Nintendo Switch is only worthwhile as a portable console

Stuff's Ryan writes: "After a month of having the Switch locked between my hands, I’ve come to a realisation: we’ve been looking at the Switch all wrong. Ninty's new toy shouldn’t be compared to the PS4, Xbox One or even the Wii U. Instead, it should be examined under the same lens that critiqued the 3DS and the PlayStation Vita."

[_-EDMIX-_]

OH REALLLLLLLY!???

[badz149]

it's not getting big AAA games from 3rd parties (at least for now) and some devs are starting to come out with handheld mode only games for it taking full advantage of the touch screen. so yeah, REALLY

it will have less console type games but more handheld type games are coming. if THAT is not enough an indication that the Switch is mainly a handheld, I don't know what is.

personally, I think it's kind of puzzling on why they didn't include a SIM card slot for it though. I bet many are willing to spend for various available data plans to use on the go for added freedom instead of limited to hotspots and I think many carriers will also be willing to subsidize the Switch with their data plan too much like smartphones. imagine The Switch for $150 or less since day 1 with a data plan. it will sell a bazzilion!

[gbsrnctaln]

Unfortunately Nintendo has no fucking vision. They lucked out with the wii and have now tripled down on the gimick train. Hell imagine what a FREE switch with a data plan would do for them, or tack on $10/month for the console. Sad how regular Joes on the internet can see this while thesr corporate suit millionaires cannot.

[Muzikguy]

Regular joes on the internet don't run a business. Businesses don't stay in business by giving things away for free. The Switch costs money to produce, transport, and market so...

[gbsrnctaln]

Muzikguy. Good thing you dont run a business. Guess how much I can get a $500+ cell phone for with a data plan???? That's right...for "free". Stay in your lane buddy, this ones moving too fast for you.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Completely agreed with everything that you stated.

I would say the only thing that's up for perception is the idea of what people consider console games at the end of the day games are games so their power limitation is not really that relevant in regards to what we consider a console game , I want you to look at something like World of Final Fantasy or really I am setsuna a handheld game of course is going to be limited in regards to Hardware but technically speaking when a game is made on console the developer can choose to not use its Hardware to its maximum potential look at World of Final Fantasy look at I am setsuna it is still within the realm of possibility that those developers could have made that game on PlayStation 4 only and still made it the exact same way even without a Vita version so I actually believe the idea of console or handheld games might be just a matter of user perception.

Now I definitely agree with you that this is not going to receive big Triple-A titles in regards to how demanding those games are that's really where this really takes shape.

So I'm not going to go out and say it's not getting calls all games since that's very subjective based on how we look at that but let's change that to it's not going to receive demanding Triple A games that were seeing made specifically for PlayStation 4 Xbox One and PC.

I mean just for argument's sake or categorizing what we're talking about.

I mean not all developers are making games to maximize consoles.

The fact that developers are even making games that only support the handheld goes to show that they're definitely leaning on only supporting that mode if they realized majority are not using this on the television.

So why spend money on an option users may not be using?

This is a handheld 100% And I'm not sure why people even try to fall for Nintendo bs in marketing considering.

It has a screen, it has a battery the motherboard and all the hardware was conformed to be portable, you can function on the go....

Handheld.

[Muzikguy]

Ok, if you were the head honcho of the business that provides that phone you think you can get for free, how much money would you get to pay your own bills? That's right, none. "Stay in your own lane buddy"....

You're also telling anyone that works for you that they don't deserve a paycheck either, so they in turn couldn't by themselves that smartphone or other things. It's called wealth distribution. I may not run a business but I still know the fundamentals

[MVGeneral]

Muzikguy,
YOU should stay in your own lane, bud. Your just sounding ridiculous right now.

Gbsrnctaln is referring to phone line companies that give cell phones and tablets (which are at their base value more expensive than the switch) for free if you sign a talk/text and or data plan with them. Here in Canada you can get mostly any phone or tablet for free if you get a mobile plan. They basically take a cut out of your monthly bill to pay for the device.
If the switch did this, it would have been much better. I would never personally get the switch but if they had mobile data and if I can add it to my phone bill I would have just got it for the h*ll of it.

