Nintendo NX / Switch Discussion

[Tribble puncher]

It does make me wonder what the USB ports on it are for, then. Clearly you can't use them when the console is out of the dock, so is it just for games that have special peripherals, and such peripherals and USB-only and thus can only work in dock mode and thus defeat the whole purpose of a mobile console?

I dunno, I'm just wondering what the USB ports are for if it's not a way to hook up a hard drive or something!

I would say the USB ports could be for a controller hub, like someone above said...for gamecube games maybe, but yeah, I get what you're saying....if this is supposed to be "the console I can just grab on the way out and play on the go", it wouldn't really be so if I had a snakesnest of USB cables and accessories hooked up to this thing like a patient on life support. It's seems to be billed as something that offers the EXACT same experience either in my hand or on my T.V. It's possible the USB ports are only on the prototype for debugging purposes or something. My big question is, "Why is the dock so big?"

 

[B.J.]

The USB ports are probably there for games like Lego Dimensions and Skylanders, which need that port for their peripherals. If you're playing those specific games, you're not exactly going to be "mobile" anyway.

 

[bigdaddy]

Yeah everyone getting held up by the USB ports is find of funny. How does the Wii U scan the Amiibos? Just because it's also a portable doesn't mean it won't need expansions for a game or two.

 

[eastman23]

amiibos use the NFC reader in a corner of the Wii U gamepad. It's already been said that amiibos will be continued to be supported by the Switch, so the NFC reader is probably under the screen somewhere like in the New 3DS.

 

[Akiraprise]

I've merged both NX discussion threads. Carry on.

 

[Aldo]

Seems the discussion has cooled a bit, which is fine. Not a whole lot to discuss at the moment.

I've come across a few rumors in my reading through the Gamefaqs message boards. I just want to point out, again, that these are rumors.

But the neatest thing I've read is that there will be two bundles come March for the Switch. The first one will be with Mario as a Pack in, and run like 300 dollars. The second bundle would include the new Zelda game and a Pro Controller and run about 340 dollars. Of course I'm taking this with a grain of salt, because I doubt they'd have both Mario and Zelda as launch titles, but it's still a neat idea, and if true I might spring for the Zelda bundle.

 

[DBR]

My WiiU has gotten more use in the last ~6 months than in all of the four <four?!> years since I've had it. Nintendo games always offer a simple, nostalgic gaming experience that doesn't usually require huge investments of time. And the more I've been playing it, the more excited I find myself for the Switch. It's easy to get wrapped up in how powerful the machine is, 3rd party [lack of] support, etc., but what Nintendo is all about--for me, at least--is Nintendo games: they're top of their game.

 

[Aldo]

I've been playing more WiiU since the Switch reveal, but I'm sad to say before that the most use it was getting out of me was for using streaming apps.

I agree with you about the games though, Nintendo games have a certain charm for me that games on other consoles just don't offer. I'd gladly sit down and play a "kiddie" game like Mario than boot up the latest Call of Duty game. And as much as I enjoyed playing Skyrim, it doesn't hold a candle (for me) to the best Legend of Zelda games.

 

[eastman23]

But the neatest thing I've read is that there will be two bundles come March for the Switch. The first one will be with Mario as a Pack in, and run like 300 dollars. The second bundle would include the new Zelda game and a Pro Controller and run about 340 dollars. Of course I'm taking this with a grain of salt, because I doubt they'd have both Mario and Zelda as launch titles, but it's still a neat idea, and if true I might spring for the Zelda bundle.

I highly doubt we're getting Zelda and Mario at launch or even within a few months of each other. One of them at launch and the other for the holiday 2017 season is far more likely. If I was going to guess, Zelda at launch in March (or shortly thereafter) and Mario revealed at E3 and releasing in the fall/holiday season. Maybe a teaser for the presentation in January, but probably a full look will wait until E3.

 

[Aldo]

I think Zelda might be more likely since Breath of the Wild has been done for a while. I think it would be a system seller if they went that way. but yeah, I doubt they'd do both Mario and Zelda. They want to save one to release for Christmas.

 

[Timby]

Zelda is absolutely, without a doubt, launching with the Switch. A new Mario game will be Nintendo's system-seller for the 2017 holiday season.

 

[eastman23]

To go along with the possible Mario Kart and Splatoon ports, there's a report that Smash Bros will also be ported to the Switch to be released within 6 months of launch. The remaining Smash Bros amiibos (Cloud and Bayonetta explicitly mentioned, and probably includes Corrin) have been held back to release at the same time.

http://letsplayvideogames.com/2016/...ed-until-2017-smash-bros-switch-port-arrives/

Makes sense. Smash Bros is a pretty big game, so may as well bring that over too.

 

[Aldo]

My only worry about that is it would delay work on a possible Smash 5.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Those would likely be different teams.

 

[eastman23]

Pricing news/reports/rumours:

http://letsplayvideogames.com/2016/11/report-uk-retailer-game-to-price-nintendo-switch-from-199-99/

A UK retailer has info on a basic SKU for £199.99, and another SKU with more storage and pack-in game for £249.99. This is roughly equivalent to $249.99 and $299.99 in the US and is in line with a Toys R Us Canada listing that has the Switch at $329.99 CAD (about $245 US today). The Toys R Us thing could be a placeholder of course, but it's an oddly specific price for a placeholder.

Those prices fall right in line with what people were expecting from a lot of discussions I've listened to over the last few months, so not overly surprised. The only thing is that Nintendo said they expect to make a profit from each console sold, so that might not say much about the tech inside.

 

[bigdaddy]

My only worry about that is it would delay work on a possible Smash 5.

So? It's not like they won't release a Switch Smash game, they can't release every single big name game at once.

 

[Timby]

The only thing is that Nintendo said they expect to make a profit from each console sold, so that might not say much about the tech inside.

If memory serves, with the possible exception of the first 3DS, Nintendo stopped selling its hardware as a loss-leader with the GameCube.

 

[bigdaddy]

If memory serves, with the possible exception of the first 3DS, Nintendo stopped selling its hardware as a loss-leader with the GameCube.

Hell when the 3DS came out I think Nintendo was making a profit, but no one bought it and they decreased the price to $150. I love that damn system, one of my favorites.

 

[eastman23]

I think the same thing happened with the Wii U, it was barely profitable at it's launch price, but then they cut the price to try to boost sales. Although they did say something like it was profitable at that new price point if people bought just one game with it.

Some game reports/rumours:
http://letsplayvideogames.com/2016/...launch-splatoon-pack-in-no-march-wii-u-zelda/

- Breath of the Wild will not be at launch and will arrive some time later.
- But the Mario game shown in the Switch reveal trailer is launch day. Said to be similar to Mario 64 or Galaxy with a hub world with multiple objectives in each level. 2-player co-op is the multiplayer that was shown in the reveal.
- Current plan is to have enhanced/new version of Splatoon in the more bundle from the previous set of rumours. Has a 1v1 mode that is played with each player on their own Switch and players can change weapons mid-match. Also some more single-player content.
- Skyrim is happening, and planned for launch day. Mod support will arrive some time later and will be like the PS4 in that it is limited to mods made with existing in-game assets.

If the BOTW rumour pans out, that's a bit disappointing. That game alone would get me to buy a Switch right at launch, but if it's truly not showing up until some time later, then I'll have to wait and see what else is coming at launch. To be fair though, Nintendo never did give a release window for BOTW other than "2017" (well, after "2016" and "2015" before... ), so it was mostly speculation that it would be at launch.

 

[Kelthaz]

I'm okay with a Zelda delay. A 3D Mario game is more than enough to sell me the system.