Disney Afternoon Not on Switch and The New 2DS XL

So, I got a couple of things I want to talk about today.  The first is about the Disney Afternoon Collection not being available on the Switch.  On April 18th, Capcom released the Disney Afternoon Collection on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.  The collection contained six NES games including Duck Tales, Duck Tales 2, Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers, Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers 2, TailSpin and Darkwing Duck.  What's odd is that a compilation of NES games is somehow not launching for a Nintendo system.

As of this time, there's no official reason from Capcom as to why they aren't bringing it to the system yet, or even at all.  These has led to a lot of speculation from people, and even boycotts from some.  Me personally, I will not buy the game until it's released on the Switch.  It only makes sense that a collection of NES games is released on a Nintendo platform.

Now, if you know your video game history, you'll know that Nintendo was a bit of a tyrant back in the days of the 8-bit era.  They were very controlling of what was published on their machine as well as how many games a publisher could make annually.  So, some people believe that there's a bit of bad blood between Capcom and Nintendo, which is why they aren't releasing DAC on the Switch, but I don't really think that's it.

Capcom has supported Nintendo throughout its previous generations.  Nintendo was the first platform to receive Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube, and even the first platform to receive Resident Evil: Revelations on the 3DS.  Mega Man compilations were released on Nintendo platforms.  When Capcom remastered Duck Tales, they published a version on the Wii U.  Hell, Capcom supports the Switch currently with Ultimate Street Fighter II coming out next month.  So, if there IS any bad blood between the two companies, they're doing a great job of pretending to play nice.

So that leaves me with a theory, although it's nowhere near my own.  The reason why a compilation of NES cames isn't coming to a Nintendo system is because of two words: Virtual Console.  It is my belief that Nintendo is waiting for the Virtual Console to be released on the Switch, so they can divide the collection up into six pieces and charge five dollars individually.  I would not put it past Nintendo to do something like this.  They are a very greedy company, after all.  I love Nintendo, but honestly, they are one of the greediest game makers around.  If no collection is released for the Switch and the games do indeed appear on their own via Virtual Console, I will not buy them and instead just get the PS4 version, knowing that the decision was all Nintendo.

Regardless of whatever reason, this is just a baffling move.  Being NES games, the Disney Afternoon Collection would feel right at home on the Switch, considering older games such as the Neo Geo titles are filling up a good portion of the eShop.  What better place to play NES games than on the Switch, a platform that lets you take them on the go?  What I also just thought of is that it isn't coming to the 3DS either, a platform where Virtual Console already exists.  If it was a matter of doubting whether or not the game would sell, the 3DS would have been a surefire hit, but even then, there's already a number of people voicing their interest in wanting a Switch version.  Just go to any article or Facebook post and read the comments. The Switch has already shipped over 2.5 million units, so I'm sure DAC would have sold well there, too.  Hopefully, we'll see DAC come to the Switch in the future.

Now to talk about this... thing.

Before I do, let me just be objective and say I understand why this was created.  The New 2DS XL brings the clamshell design, enhanced CPU, Amiibo NFC and analogue nub over to the 2DS line.  It's the perfect 3DS without the 3D for people who wanted a 2DS, but hated its design.  It's also 50 dollars cheaper than a 3DS, so I get it.  But I don't like it.

Now let me be subjective.  Even though I just said I understand why the thing was made, I view this machine as pointless.  Why?  Because it's a 3DS without the 3D.  Everyone who has a 3DS already has a 2DS.  They just need to turn the 3D off.  Since the 2DS has now been redesigned, it also removed what made the 2DS unique in the first place: its doorstop shape.  The original 2DS was easy for little hands to hold.  Now, we have just another clamshell.

So the only thing that makes this New 2DS XL stand out is that it's a cheaper 3DS XL.  If that's the case, why not just drop the price point on the 3DS? The thing's been out so long by now that surely, it's becoming cheaper and cheaper to make.  Why, then, add yet another SKU to their line up to manage and for retailers to stock?  Completely unnecessary.

But the reason why I'm bothered by this is because this announcement comes on the heels of the NES Classic being discontinued.  To me, it's a matter of Nintendo's priorities being out of whack.  Nintendo has decided to discontinue making something that no one can find to make something that no one wants (I'm being hyperbolic. I have no idea how many people would buy a New 2DS XL).  So, instead of whatever factories were making the parts for the NES Classic, they're now making parts for the New 2DS XL.  I highly doubt these things will sell more than the NES Classic.  Or, Nintendo could just produce both at the same time.  Lord knows they have enough money and resources...

It also seems to me that Nintendo decided to do yet another revision to show people that they aren't giving up on the 2DS and 3DS anytime soon.  I honestly believe they should.  The Switch has all the makings for the next Nintendo portable platform, and I truly feel they need to divert all their portable assets to it.  Yeah, it's a bit of a problem trying to sell a Nintendo portable for 300, as we all learned the first time from the original 3DS (which was 250).  Yet, the Switch is selling very successfully right now, so I don't think it's a stretch of the imagination to see this system fully replacing the 3DS.  It dances between the realms of console and handheld by merely placing it in and out of a dock.  It's perfect.  Let the 3DS die and have the Switch carry the torch.

My Complicated Love Affair With Nintendo

If I were to post a relationship status with Nintendo on my Facebook, it would more than likely be "Complicated."  I love Nintendo.  I've been playing Nintendo since the first Super Mario Bros. came out back in 1984 or 85 and I got my first Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990.  I have since purchased or received every console Nintendo has made, with the exception of the Virtual Boy (although I do want to get one just for the hell of it) and have bought far more Game
Boys than I dare to mention.  So, I just want to preface this blog that yes, I DO love Nintendo.

