The Second Half of 2018 Switch Lineup

[Hero-of-Time]

Depending on who you ask, the Switch has had a decent first half of the year in terms of software. Sure, there were a few Wii U ports that filled in the release schedule gaps but the eShop has been home to some fantastic games, both well known and hidden gems. Regardless of how you rated the first half of the year, the second half of 2018 is looking very strong for the Nintendo Switch. There seems to be an onslaught of games arriving from now until the end of the year and I have spent the past week getting together this list of games that should be arriving before year is over. Hopefully there will be something for everyone in this list but also bear in mind that these are only games that we know of. I have no doubt in my mind that more will be announced via a Nintendo Direct at some point. Each game will have a trailer and a small write up. Let’s take a look…

 

Bomb Chicken (eShop) – Out Now

Spoiler

 

 

This was first shown during an Indie Direct and many instantly fell in love with the art style of the game.  Apparently the game is a very short but very sweet experience and has you playing as a chicken who throws bombs in order to solve puzzles and make its way through stages.

Having recently started playing through the game I can say that it is a very good indie game and one that is well worth checking out.

 

 

 

 

Octopath Traveler - Out Now

Spoiler

 

 

When this was first revealed at the very first Switch event most gamers were gushing over it. It looked to be a game that hearkened back to the SNES era of JRPGs and got rid of the fluff of what bogs down a lot of the genre in today’s market.  Many fans of the genre have watched its development with close interest and early sales numbers indicate that this could be quite a success for Square-Enix.

Having only put a few hours into the game so far it already has the making of something very special and, along with Xenoblade Chronicles 2, it could be another feather in the cap of the Switch for those who enjoy JRPGs.

 

 

 

 

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch and 3DS) – Out Now

Spoiler

 

 

This was one of my favourite games on the Wii U and indeed of any Nintendo platform. Being stuck on the ill fated console meant that the little captain didn’t get his time to shine and it failed to set the world on fire.  Like Tropical Freeze before it, it being released on the Switch has given the game an opportunity to show off what it has to offer for those who missed out on it the first time around.

Control Captain Toad and Toadette through over 70 different stages that will have you collecting diamonds and stars while trying your best to avoid an enemies that pop up in your path.  If you manage to do well enough in the game then you will be greeted to one of the most taxing Mario levels you will ever play. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Sonic Mania Plus – Out Now

Spoiler

 

 

When Sonic Mania was released last year it was like a dream come true for many people who grew up playing the Mega Drive games. Sega have often mishandled the franchise and it took the efforts of Christian Whitehead to give the hedgehog the care and attention he deserved. This paid off big time as the game was praised by many fans and gaming outlets at its release.

Fast forward a year and the team has been working on a free update that allows you to play as two forgotten Sonic franchise characters, Mighty and Ray. The game also has a few new tweaks here and there which should freshen things up for those who already played through the base game. There is also a retail release of the game that has an artbook and reversible cover that makes your Switch case look like a Mega Drive box art. There’s never been a better time to pick the game up.

 

 

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 (eShop) – 24^th July 2018

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 (eShop) – 24^th July 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Let’s talk about X, baby. Let’s talk about you and me! The series is one of my favourites and it’s great to see Capcom finally giving him the love and respect he deserves after being left in the dark for so long. Buying both of these collections will get fans completely up to date with the series and will be the first time some of these games have been released on a Nintendo console. A lot of them were released back on the Gamecube X collection but that never saw the light of day over here in Europe.

The game will be getting a physical release but it will be only half of the collection, with a download code being put in the box for the other half. Sadly, over here in Europe we didn’t even get this option as such both will only be available on the eShop.

 

 

 

Crossing Souls (eShop) – 26^th July 2018

Spoiler

 

 

This game was released early in the year on the PS4 and Steam and it’s one I held off on buying.  It is now getting a release on the Switch and I’m very much looking forward to getting my hands on it.

The game is an action adventure that has you playing as 5 kids in a world that is filled with 80s pop culture references. The game comes to life using the very popular pixel art visual style that many indie developers are fond of using.

It looks to clock in at around 10 hours in length and while the reviews for the other versions of the game haven’t been outstanding ( seems to be a mid-tier ) I’m still looking forward to seeing how it plays.

