Nintendo is Neglecting the Switch

Beyond the mediocrity of the recent highly anticipated Nintendo Direct, Nintendo hasn't done much over the past nearly four years to improve the Nintendo Switch.

[_SilverHawk_]

Things will continue to be bad on switch because of the fanatics making excuses about bad decisions by Nintendo and Nintendo mostly care about putting in minimal effort but want a lot of gains. So that's why there will continue to be a lot of old ports of games mostly on the switch and barely anything new that has AAA budget. The last Nintendo direct was horrible and there wasn't anything announced that they couldn't have tweeted about. To have a Nintendo direct was a waste of time.

[Knushwood Butt]

@_SilverHaxk_

Nice, er, pile!

Is that a 3D Boy and a Game and Watch in there too?

Agree on your points. Nintendo won't make the effort because they don't need to. Just sell millions of copies of cheap, lazy stuff to new adopting casuals and a new generation of kids that were too young or not even born when they were first released.

Nintendo aren't even bothering with the hardcore old-school nostalgia market any more. Doing so could damage sales to their actual target market (above).

[_SilverHawk_]

Yes they are. Nintendo can release some amazing games. Most of us were introduced to gaming by a Nintendo console so most of us have fond memories playing Nintendo when we were younger. Nintendo are not trying because they are making a lot of money doing barely anything. I don't understand the people that champion silly decisions by Nintendo instead of asking for better

[bow2yoda]

its a generation of remakes... its not just nintendo.

[Jin_Sakai]

People enjoy Switch and the games it provides otherwise it wouldn’t be on track to sell well over 100 million consoles.

A few N4G users opinions and a negative article doesn’t change anything. Switch is a massive success and it has great games. End of story.

[Gaming4Life1981]

I disagree the switch is a nice handheld system full of of ports and an insane amount of shovelware. I think people are tired of getting ports of every game from previous Nintendo systems and older games. I recently bought 3d world and will buy skyward sword but lets be honest those games should not be 60 bucks. I feel like i own all the best switch games and most of them are ports of old games. I rarely play my switch cause im normally on xbox and ps but the switch is absolutely the best handheld ever they just need to slow down on ports. Where is metroid?

People have every right to voice their opinions and things do change when people band together for change. Nintendo seems to get a pass with everything they do and we need stop letting them because until then they have no reason to change.

[DarkKaine]

That's because you can only enjoy what the market has to offer.
Where is the Mario 64, the Ocarina of Time, the Majora's Mask, the Yoshi's Island, the Super Smash Bros. Melee and the F-Zero GX equivalent in 2021?
While they make some enjoyable games, they aren't bringing out revolutionary games anymore like they used to. We're forced to believe that the magic is gone because we're now adults, but I have played a bunch of games in the last couple years that weren't on Nintendo platforms and they were all superior to anything Nintendo shat out lately. But by all means, please continue being shiggy's personal guzzle goon and accepting mediocrity.

[notachance]

yeah people gobble up the minimal improvement sequels and full-priced ports like they're drinking water

[n1kki6]

At least one person get's it. I'm not going to tell people what they should or shouldn't be excited about, but nintendo farts in the wind and people lose their minds. Personally I have no interest in replaying remade Nintendo games. I want something new.

[-Foxtrot]

Animal Crossing New Horizons has been drip feeding content, most of the HUGE big updates are features from the past games. Even the number one thing people want, the Roost, is something that was always in the main games since Wild World. Think about it. The Art Gallery, Crazy Redd, Swimming, Diving, Dream Suite, Nintendo Items.

Pokemon Sword and Shield were like a lazy effort relying on gimmicks, even Lets Go basically were stripped down versions of Pokemon Yellow which held your hand through the entire game.

Luigi s Mansion 3, while great, started to get repetitive as you got around the half way point. Reach a floor, follow the floor layout, do a puzzle here and there, fight the boss, get the elevator button, rinse and repeat.

Mario Kart 8, the normal edition had it where the battle mode wasn't even finished, there was no battle maps, they were just actual race courses used in the main game. It wasn't until Deluxe they had proper maps in.

