The Switch was going to be the first Nintendo home console I’ve ever owned at launch. The company’s original pitch wasn’t exactly solid on the details, though gave a generally good impression. Having never felt the need to buy a Wii U, here was a system that showed genuine promise, as if Nintendo had learned from its mistakes and could now go toe-to-toe with Microsoft and Sony.
Of course, with the PS4 Pro having been around for a few months and Scorpio due to be unleashed this holiday season, the Switch won’t be neck and neck with its two big rivals – at least not from a technical perspective. However, looking back at the Wii and its disappointing successor, raw power isn’t why gamers buy into the Nintendo brand. For many, it’s the raft of first party exclusives which rarely falter in their vibrant charm and quality. Nowhere else will you find a kart racer as polished as Mario Kart 8, nor a crossover fighting game as apt for party play as Super Smash Bros.
For that reason Nintendo is now our go-to for some side action, whenever we fancy a break from our PS4s, Xbox Ones, and PCs. Before cancelling my pre-order just days ago, I had a space reserved for the Switch in my snazzy new TV unit, though the excitement just wasn’t there anymore.
Over the Christmas period, I had been excitedly awaiting Nintendo’s big reveal in January. Although we had previously copped a quick look in November, this would be its chance to dispel any confusion surrounding the hardware, how much it would cost, and what games would be available at launch.
However, the live event failed to address major questions in a way that felt entirely succinct. In some massive areas, such as network capabilities and online services, Nintendo seemingly glossed over the details, retreating behind a vague forward plan. And while £280 sounded like a reasonable launch price, the confusing tangle of add-ons and accessories quickly saw the contents of my basket shoot well above £400.
The paltry launch lineup was another major concern for many. You may be surprised to hear that quantity wasn’t my main issue. We’ve only just reached February and already I’ve started to build a backlog of games released in 2017. However, as with any console launch, I’ve always been able to find at least 2 or 3 compelling launch games to whet my appetite.
With the Nintendo Switch, I wasn’t offered that luxury. There’s only one title available on release day that is worth buying in my eyes. Compared to Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Ryse, and Dead Rising 3, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looks as though it will be somewhat of a rarity – the first truly essential first party launch title we’ve seen in years. That said, if it’s just Zelda you’re after, then you could easily settle for a Wii U version of the game without needing invest so much money.
The only other original game being pushed at launch is 1-2 Switch. While novel, for a game that doesn’t even involve looking at the screen, it seems ridiculously overpriced and would hardly get any mileage beyond a quick mess around with friends.
The remainder of that first wave consists of digital games and ports we’ve seen elsewhere, some of them several years old and much, much cheaper on other platforms. Even when you look beyond this meagre initial offering, Nintendo isn’t offering that much.
Arms looks like a fun and inventive take on the fighting game genre but doesn’t seem to have much depth – or Legs, if you will – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, meanwhile, is a known quantity and easily one of the best Nintendo games, period. However, with the original Wii U version having such a big following, it’s hard to see how a few additional characters and tracks will convince fans to buy the same game twice on top of a brand new Switch on day one. Finally, there’s Splatoon 2 which looks a bit more appetising. The original paint-based shooter hasn’t been around that long, but the sequel looks to be making some clever changes while helping to push Nintendo’s fledgling IP out there.
Over time we’ll see smaller games drift in to plug some of the gaps in this lineup, but when it comes to third party multi-platform releases, the improved performance and connectivity of other platforms will make the Switch version less desirable, even with the added perk of portability. As someone who spends most of their gaming time sat in front of the big screen, I rarely feel the need to take a gaming system with me out on the road. When I do, it’s infinitely more convenient to whip out my phone. If I’m feeling a little more adventurous I may even take my iPad, PlayStation Vita, or New 3DS XL. Being able to seamlessly undock the Switch and carry on playing is an awesome feature but would be completely wasted on me.
Pre-launch hype is a crazy thing. If it sinks its hooks in deep enough, there’s literally no escape, even when confronted with the reality of what we’re actually buying into versus that initial image in our minds. In truth, I’m still riding that same hype train, I’ve just downgraded my ticket somewhat. I won’t be among the rank of first class passengers who disembark on launch day. I’ll be sat further to the back, intent on buying a Nintendo Switch in the near future, though currently dispassionate enough to stave off an immediate purchase.
Severn2j
Shame you didnt decide a week ago, you could’ve swapped it for a PSVR.. ;)
JR.
haha
Avenger
Brilliant.
JR.
Why I keep reading articles about why people do things… :D
TSBonyman
An understandable decision, for all the reasons you mentioned but especially as you don’t seem to be particularly interested in the mobility aspect, which seems to be quite a significant part of the appeal of the Switch. Well done on tempering your expectations before it was too late in the day. Hopefully Switch will provide more reasons to hop aboard in the months following the launch.
