Switch Buying Guide

After Xenosaga HD remaster trilogy

'Not my circus, not my monkeys', as my favourite Polish phrase goes.

Six months of planning work (for me, I'm sure it took longer for others), culminating in the blink of an eye. Can I have a rest now? #NintendoMusic

Needs Android Auto support so I can use it in my car.

I'll give Musk a call, get it compatible with all Teslas immediately.

I've downloaded it. I can conveniently listen to the Metroid Prime soundtrack now, that's cool! It wasn't on Spotify.

I've got Phendrana Drifts on now. 🙂

Fuck, forgot about Metroid… that's me throwing on Magmoor Caverns for a 15-min play over lunch.

Interesting that it's Prime GameCube that's listed, not Prime Remastered from Switch. I can't recall if the remaster had all-new versions of the tunes…

Are more soundtracks going to be added? Pikmin is one of my son's special interests, and I think if the first three games' soundtracks were on there you'd have a dedicated listener for life.

Are more soundtracks going to be added?

Yes, on a fairly regular basis - I think there are five more lined up throughout November already. I believe SMB Wonder gets added today.

I've messed around with it a bit more and I really like it. It does have a tendency to crash if you reopen it from your list of open apps. I also think the individual composers should be credited. They're not, unless I'm missing something. It's a great start to something that will only get better in time, though.

Edit - omg it's got the Wii Shop music. "Buy zee stuuuff.."

Mart, can you make them put this version on the app please?

No, because the only version of the Wii Shop music that belongs on there is this one.

…

…

No, wait, maybe this one too.

Switch 2 Backwards Compatible, we won.

Okay, so twice now, something weird has happened with my partner's Switch OLED that's plugged into our TV. Not sure if I mentioned it the first time when we were playing Breath of the Wild, but it happened again last night while I was playing Brothership, so I have to mention it. Pretty simple:

• Game running as normal
• Screen briefly cuts out and goes to black
• Game comes back and it's running at a much higher frame rate than before.

I can't say what frame rate that might be, because my eyes don't work like that. But it was noticeably smoother and faster (I want to say… more than 60FPS?), to the point that it was disrupting the timing of the button presses in battle… I was missing button presses, despite not having trouble before. So, either something was going on or I was having a stroke.

Going to investigate on teh webs and see if anyone's had the same issue, but it's just… weird. Switch isn't meant to run that fast.

I saw people posting after the recent update that there Switch was running hotter and the fan was louder even when docked, but haven't really followed anything further. She hasn't had anything like that has she?

That sounds more like a TV problem to me, like your TV is switching motion smoothing on suddenly for some reason instead of Game mode. That’ll make everything look superficially smoother but will massively increase input lag to the point it’ll mess up your inputs.

What TV do you have? You didn’t sit on the remote, did you?

Gar's got the handle on it - I found a Reddit thread from a year ago for this exact same issue with the same OLED (Zelda TotK). Turned out to be the TV deciding to change something on its own. I'll investigate what setting that might be, but it definitely did it without input from me, butt-related or otherwise…

I don't think it'll apply to anyone here, since we're all generally types that would need family memberships, BUT: Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is currently 'buy one year, get a second year free' for individual 12-month memberships ONLY (not 1- or 3-month ones, not family memberships). You're meant to give the other code to a friend because it's the Bring a Friend promotion, but… hey. And my work discount stacks with this, so that's an extra 30% off.

If anyone here wants that, drop me a DM (I should note: it's one purchase per customer so if anyone does want it, it's the only one I can buy… I don't want it, so the floor is open)

Does it stack on what you have? I have the standard with expansion but it doesn't expire till April.

Does it stack on what you have? I have the standard with expansion but it doesn't expire till April.

You can stack up to three years of NSO, but no more (so, for example, if you have 18 months and you bought this, you'd lose 6 months).

Would it keep my expansion though or bump me back to regular subscription?

It's valid for both NSO and NSO + Expansion Pack. You get the one you want. It's not just base NSO.

Well then.

Anyone else catch the Nintendo Direct this afternoon? Not really sure how excited I am about any of it, but seeing a lot of people with very positive opinions. I'll admit to being mildly curious about the Patapon remasters and the DQ1+2 pack, and I'm definitely on board for Prime 4, but overall this had the feeling of "we're still supporting Switch!" more than a reel of wall-to-wall bangers.

Or maybe I'm a crazy curmudgeon, and that grimdark Pac-Man metroidvania is going to be the best thing ever.

Anyone else catch the Nintendo Direct this afternoon?

