Drifting Suit

Sites such as Wired and Nintendo Life have reported on this. Since the launch of the Switch three and a half years ago, people have experienced what is called drifting. Analog sticks that are not centered anymore. While use causes that kind of wear for anything since the Nintendo 64, it's popped up more often. There have been lawsuits. The most recent coming from a ten year old and their mother. I will not reveal their names, but here's the skinny.

According to the sites, the ten year old has had a Switch for a couple of years, Their Joy-Con controllers experienced drifting. They got another set of controllers and not even a year went by and they drifted. While that may not be everyone's exact story, it's something that has been too common. Like anything with analog controls, it varies. But the stories that pile on all around, something's not correct at whatever manufacturing plant Nintendo has. They have been fixing them for free lately, but it may not be enough.

Nintendo's lawyers don't think it's a big deal. It kind of is. The Switch will probably be gone in roughly four to five years. Maybe three. Even if you do it yourself, people will want to be sure they are getting a system that has been properly taken cared of. These drifts will be a concern for the next ten years. Some people hold on to systems after they die out. Though it will not kill them severely (a light slap, really), the Switch is the only system they have now. It is still doing well, but they have to do much better. They can't keep being ignorant on problems that cause them to still be the love or hate company in gaming.

Happy Half-Ass Mario

 In 1993, Nintendo did a great thing with releasing Super Mario All-Stars on the SNES that summer. Their 8-bit Mario platformers were given that 16-bit touch. A way for people to get into those games as the NES was dying out at that point. It's one of the coveted games for the system. To celebrate 25 years in 2010, they re-released it on the Wii and it was the same stuff. No additional features, no nothing. And it rubbed people the wrong way. They are repeating the same mistake for the 35th anniversary with 3D All-Stars. Unfortunately, this will sell.

While I'm not wishing ill will on Nintendo, this is disappointing, but isn't at the same time. To have Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy in one package is nice. Especially considering Sunshine has never seen a re-release at all since it first came out in 2002. But at 60 dollars, it is a little overpriced, though it would be worth it considering Sunshine sells individually for a very high price due to the GameCube resurgence from kids that used to own it back then. I think it being only 3D games is a very bad move. All-Stars 2 could have sufficed. I know  they have the NES and SNES stuff for Switch, but no Mario Land games, no Yoshi's Island. There is a great amount of Mario titles that could have been put into this collection.

What's upsetting is that other companies have done much better compilations over the last 20 years. Sega has done better with theirs and the Sega Genesis Classics is worth getting it for its 50 games and multiple versions of the same game. Konami has put out Contra and Castlevania collections that go back to their 8 and 16-bit roots. Even the Contra arcade games. They have also done a shmup collection. Technos has done one recently of their 8-bit games that includes Double Dragon and River City Ransom. If you want to go back to the PS2 days and earlier, compilations from Taito, Midway, Atari. Capcom had one. Namco Museum. They offered you so much and some small details here and there. Behind the scenes stuff depending on the compilation. Nintendo's effort screams barebones. I don't have that big of an issue with it being a straight port. But they could have put in more titles.

And the last thing I'll mention is that it's only going to sell for six months. Why deliberately limit it? You got from September 18th through the end of March next year. Unless there's something they are going to do, which I doubt, I can't think of any reason to stop selling. These games barely see re-releases compared to the NES and SNES ones. You could chalk it up as Nintendo being really stubborn. Not everyone can get an N64, GameCube, or Wii. Not everyone is going to shell out whatever those titles are used at a game store. If it was 50 dollars and you add in a few more titles like Galaxy 2 and New Super Mario Bros., I don't think there would be much issue with the minority of people who are upset.

Celebrating an anniversary of a franchise is one thing. Nintendo just likes giving the finger to their blind fanbase because they know they will slurp up anything that has Mario slapped on the box.

Geeks and Jocks Episode 18

The newest Geeks and Jocks episode.
https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Geeks-and-Jocks-Episode-18-Joke-Station-Twins-e7nfi9

You can find my podcast on these sites:

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj
https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84YmFhZTg0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz
https://open.spotify.com/show/0ejDLYL3QCQslc1q25pRgF
https://www.breaker.audio/geeks-and-jocks
https://radiopublic.com/geeks-and-jocks-GKzY7Q

Switch Lite... Could It?

Down the road, I do want a Nintendo Switch. I figured down the road, they would have a revision of the hardware and the past year or so has had stories regarding that. With the news regarding the Switch Lite, I'm not too sure how I feel about it.