But if you know me at all, you know that I've been critical of them in recent years. Before I talk about the topic of what prompted me to write this blog (of which I'm sure you already know), let me go into some history with Nintendo and me.

The Atari 800 and 5200 were considered my first consoles, so Atari introduced me to gaming but it wasn't until the mid-80s when my friends started getting an awesome little grey box known as the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES for short.  Even though it was another video game system, of which I had, there was something more special, more seductive with this machine.  It was most likely the graphics that invited my young gaming eyes to it, but it was the games that kept me coming back.  Super Mario Bros. was the first digital crack that I was exposed to, and I befriended anyone who had it.  I'm not going to run off a list of awesome games that I played, because I played too many to list, and that's not really the point of this blog.

Anyway, before I owned my very own NES, I rented them several times.  It wasn't until 1990 that I received an NES as an elementary school graduation present.  Now, I was able to play it whenever I wanted, and it turned out to be one of the worst things for me academically because when I started the 6th grade, the NES proved to be too much of a distraction and my grades kept slipping.  It got to the point that my mom had to take away my games and threaten to sell them if I didn't get them back up.  So, I made my parents a promise and got my grades back up.  I really didn't want to lose any one of those awesome NES games that I had.  Grades went up, the year was over and I got my NES back for the summer.

The summer of 1991 brought with it the introduction of one of the biggest and most beloved giants in gaming history: the Super Nintendo.  I still remember that one day in August walking through the Aurora Mall when we passed Electronics Boutique and they had a banner across their entrance way that read, "SUPER NINTENDO IS HERE!"  I begged and begged and even pulled at my parents to try to go into the store and take a look at it.  I've been reading about it in magazines for months, and I really wanted to see it for myself.  Sadly, my parents dragged me away, what with them being much bigger than I was at the time.

Shortly after, I had a sleepover with a friend of mine and after they left, I was tasked to deflate the air mattress and pick up the sheets and pillow and when I lifted the pillow, there it was in all its glory: a Super Nintendo Entertainment System! I actually fell flat on the partially deflated air mattress.  I couldn't believe it!  I had one!  It was mine!  And then I experienced the gaming goodness that was Super Mario World and F-Zero and PilotWings and many more.

Oh how my parents set me up for failure.  Just when I was detoxing from crack, they introduce me to meth.  The Super Nintendo being more powerful and having bigger and better games was an exceedingly greater addiction and distraction to me than my old 8-bit NES. I started getting into RPGs as well and before I knew it, I was actually failing classes.  The power of Nintendo was great, so great that my parents had to take away yet another video game system from me until I got my grades back up. Slowly, but surely, they came back up.  I really wanted my SNES back.

Then the year became 1996.  This was the year that changed everything for Nintendo.  This was the year that Ultra, now called the Nintendo 64 was to be released.  Thankfully, I turned 16 the year prior and got my first job working at McDonald's in the airport.  My parents weren't going to keep buying  my video games for me, and I had the summer to start saving.  This was going to be the second game console I purchased for myself (the first being PlayStation), and I had to make sure I was ready.

My first experience of Super Mario 64 was a magical one.  Nintendo changed the game when it came to the the 3D platformer.  Their controller was weird, but it had the analogue stick.  This made playing in 3D so much better.  So many other great games came in the lifespan of the 64 my love for Nintendo only continued to blossom.  Yet, at the same time, peculiar decisions on Nintendo's behalf planted the seed of criticism in me that would grow alongside my love for them.  This was the era when Nintendo lost Squaresoft.

If you wrote up a list of Nintendo's biggest blunders as a company, you'll most likely find the loss of Squaresoft near the top of the list.  Squaresoft was probably one of Nintendo's most important third parties, making some of the best RPGs available.  Final Fantasy VII was supposed to be the greatest RPG to ever grace a Nintendo system, but that all went south when Nintendo made a stubborn decision to stick to the very expensive and limiting cartridge format.  Squaresoft didn't want to sacrifice any of their game to make it fit on a minuscule cartridge.  Sony's CD media was much more appealing.  There were other issues involved as well, but the format was the key issue.  I remember reading an issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly where they announced that Final Fantasy VII for the N64, the latest installment in a long running RPG franchise exclusive to Nintendo, was now canceled and would instead be an exclusive for Sony's PlayStation.  It was the shot hear round the world.  Fortunately, I had a PlayStation, so I was covered, but I just couldn't help but scream into the ceiling, "NINTENDO, YOU IDIOTS!"  (Well, not really.)

It's just been downhill from there.  When the GameCube came out, it was a fantastic system in its own right, but Nintendo did so much damage to themselves during the N64 era, it was hard for them to ever recover.  Again, they made the decision to stick with a proprietary format, this time in the shape of mini-discs, and still had issues with third-party relationships.  The Cube put out great games, but its toy-like lunchbox shape was off-putting to some and it never had the adoption rate it should have.  Nintendo was weakened by Sony, a newcomer to the video game industry, and Sony followed up with their monolith PlayStation 2, beating Nintendo to the punch by a year.  The same year of 2001 that the GameCube launched, another newcomer entered the fray.  Microsoft released their Xbox just three days before Nintendo released their GameCube.  Already losing to Sony, Nintendo simply didn't have any stamina left to fend off Microsoft.  The console marketshare was now officially lost to Sony and Microsoft.

