I have an Nvidia Shield tablet. I've had it for over a year. I even have a Bluetooth controller that holds the tablet like a handheld. It can emulate my entire collection of 8-16-32 bit games quite accurately. This exact set up (not mine, but identical)

I've got better battery life, more resolution, bigger screen and probably better sound than a Switch. It's almost like I already own a better Switch!

I wanted to want a Switch, but Nintendo released a device I've already bought! Now if they'd just release their games on it..

Make sure you only play one NES game on it each month.

That looks like a tablet Batman would use in a WiiU game

Things the Nintendo Switch does differently:

1.The Shield tablet just plays Android games right? You need to be streaming from a PC to play larger games through it. The Switch has all the processing in the unit.

2. All the tech in the Joy-cons.

3. Nintendo games.

But how many sandwiches can you eat with it?

I don't get why so many people on these boards dismiss the Switch. Not necessarily because you guys don't want one, but the argumentation is always so weird.

Does your Nvidia Shield run Nintendo games? No? So it is literally nothing like the Switch, because that's why you would get a Switch.

I have no idea why people keep insisting that the Switch is just a less powerful PS4/Xbox that apparently should have had at least 10 high profile AAA games to launch with. It doesn't matter that it's less powerful and it has twice as strong of a launch line up than the PS4/Xbox had combined; they arguably had 0 great games for launch. The Switch is for people who want to play Nintendo games and want to take their console to a friend's house to play a fun game there.

Your Shield does 0 of the things one would buy a Switch for.
PS4/Xbox/PC do 0 of the things one would buy a Switch for.

You have no use case for the Switch, I get it. But you're definitely not getting any of what the Switch is going for anywhere else. For the people who do want that, it seems pretty good so far.

@sinusoidal: Can you dock that thing to a TV and play games that way? I'm kinda bummed that there really aren't any great Windows 10 tablets that offer this sort of solution. Having a wide array of PC games to play anywhere could be an appealing prospect at around the Switch price-point.

@isomeri: I'd be surprised if that thing didn't support Chromecast.

Those 3rd party joycons equivalents look rough. People who want consoles to go away so everything comes out on PC need to realise the amount of R&D the big 3 put into making controllers that arent trash.

But yeah, you buy a Nintendo console for Nintendo games and just hope whatever gimmick they attach to it doesnt negatively impact the games they make. (some Wii games used the hardware quite well, most did not)

@zevvion said:

I don't think that arguments holds water anymore. We give Nintendo that pass and hold them in some nostalgic high regard. But think about it, what other developer/publisher would you ever consider buying a console to get access to their games? A ubibox? Actibox? EA's "It's in the Box"? Of course not, because that's stupid. Nintendo's games are big fishes in a small walled off garden pond. And I get it, there's plenty of Nintendo fans out there willing to throw $300 on a console for a handful of Nintendo titles that could just as well have been published on other hardware with bigger third party support. What people want are Nintendo's games. But we don't actually need their consoles, because it's behind the curve on everything. And if we're already saying "people are already carrying their portables in bags" to justify this portable size, we might as well just go ahead and admit that it's not really that different to just pack your console in your bag and bring to a friend's house. So in my mind, all it loops around to is if Nintendo's games really need a console of their own. And I can't find a single good argument for that.

And you don't understand why people dismiss it? If you only want to play Mario and Zelda, that's 420 dollars for two games this year. That's a tough sell. Also, huge disadvantages like battery life, insanely expensive controllers, small games line-up, gimmick-focus (again) and a high starting price for the console makes the Switch a no go for most people.

And that is the reason why I got a Switch because that's the main way to get Nintendo games for the next 5 years or so but this time I don't have to get a handheld and console separately.

@isomeri: Apparently it will do some kind of streaming from your PC. I haven't tried it. I have a decent monitor on my desktop and a comfy chair.

@jesus_phish: It does support Chromecast. Right in the Android drop down menu.

@zevvion: It wasn't my intention to poo-poo or dismiss the Switch. Rather just to convey my disappointment. It's hard to justify buying something I almost already own to pay a monthly fee to play games I probably already own to get some motion tech I'm not really interested in and two or three possibly great games in the next year. Errr, yeah, maybe I am poo-pooing it a little. If I didn't have the tablet, or already own a slew of NES and SNES games, I'd be all over the Switch.

