Nintendo Switch • Hacker News Board

Re: Nintendo Switch

#41

Post by tmuir » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:19 AM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #10

Current concern on the gaming forums is the lack of high-profile launch games, with Splatoon 2 and Mario not being present at that time. Can Zelda alone sell systems? (probably yes)

They don't call them Zelda Boxes for nothing. I'll admit I'm biased, but I see nearly every Zelda game as easily in the top 3, if not the killer app of each Nintendo system.

Legend of Zelda - NES

Link to the Past - SNES

Links Awakening - Gameboy

Ocarina of Time - N64

Wind Waker - Gamecube

Twilight Princess - Wii

Skyward Sword - Wii

Heck, even the promise of how perfectly the WiiU's controller could have been for a Zelda game, was enough for me to buy the system.

I guess that makes me a fanboy. As long as Nintendo keeps making Zelda games, I'll keep buying the necessary hardware.

Re: Nintendo Switch

#42

Post by ericzawo » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:20 AM UTC

That[1] was masterful marketing of an upcoming videogame console on all fronts. From the beginning it emphasises mobility with a (hopefully good!) smartphone app to manage online/local wifi matches, as well as multiple levels of play while on the go. It's reasonably priced (matches current generation in total at the register) and has an incredibly diverse range of titles to be excited about this calendar year. It managed to loop "The Americas" in with a Reggie appearance that worked well, and upsold Skyrim and Fifa, two gigantic American games with international appeal. They also talked up Dragon Quest X, which is an MMORPG, launching on Switch, as well as Dragon Quest XI, which until tonight was a PS4 exclusive.

Essentially, they placed value squarely in the face of everything your PC/enthusiast-level gaming rig won't ever replace. The ability to pick up and play elsewhere. Like the Wii, it's not even trying to compete with the current crop of consoles. It's value proposition will be placed somewhere a bit obtusely, between your mobile phone and everything else you leave at home. Yes, this obviously functions as a home console as well, but I can't help but suspect Nintendo absolutely meant to go for what makes handhelds great. If any company can do it, they can. So what if it cannibalises their current 3DS offerings? Pokemon seems to be going strong with its fanbase.

The whole presentation, from the demonstration of the hardware to especially the finishing trademark "One more thing!" with Zelda making a predictable but nonetheless amazing launch date. It's a strategy that worked wonders for the Wii, remember, so why not?

Nintendo absolutely killed it, and I'll be keeping a really close eye on this thing. But the marketing and presentation was honestly textbook.

[1] https://youtu.be/uuC4YLLkqME?t=33m20s

Re: Nintendo Switch

#43

Post by kibwen » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:20 AM UTC

LargeCompanies wrote: post #28

The Nintendo Wii was innovative and fun .. even the Wii U was a bit innovative and fun (ever play Mario Chase with friends .. worth buying Wii U for). Though... Switch does anyone see anything innovative besides a GameCube like system that is also portable?

The Wii U gets deserved flak for its paucity of titles, but there were some unbelievable gems sprinkled in there. The Nintendo Land pack-in game is an utter blast as a party game. And Mario Maker is probably the first "players build the levels" game whose interface doesn't feel arcane and esoteric, it really is a triumph of friendly UX.

Re: Nintendo Switch

#44

Post by pryelluw » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:21 AM UTC

objclxt wrote: post #24

minimaxir wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The GameCube was the first device to use a second-screen experience, with the GBA Link! (yeah, yeah)

The Dreamcast had second screen gaming and that was released three years before the GameCube. There may well have been other devices doing it before then as well. But Nintendo weren't the first.

You mean the little LCD in the controller?

Re: Nintendo Switch

#45

Post by thomasfortes » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:21 AM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #29

dcw303 wrote: post #4

I had to laugh when during the livestream they were going through each of the innovations of their past systems, and the only thing they could mention about the Gamecube was that it had a handle :) But overall I think they continue to show real innovation in gaming. They're the only company who puts so much effort into maximizing their software with the uniqueness of their hardware.

Haven't watched the presentation yet, but I believe the GCN might have been the first console to come standard with "analog" shoulder buttons (dutifully demonstrated by its use in Mario Sunshine to control the spraying power of the backpack). EDIT: Oh also, the Wavebird controller was the first wireless first-party controller.

Sega Dreamcast had analog triggers and came before gamecube.

Re: Nintendo Switch

#46

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:22 AM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #29

dcw303 wrote: post #4

I had to laugh when during the livestream they were going through each of the innovations of their past systems, and the only thing they could mention about the Gamecube was that it had a handle :) But overall I think they continue to show real innovation in gaming. They're the only company who puts so much effort into maximizing their software with the uniqueness of their hardware.

Haven't watched the presentation yet, but I believe the GCN might have been the first console to come standard with "analog" shoulder buttons (dutifully demonstrated by its use in Mario Sunshine to control the spraying power of the backpack). EDIT: Oh also, the Wavebird controller was the first wireless first-party controller.

[deleted]

Re: Nintendo Switch

#47

Post by ajmurmann » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:22 AM UTC

rubyn00bie wrote: post #38

I admire Nintendo's effort but I think they need to make a phone to really compete and they need something graphically powerful. That is to say, they need to raise prices at launch of a new device to ensure the hardware has enough of a shelf life. Spending $300 on a portable for gaming after spending twice that on a phone capable of gaming seems like a hard sell to the mass market/casual gamer. Will this really be ab…

I don't think that going for power is a strategy that would likely work for Nintendo. Whatever is fast now will be slow in one or two years. However, the special control scheme they have is unique and might be great for casuals just like the original Wii was. If this is great at parties with non gamers it will be a success. I personally prefer some more serious games, but what I like doesn't matter.

Re: Nintendo Switch

#48

Post by xxr » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:23 AM UTC

webkike wrote: post #5

Looks incredibly interesting. If Nintendo opens this platform to indie developers it could become hugely successful

Wouldn't be surprised if they did--they already use Unity as the default SDK for WiiU and the 3DS, so they're pretty keyed into that indie dev world now it seems: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine)

Re: Nintendo Switch

#49

Post by JimmyAustin » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:23 AM UTC

ericzawo wrote: post #42

That[1] was masterful marketing of an upcoming videogame console on all fronts. From the beginning it emphasises mobility with a (hopefully good!) smartphone app to manage online/local wifi matches, as well as multiple levels of play while on the go. It's reasonably priced (matches current generation in total at the register) and has an incredibly diverse range of titles to be excited about this calendar year. It man…

Small note, it's Dragon "Quest" X. I got really excited for a Dragon Age MMO for nothing.

Re: Nintendo Switch

#50

Post by chrisrhoden » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 5:23 AM UTC

darrennix wrote: post #21

Watching the graphics quality of the Zelda demo, I can't help but think: If only this weren't on Nintendo. The graphics look equivalent to Elder Scrolls: Morrowind (2002). As with so many Nintendo demos; I find myself wishing they were a cross-platform game studio rather than a lagging hardware company.

Your memory of Morrowind is way off. It's fairly common to remember games as looking far better than they did. This looks competitive with games that came out just a couple of years ago on the latest generation of consoles.