 

 

 

 

Go Vacation – 27^th July 2018

Spoiler

 

 

This was a bit of a hidden gem on the Wii that many people disregarded as shovelware due to how it looked. Having played it back in the day, it was certainly more polished than a lot of the quick cash grabs that appeared during the Wii’s lifespan.

The game features a variety of games paly and locations to visit. One minute you could be zipping around on the ocean on your jet-ski and then the next you could be speeding down the slopes on a snowboard.  It’s probably the closest we are going to get to a new Wave Race and 1080 Snowboarding.

The game does feature local co-op play but there’s an interesting rumour going around that the game may feature online modes, as well.  Online retailers who have the game listed on their sites say that the game includes online features. Here’s hoping for some online ATV racing!

 

 

 

 

Overcooked 2 – 7^th August 2018

Spoiler

 

 

The original Overcooked! Was a big success for the developer on all the platforms that it released on. The Switch version  seemed to have generated the most buzz which is no surprise given the portability and the big focus or local play.

You and your friends ( soon to be enemies ) take control of chefs in a kitchen. Each of you will have a role to play and in order to get the food out of the door you will have to communicate with each other. This can often lead to utter chaos but those who have played it have said it is one of the funniest, yet frustrating, gaming experiences they have had in a long time. My brother played it with his wife and kids and they loved it.

I was never able to play the original game due to not having the people around me to play it with. Sure, you can play it in single player mode but it really is a game meant to be played with others. Thankfully this sequel looks to fix that problem and the game is set to have an online mode. N-Europe Hell’s Kitchen anyone?

 

 

 

  

Okami HD (eShop) – 9^th August 2018

Spoiler

 

 

This game, along with Resident Evil 4, must be up there for having the most ports across various platforms. It seems ever since it was created back in the PS2 days that a generation hasn’t gone by where the game hasn’t been ported.  Despite this, I have still yet to actually play the game.

The game tells a story of a sun goddess (Amaterasu) who takes the form of a white wolf in order to save the land from darkness. It’s up to the player to guide her on her adventure using the Celestial Brush and save the day. From what I’ve read over the years the game can be quite a slow burn at the start but things really kick in later on.

Many who have played the game hail it as a very good Zelda-like game, with great puzzles, a beautiful overworld to explore and a very lengthy adventure to be had. The Switch may be ideal for those who don’t the time to spend hours in front of a TV. Maybe I will actually play it this time around….

 

 

 

 

Cosmic Star Heroine – 14^th August 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Having already played this on both the PS4 and Vita I can say that fans of JRPGs from the 16-bit era are in for a treat with this one.

The developer of the game is a huge fan of the old Phantasy Star games and as such wanted to create a game that felt very much like those. Like those games, this has a sci-fi setting to it, with crazy planets and even crazier team members to recruit. It clocks in at around 10 hours, which is ideal for those who want to play a JRPG inspired game but don’t have much time to spare.

The developer had a bit of a nightmare to try and get this on the Switch. He wanted to get the game out a lot earlier but was getting blocked by Nintendo during the early curation period of the Switch’s life. Now that the floodgates have been opened on the eShop, he was happy to finally get the game released. With the help of Limited Run Games a physical copy of the game will also be available for purchase.

 

 

 

 

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate – 28^th August 2018

Spoiler

 

 

At the start of the year owners of the other console were treated to Monster Hunter World, a game that gave the series the shake up in needed. But what about Switch owners? A couple of months back Capcom finally announced that it would be localising MHGU, which was released in Japan last year. Even more shocking is that they are actually releasing the game on a cartridge over here!

This version of the game is seen like a greatest hits version, with a stupid amount of monsters for players to battle with being on offer. The game won’t have the quality of life features that World does but it will have a staggering amount of content for players to get through.  As a bonus, those who played Generations on the 3DS will be able to transfer their save over to the Switch. This will allow players to skip any early grinding and get stuck straight into G Rank.

 

 

 

Blade Strangers – August 28^th 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Nicalis have been on a bit of a roll when it comes to supporting the Switch and this support continues this August with this fighting game. The game’s fighters includes Nicalis characters from games such as Cave Story, Code of Princess and The Binding of Isaac. They have also joined up with other developers to include some of their characters, so you can expect to see Shovel Knight and Gunvolt to be popping up in this as well.

