Nintendo Switch: underwhelming, not impressive

So guess who got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas AND didnt even ask for it? That's right, me!

And wow, I was sad my brother paid 300 for this thing.

Okay, let's start it off with some positives.

1. The screen is actually really nice quality. I was impressed with the picture resolution. It's also very cool to be able to prop it up anywhere and play with the pro controller (which is a very nice, well made controller, however I do think it's overpriced).

2. Odyssey is a great game, and I'm havin fun with Splat 2.

Yeah, but what about those negatives that's gonna bring in the comments on this thread?

1. The dumbest decision I've ever seen in a video game is locking Salmon Run (Nintendo's version of Gears of War horde) to being only available at certain times. People say it's to "make it not get boring" or make it more enjoyable". Ok two things, 1.) Out of the hundreds of games that offer all game modes any time I want to play them I’ve never had this problem. And if that’s the case then Nintendo needs to have way more game modes to justify the games existence. 2.) If you pay 60 dollars for fuckin a video game you should be able to play any game mode you want whenever you want.

2. The Switch is CHEAP. It looks cheap. It feels cheap. But ironically it's not cheap to buy. From the flimsy joycons to the cheapy plastic of its holder to the dock thats small and flimsy, it's damn cheap.

3. This is a great invention to chill in bed, or at an airport, or anywhere really and surf the web, watch Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, ect. but wait YOU CANT. This thing has no apps, nothing to do but play games on it. And they wanna start charging for the internet? What?

3. The menu/UI/whatever looks cheap and is so bland and basic. IMO not a lot of thought or effort went into it...it's even more plain than the PS4 interface which I always thought was easy to use but unprofessional looking.

4. Why does it get so hot? Seriously, playing with this thing, docked or undocked, it gets super hot. Like old cell phones did. Please tell me this isn't normal and it's just something wrong with mine. Tell me.

Anyways, the Switch seems okay for what it is, it's just too expensive and doesn't have enough games to justify its existence, at least for someone like me who's owned a Wii U since 2013 and has all the major titles for it. We will see how Switch is looking by this time next year, hopefully it has more than just a handful of titles worth playing.

Oh yeah, last comment, is that Bomberman game worth the price? Reminds me of old school Bomberman World and I'm so close to getting it.

That is all. Thank you.

Blog it

And you sound like a bit of an ungrateful prick. Someone paid good money for a nice gift and you're on the internet bashing it. Way to go

You can be our Switch spy.

Welcome to the discussion from launch.

Hey, kinda like us!

He can be grateful for the gift and acknowledge that the hardware is shit. Learn the difference before you exhibit how hurt you are that he thinks the Switch is overprice trash.

Damn no apps? At least netflix would be dope.

this here specifically is what all the people who have a problem with authority say. this is the kind of person who doesn't like being told what to do. I mean it's ok you were raised that way. but some people don't care about having rules set in place.

Yep...

Except nothing grateful was said at all. Then again, I'm arguing with the guy who said cancer isn't evil when he tried to damage control how Nintendo's success is cancer.

looks cheap? lol not to me

lack of apps? yes hopefully it gets netflix and internet browsing

menu is just as simple as the ps4. actually easier to navigate than the ps4 one.

as for getting hot. yea it gets as hot as my iphone. oh well. when you have such a small device with so much power it happens.

You know we are talking about a game right? I know you are Nintendo loyalist but goodness me the warp logic you just yanked out of the air is pretty astounding. I guess this is what a fanboy apologist looks like.

Glad to know my views resonate with you even today. Like all cancers, either the cancer will die or the host. I will take either option with Nintendo.

Oh no! No Apps that I can use on the Airplane when in fact SOME PLANES EITHER DON'T HAVE WIFI OR MAKE YOU PAY FOR IT!

LMAO! Yes, because the hundreds of games and the millions of people who play them are all wrong and have a problem with authority, and you are 100% right. Yes that is exactly it.

lol

Which modern day aircraft is lacking Wifi? Its also interesting how you are trying to trivialize the absence of apps to "Wifi its not even on some planes and you have to pay for it" as if that justifies anything.

happy to help

where do you fanboys pull this shit from?

wtf lmao this is fuckin hilarious!

again not reading what people say ...tsk tsk.. did you develop a disease? attention deficit or something?

anyway doesnt matter where the rules are set in place. a game, a school, the judicial court, the traffic rules. it doesn't matter. a lot of people have a problem with that stuff. like i said it's fine. some people like that rules are set in place. i bet there are fewer of us. but meh.

