Poll of the Day > The Nintendo Switch is coming up on 6 years.

(+) Yeah! (+)

March 3, 2017 is was released. Quite long for a Nintendo console, but makes sense given the popularity of the system. There's been a huge release of support and games for it as of late, too.

Yeah, Nintendo consoles have come pretty consistently in 6-year cycles since the SNES, with the sole exception of the WiiU only lasting 5 years. Maybe they're stretching the Switch out to try and offset the WiiU's missing year.

Probably going to be like the Gameboy where it had a 9 year lifecycle. Although it was still being supported for another 5 years after that.

The Switch is the best selling Nintendo console ever and that is with the Gameboy and all its variants (including the color) combined. And it doesn't show any signs of slowing down.

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

FrozenBananas posted...

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

No, buy a Steam Deck. You can emulate any Switch game you might want to play and you get to flip Nintendo the bird for releasing an inferior console that isn't running first party titles well. Pokemon Violet/Scarlet, anyone?

FrozenBananas posted...

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

Probably not too late I mean, youll still have a ton of games you could play and catch up on As for their next console, who knows They could release it in a few years, or tell us about it next week

FrozenBananas posted...

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

There are plenty of games out there for it, plenty still coming, and no particular news of a successor. If you can find one, especially for a good price, it's well worth it.

still current gen

I only have 4 switch games... :<

It feels weird to me that the Switch is that old already. Like BotW is 6 years old. Mario Odyssey will be 6 years old later this year. How did that even happen

Time vertigoooo

Arcturusisnow posted...

No, buy a Steam Deck. You can emulate any Switch game you might want to play and you get to flip Nintendo the bird for releasing an inferior console that isn't running first party titles well. Pokemon Violet/Scarlet, anyone?

Pokemon isn't first party though.

faramir77 posted...

Pokemon isn't first party though.

And there are plenty of first-, second-, and third-party titles that do run well, including many that should intuitively be much more demanding than Pokemon (like Xenoblade 3). GF just did a terrible job of optimizing S/V, which was both a consequence of them being a little too ambitious when they had so little experience making 3D open-world games and rushing the game out in time for holiday merch sales.

Arcturusisnow posted...

No, buy a Steam Deck. You can emulate any Switch game you might want to play and you get to flip Nintendo the bird for releasing an inferior console that isn't running first party titles well. Pokemon Violet/Scarlet, anyone?

Nah, I'd rather own both.

https://youtu.be/0__el4VrTVY?t=893

Switch Emulation on the Steam Deck, while impressive, is nowhere near viable if you're interested in the best performance. If you think the Steam Deck runs first-party Nintendo games better than the Switch - sorry, that's laughable and shows you don't have your finger on the pulse of the emulation scene whatsoever.

Was almost mad that Metroid Prime Remastered costs $50, but now I get it - I'm impressed

https://youtu.be/RnGZ82y-xi4

I have a feeling Switch 2 or whatever they will call the successor console will be announced soon, even if it does come out that doesn't mean Switch support dies immediately.

Typically there is a year or two period where both consoles will be supported, crap PS2 sold very well and for years after PS3 came out you could still find new PS2 titles.

I think the Switch 2 may be in the works but Nintendo is mum. As a kid, I loved Nintendo consoles then I didn't anymore.

What would even be the gimmick of Switch 2 be, I wonder

LinkPizza posted...

What would even be the gimmick of Switch 2 be, I wonder

folding

FrozenBananas posted...

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

Make sure you know for sure what games you want to buy for it, I got one and I'm not interested in 90% of the consoles exclusives, even the exclusives it does have barely run correctly and have massive performance issues.

Imo the console is kind of a joke with how poor it performs but Nintendo has been behind the curve pretty much since the Wii launched but atleast that system didn't have too many performance issues that I recall.

Dikitain posted...

The Switch is the best selling Nintendo console ever and that is with the Gameboy and all its variants (including the color) combined. And it doesn't show any signs of slowing down.

