“4K” seems so absurdly unlikely, it makes the whole report look weird. I mean, why bother with 4K on a tablet chip? A PS4 Pro struggles with it. What’s the current status of the Tegra line? Is...
“4K” seems so absurdly unlikely, it makes the whole report look weird. I mean, why bother with 4K on a tablet chip? A PS4 Pro struggles with it.
What’s the current status of the Tegra line? Is there even significant movement in the technology?
Nintendo never goes top of the line (nor close to top of the line) with their displays. The 3DS had a 240p screen (2011), the Wii U 480p (2012), and the Switch 720p (2017). The next Nintendo...
Nintendo never goes top of the line (nor close to top of the line) with their displays. The 3DS had a 240p screen (2011), the Wii U 480p (2012), and the Switch 720p (2017). The next Nintendo handheld will likely have a 1080p screen, but can output in 4K on TVs. At the pace Nintendo goes, it will be 2030 before they put a 4K screen into their handhelds (but even then 1440p would be more likely).
Personally, I would rather they go up to 90hz on their displays. Doubt that would ever happen as games barely take advantage of 60 FPS, but it would be a neat performance differentiator rather than using resolution alone.
There's a lot of murmur about how they dropped literally any "switching" from the Switch Lite, which opens the brand for a possible TV-only model. In many ways, that would make a lot of sense, in...
There's a lot of murmur about how they dropped literally any "switching" from the Switch Lite, which opens the brand for a possible TV-only model. In many ways, that would make a lot of sense, in many others, it's kinda stupid.
Man, I absolutely hated the tiny screen on the 3DS after I got spoiled by the beautiful OLED screen on the PS Vita. The fact that the 3DS had somewhat-decent 3D performance was marred by how bad...
Man, I absolutely hated the tiny screen on the 3DS after I got spoiled by the beautiful OLED screen on the PS Vita. The fact that the 3DS had somewhat-decent 3D performance was marred by how bad the screen made everything appear. It feels like the 3DS was made thinking that people would be making gimicky games like they did for the DS, but it feels like those games didn't really get made. Or maybe they did get made but were locked away on the online shop and nobody wanted to talk about them.
I'm actually really happy with their choice on the Switch, though; I don't think having a 1080p screen would be a significant upgrade at that size, and I think they were right to make sure they spent their screen budget on color reproduction rather than pixel count.
The Switch was my first Nintendo console since the NES and I'm shocked and appalled at how completely incompetent the company is at anything other than games and hardware. Playing with your...
The Switch was my first Nintendo console since the NES and I'm shocked and appalled at how completely incompetent the company is at anything other than games and hardware.
Playing with your friends is a futile effort. The OS has had no real improvements since launch. Even their own game store can't scroll without stuttering on their flagship device!
IMO the console's most disappointing aspect is actually a hardware fault: Joycon drift. It's so fucking annoying and seemingly inevitable after amassing a certain amount of play hours. They...
IMO the console's most disappointing aspect is actually a hardware fault: Joycon drift. It's so fucking annoying and seemingly inevitable after amassing a certain amount of play hours. They haven't made any efforts to fix the problem in new models and I believe even the Lite has it, which is even worse.
I don't really buy a Nintendo console for online multiplayer and for $20 a year, what I get is fine. The OS is super snappy and I'm so happy they're not bloating it further. It's there to get out of the way so I can get back to the game I had open earlier and it does that within a second. The eShop seems to run as a website in their abysmal browser, which is kinda weird considering how essential it is to their business but I use it once per game bought, so it's not like it's a big part of the experience.
Honestly, the joycon drift is the only thing that bothers me since it can neither be avoided nor can it be excused with "culture differences" (I believe their refusal to do online social features has more to do with avoiding assholes than with technical incompetence – congrats "edgy" gamers!).
I still love it. It's the most pleasant console I have ever owned.
I honestly don't like playing the Switch in portable mode because it basically means playing with the Joycons, and they just plain don't feel that great. I almost wish that Nintendo had included...
I honestly don't like playing the Switch in portable mode because it basically means playing with the Joycons, and they just plain don't feel that great. I almost wish that Nintendo had included the Pro controller instead.
