General Switch Discussion

[S.C.G]

Ah, I misunderstood, it looks like all Switch batteries are fixed in with adhesive, though looking at the iFixit video, it doesn't look too hard to pry out if you've got the full battery replacement kit, but it isn't as straightforward as other older Nintendo console battery replacements.

[Hero-of-Time]

Happy Mar10 day.

What a fantastic fan made animation. It's always hilarious to see how fans put out/care more about franchise anniversaries or special days than the actual corps that own the IP.

 

[Dcubed]

21 hours ago, Ashley said:

I would not trust myself to do a repair. Plus it's a launch day one so the glue thing would be an issue. 

I mean... it's not gonna get any deader!

[Ashley]

55 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

I mean... it's not gonna get any deader!

It could in the sense that I could make it unrepairable. 

It's not Kimmy Schmitt after all. 

[bob]

50 minutes ago, Ashley said:

It could in the sense that I could make it unrepairable. 

It's not Kimmy Schmitt after all. 

I know this is a basic thing, but have you checked the charging port isn't full of spooge?

My phone port fills up with crap to the point where it stops charging. 10 minutes with a sewing needle to scoop the lint out the port and it's good as new. Maybe the same thing has happened there?

[killthenet]

I made a bit of a mess when I repaired my launch Switch @Ashley but that was down to the screws along the joy con rail being too tight to undo - once I had got the tablet apart taking out the battery was pretty easy, you just need to make sure you clean up all the adhesive residue before you put in the replacement 

[Dcubed]

There's a Nintendo Direct focused on Switch 1 happening on Thursday this week.

Probably.

Edited yesterday at 04:26 PM by Dcubed

[killthenet]

And there have been updates made to Silksong's Steam DB entry so if there's a direct on Thursday ahead of the Switch 2 blowout then there are two opportunities in the space of a week to be disappointed by it's absence 

[Glen-i]

I mean, Switch still hasn't got the final year Kirby game yet, so it checks out.

[Julius]

23 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

There's a Nintendo Direct focused on Switch 1 happening on Thursday this week.

Probably.

I was reading that Reddit thread last night and it's a strange one, but a lot more people have jumped onboard since, so for other people to have more context on why it seems to be gaining some traction now - from Nintendo Life:

Quote

Collated by a handy Reddit post, the first hint comes via a Chinese forum poster who had reportedly previously leaked nearly the entirety of the June Direct from 2024. After translation, the user had effectively stated "we'll see a NS1 direct meeting in 3 days" which, at the time of posting, lines up with this Wednesday.

Next, Famiboards user ninspider posted in the 'Nintendo General Discussion' page to state "I walked by Furukawa's office this morning and heard him say Nintendo will die before Switch 2 die. anyone know what this means?".

Now, on its own, this means absolutely bugger all, but another user responded to ask whether he was alluding to 'Nindai', a shortened version of 'Nintendo Direct' used in Japan. So essentially, ninspider is saying that another Direct will take place before the Switch 2 Direct'. This is then followed up by a simple 'winking' emoji from ninspider to add further fuel to the fire.

Finally, after BlueSky user Stealth posted a statement stating that Nintendo made the right move in avoiding any further Direct presentations before its big Switch 2 showcase, VGC editor Andy Robinson quoted this with a simple 'thinking' emoji. This has prompted several responses from users who believe Robinson may know something about a potential Direct.

I feel like it easily goes both ways, right? 

Some are going to argue it's going to take attention away from the Switch 2 Direct next Wednesday.

Others are going to argue that you get the OG Switch stuff out of the way now ahead of the Switch 2 Direct so that it doesn't take up valuable time there. I think a good example of this would be something like Metroid Prime 4 – if it's releasing on both consoles, any time you commit to it in the Switch 2 Direct, I think, should be focused on any enhancements specific to the Switch 2 version of the game and showcasing the Switch 2, more so than it being an advertisment for Prime 4. I would then make the argument you don't want to show Prime 4, period, because it isn't a Switch 2 exclusive, and if there's a way to talk about it outside of the Switch 2 Direct, I'd do that. 