I thought it was still the Wii, but holy crap, you're right - it blew past the Wii. Doubtful it catches the DS/PS2, unless it really has 2+ years on it. Not true about the GB, however, unless you were excluding the GBA.

FrozenBananas posted...

I was thinking of buying a switch but now Im thinking I might be too late. Should I get one still? There were plenty of games to play

It depends on what type of games you like, of course, but there has been a ton of releases and support as of late, and to come. Since Last July until this coming July, there's at least 10 titles I'll buy and play.

CyborgSage00x0 posted...

I thought it was still the Wii, but holy crap, you're right - it blew past the Wii. Doubtful it catches the DS/PS2, unless it really has 2+ years on it. Not true about the GB, however, unless you were excluding the GBA.

Most people do exclude the GBA because they are different consoles/hardware. They include the Gameboy color because, for all intents and purposes, the Gameboy color is just a regular Gameboy with the Super Gameboy enhancements built in. Sure, there are exclusive games for it, but the only difference is the games make use of the color pallet.

I've still never played one, so many great games are cross-platform now. The only games I regret missing out on are Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Party Superstars, Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Super Mario Odyssey.

I'm curious, can people list 10 switch exclusive games (I'll allow games out for the Wii U as well, even though I have one) that they feel are worth getting a switch for, and if so, what is the top 10 on their list?

I have almost bought a switch a few times, and did buy a switch when it came out (but returned it after I finished the new super mario game in a weekend and had nothing else coming out anytime soon I wanted to play).

A large part of that time they were really hard to get, but I could probably round one up now (especially if I was willing to get a used one). Still don't really see many games that I would want to play that I don't own on the Wii U already (Zelda/Xeno).

Almost got it when they made a new Marvel Ultimate alliance for it, but that was literally it for games for me even at that point. I'm not into pokemon which kills that, and I have enough games like Animal house or whatever it's called that it isn't really a draw for me either (That I don't even play even though I own them).

I know they came out with another Xeno, but I have not played the first one yet (think I own the second on Wii U as well...if there was one on Wii and one on Wii U I own 2 of em).

So yeah, still don't really see getting a switch as worth it sadly.

wolfy42 posted...

I'm curious, can people list 10 switch exclusive games (I'll allow games out for the Wii U as well, even though I have one) that they feel are worth getting a switch for, and if so, what is the top 10 on their list?

I have almost bought a switch a few times, and did buy a switch when it came out (but returned it after I finished the new super mario game in a weekend and had nothing else coming out anytime soon I wanted to play).

A large part of that time they were really hard to get, but I could probably round one up now (especially if I was willing to get a used one). Still don't really see many games that I would want to play that I don't own on the Wii U already (Zelda/Xeno).

Almost got it when they made a new Marvel Ultimate alliance for it, but that was literally it for games for me even at that point. I'm not into pokemon which kills that, and I have enough games like Animal house or whatever it's called that it isn't really a draw for me either (That I don't even play even though I own them).

I know they came out with another Xeno, but I have not played the first one yet (think I own the second on Wii U as well...if there was one on Wii and one on Wii U I own 2 of em).

So yeah, still don't really see getting a switch as worth it sadly.

For Switch exclusives, it mostly depends on what games you like I have quite a few that I had fun with There are also some games (like TWEWY) with arent exclusive to switch. But much easier to acquire and play on it And some other games arent exclusive, but I play them on switch because I have an easier time on switch, and can also play on the go Which mainly means at work In the end, it wont be worth it to everyone, as everyone values things differently Switch is probably my favorite and most used consoles for games currently, followed by PS5, and PC last Dont have the newest XBox, though

every first party game i've played on mine has run perfectly fine. do people not actually play these things before they start complaining? only janky experiences i've had so far have been with pokemon.

Part of my problem, and the reason I returned my switch when I bought it, is that I don't like playing it away from a big screen. Admittingly I only tried playing the super mario game on it (the 3d one that came out, odyssey) but it was so small on the portable screen it wasn't fun at all for me.

