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 Nintendo Switch Year 4

 

                                   It's still satisfying to hear this sound after 4 years

Hello everyone how are you? It has now been 4 years snce both Breath of the Wild and the Nintendo Switch has launched. If you want a refresher on Year 3, Year 2, and Year 1, then you can click on those links so we can avoid recaping those years in this post here. Even though this is a recap of Year 4, but that's beside the point. I really wish I didn't have to say this but's let go back to 2020 and see how Nintendo did.

As we all know, 2020 was by far one of the worst years ever and even then I feel that was an understatement. It felt like a literal Hell on Earth. But Nintendo released what is considered the most important game of 2020 with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The timing couldn't be more perfect for this game and the game provided a cozy and laid-back environment, allowing you to do the stuff you would in real life prior to the pandemic. We saw people hosting virtual parties like birthdays and celebrations. Even other companies were getting in on the fun. I imagine Nintendo didn't expect the huge success it saw with the game, I mean sure they expected the game to sell well but I imagine they didn't expect the sales to explode by that much.

           Playing online with friends was just one of the many ways ACNH was a hit

This was the year of ports and remasters not only for Nintendo but third-parties as well. We got Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE and I just wish it was the uncensored version of the game. If you haven't played it, then more power to you and I hope you enjoy it. I had it on the Wii U and thought it was a really great game despite the censorship. Pikmin 3 Deluxe also released and I love that more people will get to play the game. Pikmin 2 is still my favorite one but 3 is really good. It has some new features but I wish Nintendo would stop charging full price for these ports, I feel they think they could get away with it since the Switch is doing so well. On the third-party side of things we got games like The Outer Worlds, which was regarded as one of the best games of 2019. Granted, with these ports, the games aren't going to look as good as the other versions, but it runs on the Switch and you can play it whenever you want.

We also finally got a Need for Speed game on the Switch, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and it's basically the same as the other console versions. It may be a remastered version of the 2010 game but its still a great game and if you haven't played it, try it out. It even has cross-play with other platforms as well which in my opinion is really big. They have also continued to update the game by fixing any bugs as well as adding new features like a wrap editor for your car that wasn't in the original release. 

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a remake of the GBA/DS game and while I personally haven't played it myself, I imagine it was pretty good. I have always enjoyed the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games so I'll eventually pick this up for myself. Speaking of Pokemon, Game Freak finally broke the mold and released paid dlc for the mainline games with the Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion Pack, which gives you access to 2 dlc packs that expands the game. It eliminates the point of having a third version of the same game a few years later.

Later on in the year we saw the release of games like Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition which is a remaster and remake of the original game. I have played this game twice before, once on the Wii and the other with the N3DS version of the game. This was my third time with the game and it's still as great as I remember it. I wish they had actually fully remade it from the ground up though since you can clearly tell what was remade and what was just remastered. However I recommend this version the most since it combines the best of both worlds since you can play it on your tv, like o the Wii or anywhere you want like the N3DS version. It also includes an extra story that takes place after the events of the game, that could have been dlc instead but I'm glad its part of the overall package. Like its namesake, this is the Definitive Edition.

                                        And the power of being more accessible

We saw some other notewrthy releases from Nintendo as well. We got Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics. I felt this was definitely one of Nintendo's most underrated releases that year. You get so much in the game and there's 51 different games to play from. They also show you the rules and how to play and it explains everything very wel since chances are that many aren't familiar with some of the games offered here. However I found the voice-acting to be pretty bad. Another game that did release Kirby Fighters 2. It's a sequel to Kirby Fighters Deluxe, which in turn was a sub-game in Kirby Triple Deluxe on the 3DS. Unfortunatley the game didn't review so well and it's a shame since this game was accidentally leaked by Nintendo and the fact that the developers did work hard on it, especially with the pandemic and everything stacked against them. There's a demo for it if you're curious to see how it is.

The last big game from Nintendo that released on the Switch is Super Mario 3D All-Stars. basically a compilation of 3 of Mario's 3D platformers. In theory this was a great idea since I got to try out Super Mario Galaxy on modern hardware and is easily the best game in the collection. But I felt that the crowing jewel of the collection was obviously Super Mario Sunshine. Thing is the other games have been re-released in various formats over the years, whereas Sunshine only ever appeared on the Gamecube, making it one of the least accessible 3D Mario games.

I felt the collection was lackluster and they could of done more. Why did they not include Super Mario Galaxy 2 on this? That decision still baffles me and its a crime they didn't have it on there. Thing is I consider both Galaxy games as two sides of the same coin as to why I love both games equally. That and the fact that the game will have a limited release and won't be available both physicall or digitally come March 31st. I get the physical version not being available, but the digital version disappearing? That is not cool, at least make that version available indefinitely.

At least we can end this on a high note. We also finally saw the release of Doom Eternal on the Switch after waiting, well an eternity. I feel that out of all third-party releases this was definitely the biggest one. I never got around to picking it up on the Switch since I got the game on PS4, but to those who are playing it, you are in for one hell of a ride. It's really good and among one of my most favorite games from last year.

