Six months of the Nintendo Switch

On March 3 this year, Nintendo released its latest system, the Nintendo Switch (in the process fulfilling my long held idea of them doing a handheld-console hybrid system), and it has been an instant success since. It has gone on to be the highest selling system worldwide since launch, been selling out routinely (leading to immense stock shortages), and it has amassed an incredible library of high quality games in just a few months.

It is now six months old- so I figured let's just take some stock of our experiences with the system so far.

On my end, the Nintendo Switch is the most happy I have been immediately after the purchase of a gaming system. Generally speaking, it takes months or even years before I begin to feel like my purchase of gaming hardware was worth it, and generally speaking, I have always regretted buying a system at launch. With the Switch, that has not been the case. It has been my most played system since I got it, it has slotted itself into my lifestyle perfectly, it has given me a slew of fantastic games, and it has actually lived up to its bizarre promises from the reveal trailer (I've played the Switch at home and on the go, I've played Mario Kart at work with my boss, I've played Street Fighter at a party, I've played ARMS on a bus with a total stranger). It is, without a doubt, my favorite bit of gaming hardware I have ever owned. At concurrent points of my ownership of other gaming systems, I am far, far happier with the Switch six months in than I was with the PS4, Xbox 360, PS2, Gamecube, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PSP, PS Vita, and definitely the Wii U.

Here are the games I have on the Switch so far:

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• I Am Setsuna
• Ultra Street Fighter II
• ARMS
• Splatoon 2
• Sonic Mania
• Mario+Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Eight games, of which I definitely like six, in just six months, is a fantastic amount. I think the Switch is en route to having the best first year a system has had since at least the Dreamcast at this point.

Where do you all stand on the Switch? Six months in, how has your experience with the system been? Are you happier with it than you were six months into your ownership of the PS4 or the Xbox One?

Oh, I most definitely am in love with my Switch. It's my most used system this year by far, and my library keeps growing. So far, I have:

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Super Bomberman R
• The Binding of Isaac Afterbirth +
• I Am Setsuna
• PuyoPuyo Tetris
• Disgaea 5 Complete
• Tumbleseed
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• ARMS
• Cave Story+
• Sonic Mania
• Piczle Lines DX
• Splatoon 2
• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

And I have a further six games pre-ordered for it. I know a few of these are multiplats and "old" games, but the concept of being able to play them whenever and wherever I want is what made the Switch my preferred platform to play them on. I honestly wish the Switch was more powerful, so it could handle the majority of AAA titles more easily, because I really want the Switch to be my main preferred console of choice.

It has shown itself to be a retry of the Wii U and is still suffering from the same problems the Wii U faced. It's selling more obviously and is in high demand, that however does not change its situation in terms of games and development adoption from third parties.

This isnt the deal because its not a console.

But it is a console.

Sheep should understand 2 things

1) Not only Nintendo delayed Zeldas release for almost 2 years to push Switch in its release but also they let Wii U without any support for quite some time so they focused on Switch games instead. Now imagine if MS or SONY let their systems die prematurely to focus with games and all for their next-gen consoles. With that being said what sheep were playing the last 2 years on Wii U for Switch to have the support it has ? Almost nothing right ?

2) Nintendos biggest bet is what theyll do with the system after 3-4 years and not in the first 2. Last generation i had all sheep laughing on PS4 for having no games and how Wii U destroyed everyone blablabla ... then what ? They shut it. Thats the bet Nintendo needs to win this generation imho.They keep doing this shit with every single console since GC era. I hope Switch reverse this but im not so sure...

So before sheep get hyped .. they should be cautious what they saying , what they asking for.

So i dont mind for sheep to have fun and all but dont forget .. 3 generations in a row what happened. Just relax and let things flow and all.

I will give you only one point. It is not primarily a console. It's a handheld first and foremost. However, it's a console should you ever decide to play it hooked up to a TV.

Yeah , thats what Nintendo told you so thats what everyone take it for. But its not. Its your typical seriously underpowered cartridge based handheld with a special dock for it to have TV connectivity. Nothing more nothing less. Everything about it screams handheld.

Just wait 2 years more for PS5/X2 get a release and just check what Switch "console" will look like at its 3rd year in the market vs traditional consoles and then tell me its a console again.

You've been screaming yourself hoarse repeating the same points over and over across at least six accounts that I have kept track of, and repeatedly been proven wrong until now your argument comes to two points- it suffering from the same problems the Wii U suffered from (demonstrably false), and it not having third party support (true only if you choose to focus on western AAA third party developers, and even then, slowly becoming less true by the day).

