Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct: Reaction, Thoughts, and Analysis

My original idea was to take notes during the Switch 2 Direct and then write it down into some semblance of an article, but that would really just be adding more words to what was already here, and let's be honest.  This is just a more distilled form of what the article could have been, and really that's all that we need.  There were a lot more games announced during this Direct, but the ones I listed were the ones that either caught my attention, or ones that I felt I was excited to eventually play, so please don't be (too) upset if I didn't list something that you yourself thought was more interesting than the Project 007 name-drop barest hint of a teaser.

Switch 2 Direct

• Mario Kart World
• Grand Prix
• Knockout Tour
• Free Roam
• 24 Racers
• Joy-Con Controllers
• Larger controller
• Larger joystick
• Hall effect joysticks?
• C Button
• GameChat
• Voice Chat
• Screen Sharing
• Looks very laggy on little screens
• Can display different games
• Switch 2 Camera
• Video Chat Functionality
• Online Membership Required
• Free Access through March 25, 2026
• GameShare
• Share compatible games with up to 3 other systems at one time
• Switch 2 System
• 7.9-inch screen
• 1080p Screen
• Up to 120 fps
• LCD & HDR Support
• Magnet Joy-Cons
• Larger SL/SR buttons
• Larger control sticks
• Mouse controls 
• Two USB-C Ports
• 256 GB Internal Storage
• Dock w/ 4K Support w/ Compatible Games
• Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
• Launches as a paid digital game
• Great concept, horrible idea to charge for it.
• Red Game Cards
• Only Micro SD Express Cards will function w/ NS2
• Can Transfer Data from Switch to Switch 2
• New Switch 2 Pro Controller w/ 2 additional GR/GL back buttons
• Launches on June 5, 2025
• Play 3 Types of Games
• NS2 Games
• Compatible NS Games
• Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
• Select Games will be upgraded
• Upgrade pack purchase required
• Smart Phone app compatibility with BotW & TotK
• Metroid Prime 4 can use mouse controls
• Drag x Drive
•  murderball  x basketball
• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 & 4
• Project 007
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remastered
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
• Probably the most excited I was as far as game announcements in this Direct.
• Doubly excited that the current word is that this game is considered canon.
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Same Membership Package between NS & NS2
• Nintendo GameCube exclusive to NS2
• Launch Titles
• LoZ: Wind Waker
• SoulCalibur II
• F-Zero GX
• Future Titles
• Super Mario Sunshine
• Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
• Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
• Super Mario Strikers
• Chibi-Robo
• Luigi's Mansion
• Pokemon Colosseum
• Dedicated GameCube Controller
• Will NYXI Wizard Controller be compatible?  Some signs are pointing to "yes?"
• CyberPunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
• Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
• Star Wars Outlaws
• Borderlands 4
• REANIMAL
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam
• The Duskbloods (FromSoftware, NS2 exclusive)
• Wait, it's multiplayer!? =( As in Dark Souls type multiplayer, or Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure type multiplayer?
• Prices
• Base Unit: $449
• Mario Kart World Bundle: $499
• Digital copy of Mario Kart World included, not a physical game.
• Preorder Starts April 9th
• As of Friday, April 4th, Nintendo has delayed the original pre-order date of April 9th to an as-yet-unknown future date as a direct result of the Trump administration's blanket tariffs, although the release date of June 5th is still predicted to be accurate.
• Receive notification of pre-order starting May 8th through Nintendo's website.
• Have to have:
• Nintendo Account
• Online Membership for at least 12 months
• Opted in to share gameplay data
• Have at least 50 hours of gameplay
• How will price be affected by the Trump administration's tariffs?

So that's it, really.  There'll probably be more information as we approach April 9th (that's my theory), and as more details and fallout from our embarrassment of a president's decision to further alienate the rank and file citizenry of the United States from the rest of the world becomes louder.  I don't want to say or speculate that people's displeasure at a potentially higher cost video game console and video games/consoles in general going forward for the foreseeable future is going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but we can only hope that there'll be more than mere ripples.

~JWfW/JDub/The Faceplantman/Jaconian
You Got Problems

Monthly Update: March, 2021

 

It's March.