I really want to play Zelda and Xenoblade! I missed out on X because the WiiU Korean launch was quietly dropped after it flopped elsewhere. Hopefully the Switch will come here. Region-free is very enticing being an English speaker in an Asian country.

@bojackhorseman: I think there is a difference between dismissal and disappointment. When they dismiss this Switch, especially in the way described, they are saying there is nothing being offered of value to them, but in the same breath they talk about some of it's games they want to play. This is being disappointed. Disappointment is seeing some value, but there being too many negatives for you to justify. A lot of people hide their disappointment in dismissal. To truly dismiss the Switch you would have to be totally uninterested in all it's offerings-there are plenty of people in this camp. The hope is that those dismissing it are doing it in a respectful way instead of a belittling way. That's at least my read on it.

@sloppydetective: Well, I think all that's a load of baloney. I dismiss the Switch, because there is literally no reason to buy this overpriced and underwhelming piece of... hardware. Sure, I like to play good games, but the jury is still out on the one game I have a slight interest in. I actually want the Switch to fail miserably, to the point where it forces Nintendo to become a third party developer. It's like one guy said earlier here, Nintendo is the only developer you allow to have their own console for only playing their games. If EA or Activision did this, it would be fucking mayhem.

Edit: Also, why do you care?

@sinusoidal: did the WiiU not come out in S. Korea at all? Wild.

@sinusoidal I'm confused. It sounds like you're only interested to play NES and SNES games since you say you get to 'play games you already own', but then you continue to mention the games you can't play because you don't own a Switch? I think you're more or less reinforcing what I meant to say. Saying you own something better than a Switch while being unable to play the things that will make the Switch what it is, is like saying you own something better than a PS4. You're still not taking those exclusive games. In fact, the PS4 is waaaaaaaaay more samey to everything else than the Switch is. At least the Switch has some use-cases that others (not even Shield) offer. Which is also confusing to me, why would you say the Switch of all things is way too similar to an existing product out of all the options that are available (PC, Xbox, PS4)? It just doesn't make sense.

Nintendo does not put out two games a year. You can't compare the launch to existing platforms. PS4 was 460 bucks with a middling game and being unable to play with someone else. That's more money for less quality and possibility. How is PS4 doing now? Great. You're putting way too much emphasis on the first half year. \

For use case I bet Minecraft will do great. Imagine kids being able to take their Switch to each others house and play? Perhaps it'll even be possible to split the screen and toss around JoyCons, I haven't looked into it. Then you get Mario Odyssey, Platoon 2, Zelda and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from Nintendo in the first year. That's four games, not two, though to be fair MK8 is retreading. Then you still have the smaller Nintendo stuff like Arms, Snipperclips and 1,2 Switch which I admit I am not really excited about.

Then you still have third party stuff coming up too. Skyrim, The Binding of Isaac and Dragon Quest(s). All older games, but you'll have stuff to play. We also know Fire Emblem Warriors, a new Pokemon game and obviously Monster Hunter will come up likely next year.

I don't see any reason to assume the Switch will only have two worthwhile games to play every year. Yeah, it will obviously be slim pickings this year because the thing will launch, launch line ups are always bad if you compare them to a proper cycle year. If you compare this to other launch line ups though, it is a lot better because it has the prospect of releasing three top tier games in the first year. I'm not saying there is no reason to not get a Switch at launch, but those reasons are tied to not get any console at launch. If you thought the PS4 was absolutely worth it at launch and the Switch is not then I think the only reason can be because you're not into the Nintendo games. Which is fair, but I don't think we're arguing that here.

@pezen I didn't realize we were discussing hypotheticals. In that case your own argument collapses on itself. You still seeing Sony and Microsoft trying to snag exclusive games where they can. Why aren't people upset you can't play Naughty Dog's stuff on Xbox? We definitely do not need both of those consoles to exist to play games. For that matter, why can't you play together on Xbox and PlayStation? Also, are data caps all the rage in the US, apparently they love it there? You'd just love to have iOS on a cheaper and better Android phone too, why can't we do that (without hacking)?

