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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - My updated Switch impressions (after about 2 weeks)

Two weeks ago I recieved a Nintendo Switch plus three games (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and Breath of the Wild) and after putting a few hours into each game and getting a general feel for the console, I posted my initial impressions.

Link: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=230667&page=1#

and now after about two weeks (15 days) I feel like Ive really had more of a chance to experience everything- all 3 play styles, the mobile app, the Joycon controllers, and just the console itself. So now here are all my updated impressions and/or review of everything (so far)

The Switch Console

Nintendo has ditched the crap, and now theyre back. From a performance perspective the console runs fast, smooth, and exists without any form of unnecessary software bundled into it. Within a few minutes of booting up the Switch for the first time I was already playing games, able to access all available online content, and navigate the UI without any clunky design choices. There is virtually no load time at all when starting up a game, and all system options are available from the same menu, negating the frustrating navigation system of a lot of modern devices (console, tablets, phones, etc.). Pressing the Home button pauses the game at any given moment, even during loading or online play, and takes you back the Home Menu in an instant, and pressing it again resumes the game right where you left off. Additionally, holding down the Home button lets you adjust the brightness or volume if playing in handheld mode. When you arent using the Switch, you can simply dock it and put it into sleep mode, and then later come out of sleep mode to pcik up right where you left off from hours ago. All of these features working together makes for a sleek, clean experience. This console was designed to play games and nothing else, and is dedicated to make the experience as accessible and easy as possible. I would argue that its just about as versatile as a PC. 

Docked Mode / Handheld Mode / Tabletop Mode

Docked mode gives you a solid gaming experience. Nintendo really did pack as much power as they could into such a tiny console. One thing Ive noticed is that the Switch console can build up a bit of heat when docked- a first for any console Ive used, home or handheld. Its not enough to make me worry though, as it has not caused any problems yet and Ive felt much worse heat from phones and tablets. the dock itself had me a bit worried when I saw reports that the Switch screen would become scratched due to repeated docking and undocking. Unfortunately I have to report that these rumors are true. Within a few hours of owning the Switch I noticed small scratches along the right bezel which could have only been from the dock. The inside of the dock features plastic holders to keep the console steady and seem to scratch the console very easily. Luckily I noticed this very quickly. The few scratches I had werent enough for me to warrant a repair, so I just took some precautions to prevent further damage. Instead of 3D-printing a custom dock, or buying an expensive screen protector, I simply took some eyeglass clothes and places them along the ridges of the dock, and it hasnt seen another scratch yet. 

Handheld mode actually felt the least comfortable to use. If you were a Wii U owner, you liekly remembered the Gamepad having the ZL and ZR buttons a bit further down from the LR buttons. Well on the Switch they are much higher up. They feel fine in any other mode but specifcally in handheld mode, they feel out of place. The thickness of the console itself also makes for a strange experience. It is very thin for a handheld, and hard to adjust to. During long gaming sessions it just feels nice to have a good grip on whatever controller youre using, and in handheld mode, you dont get that.

I actually ended up using tabletop mode much more than I originally planned. Splatoon 2's motion controls didnt translate well to handheld mode, so at one point i just took the joycons off and played it with the joycon controller while in tabletop mode. Surprisingly enough it made for a pretty solid gameplay experience. Of course, the flimsy stand didnt help much, but I did find that the Gamepad charging stand did make a nice stand for the Switch. It wont charge your Switch by any means, but it was a much better alternative than some of the expensive third party ones Ive seen. 

The Joycons

The Joycons are Nintendo's best controller ever, and I mean that entirely seriously. In my past thread I mentioned how the joycons felt tiny at first and didnt immediately feel natural when using them as a controller. then a few others recommended using the joycons separately and not in the grip at all. It was actually much more comfortable using them that way. Due to their tiny size, they fit comfortably into your hand, and since they are not connected, you are free to sit however you feel like when playing. They can be a standard controller, you could play while your arms are crossed, or while your arms hang freely at your sides, and that is why they are so amazing. You can use them however you want, and they give you this level of freedom and control right out of the box. As an additional note, I havent used a single joycon as a controller yet, but I dont really see a need to. I see the console being used more for singleplayer games than multiplayer. And if you and your friends do want to play together, your friend either has their own Switch, so just play over wireless, or buy another set of joycons. 

Splatoon 2

Everything got a modest upgrade, and the online experience feels as fresh and inviting as ever. My only real complaint with the game at all is the new stage designs. The original splatoon has flat stages, or at least a lot of flat ground and wide open spaces. The Splatoon 2 stages feel cramped and highly designed with verticality in mind. But I feel like I need to wait for more stages to release to say anything.

Salmon Run is fun yet flawed. you can only play at certain times of day which feels unnecessary.Sometimes its closed when I want to play, and other times its open when I dont feel like playing but force myself to do so anyways because I know it wont be there later. This new mode requires teams to use predetermined weapons instead of their own. Some days you get decent weapons, but others not so much. Today specifically had a few short range weapons and a charger, which went terribly. I lost 3 times in a row and quit becuase there was no way in hell the weapons assigned could ever perform together in a useful manor. If they let players use whatever weapons they wanted, sure it would be a lot easier, but it would just feel better than being forced to use weapons I have no desire to use.