I knew this would happen and not just because February has fewer days in it than the last February.  March is going to be a strange month for a couple of reasons.  First, this will be the one-year anniversary of our state going into lockdown mode of which we were brought out of it too soon.  A year since Conklederp and I decided that it would be safer for me to work from home, which I was thankfully able to do, but ended up being called back to the office in July as they were able to enforce social distancing between desks and put up a sign that at least says that masks are required even if not everyone who enters the office is wearing one [as I type this mine is actually dangling from my headphones cord because I was just finishing eating my lunch and drinking (more) coffee].  I will also be celebrating my second birthday of the pandemic.  It is now more than a year since either Conklederp or myself have been bouldering (the last time was Friday, February 21, 2020).  And it will have been a year since Breanna Taylor was shot and killed in her own apartment for perceived drug and drug-related money possession for people who did not even live at that residence (and who was currently already in prison) after her boyfriend fired at the intruders who broke into her apartment (the boyfriend said the Police busted in unannounced, the Police say announced themselves).  And Elijah McClain is still dead because he was Black in Aurora, CO and that was apparently offensive to the police there. And to date, more than 500,000 people have died from COVID-19 since March of last year which is a mind-boggling amount of people when you stack it up like that.

How do you work around all of this?  I mean that rhetorically, figuratively, and directly.  How are you handling all of this?  I've actually been pretty fortunate really.  I have a wonderful family (both in my house and all my friends I consider family who don't live in our house), and I have an amazing support network of people I can reach out to (although I don't really because that's just the way I am, but knowing that they're there is comforting as all hell).

Oh, and Former President Trump incited an attempted take-over of the US Capitol back in January by declaring for months that the election would be rigged if he lost and that there was no way that he could possibly lose and did you see how many people voted for him in November which was more than the number that voted for him in 2016 and how could he lose with those numbers and the Republican branch of the United States Senate were too worried about their 2022 re-election bids to do anything about it.  I know that was almost two months ago but it's still something that bugs the shit out of me if I think about it too much.  I should probably close that tab in my browser that I've had up for over a month.

Okay, moving on.

How about that Nintendo Direct huh? I mean, there were some announcements that I do not particularly care about (so I'm not bringing them up here), but I was kind of surprised by Nintendo HDing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword considering how much of a demand I have seen (particularly) on Twitter for there to be HD updates of Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, or Majora's Mask be ported to the Switch.  I know a lot of people complained about the controls on Skyward Sword and I appreciate that Nintendo has given the player the option on how they want to play the game, otherwise they would be alienating their entire Switch Lite base.  I am also pretty stoked for Mario Golf Super Rush because as I have said a number of times before, is that I love me some non-realistic golf games and I do recall really enjoying Mario Golf on the N64, which this looks to be a supped up version of that.  I do not see myself getting too involved in the competitive online aspect of it as it feels like it could be very ripe for cheating and I really do not have any drive (eh!?) to play competitively, golf is already an aggravating enough sport to play with randos online halfway across the globe.  I just finished the demo for Project Triangle Strategy [sorry, project: TRIANGLE STRATEGY™ (working title) Debut Demo] and there will be an article for that either this week or next, but I have a lot of thoughts about that.  Surprisingly, I do not know how to feel about the DLC for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity even though I love the game.  I think the idea of paying for access to extra characters and a few more areas (and weapons and clothing I think too) is not that appealing to me?  But I am only 27ish hours in and not even halfway through, so that thought may change the closer I get to finishing the main campaign (and all side quests).  As for the ports being ported to the Switch, I will probably give Fall Guys a go because unlike Among Us, I do not really enjoy engaging in online communications, and I am pretty excited about The Outer Wilds.  I am also (not surprisingly so, but maybe just a little) excited for the HD release of Legend of Mana even though I have only played two games in the series (Final Fantasy Adventure and Secret of Mana) and completed zero of them.  Maybe I should get on that?

And closing out February, I jumped on two #IndieSelect Games from Brazillian publisher QUByte Interactive, GEMiNi, and Spooky Chase.  At the moment I am planning on having #IndieSelect articles out on Tuesday and Thursday, which could mean that we'll have articles every day this week, but we'll have to wait and see. Because looking at my writing queue, I kind of surprised myself (a lot of that going on recently it seems) as I have a number of articles started, both games and gaming related.  So now I just need to pace myself and like everything else in life, find the time to get them started, proofed, and finished.

Stay safe out there people.

