Switch Discussion Thread

[Reprise]

it's DAMN affordable for what it is, and I'll refer you all back to Reprise's post.

Another thing most people seem to be overlooking, is, unlike any other console, the Switch is actually released with two controllers inside the box, because of the great design of the Joycons. I know a lot of people have turned up their noses at them and want a pro controller, but those Joycons look great to me for more casual multiplayer experiences. They don't look as uncomfortable as I expected and they'll be great for games like Bomberman, Mario Kart 8, Street Fighter II HD and of course 1-2 Switch etc.

Some people complain the console is a rip off (and when I questioned one of my buddies on it, he said "well, it's ok by itself, but when you consider I have to buy a pro controller, a SD card, a game and then will soon have to pay for online, it's a rip off"), but I think it's neat my wife and I can play some multiplayer straight away with the Joycons and don't need to worry about extra controllers or the pro controller just yet.

[jmbarnes101]

Why does anyone have to buy a pro controller? I can see doing so on the Wii or Wii U but it seems almost pointless on the Switch. You also don't need a memory card for a while unless you're downloading retail games or a lot of eshop and virtual console titles.

[Reprise]

Why does anyone have to buy a pro controller? I can see doing so on the Wii or Wii U but it seems almost pointless on the Switch. You also don't need a memory card for a while unless you're downloading retail games or a lot of eshop and virtual console titles.

I agree on the pro controller. It's not needed. The Joycons combined in the grip looks fine.

Regarding the memory though, allegedly Zelda takes 13/14GB of the internal memory even with the cartridge. It's also apparently been confirmed that save files save to the system, not the game cartridges (although save files are small to be fair).

[Xeogred]

I loved the U pro controller. I'm just real curious how this new one feels, it doesn't look as good to me.

[isiolia]

Switch Pro Controller looks nice to me, and will probably be desired by people that want, like, a d-pad and full sized buttons and stuff.

I don't see what about it warrants a higher MSRP than MS and Sony's controllers though. While modern controllers do cost more to make, far as I know, the bill of materials is still in the $15-20 range, if not less by now (Dual Shock 4 was estimated at $18 to build, in 2013).

[Xeogred]

Oh yeah don't get me wrong, the price is outrageous. lol

[Tanooki]

I think the increase in cost can be justified, but we don't have the facts.

Watching them explain the 3D Rumble mechanics. Then you have the sensor on the Joycon that can work for speed, depth, distance and more beyond what the Wii was capable of that has to be some added cost to it. You figure they each have a battery in both parts, and have their own driving source for power consumption, 1:1 syncing to the system when disconnected, or the joint battery with that wedge to use it as 1 controller it all adds up. The pro controller really has no use unless you need it for a certain limited genre of game (like a dual stick FPS) which would need it. It's mostly just nose turned up gamers assuming the worst and not understanding things.

32GB will be fine for a little while but it is small, that is if it's fact that Zelda eats up like 1/3 of it to save its contents from the card if it doesn't just stream it like say 3DS games do from the card itself. That could be an issue, but if you're a tool and don't buy your memory cards online where they're vastly cheaper that's your problem. You can get a 32GB microSD class 10 sandisk for $10 free shipping on amazon which doubles your space. 64GB=$16 and 128GB is $40. I know the newest 256GB cards are a $150+ ripoff but it'll cheapen up fast once the 512s pop up. I'd imagine a 64GB is probably mostly what anyone would in a normal life time of the system need, and if not that definitely 128 unless you just are a download nut and are anti-physical media.

[isiolia]

"3D Rumble" looks to simply be the improved haptic feedback that has already been seen in the Steam controller, newer phones, and plenty of other devices. Nintendo apparently is using the Immersion SDK. The cost for the type of motor used for that seems like it'd be in the dollar range (for example).
Harder to say for the camera/IR sensor, though it really wouldn't need to be much either.

I think it's less a comparison to what Wiimotes and the like cost, and more look at what the XB1/PS4/Steam controller costs are. Sure, the JoyCons have some different things they do - but they don't have touchpads or sync bluetooth audio or whatever either.

Realistically, accessories tend to be high margin items, Switch stuff just seems to be taking that a little far. IMO, it's even worse with stuff like the dock.
The system itself I don't think is priced badly. It may end up having a bundled-Kinect type backlash - if it lives in the dock you don't need the screen, if it's always on the go you don't need the dock - but for what's in the box it's not bad. Especially given that Nintendo still wants $199.99 for a New 3DS XL

[ElkinFencer10]

Elkinfencer10 managed to get one preordered on Amazon, but he was prepared. I wish I was enthusiastic and monetarily comfortable enough that I would be willing to pre-order something. But really, I am looking forward to seeing what Nintendo does with this system. There are lots of phone and tablet games I just refuse to buy because I don't like touch screen controls, and the Joy Cons look like an awesome solution.

As I've mentioned in the Slack chat, I'm fortunate in that my county provides teachers a supplement on top of the state salary that just happens to be distributed the same month that the Switch launches. As soon as I heard they were planning to launch in March back during E3, I immediately planned to use my supplement check for the Switch, whatever launch games I want, and an extra controller or two (I'm planning to get a Pro controller and have a charging Joycon grip as well as a set of the red/blue Joycons pre-ordered).

The thing to remember about the pro controller is - correct me if I've misunderstood something because that's entirely possible - it will have motion control capabilities. The PS4 controller has this to an extent, but IIRC that function based on tracking the light bar with the camera, a cheaper but less accurate and less reliable method of motion control.

I'm absolutely going to get a pro controller to have my options open with controls, but I will probably use the JoyCons in the grip most of the time. I'm just hella stoked in general.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I'll approach this like I approached the Wii U. I'll purchase one long after it's released and grab the best-looking first party titles. Probably build a collection of 30 games or so, with luck. Looking forward to it, but not insanely stoked.