Nintendo Switch

[Asaki]

I am curious to know how the WII U version of the new Zelda game plays. I've read some reports that the Switch has a bit of a struggle keeping up with it's own version when there is a lot going on. Can anyone confirm?

I have the WiiU version. Very rarely, there will be a very small hiccup, probably when it's loading data...other than that, the only slowdown I've noticed is that the framerate dips a bit when you're in a town. There's a lot going on in towns.

 

It plays great, but obviously they crippled the dual screen support. Also, the back of the box shows that Wiimotes and Classic Controllers are supported, but that appears to be a lie.

[Atariboy]

Switch save data is locked to the console and can't be transferred.

While that's something that I can live with (Although if I lost progress partway through Zelda because of it, I might be singing a different tune), it's rather inexcusable at the same time. There isn't even a need to lock saves for online multiplayer enabled games to prevent cheating, given that they can just be tied to a specific user account to prevent their distribution to others.

That we can't remove the SD card, insert it into another Nintendo Switch, and log into our account to restore access to our save files residing on external flash memory boggles the mind. Not sure what Nintendo is gaining from this short of perhaps planning on cloud saves as a carrot to dangle in front of potential subscribers of their upcoming online service.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Atariboy

[Rick Dangerous]

Switch save data is locked to the console and can't be transferred.

 

While that's something that I can live with (Although if I lost progress partway through Zelda because of it, I might be singing a different tune), it's rather inexcusable at the same time. There isn't even a need to lock saves for online multiplayer enabled games to prevent cheating, given that they can just be tied to a specific user account to prevent their distribution to others.

 

That we can't remove the SD card, insert it into another Nintendo Switch, and log into our account to restore access to our save files residing on external flash memory boggles the mind. Not sure what Nintendo is gaining from this short of perhaps planning on cloud saves as a carrot to dangle in front of potential subscribers of their upcoming online service.

 

This may be simply because they didn't have time to enable this feature before launch. May be coming in a future update no? What real incentive to they have to not let this happen? Would it cost them sales somehow?

[privateers69]

A deterrent for replacing defective Switch consoles? Like dead pixels

[Tanooki]

Dead pixels are nothing new and people love to blow stuff out of proportion. Saw the same whining with the PSP, the Vita, the WiiU, and all their (NIntendo) other handhelds going back as far as the GBA as I can recall in 2001.

 

Odds are he's right up there, carrot meet cloud service meet $30/yr charge feature. Why not? They seem to have aped the way PSN works so far and the sony store almost seems like a basic template for the current eShop now too. It would make sense to quantify that $30 charge other than the monthly VC rental with cloud saves, and other bonus material too. But conspiracy aside, it could just be it wasn't added yet, much like a browser, netflix, or the rest that the Nintendo handhelds/consoles have had for a decade now.

 

I'm not worried about it. Nintendo is towing the same string of BS since the DSi and Wii popped up with online features. 'We make game machines'(first) yet they seem to get all those streaming tools that aren't exclusive (like amazon for Sony which is annoying) and browsers that work fairly well too. Hell the 3DS browser is more competent than anything the PSP or Vita had, especially with the added ram/cpu the New3DS/XL has.

[Punisher5.0]

I think Nintendo is planning on opening the system up to video streaming services. If you go to "System Settings" and then go to "Sleep Mode" there is an option to suspend sleep mode for four hours when media content is playing. That's a pretty tell tale sign that movie watching is going to be available.

[cybercylon]

Generally, there are a limited number of dead or stuck pixels allowed before it is out of spec and needs to be replaced. At least that is what I have been told, and I expect the tolerance level various from store to store and company to company.

 

As for not allowing game saves to transfer, either you are right on the mark that it will be a paid feature or it hasn't been implemented yet. Well, that is why I let others be the beta testers for new hardware

[Guest LiqMat]

Anyone having this issue? Thinking of doing some soldering if this is a thing when I get one down the road.

 

http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/6/14836194/nintendo-switch-left-joy-con-cause-design-fix

[CPUWIZ]

Seems like there are a bunch of complaints (as usual with every console)...

 

[Osgeld]

Seems like there are a bunch of complaints (as usual with every console)...

 

Aye, no launch is perfect, and keep in mind all the crap that already failed and was fixed well before the commercial launch, it will get sorted out

[0078265317]

And this. But nobody is perfect.

