Nintendo Switch Thread (March 3 2017 worldwide, US$299)

[Matisfaction]

In tablet form it looks good. In console mode it looks kind of dorky but that's not a huge deal.

The controller looks like a Wavebird

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Yeah it does a bit. A blockier version.

[OrangeRibbon]

Looks neat. Not a huge fan of the square controller.

[Matisfaction]

Yeah it does a bit. A blockier version.

Its also a dog face.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[melancholy]

While all of this sounds great, there is one point that scares me. When Nintendo was specifically asked if the Switch was a touchscreen, they refused to comment. The thought that a company could make a tablet that doesn't have a touchscreen is asinine, so their refusal to answer makes me super nervous.

[pixel]

The Joy-Con controllers look great. I've always loved the Wiimote/nunchuk set up because it was so comfortable to have parts of the controllers in both hands.

The touchscreen mystery has me worried, too. Based on the trailer, are they just going to re-release all the good Wii U games like Mario Kart 8 onto the Switch (and make us pay again)?

[Skynet]

I might be in the minority here but I just want a normal controller. I don't want touch screen, I don't want weird shapes, I want a normal controller like their pro one or whatever it's called.

[pixel]

I might be in the minority here but I just want a normal controller. I don't want touch screen, I don't want weird shapes, I want a normal controller like their pro one or whatever it's called.

[Matisfaction]

I really like the controller design, the fact that you can have the tablet in your hands or as a stand alone + controller is pretty awesome.

[melancholy]

So who here is preordering? Other than me and Mat, that is.

[Matisfaction]

I'm a little conflicted in pre-ordering, as much as I've enjoyed the Wii U (with all it's faults), the first 18 months were pretty barren in software terms. but if the Switch takes off like the Wii did then they're going to pretty hard to get hold of at launch.

[OrangeRibbon]

So who here is preordering? Other than me and Mat, that is.

I might be if they take pre orders soon.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

So who here is preordering? Other than me and Mat, that is.

Not me. Going to wait and see until after it's launched.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Nintendo Switch’s apparent lack of touchscreen isn’t an accident

If reveal video is correct, new console will limit touchscreen gaming by default.

The Nintendo NX is now called the Nintendo Switch, and many of the upcoming game system's rumored capabilities have been confirmed by way of a peppy reveal video posted this morning. However, while the video showed happy people carrying the new home/portable hybrid system around and playing games on planes, at parties, and with friends, it also failed to show anybody doing something largely expected from a modern, handheld screen: touching it.

Does this mean the system's primary, portable screen does not support touch? Ars sent that question directly to Nintendo of America and received this statement as a response: "We have nothing to announce on this topic. We will make additional announcements about the Nintendo Switch hardware later, before the launch of the product.”

Peculiar, right? It doesn't bode well for touch functionality on the Switch, nor does the fact that Nintendo could have easily inserted a half-second moment of its video's gamers tapping the thing even once. That didn't happen. Does this mean the Nintendo touch era is over?

Blame the dock

At least in terms of console gaming, the answer appears to be "yes."

The Nintendo Switch advertisement doesn't show anybody using touch controls because of one apparent mandate for games on the system: that they function even if the system's giant screen is docked to a TV.

The system's main board will reside inside of the screen unit, designed so that people can grab their game in progress and keep playing it on the go, without pausing the action for an instant. As the video demonstrates, one gamer grabs the screen so that he can feed his Zelda habit while walking his dog.

But unlike the DS, 3DS, or Wii U, this isn't a multiscreen system. In this video, when the Nintendo Switch is attached to a television for bigger-screen play, the portable screen shuts off, and play is redirected to whatever screen is hooked into the Nintendo Switch Dock.

With this use case, every Nintendo Switch game will have to support controls for players who don't have a screen in their hand. Even if the Nintendo Switch launches with some sort of surprise touchscreen functionality, game makers will have to accommodate players who want to lie back on the couch with either the new Joy-Con pads or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which resembles the Wii's Classic Controller Pro line.

The lack of dual-screen functionality is curious, considering that the Nintendo Switch otherwise resembles a Wii U—as in, a system that revolves around a giant, portable screen surrounded by buttons. The difference, of course, is that the Switch's controllers pop off for easily sharable gaming on the go or for playing without a screen in hand. Perhaps in Nintendo's eyes, sharing a relatively small portable screen with a friend is already cramped enough. Having one of those players smother the screen with their fingers wouldn't help matters.

And if Nintendo really wants this system to be used on the go and shared with friends, it might be silly for games to include touchscreen functions that only work when a second screen is around.

End of the touch-and-waggle era?

Some of Nintendo's most clever games of the past 12 years have shined specifically because of touchscreen controls. If touchscreen gaming isn't an option on the Switch, that era will be over for Nintendo, all but ceded to Apple and other smartphone and tablet makers. Based on statements made to shareholders, Nintendo is aiming to direct both its portable and home development efforts toward the Nintendo Switch from here on out. (Meaning, no "4DS" portable hardware appears to be looming.)

