Nintendo Switch: Use It Or Lose It
I bought my Nintendo Switch in April 2021. I initially played a lot of MarioKart 8 as it’s a near perfect game and because my granddaughters liked it. We’d connect the device to the TV in the lounge and it quickly became a mainstay of any visit. I also tried the Switch version of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag but I struggled with the controls, so I bought a PC version instead. After a while the novelty of Mario Kart wore off and my granddaughters became more interested in the MMOs I play on my PC. To cut a long story short, I simply stopped using the Nintendo Switch because I didn’t have sufficient games to hold my interest, compared to the prodigious library I’ve built up on Steam and the Epic Games store. So I moved the device into my office, connected it to a monitor (which has integral speakers) and placed it on the corner of my desk where it is out of the way. I then effectively forgot about it until recently when my grandson spotted it and asked if he could play on it.
I bought my Nintendo Switch in April 2021. I initially played a lot of MarioKart 8 as it’s a near perfect game and because my granddaughters liked it. We’d connect the device to the TV in the lounge and it quickly became a mainstay of any visit. I also tried the Switch version of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag but I struggled with the controls, so I bought a PC version instead. After a while the novelty of Mario Kart wore off and my granddaughters became more interested in the MMOs I play on my PC. To cut a long story short, I simply stopped using the Nintendo Switch because I didn’t have sufficient games to hold my interest, compared to the prodigious library I’ve built up on Steam and the Epic Games store. So I moved the device into my office, connected it to a monitor (which has integral speakers) and placed it on the corner of my desk where it is out of the way. I then effectively forgot about it until recently when my grandson spotted it and asked if he could play on it.
Today, after charging the device for several hours, I booted up my Switch for possibly the first time in nearly three years. The first thing I had to do was reconnect the device to the internet, as we replaced our router twelve months ago. Next there was a software update but that was quick and easy to do. Our home has a Gigabit fiber internet connection which is an absolute godsend from a gaming perspective. Updates and patches can be downloaded promptly, rather than left to run overnight. Once the latest software was loaded, I logged into my Nintendo account to check that everything was in order. I also wished to see what the cost was of acquiring the expansion pack of new race tracks for Mario Kart 8. Fortunately, despite being neglected for a long time, the Switch is okay.
Is this “the” Switch game for me?
I now find myself in the same situation that I was in three years ago. IE trying to find some new games that showcase the best aspects of the Nintendo Switch. The prices don’t seem to have come down much but that seems to be a permanent feature of the Nintendo gaming ecosystem. However, I have decided to spend some time researching this conundrum and watching some gameplay videos on YouTube. I’m certain there has to be a Switch game out there somewhere which is suitable for me and caters to my tastes. However, if there is not and I can’t find another point of entry into the gaming-adjacent world of Nintendo, then I’ll probably just sell the Switch. Sometimes you encounter an aspect of gaming or wider pop culture and you struggle to come to terms with it, or connect in the same way as others do. I may be at that point here. Watch this space.
A Month in Gaming
September has been and gone and the nights are now drawing in. Usually this time of year is ideal for gaming but sadly I’ve had a lot on over the last 30 days and as a result there’s been precious little time for gaming or indeed writing. Such is life. When I did have some leisure time, MMOs were the easiest way to get a quick gaming fix, as per usual. Standing Stone Games announced that the next expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online would be released in November and that a revision of the Legendary Item system would be coming prior to that. Hence I took a look at the beta builds on the Bullroarer test server and then started prepping my various alts on the live servers, to get ready for this major change. I also managed to complete the latest event in Star Trek Online. However, beyond these straightforward tasks I didn’t really get to do much more.
September has been and gone and the nights are now drawing in. Usually this time of year is ideal for gaming but sadly I’ve had a lot on over the last 30 days and as a result there’s been precious little time for gaming or indeed writing. Such is life. When I did have some leisure time, MMOs were the easiest way to get a quick gaming fix, as per usual. Standing Stone Games announced that the next expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online would be released in November and that a revision of the Legendary Item system would be coming prior to that. Hence I took a look at the beta builds on the Bullroarer test server and then started prepping my various alts on the live servers, to get ready for this major change. I also managed to complete the latest event in Star Trek Online. However, beyond these straightforward tasks I didn’t really get to do much more.