The sprite based fighter will include a story mode, missions for players to tackle and both online and local matches supported. Given the state of some of the fighters these days that get released piece by piece and often miss out on a story mode, this seems like a full to the brim package for players to get their teeth into.

 

 

 

SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy  - 7^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

SNK are famous for their fighters and a bunch of their back catalogue has already been released on the Switch thanks to Hamster’s efforts. SNK are set to release their latest game this September.

The game is a fighter that features the many women from various SNK franchises. The game has an interesting mechanic in that the players has to pick a main and a support character, which isn’t a new thing, but the only way to defeat an opponent by using a special finishing move.

Modes included are a story mode, online and local battles and an online spectator mode for players to sit and watch others fighting.

The game isn’t even out and has already been causing some controversy over the character designs and the focus on women characters. Recently, Damini over on Easy Allies called out those who were going to buy the game and said “Be a better person and don’t buy this game”. If it’s all the same to him I will continue to be a bad person and buy this game.

 

 

 

 

Little Dragons Café – 7^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

This one may be a little unknown to a lot of people.  It’s the latest game by the creator of the Harvest Moon series,  Yasuhiro Wada.  Like the games he has previously made, this will be sort of a life-sim game that has the player running their own restaurant, while at the same time, raising a dragon.

To keep the restaurant up and running the player will have to gather ingredients from across the island. This will allow you to access more recipes, which in turn will bring in more punters. Like Harvest Moon, you will also be able to grow your own produce and then use them in your restaurant.

Again, like Harvest Moon, there are many NPCs to interact with and also influence.  Help out these people and new bits of the island will unlock. These new areas will allow you to explore further and thus gain new ingredients.

The game looks and sounds just like the type of game that will be perfect to kick back and relax to. It’s definitely one to keep an eye out for and could be a bit of a sleeper hit this Autumn.

 

 

 

 

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country – 21^st September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released last December and received praised from most gamers and reviewers. Since then, Monolith Soft have worked tirelessly on the game, with various updates and quality of life improvements being released. Much like Final Fantasy XV, it’s now got to the point where the game that is on offer now will play very differently to what was originally released.

At E3 Nintendo announced a brand new standalone adventure to the game. People who bought the season pass will get this expansion as part of that. This will be a prequel that will tell a story that is set 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Expect a substantial experience with more epic and over the top cutscenes in between the gameplay style that the Xenoblade series is well known for.

 

 

 

 

Valkyria Chronicles 4 – 25^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Valkyria Chronicles is a series with a very muddled past. The first game was released on the PS3 as an exclusive but despite its high praise the game failed to sell well. Sega then thought the game woul do better if it was scaled back, put on the PSP and featured a high school setting. This didn’t work out either. After that, the tried again on the PSP but this time scaled back on the high school stuff and concentrated on what made the first game so great. By all accounts the 3^rd game is the best in the series but Sega decided not to localise this one after the second game sold so poorly. It wasn’t until the first got re-released on Steam that the series finally got a strong following over here in the West and as such Sega decided to port the game to the PS4. A Switch version of the first game is also being released but it’s unclear if that will make it over here yet.

Phew! Fast forward to now and the series is once again ready for deployment on a home console.

The 4^th entry of the series looks to be taking things back to the series roots and delivering on giving gamers both the tactical battles and interesting story that many were fond of in the original game. There’s even DLC that has been announced that features the characters from said original game. The game is set in the same time frame as the original and it will be interesting to see if the original characters do get a mention in this new adventure.

I played through the original game for the first time this year and I loved it. Anyone who is wanting a tactical role playing game will do well to give this series a try. Think Code Name: S.T.E.A.M only much, much better.

 

 

 

 

Namco Museum Arcade Pac – 28^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

These games were previously released on the eShop but Namco have decided to package them up in a bundle and stick them on a cartridge. Perfect for crazy people like myself who want everything on a physical format.

The game will include games such as Dig Dug, Rolling Thunder, Splatterhouse and Pac-man Championship Edition 2 Plus…what a mouthful. It sounds like a Square-Enix game.  This is a perfect collection of retro arcade games for those who have yet to dip into the eShop releases.