Its in the Nintendo handbook. Only faithful members receive one. Obviously you are not faithful to the cause thus the reason for you ignorance and lack of appreciation. Begone you heathen gamer.

that has literally nothing to do with this topic or this game

i believe it does.

expecting to be able to use a product how you want, when you want, because you paid for said product is now called "questioning authority"? interesting.

OP don't buy Bomberman its a waste of money.

Apps aren't that important for anything, they're just a bonus to help you keep using your device. I'd be playing majority of time than watching Netflix anyways.

i think you're in the wrong thread

you paid for a car as well, can you drive it wherever you want however you want? no... some things have rules set in place. Some people don't like to follow them.

you feel that just because it's a video game you should be able to do whatever the hell you want. so as soon as you see some kind of rule set in place you rebel. nintendo has explained their reasons for the rules and i agree with how it makes the game better and unique.

yeah but i could lay in bed and play splatoon for a couple rounds then turn off the game and watch an episode of The 100 before bed all while using the same app and not moving an inch. But I guess convenience isn't a core value to Nintendo.

Apps aren't important to YOU. Apps are important to him and many others.

uhhh no

but i do expect a car to do exact same functions that all other cars do

Isn't the portability of the system supposed to be addressing convenience? It would be odd for anyone to claim otherwise. I look forward to his response.

It comes from your posting history. Just like what I called Pedro out for comes from his.

same, you should have tagged him though. @FireEmblem_Man

some places or things have rules that other places don't.

some restaurants require a suit and tie. others are fine with a t shirt. some things have rules where in other countries or places it's perfectly fine.

I’m really enjoying mine myself. I think the system and controllers look pretty slick and feel pretty well made. I do think that the cradle though is kind of cheap and could have been better made. I don’t really care for how loosely it sits in there and how there’s nothing to prevent the screen from scuffing when putting the system in and taking it out.

As for the games I think that there is a really good selection so far. I just picked up a Switch a week ago and already I have Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Games that I plan to get are:

- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

- Pokken Tournament DX

- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

- Fire Emblem Warriors

- Ultra Street Fighter II

There would be some others like Doom and Skyrim but I have those for my Xbox One already.

As for the lack of apps, I can see why those who may want to use them on the system would be disappointed but I think they’ll bring them out on the system in future updates. Personally though I’ll probably never use them on the Switch as I’d rather just use them on either my Xbox One and my iPad.

Overall I’m quite satisfied with the Switch and feel the price is fair and that there is a very solid selection of games so far for it.

Be a good guy and tell your brother to return it.

i own zelda and mario kart on wii u, ive played pokken tourney. no interest in FE warriors (waiting for a real FE title) or rabbids

@jcrame10: Yeah I already have Zelda BotW, Mario Kart 8, and Pokken Tournament on the Wii U as well but I really love those games so I’ll get the Switch versions and play them all over again.

It doesn’t have apps like Hulu?

How was i watching Hulu on mine?

Bomberman is nice, but There are WAY better options for your money.

Like Puyo Puyo Tetris, Get that game. Wait for Bomberman to be on Sale.

Interesting perspective. I'd like to respond if I may, starting with your two positives:

1. Very nice screen indeed. High quality visuals and very console-like. Perfect for on-the-go. It's plastic however, so a tempered-glass screen protector is an absolute must. Make sure you get one. Because that plastic screen scratches much easier than you might think.

2. Odyssey is a very cool game. But Splatoon 2 is definitely the game I play the most on the Switch, hands-down. Even more than Zelda. Splatoon 2 also works incredibly well with the Nintendo Online App (now that Nintendo has addressed all the launch problems with it... but it's still a dumb idea requiring a smart device IMO).

Now on to your four negatives:

1. Yeah, there are lots of complaints about Salmon Run being on a random (but daily) schedule. The Co-Op mayhem gets insanely fun and intense! It's a total drag when you realize it's suddenly over and have to wait a whole friggin' day to play it again. I'm not sure what the reasons are for it, but your not alone in your frustrations with it. Blame it on the Devs.