Nintendo gave up.  They didn't want to make a powerful game console anymore.  They decided to leave the battle of graphics to Sony and Microsoft and they needed a revolution if they were going to come back swinging, and they did.  The Wii was a runaway success thanks in part to its motion-based gaming, its pack-in game Wii Sports, and its more affordable price tag.  It also looked like a more modern console as well, a white box with no contours, no humps, no multiple colors.  As much of a commercial success as it was, it still had a hard time keeping the core audience because third party companies stopped making games for it not wanting to compromise performance in their games.  Sony and Microsoft continued to pull ahead in the AAA industry.  It didn't matter to Nintendo much, though.  The Wii made so much money for Nintendo, they're still spending it today.

As the seventh generation of consoles entered is twilight years, Nintendo was getting ready to launch its follow up to the Wii, the confusingly titled Wii U.  Although I knew exactly what this new system was, the general consumer wasn't getting the idea.  Many passed it off as an accessory for the Wii, and even Nintendo themselves didn't really understand what they were doing with it.  Its tablet controller was a great idea, but it never became the game changer that the Wii's waggling controllers proved to be.  Nintendo tried to replicate the Wii's success, but they scrapped what made it successful to begin with: the motion controls.  And again, they continued to repeat their mistakes by making another underpowered machine, marginally more powerful than consoles that were six or seven years old.  Nintendo came out swinging, however, releasing with the largest launch line up of any U.S. console launch in history.  Nintendo lost a lot of momentum, though, and the Wii U experienced a four month drought of games, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of first adopters. It also didn't help that many key titles that the Wii U needed went to the 3DS instead.  Once again, we saw a Nintendo system relegated to the secondary system if you owned a Sony or MS system.  This was when I really started becoming critical of Nintendo because of how poorly they managed the Wii U.  It had all the makings to be THE system of choice for first and third party games, but it was never meant to be.

Now we have the Switch.  I absolutely LOVE this thing!  The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had me playing the thing for nearly a month straight.  I think the convenience of being able to take a console with you and play it anywhere is worth its weight in gold.  As much as I love it, though, GOD DAMMIT do I hate the way Nintendo is handling it right now!  For starters, Nintendo has absolutely failed to back this system with a strong launch line up.  Sure, there's Zelda, but it's also on the Wii U, so that has failed to sell Wii U owners on a Switch if all they wanted to do was play Zelda.  Even though I'm quite enjoying The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+, I have to acknowledge that this game is several years old.  There are also many other games in its launch line up that are several years old as well.  There are great games coming, but they are far and few in between.  Hell, the next game I'm getting is an enhanced game of a Wii U title I already owned: Mario Kart 8.  The only reason I'm buying that is because I got so angry with the Wii U game that I broke it (don't judge me).  We have Splatoon 2, but the first didn't hold my interest online for more than a week.  The summer and fall are going to prove slim pickings until Super Mario Odyssey comes out during the holidays.

Honestly, the Switch was rushed.  There isn't a solid enough argument that I've heard that convinces me otherwise.  Hell, the thing doesn't even have Netflix!  That's a staple feature of any console at launch.  The Wii had it.  The Wii U had it.  The 3DS had it.  Also severely lacking from services is the Virtual Console.  It's a sin if you ask me to launch a Nintendo platform without Virtual Console, especially considering how valued they hold their old software.  There's also Zelda needing to be patched, and the whole system failure replacement debacle.  Nintendo didn't have a system in place to replace bad Switches.  So why then rush the Switch out when you have no games to support it, no services out of the box, and customer support that is ill equipped to deal with customer issues?  For a company that always claims it isn't competing with Sony and MS, it sure booted this thing out of the door like it was scared to compete with them in the holidays.

I just want to see the Switch succeed, but I need to be honest with myself and say it isn't looking good right now.  Sure, it's just the first year, and Nintendo have sold around one million units, but will that momentum keep up?  How many Switches will be resold or unplayed by people who are tired of waiting for top tier games?  We know absolutely nothing about what's in store for the Switch next year.  If Nintendo is holding anything back from us, it MUST be revealed at E3.  Failure to reveal key games for next year will be a death sentence for the Switch.  It's doing great so far, but I simply have no confidence right now that Nintendo can keep this up.  Prove me wrong, Nintendo.  Prove me wrong.

Now onto the subject at hand.  I'm sure you've heard of Nintendo's latest bonehead move to discontinue the NES Classic, a machine that's been in such high demand that news outlets have to write articles about when stores are getting JUST a few of them in, and they're immediately nabbed leaving those who read the article an hour late out of luck. This makes no sense at all.  This continues to illustrate just how out of touch Nintendo is with their customers. It's Amiibos all over again, only Nintendo at least started making more of those.

I am mad at them, but I'm not mad that I may never get one now.  I'm mad that people who really wanted one may not get one now.  I really hate seeing customers being shitted on, and what better way to shit on your customers than stop selling what they badly want, which you barely even supplied when you were making them.  I would have loved to have one if I found one for the 69.99 MSRP but as it stands, it's not worth it for me to pay a scalper double or triple that price.  It's not worth it for me to call around or camp out for one.  If only the Classic wasn't a closed system and allowed you to buy more games through Nintendo, it would have given me reason to get one and keep it hooked up to my TV.

