Greeting fellow Armchair Imagineers! As you may have gathered by the hype @Pionmycake and I have thrown its way when we talk about Nintendo on the Uniting Universal podcasts, I'm absolutely in love with my Switch. After having sat out the past two generations with my last major console purchase being a Wii WAAAAY back ten years ago, it took Mario Odyssey to be the system seller I needed to jump back into gaming and man am I glad I did. The Switch has went from the Mario machine in the first week I owned it to an absolutely unstoppable platform filled with every game imaginable via the EShop. This thread will be all about celebrating the console, talking about the games we own and the games were hyped for, and more importantly brainstorm for future releases. 2018 is a big question mark for the system with only Spring releases like Yoshi and Kirby and ports such as Dark Souls and Tropical Freeze on the horizon so far.
I'd like to start by quickly going through my collection. Thank god I got a job when I did because I would NOT be able to play this many games otherwise...
Super Mario Odyssey
Yes, it's as good as you've heard and absolutely a killer app for the system. Mario Odyssey is a better fit for the Switch than Breath of the Wild for the pick up and play nature of it. Each kingdom offers something completely different both visually and in terms of gameplay mechanics. I've only beaten the main story thus far and know I have a MASSIVE post-game to get into with hundreds of moons to collect but I've put the game on the shelf for now.
Breath of the Wild
I'll be honest...I'm not a fan so far. Granted this is mostly because of the steep, steep difficulty curve. Famously in my friends circles I still haven't managed to get off the Great Plateau. Don't get me wrong, on a technical level even though I'm still on the tutorial I see how it's an amazing accomplishment. I'm just more of a fan of arcade-y, "pick up and play" type stuff whereas Zelda is basically nothing but a challenge.
Stardew Valley
The killer app on my Switch currently. This farming/"country life" simulator takes a while to get into and much like Breath of the Wild doesn't hold your hand through any of it, but it has so many rewarding things to do. You can neglect your farm completely and become a fisherman. You can set out to become the world's greatest adventurer in the mines, you can try to make as much bank as possible with your crops, you can be a Cassanova with men and women alike in the town, or you can do all or none of this if you so choose. The game is so open ended that even though at the end of the first year I'm not NEARLY as far along with my farm as I should be I'm still completely engrossed and...to use a cheesy line I said to myself while playing "feel like I'm a part of something bigger than myself..."
Splatoon 2
The killer app for me before I got the Stardew bug. Splatoon 2 is an insanely addictive online multiplayer experience and honest to god the first real 3D "shooter" I've ever gotten into. The three minute Turf War matches alone offer so much variety from match to match depending on the skill level of those you're playing against that you'll absolutely never get tired of it. It's a definitive "pick up and play" experience for the system. Mix that with a killer online community and constant new upgrades and special events and you've got yourself a game you'll essentially be playing throughout the system's life.
Sonic Mania: An easy purchase at only 20$ for any old school Sonic fan. This is a rock solid blend of speed and precision platforming that will kick your butt and leave you wanting more. Excellent graphics and music only add to the experience here.
Batman: The Telltale Series (Season One): Pretty much got this for BlueDragonFive. While this doesn't match the heights of The Walking Dead Telltale game, it's still a superbly crafted Batman story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Gameplay could be more engaging and the choices could have more consequences but the actual narrative will keep you hooked from start to finish.
Rocket League: At 20$, this is a freaking steal! I feel a little behind the curve playing this thing considering beta versions have been out for almost a decade now but I definitely view this purchase as something I can get better at over time. Rocket League is a physics based arcade sports title with stellar online support including cross-platform play to ensure there's always something to play with.
Fast RMX: Graphically speaking, this might be the most impressive thing on the system. Fast RMX is another steal of an Eshop game with blistering racing mechanics that call to mind F-Zero but ultimately improve on them with the gimmick of the different colored boost pads you'll have to switch between. This game isn't just a skill test of tight turns and speed, it forces you to memorize the layout of each track for a familiar yet unique experience.
I've also downloaded Shovel Knight, Lego City Undercover, Mario/Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Puyo Puyo Tetris but haven't had time to form opinions on those one way or another.
