Seems like a lot of the reaction to the Switch presentation was negative around here, which may actually be a good sign. The general concensus around sites like this tend to be that Nintendo should be offering something similar to Sony and Microsoft. But, butting heads with two consoles having a 3 year head start was never going to be a path to success. Personally, I was looking for something very Nintendo, and that's what I got.
The most important thing Nintendo nailed was the messaging. This was arguably the biggest problem with the Wii U, where alot of people were just unsure of what the thing was. Not an issue now. Nintendo was really focussed on making sure the purpose of the switch was clear right down to the goofy way they snapped with each transition. The selling point is that it can be played as a portable, tablet, or handheld. Whether or not that's a selling point people really want is yet to be seen, but at least people know what it is. Whatever your feelings on it, it's hard to deny that the hardware itself is more eye catching than PS4 or XBox One, particularly from the perspective of more casual gamers.
As someone who really loves motion control gaming I'm psyched it's back. It was seemingly intended to be a part of the Wii U, but that never really panned out due to the confusing set up it required. Arms is just the kind of quirky fun I want from Nintendo. It's a uniquely Nintendo take on a genre that reminds me a bit of Splatoon. Oh, speaking of which, Splatton 2. I'm a squid now. 12Switch also looks really cool, but not making it a pack in title is a big missed opportunity. This is the kind of title that could easily be taken out at a gathering to advertise the system.
I'm really interested in trying the HD rumble. It may seem weird to get excited about shaking ice cubes, but I did.
As fun as 3D World was, it just wasn't on the same level as games like Mario 64 or Galaxy. Odyssey looks to be far more ambitious, and a real evolution of the formula. Galaxy pretty much perfected the more linear style, so it'll be great to get back to more exploration. I also thought the game looked fantastic. Not necessarily on a technical level, but in terms of art direction. But, that hat with eyes is giving me nightmares...
The new Breath of the Wild trailer finally has me hyped for the new Zelda. Now that they've finally showed off something more than dicking around in Hyrule. Looks like a good blend of Eastern and Western game styles.
The Switch looks surprisingly strong on RPGs, or maybe not surprisingly considering Japan's preference for handhelds. Project Octopath looks interesting, and it's from the Bravely Team so I have high hopes. Shin Megami Tensei V should be good, and of course Xenoblade 2 is exciting. Fire Emblem is a great fit for the Warriors franchise.
Naturally, there are some legitimate complaints. 32GB is a downer, particularly because I download games more often on portables. The third party support is iffy at best. There were a lot of good titles, but the actual launch lineup was anemic. Considering how little software Nintendo has been releasing, I was really hoping for a lot more. 300 dollars would have seemed right with 12 Switch bundled, but it's slightly steep without it. As for paying for online, I'm on the fence until I see the service. If it's on par with XBox Live or PSN, then I'm fine with it.
Personally, I'm willing to forgive a lot for something interesting. It's easier to avoid missteps when you play it safe. In what has been, for me, a rather lackluster generation, I'm really excited to have something unique. But, if you really wanted Nintendo to offer something like the PS4 or XBox One, there are two products that might be more worth your dollars.