I really don't understand the argument you're trying to make. Wanting Nintendo games to appear everywhere doesn't make you able to play their games unless you buy a Switch. This is their business, they are making money by selling you their stuff. People are buying it/will buy it for that offer. It's just basic demand. If EA were to do it, it would indeed fail. Because too few people would care enough for it to be profitable for them. Nintendo can do it, so they are. I guess you can be upset with them for doing their business a certain way, but I don't think it will change much.

Also, I'm zoning in on the core of the Switch, but besides Nintendo games it also has other stuff going for it that I am legitimately excited about. I just think scrapping the Xbox or PlayStation from existence would be a lot less noticeable than removing Nintendo's consoles from the market.

Sure your tablet can play boring core games but can you play sound-based ping pong at a party or a sandwich eating minigame on that thing?

NO! You can't even share the joy!

1/10

@bojackhorseman: So, obviously, you fall on the dismissal side of what I said. The difference between Nintendo producing hardware and someone like Activision is Nintendo has been doing it for a while where Activision has never done it. There is an understanding and acceptance (by some) that this is what they do. Eventually the acceptance might dry up to the point where people's opinions tip the other way and Nintendo will either go under or adjust there business strategy-like Sega had to do. Why do I care about what?

All you need is some Nintendo emulators and you really would have a Switch.

Not unless you restrict yourself to a selection of like 30 ROMS and pay 8 dollars for each of them!

Apparently, that brain slug avatar was a good choice.

@zevvion said:

I am disappointed in the Switch because I already own a device that can do much of what the Switch is promising to do, and it does it better. If Nintendo were offering something more - like some WiiU backwards compatibility since I missed that console, or the ability to play NES and SNES games that I already own (impossible because they're on old cartridges I realize) at anytime - I would be less or possibly not even disappointed.

Does that make sense?

Incidentally, I'm disappointed in this entire generation of consoles because of my PC as well. Steam beats the snot out of Xbox Live and PSN and is free. My hardware is sufficient I get a consistent 60fps at 1080p. I just sold a couple old GPUs I had lying about and put an extra 500gb SSD in my machine for $20. We're three years down the line, and there still aren't enough exclusives for either system to make me want one. This will be the first generation of consoles that I haven't owned one.

everyone wants nintendo to go 3rd party so we can lose any sort of innovation or competition in consoles, as well as the loss of decent handheld systems? it all seems so reductive and counter-intuitive.

being android i don't understand how it compares at all, as you aren't able to run these core games without streaming them from somewhere.

@sinusoidal: It does make sense now that you clarified you're disappointed with a lot more things than just the Switch. I'm still a bit confused about you saying the Shield does what the Switch is supposed to do but better, when it does nothing of that. But I think we're probably looking for different things from a tablet device.

I do like my PS4, but it's mostly because of a handful of games I can't get on PC (Destiny, Last of Us and such) and because of my preference for a controller it's better for me for online play. Also, friends. But otherwise I also play mostly on PC. There is a clear use case for a PS4, but if it doesn't apply to you, then it is indeed shit for you. The same can be said about the Switch no doubt.

@zevvion: I would say I'm down on the Switch because they brought back motion controls (which they lead with!) and the ridiculous accessory pricing. I also just need to know more about the console. I want to know about the UI/Online/Virtual Console.

I am disappointed in the Switch and Wii U itself. No, I am not a Legend of Zelda fan so it doesn't sell me at launch. The fact that the online services is weak, only renting out games for a month when throughout the years we had to buy the same game over and over again on different platforms because there isn't a unified account bothers me a lot. You can say that Nintendo doesn't need a lot of Third Party support, but what about cool indie games? Overcook is a prime example that would be so dope on this system, yet nothing on launch. Or maybe something like a remake such as the Rhythm Heaven games. Instead we get the Switch 1 - 2, costs 60 bucks, and will last you an entire afternoon with the kids if you are lucky. Remember how the Wii Sports came with the Wii and it was fun to play with friends and family?

