Posted January 17, 2017
B: Bomberman by KONAMI, fine purveyors of pachinko machines, and Puyo Puyo Tetris which happens to be a two year old game.
C: "Steer gaming back on track?" You're trusting Nintendo of all companies who decided in spite of three failed gimmicks, that more gimmick is what the crowds wanted? Also, I heard no news of money hats, so I'm not sure who you're assuming to be tossing around dosh. Roots are great, but I don't want to eat tubers all day long. There has to be some variety in this garden. And in a world where the Switch is trying to be basic while at the same time a clown juggling chainsaws, I can't help but feel something will go wrong. Not only is this act old, but in such a competitive world, such a dangerous act isn't worth the liability/1950s makeup.
D: The Nintendo Switch itself is in essence, the Nvidia Shield tablet with all the good ideas taken out and replaced with expensive bad ideas. So we're talking about a 200 dollar device, inflated to 300 dollars because just like with Star Fox Zero, someone insisted that they bat for three on expensive gimmicks that nobody will ever used, much to the detriment of the final product.
What's worse, is that unlike the 3DS's 3D or the anchor of the Wii-U, whatever the central gimmick of the Switch (because they threw in more than one this time) can't be advertised easily, mainly because they're marketing it under a stupid name.
The problem with a 300 dollar launch is that Nintendo is not only launching against two well established consoles, but there's also the matter of the accessory price, or the fact that you need to pony up 70 dollars for a controller made for human hands with some semblance of human ergonomics. But also, these two well established consoles are now cheaper than the Switch, and have credibility to their online systems. Nintendo has so much to prove and come off as mighty arrogant with their lineup.
Think about it. Would a product this close to launch have so many questions still around it, if it were being directed by a competent company? We know so little about important details like the UI, the account system and online, and yet we are fast approaching under 30 days to go.
B. It's hard to imagine that the fact that Konami invested in pachinko machines somehow means they can't make good video games anymore. It's as easy as hiring a good team of new and young developers.
C. Yes, I am trusting Nintendo of all companies. They are one of the only consistent devs that focus on gameplay over graphics. You might not like the Wii U gamepad, but the fact that they used the hardware to make enjoyable games rather than just pumping out nice looking games running at 20 fps is pretty nice. I think that's what consoles are all about, making perfectly adjusted and calibrated games for consumers that they can just jump into and play. Looking at the PS3, X360, PS4 and Xbone, I get a lot of games that crash, run at terrible framerates, and just generally do nothing to make gameplay fun and satisfying other than visuals for the most part. Very general statement, I know, I'll regret this, but I hope you kind of see where I am coming from. Gimmicks don't bother me, innovation in how we play games SHOULD come from consoles since PCs are forced to stay the way they are, while a new console can be anything they want it to be (Even a stupid pile of gimmicks).
D. That is very subjective. First, we don't know how much better it is than an NVIDIA Shield since it uses custom hardware. Also, the messaging on the Switch is simple: "You can play games on TV or on the Go" and everyone gets it. People at my office who haven't played games since the N64 got it, and they only saw the 10 minute segment on Jimmy Fallon.
Two very well estrablished consoles are a problem for Nintendo, for sure, but the thing is that Xbox One and PS4 and even PC to some extent can be lumped together in today's gaming world. Luckily, the PC is starting to branch off again into it's own exclusive world of RTSs and interesting new takes on old genres, but still. Back in the day, the Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube and Xbox offered completely different experiences, so a Switch wouldn't have worked in an environment like that. Right now though, a little bit of variety will do very well. If you don't like what the PS4/Xbox One/PC offer, you probably are a Switch-kind of person (someone who enjoys simple games with a focus on art style over graphical fidelity and who doesn't care about the tech behind games).
Sorry if I come off as abrasive! It's hard to convey tone! :S
Post edited January 17, 2017 by Cardskeeper