I just looked at the design and it looks like a mix of the PSP, Game Gear, and the gamepad of the Wii U. Not necessarily a bad a thing, but it's going to be as the reports are saying a handheld only system. That would mean no docking station or any extra stuff to plug the system into a television or any of that. I do wonder what the numbers are and what skews into which part is favored. I'm guessing Nintendo thinks the portability should be a bigger emphasis. It also means the joycon controller is now hardwired into the system. I'm not sure if this will be a cost cutting measure or not, but who knows.

I would think the system would go for 200 or 250 dollars. It could be a little boost, but without knowing the reception outside of the hardcore gamers, it's hard to know whether people will bite. This should do decent, but how much people will actually play this revision, I don't know. But it is something that will be interesting come November and December.

My guess: Should do well, but it's a gutsy guess.

Switch Up, Pro and Mini?

Within the past two years, the Switch has been a hit for Nintendo. It has drawn a lot of companies to it and has gotten a lot of games and ports during it's short life so far. Now, there are speculations that they are looking to revise their hardware. In the past, they have been either very late to do it like the NES and SNES, or they have so many like their GBA and DS line. The potential to come out this year is a Mini and Pro edition of the Switch.

A Mini Switch makes a bit of sense. When the Game Boy came out in 1989, it was big but fit into your pocket. It was revised in 1996 with the Pocket. That was smaller, had more hours of battery life, and didn't use a dot matrix display. I could see it with the Switch. A better display, improved battery life are two things I can vision. The price will be my main concern. I would assume 200 to 250 dollars. There's no suggestion on a release date, but if they want to do some damage, getting it out this summer should be their goal.

A Pro Switch is something I'm trying to wrap my head around. Sure enough, you could with better chips in the hardware. How much of a boost will it be? PS4 and Xbox One have their own Pro editions that have more emphasis on 4K enhanced visuals for 4K television. If it can do at least early PS4 and Xbox One, then I'd see that as a win for Nintendo. It will be pricey, which is one of the things they are not known for. Prior to the 3DS, their console and portable systems were generally 100 to 250 depending on the system. Anything above 350 might be a death wish, but if it does come out this year, it's a matter of what to expect in terms of sales and what games benefit from it.

I think a revision is necessary for the Switch. Nintendo is making a right move. Can they stick to it and have them last a few years?

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled

I wish this game would come out now, but alas,we'll have to wait. There was a rumor floating around this week of a Crash Team Racing game. Of course, speculation comes into play and it became true. A remaster of the game is slated for late June on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

The original was the last Naughty Dog game for the original PlayStation way back in the fall of 1999. To a number of people, this is better than Mario Kart. The single player feels well done. There's nothing cheap about it. It's fair. No bullshit weapons that bombard you at the last second. An adventure mode similar to Diddy Kong Racing. Tournaments and split screen racing. It did everything right. Only thing that it doesn't have over Mario Kart is multiplayer, but the single player is more than satisfying.

I think it's a bit of a shocker that CTR is coming back. How it will handle 90s designs for the modern day will be a question in itself. With N. Sane Trilogy, outside of some controls for the first game, it played rather well. But this isn't a platformer. If it can perform good speeds on your own, the multiplayer and the new online mode, I'll be pleased. Until then, get hyped. When June comes, I'm definitely getting a copy.

Night Trap to Nintendo: Howard Lincoln's Worst Fear

Around this time last year, I did a blog about Night Trap making it to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to commemorate it's 25th anniversary. (https://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/night-trap-another-sega-cd-release.html) The cult full motion video game has made it onto Nintendo. It's set to come out sometime this year on the Switch with Limited Run games at the helm of physical and digital copies. For many gamers, it is interesting considering the Congressional hearings in December 1993.

Senators started complaints about video games becoming violent. Night Trap appeared on their shit list. Sega and Nintendo did testify to Congress. For Nintendo, Howard Lincoln testified. The following he said and I quote about the game: "And let me say that for the record, I want to state that Night Trap will never appear on a Nintendo system. Obviously it would not pass our guidelines. This game... which promotes violence against women, simply has no place in our society." Now, the game would not have been possible on the SNES. However, I see Lincoln trying to do whatever it is necessary to make Sega look putrid and make Nintendo, known at the time for their illegal monopoly a few years prior and squeaky clean image (the latter they still attempt to do), look like angels. I don't know if it was purely him saying that or Japan saying he had to say that.