I toyed with the idea of playing New World. I had taken part in an earlier beta test and found elements of the game to be quite appealing. I especially enjoyed the combat which I felt was both fluid and had a sense of physicality. Yet the minimal plot, voice acting and general “old school” approach made the overall game feel somewhat archaic to me. And so I decide not to purchase it and get swept up in the excitement of a new MMO launch. However, it can be very interesting to observe such a phenomenon. Many of my blogging colleagues have been documenting their experiences and it can be very interesting reading multiple perspectives upon different aspects of the game. Plus the perennial question of what is a “good MMO launch” has been raised once again. Personally I am too old and impatient to have to deal with logon queues and for daily, rolling patches to fix content.
I did manage to log into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Rather than play Warzone, I opted for Team Deathmatch with AI bots. I cranked up the difficulty and it proved quite taxing but on the plus side, it was nice to be able to play a game without any angry commentary in chat and more importantly people cheating with aimbots, or rage quitting the game and closing it for everyone as they were hosting. I am a big advocate of multiplayer games having AI bots as an alternative to live play. Playing against bots means you can practice and work upon your skills as well as just enjoy gameplay at a level that you can cope with. For many players it is potentially the only time that they’ll be able to access certain weapons, kill streaks and such like. Although playing with others is an integral part of such games as CoD:MW, it is always good to have options that don’t make your enjoyment totally dependent on others
Sadly, I am not using my Nintendo Switch much as I expected. I assumed that the handheld device would easily lend itself to short bursts of intermittent gameplay, which reflects my current schedule. But this doesn’t seem to be the case, although I do think this comes down to the sort of games one has. I may need to buy some new titles that lend themselves to casual gameplay, or 30 minute sessions over a long period of time. Perhaps the RPG Disco Elysium will fit that bill. I think the most I did in September with my Switch was update the software. At least now it supports bluetooth earbuds.
As for October, I’m not sure If it is wise to make any major gaming plans. I am toying with the idea of using an old hard drive to upgrade to Windows 11, to see how it performs. If there are any major issues I can easily return the original drive without any inconvenience. I guess that LOTRO and STO will fill the gaming gap, as per usual. As and when I get more time, I may look around for something new to play. It may be time to step outside of my comfort zone and try something different. The last few times I’ve done this the results have been positive.
A Month in Gaming
I usually write this recurring post at the beginning of each month, reflecting upon my gaming activities over the previous thirty odd days. I refrained from writing an instalment at the beginning of April as I really didn’t feel I had much to say. However, now that a further month has elapsed, I believe sufficient has happened for me to continue. I do worry that these posts get repetitive and simply writing “ I played MMO A or B” is not sufficiently engaging. Luckily, I do feel that I have more to say this time round as I’ve broadened my gaming horizons recently and feel that I’ve done more, compared to other months. So let me begin with my return to console gaming. Something I haven’t done since 1999 when I purchased a Sega Dreamcast. After some procrastination, I’ve finally bought a Nintendo Switch and it has proven quite a hit not only with me but my grandchildren.
I usually write this recurring post at the beginning of each month, reflecting upon my gaming activities over the previous thirty odd days. I refrained from writing an instalment at the beginning of April as I really didn’t feel I had much to say. However, now that a further month has elapsed, I believe sufficient has happened for me to continue. I do worry that these posts get repetitive and simply writing “ I played MMO A or B” is not sufficiently engaging. Luckily, I do feel that I have more to say this time round as I’ve broadened my gaming horizons recently and feel that I’ve done more, compared to other months. So let me begin with my return to console gaming. Something I haven’t done since 1999 when I purchased a Sega Dreamcast. After some procrastination, I’ve finally bought a Nintendo Switch and it has proven quite a hit not only with me but my grandchildren.
At present, I have three games for the Switch. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Yono And The Celestial Elephants and Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection. Essentially, any Mario based game is a joy to play and Mario Kart is an exemplar for the Nintendo brand’s virtues. It offers both fun and a challenge but it’s warm friendly graphics and inherent charm mollify the competitive elements that come with such a driving game. Yono is a A Legend of Zelda-esque adventure/puzzle game starring an elephant. Despite its child friendly aesthetic and design, there is a degree of depth to the gameplay. Due to it’s linear world design and narrative, it lends itself to short bursts of gameplay. Assassin’s Creed offers a different type of challenge, mainly because it requires mastering an action RPG using a controller, rather than keyboard and mouse. This is a very good port and I must admit I am impressed that the Switch can handle an open world environment so well.
I returned briefly to Call of Duty: Warzone recently, mainly to see the new map of Verdansk. When the game launched in early 2020 the story associated with Warzone was linked to events tied to the 2019 soft reboot of Modern Warfare. But because CoD is a yearly franchise, a new iteration was released in September and story elements began being integrated into Warzone. The only problem being that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is set in 1984 thus requiring the most tortuous and convoluted plot devices to square the ongoing narrative circle. From my perspective, bringing weapons from an older period into a game set in the present was problematic to say the least, causing balance issues. Furthermore the inclusion of Black Ops content brought zombies into the game. Hence Warzone is now a sprawling mess of differing types of gameplay. A recent nuclear blast has “conveniently” destroyed the contemporary iteration of Verdansk and replaced it with a version of the zone from 1984. Simply put I just don’t like the cumulative changes that have come to the game, so once again I’m taking a break from it.
