By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Nintendo Discussion - How Nintendo Could Make A Switch Mini Work & Address A New Handheld

 

Should Nintendo Kill The 3DS For This Idea?

Yes Kill the 3DS. 6 75.00%
 
No, Keep 3DS Alive 2 25.00%
 
Total:8

So of course, we've heard the news that Nintendo is and has been contemplating a new handheld device. And originally, I simply was not for it. However, after thinking about it, I think there's a way to do this so that Nintendo can still have a dedicated handheld device and the Switch and support both at the same time.

So, Nintendo wants to keep a lower price option open for families, I understand that. And that's why they're trying to keep this handheld door open. So I'm playing my 3DS, and it hit me...Nintendo has been porting Wii U games to 3DS for some time now. And they could very well do the same for the Switch Mini.

Now, I'm no tech guru, but to my understanding the Tegra X1 is the evolution of the Tegra K1 chip. So architecture should be similar enough to downgrade a normal Switch game to a Switch Mini with a Tegra K1 chip with maybe 2GB of RAM...or essentially a Wii U. The Wii U takes advantage of capabilities the 3DS can not do, and yet games like Yoshi's Wooly World are on 3DS, with some pretty amazing results. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq0N-AsZ8Vo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rAE0Lfbhbc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOnyMzub1jA

And Nintendo has been flirting with this HD to SD conversion, or console to Handheld conversion for some time now. Starting with Wii to 3DS ports like Xenoblade Chronicles 3D and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. 

I think that this could be a nice and elegant way to allow younger kids to play downgraded versions of Switch games, on a cheper device. Use cheaper plastic, non detachable Joycons without HD rumble, and make it smaller. And I know what you're going to say, "Why would Nintendo make a smaller Switch that doesn't adhere to the message of the Switch being play on TV or handheld" Well, I offer this rebuttal...this is the same company that made a 2DS. The defining feature of the 3DS, stripped out of the main hardware it's selling now. Case and point.

I mean, Nintendo's games scale down pretty well, based off the games I've shown and I think a Mario Odyssey on Switch Mini would be a great catalyst for the platform to act as a more dedicated handheld for a younger audience. Nintendo sees that their 3DS market is still very profitable, so I don't think they want to give something like that up, and the thing is, they don't have to give it up. 

Here's an Unreal Engine 4 Demo running on the Tegra K1 Chip

And hell, Nintendo might not even need a Tegra K1 to fit what their needs, they could probably do with a Tegra 4 if Nvidia wanted to do a deal with a modified Tegra 4. 

Now of course, you'd have to understand that Western AAA games are most definitely out of the question for a device like this, but I think Nintendo wants to treat a device like this, the same way they're treating the 3DS. It gets late, decent ports of their 1st party games and indie games, with occasional support from Japanese 3rd parties whose software can run snugly on a K1 powered device. 

As far as price goes, I think Nintendo and Nvidia can strike a deal and get this down to $150 starting off, if not less. 

As far as Software goes, I think Nintendo could do ports of Mario Odyssey, Pokemon Lets Go, Yoshi, Kirby, among other titles. 

So not only can Nintendo continue to focus on Switch titles, they don't have to completely leave kids behind on a 3DS, and they can have that new pool of revenue and profit. I think this is what Nintendo has been building up to ever since they started porting Wii U games to the 3DS. I think they figured, "why not do this for Switch, have our cake and eat it too".

So what do you think? Does it sound stupid, or perhaps a viable option for the future?

Last edited by Ljink96 - on 02 July 2018

Around the Network

But the Switch is a handheld. If anything, Nintendo could make a Switch TV ans offer it for 100$ less (no battery, no dock, no screen...).



You know it deserves the GOTY.

Come join The 2018 Obscure Game Monthly Review Thread.

shikamaru317 said:

Or they could simply use the Tegra X2 underclocked and with some cores disabled to improve battery life on a Switch Mini. In theory that would allow a Switch Mini to have the same graphics as the standard Switch, with better battery life. If they cut the dock and integrate the controls into the body of the Switch mini instead of using expensive joycon tech they could probably get the price of the Switch Mini down to $230 or so. Maybe they could sell an optional wireless dongle that plugs into an HDMI port on your tv and allows wireless streaming of games from a Switch Mini to a tv. 