Either way, this was in a pre-Mortal Kombat II era of Nintendo. By the fall of 94, Nintendo lessened their strictness to a point with MK II, leaving it uncensored, showing that the company could deal with content that wasn't G-rated. Their struggles with M-rated and sometimes T-rated games are still a thing today. Back to Night Trap, I doubt Lincoln tried the game, and I wonder if he really regrets even saying that. When you look at the game, it's very tame, but the live action material you could say was enough to cause controversy. Add in the fact that you were saving girls, not hitting or killing them. Saving them from bad guys that were about as stupid as the Wet Bandits, though as I said, this was filmed a few years before Home Alone. (Night Trap around 1987, Home Alone 89-90)

There's not much that I've already said in last year's blog. It would be nice to see other Sega CD games come out, but stuff that is in limbo or have a superior arcade release make it impossible. In the end however, it's another game for the Switch that sees the light of day on Nintendo. This is something Lincoln should not have feared and he should be ashamed of himself if this was all on him and not just Japan talking to him.

Year 2 Make or Break for Switch

It has been a year since Nintendo's Switch system came out. The idea of a portable and home console hybrid seemed a bit out of touch for customers.Whatever the Big N has done has been a resounding success. Being able to have a Zelda and a Mario title within that first year, and a number of ports and new releases have the system flying off shelves... for now.

Now, it enters it's second year on the market. What exactly has to be done? If Nintendo wants to have an equal year, they have to look at what made the Switch catch on. That would mean having some franchises make their way to the hybrid. Advertising that is frequent and common among many platforms. Making sure third parties are comfortable being on the system.

The support is critical. While indie titles has been one of their main forms of support, other third party games isn't the hugest. Some may be happy with sales on it, but to get an audience on a Nintendo system, it has to really dig deep to get not just their fans, but also the ones that only buy the first party output. Hopefully for the Big N, they can put in a new Pokemon, Smash Bros., and a new Mario Kart (not 8 Deluxe) during the next few years.

Switch has stood its ground for year one. Year two is where they have to show they can be equal to PlayStation and Xbox and if interest stays the same.

Labo: Nintendo's Hit or Miss Project

I have been wanting to discuss Nintendo's latest ideas, but other blogs have gotten in the way. Without further adieu, let's talk about the Labo. It was announced a month ago and plans are to release towards the end of April of this year. I see this thing being a big question mark.

With Labo, you use materials and cardboard to build things around a Switch system. This is one of those things that is geared towards little kids. A do it yourself kind of product. That is where I would have concerns if I were Nintendo. This has the potential to do very well, but it could also backfire and the company would have a lot of egg on its face. They have understood at times since 1980 what kids want, but it comes off unnecessary.

I would think this is geared towards 8-12 year olds, but who knows. Those are the kind of kids that certainly would have some interest. The question would be how interested and their attention spans surrounding Labo. At the same time, how often will they use the product and not only use it, but also change it to something else. That or losing the cardboard or running out of materials. The price is a bit questionable. For 70 dollars, I'm not sure parents will bite immediately onto this. Especially for a system that sells controllers for that price.

I would be a bit skeptical despite the huge acclaim it has gotten since it's reveal back in January. If it does well, so be it. If it doesn't, well, it would show Nintendo's incompetence at understanding the market. Only time will tell come the end of April. The Switch needs quite a bit to keep going strong in its second year. For as unorthodox as it is, it could pave the way to covering more demographics.

Nintendo Switch Assessment (Review of 2017)

We are about a month and a half away from heading into 2018. For PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, they are still far from being finished. Nintendo, on the other hand, is pinning all its hopes on their Switch system, which debuted at the start of March this year. I do not own one, but so far, it has done well and it has companies scrambling to get content onto the hybrid. What is it that made this do well compared to the atrocity of the Wii U?

Marketing: When looking at best selling systems, their advertising is a reason to consider success. You think Genesis Does for Sega, Live in your World. Play in Ours slogan for Sony when seeing system campaigns. The idea of being portable and playing on TV is a big point for the Switch. Nintendo is actually showcasing the system on a number of channels, something they didn't really do with the Wii U outside of some major titles. People are aware of it. It's just a matter of if they will buy it.

No shoehorned gimmick: Part of the reason why I think the Wii U failed was because of its GamePad. You didn't have much choices other than Wii controllers and Classic type controllers, and the system price might have hurt from having it. With the Switch, the controller is a basic setup. Nothing exactly shoehorned or forced. They simplified it, and trying it at a store, it felt comfortable. My only complaint if people are going to look to buy the system is additional controllers costing 70 plus dollars.

