For this year's E3, arguably the biggest showing was of Nintendo's new handheld console, the 3DS. Yeah, we knew it was coming, but I don't think anyone expected it to be so impressive. Motion and gyro sensors, able to play 3D movies, Gamecube-quality graphics, and "passive" online? Sign me up.
Yet the biggest question in everyone's mind is this: when can I buy this crazy little piece of tech? Nintendo said "by March 2011", but that's simply too vague. Will it be a holiday item? Will we see it at the end of summer?
Here's what I think:
Nintendo really didn't NEED to launch the 3DS. I mean, it's an awesome system, but the DS Lite and DSi are still selling extremely well. Nintendo could have easily announced it at next year's E3. Yet, they're launching it within the next year. Hmmmm.
My hunch is that both the DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL will be gettign $20 to $40 price drops for the Fall and Holiday seasons. In fact, I would go as far to say that Nintendo may even drop the DSi to the current Lite's price and stop selling the Lite altogether...well, that might not be true, but it's speculation.
Then, the holidays explode (again) with a rush to buy the cheaper DS systems. Next year rolls by, February/March comes, and Nintendo launches the 3DS. At the same time, they kill the DS Lite, the DSi XL, or both (too many skus to have all four on the market).
This is consistent with Nintendo's business model. People forget that - while Nintendo continues to innovate technology - their business model has been going in the same cycles since the NES days. Their pricing philosophy, target audience, and innovation methods are the same as they've always been.
I really do think Nintendo will drop in March 2011, beyond just what they said in their E3 conference. In May, when interviewed about Nintendo's falling sales, Nintendo said that "annual sales slipped 22 percent this year, and [they] expect the sales drop to continue through March 2011". March 2011, huh? Now where did I hear that date before...?
So, what do you think? Will the 3DS launch in the Fall, or early next year?
"Digital board games can be tons of fun, especially when they're cooperative. That's what's in store for Beacon Patrol from Assemble Entertainment. Based on the real-life board game by Torben Ratzlaff, Beacon Patrol has players work together to explore a map and create a network of coastal paths, all by placing tiles. It's a lot like Carcassonne and Kingdomino, but set on the high seas. The upcoming Steam version will support 4-player local co-op, and there's a single-player demo right now," says Co-Optimus.
Mario Kart World is some of the most fun you’ll have this year that offers a deep experience with the Switch 2’s launch.
Few games among the Nintendo Switch 2 launch line-up can match Cyberpunk 2077 in putting the system through its paces. It's a staple of our PC benchmarking suite for good reason: the open world design is a solid stressor for any CPU, while its effects-heavy battles challenge GPU resources as well. This Switch 2 release has clearly been a big undertaking for developer CD Projekt Red too, who produced the port in-house with unique optimisations for Switch 2's ARM-based architecture. It's also remarkably the Ultimate Edition of the game, with both the core adventure and the more taxing Phantom Liberty expansion bundled in - an extra portion that proved too demanding to justify a last-gen console release, and was instead restricted to PS5 and Series X/S, and yet here it is running on Switch 2.
To cut to the chase, Switch 2 offers a truly viable way to enjoy Cyberpunk, either in a portable format or docked under a TV. However, CDPR has shot for the stars in its ambition to include Phantom Liberty as well, and it's here that Switch 2 hits some technical limits - with frame-rates struggling as we explore its newer Dog Town region. Still, that aside, there's a lot to admire in the game's engineering for Nintendo's new console overall, and how competitive it is in comparison with other consoles.
I am happy for CDPR. Their hard work paid off because the Switch 2 version are always in the top 5 Switch 2 launch game sales.
This may be one of the weakest launch lineups Nintendo has ever had, with Mario Kart being the only first party game, but Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely give you tremendous value for your money.
One tip I can give people who have never played the game is to first read books from the cyberpunk subgenre. This will allow you to appreciate the story much better. If you find yourself asking which life path is the best to take at the start of the game, in this case it is Corpo, Streetkid, and Nomad. You likely don't know enough about the genre, and certain things will fly right over your head. While it is not mandatory, the game will be 10 times better if you read or listen to some books first.
Some books I have enjoyed in that genre are:
Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot,
Stray Cat Strut by RavensDagger
Tower of Somnus by Cale Plamann
Mist Runner by Nicholas Searcy
If you can only read or listen to 1 book, then I recommend Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot. It is the closest thing to Cyberpunk 2077.
DF are Nintendo's occasional bootlickers after that blatant Zelda games ad scandal.
Games like CP2077 are meant to be played on big console or powerful PC on a big screen.
Got to love how they're simp for full price purchase of 5-year-old game and still getting the worst version to play on.