I enjoy Nintendo games a lot, but I got heavily burned by buying the Wii U a few months before announcing the Switch. At least I had a blast with Super Mario Maker and Smash before it turned out badly as it did. I am just disappointed by Nintendo and will definitely wait till next year to see if it is worth picking it up.

@wasabicurry: You know what? Ovecooked would be great with just those halves.

On Topic: That is kind of a cool little device. I am sort of put off by the fact that it only plays android games though, or so I've been led to believe. It does bare a striking resemblance to Nintendo's console, though.

Off topic: While I am disappointed in Nintendo's latest offering, it is not a complete waste of money by any stretch. Nintendo offers some of the best games in the industry, and those games are still only available on their own platforms. With all of that said, I still don't find the current lineup of software worth buying a console for. It is uncertain whether or not third parties will support the Switch for very long as well as numerous other concerns.

I look forward to Nintendo proving me wrong and offering a consistently stellar lineup and solving the many problems that face the console as of now. Until then, the Wii U is not a great indicator of their success, and I would need evidence of them offering what I want before I buy it.

Man, can't believe how hard people are coming down on the Switch. How many days is it now, of people just trashing the thing. lol I think it's cool, I like the thing. It's a bit pricy for me right now but bring it down a little and I'm gonna get it.

@liquiddragon: bandwagons are part and parcel here at giantbomb!

the supposed failure of this console is perplexing considering preorders are sold out and it seems like the only thing anyones talking about.

@retris: I know right? There are so many other games that could easily fit into this category as well. Ultimate Chicken Horse, Don't Starve Together, Towerfall, Terraria, Rocket League (don't know how this would work well but it is on everything else nowadays), Starbound, etc. They have an interesting control scheme but really, the Indie Market is vital these days.

(edited for misspelling)

For all the criticism of Switch, I think it basically just comes down to it being very expensive for a platform that (due to power limitation and inevitable limited 3rd party support) probably won't be many people's primary game system. If the hardware were significantly cheaper I think most people would be happy with it and overlook the other aspects of it that are less than ideal.

There is some very passionate thoughts about Nintendo in here.

The Switch is most definitely a tough sell from a logical/rational perspective, but to disregard Nintendo's track record and influence is kinda goofy to me.

Their games are huge selling points for....nevermind. This whole thing I'm typing is to obvious and doesn't really invite discussion.

I'll probably get a Switch at some point and your Nvidia tablet seems really lame to me. (and I mean that in a nice honest way, not a rude way)

It's 2017, ragging on big corporations has become a national pastime. More than any mistakes Nintendo may or may not have made people love to shit on companies. There are plenty of people chomping at the bit to point and laugh at Nintendo for what they get so much joy describing as "yet another in a long line of monumental mistakes from a completely idiotic company that bilks people out of money and treats it's customers like garbage". This is nearly any developer these days big enough to have a presence on message boards.

This isn't me saying anything about the actual quality of Nintendo or it's products, just that the internet has become one of those stress relieving squeezable balls. Replace squeezing a ball with dumping on video games and their publishers/developers. A large portion of the internet just get arguably more joy ragging on things they find shitty over enjoying things they actually like and it leads to people jumping the gun.

PS. Before the inevitable happens let me just point out I'm not saying people who have criticisms of things on the internet are being idiots because I have a differing opinion. I know how this works and just wanna make that extra clear.

But can you tell how many ice cubes are in the glass without looking?

I have a shield tablet(no clue the model) but i have never tried to game on it. They market shield versions of modern pc games but i assumed they were all streaming off a server.

Nintendo's pricing is disgusting. Legend of Zelda is over 80 bucks in the UK, 25 percent more than the average PS4 release. They're ripping people off at every opportunity.

I'm surprised Nintendo allow SD cards, they're sure as hell making up for that omission by charging up the ass everywhere else.

Because it's not even good at that.

Let's look at what Nintendo has revealed.