It's not going to pan out the way you wanted it to, give it up.

1) Sony let the PS Vita flounder, MS killed the Kinect in a year, and your beloved Sega dropped the Saturn two years before its successor was ready. Nintendo supported the Wii U through to the end with its games, Breath of the Wild still came out on then Wii U. They have shown themselves to be more than trustworthy in that regard.

2) Now I will use a word you like to bandy about so much- 'hypocrite'. You say the Switch is a handheld, and yet your compare it to Nintendo's support of the Wii, Wii U, and Gamecube, which were all consoles, while their handhelds such as the GBA, DS, and 3DS were supported for years and years on end (sometimes people were outright crying for their extended support for their handhelds to end), just because it suits you? Well? Is the Switch a handheld or a console? Bcause if it is a handheld, your second point has no bearing. It never had any bearing, as even the slightest bit of contextual awareness would have been enough to inform you, but it especially has none in the narrative you want to push so hard. Sorry buddy.

This is factually incorrect.

"Nintendo Switch is a home gaming system first and foremost” -Nintendo

I'll give it up when what you're saying actually materializes, if it in fact ever does. It's largely the same rote as the Wii U, Japan 3rd party is giving some good support but that is just Japan and nothing of AAA caliber even from them has made its way over.

The fact of the matter is the system is being held up by first party and there's a small pond of random little games here and there for in between entertainment, just like the Wii U.

Nothing shown or even talked about speaks to anything different than that.

Well i can accept that even if i disagree because whatever has a TV connectivity and plays with a pad is not a console ... because in that matter my PC = console. You get what i mean ?

But hey , you are more genuine and honest than everyone here about this subject and kudos to you for that.

I really enjoying being able to switch from my TV to being around the house quickly and easily. It'll be great when I can grab another dock and stick that in the main room.

So far, I have:

• Zelda
• Spla2n
• Sonic Mania

Switch is not the dock nor dock is part of the switch. Dock is an accessory for Switch itself to have TV playability. Far from what your traditional console is and how it works. Also cartridge is something traditional to handhelds. Portability also. A whole generation behind hardware also. Dont you see too many familiar things to handhelds here ?

I know it functions as a handheld, it's a hybrid so it has that function, but Nintendo's primary function behind the design is a home console you can take on the go, not a handheld you can use as a home console.

Some may say otherwise but I think Nintendo has made a clear line in the sand so they can continue to develop a line of handhelds, something to eventually replace the 3DS and I don't see that being the Switch.

Except Japan never supported the Wii U either, so...

Moreover, Wii U's problems were more than just third party support.

Hmmm sounding pretty good... if it wasn't for the fact that I'm buying an X in a couple of months, I'd probably have a Switch by now.

1) Stop crying accept the facts. Dont do this Sony vs Nintendo all the time. Also dont compare a company that is in an epic downfall with multibillion losses for over a decade with a company that is not even near to that. Just dont. You had zero games tro play with Wii U up to BOTW. And for the record , Nintendo was about to release BOTW way sooner but didnt give a crap about you , they delayed the game as much as they wanted to support Switch while you were waiting and you were playing with other platforms.

Thats what is happening every single generation. You getting hyped ,you talk shit for other platforms , you going rampage then you ending have your Nintendo consoles for dust collection and waiting for few years till next console and start all over.

2) Dont play this game with me ! I said to you personally that if you take this as a console which you do then EVERYONE will start comparing Switch vs other traditional consoles and this will backfire especially when PS5/X2 get a release soon.

And when it does, dont start calling Switch a handheld. Did i say that to you numerous times while you kept calling Switch a console ? Then since you all taking it as a console , ill compare it with consoles.

So cry i dont care. truth hurts.

Oh, I know what they said, but what you say is fact, I say... alternative fact I guess? Honestly, there's no way to objectively label what a hybrid is, because it changes depending on its usage. The way Nintendo sees their Switch is different from how I see mine. The mere fact that I can play a Switch right out of the box without even needing to hook it up to the TV tells me it's primarily a handheld. Then, there's also the fact that there's carrying cases for it, the cartridges are so small, and the cases for those carts are so small... It all just screams handheld.

I personally believe that Nintendo tries to sell it as a console first, because with the discontinuing of the Wii U, Nintendo doesn't want their customers to feel like they've exited the console market and by not selling it as a handheld first, they also alleviate their customers who were scared that the Switch was going to be the 3DS's successor.

