So Nintendo have released details of their paid online service, due to launch later this year (presumably alongside Super Smash Bros).
For £17.99 a year, you get:
- online play
- cloud saves
- access to a small but expanding library of NES games
If you want this to cover more than one user (even on the same Switch), you can pay £31.49 for a family subscription instead.
Thoughts? Got to say to me this is rubbish: having to pay nearly double so my son can use online play on the same console is a rip-off, cloud saves (or at least some way of manually backing up saves) should have been free from launch, and NES games? Really? PS+ this ain't. Voice chat continues to be through the same rubbish smartphone app they're using at the moment.
Looking forward to all those under-12 Splatoon players waking up one morning and finding their game's now useless unless they cough up an annual fee.
I avoid the whole £31.49 drama, so I'm fine with this on a selfish level. £17.99 is a decent price, and the actual connections have always been excellent for me; I've never seen lag in Splatoon, Mario Kart etc.
I know you don't get voice chat, and the NES games aren't up there with the stuff we get from competitors, but it's a fraction of the price.
If you want this to cover more than one user (even on the same Switch), you can pay £31.49 for a family subscription instead.
This is going to be a serious kick in the teeth for families; if it was any other company I'd expect to see this tier get removed before or in the year following launch (replaced with a multi-machine version, rather than multi-account), but if anybody's proved the financial surrender of their fans, it's Nintendo.
Sure, a PS+ subscription is more expensive - but that covers anybody signed in on the account's primary console, and includes free games from this generation. I realise that the nostalgia is strong with Nintendo, but I don't think it's as much of a draw as this suggests they do.
How many players does the family sub cover?
We should probably just take out a Society subscription between us all.
If you want this to cover more than one user (even on the same Switch), you can pay £31.49 for a family subscription instead.
This is going to be a serious kick in the teeth for families; if it was any other company I'd expect to see this tier get removed before or in the year following launch (replaced with a multi-machine version, rather than multi-account), but if anybody's proved the financial surrender of their fans, it's Nintendo.
Sure, a PS+ subscription is more expensive - but that covers anybody signed in on the account's primary console, and includes free games from this generation. I realise that the nostalgia is strong with Nintendo, but I don't think it's as much of a draw as this suggests they do.
Wait, what? How does this work? (Sorry don't want to de-rail the thread but I thought it was one ps+ subscription per PSN account)
Non-Plus accounts on a Plus user's primary PS4 can use online multiplayer unless parental controls say otherwise. No cloud saves for other accounts, though.
Source
So the Nintendo Switch online service debuts next month. I'll be picking up a family subscription so my boy and I can both use it, and my brother is joining us too, but if anyone here wants to take one of the other five slots then DM me the email address associated with your Nintendo account and I'll get it sorted out. If you fancy bunging a couple of quid in my direction as a contribution then that would be appreciated but it's not essential.
So the Nintendo Switch online service debuts next month
Aw man, just when I was thinking of getting back into Splatoon 2.
So the Nintendo Switch online service debuts next month. I'll be picking up a family subscription so my boy and I can both use it, and my brother is joining us too, but if anyone here wants to take one of the other five slots then DM me the email address associated with your Nintendo account and I'll get it sorted out. If you fancy bunging a couple of quid in my direction as a contribution then that would be appreciated but it's not essential.
I'd love to be in, if there's space please. Will happily pay and bung you game codes when I have them. :)
I personally think thats fine but then I have paid 30quid or higher for Xbox Live for the last 15 years now, I am actually on the verge of ebaying on my phyical games anyway as other than Mario Kart never play them now.
This launched today. One system update and a purchase of a family subscription later, and it's like nothing's really changed apart from a bunch of fun-but-really-very-elderly-why-are-you-still-relying-on-this-stuff NES games now sitting on my Switch home screen. Hopefully the introduction of a subscription fee won't hit the online communities for Splatoon 2 and Monster Hunter too hard.
I think the NES stuff on Switch is the thing that's finally made me realise I have zero nostalgia for that era of games.
I raced one track on Excite Bike, which was… fine, and I finished World 1-1 in the original Mario; I briefly considered firing up Zelda but thought better of it. None of the others registered much for me at all.
The first games console we got was an N64, then a Dreamcast - we had a games-capable PC before that, but consoles were things we only played au neighbours' and cousins' houses (and then, I'm pretty sure they had SNESes by that stage).
Maybe if they add later generations to the service I'll check back in, but for now I'm probably going to uninstall the retro channel.
There's no nostalgia for the NES in the UK. Everyone had Spectrums and C64s (and later Amigas and STs). So these games (barring Mario and maybe Zelda) are really just curios - they don't hold up particularly well and I can't imagine many people really playing them for more than the couple of minutes it takes to check each one out.
