Eh, I heard 2nd party is either not a real term or technically means the consumer.

Second-party developer is a colloquial term often used by gaming enthusiasts and media to describe three different forms of game development studios:

1. Independently owned studios who take development contracts from the platform holders and produce games exclusive to that platform.^[7]
2. Studios that are partially or wholly owned by the platform holder (also known as a subsidiary) and produce games exclusive to that platform.^{[citation needed]}
3. Companies that make video game consoles, but also make games on other platforms.^{[citation needed]}

In reality, the resulting game is first party (since it is funded by the platform holder, who usually owns the resulting IP), but the term helps to distinguish independent studios from those directly owned by the platform holder. These studios may have exclusive publishing agreements (or other business relationships) with the platform holder, while maintaining independence. Examples are Insomniac Games (which previously developed games solely for Sony's PlayStation platforms as an independent studio), ADK for SNK consoles, Rareware for Nintendo, and Game Freak (which primarily develops the Nintendo-exclusive Pokémon game series).

In the hardware business, companies that make gaming hardware also makes games on other platforms, such as Commodore International, Hudson Soft (in association with NEC), SNK and Bandai, companies who have done this previously.

From wiki

Ah, fair enough! I always tried to avoid using the term since I wasn't sure about it.

So based on that IS is a 2nd party developer but Fire Emblem is a 1st party game because Nintendo funds and owns the IP.

2017 was stellar so I didn't expect 2018 to be able to top it

But Smash alone made 2018 look like another great year

2017: BotW/MK8/S2/XC2/SMO
vs
2018: Smash

still not really a competition, in my opinion

I'd say 2018 is a little better than 2017....when you take out Zelda and Mario. Smash = Mario kart, and the rest of 2018 is a bit bitter than 2017. But of course 2017 had Nintendo's two most revered franchises so 2018 won't touch that. If Metroid and Animal Crossing could come out this Fall then that at least would be a very good year. They better at least have one more major franchise game coming in 2018 beyond Smash.

Thanks for that info.
To me, 2nd parties were only those studios that were in agreeance with the second point.

To be honest, the first point doesn't really make a lot of sense, as it's second party status is only as long as the contract time. But it is what it is.

I think 2018 is shaping up to have much better 3rd party support than 2017, but 1st and 2nd party support is starting to hold it's too. With more announcements to come things are looking good.

Still waiting for more Switch exclusives (and a redesign) that would make me want to buy the system, but based on what I bought already and games I plan to buy:

2017

ARMS

Mario+Rabbids (3rd party)

Mario Odyssey

2018

Kirby Star Allies

Mario Tennis Aces

Octopath Traveller (3rd party)

Smash (assuming it's not a deluxe version of 4)

Yoshi

Fire Emblem

Even if it's not mind blowing, 2018 is looking a bit better for me.

2017 had a huge new Zelda game. It wins by default, no matter how much 2018 could bring to the table.