 

 

 

 

Dragon Ball FighterZ – 28^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Kamehameha!!!! This is a game that got universally praised when it first got shown. The other consoles had the pleasure of having the game release back in February but the Switch owners will get their turn come September.

The hands on impressions from the E3 build of the are very positive, with the game looking  gorgeous both portable and docked. Also, the game runs at a smooth 60fps, which is exactly what you want when playing this type of game.

Arc System Works are well known for their fighting games, such as Guilty Gear and BlazeBlu and that great pedigree looks to continue with DBFZ. There is a beta scheduled in August for Switch owners to have a go, so feel free to give it a try when it does pop up on the eShop.

 

 

 

 

FIFA 19 – 28^th September 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Another year,  another FIFA game. Last years effort from EA was actually quite solid. The gameplay was smooth, the online modes worked and the Ultimate Team mode managed to stay pretty much intact.  Also, the game sold quite well on the Switch, despite it missing a few modes that the other console versions got.

If EA build upon what they started with FIFA 18 and get some more modes added to this version, then they will be on to another winner.

 

 

 

Mega Man 11 (eShop) – 2^nd October 2018

Spoiler

 

 

The Blue Bomber is back for another adventure. Unlike Mega Man 9 and 10, this game ditches the 2D pixel graphics and instead opts for a more modern take, with the backgrounds being 2D and the characters being 3D models.

The game looks to retain the classic gameplay of the original Mega Man series but the new coat of paint really does bring it up to date for modern times. Capcom are also releasing a new Mega Man amiibo for Switch owners or collectors to enjoy.

Sadly, it appears once again that European owners are getting screwed over with this release as Capcom are not releasing the game physically and at this moment in time it appears even the new Mega Man amiibo will be missing a release over here.

 

 

 

 

Super Mario Party – 5^th October 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Ah, Mario Party. The series that keeps ND Cube in business.  It wouldn’t be a Nintendo platform without at least Mario Party arriving on it. I feel the series does get a lot of unwarranted hate from a lot of gamers but I still think it’s fun to play. Just this year I played through The Top 100 on the 3DS it is was a great reminder of how wacky the series is.

SMP ditches the car, a gameplay choice many hated, and returns it back to the series roots. After years of screaming at Nintendo to include it, an online mode is finally arriving with this version of the game. Players will be able to hook up with people on online in an attempt to screw them over in a selection of mini games. While it may not be a fully fleshed out online gameplay experience, it’s still more than we have had in the past.

Turns will be taken, dice will be rolled and tears will be shed when the game gets released this October.

 

 

 

 

Starlink: Battle for Atlas – 16^th October 2018

Spoiler

 

 

Okay, let’s be honest. We are only now interested in this game due to the big reveal at E3 that Star Fox would feature in the Switch version. Don’t try to lie about it to yourself, you know this to be true.

The toys to life craze seems to have died a death. Disney Infinity, Lego Dimensions and the Skylander series have all been and gone. Even Nintendo’s own amiibo line isn’t as crazy as it once was, with only a handful of them being released throughout the year. This still hasn’t stopped Ubisoft from joining the party, even if they are a bit late.

The game has you building and customising your own ship, which can then be scanned into the game and used to fight off the enemies that you’ll encounter. Your ship can be changed depending on what the mission will require of you. Need to make your way through an asteroid field faster? Strip down your ship to make it more nimble. Want to fight off an armada of enemy ships? Then upgrade your guns.

It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how this reviews and sells. Ubisoft have had a bunch of hits in a row but this could end up being a bit of a flop seeing as gaming market has moved away from toys. Regardless of the overall sales, I do think that the Switch version will sell the best due to the Star Fox deal.

 

 

 

 

Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu – 16^th November 2018

Spoiler

 

 

The Pokemon Go craze may have died down to what it once was but it still pulls in many gamers and makes a lot of money for those involved.  That being the case, you can see why the next Pokemon would be heavily influenced by it and that’s exactly what Pokemon Let’s Go does.

Let’s  Go is a reimagining of the Pokemon Yellow game. It will feature all the original 151 Pokemon and be very familiar to those who grew up play Red, Blue and Yellow. As with all main entries to the series it will come in two versions. One will start you off with Pikachu and the other will start you off with Eevee.