 

http://tay.kinja.com/4-reasons-you-shouldnt-buy-a-switch-at-launch-1792404863

[Tanooki]

Hah that kinja story is nothing but a media outlet looking troll post.

 

That video of glitches is interesting. Clearly you get a few lemons in every batch, but some of it is just people being dumb and not doing it right with those joycons getting stuck on the wrongly attached added strap piece. Too bad about the few of them that really have problems but I'm sure if they'd call Nintendo they have stock on hand to replace them which they have done with previous systems to be safe.

 

That said I do worry about the scratching of the screen, seems like a really stupid design flaw. Wondering if buying an annoying screen protector may be needed which I've never done before, or add some sticky one sided felt strips along the caddy interior where the rubs happen.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Tanooki

[Keatah]

You put a screen protector inside the dock. So it has no sharp edges. But that is inexcusable, as is the wrist straps fitting on backwards, or the USB charging cable. Buncha nincompoops testing this stuff?

 

Electronics stuff can excused because some parts are notoriously difficult to fabricate. And there's infant mortality with complex chips and such. More than you'd think. Some barely make it past burn-in testing, only to fail in the field next time they're powered up.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Keatah

[adamchevy]

Then there's always the people who think dropping an electronic device onto concrete is a good test? Really? Only an Atari Lynx can stand up to that kind of punishment. When will people learn?

[HoshiChiri]

Then there's always the people who think dropping an electronic device onto concrete is a good test? Really? Only an Atari Lynx can stand up to that kind of punishment. When will people learn?

 

While it's not something the end user should be doing for kicks, it IS a good test. Falling out of someone's hands onto concrete is a thing that happens to small, portable electronics. If it can't survive such an action, what's the point of making it portable?

 

It's something a lot of manufacturers seem to get wrong these days. I once saw a lady sit down on the bus, and her phone fell out of her coat pocket. So a 2 foot drop onto a vinyl bus floor. the screen shattered. I remember thinking "and that's why I don't buy Apple products". I've seen frickin light bulbs survive worse drops! No, really- look!

 

[Tanooki]

I know some mall kiosks usually near apple stores sell this gorilla glass type stuff meant for iphones/pads which i think goes around $20-30. I'm thinking if anything that would be the best solution for the Switch. They do it, so no bubbles or lint issues, and the stuff is like military grade so you can poke it with a fork and it won't scratch the thing up. That would stop the plastic on screen shenanigans cold.

[BillLoguidice]

My estimation of the system has evolved a bit from my first impressions. First off, even though it's not my type of game, I'm coming around to how good Zelda really is. Despite my frustration with "getting lost" in these types of games, I'm finding my way around well enough for it not to be a serious issue, although I still do lament the "wasted" time in trying to find things at certain points.

 

I would have liked a little more voice acting in Zelda, though. It seems a bit incomplete as-is.

 

I'm enjoying the system overall, but so far ONLY when in its default tablet configuration. When docked, I find the Joy-Cons way too small to be comfortable in my hands. It's less of an issue for my two oldest daughters (12 and 10), but I think I'll need to invest in an overpriced Pro Controller at some point (although, to be fair, I didn't try the shell yet, but, if I'm going to do that, I may as well just use it in handheld mode).

 

I also tried the slide on shoulder button attachment. It was VERY difficult to slide off, so that's actually quite disappointing. Because of that difficulty, I don't anticipate using it all that much, if at all.

 

Bomberman is OK, but my early play of the Story Mode leaves me a bit limp, and using the detached Joy-Cons for multiplayer is not all that usable for me.

 

I still don't like Snipperclips. I'm having a hard time understanding the universal praise for that one, but so be it. At least it's just a demo and didn't cost me money. And speaking of demos, it would be nice to have more than Snipperclips...

 

I'd like to try other software (at least until my copy of Isaac arrives), but the only one that has appeal to me is Shovel Knight. Hopefully the lack of a d-pad is not a major deal. For the $10, I'll probably break down and buy that one.

[Tempest]

I'm starting to think that I was wise to wait a bit on getting a Switch. I don't think I've ever bought a system at launch before, so I've never really run into these first revision problems (closest I've come is buying a Wii about 6-7 months after launch). Hopefully by the time of the first price drop there will be a bunch of must haves so I can justify buying one.

