Nintendo Switch: Thread 2: The Drift

[peanutbutter]

I wonder if storage space makes a difference too. You can kinda just endlessly pile up sub-1GB indies on a desktop, on the Switch you're probably going to be making a conscious choice to delete something else to free up the space for a new game and you mightn't contemplate getting another game after that until you've got the space again.

But yeah ultimately I think from the buyer's perspective it's a person paying 15 for a game they're gonna play right now and possibly play a lot versus paying 5 for a game they might play some time. In terms of actual value to the buyer it might make sense. Speaking as someone with a fuckton of indies I paid small amounts for and haven't touched.

I think for most indie developers Steam is a loss leader. Developing on PC is cheap, and once you have a completed game with some good reviews and some customer interest you can raise the money for a switch/mobile port.

Usually they're Unity/GameMaker games aren't they? Think it's mostly just about gathering up the extra money for the Switch license in those cases, might be wrong though.

[ImmaculateClump]

I know a lot of indie devs price their games high so they can do regular discounts to appear on the "On Sale" page on the eShop, as discoverability is quite bad otherwise. That said, I'm not sure how good a tactic that is any more as there can be over a thousand games on sale at any one time as everyone tries to game the system.

I hate that sale culture, especially on pc. When a game comes out that I want, I buy it and play it day one. I wanna play my new shiny game and it's nice that more money goes to the absolute legends that made it.

I often see people going "Oh that games out today, will put it in my wishlist for when it goes on sale". Next steam sale, 100 games for a tenner, bargain! Won't play any of them. Wankers.

[peanutbutter]

initial reviews for Metroid Dread are very positive, some saying it's the best in the series

[Huxleys Babkins]

Can't fucking wait for Dread. Can't even believe it's happening after all this time and, yet, it's literally out in two days.

[madhair60]

I don't know if it's still the case, but for the first few years, indie developers did incredibly well on Switch. I guess they don't see a reason to drop their prices too much if they have reason to believe they'll do well regardless.

Yeah, there was a real lucrative market for a bit is my understanding. I think Hollow Knight was selling something absurd like 8 on Switch to 1 on PC? Something.

[Junglist]

I've been playing Dread via Emu because I have no morals. Meh first hour aside, it is an absolute banger of a game. The flow of movement is probably the best I've seen in a Metroidvania, the map is fantastic, looks gorgeous.

I'm hyper-critical of Nintendo but this is proper game of the year stuff. So so good.

[Kelvin]

Buzzing at these Dread reviews. Sounds like it runs really well, too, so maybe the ho-hum art style was a worthwhile compromise.

Looks like they've really pushed the movement and combat to another level for the series.

[Huxleys Babkins]

They've announced the cost of the Online Expansion Pack and, fuck me, Nintendo gonna Nintendo. £13.50/year over the cost of the regular £17.99 subscription.

You do get the new Animal Crossing DLC thrown in, but only for as long as you subscribe. I'm also not convinced the new AC DLC is worth the £22.49 they're charging for it either, mainly as I rinsed the game so hard over lockdown, the idea of building holiday homes for zombie cunt animals with recycled dialogue isn't particularly appealing any more.

[Pink Gregory]

Is it odd that I really don't think that's unreasonable?

For a yearly sub anyway.  Of course I'd rather have the option of owning them like the old eshop but I'm still getting my use out of it and I'm excited for the Animal Crossing thing so...

[Beagle 2]

I only really want to play F-Zero and that's not in the initial N64 selection. Expecting people to shell out for something that will appear "at some point" when there's basically zero reason to hold it back is a bit of a piss take.

[Pink Gregory]

It could certainly be a better value proposition.  As if people are going to slowly discover the N64 library over time.

[Huxleys Babkins]

I think I'd be a bit happier with it if there were some sort of roadmap. You get an Xbox Live Gold sub, you know you're getting four free games each month. With Gamepass, you know you're getting at least six new games each month.

With this, it's just "trust us", having spent the past couple of years showing that they can't really be trusted. Games are added sporadically to the NES and SNES apps and they only ever seem to add games like Pac-Man 99 when they come up to a mass sub renewal time and they need to throw people something to tempt them to carry on paying.

[Pink Gregory]

Yeah, "expect more unannounced stuff, which is subject to change" shouldn't be part of the value proposition at all.