You cant call hybrid something that the only common thing with a traditional console is that it connects on TV. Should i call my PC hybrid console because i can hook it up on TV and play games with my X360 pad ? I wont do that , you get what i mean?

But whatever , this will backfire hard in the near future. Just mark my words.

@charizard1605 Read the above post i quoted from @JustPlainLucas , a guy which is honest and sees things as they are despite being a fan. So my answer to you is Lucas post. I have nothing more to say he said almost exactly what i think.

Maybe if you hear how things really are from others wont triggered you as much.

What it comes down to though is who has the power of dictation of what the hardware is, and that is only Nintendo. Your use case might be different from what they set out to do or their definitions and dictations of the hardware, but that does not change what it is dictated as.

You can call it whatever you want, but it needs to be made clear what it is.

Nintendo them selves have said it's a console in an interview...

Switch is a console/handheld hybrid. Why the shit is this still up for debate?

@charizard1605 said:

On March 3 this year, Nintendo released its latest system, the Nintendo Switch (in the process fulfilling my long held idea of them doing a handheld-console hybrid system), and it has been an instant success since. It has gone on to be the highest selling system worldwide since launch, been selling out routinely (leading to immense stock shortages), and it has amassed an incredible library of high quality games in just a few months.

lol wut

It never was, the only people who think it's a debate are the ones arguing with Nintendo. They're not arguing with the likes of me, they're arguing with the people who created this console and the only ones with the power to dictate what it is.

Whats even funnier is a handheld is a name for a portable console. Which is still a console.

Thats right there is the issue i have with Nintendo.

Because calling it a console for the reasons Lucas mentioned might work from a marketing standpoint to push sales and make people feel like playing on a console etc but ... this leads to another problem. The problem is the head to head comparison to traditional consoles. And as time passes the gap keeps growing and growing with next-gen consoles being 2 to 3 years away max making things complicated.

Theres already a huge gap in many things between switch and a current traditional console, but since Switch is fresh and offers, and will offer for a year or two, some great games, you dont really care. But thats where things getting complicated because historically weve seen Nintendo consoles going into a serious life support pretty early. It happend with GC / Wii and Wii U. With that being said , with next-gen consoles get a release in 2019/2020 and by the time Switch being only in its 3rd year in the market .... all this Switch is a console can backfire hard.

At that point it wont matter if Nintendo with this "clever" marketing of 2 in 1 system manage to sell alot of units but nevertheless it will hurt the image of system, any momentum and since historically Nintendo letting their system go earlier than the usual ... yes you guessed right , they might do this as well for yet another generation. You never know. How the hell to compete as a console vs consoles that are 2 generations in ahead while its your 3rd year in the market ?

For sure at that point you losing every single hope for any big 3rd party title, momentum , hype .. everything.

Where as if Nintendo would promote from the get go Switch as a powerful handheld , the most powerful handheld ever that can even play on TV and offers THIS and THAT and omg omg look at that ... I think it would have been FAR better in the long run because noone could blame the system for lacking traditional console games , if system is 2 generations behind , if its graphics cant compete , if its kinda expensive if if if ...

Sheep raging on me for having this opinion but it is what it is. We will see

@AzatiS: You cant play PS4 on the go. Thats a major loss in its battle vs Switch. Who cares how much power its got, its a boring one trick pony.

Hold my beer.

Remote play says hello.

The problem with Nintendo fans is this. They believe every new console should reinvent the wheel, but the formula for the game franchises is fine to stay the same after 30 years (of course, until very recently, this changed with the new Mario game and BoTW)

And believe that every thing Nintendo does is so amazing every one will/should copy them.

Only thing Nintendo has been successful in doing over the last few generations is showing the other console makers how to drive 3rd parties away.

Meh

I'm happy for you but personaly I couldnt find the Switch any less interesting. I would play Zelda BotW if I had one and thats pretty much it. I dont care about handheld gaming cause I dont get the urge to play videogames outside of home so its portability is irrelevant to me. If you like to play outside of your home then yeah, I can see it being an interesting console but outside of that, what a meh console it is...

also those tiny controlers look uncomfortable as hell, especially on big hands like mine

I'd say their other problem is being blind to what is taking place, as an outlier it's easy to see this system is largely suffering the same video game problem as the Wii U and it's just pushed under the rug by them like it's not happening.