Heavy hitter killer apps: You know what the big titles are going to be on a Nintendo system. Getting a Zelda title out after numerous delays gave the system a glimmer of hope. Having a new Mario game out last month, and certain ports and original titles helped the Switch in its first year. Not to mention that Zelda and Mario are trying newer things to make experiences fresh for veteran gamers.

Now, first party is fine and dandy, but if Nintendo has to do something, it's this. They have to really support it beyond 2017. Odds are they will, but it has to be at the caliber of what they have done. No doubt, there will be a new Smash Bros. game, a new Pokemon, but what else? Not to mention getting the system promoted, which seems to have done way better than the Wii U debacle. After 2013, Nintendo gave up. With Switch, they are getting back onto the scene.

Third party is still a question mark, something Nintendo has struggled with since 1996. The consensus is that it has a lot of indie companies on board. It's no joke. Having titles like Shovel Knight for example show how willing the House of Mario is to get new customers. As far as major companies, they have stuff like Super Bomberman, Ultra Street Fighter II, Sonic Mania as some of their support. In this month of November, it has Doom. L.A. Noire will be out by the time this blog is finished along with Skyrim at the end of the week. Some are testing the waters, and that will be the true test for 2018. Are third party companies going to keep supporting the Switch? I don't see why not, but the system still has a lot of work to do.

So... should you buy a Switch? I'd say yes. It's got titles for a variety of people and it feels like there should be support for a good while. The question would be how you feel about spending 300 plus dollars. Other than that, I'd say get on the hype. Nintendo is back in town for now.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Switch Ports: Bethesda and Rockstar

Since 1996, Nintendo has struggled with getting third party games on their systems. Even for as big as the Wii was, it wasn't big on getting some of the bigger titles that made it to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The question on the Switch is still in the air. It has done decently since its debut in March, but the concern will be if there are games beyond the Big N that can make it to the portable/home console hybrid.

In the midst of this, Bethesda announced plans for a few of their latest titles to make it to the Switch. Doom, one of the bigger hits last year, is expected to come out late this year. Continuing into 2018, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will be one of the new titles that will release in year 2 for the system. I think this is very important since these are titles, while not as big as other games, that can be high quality and give people a reason to feel confident in their new system. Bethesda is pretty confident. They are putting their eggs into Nintendo's basket. The last time these two series made it to any of their systems was 2002 with Doom II on the Game Boy Advance and since 1995 with Doom on the Super Nintendo.

To keep this in mind, Bethesda has developed games for Nintendo systems going back to the NES days, but it's such a small number (only two games for NES, nothing after that until the DS) and not much was seen in the last ten years in terms of support. With these two franchises and an Elder Scrolls port on the way, it could pave the way for other companies following suit and make it more than just a first party box. It could also give the company another avenue for profit considering how much they have grown since the first Elder Scrolls game on DOS in early 1994. Could something like Fallout 4 make it to the Switch? Who knows. The possibilities are there.

Shifting gears, Rockstar is one of those companies that early on gave Nintendo support with some games on the Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Game Boy line. However, they have mostly gravitated to Sony and Microsoft systems for their big titles. There have been a few surprises like Manhunt 2 making it to the Wii, but overall, they haven't warmed up to the Big N. I doubt this will be a confident changer to bring stuff like GTA V, but it is support. Coming out in November will be their crime thriller, L.A. Noire. The 2011 game that had a lengthy development time (started in 2004) is also going to come out on PS4, and Xbox One at the same time. It is the first big title, even though a port, for a Nintendo home console since 2008 with a port of Bully, and since 09 with GTA: Chinatown Wars on the DS.

I think this speaks a lot to Rockstar looking at how well the Switch has done. Typically, they are more of going towards the PlayStation and Xbox brands. It's very evident with Red Dead, GTA, The Warriors. They've been with these two since the original PlayStation and Xbox systems. They are not going to take a huge risk, but it's still in the air on whether this will convince Rockstar will continue with support for the Switch. It is going to be a little more expensive, but not much. Forty dollars is what it will be digitally, but getting a cartridge will be 50. There hasn't been a cartridge based system since the 64 and before this, all Nintendo handhelds have been cart based. With a new developer handling the port since Team Bondi shut down in the fall of 2011, it will be very intriguing to see where this lands in terms of critical and commercial success.

Nintendo has certainly got companies coming to them. Getting games from big and small developers and publishers so far in 2017 has gotten them off to a decent start. Combined with some of the big name titles like Mario Odyssey coming out this fall, it could be the year that they recover from the dreadful era of the Wii U. They can't let their foot off the gas. If they can continue to be aggressive and fully advertise and market the Switch and games for it, it will give the world a reason to like the Big N as a home console manufacturer.