Smash Bros, again great game but the characters we've been getting lately have all been samey, like all anime sword characters which must be easy for them to do as they already have previous sword characters they can copy most things off, rather than making up something from scratch.

The games aren't bad, they just feel like Nintendo can't keep up, so they play it super safe, make sure their games are solid in performance where they don't require huge updates to fix bugs and try to make games with cute art styles so they don't work up a sweat during development. I just find it funny Metroid and Bayonetta, games from both First Party and Third Party are the more graphical demanding franchises and they are both the ones missing in action. How many super cute side scroller games or cute artstyle games in general have we had? We've never had a 3D Yoshi game, or Kirby, even Donkey Kong...all Side Scrollers. The other games have been ports.

The sad thing is with these flaws, especially the ones I listed above, the games get perfect scores where no one complains until well after launch, like a year later. So because of the rave reviews and mega sales Nintendo just do not give a shit.

[Terry_B]

Its Nintendo after all and people will still support them...

[Neonridr]

their games are good. So I will keep supporting companies that put out software worth playing. No different than me supporting Sony because they make good games too.

[VerminSC]

Nintendo does make good games but they have so few games!

[ScootaKuH]

Nintendo do make excellent games but for the most part they're just endless Mario games and loads of Wii U ports.

Switch fans deserve better imo

[ScootaKuH]

Don't criticise nintendo. The rabid fans will come after you with pitchforks and flaming torches

[FallenAngel1984]

Almost four years and still no basic messaging

[Destiny1080]

mario golf, a couple of ports and splatoon 3

excitement level, 2½ / 10

[King_Noctis]

On top of Monster Hunter Rise, Bravely Default 2, No More Hero 3, and BOTW 2. Yeah, almost 0 excitement.

[Mr_Writer85]

@King

They showed literally nothing of BOTW2.

As for MH, the only reason that was in the direct was filler due to its near release date.

MH was announced ages ago, and MH is MH, hardly going to be changing things up is it (that's not necessarily a bad thing, just not hype worthy)

[GreenDragonCVR]

I did not notice a single video game 0/10

[Zhipp]

@King_Noctis
Most of those games are third party, though. I don't blame anyone for wondering where the first party releases are.

@Mr_Writer
MH was announced less than 6 months ago. The only reason it feels like it's been so long is because of the way Nintendo has been handling game announcements lately. In general they've been announcing games very close to release. They showed off a decent number of titles this direct, but they have yet to show their big Holiday releases for this year, so it's still entirely possible for BOTW2 to be a 2021 title. We pretty much just have to wait until they see fit to grace us with another direct.

[ScootaKuH]

Zero excitement for me. None of those interest me in the slightest

[King_Noctis]

@scoota

If so then you should just sell your Switch (if you have one) and game on other consoles instead.

[Knightofelemia]

I just want better online Sony and Microsoft are doing warp speed with their online and features I am happy with. Then there is Nintendo just putting along you need a prison code to add a friend, can't message a friend, and you can't party chat either. If it is a multiplatform game with some good multiplayer that has my interest I will put it on a Playstation or XBox over the Switch because the online is better.

[SpeedDemon]

Well they did just update their online infrastructure, so maybe we'll see some changes.

https://www.google.com/amp/...

[Zhipp]

That's the best news I've heard out of Nintendo in ages. Hopefully this'll cut down on the worst of the lag in Smash Ultimate.

[IanTH]

I hope that's true. Seeing that it is a rumor based on a tweet, I'm not holding my breath. Would love to hear something from Nintendo themselves. The fact the Vita has a more robust online/friends/messaging solution on weaker hardware that launched nearly a decade ago now is a bit tough to grok.

[LonDonE]

agreed whats worse is the damn wiiu had such a better eshop and onine but we gotta pay nintendo for a inferior online??? crazy that the fanboys actually praise them for it lol

[Highrevz]

The Switch holds it self back by being a portable as well as main line console. The ports and remakes we have for the platform should of been added years ago and Nintendo is never going to catch up on speed.

