GTA Trilogy Remaster

There was news back in the summer about the PlayStation 2 Grand Theft Auto games getting a remaster. While III, Vice City, and San Andreas are still excellent games, some aspects could have been finely tuned to be better. The news is confirmed that they are getting a re-release this year. Downside is that the original versions are getting delisted on PS3, PS4, and Xbox 360. The same is going to happen for the HD San Andreas game on 360. At the time of this blog on a Monday night, they probably have be taken off the digital stores already. If not, this week. 

These are coming out on everything. Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, PC, iOS, Android, and the Switch. The fact that Nintendo is getting these is a huge surprise. Only their handhelds had GTA games with ports of the first two and two original releases. Rockstar has shown some support with Manhunt 2, Table Tennis and Bully on the Wii and L.A. Noire on Switch. Having GTA is a benchmark for the developer. From all assumptions, these will play roughly the same, but have better visuals. I have a feeling it will get cleaned up quite a bit to retain their looks but utilize the hardware of everything.

As far as delisting goes, I'm not sure if this is going to be permanent or not. I wouldn't think so, but weird things do happen in gaming. With the PC, you can find copies of them. You can also find copies for the PS2 and original Xbox. These were mega sellers. Millions upon millions, especially on PS2. Very common and going for 10 to 25 dollars. Maybe more if people are trying to popularize theme even more. There is that talk of game preservation, but the discs are not inaccessible. GTA is in a strange spot and I don't have an easy answer on how to solve the issue of digital stuff being taken away.

These should do decently and the price will hover around 40 to 60 dollars. You're getting 200 plus hours worth of content with these three games. I'll have to wait and see how it fares and see some gameplay to see if it's worth getting. For now, it's a decent way of celebrating 20 years since GTA III released and changed how games could be played.

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.

Console Buyer's Guide 2019

Black Friday and the holiday season begins very soon, so there is the look of what game systems are out on the market. For 2019, it may mark one of the last big years for the current ones out there.

Starting with the dead systems, it's safe to say you can't find many PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, and Vita games on store shelves. Your best bet is going to be the used local stores or having to use online to get the games. Everything but the Vita can still be found easily at a GameStop, but how much longer they will have these games, I'm not sure. Until PS3 and 360 stop using servers for good would be my guess or when the new systems come out in November.

I'm surprised to still see the 3DS on store shelves. Nintendo stated that it will still be supported heading into 2020, but I don't buy into it fully. Not any big releases and being eight years old is not healthy. I guess milk it until the cows come home. For what it was able to do, it stabilized and did very well following a disastrous launch due to the high price. You can find 2DS XL's and some games, but the selection is not the greatest at most stores. Used local stores and online may be the ultimate way to get the titles you may want that aren't the usual suspects.

This year will be the last very huge year for PS4 and Xbox One. I don't think there's one advantage over the other except in exclusives. It comes down to what you like more. Do you like Halo, Gears of War, and a couple others? Uncharted, MLB, Ratchet and Clank? I still think the edge goes to PlayStation, but I don't think either one is a bad choice. They're cheap and you can get games at good prices everywhere. Not much else to say.

Last is the Switch. The Lite model should entice some for the holiday season, but will they like that it's portable only? That I'd ask because it being a hybrid prior to the release may be the only incentive. I think there should be a price cut for the original model. Beyond the first party games, there is relatively good support still and plenty of releases from older games and new ones. It's a way to make up for some of Nintendo's blunders. How well this does beyond this year and 2020 is a question in itself and if the novelty sticks or fades away.

Shop safe. Shop smart. And shop carefully for these systems and games.

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.

Thought on Game Sizes

No review today as I want to discuss an issue many gamers know about. You just got a game that you have been wanting to play for a while. Put it in your PS4, Xbox One, or Switch. Not a minute goes by where you have to let the thing download and install the file. What gives?

From the 70s, a lot of video games didn't hold much data. It was kilobytes, something that would continue on into the 90s where Genesis and Super NES games were still small. A little bigger but still in the kilo section. As file sizes got bigger, cartridges got more expensive, hence the 70 to 90 dollar games back in the early to mid 90s. Even with CD's, a lot of them had multiple discs as companies were trying to find ways to utilize the medium. Until the Saturn and PlayStation came, it was a mixed result.