Call of Duty: WW2 Switch Speculation

When Call of Duty debuted in 2003, it was an alternative to the Medal of Honor games. Both were set in World War II and featured different approaches the series started. Of course, it has changed routes over the years beginning with Modern Warfare in 2007 and the series is going back to where it started for them. For WW2, it's a change that might be refreshing to some. As far as releases go, it's obvious it will make it to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and computers. However, rumors are coming of another version.

How true this could be, I don't know. Supposedly, there is a Nintendo Switch version being developed by Beenox Games. They have made a number of games for Activision, which includes some Call of Duty games. If the rumors are true, it will be a nice addition for the Switch library, especially to have a third party game. The series has been on other Nintendo systems going back to the GameCube era with Finest Hour. The Wii got five games in the series, and the DS handheld got four. No game made it to the 3DS and the Wii U only got two games, with Ghosts being the last one overall for any Nintendo system.

While I wouldn't expect it to be a seller like the other systems and computers, it could definitely do well on the Switch if it is developed. It's been a long time since we've seen a World War II game come out of a big name company or franchise. Medal of Honor's last WWII games were in 2007. Call of Duty's was World at War in 2008. I think going back to its roots somewhat will get people back on board with the series. It's not a huge guarantee on the Switch, but it might be that way for the other systems.

I would hope it's true, because the Switch still needs to show it can be more than a first party/Mario box after this Christmas season in six, seven months. Nintendo has some heavy hitters beginning in July. They need to keep the momentum going to get third party companies on board and have them stay with them. A Call of Duty game could be a big help.

New 2DS XL: Nintendo's Continuing Effort

Whatever Nintendo has up their sleeves, a new 3DS iteration will possibly the last thing you will see unless they surprise others with something else later on. Coming out in July is a New 2DS XL. Looking at the design, it looks really good and the price isn't half bad at 150 dollars. It does seem a little overpriced, especially when some stores still have 3DS' at 200 dollars still. That being said, it could be a last hurrah before Nintendo pulls the plug on this handheld.

Nintendo has come a long way from its fumbling with its handheld when it launched in March of 2011. People liked it, but the price hurt it and there wasn't many games that made it want you to go out and get a 3DS immediately. With a price cut and some killer apps, it hasn't looked back one bit and has pulled off good sales. However, it's final numbers whenever it finishes will possibly not reach even what the PSP did from 2004 to 2012. In a time where phones dominate over traditional gaming handhelds, brand recognition certainly helps.

I watched a video a few days ago about this system and the person saying that people are saying doom and gloom about the Switch and how this will hurt it. I would actually agree with this YouTuber, who said it wouldn't harm sales. I think it's different audiences, and really with being out for six years, Nintendo is going to try and get anybody that is new to handhelds to invest into a 2DS XL and keep support going for at least another year. They know who to target and who will it.

Nintendo has put a strong effort into actually trying to promote their systems and games this year. This is what they need to do instead of lollygagging like they did with the Wii U. If these first few months are any indication, they are back in the game big time. But only they, especially in Japan, can either put up another successful run or fuck it up like they have had since 1996. The ball is in their court. Can they give customers a year to remember?

Nintendo Switch Update: April 2017

I'll keep this short and sweet, but Nintendo put up some good numbers with their new Switch system. Debuting at the start of March, it has performed beyond expectations. There are a few things that could be fixed from some people's complaints but overall, it's first month was good. The numbers are at 2.4 million sold worldwide, which is excellent considering releasing at this time of the year.

For as good as that is, I would still stay a little optimistic for now. There hasn't been too many titles, physically and digitally, despite the strong selling of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Other than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a few other titles that might come out the next two to three months, Switch owners are going to have to bear it until Splatoon 2 is released in July. This is going to be one of two tests to see if people will still be interested in the Switch. One is now when Mario Kart comes out at the end of this month until Splatoon 2. Then there is whatever else until whenever Super Mario Odyssey comes out. I'm expecting a November release, much like most of the main Mario games the last 10 years since Galaxy.

It could still go either way. People want to see Nintendo succeed, but also put up an effort. They are hitting on the right cylinders. Right now, they have to keep putting up a strong push to keep the Switch relevant until the heavy hitters come out. Mario Kart 8 will be the first true test to see if people will instantly go for it or stick to the Wii U version. Play the cards right, and Switch system numbers could be from 50 to 70 percent near the total numbers of Wii U systems.

Check out some of my previous Switch blogs:

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/02/nintendo-switch-last-hurrah-or-comeback.html
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/peta-and-virtual-cows.html