[0078265317]

Mee too but price will probably never drop.

[Punisher5.0]

My estimation of the system has evolved a bit from my first impressions. First off, even though it's not my type of game, I'm coming around to how good Zelda really is. Despite my frustration with "getting lost" in these types of games, I'm finding my way around well enough for it not to be a serious issue, although I still do lament the "wasted" time in trying to find things at certain points.

 

I would have liked a little more voice acting in Zelda, though. It seems a bit incomplete as-is.

 

I'm enjoying the system overall, but so far ONLY when in its default tablet configuration. When docked, I find the Joy-Cons way too small to be comfortable in my hands. It's less of an issue for my two oldest daughters (12 and 10), but I think I'll need to invest in an overpriced Pro Controller at some point (although, to be fair, I didn't try the shell yet, but, if I'm going to do that, I may as well just use it in handheld mode).

 

I also tried the slide on shoulder button attachment. It was VERY difficult to slide off, so that's actually quite disappointing. Because of that difficulty, I don't anticipate using it all that much, if at all.

 

Bomberman is OK, but my early play of the Story Mode leaves me a bit limp, and using the detached Joy-Cons for multiplayer is not all that usable for me.

 

I still don't like Snipperclips. I'm having a hard time understanding the universal praise for that one, but so be it. At least it's just a demo and didn't cost me money. And speaking of demos, it would be nice to have more than Snipperclips...

 

I'd like to try other software (at least until my copy of Isaac arrives), but the only one that has appeal to me is Shovel Knight. Hopefully the lack of a d-pad is not a major deal. For the $10, I'll probably break down and buy that one.

I was surprised at how much the Pro controller costs. It made it a little easier to swallow though when I opened the box and there was a USB-C cord in there. It's synced immediately to the system too which was surprising. It's one of the nicest feeling controllers I've ever used too.

[roots.genoa]

I'm enjoying the system overall, but so far ONLY when in its default tablet configuration. When docked, I find the Joy-Cons way too small to be comfortable in my hands. It's less of an issue for my two oldest daughters (12 and 10), but I think I'll need to invest in an overpriced Pro Controller at some point (although, to be fair, I didn't try the shell yet, but, if I'm going to do that, I may as well just use it in handheld mode).

That's what I also thought at first, but the Joy-grip makes a difference. Thanks to the handles, hands lay differently on the controller and it is easier to reach the right stick for example. I'm not sure if what I say makes sense but you should definitely give it a try.

[roots.genoa]

I was surprised at how much the Pro controller costs. It made it a little easier to swallow though when I opened the box and there was a USB-C cord in there. It's synced immediately to the system too which was surprising. It's one of the nicest feeling controllers I've ever used too.

The reason why it costs that much is because HD rumble and NFC are included, even though I understand that it still seems too high for most people. But all controllers cost a little too much these days...

[Keatah]

I know some mall kiosks usually near apple stores sell this gorilla glass type stuff meant for iphones/pads which i think goes around $20-30. I'm thinking if anything that would be the best solution for the Switch. They do it, so no bubbles or lint issues, and the stuff is like military grade so you can poke it with a fork and it won't scratch the thing up. That would stop the plastic on screen shenanigans cold.

 

This is something that should be included on the screen by default.

[BillLoguidice]

I was surprised at how much the Pro controller costs. It made it a little easier to swallow though when I opened the box and there was a USB-C cord in there. It's synced immediately to the system too which was surprising. It's one of the nicest feeling controllers I've ever used too.

 

I've heard about the USB-C cable inclusion, but I actually bought a very nice 6.6 foot USB-C cable on Amazon for $6.99, which does in fact charge the Switch. I also don't think that really adds much to their cost of goods.

 

In any case, even with the extra features of the controller, a $69.99 list price is still a bit tough to swallow at the moment. Almost all of the Switch stuff seems a bit higher priced than it should be. Of course, there's the early adopter captive audience and all, so I can certainly understand why they're charging what they're charging. I'll no doubt still get one when I'm able.

[Punisher5.0]

The reason why it costs that much is because HD rumble and NFC are included, even though I understand that it still seems too high for most people. But all controllers cost a little too much these days...

I don't think the Pro controller has HD rumble. I can understand the high cost of the joycons because of this though. There is a lot of stuff packed in them and they work impressively well.