But if there was one thing which makes me appreciate Nintendo's design of the Switch, it's that they're the only ones who seem to completely understand that the best console is the one that doesn't get in your way of playing games. It does have a splash screen when you start up, but you're one button away from continuing your suspended game. The home screen has your games in order of what was played last, so you have access to what you want automatically. Updates are fast and painless. The only thing even remotely painful is how often it asks you to configure the controllers, but it's a brilliant way to figure out who is player as fast as possible.
I thought the size of the joycons would be a problem for my relatively big hands but I've come to like their ergonomics. Not having to hold your hands together while playing is an absolute game...
I thought the size of the joycons would be a problem for my relatively big hands but I've come to like their ergonomics. Not having to hold your hands together while playing is an absolute game changer. You can take up so many more comfortable positions for your hands. Also all the fear about joystick and button size turned out to be unwarranted since it doesn't really matter if your finger is bigger than the buttons, unless you're Andre the Giant, they're far enough away from each other you're never pressing two accidentally.
The size is not a huge problem for me, it's really more the shape and positioning. I don't like that it's flat because while playing with the joycons docked it feels like the whole system is going...
The size is not a huge problem for me, it's really more the shape and positioning. I don't like that it's flat because while playing with the joycons docked it feels like the whole system is going to fall out of my hands. The biggest problem, though, is the d-pad, which is both in an awkward place and an awkward shape, and that is a problem when you play 2D games as much as I do.
Also playing with just the left joycon in a two-hand configuration is painful, but at least I have never been forced to play that way.
I bought a Pro controller just so my SO and I could get a full controller each after experiencing hand cramps after only a few rounds of Mario Kart. I've got large hands, she has small ones. The...
I bought a Pro controller just so my SO and I could get a full controller each after experiencing hand cramps after only a few rounds of Mario Kart. I've got large hands, she has small ones. The Joy-Cons turning into two controllers is an ingenious and wonderful idea but they really are too small for anything more than 15 minutes of use at a time.
I think they coast because they know people will buy every iteration of Mario/Zelda/Pokemon that they put out regardless of how good they are. Their online functionality has always been behind...
I think they coast because they know people will buy every iteration of Mario/Zelda/Pokemon that they put out regardless of how good they are. Their online functionality has always been behind Microsoft and Sony's.
So my son is turning 7 very soon and wants a Switch. I would love for him to get off our iPad and away from adds, youtube, shitty games etc. Would this be a solid choice? He's currently into...
So my son is turning 7 very soon and wants a Switch. I would love for him to get off our iPad and away from adds, youtube, shitty games etc. Would this be a solid choice? He's currently into Roblox, Minecraft, Goat simulator and a bit of Fortnite.
Having seen my 5 year old nephew leave behind his F2P games on the goddamn iPad in favor of a Switch (I like to think showing him Super Mario 64 opened his eyes to what games can be) was an...
Having seen my 5 year old nephew leave behind his F2P games on the goddamn iPad in favor of a Switch (I like to think showing him Super Mario 64 opened his eyes to what games can be) was an absolute pleasure. I was surprised how much youtube kids consume, nowadays. The first time he showed me Mario Odyssey I expected to help him play, instead he showed me "secrets" (I legit didn't know about) he learned on some Nintendo channel, lol. I'm also surprised how much creativity he put into Super Mario Maker. Plus he's surprisingly deep into Splatoon.
To answer your question: Yes, get him a Switch, if that's in your budget. It's such an upgrade in gaming culture and 7 should make him old enough to enjoy pretty much every Nintendo game. Minecraft is on Switch but for the first game, I recommend Mario Odyssey and maybe Mario Kart, can't go wrong with the classics.
Thanks man. This was what I was hoping to hear. As much as we want our iPad back it's mostly about gaming quality and add/shitty content exposure for me. Plus a switch might get me more involved...
Thanks man. This was what I was hoping to hear. As much as we want our iPad back it's mostly about gaming quality and add/shitty content exposure for me. Plus a switch might get me more involved in his gaming. I would love that.
