Nintendo Switch: Happy First Birthday!

> On 3 March, the Nintendo Switch will be one year old!

> How has it been for you? What have you liked.... and what haven't you liked? Do you think the system will be popular for quite some time or will it be a flash in the pan?

> Please share your thoughts here as we look back at the first year - and into the future!

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My Switch story

I cancelled my system pre-order; money was tight and I was cautious about going multi-format after a crazy "all the systems" approach in the previous console generation. But, as the weeks went by, I was slowly tempted to jump on board and I picked up my Switch at the end of April.

Ten months later I can say that I'm glad I did dive in. I love playing in portable mode although I never take the system outside of my home. The GRcade Mario Kart Monday and Rocket League Tuesday nights have been terrific fun; some of my favourite online gaming experiences. Even so, I am frustrated at how Nintendo has not provided any form of user comms; it is even more noticeable as superior offerings were available on the Wii U and the 3DS.

Overall, my personal "good and bad" takes on the system after this first year are:

+ Portable and TV mode switching is excellent!
+ Nice range of games (big titles and indie)
+ Slick, quick operating system
- Mediocre support from the big third party publishers
- Literally zero user communications software from Nintendo; no Miiverse, no messaging, no voice comms, no channels, no anything - truly dreadful

NickSCFC · Last edited by NickSCFC on Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Took me 9 months before I jumped in, after the Mario Odyssey reviews I couldn't resist anymore.

I hadn't bought a Nintendo system since the DSlite, which I didn't play much of at the time.

The big reason for me getting back on the Nintendo train was the unifying of the console and handheld divisions meaning they're now focused on a single platform for the first time since the 80s.

My take so far:

+ Brilliant form factor and concept
+ First party output as good as ever and more innovative than ever
- Third parties weren't prepared
- No GPU boost in the dock
- No achievements/trophies
- Still no Virtual Console

Got mine at the end of December after much deliberation, with BotW and Odyssey. I've only played it in docked mode a handful of times, I far prefer to play it in bed or on the sofa whilst the wife watches her shows. I'm not really on the lookout for any more games at the moment as BotW is such a timesink but I'm very happy with my purchase so far, it's a great bit of kit and feels nice to hold, and of course having a game like BotW on a handheld is just immense.

Everything is too expensive though, that's a negative for some balance.

First console I've bought at launch, most games I've ever bought for a console in my first year of owning it, and already has some of my favourite games of all time.

I absolutely adore the Switch. Probably my favourite console since the PSP.

YouTube · Last edited by Jazzem on Fri Mar 02, 2018 12:02 am, edited 2 times in total.

Love the system to bits :wub:

Made so much sense for Nintendo to combine console + handheld.

+ Finally, a Nintendo handheld with stupendous screen quality! Needed this so badly after the 3DS's lacklustre displays. Still holds up pretty well mostly on docked too, was relieved that Odyssey/Splatoon 2/MK8D still look lovely on my new 4k TV
+ Astonishingly good first year for Nintendo first party, honestly up there as one of their best ever.
+ Solid first year for third party too! It's become a great indie machine and surprisingly solid for a few multiplatforms. Hopefully this keeps up moving forward.
+ The versatility of the system is amazing; I've used it docked, undocked and in tabletop mode in many different scenarios.
+ To that point, it's great how every Switch game benefits from this adaptability. In contrast, not every Wii U game benefited from the gamepad or every Wii game from the motion controls.
+ Screenshot button! I'm horribly addicted to this. Like video recording too though wish it were in more games.
+ Much improved wired controller standardisation; the system taking the Pokkén + Gamecube pads as pro controller input is such a leap ahead of the Wii U where they each only worked for one game.
+ Portable 60fps Rocket League. Portable. 60. fps. Rocket. League.
+ For as featureless as it may be, I adore how slick and straight to the point the UI is.

- ...but it is indeed featureless, still missing many key online features. Some that even the Wii U had!
- Despite the system being a tech marvel, there have certainly been some signs of its limitations. Biggest disappointment for me was Xenoblade 2 going so far below native res in handheld mode coupled with a blurry filter

Doesn't look great docked either.
- Accessory prices grr
- Multiplatform retail prices grr.
- Built in stand isn't great.
- Battery not being removable is so darn anti-consumer.

Fantastic machine and home to some wonderful games, hopefully this will continue.

+ Portable and docked play, I was skeptical about this but it really is a great feature
+ Fantastic games
+ Form factor and feel, so so good

- The Switch tax on games and accessories
- That kickstand :fp:

- The layout of the eShop, the one thing the Wii U did better than the Switch.

The Switch has single-handedly rekindled my love of gaming.

