At first, I was very excited to hear a new console from the big N was on the way. I have owned an N64, GameCube, Wii and ds and now a 3ds. I never picked up a Wii U and after seeing how they really dropped the ball with that console by underpowering it and watching as nearly all the 3rd party support jumped ship quickly, it was time to rethink what they need to do to stay in the game. First I have to admit that they make some of the most polished and bug-free games out there. They also tend to rehash the same games over and over and as an older gamer, I am watching them become less relevant as time goes on in the gaming world.
The Switch is aiming at being the second console in a gamer’s home. A novelty that is truly a great idea on paper. It is what Sony promised with the PS3/ps4 and Vita which they never quite delivered on, play your game at home and then take it on the road. The Vita was basically killed off early as with the success of the PS4 Sony has decided to put almost all their gaming eggs in that basket. They left Nintendo with a golden opportunity to complete that mission and make it work using the better tech of today.
The motion controller, even though most gamers are so over motion controls in general, looks to be a nice improvement over what we had with the Wii. The console’s screen is a great improvement over what we had with the Wii U tablet. The Switch looks to be solid tech made for an older generation of gamer. For this I applaud Nintendo as a big part of their fan base is now the older gamers who remember the Nintendo vs Sega days.
The trouble I see is again lackluster support from 3rd parties who are throwing old ports at it just to add to the paltry list of games we know about. Most gamers will not care to revisit old games we have already beaten or already had 300 hours in (Skyrim) for instance. The launch lineup is terrible with only the New Zelda standing out as a must-own but…you can just pick it up for the Wii U with some graphic touches missing. The Switch is cart-based and you can not play any of your old disk-based games nor any ds or 3ds games. At least they could have made it work with 3ds games IMO.
They also have announced they are going pay to play for their online which is a joke as Nintendo online has always been sub-par. Also looking at this as a second console for most gamers do you really think most will be able to afford another online yearly payment? I think they should have first proved they have a new, stable and functioning online infrastructure in place before charging the players. No friend codes are good though but no built-in chat is not.
The list price is $300.00 which is rather high when I consider I can pick up a more powerful console with more games, better online, and a solid future. I think $250.00 should have been the price and I think a game should come with the system. The problem is at launch they only have 5 ready and 4 are filler crap. Looking at the line up for the coming year there are only 2 I would want maybe 3. Sad all the way you look at it.
The added costs of these Joycons at 70 bucks a set, a Joycon charger at $20, a spare dock is $90, a pro controller is 70 all looks to be Nintendo greed.
So for me, I am looking to maybe find a cheap Wii U and be able to play all my old Wii games sometime. The Wii U I would have bought new but it costs more than aPs4 or Xbox One. Can someone explain that to me?
So for me…I have Switched from Yes to No. I will keep my eye over the years and see what they do to change my mind or maybe this is just time to part ways with Nintendo as their arrogance is rather annoying.
Updated info now that this has been out a few years.
I had to eat my words. Nintendo hit a home run and the Switch, even if less powerful has made its mark. It is truly a powerhouse and stands alone as the on the road console for some and has those exclusive Nintendo games that pull in every one where it is just about having fun. So, I bow to you Nintendo…I was skeptical and you have shown me the way! I own a Switch Lite and have enjoyed it as my before bed gaming platform.
Gamer for 40 plus years starting with Pong, consoles and pc gaming. It has been a hobby I have enjoyed over the years for my stress relief and continues to be fun even at my older age. This site is for a lite impression of games I enjoy.
Barzenak's Gaming Impressions 
A year later and even though the Switch is hotter than anything out there I still stand behind my statement above. Yes, it has 2 amazing games and more on the way but I still do not own one and until I see more incredible games come to it. I stand that it is over priced for what it has to offer. When you can get an Xbox One S and a PS4 for $275.00 or less for a lot more content and more power I just have a hard time justifying the purchase. Maybe this coming year I will feel differently but for now..my switch is still a no.