If you preorder a Switch, you get Zelda. But you should theoretically already have a WiiU, and more then a few people are saying they are near 1:1, and that all the WiiU footage online is of an earlier build/beta build. Since the Switch won't be launching with a pro controller, and the Joycons are of dubious use, getting Zelda on the WiiU might actually be the better bet from a playability standpoint. ( And I'm not even going to talk about CEMU, and how if you are willing to wait you'll be able to get the Zelda experience in full 4k/1080p through that. )

After Zelda you get nothing until late spring/summer in the form of Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart. Both are classic Nintendo games, but both might actually struggle considering they will have to contend with a paid for online service/the backlash the Switch is getting. If the Switch doesn't take off, neither will be a very viable game. If the paid online turns away the average Nintendo consumer/kids, neither will be a very viable game.

The next Nintendo game after that is all the way in "Holidays" with Mario. The fucking Holidays! Almost a full year after it's launch the Switch will get it's second game.

Xenoblade, Fire Emblem, and No More Heroes aren't launching in 2017. We have no other games coming out for the console outside of some indie ports that have been on the other systems for ages.

Like don't worry, I get it. I like Nintendo games too. There's nothing wrong with being a fan of Nintendo games, they make some of the best software in this industry. But buying this thing on launch day is an utter waste of money. You'd get more out of burning your money then you would from buying a Switch. In a year, when Mario comes out and we get a look at their 2018 lineup ( and Switch's are going for $200 because they aren't going to top WiiU sales if all Nintendo can reach is it's core fanbase again/Refurbs. ), that's when it'll be time to grab a Switch and pretend it's a new launch console.

I am fucking ecstatic for a proper sit down Fire Emblem console game. A new Metroid. More Zelda's like BotW actually built for the stronger hardware. Proper big budget Nintendo games that only Nintendo can make. But none of that will exist until 2018 at the very earliest, and it'll probably take them until mid/late 2018 with how their reveals went. Trying to justify buying a $300 console, then adding in the $150 worth of accessories just so I can play Zelda "HD" and then have it sit and collect dust for 9 months just isn't smart.

There's a difference between being a fan of something and just blindly throwing money away, and this is firmly in the second camp.

As an owner of a WiiU I'm not getting fooled again. Really love the system but with the confusing array of accessories, payed online, and limited game choice this thing will sell less that the U.

@yakov456: I hope you remember this, I'd put down money against if I had any.

Nintendo games are not must-play games anymore. Buying a console just for Nintendo titles is silly.

@spoonman671: Good thing it wont just be Nintendo...

I get that I have a more niche taste in games but if the 3ds is any indication there's a whole world of non-Nintendo developers eager for a platform. For some reason "only Nintendo games on Nintendo machines" seems to have become a common sentiment. The 3ds was my favorite modern game console for many reasons and Nintendo was only one.

@lv4monk: I realize this thing was just announced, but where are they?

@spoonman671: Surely you don't think I meant announced games, right? You do realize the thing isn't even out yet? Nintendo hasn't been about volume since the SNES. Just give it...any amount of time greater than negative seven weeks :P

I just wish they had called it the Sweetch to capitalize on that underacknowledged Tweester fanbase. 2017 could have been The Year Of Tweester, dammit!

@lv4monk: They've also been about progressively less worthwhile consoles since the SNES, with ever-diminishing third-party support. Nintendo is in a position where they either need to prove that they have better relationships with third-parties or they have to show that they themselves have something so overwhelmingly compelling that people should want their system in spite of the lack of games. They aren't doing either of these things.

No, the Switch isn't out yet, but when you announce a console, you also announce games for it. Launch games. Right now you have 1-2-Switch, and about everything else is available elsewhere. Some of those games have been available for a LONG time in other places. What are people going to be playing on their Switches between now and Super Mario Odyssey? When is Mario really even coming out? People can joke about the PS4 and Xbox One launches being bare or slow, but I was definitely playing games at that time.

@spoonman671: By "ever diminishing" it's really just the Wii U. My point is that many people discredit sooo many developers that have appeared on their consoles over the years, ESPECIALLY 3ds. Amidst the practical concerns like launch selection people are sliding in nonsensical overreactions like Nintendo having nobody but Nintendo.

You say they need to prove their 3rd party support when I'm saying they have with every handheld they've ever made. It's just not, and hasn't been since SNES, as many games as other console manufacturers.