Just to get it out of the way, the os for the WiiU was flipping terribly sluggish. Even after they did a "fix" it was ridiculously slow to boot up and to load software. I know op meant other things when the term "livelier os" was used...but the first thing that came to my mind is how slow the system works.
What I really enjoyed about the WiiU/3ds era, was the way those systems tried to build a social aspect. The 3ds did it through personal contact with street pass, which I absolutely loved. Being able to play through the mini games by connecting with others on a routine basis was pure genius, and genuinely fun and addictive. It made you want to take the console with you, everywhere, because you might SP with someone. The WiiU had Miiverse, which again was a great idea that built community...but never quite fulfilled its potential. Having developers pop in and interact with the community was awesome, and the pictures people would draw and share were incredible.
While I really enjoyed the 3ds and the WiiU, I really believe that one hybrid unit, that can be both, is the way to go. I rarely take the console out of the dock to play but having the option is perfect. I'm sure there are those that mostly use it handheld and rarely play docked. The library for the Switch is vast and has many, many great quality titles. Yes, one could argue that the os is too bare bones...but I like how simple/streamlined and fast it is. Probably one of my favorite things about Switch os, is the sleep ability. Being able to hold a button and put a game to sleep, no matter where you are in a game...then pick it back up ten minutes later or a couple days later, and never skip a beat, is fantastic.
The Switch e-shop leaves a lot to be desired. it is slow and is pretty much a disaster for finding games if you aren't sure what you are looking for. The e-shops for WiiU and 3ds were superior, imo.
I hope they have the sense to combine the best of the 3 systems into the Switch successor, because there is a ton of good ideas that if refined and improved upon, would make for an incredible experience with the new tech and capabilities of the system.
Last edited by Kwaidd - on 01 February 2024