 

                                             I'm going to cry again unfortunately

Final Thoughts: By this point this late into a console's lifespan you would start to hear about the successor to the current console and when you can roughly expect it to launch. With the Switch however, Nintendo has said that we are at least halfway into the lifespan of the system. They plan to keep supporting it for a very long time to come and there are no plans for a successor anytime soon. The rumor of a Switch Pro has been around since the launch of the Switch. Every month since there has been reports that there'll be one and look where we are now. Rumors suggest that the Pro will run games on 4k. That alone seems unlikely since Nintendo never goes for power and the last time they did was with the Gamecube and look how that turned out. Thing is, people seem to suggest that Nintendo will release a Switch Pro because everyone released Pro models of their systems. Why would they? They wouldn't release it just because everyone else did.

Some reports suggest that it'll be more powerful and that all future games will be exclusive to it. Why would Nintendo abandon the almost 80 milliion users of the current Switch? That makes absolutely no sense from a business standpoint. Some developers have even gone on to say that doing so is a terrible idea. The reason? Sales. The install base for the Pro is going to be pretty small compared to the already large install base of the base Switch.

Remember the New 3DS? It was more poweful than the base 3DS and it did have a few exclusive games for it, but Nintendo kept making games for the base 3DS because they knew many wouldn't upgrade to a more powerful model for just a handful of games. It's the same reason why there was no exclusive games on the PS4 Pro or the Xbox One X. Why? They'd get more sales if the games ran on the base systems as well. Yes, the games looked and ran better on the Pro models, but that was it. No one was left out. HelI, many of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S games are still coming to the PS4/XB1. feel like that's what's going to happen with a Switch Pro, it'll just make the games run better which its not actually a bad thing since there's many games that could run better on the Switch but don't.

One thing I have always thought of for a more powerful Switch is that the extra power would have to come from the dock, not the Switch itself. There is no way the Switch screen alone would be about to run games in 4k without it getting too hot or the Switch itself increasing in size. And the battery life would be bad as well. Or alternatively, they can release a much more powerful Switch and have it be tv-only like a regular box. Think like how the Vita got the PSTV. I mean yes that would eliminate the point of the Switch, but the Switch Lite elimiated the point of the Switch as well by being handheld only. That means Nintendo isn't worried about removing features if it means making a system more affordable or if it suits their needs.

At this point I feel like Nintendo is better off just waiting a while longer till they make a true successor to the Switch. But you have to wonder, what does come after the Switch? Will they make a Switch 2 or something else entirely? I feel like they'll continue to focus with the hybrid idea since that has proven to be really successful to them and they now basically own the handheld market because they are that market. I feel like what Nintendo should do is focus on fixing or bringing out an improved version of the Joy-Cons. This is by far the worst aspect of the Nintendo Switch and it has gotten Nintendo into trouble to the point of them receiving lawsuits over how faulty they are. It's an issue that's plagued the Switch since its first year and they've yet to address that. They have offered to fix them for free but what's the point if they continue to drift again? But we'll see.

                                                     I'm almost finished, just wait

I feel like this was a filler year at most for Nintendo, but plans did change for them because of the pandemic, just like they did with everyone else. It was mostly ports and remasters from them but at least those games were new to many who never played them before. Plus they did release brand new games as well so it was not only just old games. But I felt Nintendo had a pretty good year overall in my opinion. Sure we didn't get a lot of high profile releases like in previous years, but with Animal Crossing, they did very well and had a huge success. Heck it caused a worldwide phenomenon and it has even outsold Pokemon Sword and Shield. That's unheard of when it comes to Nintendo's games as no other game comes close to Pokemon's sales and ACNH easily surpassed it. Really well deserved in my opinion. It is definitely the most important game of that year and it's my most played game for that year too. I'm still playing it as well.

What will 2021 bring for the Nintendo Switch? Who knows. We started off the year right with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and we are getting New Pokemon Snap in April, which will make a great birthday present for myself. Skyward Sword is coming to the Switch and you can use regular controls now so it will finally be playable. And we are getting remakes of the 4th Gen Pokemon games later in the year. Plus we are also getting various games from third-parties as well. The Switch is doing fine in my opinion. Would I want a Switch that made existing and future run better at least? Absolutely. I imagine that theoretical Pro won't be as powerful as the current model or a PS5 because that is unlikely, but at the very least if it runs all the games better then that's already a win. You won't alienate anyone in the process if the games ran better on the new model while still being able to play those games across all the models of the Switch. We'll have to wait and see if it does happen because when it comes ton Nintedo, you never know. And you can bet I'd buy it.

It's been 4 years now and the system has come a long way since. There's truly something for everyone and that library of games is just going to get bigger. I wonder what other games it'll get this year and that alone has me excited. Maybe the Switch will surpass the Wii lifetime sales, which was 101 million units sold. The Switch has 79.87 million units sold currently and had recently surpassed the 3DS in lifetime sales too. I feel like that will happen this year since the Switch shows no signs of stopping. Only time will tell.

And those are my thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 4 years later.

What are your favorite Switch games? What are your thoughts on the Switch Pro? Thanks for reading and happy 4th anniversary Nintendo Switch!

 

*All images except the first one were taken by me, my Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and their respective games*