This explains so much of the "gaming youtuber" market and why they so often read the on-screen text in a "storytime" voices. I always thought they're just doing it sarcastically or to not get...
This explains so much of the "gaming youtuber" market and why they so often read the on-screen text in a "storytime" voices. I always thought they're just doing it sarcastically or to not get bored/keep talking but a lot of their viewers might actually be too young to read.
I'm not that surprised by the trend. It's much easier to "consume" a game that way than to beg your parents to buy it. Also, as a kid, I remember sitting with my slightly older cousin and watching him play these intricate PC games for hours. I was fascinated. The parents always pushed him to let me play as it was assumed I was just waiting for my turn but I didn't want to, I wanted to see a "pro" play! Who knew this would be turned into a billion-dollar-business?
Never underestimate the joy of watching others play. I'm still that way as an adult and still catches myself doing exactly this to my son and his friends. Thanks for the reminder.
The parents always pushed him to let me play as it was assumed I was just waiting for my turn but I didn't want to, I wanted to see a "pro" play!
Never underestimate the joy of watching others play. I'm still that way as an adult and still catches myself doing exactly this to my son and his friends. Thanks for the reminder.
“4K” seems so absurdly unlikely, it makes the whole report look weird. I mean, why bother with 4K on a tablet chip? A PS4 Pro struggles with it.
What’s the current status of the Tegra line? Is there even significant movement in the technology?
Nintendo never goes top of the line (nor close to top of the line) with their displays. The 3DS had a 240p screen (2011), the Wii U 480p (2012), and the Switch 720p (2017). The next Nintendo handheld will likely have a 1080p screen, but can output in 4K on TVs. At the pace Nintendo goes, it will be 2030 before they put a 4K screen into their handhelds (but even then 1440p would be more likely).
Personally, I would rather they go up to 90hz on their displays. Doubt that would ever happen as games barely take advantage of 60 FPS, but it would be a neat performance differentiator rather than using resolution alone.
There's a lot of murmur about how they dropped literally any "switching" from the Switch Lite, which opens the brand for a possible TV-only model. In many ways, that would make a lot of sense, in many others, it's kinda stupid.
Man, I absolutely hated the tiny screen on the 3DS after I got spoiled by the beautiful OLED screen on the PS Vita. The fact that the 3DS had somewhat-decent 3D performance was marred by how bad the screen made everything appear. It feels like the 3DS was made thinking that people would be making gimicky games like they did for the DS, but it feels like those games didn't really get made. Or maybe they did get made but were locked away on the online shop and nobody wanted to talk about them.
I'm actually really happy with their choice on the Switch, though; I don't think having a 1080p screen would be a significant upgrade at that size, and I think they were right to make sure they spent their screen budget on color reproduction rather than pixel count.
My money is on "improved stability".
SCNR, please flag as joke...
The Switch was my first Nintendo console since the NES and I'm shocked and appalled at how completely incompetent the company is at anything other than games and hardware.
Playing with your friends is a futile effort. The OS has had no real improvements since launch. Even their own game store can't scroll without stuttering on their flagship device!
IMO the console's most disappointing aspect is actually a hardware fault: Joycon drift. It's so fucking annoying and seemingly inevitable after amassing a certain amount of play hours. They haven't made any efforts to fix the problem in new models and I believe even the Lite has it, which is even worse.
I don't really buy a Nintendo console for online multiplayer and for $20 a year, what I get is fine. The OS is super snappy and I'm so happy they're not bloating it further. It's there to get out of the way so I can get back to the game I had open earlier and it does that within a second. The eShop seems to run as a website in their abysmal browser, which is kinda weird considering how essential it is to their business but I use it once per game bought, so it's not like it's a big part of the experience.
Honestly, the joycon drift is the only thing that bothers me since it can neither be avoided nor can it be excused with "culture differences" (I believe their refusal to do online social features has more to do with avoiding assholes than with technical incompetence – congrats "edgy" gamers!).
I still love it. It's the most pleasant console I have ever owned.