2. Those Joycons are housing a lot of tech. Don't let the small size or light-weight fool you. HD Rumble, Gyro Sensors, NFC Reader and a Camera are all very neatly crammed into those tiny little wonders. They also stay charged for 20 hours, which is about as long a DS4 but has more tech. But honestly, you NEED to get a Pro Controller. I know it's expensive, but trust me, suck it up and get one. You'll be waaaay happier. It has 40 hours of battery life and comes with a USB-C cable which will allow you to connect your Switch to other things, like a battery bank. Leave that Joycon Grip in the box unless you're in some kind of desperate pinch to feel anything that resembles a true classic console controller (in which that Joycon Grip will NOT deliver).

That plastic dock does feel cheap. But it's a Dock afterall. It's only purpose is to dock your Switch for recharging and interfacing with your TV/USB 3.0 Network Adapter. Considering the entire package is designed to be portable, the last thing it needs is a lot of unnecessary weight or bulk, don't you think?

If you want to justify your claims of cheap or flimsy craftsmanship, I suggest attacking the Switch's Kickstand; The one legitimate beef everyone has with the Switch but failed to mention in your original post. ;)

3. Yes, you CAN watch movies and TV Shows on the Switch. Go into the eShop and search for HULU. It's there. Download it. Netflix isn't there yet, but the App is already finished and awaiting Nintendo's approval.

What you get with the Switch's very basic UI format is speed and stability. Resuming any kind of software with the Switch from any point (even if you power the unit OFF in the middle of operation) is as painless as it gets. Try it out if you don't believe me. It handles this feature better than any console out there. It's perfectly seamless. My Xbox and PS4 are nowhere near as functional in this department. Microsoft and Sony really need to take note here.

4. Running excessively warm in the dock is normal. Out of the dock is not. If that's the case, then something is wrong with your Switch.

Finally, if you're a fan of Bomberman's multiplayer, you'll like it. What you won't like is the voice-acting for all the Bomberman characters. Thankfully you can disable their voices in the options (which I highly recommend you to do if you get the game).

Wow you sure slammed the hardware pretty good, I noticed though you kind of just gave Mario odyssey and Splatoon a quick pat on the back.

Did you know that Zelda Breath of the Wild is like the highest rated game of all time or close to it ?, did you also know that Nintendo's first party games get more perfect review scores by websites and magazines than any other games in the industry?

Game Informer's game of the month is always the Nintendo first party game to come out that month, if there is one.

By the way is there another console that you can play Doom or Skyrim where ever you go?.....I don't think so.

Oh and one more little tid bit you might want to mention, during black Friday of 2017, both Sony and Microsoft lowered the prices of the PS4 and XB1 by $50 and $60 while Nintendo Switch's price remained $299, and the Switch sold more units on black Friday than it's competitors.

So try appreciating that nice new Nintendo console you got for free a little bit more, because it looks like a pretty impressive console from where I sit, and I am not even lucky enough to have one yet, I only have an Xbox One X, but I can still appreciate the Switch's success.

@22Toothpicks: LOL

Without doubt the dumbest thing I've read this week. You know gaming is going to the shitter when a "gamer" (i'm using that term very loosely) complains that all he can do is game on his gaming machine.

Not to play the ref but OP made a reasonable point to his dislike of a Switch, I'm looking to buy one but have talked myself out of it a few times, it's still on my radar and reviews with negative feedback do help, some of his negative points I have read elsewhere (read about the heat issue on reddit)

I plan on getting one with my bonus xmas check hopefully in 2 weeks, so any reviews help

meh, I guess it's system wars.

One small thing that pisses me off is the HDMI cable. It's far too short. If you have a mounted TV on the wall, unless the Switch it sitting on something high up, it won't reach it.

For the price they are asking, they are being cheap assholes.

1. Want you to buy a pro controller for an additional £60

2. No protect case

3. No screen protector (with reports of screens scratching when docking)

4. Small storage demanding separate purchase of sdcard third party.

5. Payed online offering practically nothing in return

The 3/2DS is currently a way better purchase. If it wasn't for Mario Odyssey or the massively overrated Breath Of The Skyrim this thing would be ripped apart.

And speaking of Skyrim, I hope you like paying more than the original launch price of release for a 7+ year old game sucker. With no mod support to boot. The Eshop might well be a pyramid scheme.

Can you get custom screen protector? like Geek Squad has their own custom cut's by measurements for tablets/phones.. guess i could ask.

The Pro controller is something I'd really want, it resembles an Xbox controller somewhat.. but damn, that thing is expensive in Canada!