The Pokemon Go influences will be seen in the way fights are done and how Pokemon are caught. There are no random battles to take part in but instead you will be able to have rematches with trainers that you encounter.  Like Pokemon Go, you will see Pokemon on the world map and have to catch them using motion controls to throw the Pokeball at just the right time and with the right amount of spin. I imagine Go players will be a dab hand at this already.

The game has come under scrutiny from many of the hardcore Pokemon fans so it will be interesting to see how successful the game ends up being. It is a bit of a risk because if the Go players don’t end up buying it and the hardcore Pokemon players shun it then it is going to be left with a very diminished audience.

 

 

 

 

Super Smash Bros Ultimate – 7^th December 2018

Spoiler

 

 

It’s a new Smash Bros game that features every character that has ever been in the series. Nuff said.

 

2018 TDB

V Rally 4

Spoiler

 

 

The Switch has yet to get a decent realistic racer on it. Sure there was Gear Club Unlimited but that was apparently pretty average and you could see the mobile roots still in the game.  V Rally looks to change that with its release this year and it could have the market all to itself on the Nintendo platform.

There aren’t many hands on reports of the game ( I couldn’t find any for the Switch ) but the ones I could find look as if the game is the V Rally that players love. If the PS4 gameplay remains true for the Switch then I guess it’s just a question of whether the port of the game will be good or not.

 

 

 

Dark Souls: Remastered

Spoiler

 

 

Dark Souls has never been released on a Nintendo platform and that is still the case today. The game was scheduled to ship alongside the other console versions but for some reason it got pushed back and we are still without a date.

Most gamers will know what to expect when it comes to this series. It is very punishing but was very rewarding. While many may complain the series is too hard, it very rarely is cheap and most deaths that do occur are down to the player and not some broken mechanic.

The remaster failed to light up the charts both home and abroad when it was released but I do think the Switch version may far better, providing that the port is good. Many Nintendo gamers will be curious to give the game a try and I imagine many hardcore Souls has would love to be able to play the game on the go. Plus, there’s that amiibo. That’s going pull in some big sales, right?

 

 

 

 

Warframe (eShop)

Spoiler

 

 

Warframe is a game that has been out for a few years now on the other platforms and has grown from strength to strength as each update has been released. It is an online, free to play, multiplayer co-op game. It looks kind of like a sci-fi 3^rd person shooter version of Monster Hunter, with players doing missions with each other and getting loot in order to upgrade their weapons and gear.

The game also has player vs player modes but for the most part it seems like the big draw is the co-op. It’s certainly what’s got my interest and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this launch either alongside with or close to Nintendo’s online service.

 

 

 

 

Killer Queen Black (eShop)

Spoiler

 

 

This game was part of a leaked list that hit before E3 and sure enough it was part of Nintendo’s E3 Direct. Nintendo also showed the game on a Treehouse segment.  The game is primarily a multiplayer game that features both offline and online modes.

Killer Queen Black is based on an arcade game which has players team up in two teams of 4 and protect their queen. If a team’s queen is killed 3 times then its game over. The gameplay looks pretty simple but it will have a certain amount of depth to it due to the different units a player can choose. I think this will be a great laugh for those who play locally and the game could be a good showcase for Nintendo’s online setup when it launches later in the year.

 

 

 

Shovel Knight: King of Cards (eShop)

Spoiler

 

 

It’s crazy to think that Shovel Knight was released back in 2014 and here we are 4 years later and the developers over at Yacht Club Games are still churning out DLC for the game. While I know a few people would be happy for them to move on to other things, they have to be commended for supporting the game the way they have.

This will be the final bit of DLC for the game and have you playing as King Knight across a host of old and new stages. If this is anything else like the other character DLC that has been produced then players will be in for a cracking time.

 

 

 

  

Dragon Marked For Death (eShop)

Spoiler

 

 

Inti Creates fast became one of my favourite developers on the Switch. Mighty Gunvolt Burst, Blaster master Zero and the Gunvolt collection are some of my favourite games on the platform. DMFD is their next project and it looks like it could surpass the games I mentioned.

The game features some gorgeous sprite work and is a 2D action game that features co-op for up to 4 players, both online and locally. Each of the 4 different characters have their own personal sets of skills and will play very differently to each other, offering a nice variety of ways to play.