Yeah, I considered that as well but I'm thinking Nintendo wants to make this as cheap as possible. A K1 chipset with low tech Joycons, could potentially allow Nintendo offer a lower priced Handheld Switch option for around $100-$150. I think since Nintendo saw 3ds sales still increasing in the US, that if they offer a super cheap Switch with a good chunk of the Switch's library, they can continue to offer that cheap option. 

But you may be right, making a Switch with no dock and less intensive Joycons could drop price dramatically but I think Nintendo wants to get a good deal on an older chip.



Mar1217 said:
Could you just change this biased poll, plz ?

Done and done, it was more of a bad joke than a bias, I love the 3DS.



If it's a mini switch, bring the switch philosophy to hh:
You can switch modes in various hh ways to play.
One of them you be regular switch like hh mode, but shrinked.
The others could be like in phones, and include Nintendo mobile games (and some others)
And maybe the other could be 2ds like experience, where you put mini switch screen in vertical and mini joycon on the side.

Well, the technology is not there yet for a affordable price, I think we will wait 3 years to see a switch mini/3ds sucessor.



Around the Network

I don't see any reason why they should use a Tegra K1 or Tegra 4. Both of those use different CPU and GPU architectures and neither will be powerful enough to run Switch games as they are without any porting (and that would constrain many of the games already struggling on the X1 further, not to mention it would still require developers to put an effort); moreover, the Tegra 4 has been out of production for years and the Tegra K1 never had the volume production that the X1 enjoyed so it might cost even more to put it back into production. I think Nintendo can fit a regular X1 with thermals designed only around the handheld mode into something slightly thicker than a 3DS XL in order to fit a fan (think of something like the GPD Win series which have a fan but are overall not too much bigger than the 3DS XL).

With that said, I think Nintendo should create both a cheaper/smaller portable-only version of the Switch (only meant for handheld play) and a TV-only microconsole version (that runs all games in docked mode) alongside the regular Switch (which obviously runs games in both handheld and docked mode). Those with the portable-only version and TV-only version (think of a family with multiple children that have a family Switch connected to the TV along with a few portable-only Switch's for individual family members) can still "switch" modes through the use of physical game cartridges, a shared-digital games library (I know Nintendo would hate to do this; but lets say each account on a portable-only Switch Mini could share their games with a single Switch TV), and cloud saving/synchronization from one device to another (which has already been confirmed to be part of the paid online service). In this case, the portable-only Switch will appeal to those that want to purchase cheaper Switch units for individual members in their households, the TV version would appeal to families wanting local play and those that do not really care for portability and would rather have a more accessible price tag, and the regular Switch would be the more premium option targeted more towards young adults and to those that want flexibility and a bigger display (much like the 3DS XL).



http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=231234&page=0#

I still stand by this.



Bet with Intrinsic:

The Switch will outsell 3DS (based on VGchartz numbers), according to me, while Intrinsic thinks the opposite will hold true. One month avatar control for the loser's avatar.

Nintendo's focus is to leverage its software library to sell its hardware, and to reduce costs of hardware while addressing a wider audience.

The wider audience being referred to here is: Handheld console gamers that are more price sensitive (i.e. impulse buyers, parent's buying their young child a console, etc.)

Simplest solution: a 10nm or 7nm Tegra X1, smaller battery, reduce the entire chassis size, and remove the active cooling, etc. they could probably do it for $199 next year (Late 2019) just in time for the handheld focused Gen 8 Pokemon on Nintendo Switch (again leveraging the right software to sell this smaller size hardware).

A separate system that does not just play Switch games isn't in the cards for Nintendo right now because they are already stretched by doing iOS/Android/Switch games and all their merchandising/movies/themeparks/amiibos/etc. Plus, Nintendo is still needing to expand its First Party Support of the Switch much more than it has this year, and they can't afford to risk splitting third party support either.

They will gradually drop price of the Nintendo Switch and its revisions each year until they cover where the 3DS is now. I imagine they will try to get it down to $129 or $99 by the end of its life if they can (inflation being the biggest possible impedence to that).