The Nintendo news and discussion thread

This is where you can deliberate anything relating to videogames - past, present and future
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KSubzero1000
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Just buy an Xbox One.
Spoiler: show
Console-game bundles are pretty intermittent, I only really see any whenever an important new game comes out. I don't think they're available by default like with other consoles.

There has been no official announcements of any hardware revisions of any sort, but the Switch has been out for a few years and there are some fairly credible rumors that we will see two new models (one budget version and one "Pro" version) before the end of the year. Pretty vague and inconclusive, I know. It might be worth waiting a few months if you're interested in getting the most bang for your buck.

Hope this helps!
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ratsoalbion
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by ratsoalbion »

The Xbox One X is a rather fabulous machine, but if you already have a PS4 I would go for a Switch. Maybe hold off to see what announcements are forthcoming though.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Thanks guys. It's silly that they don't have pack-ins with every console, like... Digital games cost literally nothing, and I doubt I'm the only one out there who refuses to buy a vanilla console at full price knowing full well bundles (some with limited edition consoles or controllers) cost the same damn price. It's just bad business, really.

As for the XB1, I might pick one up when they're like $100 or so, but no exclusives, marginally better performance (like, I have a gaming PC I never use, I still prefer games on PS4 because they can actually be resold), and extremely limited backwards compatibility is a tough sell.
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Stanshall
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Stanshall »

If you've got a gaming PC, I'd say don't bother with the XB.

I'd also say wait for E3 before making a decision on a Switch, though. I doubt any revision will drastically change performance but it may well be a sleeker design/better battery/screen, etc.
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Suits
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Suits »

It's the boring answer but I feel you have to wait until E3 now before making any serious hardware decision that you can't afford to regret.

On the whole Pro-Switch thing, if you contemplate what a pro would maybe look like - I think something like including HDR over say any sort of 4K resolution bump would maybe be something we would more likely see.

If we think about a resolution increases for a second, the amount of work and issues that that may cause to Nintendo in terms of patches and resulting storage issues may rule that out - or they just draw a line and say that Mario Odyssey 2 will be in 4K.

I don't know, I just don't see that happening for some reason.

HDR though, that might be nice and a lot easier to implement. Sony managed to do it via a software patch.

Couple that with any new screen, (which is going to be a clear reason as any as to why you'd introduce a new system as the current ones are probably already more expense to produce that any of the newer ones) and you have a nice new selling point. Image what a slightly larger, bezel-less, 1080p OLED might look like between your paws.

Portable Nintendo 4K gaming might not be necessary but HDR portable Nintendo gaming is something a lot of people will notice more.

I'm still unsure whether a performance boosting Pro is even what we'll get and it'll be focussed on a lower entry system this year for the new Pokemon game going in Christmas - creating a two tier system with the current console.

But if you asked me to guess what a buffed up Switch might be then that's what I'd maybe guess at.

ratsoalbion wrote: April 9th, 2019, 3:08 pm The Xbox One X is a rather fabulous machine, but if you already have a PS4 I would go for a Switch.
It is but its been struggling of late I feel.

It's exclusives have faltered of late, (with exception of the marvellous Forza Horizon 4) as has been well documented and two of the latest multiplatform AAA games have both run better on the supposedly lower spec PS4-P, with Metro Exodus have gamma issues that I still don't think have been fixed and result in everything being too dark and Sekiro having a higher and more stable frame rate on teh PS4-P.(which isn't without its own issues granted).

I feel regardless of shear horsepower and whether you see value in the Gamepass subscription I feel my Xbox One X has been hardly used at all and I've been using my PS4-P in its place.

Because of this, I think I had etc say that I'd recommend the PS4 to any new potential buyer.
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KSubzero1000
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Interestingly enough, I never thought about a potential Switch Pro having a resolution boost. I know it's been a selling point for both the XBO and the PS4, but there are plenty of other things that could be improved as well, such as:

* Stronger CPU / more RAM / whatever is necessary to improve performance and frame rate. I've heard numerous reports of games taking a noticeable dip in handheld mode, so there might be room for improvement on that front.