It just irks me to see a company that I love make very questionable business decisions and miss out on opportunities to make a lot of money, and that's exactly what Nintendo is doing here.  I love when they do very well, because contrary to previous criticism, Nintendo is my favorite game company.  I have much higher standards for them than I do for Sony and Microsoft, which is why you might not here me bitch about something as much when those two fuck up.  Sony and Microsoft were already established companies who just decided to branch out into the gaming industry.  PlayStation and Xbox are divisions.  If they go under, Sony and Microsoft will cut them out and move on.  Nintendo is purely a gaming company, so I have reason to worry about them more.  If Nintendo goes under.  ALL of Nintendo goes under.  Best case scenario is that they go the way of Sega and become a third party publisher.  That may not happen in the next 10 or 20 years, but if you keep building a tower a couple centimeters off each floor, it's going to fall over by the time you reach the 100th floor.  Nintendo has been a couple centimeters off each time since the N64.

I just want Nintendo to be king again, but that likely isn't going to happen, and it's not their fault.  It's YOUR fault.  I blame you, each and every one of you Nintendo fans that don't call Nintendo out on their shit.  The ones that never criticize yet enable Nintendo to sit on their laurels. You sent them strong messages that it was OK to bow out of the console wars and not bother making a powerful and attractive machine for third parties so long as they give you Marios and Zeldas and Metroids.  And hehehe... they aren't giving you much of Metroid either, unless you were really desperate to buy that piece of shit Federation Force.  Yes, this is irrational blame that I'm projecting, because it's hard for me to place it all on a company I really love, so I'm angry with all of you who never bothered to pressure Nintendo to be better!

Nintendo is like a beloved child of mine.  I will love them unconditionally, but I do get disappointed with them.  I do get frustrated with them.  I do get upset and angry with them.  Nintendo has given me a lot of joy in its earlier years, but as they've gotten older, they've begun bringing home bad report cards.  I only wish there was something I could take away from Nintendo to get them to get their grades back up.

This has been a long read.  If you made it through all of it without skimming, I appreciate it very much.  Thank you.

Fuck Jim Sterling Because Jim Sterling's the Worst (Not Really)

Let's talk about Jim Sterling and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, shall we?

Let me just preface and say that The Legend of Zelda is not an infallible franchise. Sorry to say, it just isn't. I reviewed Skyward Sword a 6, which was a whole point lower than Tom McShea's controversial 7 score. The Legend of Zelda is a video game, just like any other video game, and all video games are prone to criticism because *gasp* we aren't all hive minded automatons, well, maybe the most hardcore of the Nintendo fandom are, but anyway... People have different tolerances and preferences and some facets about games are more forgivable to some or more frustrating to others. It's just going to happen. There will always be someone who doesn't appreciate your beloved game as much as you. Jim Sterling happens to be this man.

Do I agree with his review score of 7? Not at all. I disagree with his opinion that the weapon durability mechanic was that much of a bane to take such a chunk off the score. I do agree, though, they break far too quickly. I disagree with his opinion that finding shrines to expand your hearts felt like busywork. I loved finding shrines. I disagree about a lot of his gripes from the stamina meter to rain interrupting his rock climbing, to even him asserting that there was a "difficulty" issue. I felt he didn't really give the game a fair enough chance, but you know what? That's ok. He doesn't need to be like us, because we most certainly don't need to be like him. We're all different.

And some Nintendo fans can never understand that. Out of the three console fandoms, it's been my personal experience that Nintendo are some of the most rabid, vitriolic and oversensitive of the bunch. Just recall any and every Zelda review from any publication that didn't meet at least a 9. Hell, remember Jeff Gerstmann's 8.8 for Twilight Princess? And oh God, the 7 from Tom McShea for Skyward Sword? Look at how they lost their shit! And I mean, fanboys in general lose their shit, but Nintendo fanboys lost their shit like they misplaced their bowels. Then Jim comes along, gives one of the most highly received Zeldas in years a 7, and people have gone out of their way to DDoS his site.

I'm not going to post any of the nasty comments Jim received. He's highlighted some of them in his Jimquisition and he's right to slag them for acting like whiny self-entitled brats. If you acted the way some of these people did towards Jim for low balling a game, then you should be ashamed of yourself. You're helping to reinforce a negative stereotype about gamers in general. If you're a grown adult, you should feel even more embarrassed, and I wonder just how you deal with situations and responsibilities that affect your actual life.
The one thing Jim said in his video that I absolutely loved was if how the game was so great and so perfect, how come you aren't playing it? What has torn you away from such an amazing game that you had to waste your time and bitch about it on the Internet? I have been saying that for years. I've seen this kind of behavior before and it just seems it will never go away. What is it about the fragility of fanboys? Why do they care so much about other people's opinions? How can they not see they're a blight on the video gaming community?

Also, some say he did this on purpose to generate clicks and controversy, and ultimately it doesn't change a single thing. His review score may have drug the Metacritic score down a percent whether intentional or not, but at the end of the day it CERTAINLY doesn't change the way YOU feel about the game and doesn't lower whatever score YOU give it. If you're really that upset over Jim's review, you need to get over it. There are far important things to concern yourself with, liking searching for another strong weapon that you just broke and fool yourself into thinking you have no problem with because it's in a Nintendo game.

Resident EVII Has Reaffirmed My Investment In PSVR

Back in October, I spent 500 dollars on PlayStation 4's virtual reality headset, PSVR.  It was a gamble, I know.  Luckily, because of some horrible handling of my order on Amazon's part, I got almost 100 dollars of it back, so that helped soften the blow.  Still, it was a gamble, investing that amount of money on something that may or may not yield fruit.  My, oh my, what an apple this tree has made.