+ Two GOTY/GOAT candidates in BoTW and Mario Odyssey within the first year of its life
+ A decent selection of third party games and ports from the WiiU that I missed out on
+ Cracking line-up of indie games with plenty more on the way in the coming months
+ Build quality of the console and peripherals is top notch
+ The screen is bright and the colours really pop
+ The Joycons - so much tech squeezed into these little buggers
+ HD Rumble is a fantastic refinement and really adds to the immersion when done properly
- Dock feels a bit cheap, but it does the job
- Game and accessory prices seem ridiculous after years of being a PC gamer
- Barebones online system is an issue for some, but not really an issue for me
- Most third party publishers weren't counting on it being such a success

It's already my favourite console and I can't wait to see what else is on the horizon for this awesome little machine.

I love the switch, so happy I decided not to wait and just got one last year. Zelda is easily one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Mario is brilliant, Splatoon 2 is the real surprise though. Just a perfect shooter.

I don't really use it as a portable device, I prefer the small 2ds xl.

I think this year will be bigger than last year as a new Pokemon game is a system seller.

Hopefully a Star Fox announcement comes this year.

well ive enjoyed the last year, the switch is a great console and its had a great first year for games cant wait to see what else is in store

Was originally holding out for Mario's release before getting one but jumped the gun early back in June just before Splatoon 2 got released in July. Got quite a nice selection of games and I've enjoyed all (bar Sonic Mania - nostalgia does strawberry float all for me, sorry) been a joy to own and I hope it continues being one till the Switch 2 Switch Harder crops up.

Brought a week after BotW released, because I wasn't havin' it on Wii U lol >,> I haven't been this gleeful over a system since DS. It's just a really delightful piece of hardware to use. Yes there are set backs, but they really don't bother me as much knowing the games are there to back it up. This thing is only getting better here on out.

Pre-ordered as soon as with Breath of the Wild. Bought FAST RMX the day after, but it was easily forgot about - especially when Mario Kart 8 Deluxe came around. Quite a great first year, and the most I've ever bought in the first year - what with ARMS, Splatoon 2, Sonic Mania, Skyrim, Mario Odyssey, Snipperclips, Infinite Minigolf, Dragon Quest Builders, and Stardew Valley, along with another set of Joy-Con and a Pro Controller. Yes, the UI is a bit simple and the eShop could do with a bit more work, but it's still great for what it is - with the greatest thing being console quality games on a handheld [though I am starting to play docked more].
A lovely system with a lot more to give in the future.

YouTube

When I got my Switch, my Nexus 9 had just broken, and I was expecting to be able to use the Switch as a basic tablet. Obviously that didn't happen, and I only use it for games now, but I can't say I'm that upset about it.

My biggest reason for getting a Switch was for Virtual Console speedrunning; I held off on getting the Wii U just a little too long, and ended up skipping it altogether in the end, but the Wii U's version of Donkey Kong 64 is much faster than the original N64 version. When VC does arrive, I'm sure it will make a good system even more impressive.

Bought it in August, absolutely love it

Superb first party games and decent third party games throughout the year, for me I've actually bought a decent amount of games in my 7 months of ownership, can't wait to see where it goes on the first and third party games front.

It's also a superb handheld (I used it from late August when I got it to mid November as a pure handheld, only docking it to play Doom and Skyrim) and a good home console experience. I keep meaning to buy a pro controller to enhance the home console experience but I'm finding the Joycon grip a good controller as is.

I love the quick, simplistic home menu system in place as well.

I bought it for Mario and a bit of Tetris and haven't touched it since.

I should pick up Bayo (again), but I have monsters to hunt and fantasies to final elsewhere.

I got my Switch at launch with Zelda BOTW and it was the first Zelda game that I really enjoyed, still need to finish it but never get around to it, the Switch is now my current second most played console and I now mainly use it for handheld gaming, it’s a console I’d only use for Nintendo games and exclusives, multi format games I will continue to buy for the Xbox

NickSCFC wrote:- No achievements/trophies

Surely that's a plus point. Achievements/trophies are one I the most pointless stupid things to be added to games. Love that Toadette's purpose in Mario Odyssey is just to take the piss out of achievements by bombarding you with moons (trophies) for arbitrary stats.

Time to start thinking about Next Gen Switch.

+portability is superb
+Nintendo have release some great titles
+Switch is changing Nintendo's fortune making the company more popular
+joy cons are clever controllers
+Third Parties are at least releasing games on it

-Console does lack any apps
-Switch tax is a joke
-Some third parties are lazy with physical copies of games by making you download huge patches
-Not enough system storage

NickSCFC

Diabolito wrote:
NickSCFC wrote:- No achievements/trophies

Surely that's a plus point. Achievements/trophies are one I the most pointless stupid things to be added to games. Love that Toadette's purpose in Mario Odyssey is just to take the piss out of achievements by bombarding you with moons (trophies) for arbitrary stats.

For me it just gives me more of an incentive to complete a game after finishing the main campaign.

I'm now looking for Peach in each world and I'm wondering why.

Nintendo Switch: Happy First Birthday!

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