Sadly, I have spent precious little time playing The Lord of the Rings Online, returning briefly to check out the latest content update which proved to be very disappointing. I do worry that this game is just treading water with regard to its growth and that developer’s Standing Stone Games are limited in the scope of their vision. The anniversary festival is currently live in the game but it really isn’t doing anything new. Yes, the various events can be fun if you are playing them for the first time but the various trinkets and baubles that you can obtain are purely cosmetic. If you are not enamoured with collectibles there is a substantial amount of content currently available that is of no interest or use to you. Furthermore, at present I own all the content available in LOTRO. Hence if there’s very little reason for me to subscribe to the game. I find it odd that SSG don’t seem to be offering any broader incentives to become a VIP.
Star Trek Online, which has some similarities to LOTRO with regard to its age and the fact that it’s based on a popular intellectual property, seems to perpetually have events and goals for players to pursue. I created a new Klingon alt in late January due to the then recruitment event. By the end of March I had brought the character to level cap and had gotten as far as level 5 with all reputation factions. I also bought a Legendary D7 ship and have spent time trying to equip it with the best gear that I can. One of the best aspects of STO is that there’s always something to do. Since January the game has had the Klingon Recruitment event with the storyline revamped, it’s celebrated First Contact Day and there have been two Red Alert events which are great for earning reputation marks. The game is currently running a revised version of the Delta Recruitment event, so if you’re thinking of playing STO, I’d urge you to roll a new character before May 13th. I now have three new alts making a total of nine altogether. Most unusual for me.
There are a few other games I’ve been intermittently playing over the last two months. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is something I regularly return to and is fun in small doses. As I’ve mentioned before, I keep The Elder Scrolls Online up to date as I will more than likely return to the game once the next expansion launches. As for immediate gaming goals I have none of any significance at present. Naturally I’ll continue with STO and keep a weather eye on LOTRO. I want to come to grips with Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection and finally complete a game from this franchise (I’ve started Black Flag). The convenience of the Switch is a big selling point and I seem to evenly spend my time (at least for the meantime) using it as a handheld device as well as docked to the TV. It certainly has reinvigorated my attitude towards gaming which had become increasingly indifferent of late. I hope that this positive outlook continues over May and beyond.
Nintendo Switch: The Console That Keeps Charging You For Extras
Last September I considered buying a Nintendo Switch but decided to defer doing so. This was mainly because, despite having a unique back catalogue of games, I didn't feel at the time there was a single “must have” title. However since then, I have been subject to increased lobbying from my Granddaughters. They’re going to be six in June and are now at an age where instead of just watching others play games, they want to actively participate. Plus they have encountered console gaming at their Uncle’s house. At present, the only child friendly game I have on the PC is Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. This means playing in the office, which doesn’t easily facilitate one adult and two, fidgety children. So I finally capitulated and bought a Nintendo Switch yesterday. It arrived today.
Last September I considered buying a Nintendo Switch but decided to defer doing so. This was mainly because, despite having a unique back catalogue of games, I didn't feel at the time there was a single “must have” title. However since then, I have been subject to increased lobbying from my Granddaughters. They’re going to be six in June and are now at an age where instead of just watching others play games, they want to actively participate. Plus they have encountered console gaming at their Uncle’s house. At present, the only child friendly game I have on the PC is Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. This means playing in the office, which doesn’t easily facilitate one adult and two, fidgety children. So I finally capitulated and bought a Nintendo Switch yesterday. It arrived today.
Setting the Switch is easy, as is creating an online account with Nintendo. Connecting it to the TV in the lounge was also straightforward and simple. I wish I could say the same about adding a new name to the TV’s list of source inputs but that is a matter I need to take up with Samsung and not Nintendo’s problem. Let it suffice to say that within an hour of unboxing my shiny new Switch I was good to go. Accept that I actually wasn’t. I had just one controller and no games. So I subsequently bought a code for Mario Kart 8 along with an additional wireless controller, so that sofa based, two player gaming could be indulged. Now I was impressed how quickly it took to download and install the game after inputting the code. But I wasn’t blown away by the amount of storage the Switch has. So I then had to buy a 256 GB Micro SD card. Oh let’s not forget if you want to save your games via the cloud and do social stuff, you need Nintendo Switch Online, which is a subscription service.
