have had it in any form. Heck, it's one of the reasons why I hate Mario Maker so much. Multiplayer Mario Maker would be fun, but without it, it's just playing other people's levels on your own.

Like the Wii and Wii U?

Wii literally did take over the market and expanded it a lot. Admittedly most people only had the included Wii Sports, but it still made Nintendo wads of cash. WiiU was marketed horribly, name alone was an issue. At the time of release it was on the level of, if not better than the XB360/PS4 and yet third parties were still reluctant to support it properly, by releasing new (and not years old) titles on it (initial exception of Ubisoft). Regardless, it's one of the best options this gen, especially if one owns a PC already.

At launch, the PS4 had no VR and Kinect was not an innovation for the Xbox One. It already existed on the Xbox 360 and that was a reaction to the success of the Wii.

/Pedant.

At launch, the Switch has a design and feature not found on any existing console, short of claiming the iPhone can airplay to your Apple TV. Except the iPhone is a phone first and foremost. The Switch is a Console first.

To be honest, £500 or whatever it is for a PS4 VR set (to get all the bits) + £300 for a PS4.....I don't think the Switch will be priced at £800...so it is unfair to even put VR on the table in an argument.

I'm surprised other companies haven't really pushed in this direction. Nvidia came close with the shield, but no cigar. As stingy as Nintendo are, I don't think it will quite be as much as the PS4+PSVR combined cost. Oh and Kinect was terrible for video games. But good for non-gaming applications (i.e. engineering it to be useful in science and stuff).

Definitely getting one. Thought the wii-u had the best games this gen and my ps4 is nothing more than a Blu-ray player these days. This and the PC should cover most angles, just hope the price is no more than £250.

That's the classic PC & WiiU combo many of us have adapted. As for the price...

Very little chance it has backwards compatibility.

Dont want to pay more than $300, though. At Day 1, I'd buy it. Otherwise I'll wait til it drops in price.

Confirmed not backwards-compatible. Another mention of price.

£300 (16gb) / £340 (32gb) / £400 (64gb): Brexit Tax, weak £, logistics, localisation, Nintendo Tax.

I highly doubt they'll have versions with varying storage. I reckon it will be similar to the 3DS/WiiU with an SD card slot for storing digital games. I do think there will be versions like the WiiU though. Possibly a handheld only 'basic' version and then a 'pro' version with the base station and possibly the pro controller included like the early WiiU pro bundles had.

But finally the price... Nintendo like to overprice their hardware. Especially handhelds. Several years on and I don't quite think a new, slightly bigger version of the 3DS justifies the £180, £200 or whatever.

Considering there's a base station and pro controller my guess is at least £250 for the basic version and at least £350 for the 'pro' version. Cos the controllers will no doubt cost £50 each, they're overpriced across the board for every console. The decade old Wii controller is still like £30, despite on small upgrade since. Console bundles will be £300 and £400 respectively I reckon. Depending on the games, though I bet like the WiiU, most of these will release in a pro bundle. Maybe the likes of Pokemon might come in a basic bundle for accessibility.

Finally... I know a lot of people are hyped for this and want one... but! Much like with games, wait for reviews. The initial launch may have bugs or issues to be fixed over time and there'll probably be better bundles and price down the line.

As for the games, there's definitely a new 3D Mario title, proper like Mario Galaxy. A new Mario Kart, only because people recognised double items. Unless it's a HD remaster of double dash... which honestly wouldn't be such a bad idea.

But I'm not fond of the other showings, looks like a bunch of re-releases. I.e. buy the game again for the full price, cos Nintendo never drops prices on their games! Skyrim is unimpressive, since it's an old game. The WiiU even should have been able to run it, since Skyrim launched on the PS3/XB360 before it and it's even playable on the most low spec of PCs. Fallout 4 would be more with the times, but even still, old games released now is what the WiiU did and look where that got them. The portability might drive a few sales, but they need to have newer titles. Witcher 3 or Doom would be a much more impressive showing of 3rd part support. But little old Bethesda... unless they start showing Dishonoured 2 and Prey on the Switch, don't expect miracles.

