Topic: Nintendo Switch Discussion

I was watching GameXplain's post-Direct discussion and they brought up a very interesting point in that we're finally starting to see the results of Nintendo having a hybrid system instead of a handheld and a console. A 2D Metroid game would've most likely been on a handheld system now while Metroid Prime 4 would've come out on console. Same with Zelda in terms of Link's Awakening being on a handheld and BotW 2 on console. But now we're getting both of these games on the same system, which is amazing.

Pretty good Direct! I'm really excited for Metroid Dread & Fatal Frame (I'd prefer to get it on Switch, but may get it on PS4 depending on how it's been updated), Banana Mania looks fun (though I found Banana Blitz HD to be pretty tough, and it's considered an easier entry), SMTV looks really awesome (though I'm a bit cautious because of the series' infamous difficulty), and even Monster Hunter Stories 2 looked more interesting here. Of course, it was nice seeing BotW2 pop back up as well, even if it's awhile off.

Semi on topic, is anyone else seeing that Nintendo Life logins aren't working? Using Firefox Mobile right now. It's a weird flat login without the CSS applied. If you try to log in, you see the normal screen briefly, and then back to the flat one. It never logs in. Tired desktop mode as well.
@nintendolife

@NEStalgia I'm not having any issues. Restart your computer or try a different browser.

@RR529 SMT's difficulty is overstated because people has memories of Nocturne kicking their butts, and even Nocturne is pretty easy once you understand the mechanics. Also, recent entries have features difficulty settings.

Basically, imagine Pokemon if team-building and skill loadouts were actually important elements for single-player.

@Ralizah definitely a site issue at least for this browser. But pxb and ps so far are fine. Not sue the nl tag works from pxb though.

Edit: suddenly it works again. They must have fixed it.

@ralphdibny Looks like someone's excited for Skyward Sword tomorrow.

Will this be the first time you're playing it?

@LtSarge yeah, I got the bug and just ordered it 😅. I thought I'd just get the controllers and get the game later. Then I ended up ordering the amiibo. Then I just thought fudge it and ordered the game 😂

Probably won't play it right away though. I'll play it with my partner when I go down there next!

But yeah, I played through it when it first came out on the Wii. Absolutely loved it so I am relatively excited to play it again on Switch. Have you played it before??

@ralphdibny Yeah I played it when it came out on Wii as well. It was an amazing game, but now that we have Breath of the Wild I think Skyward Sword kinda feels underwhelming nowadays. I don't think I'd play it again today, but I can imagine people being excited for all the new QoL improvements they made for the Switch version. Probably would make for a much smoother experience compared to the Wii game.

@LtSarge maybe but apart from the graphic style, they're not really comparable games. BotW is different from every other Zelda in most ways. I like both styles and I pretty much like every Zelda game I've actually played. Im not hugely fussed about the QoL stuff but to be fair, it's been so long since I played it that I actually only remember the good bits. I think the resolution/framerate bump is probably more exciting!!

@ralphdibny I beg to differ. BotW is in fact the most Zelda-like game simply because it's the closest game to reach the series' original vision. When Miyamoto envisioned The Legend of Zelda, he wanted the series to be an open world game where you can go anywhere you want, tackle dungeons in any order you like and basically have a lot of freedom in choosing your own adventure. This can be seen in the very first The Legend of Zelda on NES. Since then the series has drifted away from its original vision and become more linear and more story-driven. It basically established an identity that it shouldn't have had if the necessary technology was available back when the series was first established. So the way I see it, every other game besides The Legend of Zelda on NES and BotW (and maybe also A Link Between Worlds since it does incorporate that level of freedom) are not really true Zelda games. Skyward Sword in particular is probably the least Zelda-like game in the franchise due to its overly linear level design and least explorative nature compared to previous games. It's a good game but in terms of coming close to what the series is all about, it's probably one of the worst Zelda games. It doesn't promote exploration, curiosity and discovery. Further, it's one of the most hand-holding Zelda games ever made. Nintendo has finally found the series' true DNA with BotW and considering they're already making a sequel based on this template, I find it hard to believe that this isn't where the series' future lies. I doubt we'll ever see another game like Skyward Sword again because it's the polar opposite of what the series stands for.

@LtSarge ah fair enough, I wouldn't know anything about Miyamoto's vision or even the original LoZ because I've never played it for more than 5 mins.

I suspect there will probably be a mix of BotW-clones and traditional Zelda games. (I say traditional with reference to the style of the majority of Zelda games, not it's original incarnation). Both styles are good so I'd hate to see either go away.

I know that skyward Sword is a bit more linear than the other games but what's really good about it is the story and the expansion of the lore. The way it ties the disparate incarnations of individual Zelda titles (and their occasional direct sequels) all together. The cool and often emotional cut scenes. Two androgynous characters (I was big into Bowie and androgyny in general at the time of its release 😅) There's more to the DNA of Zelda than either an open world or puzzle dungeon gameplay. Skyward Sword just draws from the different aspects of it and is good in its own way.

@ralphdibny I would normally agree with you regarding the story aspect, but it's hard to create an open world like BotW while still incorporating a story on the same level as Skyward Sword's. Fundamentally, a Zelda game should first and foremost have an open world to explore because that's what makes these games so special. The fact that you can go anywhere and discover all kinds of things is what made BotW so thrilling. The story should come second and shouldn't influence the direction of the level design in a significant way. But personally, I would still love to see a stronger emphasis on the story aspect in future Zelda games. Perhaps Nintendo has found a way to implement the best of both worlds with BotW 2.

@LtSarge I don't think we are disagreeing to be honest! I like both approaches. I'm a huge fan of both games. I put like 100 hours into BotW and basically 100%ed it. I farmed the star bits and the dragon scales for crafting. I got all the Korok Seeds. The only thing I didn't get was one of the bridles that you got from doing the more difficult horseback archery game.