[indysurfn]

All you guys with your logic that the SWITCH is a handheld.

Let's see Nintendo has always had a console, and handheld since the late 70's.
So by your logic they cancelled the only console they had (Wii u), and added a SECOND Handheld (SWITCH).

So now Nintendo (by your logic) has TWO handhelds cannibalizing each others sales. And NO CONSOLE, they don't want the money from a console anymore, so they just decided to not have a console(by your logic).

Seems to me the types of games they have coming from third parties are factually console styles you want to IGNORE what is coming to SWITCH including the true JRPG's that has aways been a staple of consoles.

Me and Most of my SWITCH owning friends ironically have only played it is a console, except the first day of testing it. I know it is always in my dock connected to my 4k HDR tv looking GOOD. All you hater's come to jump on a Nintendo article like a hate group on the NAACP site.

[BLKxSEPTEMBER]

Yeah cause that whole data plan thing worked so well for the Vita /s. The Switch is a HOME CONSOLE that just so happens to be portable as well. I never use my Switch in portable mode and I probably never will. How do you know it will have less console type games ? Do you have some sort of insider information? Sure it will have lots of indie games similar to PS4 and Xbox but it will also have console games as well.

[badz149]

@BLKxSEPTEMBER

"How do you know it will have less console type games ? Do you have some sort of insider information?"

if you're living in the real world, outside of the Nintendo-tinted bubble, you don't have to have any insider to see it will get less console games from 3rd parties at least this year. this early in the year alone, it's already is missing RE7, For Honor, GR Wildland, ME Andromeda and there is no news of year end games like Destiny, SW BF2, RDR2 and even CoD hitting it either. mind you that these are big budget games from big publishers that I can think of and I bet there are many more that are skipping the Switch. still need proof?

[potatoMax]

What about Fifa and Skyrim? those are AAA 3rd party games. However, no nintendo console was ever about getting AAA games on it, why would they create another PS4/Xbox One, consumers should be happy nintendo is taking a different approach. I do own a PS4 and use it frequently, but when I feel like something else, the Switch is a good alternative for different kind of games. If it gets the same support as the 3DS for example, we can look forward to games like Animal Crossing, Smash Bros, pokemon ( allready on the roadmap ), Pikmin, Mario and more.

[Muzikguy]

@MVGeneral

Tell your buddy he's the one jumping into other people's lanes. I'm staying in mine. If we want to talk "theoretically"....

Yours and his idea of a data plan is a bad idea. You'd pay way more long term than the device is worth. I know what he's talking about getting his "expensive" phone for free. Makers of android phones do that. Look how many there are and how often they complain about not making money. That's why there are so many devices. If you were LG or Samsung and only sold phones but gave them away, you'd make no money and go out of business. It sounds more to me like you and your friend don't know how businesses work. I'm not the one sounding ridiculous. These phone makers don't run phone services either so again your arguments don't work. Even if they worked out some sort of agreement with those companies, people already have phones and won't be using their Switches to talk to people over a cell phone. All-in-one devices DON'T work! We've already been down that road. Maybe you should stay in your own lane as well

[gbsrnctaln]

Mizik

They're subsidized you idiot lol

[Muzikguy]

Subsidized meaning the cost is hidden elsewhere. You're still paying for it. Like that service you're talking about. Are you one of those people that think when you get a credit card it's free money?

I don't know if you and your friend think you're the king of the Internet or something with your petty insults, but it's nothing I've not seen before. You should stop calling names as you look inferior

[Smokingunz]

Lol

[timdavies81]

Great article - the arguments are well reasoned.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

In the end it probably is.
Say your area or place had a black out.
Well luckily Switch is portable.

[demonicale]

I've used the switch mostly docked and it's fine. Stupid article.