Now, I'm going to be honest, I don't think there's anything that can be done to draw attention away from that event, and I think the only way you reach even more people than you do simply posting a Switch 2 video back in Jan and tweeting about it is to remind people in another Direct taking place the week before. I mean, it will have been 2½ months between the Switch 2 Direct announcement come its airtime next Wednesday, and Nintendo Directs regularly dwarf every other showcase this industry puts on in viewership, perhaps the only show coming close being the annual The Game Awards. 

All this being said, while I'm not going to say that I'm fully onboard with it being legitimate - it was just last month we were being told about a Switch Direct which never came - this sounds like something equally silly and smart enough that it seems like the exact sort of thing Nintendo would do.

I've brought it up before but a Switch 2 Direct in April and potential Switch 2 release between the start of May and end of July doesn't really give them much incentive to have a typical Direct in June, so we could well end up with a sizeable gap over the summer between the Switch 2 Direct and a hypothetical September Direct proper – they're in a very different position now compared to where they were with the OG Switch, which released in March and then needed the E3 Spotlight to help build momentum with a whole slew of announcements; next week's Switch 2 Direct should be that show. And, once the proverbial Switch 2 cat is out of the hat, I don't think they'll go back in June to just do a Direct completely focused on the OG Switch. 

Saying all this, it also totally possible that they're just flushing out rats and fixing up any leaky pipes last minute before the Switch 2 Direct 

Edited yesterday at 04:50 PM by Julius

[Hero-of-Time]

8 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

I mean, Switch still hasn't got the final year Kirby game yet, so it checks out.

Yup. Robotbot has been heavily rumoured for a few months now.

There's still that FE remake game that has apparently been sat finished for over a year now as well.

[Dcubed]

8 minutes ago, Julius said:

I was reading that Reddit thread last night and it's a strange one, but a lot more people have jumped onboard since, so for other people to have more context on why it seems to be gaining some traction now - from Nintendo Life:

  Reveal hidden contents

Collated by a handy Reddit post, the first hint comes via a Chinese forum poster who had reportedly previously leaked nearly the entirety of the June Direct from 2024. After translation, the user had effectively stated "we'll see a NS1 direct meeting in 3 days" which, at the time of posting, lines up with this Wednesday.

Next, Famiboards user ninspider posted in the 'Nintendo General Discussion' page to state "I walked by Furukawa's office this morning and heard him say Nintendo will die before Switch 2 die. anyone know what this means?".

Now, on its own, this means absolutely bugger all, but another user responded to ask whether he was alluding to 'Nindai', a shortened version of 'Nintendo Direct' used in Japan. So essentially, ninspider is saying that another Direct will take place before the Switch 2 Direct'. This is then followed up by a simple 'winking' emoji from ninspider to add further fuel to the fire.

Finally, after BlueSky user Stealth posted a statement stating that Nintendo made the right move in avoiding any further Direct presentations before its big Switch 2 showcase, VGC editor Andy Robinson quoted this with a simple 'thinking' emoji. This has prompted several responses from users who believe Robinson may know something about a potential Direct.

I feel like it easily goes both ways, right? 

Some are going to argue it's going to take attention away from the Switch 2 Direct next Wednesday.

Others are going to argue that you get the OG Switch stuff out of the way now ahead of the Switch 2 Direct so that it doesn't take up valuable time there. I think a good example of this would be something like Metroid Prime 4 – if it's releasing on both consoles, any time you commit to it in the Switch 2 Direct, I think, should be focused on any enhancements specific to the Switch 2 version of the game and showcasing the Switch 2, more so than it being an advertisment for Prime 4. I would then make the argument you don't want to show Prime 4, period, because it isn't a Switch 2 exclusive, and if there's a way to talk about it outside of the Switch 2 Direct, I'd do that. 

Now, I'm going to be honest, I don't think there's anything that can be done to draw attention away from that event, and I think the only way you reach even more people than you do simply posting a Switch 2 video back in Jan and tweeting about it is to remind people in another Direct taking place the week before. I mean, it will have been 2½ months between the Switch 2 Direct announcement come its airtime next Wednesday, and Nintendo Directs regularly dwarf every other showcase this industry puts on in viewership, perhaps the only show coming close being the annual The Game Awards. 

