The Nintendo news and discussion thread

[Suits]

Switch Lite has gyro aim mate .

[ratsoalbion]

Also, touchscreen.

[Suits]

Wow, yeah, never even thought about that.

[Alex79]

Yeah I did think of that but never had too much fun paying shooting gallery type games on iPad and stuff. I remember a MGS game years and years ago on iPod Touch that wasn't much cop.

[Stanshall]

Nobody knows basically, but the stick design is fundamentally the same and therefore logically susceptible to the same issues.

[Suits]

I’ve had a standard Switch from launch and have bought three additional sets of Joy-Cons since.

I also have a Switch Lite.

None of these have had drift.

My pal has had two sets of Joy Cons repaired via Nintendo for free that he says had drift.

Might be potentially related but my friend also says he thinks he’s damaged his by taking it to work in his bag without a case.

[Scrustle]

I've had a Switch since launch and never had any issue with Joycon drift. But I think the main reason for that is that I play almost exclusively in docked mode using a Pro Controller. I barely touch the Joycons themselves. However, I have a friend who has had a Switch for almost as long, and they have drift so badly that they can't use the console anymore. In their case they don't have a Pro Controller, and the thing gets rough use from small children a lot of the time. A lot of the stories I've heard online are from people who don't necessarily use it roughly either, but it just happened through a lot of use.

So I'd say that it should be a thing to worry about with a Lite. It might be fine, but there's a real chance it won't be. And we won't be able to tell until the thing has been out for a while. Having the controls connected to the console complicates things more when it comes to getting the thing fixed too. I wouldn't be surprised if people end up having to send their consoles back for repairs, only for it to come back with all their save data missing.

[ratsoalbion]

There were reports of JoyCon drift within days of the Lite’s launch in fact.

[Alex79]

I picked up Transistor for £3 or so in the sale, it's good so far. Played a little bit on PS4 when it came on PS+ but always wished it was on Vita so snapped this up soon as I saw it cheap.

[KSubzero1000]

Do Nintendo have a history of this type of thing? I always thought they were the type of company that had things locked down.

They were, but I think it's fair to say they've gone backward in recent years. Their modern stuff can't really compete with the legendary durability and ergonomic quality of their classic hardware in my opinion.

It's a surprisingly divisive topic, though. A lot of people love Nintendo and their unique place within the industry so much that they choose to be in complete denial about this sort of thing. A lot of NintendoLife users reacted really defensively to these reports and instantly dismissed the evidence as being unreliable or manufactured, for example.

In my 25 years of using Nintendo products, I've never experienced any hardware failure. None of my old consoles or controllers suffer from stick drift or any other significant issue. But there have been credible reports about the Switch's various hardware shortcomings since day 1. Methinks with this much smoke, there has to be at least some fire.

With all that said, the Switch Lite is significantly less expensive than the standard model, so if it serves your handheld purposes and you know how to treat your consumer electronics properly (it wouldn't surprise me if some of these reports came from people who treated their Switch like their car keys and didn't understand how it might lead to further problems), you may just take the plunge. Perhaps some local stores offer some type of hardware insurance? That'd be worth looking into.

[hazeredmist]

I've had and many people I know have had plenty of hardware issues on many Nintendo products over the years, documented earlier in this thread. I think their build quality is overrated. I also think ergonomically they've released a few stinkers over the years. The GBA: SP comes to mind. Awful to hold for any length of time. Could it also be that we are older now and more prone to discomfort issues etc?

The OS Switch is quite poor in terms of build quality I think, I don't like the 3-piece design. It feels flimsy and like it will break in the hands over time. But I fix that by using a good quality grip so my console feels solid, completely negating the issue.