With technology, it's obvious stuff gets bigger and bigger. A CD size was not enough by 2000 and the DVD started becoming the norm following the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2000 and 01 respectively. This is where instead of megabytes, we saw gigabytes. And that number has gotten higher with each new generation since to where the games now need download time. Personally, I don't see this going down anytime soon. It might get to the point where 200 gigabyte games might be the norm.

Computers suffer from the same thing, though it's mainly digital and the emphasis on using something like Steam or GOG. Discs are an afterthought, unfortunately. Stuff is not compressed and while that might be nice, it's not nice on people who may not have enough storage to do another download. PlayStation and Xbox have been able to compensate with very good storage size for the average person. Something like the Switch suffers from not having a huge storage size and the focus is getting SD cards if you are set on playing non-Nintendo games, which even something like Zelda takes up a good chunk of space.

It's following the same route as upgrading technology, though the leap in sizes will be much bigger. We just have to grin and bear it. Nothing is going to change, and we have to live through this for a very long time. Future generations will have it much worse long after we are gone from this planet.

ROMs V. Nintendo

While Nintendo may have a lot of success, they are also run by complete morons. For any time they move forward a step, they move two steps back. I blame it on their Japan division and not understand stuff beyond the 80s and 90s. I'm curious yet baffled at the decision to sue a couple websites for infringement of ROMs of their games.

They are looking for millions of dollars in damages. Really, they are the only one that has issues with fan made stuff and ROMs and all that stuff. It's not a surprise that there's a lot of people who pirate or use emulation or create their own little project. I'm not the hugest supporter of emulation, but I'll use it. If this has something to do with a Virtual Console or eShop thing that they are doing for the Switch, I can see what they are doing... somewhat.

In that sense, it is justified. But for what? Just so they can milk Mario 3 and Zelda: Link to the Past for the tenth time? It's not a surprise that Virtual Console hasn't been the same since the Wii U launch in 2012. There hasn't been much effort, even with promises of stuff like Game Boy Advance and potentially GameCube titles. In the last seven years, Sega has only done a few handfuls of Game Gear games for 3DS, and they stopped after 2013. They didn't even bother with the Wii U. Not to mention that these titles can be found at used game stores, pawn shops, yard sales. Is it really going to hurt Nintendo? Absolutely not.

The efforts Nintendo has done since the 3DS has been poor. Their GBA selection is piss poor. The NES and SNES are getting the same titles over and over. No Nintendo 64 efforts. They went through original Game Boy games very quickly. Even with the cheap costs depending on the system of choice, they still leave it tied to the particular system and not the account. If the Japan offices weren't so narrow minded about how the world is, they would not have all these mistakes they have made since 1996. For now the Switch is still selling really well, but it could fade away or the next console could be a disaster.

And it's not like Nintendo can keep doing this suing thing, either. You can't shut down every website just because they have GBA games or anything going back to their NES days. If only they just put more effort into the Virtual Console or whatever their new Switch thing is like they did when it was a new concept. And it has to be more than just the same NES and SNES games. Actually dig deep into their catalog. It's a waste of time to go after ROMs, even if they are within their rights. Tons of stuff get replicated every day. Anything can be found on the Internet.

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.

Sega Genesis Compilation for a New Generation

In a world where selling older games individually is common thing, only a couple companies are willing to continue selling compilations. One of them is Sega. It goes all the way back to the Genesis around the mid 90s beginning with 6-Pak and Sonic Classics. As the 2000s started, they became more interested in bringing their older game lineup to modern systems. At the end of May, Sega Genesis Classics will make its way to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Over the years, consoles have seen a set of games from Sega. The PlayStation 2 saw an arcade set and a Genesis set, the latter going for 20 dollars with over 30 games and also appearing on PSP. Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection had just about 50 when it made it to the PS3 and Xbox 360. This new one will have just over 50. For people on computers, this isn't exactly new. Steam has a version of this, but in different volumes when it came out back in 2010, though it's all together as one package.

Some notable inclusions are Gunstar Heroes, ToeJam and Earl, and Landstalker. The same usual suspects are here like Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star, Sonic the Hedgehog. One of the most notable omissions as some websites have mentioned is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles. Why, I don't know. Unless there is something regarding the music or some other nonsense, there isn't a reason why it shouldn't be included. Doing the lock-on feature shouldn't be this complicated. It's not like it's on a disc that holds a few gigabytes.