I honestly don't like playing the Switch in portable mode because it basically means playing with the Joycons, and they just plain don't feel that great. I almost wish that Nintendo had included the Pro controller instead.
(Though IMHO the best controller for the Switch isn't made by Nintendo)
But if there was one thing which makes me appreciate Nintendo's design of the Switch, it's that they're the only ones who seem to completely understand that the best console is the one that doesn't get in your way of playing games. It does have a splash screen when you start up, but you're one button away from continuing your suspended game. The home screen has your games in order of what was played last, so you have access to what you want automatically. Updates are fast and painless. The only thing even remotely painful is how often it asks you to configure the controllers, but it's a brilliant way to figure out who is player as fast as possible.
The Hori Split Gamepad is supposed to work really well for Handheld mode, and was popular enough to warrant a second printing.
I thought the size of the joycons would be a problem for my relatively big hands but I've come to like their ergonomics. Not having to hold your hands together while playing is an absolute game changer. You can take up so many more comfortable positions for your hands. Also all the fear about joystick and button size turned out to be unwarranted since it doesn't really matter if your finger is bigger than the buttons, unless you're Andre the Giant, they're far enough away from each other you're never pressing two accidentally.
It's really just that goddamn joystick drift...
The size is not a huge problem for me, it's really more the shape and positioning. I don't like that it's flat because while playing with the joycons docked it feels like the whole system is going to fall out of my hands. The biggest problem, though, is the d-pad, which is both in an awkward place and an awkward shape, and that is a problem when you play 2D games as much as I do.
Also playing with just the left joycon in a two-hand configuration is painful, but at least I have never been forced to play that way.
I bought a Pro controller just so my SO and I could get a full controller each after experiencing hand cramps after only a few rounds of Mario Kart. I've got large hands, she has small ones. The Joy-Cons turning into two controllers is an ingenious and wonderful idea but they really are too small for anything more than 15 minutes of use at a time.
I think they coast because they know people will buy every iteration of Mario/Zelda/Pokemon that they put out regardless of how good they are. Their online functionality has always been behind Microsoft and Sony's.
So my son is turning 7 very soon and wants a Switch. I would love for him to get off our iPad and away from adds, youtube, shitty games etc. Would this be a solid choice? He's currently into Roblox, Minecraft, Goat simulator and a bit of Fortnite.
Having seen my 5 year old nephew leave behind his F2P games on the goddamn iPad in favor of a Switch (I like to think showing him Super Mario 64 opened his eyes to what games can be) was an absolute pleasure. I was surprised how much youtube kids consume, nowadays. The first time he showed me Mario Odyssey I expected to help him play, instead he showed me "secrets" (I legit didn't know about) he learned on some Nintendo channel, lol. I'm also surprised how much creativity he put into Super Mario Maker. Plus he's surprisingly deep into Splatoon.
To answer your question: Yes, get him a Switch, if that's in your budget. It's such an upgrade in gaming culture and 7 should make him old enough to enjoy pretty much every Nintendo game. Minecraft is on Switch but for the first game, I recommend Mario Odyssey and maybe Mario Kart, can't go wrong with the classics.
Thanks man. This was what I was hoping to hear. As much as we want our iPad back it's mostly about gaming quality and add/shitty content exposure for me. Plus a switch might get me more involved in his gaming. I would love that.
My nephews watch so much YouTube that they know games inside out without ever having played them.
This explains so much of the "gaming youtuber" market and why they so often read the on-screen text in a "storytime" voices. I always thought they're just doing it sarcastically or to not get bored/keep talking but a lot of their viewers might actually be too young to read.
I'm not that surprised by the trend. It's much easier to "consume" a game that way than to beg your parents to buy it. Also, as a kid, I remember sitting with my slightly older cousin and watching him play these intricate PC games for hours. I was fascinated. The parents always pushed him to let me play as it was assumed I was just waiting for my turn but I didn't want to, I wanted to see a "pro" play! Who knew this would be turned into a billion-dollar-business?
Never underestimate the joy of watching others play. I'm still that way as an adult and still catches myself doing exactly this to my son and his friends. Thanks for the reminder.