[peanutbutter]

It's a bit much but it'll probably succeed, it's not _that_ much. Really should have had Smash 64 at launch though; maybe I'm over focusing on my own experience but the value of these sets is the multiplayer side of things so one evening with some pals flicking through Mario Golf/Tennis, MK64, Smash and ideally a Mario Party would easily justify the cost for a year imo. Assume Winback is included cos it's somewhat fun multiplayer?

Couldn't give a shite about the Genesis games, I'd've probably taken one extra N64 game over the lot of them.

[buntyman]

Anyone keen to join forces to get the N64 switch expansion? If there are 8 of us keen we could get a family of and pay £7.50 each

[peanutbutter]

My friends will be getting the animal crossing dlc so I'll be gettting to try it out at least.


I wonder if the Animal Crossing DLC is there to peer pressure the few people who dont get the DLC because their pals will be playing MK64 together

[Chedney Honks]

It's there because they sold 34m copies and they're happy to nickel and dime buffoons.

On that note, I got this and it still has the cheap-looking grey textured sidebars on the Switch Online games. I don't know why I hoped otherwise.

It's a minor thing fundamentally but it's representative of how little they give a shit about anything but money. It's below the standards we've seen even in the cheapo retro compilations. It's far far below the standards of the SEGA AGES ports which cost a fiver. A choice of backgrounds, even the ability to just turn it off, is the most basic visual option and costs almost nothing.

It's not even consistent. They give black bars on the top and bottom and this ugly texture on the sides. That accentuates the vertical black bars AND highlights the ugly texture AND draws attention to the fact it's not full screen, which is exactly the issue they're trying to avoid with the cheapo texture in the first place. They really are so lazy and out of touch. They also actively chose to plonk your avatar in the sidebar, as well. It's completely beyond me what they think that adds.

You look at M2 and the regard they have for other companies' games which they port, the care and attention to detail, the audiovisual options and customisation, the extras . And then you look at this. Minimum effort, shameless, greedy.

I've supported them very well this generation, but the experience of actually using their system at this point is a needless slog.

[madhair60]

Anyone keen to join forces to get the N64 switch expansion? If there are 8 of us keen we could get a family of and pay £7.50 each

I'm in if you can get 8

[buntyman]

Sorry I decided I didn't want to wait or organise it so I just bought one off eBay

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

fuck it. emulating

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

n64:

vc:

switch:

source

[Chedney Honks]

Plus the Switch also has that awful grey texture on the sides.

[imitationleather]

You've gotta laugh.

[peanutbutter]

I get that they probably focused almost exclusively on the netplay, but how the fuck is that so bad? The Gamecube emulation of it probably looks better?

[Pink Gregory]

Quite looking forward to the Animal Crossing stuff to be honest.  Rather been put off the N64 stuff (correctly) because Jesus Christ look at that.

[Beagle 2]

It's lazy people like me who make Nintendo lazy to be honest. I've read about the crappy glitches, I've grumbled about the price, I can't stand Animal Crossing so there's nothing there for me. I will probably immediately get the expansion pack because that way I get to play some old games with the kids tonight and I can get back on my mate's Minecraft realm.

I can get on my mate's Minecraft realm on my Xbox, which is two yards away from my left foot. I could plug in my laptop and play all of the N64 games I want now.

But I can't be arsed.

Want Switch can lie on back with Switch. Pay £50 for old games I play twice on Switch bleeuuuuggggh.

[Schrodingers Cat]

I just went and bought a Switch today in a semi-impulse purchase. Other than the obvious (BOTW), what games have I missed out on that I should definitely check out??
And are there any Switch versions of games that really benefit from the portable-ness that might be worth a re-purchase?

[Kelvin]

I just went and bought a Switch today in a semi-impulse purchase. Other than the obvious (BOTW), what games have I missed out on that I should definitely check out??
And are there any Switch versions of games that really benefit from the portable-ness that might be worth a re-purchase?

Did you have a Wii U?

[ImmaculateClump]

what games have I missed out on that I should definitely check out?

Spelunky - https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Spelunky-1883786.html
Neko Navy - https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Neko-Navy-Daydream-Edition-1492490.html
Mushihimesama - https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Mushihimesama-1991751.html
Black Bird - https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/BLACK-BIRD-1455740.html
Star Hunter DX - https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Star-Hunter-DX-2016270.html

[Pink Gregory]

I have a revolving door of roguelite/arcadey games that I can pick up for 10 minutes at a time if I want.  They're all up to 5 years old but have played them so much more on the handheld than I ever did on PC.