There no choice for Nintendo to stick with it now and the next console will be a slightly upgraded version of the switch, rather then moving onto something new.

I can’t hate on Nintendo for not adding the games I love but I do wish the company was releasing better content that was on par with its past self.

[ScootaKuH]

Also don't forget that ports of games like Doom Eternal, Witcher 3 etc are competent, but at the same time compromises had to be made.

Most people have more than one games machine, so why would I choose to buy Doom Eternal for Switch when I could buy it for, say, PS4 Pro which runs at a higher resolution and twice the framerate of the Switch version and is cheaper to boot?

Now that the new generation has started you'll start to see games released for PS5/XSX that won't ever make it to Switch.

I just don't see the Switch as a compelling proposition any more - and I have owned 2 of them in the past

[Viking_mo]

Still no bayonetta 3. Hideki said we'd get news this year, i was expecting at the direct but still no show

[DragonWarrior19]

He said we'd get news this year, it's only February. There is still ten months left. People really need to calm down and stop acting like this was their release schedule for the next four years. They did the first half of the year, we still have E3 (or whatever will take it's place since they probably won't be able to have it again this year) and all the other times for news drops. Also people need to stop reading "leaks" as the gospel truth.

[monkey602]

I've been really disappointed in the switch in the last year or two in terms of Nintendos offerings. They are rehashing so many ports at full retail value.

It is fantastic for Indie support though. That is the only thing keeping me occupied on the console for a while now.

The Nintendo Direct this week left a lot to be desired for me though. Nothing of any substance I'm looking forward to coming from camp Nintendo any time soon.

[badz149]

more expensive than when they originally launched years ago! and yet their fans can't buy enough of them despite the laziness and scumbaggery shown by Nintendo with these rip-offs!

can't really blame Nintendo for loving this gullible and simpleminded crowd that just loves to throw money at them. honestly, if I have the same kind of userbase, I'd be happy and lazy too.

imagine being at work with others and you're Nintendo. why would you even try THAT hard making new stuff if you can just resubmit old stuff and upres them a bit and charge full price year after year? and with the case of Ocarina, release multiple times!

we've heard so many in the industry and gamers alike out on the streets with their torch and pitchfork rambling about Sony and their BC policy previously. why not do the same about Nintendo now? and people are voicing their displease to a certain degree towards MS about their low output of new games, why not for Nintendo too when all they do is milking old ports for maximum profit?? and they have the audacity to call those saying that there is indeed a double standard in the industry when it comes to Nintendo as trolls!

[gold_drake]

yea its kind of embarrassing that the switch is missing basic features that the ps3 era already introduced.
but as long as the fanbase doesnt think theres anything wrong with that ... nothing will change

[Relientk77]

After like 530 days we finally get a Nintendo Direct, and it was disappointing, mostly ports and remasters. Skyward Sword getting an "HD" lazy $60 port that doesn't even look good.

Project Triangle Strategy looked great. That game was the shining star, of that disappointing Direct.

[Terror2k9]

Don't forget selling resolution upgrades at full price! Nintendo Does as it pleases! I am still mad all my backwards compatible games i purchased on Wii U were never put on the switch in favor of that stupid library they give! SHAMEFUL! Its a robbery! Goes with you'll own nothing and be happy! .....Eat that fans!!!

[ocelot07]

Somewhat agree I like the Nintendo switch. But the likes of Sony and MS get backlash when ever they release a remaster. Yet Nintendo just seem to like porting Wii and Wii u titles.

[GreenDragonCVR]

Switch has a pile of games (not including the many first party Nintendo games, not to my taste). Even just Monolith and Platinum developing exclusives for it make it noteworthy for medium enthusiasts, or just fans of the genres said devs helped define. Then you got your monster hunters, your Otctopaths, Deadly Premonitions, Bravely and NMH.

Very excited to hear from the all proud consumers™ lined up to tell me why FE3H/Xenoblade/Astral/Shin Megami/Bayonetta etc aren't as good as saving allowance money and bitching about Nintendo and their "gains" on the internet.