I got much more fun out of the Spectrum games on Rare Replay - yes they're even more primitive technically but there's a big nostalgia draw there and I do genuinely think stuff like Atic Atac and Jetpac holds up slightly better than most of the NES games on offer here. Plus Rare Replay (and a couple of other similar compilations) use achievements in a smart way, giving you an incentive to play each game for slightly longer - there's nothing similar with this Switch offering.
It's a good thing the sub is insanely cheap, because the NES thing is a joke (unless they re indeed going to eventually move up to SNES and GBA and N64 or whatever).
They'd be crazy not to - at this point, what NES game worth playing hasn't had a re-release on the SNES, GameBoy, GBA, DS, 3DS, GameCube, Wii or Wii U that the people who really care about these things haven't already played? There aren't many undiscovered NES classics.
Once they get into N64 territory it's going to get interesting, I think - that's when PlayStation took off and there are likely to be a lot of game from that era (and later) that haven't really had a huge audience.
Then again, a Wii-style Virtual Console for Switch seemed like a no-brainer to me, and Nintendo just seem so reluctant to really engage with the Unabashed Nostalgia market outside of extremely-limited-edition hardware.
It's a good thing the sub is insanely cheap, because the NES thing is a joke (unless they re indeed going to eventually move up to SNES and GBA and N64 or whatever).
I wouldn't class £17.99 as "insanely cheap", and I definitely wouldn't class £31.49 as cheap, which is what you need to pay if you've got more than one person using the Switch.
There's no nostalgia for the NES in the UK. Everyone had Spectrums and C64s (and later Amigas and STs). So these games (barring Mario and maybe Zelda) are really just curios - they don't hold up particularly well and I can't imagine many people really playing them for more than the couple of minutes it takes to check each one out.
I got much more fun out of the Spectrum games on Rare Replay - yes they're even more primitive technically but there's a big nostalgia draw there and I do genuinely think stuff like Atic Atac and Jetpac holds up slightly better than most of the NES games on offer here. Plus Rare Replay (and a couple of other similar compilations) use achievements in a smart way, giving you an incentive to play each game for slightly longer - there's nothing similar with this Switch offering.
Always surprised when people say that as the NES was all anyone owned round our way. Always forget what it was but my old man got a c64 or spectrum and couldn't believe it was no better than our amstrad and then returned it. And then played a demo nes and spent the rest of the day tracking one down. That must have been late 80s.
There's no nostalgia for the NES in the UK. Everyone had Spectrums and C64s
How very dare you #CPC464massive
I don't even know what a CPC464 is.
I had one, we also then got the colour one that had the console expansion built in that they never then released any games for. Just looked it up and seems to be the CPC 6128 plus.
Bizarrely enough a couple of the other guys from the Dreamcast Junkyard site/podcast had amstrads too which I find quite unusual as it doesn't feel that common to meet other Amstrad people.
Really enjoying a couple of these. But struggling to feel comfortable using the stick and the dpad just doesn't feel right.
OK, so what’s good? The two Mario games are timeless, I like Donkey Kong for nostalgic reasons and Balloon Fight is great - what am I missing? I tried Ice Climber and it was shiiiiite.
I don't even know what a CPC464 is.
It's what the kool kidz owned.
The Mario Games, Zelda and then Tecmo Bowl are what I have been moving towards. Not played any other Switch games bar Hollow Knight since I got this. I've tried a few of the others as used to own the Wrestling game and excite bike and so enjoyed them. Playing Excite Bike after all these years was an odd feeling.
Castlevania, Rush N Attack, Boy and his Blob, Punchout would be great on here to me.
Anyone already playing: I'm hearing horror stories about screen burn from NES games. Seen pictures too, it look awful. What's the deal?
Screen burn on the Switch screen or on TVs?
Did someone say they didn't like the Switch d-pad? Here's a £20 solution:
Did someone say they didn't like the Switch d-pad? Here's a £20 solution:
"Can only be used in Handheld Mode" and basically has zero functionality of a regular Joy-Con.
Well, I suppose that's one way of doing it. £20 though. :)
I understand to a point why folk don't like using buttons on the left Joy-Con, but those who've gone as far as modding it out… surely that then means you're fucking over anyone having to use that Joy-Con if you try to play multiplayer? Instead of having dedicated buttons for things, they're left using a d-pad and potentially messing up inputs. That's not good. Fine, if you have zero intention of sharing, but it's a bit short-sighted.
I know it's expensive but the Switch Pro Controller is a great controller and has a great d-pad as well as all the other features you'd want including gyro, rumble and really good battery life. I'd rather save up for one of those than blow some of that money on a gimped third-party joycon.
Fair enough.
I saw that Asda has a bunch of wired controllers for the Switch, which confused me because isn't the only plug on the Switch at the bottom, so when can you actually use these controllers?
Does anyone play their Switch games with both Joycons free? I call upon my enlightened brothers!!!