All this being said, while I'm not going to say that I'm fully onboard with it being legitimate - it was just last month we were being told about a Switch Direct which never came - this sounds like something equally silly and smart enough that it seems like the exact sort of thing Nintendo would do.

I've brought it up before but a Switch 2 Direct in April and potential Switch 2 release between the start of May and end of July doesn't really give them much incentive to have a typical Direct in June, so we could well end up with a sizeable gap over the summer between the Switch 2 Direct and a hypothetical September Direct proper – they're in a very different position now compared to where they were with the OG Switch, which released in March and then needed the E3 Spotlight to help build momentum with a whole slew of announcements; next week's Switch 2 Direct should be that show. And, once the proverbial Switch 2 cat is out of the hat, I don't think they'll go back in June to just do a Direct completely focused on the OG Switch. 

Saying all this, it also totally possible that they're just flushing out rats and fixing up any leaky pipes last minute before the Switch 2 Direct 

My Uncle At Nintendo actually chimed in about this to me on the sly last night.  Though they didn't say it was a Direct per-say, they did say it was something Nintendo related happening on Thursday or Friday this week.

That being said, we've now run out of Switch 1 games with actual release dates on the docket; so we are overdue a Direct (plus, as @Glen-i rightfully said, we can't finish Switch 1 without the typical Extremely-Late-Console-Kirby-Game, so that has to be announced soon ).  So I can certainly believe that we're getting one more Switch 1 focused ND as a last hurrah before Switch 2 comes along.

Edited yesterday at 04:57 PM by Dcubed

[Julius]

41 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Though they didn't say it was a Direct per-say

Partner Showcase incoming 

(I'd rather have nothing so please don't be this I'm begging you Nintendo)

41 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

That being said, we've now run out of Switch 1 games with actual release dates on the docket; so we are overdue a Direct (plus, as @Glen-i rightfully said, we can't finish Switch 1 without the typical Extremely-Late-Console-Kirby-Game, so that has to be announced soon ).  So I can certainly believe that we're getting one more Switch 1 focused ND as a last hurrah before Switch 2 comes along.

I mean, I think it really just depends on how quickly Nintendo plan on closing the book on the OG Switch.

If they plan to only support it as far as the end of 2025/the next financial year (March 2026) - and to be clear, by "support" I am referring to first-party releases - then yeah, I could see them probably wanting to just shoot their proverbial OG Switch load in a Direct ahead of the Switch 2, and said games could get focused Directs/events in select cases (Prime 4, Pokémon) or, perhaps more likely for other relatively smaller titles (Fire Emblem remake, Kirby), the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition treatment of an entire marketing campaign without a Direct appearance, just relying on TV ads, YouTube trailers, and social media teams to keep the marketing ball rolling. 

Personally, I don't think they're going to want a repeat of the 3DS/Switch sort of split to Directs between the OG Switch/Switch 2 after the Switch 2 has launched, because I think it could get incredibly confusing as a Direct viewer if there's no clear delineation (which would be way tougher considering, well, they'll both be carrying the Switch name), but to play devil's advocate: while we are waiting on the long rumoured Fire Emblem remake that @Hero-of-Time mentioned and the very likely Kirby release to bow out the Switch that @Glen-i mentioned, 3DS titles of similar, relatively smaller fandoms were announced well beyond the release of the Switch, with Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story announced in March 2018 (releasing Dec 2018 for Japan and Jan 2019 elsewhere), and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn announced in September 2018 (releasing March 2019, 2 years into the life of the Switch). If Nintendo plan to support the Switch beyond the end of 2025/the next financial year, then those games could well be announced at a later point. 

Like I said, I think a totally unexpected Direct dropping this week would just exponentially ramp up the hype and viewership for the Switch 2 Direct next week, so I'd have no problem with them dropping one, that's for sure 

Edited yesterday at 05:34 PM by Julius

[Ashley]

1 hour ago, Julius said:

Next, Famiboards user ninspider posted in the 'Nintendo General Discussion' page to state "I walked by Furukawa's office this morning and heard him say Nintendo will die before Switch 2 die. anyone know what this means?".

