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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - 2019: Switch starts feeling like a Nintendo handheld

2018 was a weird year for Switch. While it was still good, many owners felt like it was a step back from the bombastic launch year of 2017. The games we got were good, but aside from Ultimate, nothing Nintendo put out this year felt like a must own. This year for the Switch was mostly Wii U ports, third party games, and smaller titles/niche projects like Labo. The biggest disappointment some had, was that it didn't feel like Nintendo had fully combined their handheld and console resources. After all, the 3DS still had a few more games released this year, and the comparative lack of handheld franchises and more experimental titles was a bit underwhelming. 

That looks like it'll change come next year. 2019 is looking to be the year the Switch really starts feeling like an evolution of Nintendo handhelds. Many 3DS series and games associated with handhelds like Pokemon and Animal Crossing are on their way next year, this time developed with console sensibilities in mind. Third party support is looking to go full steam ahead with more multiplatform titles releasing in a closer time frame to the other versions, plus an increase in more unique exclusives like Town, Ninjala, and Daemon X Machina. 

Perhaps what I'm most excited for, if it happens, is an increase in more experimental games from Nintendo. For the most part, many of Nintendo's Switch games were planned prior to the console's launch, with the bulk of them being in 2017. 2018 had more games, but not as many interesting ones, and a lack of digital games like Snipperclips though is a bit disappointing this year. I fully expect this to change next year, as I think we'll see a bigger influx of new IP and niche titles along the lines of ARMS and Labo. 

The biggest thing about the Switch next year, is that it won't just feel like a Nintendo handheld, but it'll feel even better than that. Don't get me wrong, systems like the GBA and DS had great libraries with strong third party support, but many times it felt like the games were always lesser or more custom versions of what was on consoles. Sure CoD being on DS was great, but only because it was a custom made version completely separate from the full version. Switch is different. It's modern hardware and console nature means it no longer needs spin-offs or alternative versions made from scratch, and it can instead get the full version of many PS4 and Xbox One titles (abiet scaled back) with ease. Plus, because games on Switch are designed to work in both home and mobile scenarios, that also means there's less of a need to develop separate games for handheld style, and home console style as games can now work just as well on both, which frees up time to allow for a more varied and interesting software library. 

If you thought 2017 was great, IMO, Switch is just getting started. 



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It's way better to be honest. It starts feeling like what the Switch should be, getting the high quality Nintendo home console games, the handheld ones, the third party handheld exclusive but it's also getting third party home console games. It was made to have the best of both worlds, well, by sacrificing power of course, but still 2019 is looking like a hell of a party on Switch. And that's without the games Nintendo will announce next year, like Smash/Odyssey both came out the same year they were announced.



Yeah, I stopped when I read "mostly Wii U ports this year". There was as many new exclusive games as last year (7 new games in 2017, 7 this year). Animal Crossing was first a GameCube title too.



SKMBlake said:
Yeah, I stopped when I read "mostly Wii U ports this year". There was as many new exclusive games as last year (7 new games in 2017, 7 this year). Animal Crossing was first a GameCube title too.

What is the 7th one? Torna? 



AngryLittleAlchemist said:
SKMBlake said:
Yeah, I stopped when I read "mostly Wii U ports this year". There was as many new exclusive games as last year (7 new games in 2017, 7 this year). Animal Crossing was first a GameCube title too.

What is the 7th one? Torna? 

No, I didn't count it.



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SKMBlake said:
AngryLittleAlchemist said:

What is the 7th one? Torna? 

No, I didn't count it.

Then what did you include besides Smash, Pokemon, Mario Party, Octopath, Mario Tennis Aces, and Kirby?



The problem is the switch doesnt do brain training or nintendogs aswell as true handhelds



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AngryLittleAlchemist said:
SKMBlake said:

No, I didn't count it.

Then what did you include besides Smash, Pokemon, Mario Party, Octopath, Mario Tennis Aces, and Kirby?

Labo



SKMBlake said:
AngryLittleAlchemist said:

Then what did you include besides Smash, Pokemon, Mario Party, Octopath, Mario Tennis Aces, and Kirby?

Labo



kirby007 said:
The problem is the switch doesnt do brain training or nintendogs aswell as true handhelds

Those two games really work better on Smartphones these days anyway. Switch needs games that first and foremost, benefit its main concept of a home console you can take with you. Say what you want about 1-2 Switch, but it's a game that lends itself well to being played both docked and un-docked.