I have, but I prefer not to.
Does anyone play their Switch games with both Joycons free? I call upon my enlightened brothers!!!
I do, regularly. I rather like being able to play games with my hands by my sides or in any configuration (crossed, usually) that isn't 'Hold a controller in front of you' position. It's quite relaxing.
I saw that Asda has a bunch of wired controllers for the Switch, which confused me because isn't the only plug on the Switch at the bottom, so when can you actually use these controllers?
They're USB, so only work with the dock. I think.
I have, but I prefer not to.
But it's so freeee.
I played my Switch all day once pretty much and the Joycon batteries hardly lost any power, I can't see the benefit to a wired joycon at all unless I'm missing something?
I find the range on the joycons pretty poor, especially the right one for some reason. Same on both the sets I have. The connection on the Pro controller is much more reliable.
The wired controllers are a lot cheaper though so if you’re after an extra one for multiplayer then it’s probably not a bad option. The Switch dock has three USB ports - two on the side and one on the inside.
Ok, that makes sense. And yes, the advantage of them is that they only cost £20, instead of £50+.
As for using the controllers separated, it is comfy for sitting and chilling, but I find it a little hard to stretch my thumb up to the plus and down to stick without feeling like I'm going to drop it. Also it's easier to drink my coffee of my controllers are connected. It's a pretty minor thing, but it's enough that I prefer the mount.
Does anyone play their Switch games with both Joycons free? I call upon my enlightened brothers!!!
It's the best way to play Splatoon, for my money.
I find the range on the joycons pretty poor, especially the right one for some reason. Same on both the sets I have. The connection on the Pro controller is much more reliable.
My right joycon seems to behave, but the left one is useless unless it's very close to the docked machine. I thought it was maybe interference because it's behind the TV (out of sight and reach of toddler hands), but it could just be crap range.
The connection on the Pro controller is perfect, though. (It's also replaced the 360 pad as my favourite controller - the layout, weight and inputs are spot-on.)
My right joycon seems to behave, but the left one is useless unless it's very close to the docked machine. I thought it was maybe interference because it's behind the TV (out of sight and reach of toddler hands), but it could just be crap range.
It seems to require line of sight, which is bizarre, or at least the signal is very easily blocked by other items. If I'm sitting on the sofa, the connection's generally OK unless I cross my legs, in which case my leg blocks line of sight from the joy-con to the Switch and I immediately start to get drop-outs.
I find the grip, or the wrist strap attachments, help - I think they prevent you gripping the controller so tightly which must help prevent your hand blocking the signal (?!)
I do have a LOT of electronics in my lounge though including a wi-fi access point about a foot from the Switch so I'm sure that's not helping!
Did you send your controllers off when Nintendo started offering a fix? My left joycon constantly disconnected for a few seconds when I first got it. Nintendo are aware of the issue and the fix is a quick one, apparently.
No, I'm fairly sure it's just a range/interference thing (probably the latter) as my second pair of joy-cons behaves in exactly the same way as the first. When they're a bit closer to the Switch they work fine. I'll have to try them at range in another location though just to try and narrow down what the issue is.
Cheers it was me that said that. My Switch is purely handheld only. Mainly play in bed or on the chair to the side of the living room when the missus is using the tele. So whilst I have a pro controller it isnt ideal to use given the manner in which I play.
Will check there are no other designs then order that I think. I have actually gone all of September without spending any money on gaming stuff except for the online pass and a game I had wallet credit for. I honestly don't think I've ever gone that long since maybe 08. Had developed a worrying habit of constantly buying but never playing retro stuff.
Not specifically an online service thing but I found out today that you can actually register your physical Switch carts and earn gold coins on them which gives you money off online purchases. I didn't realise you could do that. Put your cart in, press + on the main menu screen and follow the prompts for Nintendo Rewards. I registered my small collection and got a decent amount of money off Super Mario Party on the eShop.
Also - with regards to the connection issues with the joycons - I've moved my wifi access point a few feet further away from the Switch (as far as the Ethernet cable will take it) and it's definitely improved things a lot, so it probably is primarily wifi interference that's causing the problem. I can probably swap in a longer cable and move it a bit further if I still get intermittent issues.
Not specifically an online service thing but I found out today that you can actually register your physical Switch carts and earn gold coins on them which gives you money off online purchases. I didn't realise you could do that. Put your cart in, press + on the main menu screen and follow the prompts for Nintendo Rewards. I registered my small collection and got a decent amount of money off Super Mario Party on the eShop.
I could have told you that. :)
Gold coins for digital purchases are added to your account automatically, but you have to register for physical ones yourself. Prevents people getting coins from pre-owned products.
They're adding Super Mario Bros. 2 to the NES game list that comes with the online service.
FINALLY, A REASON TO HAVE IT. 