I did enjoy my virgin outing with the PSVR.  I played an amazing game called Thumper, and spent a good deal of time with demos.  I played through the disappointing Here They Lie, but marveled at some of the trickery they had near the end of the game, even if the game didn't make sense whatsoever.  I chuckled and yelled out of frustration at the incredibly short I Expect You to Die. I knew what it felt like to live in Jurassic Park as I delved into Crytek's world of Robinson: The Journey.  The PSVR has given me many unique experiences, and for the most part I've enjoyed them. But none so far have proved to me as impressive as a recent particular game: Resident EVII.

I've spent about about seven hours in the Baxter house so far, and there have been a lot of unnerving moments.  There have been several "HOLY SHIT" moments as well, jump scares that delivered their effects far more potently, because my brain is being tricked into believing they're real.  I haven't yet played the game in normal mode, because I simply don't want to.  Every new room I explore, every sound that I hear, every fight I partake in, I want to be there.  I want that depth, that perception, that extra layer of realism that isn't afforded on merely playing the game on a flat screen.

It comes at a cost, though.  REVII is a beautifully yet disgustingly detailed game and because of the loss of resolution in the headset, I lose a good deal of fidelity as a result.  Graphics whores will probably never get behind VR unless the tech is able to start displaying in 4K, and I'm sure that kind of power would only serve to make each VR session that much more special.  But special to me is being there, seeing the blood from a chainsaw splattering in my face, seeing the twisted face of Margeurite Baxter suddenly appear before me, almost feeling the fetid breath from a molded as it opens its toothy maw right in front me.  I'll gladly give up that resolution for feeling right there in each and every moment.

As for the game itself, I'm really enjoying it.  It didn't feel much like a Resident Evil game when I first started playing it, but as the game's progressing, there's a lot of Resident Evil-esque gameplay going on.  Puzzles and keys and even some boss fights have that authentic Resident Evil feel to it.  I just wish that the story would feel somehow connected to past Resident Evil games, but maybe there will be later developments that tie everything together.

I'm hoping this game does well.  I hope it does very well.  I hope that Sony and Capcom see a lot of people playing Resident EVII in VR, because I want more VR games that make excellent use of this tech to be released.  So far, it's just been mini games that were nothing more than tech demos, and little self contained games that were more experiences than they were games, but Resident EVII is the first substantial game that I've played that can also be experienced in its entirely with VR.  If we get more games of this caliber, then maybe we don't have another Move on our hands.  We'll finally have a VR system that will stick around for a few years.

If you have the means, I strongly urge you to get a PSVR and Resident EVII.  It really is something else.  For the longest time, I've been searching for a game that's truly terrifying, but I've played so many horror games that I started becoming immune to them.  REVII in VR is finally a game that makes me uneasy about turning on my game console again.  Great work, Capcom!

The Switch's Launch Line Up Is Fuck All

Seems like we have Reggie Fils-Aime doing more damage control. 

"Launch day is not the be-all and the end-all," Fils-Aime said. "It really is the steady pacing of content that continually reinforces for the people who bought into the platform why they made a smart choice, as well as what compels people who might be sitting on the sidelines to jump in."

True.  A system's library is never defined by the launch line up.  With that said, however, the Switch's line up is abysmal, even with The Legend of Zelda.  I know, some of you might be, "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! ZELDA IS WHAT SAVED THE LAUNCH LINE UP!" Yes, the fact that one game has to save the line up, which is nothing but a Wii U port, means that line up is abysmal.  You can't defend it.

As mentioned in GameSpot's article, the Wii U launched with 23 titles (as you'll see from the following list, that number is actually higher).  The Switch launches with... five (six if you include the digital Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+).  Aside from Zelda, they aren't even attractive games that will sell anyone on a system at launch.  We have 1-2-Switch which isn't very compelling at all, a weird mini-game compilation that doesn't even require you to look at the screen.  Then, we have Just Dance 2017 and Skylanders: Imaginators.  You can get those titles on just about every other console.  Lastly, we have Super Bomberman R, a game I just might be getting to have something else to play when I need a break from Zelda.  I honestly haven't seen a launch line up this bad since Nintendo 64. Now, that statement might confuse some of you as well, since it launched with Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64, two fantastic games, but that was ... it.  Let's take a look at the launch line ups from systems in the past, as far back as the fifth generation.

3DO

1.  Crash and Burn

Sega Saturn

1. Clockwork Knight
2. Dayton USA
3. Panzer Dragoon
4. Pebble Beach Golf Links
5. Virtua Fighter
6. Worldwide Soccer: Sega International Victory Edition

Sony Playstation

1. Battle Arena Toshinden
2. ESPn Extreme Games
3. Kileak: The DNA Imperative
4. NBA Jam Tournament Edition
5. Power Serve 3D Tennis
6. The Raiden Project
7. Rayman 
8. Ridge Racer
9. Streeth Fighter: The Movie
10. Total Eclipse Turbo

Nintendo 64

1. Pilotwings 64
2. Super Mario 64

Atari Jaguar

1. Cybermorph
2. Trevor McFur In the Crescent Galaxy

Dreamcast

1. AeroWings
2. AirFroce Delta
3. Blue Stinger
4. CART Flag to Flag
5. Expendable
6. The House of the Dead 2
7. Hydro Thunder
8. Monaco Grand Prix
9. Mortal Kombat Gold
10. NFL 2K
11. NFL Blitz 2000
12. Pen Pen Tricelon
13. Power Stone
14. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
15. Sonic Adventure
16. Soulcalibur
17. TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat
18. Tokyo Xtreme Racer
19. TrickStyle