I really don't think that Skyward Sword is that far off the "traditional" Zelda games. The psuedo open world of Hyrule just takes place in Skyloft instead. The 3 main areas are obviously pretty linear but probably no more linear than traversing Death Mountain or going up to the Zora Domain. Obviously it's been like ten years since I've played it so my memory might be off and some of those things might actually be in Skyward Sword 😅.

BotW is wildly different from every other Zelda game I've played though. it's got an actual open world, portal style puzzle rooms for dungeons (obviously, there's the main dungeons too) and yeah I loved the sense of discovery in it. Cleverly working out tricks to do the puzzles. There were rules but you weren't penalised for breaking them if that's how your mind works...which mine does 😅.

I loved the story in BotW anyway, the less is more approach. The unspoken and implied lore of the land. I was in love with the toned down soundtrack too. To be fair, I love all the Zelda soundtracks but this one was equally as good but in a different way! I bought the CD for it and listened to it a lot!

The Steam Deck honestly makes the Switch (and also Switch OLED) look like a joke. It's basically a portable PC and you can even customise it to run Windows so you can use Game Pass on it.

Really goes to show how people just love to throw their money at Nintendo when the products are barely a step-up from their predecessors. How anyone can buy a Switch OLED when they already have a Switch and not a Steam Deck instead is crazy to me. I would buy this in a heartbeat just so I can use Game Pass on the go. The system is very affordable as well, €399 for the cheapest model, which is just insane. It makes the Switch look like highway robbery with its pricing.

Times are truly changing right now. Valve is giving Nintendo a run for its money, Microsoft is giving Sony a run for its money. This generation is going to be absolutely insane.

@LtSarge looks good but also looks like a Game Gear😂

Totally agree that Switch is overpriced. Can't believe it hasn't had a price drop in this many years and is actually getting a price increase with the OLED.

Probably could play GameCube games on the steamdeck too with dolphin so...

I probably wouldn't buy a steam deck though. It might be good value for money but I'd want the top model and it just gets a bit pricey by then. Also the battery life sounds a bit tosh

@ralphdibny I mean that's the thing, you'll finally be able to play all the Nintendo games that Nintendo themselves aren't letting you play on their own system: N64, Gamecube, GBA and so on. I'm genuinely glad that a company is finally challenging Nintendo like this because quite frankly, I've been very disappointed with Nintendo in terms of game releases on the Switch. It feels like they could do so much more with the system but they aren't and if they're just going to stand around and do nothing then other companies will eventually catch up to them and even pass them. That's literally what's happening right now and hopefully this will be a wake-up call for Nintendo to start putting in more effort into making Switch a more attractive system.

Decent Direct.

Objectively there were some pretty good reveals, just not a lot to my tastes specifically. Kirby looks absolutely fantastic though, and I'll probably get the Castlevania collection (never played anything in the series, & the "Metroidvania" styled ones seem more interesting to me).

Otherwise Chocobo GP looks cute, though I'm not sure how much I'd get out of it being a primarily single player guy. Never played any of the Bayonetta games so I see no reason to start with 3 (glad it's finally materialized for those excited though, although I'd have been more interested if the Astral Chain tease had been real). Same with Monster Hunter & Splatoon 3 (quality releases, just not my thing).

Oh well, still excited for Metroid soon.

@RR529 I thought it was really good - like you say, plenty of quality titles announced and, at last - Bayonetta 3. Not because I want to play it though - I didn't like the first one - just because everyone will stop going on about it.

I'm the same with Kirby & Castlevania Collection - will definitely pick those up. Plus SMTV which was only briefly shown. Maybe Chocobo GP & Disco Elysium too. Project Triangle looks interesting, but will need to see more. My son has Metroid Pre-Ordered so I'll just borrow that from him!

New content for Mario Golf is always welcome and I've also got Monster Hunter in the backlog so I might get the DLC if I enjoy the main game - when I eventually get around to playing it.

Not sure how I feel about the Online additions yet. I barely use the NES/SNES stuff it as it is and don't really have any nostalgia for the N64. Genesis/Mega Drive collections have been done to death and I already have the Xbox and maybe even Steam version too so will have to see what games overlap and what the cost is before deciding to drop cash on that.

Pretty good for me - 3 definite buys (4 if I including borrowing Metroid!) a few of maybe's and some add-on content for stuff I already have. That's probably at the upper limit of what I want to like in a Direct so as not to overstretch the budget, and more than enough to keep me going until the next direct.

@RR529 it was definitely solid altough personally I was expecting something else. I most likely will buy a kirby game for the first time as even if it is easy 3d colectathons are my jam. Metroid I was already sold since day one (including special edition) and I should buy Castlevania collection at some point (I have plenty to play right now). Everything else I don't care and I was actually quite happy for a second when I though astral Chain sequel was a thing as I liked it way way more than bayonetta. But in the end I am still crying due to no show from monolith soft...

The KH games themselves being cloud versions is absolutely asinine (other than maybe III), but I can't help but be ecstatic over Sora in Smash. I've kinda fallen out of love with the KH series as I've gotten older (or maybe just III was meh), but seeing Sora being introduced to the Nintendo world rekindled a childhood fantasy of mine & it brought absolute joy to my face. I thought this was a pretty good pass already with Sephiroth & Pyra/Mythra, but Sora really is the dream come true cherry on top for me.

Fantastic intro video too. At various points I thought we were getting some sort of reworked playable version of Master Hand, a Dark Souls rep, & even Alphen from the recently released Tales of Arise (and honestly, Bandai Namco probably did deserve more than just Pac-Man since they helped work on the game).