[IanTH]

I think there's a wide gap between people not being happy with Nintendo's direction and basically hating the system and all its games, as you essentially say in the 2nd paragraph there.

I'm a big fan of games, and I own all the platforms I can. Have all the Nintendo systems as well, and still hold on to all the classic consoles & games to boot. Sure, there are some who don't own Nintendo systems and will critique from afar, which can still sometimes be valid, but can be full of fanboy nonsense as well. But I hope most would see the difference between that and levelheaded criticism of Big N, and not disregard it out of hand.

Games appealing or not is all opinions, so discussing them is obviously not a cut-and-dry talking point. If one loves everything Nintendo releases, then the Switch is obviously awesome for them. Personally, less and less seem to appeal to me. And games that do, like BD2, don't feel like they've evolved enough to warrant a price increase. It's still a mobile game, the production values are nearly identical to BD1, but because the Switch can output to a TV it is now $20 more expensive.

But my issues with Nintendo are also more general. Regarding the type of games they make, how they opened up big with Odyssey/BotW, but 4 years on it feels like none of their other releases have had anywhere close to the scope or ambition of those earliest titles. The fact they keep on re-releasing older games for exorbitant prices, be it Wii U ports or "HD" ports. Some Wii U ports even managed to be sold for more than they were on their original platform, and the "HD" ports are especially galling. Even Nintendo gave us the Metroid Prime Trilogy with lightly spiffed-up graphics, a new control scheme for each, and steelbook for $50 back on Wii. Not adding basic features (I will continue shouting for folders until they give them to us lol). Their stuff never gets cheaper over the years, sticking to that "evergreen" strategy - I was able to get plenty of good deals on Nintendo developed titles even as recently as the Wii U, but they aren't budging on the Switch game pricing. There's no "Selects" typed line. Their sales are $5-15 off max, even for launch titles. It's just thing after thing that seems to say to me that the direction Nintendo is going with the Switch is not one I like.

You can disagree with all my points, and that's entirely fair. A lot of it is down to personal preference, buying habits (if you always buy games on release, or frequently resell your games then pricing might not be as big an issue), etc. But there are reasons people could be dissatisfied with Nintendo while being a "proud consumer™" of Nintendo goods :-p

[thesoftware730]

I get it, I think there is more that can be done for certain, but it dont change the fact that I have major fun on my Switch. I missed some of these great ports on the Wiiu, Skyward Sword for example and will purchase the Switch release. I play almost all of my indie games on switch and there are a lot of great ones, Hades anyone.

I think COVID-19 has set Nintendo back a bit as most of their Development and decision are heavily run in Japan, Sony seem to be world wide and can manage operations better than Nintendo.

I think what they are doing with the Wiiu ports is a brilliant idea from a buisness standpoint..you have all these great games that a great deal of gamers never experienced due to the failure of the Wiiu. This strategy opens up the possibility of adding Millions of users to now be fans of their IP, just look at the same ports selling more on Switch, a large portion of the player base never played the Wiiu ports so it's like new.

Anothe point to make, while we get ports, tons of indie games, we also get some Nintendo new exclusives and a great deal of 3rd party games made for the Switch are exclusive as well, while it might not be huge, uncharted and Halo games, they are great games that are fun and nothing to be scoffed at.

It's all about fun and not just tech specs..and like it or not, Nintendo delivers FUN, plain and simple.

[NextGenCeo]

Nintendo doing great.

[DaleCooper]

When Splatoon 3 is your biggest announcement, then maybe don't do a Direct?

[nommers]

I guess they're doing what they can, but it's the same as their last two gens: Get all their best titles out in the first year or two and then every other year have lesser titles come out. I really want to see a fully developed and newly realized Metroid game though. It has been too long.

[radagem]

You get a port, you get a port. Everybody gets a port!

[Relientk77]

Lol I pictured Oprah saying this

[Sitdown]

Would there be anybody else associated with this?

[Dandizzle]

Nintendo knows what they are doing. Why would they drop new hardware to compete against ps5 and new xbox. Nintendo will bide their time for a switch upgrade when they have new system selling games as well as the right opening in the market. The current switch model is just fine, does the job well, oh its also selling like hotcakes.