Sony PlayStation 2

1. Armored Core 2
2. DOA2: Hardcore
3. Dynasty Warriors 2
4. ESPN International Track & Field
5. ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding
6. Eternal Ring
7. Evergrace
8. FantaVision
9. Gungriffon Blaze 
10. Madden NFL 2001
11. Midnight Club: Street Racing
12. NHL 2001
13. Orphen: Scion of Sorcery
14. Q-Ball: Billiards Master
15. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2
16. Ridge Racer V
17. Silent Scope
18. Smuggler's Run
19. SSX 
20. Street Fighter EX3
21. Summoner 
22. Swing Away Golf
23. Tekken Tag Tournament
24. TimeSplitters
25. Unreal Tournament
26. Wild Wild Racing
27. X-Squad

Nintendo GameCube

1. All-Star Baseball 2002
2. Batman Vengeance
3. Crazy Taxi
4. Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
5. Disney's Tarzan Untamed
6. Luigi's Mansion
7. Madden NFL 2002
8. NHL Hitz 20-02
9. Star Wars Rogue Squadron: Rogue Leader
10. Super Monkey Ball 
11. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
12. Wave Race: Blue Storm

Microsoft Xbox

1. 4x4 EVO 2
2. AirForce Delta Storm
3. Arctic Thunder
4. Cel Damage
5. Dark Summit
6. Dead or Alive 3
7. Fuzion Frenzy 
8. Halo: Combat Evolved
9. Mad Dash Racing
10. Madden NFL 2002
11. NASCAR Heat 2002
12. NASCAR Thunder 2002
13. NFL Fever 2002
14. NHL Hitz 20-02
15. Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
16. Project Gotham Racing
17. Shrek
18. Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open
19. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x
20. TransWorld Surf

Microsoft Xbox 360

1. Amped 3
2. Call of Duty 2
3. Condemned: Criminal Origins
4. FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup
5. GUN
6. Kameo: Elements of Power
7. Madden NFL 06
8. NBA 2K6
9. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
10. NHL 2K6
11. Perfect Dark Zero
12. Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
13. Project Gotham Racing 3
14. Quake 4
15. Ridge Racer 6
16. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 6
17. Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

Sony PlayStation 3

1. Call of Duty 3
2. Genji: Days of the Blade
3. Madden NFL 07
4. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
5. Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
6. Need for Speed: Carbon
7. NBA 07
8. NBA 2K7
9. NHL 2K7
10. Resistance: Fall of Man
11. Ridge Racer 7
12. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
13. Tony Hawk's Project 8
14. Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom

Nintendo Wii

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender
2. Call of Duty 3
3. Cars
4. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
5. Excite Truck
6. The Grim Adventures of Billy $ Mandy
7. GT Pro Series
8. Happy Feet
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. Madden NFL 07
11. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
12. Monster 4x4: World Circuit 
13. Need for Speed: Carbon
14. Rampage: Total Destruction
15. Rayman Raving Rabbids
16. Red Steel
17. SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature From the Krusty Krab
18. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
19. Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
20. Trauma Center: Second Opinion
21. Wii Sports

Nintendo Wii U

1. Assassin's Creed III
2. Batman: Arkham City - Armored Edition
3. Ben 10: Omniverse
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
5. Chasing Aurora 
6. Darksiders II
7. Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
8. ESPN Sports Connection
9. FIFA Soccer 13
10. Funky Barn
11. Game Party Champions
12. Just Dance 4
13. Little Inferno
14. Madden NFL 13
15. Mass Effect 3: Special Edition
16. Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition
17. Nano Assault Neo
18. NBA 2K13
19. New Super Mario Bros. U
20. Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
21. Nintendo Land
22. Rabbids Land
23. Scribblenauts Unlimited
24. Sing Party
25. Skylanders: Giants
26. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
27. Tank! Tank! Tank!
28. Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition
29. Transformers: Prime - The Game
30. Trine 2: Director's Cut
31. Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper
32. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
33. ZombiU

Sony PlayStation 4

1. Angry Birds Star Wars
2. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
3. Battlefield 4
4. Blacklight: Retribution
5. Call of Duty: Ghosts
6. Contrast
7. DC Universe Online
8. FIFA 14
9. Flower
10. Injustice: Gods Among Us - Ultimate Edition
11. Just Dance 2014
12. Killzone Shadow Fall
13. Knack
14. Lego Marvel Super Heros
15. Madden NFL 25
16. NBA 2K14
17. Need for Speed Rivals
18. Resogun
19. Skylanders: Swap Force
20. Sound Shapes
21. Super Motherload
22. The Playroom
23. Trine 2: Complete Story
24. Warframe

Microsoft Xbox One

1. Angry Birds Star Wars
2. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
3. Battlefield 4
4. Call of Duty: Ghosts
5. Crimson Dragon
6. Dead Rising 3
7. FIFA 14
8. Fighter Within
9. Forza Motorsport 5
10. Just Dance 2014
11. Killer Instinct 
12. Lego Marvel Super Heroes
13. LcocCycle
14. Madden NFL 25
15. NBA 2K14
16. Need for Speed Rivals
17. Powerstar Golf
18. Ryse: Son of Rome
19. Skylanders: Swap Force
20. Zoo Tycoon
21. Zumba Fitness: World Party

Nintendo Switch

1. 1-2-Switch
2. The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
3. Just Dance 2017
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
5. Skylanders: Imaginators
6. Super Bomberman R

Ok, so there's a few things to point out.  One, this information was pulled from Wikipedia, so some of these titles might actually be wrong.  They're all US launch titles, by the way.  Some of these titles were also digital store releases, so if you take that into account, you have a sixth launch title for the Switch in the form of The Binding of Isaac. 