[Krysis]

No it's not Zelda does not run well docked. At least for me. But some of us have higher standards as well. What's fine for you is not for me.

[phoenixwing]

I don't even own a switch but i remember them releasing an update that supposedly fixed that if i'm not mistaken.

[EddieNX]

Zelda runs absolutely fine after the update. Its 30fps 99% of the time

[mcstorm]

Krysis what issues so you have one not noticed any docked it undocked. As for the switch it's self for me Nintendo have done an amazing job for the price it is sold at. If people want a handheld with the power of the Xbox or PlayStation 4 it's not going to happen as the price would be way to much plus the battery life would also be a massive issue to. The switch for me is the perfect size for a portable console but also performs well as a home consoles. Ok it is lacking games we all know that but Zelda is the must by game for any fan and looking that this year seeing games like Mario kart, splatoon and Mario oddisy coming later in the year you can see Nintendo are backing the console. Yes it's lacking some things the other two have but for me they can come with updates. I do think this is the start of Nintendo looking to make consoles like this going forward and maybe on 4 to 5 years the switch 2 will come along with more power but switch is still supported just like ms will do with the Scorpio and Xbox one. There are a lot of if buts and maybes about all 3 at the moment but from what I'm seeing Nintendo and Microsoft are all starting to push Sony and it will be interesting to see how the react to

[CDbiggen]

"some of us have higher standards"
What an asshole comment.

[3-4-5]

Yes it does.

I've played Botw only 100% docked. Just got done playing for 4 hours straight actually. The game is amazing. I'm 70 hours into it and I've yet to play handheld. I haven't even used the joycons yet. I've only used the Pro controller.

Botw runs amazing docked so you are lying,exaggerating, or you aren't that intelligent. There are a brief few spots where I've seen a hicup/lag/frame drop or frame freeze.....it's happened to me like 5-6 times total in 70+ hours of gaming.

Can't stand these lies.

[Uken12]

It sounds like you just read an article and made an untrue comment about it running slow while docked.
It runs perfectly fine. For a HUGE open world game it runs extremely well. I have had very few issues and the system has been on for many hours.
I have not faced any problems and I have put well over 100 hours into it. One small hub area doesn't run perfectly, that isn't even important lol.

It plays great. The system is great as both a handheld and as a console.

[indysurfn]

Do you really own a SWITCH? I ask because you said Zelda does not run well on it. That it not a opinion, unless you have a lemon. That's just a LIE!

[Sono421]

It does not play fine after the update, I've experienced two full on freezes today alone. The freezes lasted about 5 seconds. I am so sick of people trying to shove this under the rug I could puke.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I used the PSP mostly on the TV.......

Doesn't mean it's not a portable

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

PSP was billed as a portable; tv wasn't a part of its point.
The Switch makes a point of emphasising both.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@wonder- yes it was it marketed together your point?

One was an accessory that you have to pay for after the fact ,the other one was packed in for free , your point?

One released in 2004 One released in 2017 so you have more differences to bring up? What does that actually have to do with the fact that it was a portable that had the ability to play off of the television? You're basically saying one company made a big deal out of it and the other company didn't​ but that's actually irrelevant to the point being made all your actually bringing up is semantics regarding the marketing.

Nice try though.

So if Sony made a bigger deal out of it and marketed it more to be that that would somehow change that it did the same damn thing? 😂😂😂

What's next? The box of the PSP was navy blue in the box of the switch is red? 😂😂😂 Ok bud.

All you're actually doing ironically is showing that it's simply based on perception of how one company marketed it over the other.

[CDbiggen]

You're such a condescending dick. All he's saying is that it's a hybrid home console/portable. Is it splitting hairs? Yes. Is this whole debate pointless. Yes. But Jesus, your response is so over the top, complete with your usual "say loads, but say nothing of worth really" way of writing.
Get over yourself.

[_-EDMIX-_]

https://youtu.be/48H34ukFe8...