Anyway, @ThirdMan I'd say you're good with the Switch Lite from what you've said. Joycon drift is a thing, but I've never experienced it (like Suits), and it can be sorted if you are affected. As long as you aren't bothered by the loss of other features such as rumble (I personally don't use rumble on anything anymore, I find it irritating)

I do recommend a decent power brick for handheld use, it's been fantastic for me. Some games really rinse the juice (even Untitled Goose Game bizarrely...) and having quick access to extra charges without having to plug into a wall socket is invaluable for me. The Lite is supposed to have better battery life but it still isn't great. If you do get one, get one with USB C PD (power delivery), as these are the only ones which will charge the Switch faster than it drains while playing. I recommend Anker ones if so. They do a Switch-branded one - but you can get literally the same one without Switch branding for less, which is the one I have. It gives me nearly 3 whole charges of the Switch before it itself needs recharging - massively increasing your handheld playtime.

[Flabyo]

I’ve killed the z trigger on several n64 pads, their build quality hasn’t been top quality for a while now.

[Scrustle]

I think Nintendo generally deserves their reputation for making high quality hardware. While it's not always perfect, overall they have been consistently solid and well-built. But the Switch was definitely a dip in quality, in terms of their main home consoles at least. I can't say how well it compares to the 3DS, but from what I heard only the first run of those had any significant weaknesses to their construction. But when it comes from everything from the N64 to the Wii U, all of them were incredibly solidly made, with the only exception being perhaps the N64 thumbstick. But as soon as I got my hands on a Switch I could tell that it felt somewhat fragile in comparison to previous consoles, and until I got things worn in properly, the L button on the Joycons sometimes stuck a bit. It didn't come across as badly made, but something that required you to be careful with it, and that felt like it could break if dropped. From my friend's experience, it seems the thing is a bit tougher than I was worried it might be, but it still can't stand up to the same kind of beating that older Nintendo consoles could.

I suspect that the reasons for this is because the Switch itself was somewhat rushed. After the Wii U flopped, Nintendo decided they had to get on to the next thing as soon as possible, and so didn't have the time to properly stress test it like they usually do. That, and perhaps them wanting to market it towards an older audience than they usually do. The early marketing for the thing definitely came across as trying to be a fashionable gadget for Millennials, rather than a fun toy for everyone. So it had to be sleeker and less bulky, and therefore less durable.

I would have expected by now that Nintendo would have had enough time to work things out and fix these problems, but they've been disappointingly resistant to doing so. The Lite still has the same constructions on the sticks, and the console and eShop UIs still feel as bare bones and placeholder as they did at launch. It's not a huge deal, but it's a shame. It still plays great games and is totally usable of course, but there's a sense that less care has gone in to the UX compared to previous consoles, and that Nintendo doesn't really care about improving it.

[Alex79]

I dunno, I really like the Switch UI compared to PS and Xbox. It feels really clean, and all I really need access to is the games.

[Suits]

I’m starting to think we’ll never get additional themes now.

The 3DS’s rotating themes and abundance of styles was very, very welcome.

[Suits]

Also, thinking about what appears to be a significant success in Link's Awakening, (sales wise at very least), I got to thinking about what other Game Boy games would benefit, or would be a appealing to a potentially new audience, as well as still hold up as good video game.

Think how good a remade Super Mario Land 2:Six Golden Coins would be. With good platforming, decent adventure and an incredible soundtrack.

It would certainly have to be serious consideration if Nintendo ever decided to go back to the original Game Boy library and give it the treatment like they have did with Z:LA.


Please.

[Scrustle]

I dunno, I really like the Switch UI compared to PS and Xbox. It feels really clean, and all I really need access to is the games.

I definitely appreciate it on that level too. It's not a bad UI by any means, and is thankfully clear of clutter. But at the same time it feels like it lacks just those little touches that makes Nintendo UIs stand out. Like the background ambient music they usually have, or fun little extras to mess around with like Miiverse. Sometimes I would just leave the Wii or Wii U running in the background on the home screen because it creates a calming and friendly atmosphere.

[ratsoalbion]

I agree with both of you, but it’s worth remembering how painfully slow to transition the Wii, Wii U and 3DS UIs were...!

[Alex79]

Today I learned the PS4 Gold headset works wirelessly on Switch. That's the only reason I never play it on the telly, because I can't use my headphones without plugging them in! FFS.

[ratsoalbion]