Now, these lists aren't really to debate quality, more as to illustrate quantity and variety of selection.  You can see that the 3DO had an absolute joke of a launch with just one title, and the Jaguar actually tied the N64 with only two titles.  It wasn't until Sony's PlayStation that we started seeing consoles (except the N64 and Jaguar) that we started seeing 10+ titles being released at launch as the average.  The Nintendo Wii U also looks to be the console with the greatest number of titles for a US launch.  Even with the following four month drought of the system, there was still  PLENTY of games to choose from to tide you over until the next release.

I could have just typed out the number of games each system had, but I decided to list them all out so as you're scrolling down reading the games, you come to a sudden and abrupt stop when you hit the Switch's list.  To see how so many consoles have released in the past with so many titles, and then to see the Switch's offering... it's insulting to say the least.  It's not the "be-all and end-all" for sure, but it certainly is fuck-all for launch.  

This suggests to me that Nintendo simply is not ready to release the system.  Now, I get what Reggie is saying about it being important to keep a steady stream of software releasing after the system's initial launch, but even then, I feel that Switch is failing in that department as well.  All I'm getting at launch is Zelda, and maybe Super Bomberman R, and then it's nothing until Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, only because I'm replacing it since I broke it on the Wii U (don't ask).  Then, maybe Splatoon 2, and nothing until Super Mario Odyssey.  I'm not even including Xenoblade 2, because I highly doubt that will make it this year.  

I think it would have been far better to have launched the Switch this holiday.  It would have allowed for games to be finished and included at launch to make the line up more impressive, and also allowed Nintendo to work on things they desperately need to work on, such as online infrastructure.  Hell, having a few more million units sitting in a warehouse would have made a worldwide launch easier and would have seen a far higher number of launch systems sold.  But I get why they did it.  Xbox's Scorpio will have been out, and they probably didn't want it released in its shadow.  

I've always bought lots of games (with the exception of Xbox and Xbox One) at launch, because I feel that's the best way to enjoy a new system.  Play a new game, take a break, play a new one, take a break, play a new one.  It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet.  You arrive hungry, and you get to try so many things.  With the Switch, I can't do that.  I'm stuck with an amazing slice of pizza, and amazing as that pizza is, I'll eventually get tired of it and want something else. 

The Nintendo Switch Is Whatever You Make It

So, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime had to come out today and explain what the Nintendo Switch is. 

"At its heart, [Switch is] a home console that you can take with you on the go."

Or, could it be that the Switch, at its heart, is a handheld that you can dock to your TV?  See, it depends on what you want it to be.  Because it's a hybrid, you can bend it both ways.  If you play it mostly at home, it's a console.  If you play it mostly on the go, it's a handheld.  I think Reggie's further causing confusion by trying to assign the Switch's identity.  It kind of defeats the purpose of being a hybrid when you're trying to tell people what it really is.

If someone put a gun to my head and told me to make a call, however, I see it more as a handheld that seamlessly docks to the TV.  Why? Because it's an extremely weak console in comparison to the PS4 and Xbox One, and barely a step above the Wii U. It kicks the crap out of anything in the handheld market, though.  This is why I see it more as a handheld than a console.  Reggie and Co., however, are trying to assert to console gamers that the Switch has their best interests in mind, but they also don't want to dissuade  3DS gamers into thinking that the Switch is the 3DS's successor.  I feel it is.

I feel it's the successor to both the Wii U and the 3DS.  It's the successor to the Wii U because, according to Reggie, it's a console at heart.  It's the successor to the 3DS because with all its power as a handheld, Nintendo has no need to make a new one.  What point is there to make a more powerful handheld when an undocked Switch serves that very purpose? Reggie states that they'll continue to have a console and handheld market because of different price points, but I don't believe that.  The price for Nintendo handhelds have been going up since the original Game Boy. The current iteration handheld, the Nintendo 3DS, is going upwards of 200 dollars, well over 300 dollars for out of print special editions.  People are willing to pay two to three hundred dollars for a 3DS... If you have 300 dollars, might as well buy a switch... Now you don't need to buy a Nintendo console, because you already have one.

This should be painfully obvious to anyone who doesn't need a corporate figurehead spelling it out for them. The future of Nintendo's console and handheld market will be merging into one. This is how Nintendo will operate from now on.  Their new market will be hybrid gaming, meaning that if you're a console gamer or a handheld gamer, whatever Nintendo game they release, they will have you covered with just one version.  The Switch facilitates that, and it's not what Reggie says that defines it; it's how you use it. Always at home? Switch is a console.  Always on the go? It's a handheld.  Do both? It's a hybrid.

It irks me that Nintendo is screwing up on the market front again.  They did this with the Wii U, trying to tell people what the damn thing actually was.  They're doing this right now with the Switch!  Tell your consumers it doesn't have to fit in a box!  It's whatever you want it to be.  I mean, hell, the bloody name of the machine is "Switch".  You can "switch" between whatever you want.  Please Reggie, do something you haven't done for your consumer base in a long while... give them some credit.

Nintendo Switch Presentation Thoughts

So Nintendo finally gave us a healthy dose of Nintendo Switch information in the form of a Nintendo Switch Presentation that aired earlier tonight.  I have to admit, it was very well presented.  I quite enjoyed the intro about how they explained that the Switch has borrowed "DNA" from all previous Nintendo products. What I didn't enjoy much was the lack of info on launch titles, but we'll get into that in a bit.