[Sono421]

Zelda absolutely does not run fine docked. Stop lying to yourself. It flat out freezes so often one of these times i'm afraid it's going to be permanent.

[ILostMyMind]

Could not be more obvious.

[Shuckylad]

Yes it's great to take away with you but at home I use it approximately 75% of the time I'm docked to my monitor.

[Einhander1971]

Another crap article, switch is great either way that's the beauty of it.

[kevnb]

The super gameboy proved people like the option of playing on the go or on tv.

[deathtok]

Zelda is more fun on my 50" so not for everything. Personal preferences, maybe.

[EddieNX]

agreed but the fact you can play it on TV is amazing!! And games look great, Fast RMX and Snake pass look like XB1 games.

[corroios]

Finally some smart people that doesnt go with all the PR. The switch is a portable that you can Plug to the TV. Its a good portable, but never a good home console.

[Realplaya]

It's a home console you can take on the go. There fixed it for you.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Yes......A Portable.

Like 3DS....We know

[corroios]

Keep saying that, maybe somone will believe that. In the real world its a portable that can be Plug to the tv.

[indysurfn]

All you guys with your dogma that the SWITCH is a handheld.

Let's see Nintendo has always had a console, and handheld since the late 70's.
So by your logic they cancelled the only console they had (Wii u), and added a SECOND Handheld (SWITCH).

So now Nintendo (by your logic) has TWO handhelds cannibalizing each others sales. And NO CONSOLE, they don't want the money from a console anymore, so they just decided to not have a console(by your logic).

Seems to me the types of games they have coming from third parties are factually console styles you want to IGNORE what is coming to SWITCH including the true JRPG's that has aways been a staple of consoles.

[Einhander1971]

Fast Rmx just shows how powerful this little beast is.

[Krysis]

Powerful for a handheld, utter crap as a console

[Protagonist]

And with Pro and soon Scorpio, it will be left in the dust.

[Sirk7x]

Yeah, but the entire device is about the size of my phone in its case. It weighs less than a pound. It hardly uses any power. For what it is, it's a pretty incredible piece of technology.

[Aquietguy]

A handheld is a console.

[EddieNX]

Except pro and Scorpio are not portable so well done for proving nothing

[Protagonist]

The switch is a weak console and only worthwhile as portable, that can not be to hard to understand... is it?

[Obelisk92]

Thanks, Captain!

[superchiller]

It's really not even "worthwhile" as a portable console, based on the many design flaws, defects, and cheap materials.

[EddieNX]

BS hatred ^

[indysurfn]

I have never seen a handheld with higher end materiel's why are you stocking Nintendo? What did they do to you? You sound like the liars that claimed they owned a wii u and said it never had a call of duty game, or a standard controller, or all the other douchbag things they heard on a forum. Lies and TOTAL BS! The last bad hardware Nintendo has made was the SNES and if you knew how to blow on the cartridges even THAT one worked better than the RROD!

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Huh? It's a hybrid console so really it should be compared to both competitors and handhelds.

[XbladeTeddy]

Jack of all trades, master of f all!

[fungusar]

I never used it handheld

[badz149]

I wouldn't too if I had one. nothing against portable but I just had my Vita screen blacked out and my smartphone screen cracked by my kids when they accidentally dropped them. now my Vita have no picture and my phone looks terrible! kids...

[Sirk7x]

Having kids makes owning anything difficult lol.

[badz149]

@Sirk7x

yeah...tell me about it

[feraldrgn]

I agree.
Damn powerful IF it were a dedicated handheld.

[jznrpg]

I haven't hooked it up to my T.V yet, I plan yik just never get around to it. I wish the battery lasted longer but I will mainly use it as a portable, but some may prefer console route . I just want more games , also games are more expensive which sucks.

[N8]

I've docked my switch one time to make sure it worked.

[brewin]

More reason Ninty should just leave home consoles behind. The big home console-type games they make should just be on xbox and/or playstation.

