Welcome to Games for Breakfast, a new feature series here on BagoGames!
Games for Breakfast, written by features editor Angelo De Bellis, is a daily opinion piece of about 250-500 words—I gotta keep it brief—that engages topical game news. Every new post will go live at 9am EST so that you can grab your cup of coffee and read a brief account of a particular gamer’s take on the latest goings-on in the industry.
Happy Monday! For today’s post, let’s talk about the delightful combo of the Nintendo Switch and games veteran Hideo Kojima. On Friday, ign reported on Kojima’s thoughts on Nintendo’s approaching console-handheld hybrid.
In the article I linked to, Kojima is quoted as saying that his favorite feature of the Nintendo Switch is its portability. He says that he implemented a feature called transfarring in some of his previous Metal Gear titles released on the PS Vita and PS3, and that the future of the industry lies in the ability to play games on any device. While I’m sure he’s on to something–especially considering things like PlayStation Now and Nvidia’s streaming abilities–I’m most interesting in his comments on the the Switch’s portability. I think he’s on to something, and perhaps it elucidates the flaws I see in the upcoming console.
That is, I think that the ability to take games on the go or play them at home is really the only thing the Switch has going for it. That and the proprietary Nintendo titles of course. It’s typical of Nintendo to be a trailblazer when it comes to proving new, sometimes quirky technology, but it’s often technically underwhelming enough that it leads to disappointment among hardcore fans. Take the original Wii remote for example–it was a neat piece of tech at the time, but quickly lost its luster because of how imprecise it was. This leads me to wonder who or what will come next in response to Nintendo’s Switch.
What do you think the best selling feature of the Switch is, and please don’t say Zelda, and am I being too harsh? Do you think Sony will respond to Nintendo’s shot at core gaming on the go?
The BEST feature of the Switch is the ability to take the same game you’re playing on your home console with you into the outside world on the same console. So there is no need hope for cross-play support of every game or for the need to wait for the handheld version to be released. But, the BIG downside of the Switch is the loss of the iconic Nintendo second / bottom screen that offered a really fun experience in multiple game series like Monster Hunter, Professor Layton, Mario, LoZ, Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing. After so many years of using two screens on the DS, 3DS and Wii U it may be hard for Nintendo players to get used to playing on one screen again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony ended up coming up with a realistic competitive handheld that . Maybe focusing on the JRPG market again since the Switch’s marketing seems to be focused on party-play (aside from Breath of the Wild).
That’s an interesting point. I haven’t considered the fact that Nintendo has used double-screen configurations for years. It’s just something we’ve come to expect! Item management and menus were always easier when the GamePad was involved–I suppose the touch screen on the Switch will help make certain selections easier, but it will never be as useful as having a completely second screen with such capabilities.