First, two bits of information if you haven't already heard.  We have a world wide release date of March 3rd.    We all pretty much knew it was coming in March, but I had no idea that it was coming that soon in March.  This doesn't even leave Nintendo two months to get through all the logistics of pre-ordering and shipping, world wide mind you.  This is serious crunch time for them.

Second, we have the price.  It will be 299.99 in the States.  Again, that didn't come as a big surprise, because all reports figured it would be somewhere around the Wii U's price.  Anything steeper would be putting it well over what the PS4 and Xbox One are going for right now, and that would just be a huge shot in the foot to Nintendo.  In fact, I'm leaning towards saying 300 is a bit too much as it is.

We also got a full break down on all the features of the Switch, including the Joy-Con.  Confirmed is touch screen controls.  That was pretty much a given, but the October trailer never hinted at it.  The main stars of the show were the Joy-Cons.  We got a detailed look at everything they could do.  We now know they have shoulder buttons, and there will be wrist straps that slide onto them, extending the grip of those buttons to make them more comfortable.  Accelerometers mean motion controls, and there will be an infrared port that's able to not only detect proximity of objects, but their shape as well.  That could make for some interesting applications.  What really interested me is the new "HD Rumble" they introduced.  Supposedly, you'll be able to detect more intricate rumbling for greater sensory feedback.

There's some great news, and some horrible news.  First, the great news.  Nintendo Switch will be region free.  Finally, a Nintendo system free of stupid region locking bullshit.  Now, the only thing holding back your enjoyment of importing Japanese games is your lack of understanding Japanese!  This is huge Nintendo!  Seems like you're finally learning....no, wait.  No you're not.  Apparently, it's too hard to keep making steps forward without taking steps backward.  So, the horrible news.  Near the end of 2017, Nintendo will begin charging for online services.

Now, they didn't go into detail about exactly what kind of services they'll be charging for, but I can only hope against hope that basic online play will be free.  If not, this has potential to hurt Nintendo severely.  Some people stuck with Nintendo when MS, and later Sony, began charging for their online play.  Will people cough up the dough to keep playing Splatoon 2?  Not if they don't improve how their games play, because Nintendo still doesn't understand basic online fundamentals like, match making and friend finding.

Now for the games... I'm just going to say I am a bit worried that more than half the time spent on their reveals were for games they could have waited to show off at E3.  I was waiting patiently to learn what launch titles would be available on day one, and although The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was confirmed as a launch title with an absolutely breathtaking trailer, the only other game confirmed for launch was.... a multiplayer mini-game called 1 2 Switch.  All it looks to be is a duel type game where you try to pull the controller out on someone before they do.  I'm sure that will be fun for about 1, 2 minutes...

ARMS looked to be an interesting title where you use your Joy-Cons as virtual boxing gloves.  The unique feature about this arcade boxing title is that the arms extend, like springs, so you can throw your punches literally across the ring.  Twisting your wrists allow you to curve your punches.  But honestly, I get the impression that this is nothing but a glorified Wii Boxing.  I can't see it being a substantial title.

There was also footage being shown for a Splatoon title.  Now, I saw a Splatoon game being played on the Switch in the October trailer, but I just assumed it was a port of the Wii U title, but it is in fact a full fledged sequel.  Looks like just about everything in the game will be brand new.  I'm a bit excited for it, but I only hope they make their single player campaign larger, because the original was fun.  Just wasn't long enough, and the online bored me.  I for sure will not be paying just to play Splatoon 2 online.

Everything else they showed off seems it was going to be well off into 2017.  We got a new Shin Megami Tensei, a new Fire Emblem, Xenoblade 2 (which looks FUCKING amazing) and a few other things.  There was a rapid fire teaser montage at the end that went by too quickly to really spot what was coming out, but I'm sure future Treehouses will go into detail about those.  Oh, there was the finally confirmed Skyrim, which should have just been confirmed by Bethesda back when we saw the game being played on the Switch... back in October.  There was a also a tease of Suda 51 saying a new Travis Touchdown game is in the works, but it has no title yet.  Come on... what else could it be other than No More Heroes 3?!  That announcement had me the most excited yet.  I simply love that series!

Then, we got a look at the new Mario.  It started off with a camera panning across a city and descending to street level where it stopped above a sewer lid.  I was thinking, "A new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game?"  Nope. Mario pops out!  It showed him running across this New York inspired city, and I was thinking, "OH MY GOD!  IT'S HAPPENING!  SUPER MARIO GRAND THEFT AUTO!"  Then the scenery changed. Rapidly.  Forest levels. Space levels.  Weird abstract art levels.  His hat also has a life of its own now.  This new Mario game Super Mario Odyssey looks weird and fantastic all in one.  And... it's not releasing until the holiday season.  Bad. Move. Nintendo.  You needed this at launch.

And this brings me to my closing.  Nintendo fell hard on their faces with this presentation.  Even though it was made well, it lacked critical information: launch titles.  So, all we know is that there's a mini game and Zelda.  Where is everything else? What other Nintendo games are going to be launch titles? Any third parties? I mean.. it can't JUST be those two? Can it? And what is the rest of the year going to look like? I know, it's too early for that information, but I am deeply concerned that we're going to see another four month game drought like we did with the Wii U.  Sure, we got Wii U and GC backwards compatibility, but that's through digital content only, pointless if you have the discs.  If you're going to buy a Switch just for Switch games, you're going to be royally screwed.