So I basically decided I would only get one if there were games worth it for me to play at home, and honestly there just hasn't been many that were not available on other systems (includding the Wii U).

Sadly I have never really enjoyed many of the Nintendo exlusives including the pokemon games, the Animal crossing games and the player vs player type games (Forget the name but you fight against each other as different nintendo chars like donkey kong and kirby etc).

Without them, it really limits the # of games, especially if you don't intend on using it as a portable system.

Add in the fact I have Wii U games galore I never played or finished (including the last Zelda game, the entire Xenosaga game on the Wii U and most of it on the Wii) and it just hasn't really been worth it to me.

I do have the Ps5 though and barely any games on it at all, but I at least figure eventually there will be some good exclusives on it, and it did have a new Ratchet and Clank right out of the gate for me.

Nintendo did seem to go away from a wide RPG library along time ago, which is really sad, and when you include all the PS and PC rpg games etc, it makes the few you can't play on nintendo not a big deal (at least to me).

This will be the first nintendo system that I have not owned, fairly close to when it was released, let alone at all, which is really sad.

Which makes sense The switch isnt for everyone And one of the main features is the portability So, if that isnt for you, then that takes away a big part of it Same with exclusive games. If you dont like the exclusives, that also takes away many reasons to get it Sometimes, certain systems just arent for certain people

It was the same thing for me as #27. If you have other Nintendo consoles, there is only a handful of exclusive titles for the Switch that are worth playing. I would just wait for the Switch 2 to come out and see what to do then. It probably will be backwards compatible, stupid if it wasn't. Although, with the popularity of the Switch it may be awhile. I wouldn't even be surprised if it takes another 4 years for the Switch 2 to come out. No point in releasing a new console if everyone is buying the current one.

wolfy's reasoning is fair, others just seem like they're still pissy that sega lost over 2 decades ago or something.

LinkPizza posted...

What would even be the gimmick of Switch 2 be, I wonder

More powerful hardware & better performance in handheld mode I would guess. That is the biggest complaint people have with the Switch, well that and the joycons. Plus if they can up the performance of Switch 1 games on it that would be even more incentive for Switch owners to buy it, although the later is probably too much work and will never happen.

Well the main draw of Nintendo consoles will always be first party games, so if you're not into those then that's that.

I like them, and I don't play many games that push the envelope tech-wise, so the system underperforming compared to other platforms isn't a problem for me. I also like the option of playing in handheld, though admittedly I don't very often. With all that and the Switch controller I use being one of the best I've ever had, the system has become my preferred platform for gaming.

Cruddy_horse posted...

even the exclusives it does have barely run correctly and have massive performance issues.

This just isn't true unless "massive performance issues" means "sometimes it has to load for a few seconds or the framerate dips" (and that would just be silly). Even S/V is perfectly playable, just jankier than is excusable from a company/franchise as successful as GF/Pokemon, and that's by far the most notorious game for performing poorly.

wolfy42 posted...

Nintendo did seem to go away from a wide RPG library along time ago, which is really sad, and when you include all the PS and PC rpg games etc, it makes the few you can't play on nintendo not a big deal (at least to me).

If you miss classic JRPG's, you owe it to yourself to give the first Xenoblade game (on the Wii, or Definitive Edition on the Switch) a proper try. X (the WiiU one), 2, and 3 (both on Switch) are all phenomenal games in their own rights, but the first one in particular really captures the feeling of playing older JRPG's, but translated into 3D. The battle system sometimes doesn't land for people that prefer turn-based systems, but the world design, exploration, and story format brings the genre into a 3D world in a way that a lot of other 3D RPG's don't quite hit.

adjl posted...