Articles have gone on about Sega planning the use of online multiplayer for some of the games. That will help a bit if you don't have someone to sit with you and play. As with other compilations, it will have filters for the games. One interesting aspect is a mirror mode where it is played but flipped horizontally. That would be something to see if speedrunners try to play in that style.

People will bitch about it not being on the Switch, but these compilations are usually not on Nintendo systems. If they are, it's a very small set on a handheld. Not to mention the eShop and Virtual Console, though for the latter, it's over on the Wii. Some stores are putting up prices for 30 dollars. That's a huge bargain, but I wouldn't count on it yet for the official price.

Overall, it's seems like an easy choice. This is a must buy for anyone that likes compilations and Sega's output on the Genesis.

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 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

PETA and the Virtual Cows

This story will be almost a week old by the time this blog comes up, but it came the day before April Fools. It has got to be one of the most stupid things to really go after and why animal rights groups are a joke. The sad thing is that this isn't the first time the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has gone after this company. Let's get into it.

Last month, Nintendo released their brand new Switch system. So far, it has done well, but it is a wait and see scenario. It could fail or pass depending on how the company plays its cards. One of its launch games was 1-2-Switch. I don't own the system but looking at this title, it looks very awful and not worth 60 dollars. This should have been a pack in game to showcase as a tech demo. However, the mixed reception is not the reason for this blog. PETA went after Nintendo for a mini-game called Milk. In it, you act like you are grabbing the utter of a cow, trying to get more milk than your opponent. The link is from a YouTube user who has done some Switch videos. Go to the 33:34 mark of the video. That's where the milk part is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZJeH8pcOkg&t=2474s You be the judge on whether you think this is even worth complaining.

This was in response to a challenge Nintendo accepted from a group called Billings Farm and Museum. They were skeptical that it was that easy to milk. After Nintendo accepted the challenge, this competition is set to happen sometime this month. Combined with the mini-game, it is what set PETA off with really a half-assed response. It's why I have waited a few additional days to respond about this because you would think this is a joke. It is not. And if you look at the video link, I don't see anything that shows any harm to a cow. There's not even a cow.  What you see is two people with Switch controllers acting like they are milking.

As I said, this is not the first this animal rights group has gone after the Big N. Back in November 2011, they went after the Tanooki Suit when Super Mario 3D Land came out for the 3DS. The suit was first seen in late 1988 in Japan, early 1990 in the U.S., and late 1991 in Europe with Super Mario Bros. 3. It got pretty severe when PETA created a flash game, Super Tanooki Skin 2D. In it, you are a Tanooki who tries to get its skin back from Mario. The lengths they took to criticize a video game is not only bad, but severely stupid. It's a fantasy video game. It's not like you're forced into using the some of the animal powerups, but they are useful.

Groups like PETA and the Ad Council wonder why they get so much hate. It's because of stuff like Nintendo that hurts any credibility they have in making criticism over something that quite frankly, shouldn't have been newsworthy in the first place. This isn't a McDonalds flash game (yes, it actually exists, and plays like a Theme Park or Tycoon game) where you are killing cows. Hell, Pac-Man 2 on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo had an objective where you you had to milk a cow to get milk for Pac-Baby. Unless I'm seeing something different from these morons, there's nothing to criticize.

When it comes down to it, it's all desperation to stay relevant. That's the goal of PETA. It is very ridiculous to criticize a video game that doesn't involve actual animals. May the day come that groups like these die off. They are about as useless as the National Enquirer.

Check out my thoughts on the Switch before it launched:

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/02/nintendo-switch-last-hurrah-or-comeback.html

Nintendo Switch: Last Hurrah or a Comeback?

I really do question what Nintendo thinks in their offices in Japan. For over 20 years, they have lost a lot of their home console audience due to bad decisions such as the Nintendo 64 using cartridges and a number of things from the GameCube. They rebounded a bit with the Wii, but stumbled heading out of it and failing miserably with the Wii U. Their handhelds, however, have been a consistent seller, even without much competition and the their biggest threat being the PlayStation Portable. All things considered, Nintendo is putting their eggs in one basket to bring in a unique way to play games. Coming March third is the Switch.

What Nintendo is trying to do is to combine the experience of playing on the go like people would with a 3DS, but also have the experience of playing it at home like any of their home consoles since 1983. Their aim is to focus on one system and one system only. The hope is for their to be no multiple versions of the same game like what happened to Super Smash Bros.. They seem to get the grasp somewhat on what needs to be done in order to succeed.