* Improved ergonomics and manufacturing quality. Launch window saw more reports of scratched screens and busted JoyCons than is usually the case for Nintendo consoles.

* Display upgrade. OLED, perhaps?

* Longer battery life.

* Pro Controller bundle.

Those are the kind of things I'm hoping for, personally.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Given that the Switch can barely manage 720p for some of its games, I think 4k or HDR is a bit of a pipe dream. Not saying I don't wanna be proven wrong, I'd love to see the innovation... But Nintendo has never really cared if its consoles run like a potato or not.

My list of wants is actually a bit different from you guys, but bear in mind that I haven't owned one yet (so I'll miss QOL wants) and I'm very much a Sega Genesis and Sony PS1 kinda guy (I strongly value the living room audio-video experience to carrying around a handheld).
- Improve the joycons (which I've heard have sync and battery life issues)
- Improve the base (because it's so cheap and flimsy I think my cat would break it).
- Improve performance in docked mode (because I've heard a great many game run worse on a TV than in gameboy mode)
- Get more good exclusives for the damned thing, because the worst Zelda since the NES and Smash 4.5 isn't good enough. (My wishlist is basically Xenoblade 2, Daemon X Machina and that SMT-lookin' police thing Platinum is making).
- Why does FF9, a mobile port of a 20 year old game, have framerate issues on a console released in 2017?
- Yes hello virtual console is where?
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Suits »

Magical_Isopod wrote: April 9th, 2019, 11:12 pm But Nintendo has never really cared if its consoles run like a potato or not.

- Improve the joycons (which I've heard have sync and battery life issues)
- Improve the base (because it's so cheap and flimsy I think my cat would break it).
- Improve performance in docked mode (because I've heard a great many game run worse on a TV than in gameboy mode)
- Get more good exclusives for the damned thing, because the worst Zelda since the NES and Smash 4.5 isn't good enough. (My wishlist is basically Xenoblade 2, Daemon X Machina and that SMT-lookin' police thing Platinum is making).
- Yes hello virtual console is where?
Just a couple of things about your points here. From someone that has had one since launch and pretty much uses it everyday.

Nintendo has a great tradition on caring what its games run like, pretty much all first party games run extremely smoothly and very rarely have major performance issues.

The Joy-Con's have tremendous battery life, they far outlast the console and any play session that I'v had. The left blu tooth connectivity as i'm led to believe and have have experienced first hand, is now fixed. Like many systems that was a launch day fault.

The base is fine, its nothing special at all and is simply a dock for the TV, flimsy enough that a cat can break it is nonsense. I have two, one in my office and one in the front room that my two year old happily throws about - no issue here.

Docked mode offers large improvement over handheld. Mainly for me - in resolution. I can't think of a single time that handheld performance has been better than TV.

Nintendo have already said that the Virtual Console as previously known won't be coming to the Switch. They are taking different approach to how the classic games are going to be delivered. So far, they have only addressed the NES side of things with SNES hinted at.

And with the way that they are bringing certian classic games back like Zelda:LA and the SP Versions of Metroid and other classic NES games, whilst not everyone ideal - is pretty cool.

These are the platform exclusives that I own, that have have come out in the last two years, I think these are pretty good and if you don't - you probably shouldn't really be considering a Switch anyway, it will never be a AAA+ visual smashing system.

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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

I look at that pile of Switch games and think: they're all pretty great titles.

Then when you add the STG/Shmup/Shooter titles that are also available on top of that, there's no shortage of games.

My physical Switch title pile is much small, but my digital one has gotten pretty tall!
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Very interested to see what the SHMUP scene is like on there. O_O My antennae are at attention. What kind are they though? If they're your typical "space shooter" like Thunder Force, Raiden, Soldier Blade, R-Type, et al, I may partake. But if they're the bullet hell or "collect a billion tokens that block everything on the screen", then... Nah.

Of that stack of games there, the only ones that really interests me is Xenoblade... Smash and Mario Party would be nice to have, but I wouldn't pay full price. Either one is exactly the sort of thing that should be a free pack-in. And about a third of those games are just WiiU ports. (I love the WiiU, it is my innocent babbu).