The game was announced last year and was originally slated for a release last December. Unfortunately they couldn’t get the game out as planned and it slipped away for the space of a year. Hopefully this year long delay will be worth the wait.

 

 

  

The World Ends With You: Final Mix

Spoiler

 

 

The original game on the DS was an amazing JRPG that had a very unique way of attacking enemies. Using both the d-pad and the touch screen made for  fun and often confusing battles. This version of the game seems to be based on the iOS version and I’m not sure how the game will translate over to a single screen. Still, I’m excited to play through it again as I haven’t played it since the original came out all of those years ago. Who knows, if this sells well maybe we will finally get the sequel that the game deserves? 

 

 

 

 

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

Spoiler

 

 

This Tales of.. game is considered by many to be one of the very best, if not the best in the series. For a long time this game was stuck as an exclusive on the Xbox 360 and Namco eventually released an updated version of the game on the PS3 that featured new missions, story beats and a new character. Sadly, this was never localised but luckily this Definitive Edition is based off that version and we will finally get to play the full version of the game over here in the West.

 

 

 

That's a hell of a list of games. So, what's everyone looking forward to then?  

Edited July 20, 2018 by Hero-of-Time

[Glen-i]

That description for Smash made me chuckle! It really doesn't need much selling.

Thanks for this.

[Nicktendo]

I'm not looking forward to how empty my wallet will be. 

Still expecting a direct soon with a couple more big hitters before the end of the year. 

[Sméagol]

Yeah I pretty much posted that in list form in the general Nintendo thread. I have some stuff to add and edit, but I'll repost it here, minus June:

July

10-07-2018    Shining Resonance Refrain
12-07-2018    Bomb Chicken
13-07-2018    Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
13-07-2018    Octopath Traveler
17-07-2018    Sonic Mania Plus
24-07-2018    The Banner Saga 3
24-07-2018    Mega Man X Legacy Collection
24-07-2018    Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
31-07-2018    Code of Princess EX

August

07-08-2018    Overcooked 2
09-08-2018    Okami
28-08-2018    Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
28-08-2018    Blade Strangers

September

07-09-2018    SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
14-09-2018    Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Torna - The Golden Country
21-09-2018    Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk
25-09-2018    Valkyria Chronicles 4
28-09-2018    FIFA 2019

October

02-10-2018    Megaman 11
05-10-2018    Super mario Party
12-10-2018    Disgaea 1 Complete
16-10-2018    Starlink: Battle for Atlas

 

November

16-11-2018    Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!
16-11-2018    Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!

December

07-12-2018    Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

"Summer"

Firewatch
Dark Souls
Fuze4
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom

"Autumn"

Arena of Valor
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
Ark Survival Evolved
The world ends with you - Final Remix

"Holiday / Winter"

Killer Queen Black
Pillars Of Eternity II: Deadfire
Dragon Marked for Death

"2018"

Dragonball Fighter Z
Wargroove
No more Heroes: Travis Strikes Again
Shovel Knight: King of Cards
Super Meat Boy Forever
The Messenger

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Sméagol

[Happenstance]

Maybe Smash Bros for me but I'm still not sold on that, otherwise the majority of stuff that could interest me on that list can be found elsewhere.

[Ronnie]

Great work @Hero-of-Time that must have been some effort. 

It's an amazing time to be a gamer, regardless of platform. 

[Ganepark32]

I was looking through the coming soon section on Amazon the other day to try and nail down what I'm interested in/picking up towards the end of the year and sadly, I'm not really seeing anything on the Switch that's really making me want to plonk down money.

I've gotten a lot of time out of the console so far this year with loads of indie games but there's been little there of interest for me through the year so far and as much as I love playing indie games and supporting them, I just haven't found that one big game to really sink my teeth into. Sure, there have been big game releases like Donkey Kong, Hyrule Warriors and recently Octopath Traveler but none of them have really tickled my fancy and it's a shame as I do love playing things on my Switch and having the TV free for stuff in the background.

This post isn't meant as a downer, it's just that for me even the likes of Smash Bros isn't getting me hyped, especially when I'm very keen to pick up things in other platforms (particularly Life is Strange 2 and Divinity Original Sin 2, to name two examples). I'll have to see if it changes but I'm hoping Nintendo do have something lined up and ate prepping a Direct to announce it otherwise my Switch may end up getting used sparingly for a handful of indie games.