Been working on it since December. Glad it's over.

Or maybe I'm a crazy curmudgeon, and that grimdark Pac-Man metroidvania is going to be the best thing ever.

I'll play it, looks fun.

There's something pleasingly disconnected about the Nintendo Japan team. It's all a bit Severance. "Please enjoy these next three trailers equally."

The Directs are so wonderfully low-key, like an anti Geoff Keighley.

I'm excited to use Metroid Prime 4's revolutionary new 'press button to open door' mechanic. And I can't wait for next week's Direct. Switch 2 is a day-one purchase no matter what they show. The original Switch has been one of (or perhaps THE?) best consoles ever. An embarrassment of riches, especially in the first half of its life.

I’ve seen really varying opinions, and I think part of the reason was the ordering - Metroid 4 in the middle, Shigsy coming out at the end… to announce an app - and part was the looming spectre of the Switch 2 one next week(?).

Personally, I thought the Pac-Metroidvania looked vaguely interesting, and there were a few things of interest for me, primarily DQ 1-2 and the Devil Summoner game (Raidou Kuzunoha vs the Soulless Army, I think?).

Fully expecting plenty of moaning and indifference afterwards. Enjoy!

The amount of moaning and indifference will mostly depend on the price, for me. Though honestly indifference is unlikely; it'll either be pleasant surprise or frustrated acceptance, because I'm pretty much going to be buying one no matter what.

It pretty much has to be expensive, doesn't it. Things have changed so much in the eight years since the Switch launched, and presumably Nintendo are sticking to their 'console must be sold at profit' ethos. If it's under £400 I'll be pleasantly surprised. If it's under £350 I'll be gobsmacked.

But either way, as aniki says, I'm buying it.

I am buying it stock depending, I can't be bothered exerting effort is what I mean.

£379 innit.

I do think the landscape has changed quite a lot - portable gaming has come a fair way since the original Switch, but I was surprised to see it did launch in 2017, which doesn't seem that long ago….

I think I'd be interested if it's more comfortable, can play all Switch titles no bother (maybe a bonus if it makes them run better) and perhaps has one or two unique titles you really couldn't do on another portable. A decent Mario Kart and maybe Metroid Beyond would do it.

Otherwise I think I'm more interested in the ROG Ally successor coming out later in the year, which looks like it's going to have a Windows gaming OS reskin and the Z2 Extreme in it. And will be emulating the Switch 2 within a week.

I don't want to moan about the Switch because obviously it's Mart's baby and I know I'm in a tiny minority, here and elsewhere, but it's genuinely been one of the most disappointing consoles I've ever bought. Switch 2 will have to be spectacular for me to be even passingly interested.

(There, Mart, I've got my moaning and indifference out of the way a day early! I'll now retire from this thread and let you all enjoy New Console Day).

The ROG and the potential Xbox Rog/handheld are very interesting to me also. I think Switch first though, I had planned to build a new Windows 11 PC by the end of the year anyway though so a bit stuck thinking about what to do with all the tech I want.

it's genuinely been one of the most disappointing consoles I've ever bought.

Even putting aside the biases and such, I… I'm just staggered by that. Like… really? How? Did you never own a Jaguar, a Master System, a Lynx? Just looking at the first party titles alone… how? I can't see it. I'm definitely not saying it's the best, that's not the thing here… how it can be at the totally opposite end of the spectrum, I'm at a loss. Each to their own though, I guess.

I love my Switch. I've played it more than anything else for the last six-ish years.

Watching this live with my kid was a mistake, screamed all throughout the Mario Kart World stuff and is now talking about how we will each need our own Switch 2!

Never watched a live Direct before but really enjoyed that. Been made to watch the Donkey Kong section again too, so that's a win for that game.

That DK game looks awesome. I can't wait to do all the difficult boss sections for my 9yo.

Kinda annoyed there was no preorder or price information, though I have seen a screenshot allegedly from the Nintendo Store that it'll be £395.99 – Mart, care to confirm/deny?

This image is up on the My Nintendo store:

The Switch 2 Pro controller is £75 (); the Gamecube one will be £59.

Kinda annoyed there was no preorder or price information

There are legal reasons for that.

I have seen a screenshot allegedly from the Nintendo Store that it'll be £395.99 – Mart, care to confirm/deny?

I wasn't (and still am not) disclosed on the price. But everywhere seems to be saying £395.99 for the console and £429.99 for it with Mario Kart World, so… sure. Why not.

That second price seems wacky though, given MKW on its own is SEVENTY FIVE POUNDS (for the physical one, it's £66.99 digitally).