Nintendo products and the brand itself occupy a unique niche within the video games industry and gaming culture. They do what they do extremely well and as a result have a strong fan and consumer base. I say this to demonstrate that I’m not anti Nintendo per se. But damn, don’t they like charging you for every little thing conceivable? I’m pretty certain that when I bought my first SNES back in the early nineties, at least it came with two controllers. You could also buy the console bundled with a game or two. I am fully aware that you can do that now with the Switch but not with any significant discount. All bundles I’ve seen appear to be at the same price as buying the items individually. Also, there doesn’t seem to be the culture of discounting older titles. Switch games on physical media are expensive and their digital equivalents even more so.
I am not a wealthy man, nor am I hard up. But I do find it somewhat annoying when companies pursue this “sell everything separately” approach. The Nintendo Switch cost £280. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a further £50. A 256 GB Micro SD card a further £33. A second wireless controller (non-Nintendo) added a further £34 to the bill. Oh and let’s not forget £7 for 3 months access to Nintendo Switch Online. A total of £404 to finally be in a position for two players to adequately enjoy gaming together. I worry for those non-tech savvy people who decided to buy a Switch for a child only to find that their original budget is not going to cut it. It would be nice if Nintendo did a comprehensive starter pack with some sort of discount. However, upon mature reflection that is not really likely, is it? But setting these gripes aside, I am glad I finally bought a Switch. Mario Kart is still a sublime and near perfect title. And I’m also looking forward to playing games on a handheld device. I just don’t see my Switch expenditure being as profligate as my spending on PC gaming.
Nintendo Switch: The Best Console I Haven’t Bought
I recently wrote about the allure of console gaming and how exclusive titles can often be a big incentive to buy one. However, I’ve been a PC gamer for 25 years now and find that the biggest stumbling block regarding consoles is using the dual thumbsticks on the controller. I can cope with one but having to use two simultaneously is just not something I can do in a coordinated fashion. Hence I won’t be buying a Xbox of Playstation anytime soon. The Nintendo Switch is another matter altogether. This platform is unique in several ways. I like the immediacy of a handheld gaming option and of course Nintendo has the benefit of the Mario franchise. Many of the games for the Switch are more “benign”, lacking the inherent violence and destruction of other platforms' flagship titles. Like Nintendo itself, the Switch exists in its own specific niche.
I recently wrote about the allure of console gaming and how exclusive titles can often be a big incentive to buy one. However, I’ve been a PC gamer for 25 years now and find that the biggest stumbling block regarding consoles is using the dual thumbsticks on the controller. I can cope with one but having to use two simultaneously is just not something I can do in a coordinated fashion. Hence I won’t be buying a Xbox of Playstation anytime soon. The Nintendo Switch is another matter altogether. This platform is unique in several ways. I like the immediacy of a handheld gaming option and of course Nintendo has the benefit of the Mario franchise. Many of the games for the Switch are more “benign”, lacking the inherent violence and destruction of other platforms' flagship titles. Like Nintendo itself, the Switch exists in its own specific niche.
Since writing that post earlier on in the week I have given serious consideration to buying this unique console. I spent some time looking at the various bundles that are on sale and trying to ascertain which retailers were offering the best deal. It would seem that the standard price for the Switch in the UK is £279, which is a reasonable price from my perspective. The latest games on physical media seem to maintain a fixed price but I found plenty of online key sellers that were offering digital download codes at discounted prices. The other major advantage that the Switch offers is that I can play in the lounge if I choose to connect to the TV. This offers a better environment for social gaming, which is again another good selling point for this console. My Granddaughters are at an age where the colourful and friendly games that Nintendo offer are becoming appealing to them.
Sadly, during the course of my research I hit a problem. One that put my plan to purchase a Nintendo Switch on hold, indefinitely. I just can’t find any games that I especially want. That’s not to say that the platform doesn’t have any. Quite the opposite. It has a lot of quirky and interesting games to offer. However, none of them especially appeal to me. I wanted a RPG but the most popular titles appear to be JRPGs and that is a genre I struggle with. I don’t like the aesthetic or propensity for hyperbolic voice acting. I’m also not sure if my love for Mario Kart alone can justify the purchase of a new console. I did toy with the idea of buying Skyrim and Witcher III but as I have those titles on the PC already, it seemed redundant to pay for them a second time. So I decided to postpone this acquisition for the immediate future until a game comes out that grabs my attention. It’s a shame really because the Switch seems to have so many positive things going for it. I guess for the present, it’s the best console I haven’t bought.