While I love Zelda BotW, I just cant help but wonder how much better it could have been with the necessary power. Their ambition is so much greater than the power of the hardware that game was made for. Still great, but going between Horizon Zero Dawn and Zelda (similar styled games) is jarring. HZD is like BotW fully realized graphically. Theres no frame drops or pop-in and it has full voice over, which is another thing that could make zelda better.

Just saying. I love and buy many Nintendo products regardless, but i just think its time they reach a broader market.

[indysurfn]

I love Horizon breath of the wild on my high end 65" HDR TV in HDR mode on my PS4 PRO.......But I can't see how you can put down Zelda for not looking like Horizon....NOTHING LOOKS like HORIZON!

Your not comparing xbox one games to Horizon. So why does Zelda have to look as good as Horizon? With Zelda's graphics style it would not look as good as Horizon even if it was on the PS4 PRO the graphic's style is not able to look that good.

[brewin]

Im not really comparing them, just imagining how much better it could look on more powerful hardware. Zeldas biggest shortcomings are its graphical hitches. It gets REALLY bad in some spots, particularly villages. These issues wouldnt be issues if the game was on more powerful platforms, simple as that. Has nothing to do with the art style, im not complaining about that and im def not putting zelda "down". Whats wrong with wanting the best of both worlds. Nintendo and Sony working together isnt such a far fetched reality either. OG playstation was originally just an add on for snes. Zeldas graphic issues are there, thats the reality of it. I deal with it, but its blatantly obvious the ambition was limited by the tech.

[indysurfn]

Okay I agree with most of that except .... 'graphical hitches. and it get's really BAD'? I have not seen them it is stable and above high polish in that department. Maybe you got one of those bad Sandisk MICRO SD cards, or a faulty launch console.

[indysurfn]

The hardware is easily able to handle Zelda. Remember this game was in development for the Wii U. Nintendo said so themselves. It was translated to the SWITCH late in development. Plus the SWITCH has faster system RAM and twice as much of it than the Wiiu. If your talking about the Wiiu version I have not seen that one directly.

I only know one person that has a wiiu and Zelda and he is saying people are missing out, and has never complained about glitches. I don't doubt you are having problems but I think you need to use that warranty.

[jaymacx]

what makes Switch great is you can use it how you want and it fits your lifestyle. I like playing on my TV when I am home but its priceless on the go. As long as this thing sells , we wont have to worry about games.

[tweet75]

Agreed i look at the switch as a portable with option to play on the big screen but its best in your hands

[shockwave4life]

Can anyone imagine the PS4 and Xbox One with no 3rd party support?? And just solely relying on they're 1st party games. Think about how bad that would be. There wouldn't be enough 1st party games to keep ppl interested! That's what Nintendo is!! No call of duty, no battlefield, no assassins creed, no mass effect, no destiny, no sports games, no batman, no mortal kombat, no street fighter, no rocket league no 3rd party! It would be terrible and that's been Nintendo for the past 20 yrs

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

"Only"
Yeah, no.
And Voez being a portable-only game due to making exclusive use of its touch screen for gameplay doesn't change that.
It's both. Handheld and home.
And it plays both ways just fine.
It's mostly the haters that disdain its specs (while forgetting that, historically, weaker consoles won their gens and, usually, had amazing lineups) and claim it's only a handheld that has no value as a machine for serious gamers.
It's got value in both spheres. That's the charm of it. It's a good thing, whatever the detractors claim to the contrary.

[NotoriousWhiz]

I wouldn't say it's "only" worthwhile as a portable, but if it wasn't portable, I would've waited until Mario Odyssey to get one. Due to my lifestyle (family with kids), I don't get much time in front of a TV. I can spend more time with a handheld than I can with a TV.

[Derceto]

This could be said about all Nintendo systems for the past decade, which were all comically under powered.

Only problem is..... the last 2 weren't portable to justify their weak performance.

[Foraoise]

I agree with your point.
But I also want to mention that the GCN was more powerful than the PS2.

[deafdani]

You're getting disagrees because the Gamecube didn't come out in the last decade, dude.

