Erttheking’s Nintendo Switch Thoughts

Erttheking gives his thoughts on the Nintendo Switch.

After the major reveals last night, my opinion of the Nintendo Switch continue to be what they’ve always been. Cautiously optimistic. I do like the idea of the Nintendo Switch being a portable device that can play more complex games than the 3DS. The fact that it can handle Legend of Zelda for three hours, a time comparable to the 3DS, is a good sign. The flexibility it has on top of that just really catches my eye. I also think that it has a decent lineup of games coming. Nothing that says it will be the best console ever, but a decent opening act.

Of course, there are some concerns I have with it. First of all, we only have dates for a few games being launched. Breath of the Wild is the only major game confirmed to be out at the Nintendo Switch’s launch. Mario games are on the way, but they’ll take some time. Secondly, some of the games appear to be focusing on motion controls. Motion controls are a mixed bag to me, so I hardly consider them to be something to look forward to.

And then of course there’s the reveal that Nintendo has finally given in and is charging for online multiplayer. Something that caused me to lie back in my seat and groan at the ceiling as I heard it. Not only is this annoying and scummy, it doesn’t make any sense. Nintendo was never a stronghold of multiplayer gameplay, they only had a few titles it could claim were. Splatoon 2 fans will need to subscribe, but aside from that, very few games for the Nintendo Switch are designed for multiplayer. There is Mario Kart, but that was always a local game for me. There are also some third-party multiplayer games, but most people already own Minecraft. All in all, this is not just a greedy move to me, it’s a nonsensical one. There is some promise about free retro games, but it feels token, only promising one game a month.

In short, the console itself seems fine. Innovative in a way that improves and isn’t just a gimmick. But the library and the policies behind it make me hesitant. Personally, I’ll be waiting for awhile for more games to be added. Breath of the Wild looks good, but I need more than that to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a console. Hopefully we’ll be hearing more about Metroid in the future.