[Mandalore]

Absolutely nothing there appeals. Probably not a bad thing, it'll give me a chance to get on top of my growing PS4 backlog.  

[Pestneb]

I was just looking at the switch, found a great bundle, but looking at it against my Wii U, only mario odyssey is really a big game worth me picking it up for. Splatoon 2 and MK8d have lost a lot of online appeal (always prefer to get into those in the first 3 months of release when it's mainly got online appeal) and I already own the previous iterations on my Wii U... BotW I prefer to finish off and explore on the Wii U (the experience on the switch for me would be worth putting down another £5 maybe, +dlc that I haven't bought yet) and really those are the 4 games that would convince me to buy a switch, had I not owned a Wii U. Smash bros has lost any appeal for me, I really feel buying it on the Wii U was a mistake, a big step backwards from the Wii and GC versions personally, so it has 0 appeal, and as I already own it, a definite no buy from me. I really want to see 3-4 BIG titles come out to make the switch console worth getting.. at the moment, effectively, the best price I have found for a switch is around £250.
If it were not for odyssey I think I would be happy sitting out this gen... the game looks so good though. So it won't take too much to encourage me to take a dip. but still I don't want to pay £250 for a console that I only REALLY want 1 game for

[bob]

Prolly gonna get Pokémon from that list, and that pretty much it. The other games I'm planning to get this year are all on PS4.

[drahkon]

13 minutes ago, bob said:

Prolly gonna get Pokémon from that list, and that pretty much it. The other games I'm planning to get this year are all on PS4.

Yup, it's a great lineup but most of them can be played on other consoles. 

Still nothing aside from Odyssey and Octopath that makes me want to get a Switch. It sucks because I really want to play these two games  

[Ronnie]

The PS4 might be getting most of those games but it can't play them portable. That's the Switch trump card and why a lot of people choose indie games on Switch rather than PS4.

58 minutes ago, Pestneb said:

I was just looking at the switch, found a great bundle, but looking at it against my Wii U, only mario odyssey is really a big game worth me picking it up for. Splatoon 2 and MK8d have lost a lot of online appeal (always prefer to get into those in the first 3 months of release when it's mainly got online appeal) and I already own the previous iterations on my Wii U... BotW I prefer to finish off and explore on the Wii U (the experience on the switch for me would be worth putting down another £5 maybe, +dlc that I haven't bought yet) and really those are the 4 games that would convince me to buy a switch, had I not owned a Wii U. Smash bros has lost any appeal for me, I really feel buying it on the Wii U was a mistake, a big step backwards from the Wii and GC versions personally, so it has 0 appeal, and as I already own it, a definite no buy from me. I really want to see 3-4 BIG titles come out to make the switch console worth getting.. at the moment, effectively, the best price I have found for a switch is around £250.
If it were not for odyssey I think I would be happy sitting out this gen... the game looks so good though. So it won't take too much to encourage me to take a dip. but still I don't want to pay £250 for a console that I only REALLY want 1 game for

I mean... there'll be other games in the next three or four years so you might as well jump in now. It's selling so well I can't see a massive price drop any time soon, maybe 20 or 30 quid off bundles by the end of the year but that's about it.

[somme]

8 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

The PS4 might be getting most of those games but it can't play them portable. That's the Switch trump card

 

Only if you care about gaming on the go. 

Just got a tax rebate and seriously thought about getting a Switch. But I still can't justify 300+ quid on two games (Mario and Zelda). Smash Ultimate almost tipped me over the edge. Then I remembered how much I'd have to spend on controllers to actually be able to have people over to play and decided against the whole thing. 

I'll probably just wait for Prime 4, though I'm slightly worried it'll end up having some awful gimmick to "set itself apart".  

[Ronnie]

4 minutes ago, somme said:

Only if you care about gaming on the go.

I'll take "console + handheld as a bonus" over "console".

[somme]

1 minute ago, Ronnie said:

I'll take "console + handheld as a bonus" over "console".

Great. And I'd rather not risk a 300 quid machine being lost, stolen or broken! Also, I hate small screen gaming so I'd rather take a more powerful home console over a less powerful one I could lose. 