Regarding the Wii U, it was a big failure due to a lack of marketing, the name, pricing, and a bulky gamepad which contributed to the price, just to name a few of its mishaps. Nintendo seems like they understood the problems that plagued their predecessor and are trying to fix any damaged caused by it. I find the price to be a little high, but not a dealbreaker. Three hundred dollars is manageable. The controllers, named Joy-Con, looks to be something that will not add to the price. However, getting a set of two and a Pro Controller altogether is going to cost over a hundred dollars, which will hurt a little bit if you instantly want four player action.

You can't have a launch without having games. The lineup when Switch debuts is very small. Of course, the big one will be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It has been in development for a very long time and will also come out on the Wii U. Nintendo launched the Wii with Twilight Princess and it served as a strong launch game in 2006, so hopefully for the big N, they didn't anger a lot of their fanbase. That being said, the rest of their lineup as of now won't have as much of an impact like Zelda, but there is stuff that will keep some owners occupied. The next biggest franchises are Just Dance, which was still being made on the original Wii along with the newer consoles, and Skylanders, the toy based game that has been a seller since 2011. Other notable games include 1-2-Switch, Super Bomberman R, and I am Setsuna.

For the rest of 2017, Nintendo seems to understand to space the game releases over this first year to keep people interested in the Switch. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes out in April, but they hope its enough until Splatoon 2 releases in the summer. Then there is the Christmas season, which is when Super Mario Odyssey hits shelves. If Nintendo plays their cards right and advertises the system and the games, this could make people buy a lot of product and somewhat compete with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

A big problem with Nintendo is getting third party support. For now, it looks okay. A lot of companies are looking to test the waters with a game or two. Getting past the launch titles, some of the notables include Skyrim, Dragon Ball Z, and Sonic Mania. A lot of companies have been confirmed into making games for the Switch. It's just a matter of wondering if they come out and when. The first year of support for the Wii U had quite a bit of third parties, but by the end of 2013, it dwindled down very fast. Nintendo really needs to keep these companies and still give them a big reason to put their heavy hitters on their system.

One of the things that Nintendo has lagged at was online. The way they have been, they are trying to make up for lost time ever since they underestimated online back in the GameCube days. Now, they are going the Sony and Microsoft route of charging instead of it being free. Cost wise, it could potentially be around 17 to 26 dollars going by what the yen costs are going to be, but it will start the charging in the fall. That's not a bad price if that is what it's going to be throughout the world. Their online chat, on the other hand, requires a smartphone app, which is one of my issues regarding Nintendo. It seems like they move a step forward and then move two steps back. Without much information, it's hard to know if it's possible to do chat without a phone.

Then there is the free game with online. Nintendo hasn't really explained the reasoning, but similar to the Xbox systems, you get a game if you are using the paid online. Unfortunately, it's an NES or SNES game that is free for a month. I don't know if you can keep the game or you have to pay for it after a month, but if it's the latter, this could potentially fall flat on its face. I get that there is a wealth of games from the 80s and 90s that are loved, but it would have made more sense to look at the GameCube or Wii. Maybe even the Nintendo 64, but the way it is being done, this pales in comparison to what Microsoft does.

A big thing with the Switch is that it is a cartridge format. It should be obvious if anyone has played a 3DS or DS what the cart is going to look like. There's not much else Nintendo could have done. The memory size is still abysmal. Thirty two gigabytes is still not enough, and some will be forced to buy SD cards, especially if you are going digital.  There is no backwards compatibility, which I don't see as a dealbreaker. It would be a nice option, but it won't be the end of the world.

My assessment on it before it launches is this. There is enough positives that will help the system sell. Nintendo is playing it smart with their releases. The big question will be how they market it and how often they will promote it. If it does well, they have to carry that momentum and give people more old and new franchises, provide some price cuts and put improvement into their online and show that they can still be a competitive company with a huge comeback. If it fails, who knows what will come next for Nintendo.

So overall, I would have a little optimism regarding the Switch, but I wouldn't be too scared of it once its library starts to pick up during the year. I somewhat expect this to do better than the GameCube and Wii U if things go well for it. Hopefully, Nintendo knows what works and what doesn't. There's a lot riding on what could be the last hurrah if things don't translate to success.