You also have to keep track the site and how you spell it. For example is it “Microsoft” or “microsoft”?

And keep track of the current name of the site vs the old name. For example am I signing into Microsoft or Live.com or Xbox?

And keep track of my username. Is it my email? Which email? Which username?

I understand the concept but I think if falls apart fast.

To allow for a live avatar. For example when playing Mario Kart online you can see the reactions of your friends your playing with. When you hit someone with a red shell and they make a mad face, you get to see it.

Microphones have been in gaming for a while, this is just the next step.

Now… Is any of that necessary? No, not really. Is it kinda neat? Maybe for some.

That’s a fair point. I also have a SteamDeck so indie games I previously bought on the Switch 1, I would now buy on the SteamDeck.

If I only had a Switch or Switch 2, there are advantages to buying handheld versus a PC/Xbox/PlayStation.

With the new Xbox handheld thing that likely further cuts into the handheld market and unique feature of the Switch.

Are there lots of non Nintendo games exclusive to the original Switch?

Nintendo consoles are for Nintendo games. Non Nintendo games on Nintendo consoles are a nice bonus, but only when looking at the lifetime of the console and not the launch.

Re Minecraft, the “Vibrant Visuals” update only applies to Bedrock and not Java at the moment.

I assume most SteamDeck Minecraft players are using Java, so you won’t see this particular change at this time.

Although it is coming later.

And Java has had shaders since forever.

Curious to know what 8bitdo software exists and doesn’t work on Linux. I own two controllers and only ever used them on my Switch and SteamDeck.

So if it has software, it isn’t needed, and out of the box it just works.

To be fair the Switch launched with Zelda Breath of the Wild, which is arguably the best Zelda game and possibly the best game on the Switch.

So even with only a single title, the Switch had a strong launch title.

Now for Switch 2 they’re launching with Mario Kart. Now I know Mario Kart is the top selling Switch game, so it sounds like a good launch title, but I’m less confident.

I know Nintendo hasn’t made a new Mario Kart game in 10+ years, just updated the existing Mario Kart 8, and I’m sure it’ll be fun, but I think Mario Kart is too casual of a game, I think it sells systems eventually, but not so much on launch.

History shows it does pay off.

The Wii U had Nintendo Land, which was the 5th top selling game for the console.

The Switch had 1 2 Switch, which was the 40th top selling game for the console. 40th might sound low, but that’s about the same as Zelda Echoes of Wisdom, Pikmin 4 or Paper Mario Origami King.

Now this “game” looks to be terrible so far, but that can always throw it as a pack in after a year or two and suddenly the total sales bump right up. No downside.

So Donkey Kong lore can be weird, depending on which Donkey Kong you subscribe to.

The most well known version design of Donkey Kong starts with Donkey Kong Country, where Donkey Kong is the grandson of Cranky Kong. Cranky Kong was the original Donkey Kong that threw barrels at Mario (Jumpman at the time).

That also means we’re missing a Kong, Donkey Kong’s father, Donkey Kong Jr. The design shown here does closely resemble what a grown up Donkey Kong Jr might look like.

SO, the Donkey Kong show here might not be Donkey Kong, it may be Donkey Kong Jr, better known simply as Donkey Kong. It could also just be a young Donkey Kong or Cranky Kong, since they’re related and may look similar.

Good catch, so 2nd to 3rd for the Switch.

I know the headline says PlayStation, but this whole thread is ignoring the Nintendo Switch. For every PS5 sold, two Nintendo Switches were sold. Maybe PlayStation and Xbox are on the decline, but the Switch is nearly the bestselling console of all time (the PS2 is still in the lead and will likely hold that title.)

Also when it comes to MUST HAVE games, Nintendo has so many of those to choose from. Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Smash Bros, the list goes on.

Nintendo has absolutely dominated the console market and this article seems to just ignore that.

Tony Hawk 1+2 was good, if they literally just do that again, then yes. There are areas to improve, but the core gameplay, which is just the Tony Hawk games, is still fun.

I mean this game is based on/a sequel to Pokemon Legends Arceus which played differently from all other games in the series.

Additionally, based on the trailer, combat will be changing once again.