Finally, the seppuku sim we've all been waiting for!

[Hero-of-Time]

Looks like it's legit. Nate is usually good with Direct announcements.

[Dcubed]

I’m gonna guess that it’ll be a general Direct, not a Parner Showcase or an Indie World.  But it’ll be a relatively low-key event, primarily made up of 3rd party titles and 1st party remasters.

Seems like the right time for Kirby: Planet Robobot HD and the long-rumoured FE: Geneology of the Holy War remake.

Edited 23 hours ago by Dcubed

[S.C.G]

Maybe it's finally time for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD / Twilight Princess HD

It has been ages since they were released on the Wii U, and these are the only two main Zelda games which aren't on the Switch, so it's now or never, surely?

[Hero-of-Time]

8 hours ago, S.C.G said:

Maybe it's finally time for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD / Twilight Princess HD

It has been ages since they were released on the Wii U, and these are the only two main Zelda games which aren't on the Switch, so it's now or never, surely?

I completely forgot about that. It's another game that has been rumoured for well over a year now. I would love to have Wind Waker on the Switch.

[Dcubed]

I dunno if they’ll bother with TWW/TP HD on Switch at this point.  First off, any port of those two games will inevitably be inferior to their Wii U counterparts, because you’re going to lose the second screen Gamepad functionality.  Secondly… there’s nowhere to really go in terms of performance, since they already run at a full 1080p on Wii U anyway (and they weren’t built in a way that can easily accommodate a jump to 60FPS like how Skyward Sword was).

Finally, Switch 2 and subsequently the GCN NSO service is literally just around the corner.  Why bother with a native port when you’re gonna have the original GCN versions on NSO anyway?

Maybe a Switch 2 version might be worthwhile (because you can at least get 4K support there), but on the existing Switch? I think that Red Lion has sailed at this point.

Hell, Switch 2 will probably be powerful enough to emulate even the Wii U; so they may just end up offering a Wii U NSO service in the future (or standalone emulated versions on the eShop).  Far less effort involved than a native port for the same result.

Edited 11 hours ago by Dcubed

[Cube]

22 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Finally, Switch 2 and subsequently the GCN NSO service is literally just around the corner.  Why bother with a native port when you’re gonna have the original GCN versions on NSO anyway?

Because native ports will always be better. A GameCube NSO killing proper GameCube remasters would be terrible news. 

[Dcubed]

8 minutes ago, Cube said:

Because native ports will always be better. A GameCube NSO killing proper GameCube remasters would be terrible news. 

That’s not strictly true.  There are plenty of botched ports out there that are inferior to the originals being emulated.  Silent Hill HD Collection is a fine example; hell I’d even argue that Paper Mario TTYD HD is inferior to the GCN original (for running at half the framerate), as is NSMB U DX (missing features like Boost Mode) and Pikmin 3 DX (inferior controls and missing second screen functionality).

There’s also the opportunity cost to consider.  Chucking these games into an emulator is a LOT easier and cheaper than commissioning a native port; using up resources that could go into new games/services or full-on remakes otherwise.  You also would potentially get restored functionality through good quality emulation that would otherwise be lost, such as the Tingle Tuner support for TWW.

It’s not so cut and dry as you make it out to be.  Oftentimes, emulation is the preferable solution (and with Switch 2 having more than enough horsepower to emulate every Nintendo console ever made with relative ease? It’s a sensible and economic option).

Edited 11 hours ago by Dcubed

[Julius]

12 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Looks like it's legit. Nate is usually good with Direct announcements.

Yeah, this all but confirms it. He's been on a bit of a hot streak of late, so no real reason to think it's not legit. 

Can't help but groan about everyone who always comes out of the woodwork to make claims that they knew all along -- "my contact wasn't 100%, but..."; "Now that [legit leak source] has said it, I might as well share..."; "someone messaged me but I wasn't 100%, but now [aforementioned legit leak source] has said it, I think it's a certainty too." 