[Sirk7x]

He did say the last decade though. GCN wasn't relevant by 2007, as awesome as it was. The small library and lack of media functions didn't really do Nintendo any favors going forwards though.

[sk8ofmnd]

The author didnt finish his sentance. Clears throat...

"Nintendo switch is only worthwhile as a portable console that plays nintendo 1st partys."

You can dissagree with this sentiment all you want but nintendo had the possibility to blow ALL gamers faces off when in reality its just a love letter to nintendo fanboys and noone else.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Except there are plenty of none-Nintendo gamers, who hated the Wii and Wii U, who are picking up the Switch.
So no, not at all what you said.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Well of course you could say that about any platform simply because no one could sit here and 100% say that all the people who purchase to switch one hundred percent all owned the Wii U that is really impossible to say.

I don't see any evidence that a ridiculous number of people purchase this device that have never purchased a Nintendo platform before because technically speaking this is not the first time Nintendo has released a portable but it is also not the first time Nintendo has released any product so I don't see any reason conceptually that somebody would purchase this if they're interested that automatically would have never purchased their previous Hardware , cuz it doesn't really make any sense this is not the first Zelda this is not the first Mario Kart in fact most of the concepts are not new at all so it begs the question why would more people who never purchase Nintendo products before purchase a Nintendo product despite it basically being the same Concepts that they've been releasing?

Games sell systems

I don't see anything about this system has that's going to suggest new consumers would jump on the platform because the concepts that are with this portable are not brand new to gaming for god sakes they're not even brand new to electronics.

[Sirk7x]

The 3DS has plenty of good 3rd party games. As long as the Switch sells well, I don't see it being any different.

[3-4-5]

* Interesting because I've had a Switch since day 1 and I've only 100% ever used it docked as a console with the Pr controller. I love this thing and I haven't even used it as a handheld yet, so not sure what this person is talking about.

So many bad articles daily

[_-EDMIX-_]

You could hook up the PSP to a television so if you decided to never use it as a portable by itself but doesn't suddenly mean it's not a portable it simply means you've decided to use it only on the television but I'm not sure why that would somehow negate it being a portable I think you're definitely reaching and exaggerating.

That's like having a cell phone taking out the SIM card and saying it's a calculator and completely ignoring that the original design function architecture and everything around it was created to be a cell phone you could use it for a calculator that's completely fine but that doesn't negate what it actually is.

It's starting to sound like they are many Nintendo Gamers that are back-peddling to this very desperate corner, you playing this on the television doesn't negate its portability it doesn't take away the fact that the hardware has been created to be portable which means it will by default have limitations that would not exist on the platform if it was not portable in the first place.

[Nivekki]

God you talk some bollocks. No one gives a shit about the psp, hardly anyone used it connected to the tv. You couldn't take it out and play multiplayer with others using just the controls of the psp, it's not the same.

You could run a gameboy through a snes back in the early 90's before you were born, the psp wasn't the first.

[DivineAssault]

I like portables and i like the switch.. Though it was quite pricey

[Smokingunz]

All I can say is I love the switch, I play it more than my ps4 and x1, those systems are the same and plays the same games, the switch has its own unique games and numerous ways that u can play it's games,I can't wait until more and better games

[WillyC009]

I own one. Only use it in docked mode since i got it. With a pro controller I might add. I've had no issues so far as well. Great little system. It's my #2 along side my ps4 pro.

[bacrec1]

Nintendo doesn't care what you view it as, long as the money keeps coming in.

[RyanAJ13]

Hey, author of the piece here. I've really enjoyed reading through your comments, both the negative and the positive. Would like to clarify that I do love the Switch. I honestly think it could be my favourite Nintendo device yet given that enough games are released for it in the future - and I also do use it docked fairly regularly too. But I still believe this is a device that is primarily a handheld, and if you're not interested in portability or content with Nintendo exclusives than this isn't the gaming device for you. But this is just my opinion. Feel free to disagree and offer your own point of view.