Now it's time to talk about stuff coming out for the Switch, and what I'd like to see done with it. Let's first start with what we know. Of course we'll be getting some stellar ports this year...most notably Dark Souls 2 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. I'm especially excited to play Tropical Freeze having grown up with the original DKC trilogy and loving the 3DS port of Returns. Other ports I'd like to see are Mario Maker, Smash Brothers 4, and perhaps most controversially Grand Theft Auto V.
As far as new games coming this year, we don't know much. Kirby Star Allies is the next triple A first party title and honestly that doesn't really look much different from the two 3DS Kirby games...standard enemy sucking platforming action with a new gameplay twist. This time you can take control of up to four enemies at a time...something I'm sure will be fun but I'm not sure will warrant the inevitable 60$ price point.
The platformer this spring I'm far more excited about is Yoshi! This game looks to switch up the Yoshi's Island formula in much the same way Breath of the Wild deconstructed Zelda. The art style is an arts and craft diorama and the main hook is the ability to switch between a 2D and 3D perspective. This is something last seen in the criminally under-rated Super Paper Mario and I'm excited for the gimmick to be applied to a more traditional platformer.
Mario Tennis honestly might be the killer app of 2018 for yours truly. I'm a massive fan of the series and haven't played it since the Gamecube days. With the addition of the story mode and shiny new graphics I can't wait to get my hands on the Switch edition. Mario sports games have been hit or miss on the 3DS and WiiU because of an emphasis on packing too many of them together. I'm excited to get a triple A first party release that's JUST tennis.
After that, it's all speculation which is where this thread comes into play. The two BIG things that we know are coming for the Switch but don't know a lot about are the unnamed Pokemon RPG and Metroid Prime 4. While I probably won't be picking up Metroid as first person shooters are my least favorite genre, Pokemon has a ton of potential especially if they rework it in a Breath of the Wild style way. My ideal Pokemon RPG for Switch would be a fully 3D open world sandbox with a completely reconstructed battle system that more resembles the fighting mechanics of Smash Brothers or Pokken Tournament then the stale rock-paper-scissors mechanic that's dominated the franchise.
Of course there's a ton else to speculate on. Will more obscure 1st party franchises like Kid Icarus and Star Fox make a comeback? Will there be a brand new Smash Brothers game on the horizon or merely a port of the WiiU version? Will there be second installments for the beloved Mario and Zelda franchises after the one two punch last year? That's all stuff I want to have this thread for.
Share your game collections, share your friend codes, share your ideas for future games! Generally this is a place for everyone to LOVE the Switch!
I'd like to start by quickly going through my collection. Thank god I got a job when I did because I would NOT be able to play this many games otherwise...
Super Mario Odyssey
Yes, it's as good as you've heard and absolutely a killer app for the system. Mario Odyssey is a better fit for the Switch than Breath of the Wild for the pick up and play nature of it. Each kingdom offers something completely different both visually and in terms of gameplay mechanics. I've only beaten the main story thus far and know I have a MASSIVE post-game to get into with hundreds of moons to collect but I've put the game on the shelf for now.
Breath of the Wild
I'll be honest...I'm not a fan so far. Granted this is mostly because of the steep, steep difficulty curve. Famously in my friends circles I still haven't managed to get off the Great Plateau. Don't get me wrong, on a technical level even though I'm still on the tutorial I see how it's an amazing accomplishment. I'm just more of a fan of arcade-y, "pick up and play" type stuff whereas Zelda is basically nothing but a challenge.
Stardew Valley
The killer app on my Switch currently. This farming/"country life" simulator takes a while to get into and much like Breath of the Wild doesn't hold your hand through any of it, but it has so many rewarding things to do. You can neglect your farm completely and become a fisherman. You can set out to become the world's greatest adventurer in the mines, you can try to make as much bank as possible with your crops, you can be a Cassanova with men and women alike in the town, or you can do all or none of this if you so choose. The game is so open ended that even though at the end of the first year I'm not NEARLY as far along with my farm as I should be I'm still completely engrossed and...to use a cheesy line I said to myself while playing "feel like I'm a part of something bigger than myself..."