Ugh, anyways, a quick wishlist for me outside of the aforementioned Fire Emblem and Kirby:

• Chrono Trigger port – first big event after the anniversary, I'm tired of this tomfoolery S-E. For the love of Time just give me a straight port at this point. 
• Update on DQ I & II HD-2D – 4½ months removed now from III's HD-2D success, I think an update now makes sense because I think S-E should have bigger DQ-shaped fish to fry come the Switch 2 Direct next week. If not, it'll probably get lost in the shuffle on DQ Day in May or during Not-E3 in June, but this feels like a great chance for it to take centre stage. 
• Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD ports – while there are other Zelda games I want to get to before it, Wind Waker is definitely the one I most want to play for the first time. I have it on Wii U but the prospect of a Switch port has kept me kicking that bucket down the road. Do it, you cowards. Thanks for reminding us of it @S.C.G
• Where are the rest of the best of the indies?! – indies have been such a massive and defining part of the Switch's success, that it's crazy that some of the best indies which make the most sense on a device like the Switch haven't landed on the system yet. Where the hell are Papers, Please and FTL?! 

22 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

I dunno if they’ll bother with TWW/TP HD on Switch at this point.  First off, any port of those two games will inevitably be inferior to their Wii U counterparts, because you’re going to lose the second screen Gamepad functionality.

I feel like similar things were said about Skyward Sword HD, particularly concerns about how it would play handheld, but I think it was received just fine? 

23 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Finally, Switch 2 and subsequently the GCN NSO service is literally just around the corner.  Why bother with a native port when you’re gonna have the original GCN versions on NSO anyway?

Money is always the answer from a business perspective. From a consumer perspective, why wouldn't we want native ports on modern platforms? I think there's definitely value in both the GameCube releases being made available via NSO and having native ports. 

Zelda games have sold better on Switch than they have on any other platform, we're looking at an all-but-guaranteed 150m+ unit selling console now so the install base is there for the taking, and there's arguably less to do with Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD than some of the other ports we've already seen on Switch – like you said, if anything, these will end up being stripped back vs the Wii U versions (I do wonder if they'd fix the changes I know some weren't happy with in Wind Waker HD, though? If they don't, if anything, that could be a value-add for the original GameCube version). 

We've also had it happen before where Nintendo have released a game - Super Mario 64, as part of 3D All-Stars - which went on to come to NSO, so it's not unheard of. 

If anything, I think our biggest concern shouldn't be whether they're on the way, but rather that they will be making WW and TP – whether sold individually or as a collection; I'd imagine the former because...money – a time limited release like they did 3D All-Stars, for when they eventually come to NSO as part of a potential GC catalogue. 

 

Anyways, you want a GameCube game which I'm shocked isn't already on Switch but could absolutely be a visual masterpiece on Switch 2, making it worth saving for the latest console, considering what they managed with 3? A Luigi's Mansion remake. Yeah, I know they put it on 3DS, then decided to bring Dark of the Moon from 3DS to Switch rather hastily...but it has always struck me as odd that you can play the second and third games on Switch, but not the first. 

[Cube]

If Nintendo sold their emulated games, I would agree that some things can be missing, but as all their retro games are  now locked behind a subscription, they may as well not exist for me, making it very cut and dry.

[Hero-of-Time]

1 hour ago, Julius said:

I feel like similar things were said about Skyward Sword HD, particularly concerns about how it would play handheld, but I think it was received just fine? 

Indeed. For me it was a superior version of the game thanks to being able to use standard controls. I imagine the same arguments for Star Fox Zero would pop up if it ever got ported.

1 hour ago, Julius said:

Money is always the answer from a business perspective. From a consumer perspective, why wouldn't we want native ports on modern platforms? I think there's definitely value in both the GameCube releases being made available via NSO and having native ports. 

I think most of the ports have sold very well on the Switch. If there is a low cost but high return then I imagine Nintendo will continue to release them. 

[Julius]

Maybe they just want to say "please note, there will be no updates on the Switch 2 during this Direct" one final time