But ultimately, I'm not paying 300 quid for 2 games - even if I can go and play them in the shed.

[drahkon]

8 minutes ago, somme said:

Only if you care about gaming on the go. 

Indeed. I don't which is why the Switch's handheld aspect is literally nothing to me. It all comes down to software and as some of here already said: Most of the games you can play elsewhere.

It is a great lineup, though.

[Ronnie]

2 minutes ago, somme said:

Great. And I'd rather not risk a 300 quid machine being lost, stolen or broken!

But ultimately, I'm not paying 300 quid for 2 games - even if I can go and play them in the shed.

Don't buy an iPhone X then, taking a £900 device out you could drop, lose or have stolen.

I'll never understand people who say the Switch has 2 games. It's insane to me, there's a ton of fantastic games on the thing.

2 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Indeed. I don't which is why the Switch's handheld aspect is literally nothing to me.

Don't you love your Vita? The Switch is that + actual first party support.

[somme]

I didn't even see the release list. 

Only Smash and Overcooked 2 interest me and I'll get Overcooked on PS4 as I've already got the controlllers. I mean, I loved the first Overcooked but it's not a system seller. 

[somme]

Just now, Ronnie said:

Don't buy an iPhone X then, taking a £900 device out you could drop, lose or have stolen.

I'll never understand people who say the Switch has 2 games. It's insane to me, there's a ton of fantastic games on the thing.

 

I don't have a £900 phone, though thanks for assuming I'm much richer than I am. And a phone is very different to a gaming console - I'm not even going to go there.

And I said it has two games for me - not overall. 

[Aneres11]

Sorry to dive in between the argument, but is it really bad that the game I;m most looking forward to from that list is Mario Party?! 

PRAYING it is good. I find it so strange that they haven't been able to produce a decent MP game for so long! 

[drahkon]

22 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

Don't you love your Vita? The Switch is that + actual first party support.

I do but I don't use it outside of my house. If the PS TV had been released earlier I'd gave gotten that instead of a Vita.

But anyway, let's not dive deeper into this. It's just a matter of taste/opinion. 

Edited July 21, 2018 by drahkon

[bob]

I don't have a £900 phone, though thanks for assuming I'm much richer than I am. And a phone is very different to a gaming console - I'm not even going to go there.
And I said it has two games for me - not overall. 

Don't buy a £6000 diamond ring then. Just as likely to get lost or stolen.

Definitely don't get £100,000 out in cash, and stuff it into your clothes, and then wander round the bad part of town singing 'if I were a rich man'.

[Ronnie]

3 minutes ago, bob said:

Don't buy a £6000 diamond ring then. Just as likely to get lost or stolen.

Definitely don't get £100,000 out in cash, and stuff it into your clothes, and then wander round the bad part of town singing 'if I were a rich man'.

Don't buy anything!

[Ike]

July is/was packed with releases.

July

Octopath Traveler
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Sonic Mania Plus
Dragon Quest X All in One Edition (Japanese import)

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 (Maybe)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 (Maybe)

August

Okami HD (Japanese import)
Cosmic Star Heroine
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

September

Valkyria Chronicles 4
Dragon Ball FighterZ

October

Mega Man 11 (Maybe)

November

Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu

December

Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Team Sonic Racing (If reviews well)

"2018"

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

[Pestneb]

I think it is valid not wanting to walk around with high value items. I don't go for smart phones in general for that reason, amongst others. I rarely have time for gaming when I go out, I tend to get travel sick, and when I go somewhere I tend to have things to do. Only a train journey maybe would be good for the switch, but they are rare enough not to be a reason to buy one. If it had extra features, mainly an internet app, I would probably take the plunge because it would be good for that too, but as it is, given the Wii U has most of the games that interest me, I have very little incentive to buy a switch, The only really compelling game is odyssey (which is almost good enough, but still falls short) and maybe that rabbids game helps nudge things onto the purchase side of things. Some kind of loyalty discount on mk8d, zelda botw might encourage me to buy those anyway, but even then I think it would be unlikely. Anyway, glad the switch seems to be getting on healthily and is doing better than the wii u, hopefully I will be able to get one in the near future

Edited July 22, 2018 by Pestneb