Splatoon 2
The killer app for me before I got the Stardew bug. Splatoon 2 is an insanely addictive online multiplayer experience and honest to god the first real 3D "shooter" I've ever gotten into. The three minute Turf War matches alone offer so much variety from match to match depending on the skill level of those you're playing against that you'll absolutely never get tired of it. It's a definitive "pick up and play" experience for the system. Mix that with a killer online community and constant new upgrades and special events and you've got yourself a game you'll essentially be playing throughout the system's life.
Sonic Mania: An easy purchase at only 20$ for any old school Sonic fan. This is a rock solid blend of speed and precision platforming that will kick your butt and leave you wanting more. Excellent graphics and music only add to the experience here.
Batman: The Telltale Series (Season One): Pretty much got this for BlueDragonFive. While this doesn't match the heights of The Walking Dead Telltale game, it's still a superbly crafted Batman story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Gameplay could be more engaging and the choices could have more consequences but the actual narrative will keep you hooked from start to finish.
Rocket League: At 20$, this is a freaking steal! I feel a little behind the curve playing this thing considering beta versions have been out for almost a decade now but I definitely view this purchase as something I can get better at over time. Rocket League is a physics based arcade sports title with stellar online support including cross-platform play to ensure there's always something to play with.
Fast RMX: Graphically speaking, this might be the most impressive thing on the system. Fast RMX is another steal of an Eshop game with blistering racing mechanics that call to mind F-Zero but ultimately improve on them with the gimmick of the different colored boost pads you'll have to switch between. This game isn't just a skill test of tight turns and speed, it forces you to memorize the layout of each track for a familiar yet unique experience.
I've also downloaded Shovel Knight, Lego City Undercover, Mario/Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Puyo Puyo Tetris but haven't had time to form opinions on those one way or another.
Now it's time to talk about stuff coming out for the Switch, and what I'd like to see done with it. Let's first start with what we know. Of course we'll be getting some stellar ports this year...most notably Dark Souls 2 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. I'm especially excited to play Tropical Freeze having grown up with the original DKC trilogy and loving the 3DS port of Returns. Other ports I'd like to see are Mario Maker, Smash Brothers 4, and perhaps most controversially Grand Theft Auto V.
As far as new games coming this year, we don't know much. Kirby Star Allies is the next triple A first party title and honestly that doesn't really look much different from the two 3DS Kirby games...standard enemy sucking platforming action with a new gameplay twist. This time you can take control of up to four enemies at a time...something I'm sure will be fun but I'm not sure will warrant the inevitable 60$ price point.
The platformer this spring I'm far more excited about is Yoshi! This game looks to switch up the Yoshi's Island formula in much the same way Breath of the Wild deconstructed Zelda. The art style is an arts and craft diorama and the main hook is the ability to switch between a 2D and 3D perspective. This is something last seen in the criminally under-rated Super Paper Mario and I'm excited for the gimmick to be applied to a more traditional platformer.
Mario Tennis honestly might be the killer app of 2018 for yours truly. I'm a massive fan of the series and haven't played it since the Gamecube days. With the addition of the story mode and shiny new graphics I can't wait to get my hands on the Switch edition. Mario sports games have been hit or miss on the 3DS and WiiU because of an emphasis on packing too many of them together. I'm excited to get a triple A first party release that's JUST tennis.
After that, it's all speculation which is where this thread comes into play. The two BIG things that we know are coming for the Switch but don't know a lot about are the unnamed Pokemon RPG and Metroid Prime 4. While I probably won't be picking up Metroid as first person shooters are my least favorite genre, Pokemon has a ton of potential especially if they rework it in a Breath of the Wild style way. My ideal Pokemon RPG for Switch would be a fully 3D open world sandbox with a completely reconstructed battle system that more resembles the fighting mechanics of Smash Brothers or Pokken Tournament then the stale rock-paper-scissors mechanic that's dominated the franchise.
Of course there's a ton else to speculate on. Will more obscure 1st party franchises like Kid Icarus and Star Fox make a comeback? Will there be a brand new Smash Brothers game on the horizon or merely a port of the WiiU version? Will there be second installments for the beloved Mario and Zelda franchises after the one two punch last year? That's all stuff I want to have this thread for.
Share your game collections, share your friend codes, share your ideas for future games! Generally this is a place for everyone to LOVE the Switch!
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