| Mnementh said: You mix terms that in itself are in part not concisely defined: core, hardcore, AAA, third-party vs. casual, mobile. In your initial post you say Switch can and should be played undocked, that's why it is not hardcore. But I disagree, undocked first and foremost means playing in handheld format, mobile gaming. You can play casual or core or hardcore games in that format. Would you say the Vita was a casual console because it was a handheld? And the Switch took over many gaming series from the Vita. |
I'm not saying handhelds can't have core gamer appeal, or that they're only for casual games. I was simply addressing the argument among Nintendo fans who didn't like the Wii who wanted them to make a standard game console with a standard controller without any gimmicks and a focus on core Nintendo fans. And to be fair, the Switch has satisfied this vocal minority somewhat since the option to do exactly that is available. My point is that if you actually do try to use it like that, like a HD GameCube 2 that never was, it's actually not as great as you'd think.
GameCube is beloved among a lot of Nintendo fans because it was the last "normal" console Nintendo released that competed on a technical level, and was primarily aimed at the core gamer who liked Nintendo games. But take off the rose-tinted glasses, and you start to see a troubled console that lacked a lot of third party support and couldn't shake the image of being exclusively for young children and Nintendo nerds. But for the 3 people who wanted to return to those supposed "Glory days", well you can kinda do that now.
The Switch on the other hand, succeeds in being the accessible "everyman" console. An affordable system with an easy to use portability gimmick that works for both casual players used to Smartphone games and want a game system that's kind of like a tablet, as well as more dedicated gamers who want to take some meatier experiences on the go. Plus a neat detachable controller gimmick that allows for two-players and motion controls like the old Wii, as well as a handy dock for party style environments or just a convenient TV out option. It also has a massive library of first and third party games without even needing all the latest AAA blockbusters from other systems day-and-date.
Last edited by TheMisterManGuy - on 18 December 2023