Most of the facts, we still don't know. Such as how the account system will work and whether they'll do a Windows 10 (or even 3DS) and have shovelware smartphone-like games on it. Or even if the main releases will add the BSery of the modern times and have silly micro-transactions in them. They could be miswording or lying about some things they've already said. Eyes peeled and salt at the ready.

And that's it from the usual source of Nintendo cynicism. Overall it's not a bad idea, actually a very good one and I'm slightly positive on it. But I bet Nintendo will somehow mess it up, probably with pricing and bad decisions like they have been doing in recent years.

 

[londonbairn]

Like it, will buy it. I will always buy Nintendo consoles for as long as Zelda, Mario and Mario Kart are exclusives

 

[jonneymendoza]

Define a console.

Define am iPad.

Not sure about you, a console is an electronic equipment designed specifically for computer games, an iPad is a tablet designed to to be multipurpose. Gaming is not the core of its design, if it is, it would have physical buttons.

A gaming machine doesnt need physical buttons..

A console is something akin to a xbone or ps4. Its main purpose is to game infront of your TV. nothing more.

Go read up the big post above mine

A very simple two cents here: the Nintendo Switch is a handheld console, much like a the PSP or DS. Anyone thinking it's a home console is a fool, it just has the ability to play games on the big screen like you already can with things like the PSTV (plays PSP/PSVita on TV). It has been confirmed that the dock is only for charging/power and TV output.

And that explains why various folks don't like this... they want a home console to go up against the PS4/XB1 (and PC). This is anything but that. It sure as hell looks like Nintendo are ditching that pointless fight, but keeping their home console gaming and moving it to portable. When Nintendo said it would not be a successor or replacement to the WiiU, they weren't joking (for once). WiiU is a home console, no question. Switch is a portable, with the ability to output HDMI.

 

[Raymond Lin]

And an iPad's main purpose is gaming in front of the TV?

I personally don't want a 3rd PS4/XB1, honestly what good does that do? Same games across 3 platforms. What is the point?

 

[jonneymendoza]

And an iPad's main purpose is gaming in front of the TV?

I personally don't want a 3rd PS4/XB1, honestly what good does that do? Same games across 3 platforms. What is the point?

Same game? Umm, no/

If zelda and mario had 4k res graphics running at 60fps in VR mode etc it would be amazing.

Point?

My point is nintendo could have created a proper console(call it wii pro for simpicit sake) and you be able to play unique nintendo games.

THe more competition the better.

I dont see you complaining about too many Camera pro manufacturers around..

Its like you saying, na i dont need Sony, pentax etc etc making pro cameras, Canon and Nikon is enough...

Well look whats happeninG. Thanks to Sony etc , Canon have woken up and actually updated there 20 year FF sensor. Why? because of competion.

The more players that jump into the console world, the better. Heck i would love Sega to make a DreamCast 2 that has same spec as a ps4 pro or better.

Imagine Shenmue 3.. Jet set radio and whatever crazy sega games they have and can make...

 

[Raymond Lin]

Yes same game, the PS4 has it's Nathan Drake and XB1 had its Marcus Phoenix but they all have Lara Croft.

90% of the stuff are on both platforms, so it's a waste of money spending another £300 to play 10% of the games playing it the same way. I know, I have all the current consoles.

Instead, you get to play the 10% exclusives and you get more out of it in other respect.

 

[megalomanic]

Don't know about you guys but I'll definitely be picking up the Pro Controller with mine (I'm assuming it'll sold separately).

A console is something akin to a xbone or ps4. Its main purpose is to game infront of your TV. nothing more.

That's not the definition of a console though. The 3DS is a games console, a handheld one.

The xboxone and ps4 are also games consoles, 'home' consoles.

The term (type of) 'console' in this context is not a technical term or even a term to describe the form factor of a device.

It's a term to describe how a product is designed to be used. The Switch can primarily be used as a home games console or a handheld games console. It depends on the use.