I mean who gives a shit how much something is selling, where are the video games? The other line of logic that bothers me is that Nintendo fans rationalize its state by referring to it as a "secondary system"... It shouldn't need to be a secondary system, let alone a self admittance that it is, all that says is that it's not getting enough content to justify ownership of it on its own.

Funny coming from a fan of a console that copied such innovation.

And Nintendo has failed to make it clear what it is, as evidenced by this discussion we're having. That's the problem when you develop a hybrid product, and Nintendo's continued problem with marketing concisely. Instead of just advertising it as a hybrid, they drew a line in the sand for the sake of distinction trying to sell it as a console when they know full and damn well they'll have customers who'll buy it never using it as such.

Nintendo also said that the DS wouldn't be the successor to the GBA and the Switch (at the time NX) wouldn't be the successor to the Wii U. I certainly am not going to take Nintendo's word just because it came out of their mouths.

You can't play the PS4 on the go, independent from another device.

They haven't failed, there's zero confusion, people just keep trying to get around it and twist what they use it as with what it is. They stated this 5 months before the system even launched...

"Nintendo Switch is a home gaming system first and foremost"

People intentionally ignoring this are doing so because it puts them on the backside of the entire generation with a weak ass console, they're insecure about it. They think that if they twist things enough and constantly call it a handheld that it will magically be just that, but it isn't, it's a home console that can be taken on the go.

They want to delusionally convince people that it's the worlds most powerful handheld instead of the weakest home console on the market. People can like this thing all they want, but I'm not going to subject myself to another Wii U debacle. It's too weak to compete, it's too weak to get modern AAA games, it's not an ideal console for the modern age of graphical technology that exists.

This dumb ass discussion again.

It's a hybrid. And in that sense, it's whatever the end user chooses to do with it.

For me? It's 100% a console, it's always docked, I always play it on the big screen. For a guy like Chaz? It's a handheld, he's always playing it on the go.

Doesn't matter what Nintendo calls it, you're absolutely free to think for yourself.

I can't prove this but it needs to be said, just because he claims this doesn't give any credence to it being reality. If I was looking for a way to justify this system in the face of overwhelming odds, I would claim exactly that.

Yeah, I got to say, that kind of rationalizing bothers me as well. You shouldn't just start referring to your system of choice as a "secondary system". I remember when the days Nintendo had it all, but those days were long gone. I think it was around the Wii era that all of a sudden, Nintendo fans viewed their company not as the failing competitor, but as them playing in a league of their own, which is just straight up delusional thinking. Hey, I love Nintendo as much as the next guy, but I'll be damned if I start putting them in their own box. They're a competing video game manufacturer and game maker, just like the other two guys. I'm glad Nintendo Switch is selling like crazy, but in my eyes, they still aren't where they need to be, not by a long shot. That won't happen until they figure out a way to be innovative while competing on the same level of technology as their competitors. Maybe the holes in their library will start getting patched up if they do that.

I like mine more than I liked my Wii u in the same amount of time, and exponentially more than my original Wii. But to me it's still just the next Nintendo console gimped by all the same terrible decisions Nintendo continues to make. I'll never actually take it anywhere as a portable since it's too big to fit into any pockets I have, but I'm really looking forward to Mario as the first release to make it truly worth owning.

I don't have a Switch. I have yet to see a reason to own one. Sure, Super Mario Odyssey looks really good, but I can't get hyped for a system for one Mario game. The whole paid online system is also a major turn-off for me. Even if I got a Switch for Christmas/Birthday, I wouldn't be able to afford online, making multiplayer games like Animal Crossing and Pokemon much, much less fun.

Speaking of which, they have yet to really show anything aside from Odyssey that is of any interest to me. Sure, the Pokemon game has been "announced", but nothing is known. It could be some rehash of Sun/Moon for all we know. I seriously doubt it, but the possibility is still there.

Breath of the Wild? Fantastic game... Fantastic Wii U game, which I own.

They really failed to drum up any hype for this system in me. It's the least excited I have ever been for a Nintendo system in my entire life. But I suppose that's for the best, I don't have any money.

I mean, it's not like Chaz is the only person who claims to use it that way.

Either way though, we can simply look at this without forum fanboy agendas. Just forget about SW and its users for a sec.

The Switch comes out the box ready to be used as a console or a handheld. That makes it a hybrid to me. That's really the whole catch of the system. It's even in the name lol.

Anecdotal evidence time, but of all the Switch owners I know, I'm the only one who uses it strictly as a console. Most people I know are using it both as a console and a portable.

@MarioFan264: Yeah, just focus on making money. By that time, youll be ready to spend.