[Emme]

Underpowered, overpriced hardware, barely innovation in games, no social interactions/environment. Sad excuse for a console. When I scroll through the store it becomes terribly sluggish after a few pages.

[Father__Merrin]

the switch now reminds me exactly of the Wii during its hayday. you would find a wii surrounded by all the usual titles associated with nintendo and thats how it remeained. the switch is similar because its printing money due to it being a like for like replacement for the 3ds children and students are lapping it up all it is is a constant flow of ports.

dont get me wrong ports are a good thing but this is how switch will carry on untill they release a new home system and tbh imo i dont think we will ever see a dedicated home system from nintendo again it will be this hybrid design

[RgR]

I don't think so.

I'm a new owner of a switch. It's not a console that sells itself on the idea of making groundbreaking next gen games.

They focus on the fun of games for everyone.
That's why their announcements consist of bringing previous game forward, new Splatoon, animal crossing, pokemon, some Zelda news here and there, and of course monster hunter.

They don't feel the need to go further not because of fanatics or excuses. They simply never have gone further. More out of choice than this idea of being excused.

It's a great handheld and second console for hardcore's. It doesn't even force you through a trophy system to stay within it's eco system

[Germaximus]

I always think of it as the most excessive portable shovelware console.

But I still love my nintendo games.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

It’s Nintendo. They’re now in a position where they don’t have to try nearly as hard, and fans will love them anyways, and defend every last decision they make, and they’re taking that to the bank. They don’t need to improve the Switch as far as their bottom line is concerned, because it prints money anyways.

I love Nintendo and all, and I give them credit for making the Switch so successful, but they’re a prime example of why I don’t like when one company has too much success. The Switch is great, but I have suggestions on how it can be even better. Nintendo doesn’t need my suggestions though, because they’re doing amazing regardless.

[njitram2000]

On the plus side, the Switch is the only Nintendo console you need to keep as everything released on previous consoles is being ported to it.

[46player]

Nintendo, inventor of the remastered-remaster. Essentially no new content for years.

[Wilwon]

Nintendo is squeezing the juice! Profit over improvement..

[Good-Smurf]

Nintendo are like Mercedes Benz nowadays big noble respected name in the industry but got all fat and complacent with all their past glories and current lazy cash cow that sells just because it's a Nintendo.
Their new GLA looks like Japanese MPV and CKD model in my country were just cut down version without electric tailgate,backseat armrest,no second row A/C and cup holders in the back where the last gen GLA have all of the equipment and cheaper brand new.
See the similarity?
Nintendo get it rolling with the full priced ports and spotty online service with carrot games pulled from far superior Virtual Console.
While the competitor blew past it with more bang for the buck games and more powerful hardware.
BMW and Audi have far better offerings in my country at the moment and Audi here are CBU models.

[xetiro]

People just can't satisfy themselves with anything nowadays. How boring and depressed you must feel to write such an article like this? Do you even spent the deserved high-quality hours the Switch system and library currently offers?

Switch is an amazing system by itself and it has an amazing high-quality library of games released over the years and innovative accessories.

For me, bringing the best WiiU games to the system is welcoming, since they are peaking the best WiiU games anyway. And WiiU was a failure that most of Switch owners never had.

Still, there is new games on the pipeline, just not today or tomorrow! Zelda BOTW2 is a game worth waiting for...

[TheColbertinator]

Huh?

[AriesBear]

Last I checked the switch was dominating everything.

[Pyrofire95]

I feel like the big N has been intentionally trying to piss off it's community for the past few years.

[ScootaKuH]

Nintendo are taking their fans for a ride with the endless Wii U ports.

And where the hell is Metroid Prime 4? This was announced at the Switch launch and still no sign of it? I bought my first Switch on the promise of a new Metroid and sold it 6 months later. Then I bought a Switch Lite thinking that Prime 4 was not going to be far off, but sold it just after my PS5 arrived. Sick of waiting. I won't be buying another one.