Nintendo is such a weird company for me, because I like a lot of their games (Zelda [MM, OoT, WW and TP], Mario World and 3D World, Metroid Fusion/Prime/Smaus Retunr, Woolly Yoshi Tax Fraud World, Pokemon Gen 1-5)... But I'm not really confident in their direction. BotW was not good, Mario Odyssey is a return to the 64 style which I've never been fond of, Smash is more something I'd buy for other people... Unless the game is really exceptionally fun to play (like 3D World or Wool Yoshi), I just get bored of it all real fast. I feel like Nintendo is a slave to its own "brand"; deviating from the formula is discouraged because they wanna sell merch or something. It's the third-party stuff drawing me to the Switch right now.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

Magical_Isopod wrote: April 10th, 2019, 4:23 am Very interested to see what the SHMUP scene is like on there. O_O My antennae are at attention. What kind are they though? If they're your typical "space shooter" like Thunder Force, Raiden, Soldier Blade, R-Type, et al, I may partake. But if they're the bullet hell or "collect a billion tokens that block everything on the screen", then... Nah.
There is the Sega Ages version (aka M2) of Thunder Force IV, and R-Type Dimensions, so two out of three!

Also, Ikaruga, Blazing Star (if you prefer your "hori's"), plenty of ACA Neo Geo releases, lot's of Psikyo shooters... there's quite a bit, depending on your personal preferences.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by hazeredmist »

I've gone all-in on the current Switch, I'm very happy with it functionally. As a keen handheld gamer I've picked up a Satisfye Pro Gaming Grip with Elite case for all peripherals, and a decent power bank which gives me 3 extra charges of the Switch on a single charge, from within the case. This cures all the issues I had with the Switch as a handheld device. It's now immensely comfortable and has a mammoth battery life when I take it away :)

I love the Pro Controller which I use when the Switch is docked, for me it's superior to other console controllers I use.

Games are a-plenty. It's the Vita on crack, with great 'big' games and great indie titles. There are TONNES of retro options available. I must have a hundred. You don't need a branded Virtual Console for this.

There may be nice-to-haves from hardware revisions, but the current Switch is an excellent bit of kit.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

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Completely agree.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

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Well said haze
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Simonsloth »

Agree too it’s a remarkable machine. I kind of wish there was a pocket sized version though. The vita has the edge in that respect.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

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I'd say it's worth buying baggier pants for, mate!
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

I think I bought ZeroRanger... or I'm waiting for a sale. Definitely on my wishlist. I'll have a gander at the other titles too - after years of the Touhou/Cave dark ages, I think the traditional SHMUP is finally making a comeback. I hope. I'm not sure I will ever like games where you play as a flying little girl (?) and have like 2 pixels of real estate to maneuver in. I get that shooting biomechanical aliens in a Fighter jet probably got stale after a while but... I still think it's cool. :P
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

Here's hoping the news of six more Sega Ages Switch releases is legitimate, you know, just incase there wasn't enough Switch games already available!

Even though I got Wonderboy in Monster Land already, via the Japanese PSN, it would be good to have on the go. And judging by the screenshots (and nothing more concrete than that) Shinobi looks looks very much like the proper arcade version.

Bye-bye future savings! :(
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Sega Ages needs Rocket Knight, not enough people have played that. It's legit on par with Sonic, Mario and DKC in terms of quality platformer. I'll also nominate Air Buster and Wings of War (Gynoug) as criminally underrated SHMUPs on the system.

Batman & Robin ought to be essential viewing for its soundtrack and graphics alone, but licensing issues probably ensure that will never happen. Throw Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition (which is not an edition, but a full sequel - figure that one out) and Taz in "Escape From Mars" as other licensed hidden gems on the console.
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Re: The Nintendo news and discussion thread

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Oh, and can someone PLEASE republish the Sega CD version of Earthworm Jim? It remains the definitive version of that game, and short of emulating/burning it or doling out $300(!) for a copy, there's no way to play it.

THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW.

And The Terminator on SCD too, Tommy Tallarico is a gift from heaven.
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