Seriously, this looks joyous.

And if that's too bright for your sensibilities, how about a Switch 2-exclusive new game from FROMSOFT?

Yeah that DK game looks brilliant. Mario Kart is exactly what I expected from that initial glimpse of gameplay; it was so clearly going off-road / open world from the size of that US road. I will of course be buying both, and lapping them up.

I said I'd be pleasantly surprised if it was under £400, and it's four pounds under. Which feels a bit like cheating, Nintendo. Consider me vaguely surprised, and a little bit worried for my wallet.

(mart, this next sentence isn't a moan…) I was expecting more first-party titles. For anyone who's never owned a Playstation or Xbox, that was a very exciting line-up. For everyone else, it was Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and one FromSoft game. No-one with a PS5 is buying a Switch for Cyberpunk.

But then when has a 'launch window' ever been wall-to-wall bangers.

I'm surprised it's as many games on day one as it is. For first party stuff, people are overlooking the upgrade pack content for some of the titles though… like, for Kirby, that's a big chunk of new game to play when it eventually releases. It's not a full brand new game, sure, but it's definitely a big chunk.

Can't say much, but I can say Mario Kart World is fucking great.

(mart, this next sentence isn't a moan…)

I'm a big boy, it's not like I'm going to take offence.

I mean…. guys…

That was pretty shit. Mario Kart World was fine, but who really wants The Crew/Forza Horizon Kart? I'm not sure I do. Maybe you do? MK has always been about the course design and while I'm all for Blur levels of competitors, I'm not sure I'm so up for massive wide courses, with the ability to drive off into an undertextured grassland. It is the best game they showed though. System seller? Maybe.

Nintendo Discord was laughable. Please understand.

There is a fan in the stand!

Metroid in 120fps at 1080p was fine. The hardware also looks OK - LCD, but with HDR and a high refresh rate. It's 400 quid and so is a ROG Ally. And on the ROG Ally you don't pay £75 for a game. In fact, a second hand PS5 and a Portal isn't far off £400.

We got a load of 3rd party ports, which I guess is a YMMV moment. If you have kids with a Switch who have never had a home console, then that might be exciting, I guess? Showing Fortnite in a Nintendo presentation (when it's also on Switch 1) is a vibe.

From Software title looked OK. Bloodbourne-esque, probably will be good. Out in 2026 though.

The double finish of a shit Kirby game (nobody likes Kirby, even Kirby doesn't like Kirby as someone said on rllmuk) and open world Donkey Kong with digging (No Man's Sky: Gorilla Edition) looked shit and if you're defending that, then I don't know what to tell you.

The icing on the cake was the tutorial game for your new console that costs money, and all the upgrades for your old games that will [checks notes] also not be free.

What the fuck have all Nintendo's silent first party studios been doing for 3 years?

I think MK saved it from a total car crash, but there is a strong whiff of WiiU to this.

Changed my mind. Fuck off cav.

Personally Cyberpunk handheld appeals to me. Loved it but never did the DLC and it's difficult to play something that violent on the big Tele with little people around, so am intrigued to see that.

(No Man's Sky: Gorilla Edition) looked shit and if you're defending that, then I don't know what to tell you.

Red Faction: Gorilla, surely.

Personally Cyberpunk handheld appeals to me. Loved it but never did the DLC and it's difficult to play something that violent on the big Tele with little people around, so am intrigued to see that.

You have a ROG Ally. You can play Cyberpunk on it today, no?

Changed my mind. Fuck off cav.

I mean, what do you want me to say? It was fucking marvellous because you've worked on it? It was underwhelming and a pretty threadbare collection of titles. The best of them are either not out now, or also coming to Switch 1. Maybe swing into rllmuk or NeoGAF if you want to read fruitier takes than that.

I try to cure diseases for a day job. If I don't cure the diseases nobody pats me on the back and tells me well done for not curing the disease. I know the world's shit and we're all about to die in a nuclear trade war, but that doesn't excuse a Kirby game.

Yeah I could but still tempted by a version that is dedicated for a handheld console. I feel like your takes are a tad negative for what we saw (get yours are your views and elsewhere will be worse). I watched with an enthralled 8 year old and was really excited by what I saw too so maybe it was the rub from her enthusiasm. The Switch hybrid console/handheld is a different experience to a Steam deck/ROG Ally for many and so having a better handheld experience and a better console or docked experience is pretty much as good as you could expect I feel.

Also thought the DK game looked really decent.

I will die for Kirby