If you miss classic JRPG's, you owe it to yourself to give the first Xenoblade game (on the Wii, or Definitive Edition on the Switch) a proper try. X (the WiiU one), 2, and 3 (both on Switch) are all phenomenal games in their own rights, but the first one in particular really captures the feeling of playing older JRPG's, but translated into 3D. The battle system sometimes doesn't land for people that prefer turn-based systems, but the world design, exploration, and story format brings the genre into a 3D world in a way that a lot of other 3D RPG's don't quite hit.

Yeah I still have a Wii, and the original Xenoblade game on it, but they all play on the Wii U (just have to plug in the Wii controller and bar). I did play the first one a bit, but never got that far, and even though I've owned the second one since it came out, never played it on the Wii U. Also barely played the Wii U zelda game (cause it came out at the same time as another game that I liked better (the one with the robot dinosaurs and the girl with the bow). Ended up playing that instead of zelda much and never went back.

I still mean to go back and play the Xeno games, and if I did get a Switch it would be partially to play the third game (After playing the first two), but that gets less and less likely as my backlog of new, big RPG games gets longer and longer. There are a ton of games coming out this year I want to play already for instance. I still need to do even 1 full playful of Elden ring (though i've put over 40 hours into the game in multiple characters, I don't think I even got halfway done with any of em). Balders gate 3 is finally releasing around the corner now, Diablo 4 sounds/looks good and it out soon and a bunch of other really good stuff is coming out this year as well.

As I have gotten older I have more and more difficulty keeping up with games, especially RPGs, and so many good ones have gotten lost along the way. I own them, but never actually get to play them.

Dikitain posted...

Most people do exclude the GBA because they are different consoles/hardware. They include the Gameboy color because, for all intents and purposes, the Gameboy color is just a regular Gameboy with the Super Gameboy enhancements built in. Sure, there are exclusive games for it, but the only difference is the games make use of the color pallet.

True, I figured this is what you meant.
wolfy42 posted...

I'm curious, can people list 10 switch exclusive games (I'll allow games out for the Wii U as well, even though I have one) that they feel are worth getting a switch for, and if so, what is the top 10 on their list?

Off the top of my head, and I'll exclusives BotW and other non-pure exclusives:
-Super Mario Odyssey
-Fire Emblem: Engage
-Fire Emblem: Three Houses
-Bayonetta 3
-Splatoon 3
-Xenoblade 2 & 3
-Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
-Mario & Rabbids 1 & 2
-Metroid Dread
-Luigi's Mansion 3

I left out some obvious ones, like Mario Party, Animal Crossing, etc., for variety sake, but I could easily list 20 myself. There's also stuff like Tetris 99 and Pac-Man 99, which you need a switch for. There's honestly a lot of variety throughout, with exclusive FPS being the big noticable thing lacking (well, "exclusive" FPS games don't really exist anymore).

You mentioned JRPGs, and those are a little lacking, too, but JRPGs have also been dying a slow death for a while now. As stated by others, the Xenoblades should easily scratch that itch, and Fire Emblem games technically count, but they aren't "pure" JRPGs you're likely thinking of. There's also the Octopath Traveler games, Triangle Strategy, and Rune Factory. While ports, ToS Remastered just came out, and they are doing the same for the 2 GCN Baten Kaitos games, fantastic JRPGs that were easy to miss back in the day.

wolfy42 posted...

I still mean to go back and play the Xeno games, and if I did get a Switch it would be partially to play the third game (After playing the first two)

Note that there are four Xenoblade games. The first one was released on the Wii, then later ported to New 3DS (one of very few N3DS exclusive games), the WiiU's VC, and rereleased as Definitive Edition on the Switch. Xenoblade X is the second, and was released on WiiU (and is one of very few noteworthy games that's still a WiiU exclusive). Xenoblade 2 and 3 are Switch exclusives, and are much more similar to Xenoblade 1 than X was (X was an open-world game focused on exploration, as opposed to the more linear storytelling of 1-3, as well as having a significantly different overall aesthetic).

NES > GCN > Switch > SNES > DS > N64 > GBA > GB/GBC > Wii U > Wii

Never did 3DS or Virtual Boy.