Jim Hargreaves
That’s it. I fully intend on getting one at some point. Come Christmas, there’ll will be a small stack of (hopefully discounted) Switch games I’ll pounce on.
TrumpyMx
come christmas, there will be a huge pile of unsold Switch hardware and a massive post-xmas firesale. That’s if Nintendo are still around.
Eldave0
Personally I think you’ve made the right decision. I too had a Switch pre-ordered after getting dragged into the hype but, now that has died down, I’ve seen how “meh” the Switch looks at the moment and have since cancelled my order.
It’s true that there is nothing quite like a proper Nintendo game and I’m sure BOTW and Mario Odyssey will pick up a number of 10/10s from reviewers, but it takes more than that for a console to be a success these days.
For now I’ll be waiting to see just how good the third party support is, how good the online services are and what games Nintendo have lined up going forward.
Jim Hargreaves
Yeah, knowing how rubbish Nintendo is when shipping enough of their product to retailers (Amiibo, New 3DS, NES Classic) pretty much forced my hand on the pre-order, too. Didn’t want to be in a position where I really wanted one but would have to pay out more than the actual price to a re-seller.
The Lone Steven
Not surprised as so far, Nintendo is handling the Switch weakly. A few games that came out a few years back or potentially a 6 year old game if it’s not the remastered version is a poor line up. I already own Skyrim and so far, there is no incentive to get a portable version of it. The first party stuff is weak. Zelda and Mario kart is prbably the only two things I would consider. The new Mario game, I would hold off for reviews. The Shaving Simulator, noooo. The sheer cost of it exceeds the existing consoles and well, I can get a decent PC for that price. Sure, i may not be able to play the latest games on it but games from a decade ago beats paying £400 for the Switch with it’s limited line up. Worst of all, Nintendo has a massive backlibrary. FFS, Nintendo, use it! Sony is using theirs(with some diffculty due to legal stuff etc..) MS has a BC service. You could cash in on nostalgia and use it!
Zelda 1-3 free for owners of the new Zelda game would entice a lot of people. Want to play the older Mario games? Sure. They could potentially get a ton of people just be throwing in freebies using their backlibrary. Heck, I would love to play the original Castlevania(Mandatory feck konami here) games. Get a new one on the system, throw them in.
Nintendo has blown their chances. The 1-2 compliation is painting a poor picture of their new controllers and so far, it is gimmicky.
They really fecked up with the battery power. 3 hours is said to be the average for a triple A game, if you spend more then 1.5 hours commuting to and from work, that really defeats the purpose of it. It really should have an average of 6 hours.
Zuckerton
I pre-ordered it, but I’m also a collector and was going to get one eventually. I figured I might as well buy it while I can afford it.
If I wouldn’t have spent $300 on this, my girlfriend would’ve spent $300 on something else…actually…she did that anyway. Damn you, eBay.
Krash2
More power to you, and thanks for being kind and cancelling the pre-order rather than hocking it at a premium. Though it seems you have interesting viewpoints with some of your issues.
Like cost is an issue, but then a couple paragraphs later suggest maybe buying a Wii U and Zelda to be a better option. Surely buying an entire console, a discontinued one at that, for a single game isn’t actually a financially better decision.
And I don’t think they will have issues with convincing people to double-dip on re-releases like Mario Kart 8, because I think they’ll be a lot of new, non-Wii U; Anecdotally, like you, none or my friends or I, had any interest in getting the Wii U, and as such picking up any updated games will happen without question. Ultimately, the switch certainly seems to have a larger target audience than the Wii U.
Interesting perspectives though, I could certainly see the portability being a deal-breaker in terms of impulsive purchasing, like a console launch or holiday deal. Sounds like you’ll end up picking it up at some point when either the cost comes down or the library builds up; and for that, i’m glad, hopefully the Switch has a thriving player base.
Cheers!
Jag
That initial trailer had me sold on the concept but the Jan press conference completely turned me off getting one at launch.
The price while higher than I would have liked wasn’t the deal breaker it was the lack of games that were announced for the first year. I get that there may be more announcements at E3 but there’s so little that’s actually exciting that I’m happy to wait until there is.
The Wii U ended up having a decent library of games you couldn’t play elsewhere but the Switch needs to do a lot better to avoid being another niche device.
Sammy
I really need Nintendo to get “good” again. Like really good. Like “competing with PS4” good. If that happened, maybe be would finally get some great platformers like we did in the times of the PS2 :)
I just want someone to make another Jak & Daxter type of game… ;<
Starman
As a 37 year old gamer it’s funny seeing someone long for the days of ps2 platformers! Get a Megadrive or snes if you want some classic platform action!
Kennykazey
It’s never really worth getting any console at launch. But I am getting the Switch anyway, because I’m a hypocrite.
Starman
I really don’t see what they’re doing different to avoid this doing no better than the wii u. Gimmicky half portable console, very few exclusives and questionable third party support. Not surprised you cancelled your pre order.