The only exception, then, is Nintendo's choice to finally embrace smartphone platforms, which began with the disappointing Miitomo but should absolutely explode once Super Mario Run launches in December. Touch-friendly series Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem are expected to land on smartphones next year, and the Nintendo Switch's possible touch abandonment could mean more good, Nintendo-made touchscreen games coming to smartphones.

Some touchscreen functions may very well emerge on Nintendo Switch in the coming weeks or months. After all, every rumor and speculative post about the system seemed to unanimously agree that touch was coming. Capacitive touch sensors can be had for terribly cheap if produced at scale, so the amount of money saved by removing those touch panels doesn't seem significant, and they might support finger taps to, say, get around the system menus (a la the 3DS and Wii U). Maybe Nintendo will go so far as to advertise mobile-only games and apps for the device, so as not to constrain indies and app makers who rely on touch interfaces.

But the system's TV dock requirement is pretty telling. This won't be a giant remote control for your favorite video-streaming apps, for example. What's more, the big gimmick on display with Nintendo Switch isn't about how you interact with your games; it's how you can more easily take, play, and share them wherever, with whomever. No waggle, no touch, no heart-rate sensor, and no other input gimmickry.

Source: Ars Technica

Nintendo Switch's Amiibo Support Confirmed

Amiibo figures could be seen during today's Switch announcement video.

Nintendo finally announced its new console today, revealing a good deal about the Nintendo Switch, but the video presentation also left us with a lot of questions. We now have the answer to one regarding Amiibo support.

Asked if Switch would be compatible with Amiibo figures, a Nintendo representative told GameSpot, "Absolutely. If a Nintendo Switch game supports Amiibo, then the Nintendo Switch home gaming system will as well."

This seemed like a fair assumption, both because there were Amiibo figures seen in the video sitting next to the system and because Amiibo have been wildly successful for Nintendo. The company said last year that they had "smashed" its expectations, which was all the more impressive considering how difficult to find they could be for a long stretch of time.

As of the end of March, Nintendo had sold about 24.7 million Amiibo figures. As you'd expect given that number, it said of them, "[W]e will continue to expand the product lineup in order to maintain momentum. At the same time, we will aim to further expand sales by offering new gaming experiences with the use of Amiibo."

Amiibo sales were only 1.7 million during the quarter ended June 30 "due to a lack of new titles that are compatible with Amiibo." It would stand to reason that it would therefore want to offer Amiibo support with its upcoming Switch games. We already know The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features Amiibo support, with some excellent new figures coming alongside the game.

Source: Gamespot

[Matisfaction]

While watching the reveal video, I was wondering how Splatoon was going to work without a touch screen.

[ian]

I like that waggles are gone.
I like that touch screen appears to be gone. (if I can use the tablet as a tablet, it needs it, but games not having it is great)
I like that you can take the pads off and use them separately.
I like that list of companies making games for it.

I am concerned because it is Nintendo.. IE: Am I going to have to buy a fucking power cable sepeately? (Yes, they do that)
All the innovation in the world means shit all if there's no games for it, or there are 10 million of the same mario game.
battery life of the thing in mobile mode.
Will you be able to have friends online? or will you be number 1073284 playing 1809043. 2 units and 4 player smash brothers is ideal, but does the game have to stop when people go home?

If they keep the price under $400 AUD and have at least 4 GOOD games at launch (hell even if it's gamecube games), Colour me interested.
Bring it out with smash brothers, a new pilot wings, maybe a new wave race, Pikmin, and ANYTHING original. And I'm on board.
Even if the 3rd parties step it up... If Sega, Capcom, Konami, Namco, Codemasters, Epic, Hell even telltale... If they come to the party and make some good shit, this thing won't die.

but it HAS to have a strong start.. If I don't want one by day 1, I will never want one..

[Skynet]

I might be in the minority here but I just want a normal controller. I don't want touch screen, I don't want weird shapes, I want a normal controller like their pro one or whatever it's called.

I hadn't watched the video until about 5 hours after I posted.

I think I would exclusively use the controller and not the detachable one. My biggest problem with the WiiU is you can't even start certain games with a controller, you need to use the pad.

[ian]

Talking to some friends about it, one said something so perfect I should have said it:
"If it's the opposite of what Nintendo have done for a decade, I'll check it out"
As soon as I twigged that the wii came out in 2006 I was angry I didn't make the connection.

we all loved the snes, we all loved the 64, we all loved the cube, we all loved our gameboys.
we all fell for the wii and promptly gave up on them.
there have been some disagreements over the DS. 2 of us are pokemon fans, 3 are not.. the pokemon fans love the ds.
but we're all in agreement, if this thing is like the cube, we're all on board.

We want to believe, but we've done that before, and look what happened... a console that the only good feature of was playing gamecube games.