That being said, I do expect it to be buggy.

So yeah, I’ll likely be having fun with this game.

The opening of the article gets it wrong but is so close to realizing it.

I stopped buying most games for my Nintendo Switch the day I bought a Steam Deck.

I did not.

My Switch has been a Mario and Zelda machine ever since.

That’s why I did not. Switch has the exclusive.

It’s simple: the Steam Deck took the Switch’s best trick — pick-up-and-play portability

That’s a great feature, but the best is the games.

Actually the most widely used OS worldwide is Android. Nearly ½ of all devices are Android while only ¼ of all devices are Windows.

Now if you want to adjust the scope and only look at “desktop” operating systems then yes, that is the majority. However over the past 10 years Windows has declined by ~15%, the majority going to macOS, but a small percentage going to Linux. Linux is generally on the rise, albeit slowly.

Also keep in mind the data I’ve referenced above applies to ALL devices. The landscape changes dramatically when you look at console vs “PC” gaming. Console gaming is roughly ~60% of the traditional gaming market. So while a Windows user may not become a Linux user, they may disappear and become a console user, decreasing the number of Windows users.

While I fully expect Windows to be around for a while, unless a change is made it will continue to lose market share. It would be a mistake to look at these numbers and think Windows is safe and beloved. By all metrics Windows is going away. It’s not going to happen overnight, but 10 years from now?

I can’t say I’ve ever cared about how a game looks.* Sure maybe it’s worth discussing, but it’s always the last thing on my list.

I played BG3 (Once, all the way, second time up to act 2) exclusively on my Steam Deck in handheld mode. Sure Act 3 has a little bit of lag, but nothing that ever bothered me. All the characters in the game were unique, I know Gale from Karlach from Lae’zel.

*(Discussion about art style or artistic choice being different, Pixel vs cell-shaded vs realistic etc)

And a big problem in this game is that it’s a pain to switch echoes all the time

It really really is. It’s one of the things I noticed in the trailer and just hoped they would have a solution for once I got to play the game.

The game has a hundred or so echoes, and you can solve puzzles in different ways, but some require a very specific echo and some require any, so you basically just use the same half dozen echoes. When you have to switch, it sucks, and so when you don’t have to switch you just spam water block or whatever.

It seems like the devs just implemented the echo switching as is and assumed they’d fix it later… But they never did.

It’s a fun game but the chances of me replaying it are near zero. Skyward Sword had a similar problem with Fi, although I understand they’ve mostly fix that in the remaster.

I don’t have an Xbox, but on my Switch I can play the game without updating the game. I may not be able to utilize any online features, but if that server is gone I wouldn’t be using them anyway.

I know that’s a direct quote from the developer, but I disagree that is what actually happened.

The Animal Well journey began in two phases, Basso says: a quick stab at a Metroidvania-styled prototype in 2012, and a bespoke engine project that he took more seriously, which he began coding alone in 2014 during his day job’s off hours.

It was 2017, and some of the design ideas from his 2012 Metroidvania lark had continued pulling on him, so Basso “wrote off” his 3D engine as “a learning experience” and started anew with 2D search action as a priority.

It seems clear to me the prototype did more heavy lifting than he’s giving credit. He clearly had an established vision beginning with the prototype. He spent three years thinking 3D was the best way to achieve that goal, but that goal was clearly based on the prototype. At some point it was clear that 3D was drifting away from the core, so the switch to 2D and a renewed focus was the answer.

It’s also clear that they had a distinct art style in mind from the start.

For his new game, he wanted pixels to scale perfectly to a variety of common screen resolutions, along with visual effects that meshed well with his integer-scaled pixel art.

And that existing engines couldn’t meet that distinct art style.

That home-brew engine is what gives the game its unique look and can allow for unique game elements, but that initial prototype was clearly the guide.

Yes, although BG2s starter dungeon is a whole act instead of a few rooms/battles.

But this mod is starting with the opening area, Waukeen’s Promenade, where the game opens up, (similar to act 1 in BG3).

Also technically BG2 has the tutorial area with Xan that is similar to BG3 in the sense of being a quick few rooms and battles to teach the basics.