The single-player mode made me hate Sheldon with even greater burning passion than the original game. This time around you get the choice of using a variety of weapons to use throughout the story mode... BITCH YOU THOUGHT... literally for over 75% of the levels Sheldon asks you to use a specific weapon to beat the level with. Getting to actually choose ended up being endgame content. And as an annoying touch the hub world in now split into 5 sections instead of a single area, meaning you have to load different areas to get to certain levels. The story itself was bland as they did very little at all with the given plot and for the most part it feels like a repeat of the first game. It was enoyable, but not nearly as great as it could have been.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The gameplay and mechanics got an extra coat of polish from the Wii U version, and that was really the whole point. If you lead in 1st place for the majority of races, you will be glad to know that the overflow of coins is gone. You now get a much better variety of items including Bobombs, red and green shells, bananas, and super horns. Double item boxes mix things up a bit, and having all courses unlocked right from the beginning makes it a great Wii U to Switch transition. And now I can play my favorite Mario Kart game where ever I go. 

Battle Mode is amazing. My only complaint (and it is a minor one) is that I wish they left in the option to use the tracks available from the Wii U version. A lot of people hated that, but I personally didnt mind, and it would have just given more options for the deluxe version. I also would have added more game options to Shine Thief mode since since I end up finishing Shine Thief rounds within a minute. The counter should have more options besides just 20 seconds.

Breath of the Wild

This game is able to perfectly mix RPG open-world elements with a traditional Zelda game. It actually feels like you are exploring Hyrule and not just following a set path. The world feels alive and inviting, the story is as great as a Zelda game should be, and there is enough lore and extra tasks to keep you busy for hours on end. What more do I really need to say?



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Yeah I skipped Splatoon2 this time around it seemed a bit.too similar to the original. BotW is simply amazing. For me though this console really needs Netflix and YouTube etc to really shine. Japan got a streaming app though so hopeful we aren't too far behind. Oh and Yooka laylee would be nice......



I mainly use the JCs in the Grip but I play claw style and the JCs in the grip after you get used to the size I've found is easier to play that style than other controllers, the downside is that playing with the JCs only feels weird.



Nogamez said:
Yeah I skipped Splatoon2 this time around it seemed a bit.too similar to the original. BotW is simply amazing. For me though this console really needs Netflix and YouTube etc to really shine. Japan got a streaming app though so hopeful we aren't too far behind. Oh and Yooka laylee would be nice......

Splatoon 1 is still amazing and I've gone back to it after playing Splatoon 2 since it launched. They removed defensive and strength abilites (CODish twitch fest) and made it more noob-friendly... at least in my opinion. 



AlfredoTurkey said:
Nogamez said:
Yeah I skipped Splatoon2 this time around it seemed a bit.too similar to the original. BotW is simply amazing. For me though this console really needs Netflix and YouTube etc to really shine. Japan got a streaming app though so hopeful we aren't too far behind. Oh and Yooka laylee would be nice......

Splatoon 1 is still amazing and I've gone back to it after playing Splatoon 2 since it launched. They removed defensive and strength abilites (CODish twitch fest) and made it more noob-friendly... at least in my opinion. 

They kinda had to do that. The Switch being infinitely more popular than the WiiU means the game would get an influx of new players. If they couldn't compete against veterans, it would be problematic for the series in the long run.



You know it deserves the GOTY.

Come join The 2018 Obscure Game Monthly Review Thread.

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Yerm said:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The gameplay and mechanics got an extra coat of polish from the Wii U version, and that was really the whole point. If you lead in 1st place for the majority of races, you will be glad to know that the overflow of coins is gone. You now get a much better variety of items including Bobombs, red and green shells, bananas, and super horns. Double item boxes mix things up a bit, and having all courses unlocked right from the beginning makes it a great Wii U to Switch transition. And now I can play my favorite Mario Kart game where ever I go. 

 

Lol, no, you don't. I get coin after coin after coin. The occasional banana. And once in a great, great while....the superhorn. I agree with most of the other stuff you wrote, though! :) 



Upcoming Games To Get

Definite: Kirby Star Allies (Switch), Mario Tennis Aces (Switch), Fire Emblem (Switch), Yoshi (Switch), Pokemon (Switch), Kingdom Hearts 3 (PS4), Monster Hunter World (PS4)

Considering: Fe (Switch), Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze (Switch), The World Ends With You (Switch), Ys VIII (Switch), Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (PS4), Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Remix (PS4), The Last Guardian (PS4), Shadow of the Colossus HD (PS4), Anthem (PS4), Shenmue 3 (PS4), WiLD (PS4)

TK14 said:
Yerm said:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The gameplay and mechanics got an extra coat of polish from the Wii U version, and that was really the whole point. If you lead in 1st place for the majority of races, you will be glad to know that the overflow of coins is gone. You now get a much better variety of items including Bobombs, red and green shells, bananas, and super horns. Double item boxes mix things up a bit, and having all courses unlocked right from the beginning makes it a great Wii U to Switch transition. And now I can play my favorite Mario Kart game where ever I go. 

 

Lol, no, you don't. I get coin after coin after coin. The occasional banana. And once in a great, great while....the superhorn. I agree with most of the other stuff you wrote, though! :) 

I'm the opposite of you actually, it's pretty much a mix bag like OP said.



"literally for over 75% of the levels Sheldon asks you to use a specific weapon to beat the level with."

Actually I found that I can use a different weapon right after beating the level.



I actually love the single player mode and feel its a really well designed platformer.



 


Thanks to Splatoon 2 I found that as much as I like joy-cons, they're pretty bad for FPS games. Travel distance of the thumb sticks is too short and their size and spacing (especially the right one) gives me pretty bad cramps after 30 minutes or so. If you're planning to get Splatoon ... go with the Pro, you'll thank me later.