I remember going to Best Buy at like midnight to get the Switch. Was there way longer than necessary to get it IMO. Also idk why I didnt just go in the next day to get it I had it preordered lol. I guess my thought process was what if something happens and they lose mine or sell it to someone else by mistake? or some nonsense lol

rexcrk posted...

I remember going to Best Buy at like midnight to get the Switch. Was there way longer than necessary to get it IMO. Also idk why I didnt just go in the next day to get it I had it preordered lol. I guess my thought process was what if something happens and they lose mine or sell it to someone else by mistake? or some nonsense lol

when I bought mine at best buy, the woman at the door followed me out the door because I refused to show my receipt.

she threw a hissy fit. guess nobody told her people don't have to stop...

I got my switch on base. We werent doing much at work. And everyone was leaving early, anyway So, I let my boss know I was going out to get it I was like 3 in line. Other co-workers were also there

Great console. I love my switch. Got it opening day. Just love that hybrid feeling.

I've given previous nintendo consoles since the 64 flak for not having third party support. But Nintendo really pulled it off with the Switch, I really don't see any reason they would need to put out a new one in a hurry. I have a PS4 I can recall being shocked when they announced the PS5, I simply don't think it was enough of an improvement in tech.

For real, I think the only people wanting a Switch 2 are the total diehard Nintendo fans. Which is the one demographic Nintendo doesn't listen to, because they'll buy their products no matter what.

I hope the Switch has several more years. The graphical difference between the Switch and the PS5 isn't enough to really make me care. And with how the world is inexplicably still facing supply shortages despite COVID being mostly over for at least the past year and a half, I don't really feel up to waiting months or years before I even see a Switch 2 on store shelves, never mind shelling out $400+ for one.

ReturnOfFa posted...

Was almost mad that Metroid Prime Remastered costs $50, but now I get it - I'm impressed

Oh, is that just the 1st one or is the trilogy?
Also where is Metroid Prime 4?

faramir77 posted...

For real, I think the only people wanting a Switch 2 are the total diehard Nintendo fans. Which is the one demographic Nintendo doesn't listen to, because they'll buy their products no matter what.

In my experience, the Nintendo fans DONT want a switch 2 Since I (we) know I would buy it, and dont really see any need to improve anything currently, I know my close friends who are Nintendo fans dont want a switch 2 right now The group that does want it are the people that want to play powerful games on a switch But Nintendo fans are usually content with Nintendo and Indie products In my experience, at least

LinkPizza posted...

In my experience, the Nintendo fans DONT want a switch 2 Since I (we) know I would buy it, and dont really see any need to improve anything currently, I know my close friends who are Nintendo fans dont want a switch 2 right now The group that does want it are the people that want to play powerful games on a switch But Nintendo fans are usually content with Nintendo and Indie products In my experience, at least

Yeah, most of the people clamouring for a Switch successor are the people that insist all of its games are completely unplayable because they can't maintain 4k 120 FPS at all times, most of whom don't even own one and won't buy a successor unless it achieves that unrealistic standard. Those that are enjoying the Switch now aren't particularly desperate for a minor performance upgrade.

adjl posted...

Yeah, most of the people clamouring for a Switch successor are the people that insist all of its games are completely unplayable because they can't maintain 4k 120 FPS at all times, most of whom don't even own one and won't buy a successor unless it achieves that unrealistic standard. Those that are enjoying the Switch now aren't particularly desperate for a minor performance upgrade.

Personally, I think a switch 2 should come out by the 10 year mark. Just for a solid hardware upgrade. The switch can't last forever and while it is awesome, I do think it will need that extra graphical and memory power.

adjl posted...

Yeah, most of the people clamouring for a Switch successor are the people that insist all of its games are completely unplayable because they can't maintain 4k 120 FPS at all times,

A Switch SHOULD be able to maintain 4k 120fps... since it's like only a 6 inch screen