Thoughts on the Nintendo Switch from a Gameboy aficionado

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/06/13/thoughts-on-the-nintendo-switc.html

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I absolutely loved the micro. I dumped two GBAs to get it, and rocked Metroid as well as Pokémon games on it. Super for anytime, anywhere gaming.

The DS series are bulkier, but my old eyes appreciate them greatly. I’m looking at one of the XL models for Christmas this year.

How do you feel about the switch as a non-portable console? These days most of my gaming outside the house is on an iPhone, and I just can’t imagine lugging the Switch around. Does it feel like a real console? The only game that REALLY excites me is BOTW, and I have that on the Wii U.

My biggest issue with the switch is that it is kind of heavy to hold while playing with the joys attached.

I can’t possibly justify buying anything new (especially at full price) when I have too much old stuff still to play. Too bad there were no surprise 3DS announcements at E3, but there’s still Warioware Gold to look forward to (when it eventually becomes discounted).

One of the things I have always disliked about the GBA Micro is that its game carts are a pain in the ass to lug around. Two of them take up almost as much space in my bag as the console itself does. It forces me to think about which carts to bring with me.

If that’s an issue, it’s probably worth pointing out that GBA flash carts are still readily available. In fact, the EZFlash Omega was just recently released, and it’s reportedly easier to use than ever. (Yes, there are legal issues, but it is hard to deny this thing is pretty old at this point.)

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Regarding durability…

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That’s crazy, it turned on after having all that stuff already attached to it

Braille Skateboarding is easily my fav skating channel on youtube, they have some crazy boards they try out (the ipad one didn’t fare as well) but this kinda amazed me at how sturdy the switch is.

IMO the Switch is the best physical thing Nintendo ever made. It’s so good that even Nintendo will have a hard time shooting themselves in the foot with terrible developer relations, weird supply-chain nonsense, CompuServe-era online features and so on.

Their hardware is always well-made, and right from the introductory video it was clear that for once they had really thought through what the Switch was and wasn’t good for – they do show people using it like a Gameboy, but the focus is on using it as a console, or taking it to friends’ homes where it can be plugged in and sat on a table. If you want a Gameboy, I’m pretty sure their answer is still that you should get a 3DS.

(I think they’ve lost their way for a long time with the 3DS as a Gameboy successor, but that’s a whole other thing)

Yeah I heard the one of the dudes mention that, I was surprised to see in this review that they said it felt flimsy when Nintendo really does try to make things to last, that’s kinda the whole bases behind the cartridge use, if they really wanted to cut cost they would have gone with discs based media, I was reading another review on how Switch games would decrease in price slower over time because of production cost

Even with old cartridges like for the 64 can still be used

As you can see I’m trying to convince myself to buy a switch lol, but I’m going to hold out for the eventual Pokemon main title to release on it or a remake if it comes to that

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I also own a Game Boy Micro and a Nintendo Switch.

I guess when you say the Micro “display” can be replaced, you mean the protective screen cover, which pops off. Official replacement screen covers are very rare nowadays and third party options are typically low quality, so I don’t think it’s that cheap or easy. For that reason it’s still sensible to have some kind of protection for the Micro.

An SD card isn’t a “must” for the Switch, especially if you prefer to buy games on cartridges. Here’s what I’ve got installed on the internal 32GB memory:

  1. Bayonetta
  2. Hollow Knight
  3. Fortnite
  4. Fallout Shelter
  5. Sonic Mania
  6. Stardew Valley
  7. Steamworld Dig
  8. Steamworld Dig 2
  9. Oxenfree
  10. Both Breath of the Wild DLC packs (the full game is on a cartridge)
  11. Jackbox Party Pack
  12. Astro Bears

There’s plenty of space for a few big games and more smaller indies. There’s also an archive feature which deletes the game files but preserves game saves, so it’s easy to free up space by removing finished games.

Balance all this with the delight of console and multiplayer gaming on the go, which the Micro can’t match.

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While I have nearly every Gameboy made, the one I use today is a NN3DSXL, in Zelda flavor. If it had a slot to allow me to put in my old Gameboy games like my DSI did, I’d probably never put it down.

I alternate between that 3DS and my switch pretty regularly. 3DS is a great console, feels solid in my hands, and the dual screen really gets used well by some games. The Switch on the other hand is bigger but shines when used as they mention in the ads - essentially its the new LAN party machine. I have been sitting on the couch, happily playing MK8 when the wife came along and booted me so she could watch TV on the biggest screen in the house (well, where else would you game?). I don’t have to stop gaming…I can just pick it up and walk away (or sulk) and continue my gaming. That ability to swap is great. It also does multiplayer better than my 3DS, or even most Gameboys, do. I remember the cable to trade Pokemon back in the days of Blue and Red. With my switch, I can have a head to head game by simply handing someone a controller that is already attached.

I’m not sure you should make it a Gameboy mini vs Switch. They are different beasts. It’s kinda like saying what’s the better animal, Eagle or Leopard? They’re different, and fill different purposes. Heck, there are some games I just rather play on my phone, tablet, or PC instead of these consoles.

It was going for $300 Canadian at Costco yesterday.

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