~JWfW/JDub/The Faceplantman/Jaconian
Instrumental

Nintendo Direct 02.13.2019

I do not often, as in I do not think we have ever written one, write about Nintendo Direct presentations, but for some reason that will be made clear in the coming paragraphs, I decided that this would be a good change of pace.  Also, this has been the first Direct presentation that has excited me in a loooooooong time, and that could all be due to a couple of reasons.

The first reason being that with the exception of a few games here and there, usually relegated to one or two games, I have not been interested in what Nintendo has had to offer by way of their announcements in a while.  As previously mentioned, I am not a very good Nintendo fan, so my hopes for any interesting announcements were not very high to start off with.  I could go and break down each Nintendo Direct over the last two years, but 1) That would take too much of what little time I have to write articles theses days; and 2) Nobody wants to read that.

So rather than that drivel, I think I will just go over what did excite me about the games that were either announced or showcased.

Super Mario Maker 2:  I originally did not think that I was the target audience when the first game in this franchise was announced.  My fear that people would only try to make levels as stupidly difficult as possible turned out somewhat true, but I still liked the concept.  Then when Dr. Potts got me Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, I was kind of surprised by how quickly I took to the game, both in its presentation and building on my love of 2D Super Mario Bros. games.  I loved that it also seemed to showcase how not overly easy it is to make a fun level reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. or Super Mario World.  Anyway, I am pretty excited to see what new additions SMM2 will bring.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Update 3.0:  Okay so, you probably all know by now that I am not a fan of the Smash series (and if you didn't know then, then you know now), but what I did like, was the announcement of the Simon Belmont amiibo.  Yes, I have a handful of amiibos despite what I said about them a few years back.  I am also just a sucker for the Castlevania series so having a figure of Simon Belmont is pretty cool.  Because there was no mention if it would be an exclusive to GameStop or Best Buy, I am hoping that come sometime this year, that I can just pre-order one off of Amazon and that some other game down the line will have functionality with this one.  Basically what I did with the Ridley amiibo.

Blood Stained: Ritual of the Night:  I had previously late-backed this over on IndieGogo, so seeing an update is very nice.  I do have a hankering for some Castlevania action (see above).

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age: I knew very little about DQXI before watching the trailer, and despite the fact that if you have played three Dragon Quest games, you have probably played them all (albeit with a slightly different mechanic), I do really want to play this one.  I do really love the option of playing the game in its 3D modern graphics state, or in a 2D sprite set reminiscent of the NES Dragon Warrior games but with an SNES aesthetic.  And after attempting Dragon Quest VI a few times (the last time I had to stop due to my 3DS button issues), I would like to find my way back into this franchise.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses: Mixed feelings on the trailer, mainly because the opening narrator sounded like he wanted to be anywhere else and was phoning it all in.  The second narrator came across as someone reading a history book written for 13 year olds.  The story and characters, I am hoping ends up being as customizable as I would like.  Since you have a gaggle of students under your watch and it looks like you can have them learn whatever skills you like (through appropriate training), and that you could, hypothetically have a group full of archers on horseback, or axe wielding spell-casters.  The choice of three houses promises at least two additional replays, but I am a little concerned about paid DLC as has been the case with the last three Fire Emblem games that were released on the DS.

Tetris 99:  This was a pleasant surprise and one I was not either expecting or really wanting.  I mean, sure I love Tetris, but a battle royale style combative Tetris game was not on the top of my list of games that I wanted to see.  Obviously though, I downloaded it upon getting home and have played a handful of rounds, with some lasting a couple of minutes before I am eliminated to lasting less than 30 seconds as I get pummeled by untold numbers of other people.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice:  I guess you could say that I am settling for the Switch port of this game that I have had my eye on for some time now, but my only other two options are buy a PS4 Pro, or buy a new computer; my current laptop was chugging slowly with .  And I do not really like that sentiment, settling.  I would like to believe that Ninja Theory is partnering with a competent company to handle the Switch port so that it looks as good as the Switch can currently do.  I am also excited to hear David García Díaz's BAFTA winning soundtrack in the context of the game.

Unravel 2:  I never played the first Unravel, but I did play Little Big Planet on the PSP and the aesthetic is pretty similar.  I also like the idea of a co-op platformer that isn't Contra or Kirby Star Allies.  I don't know, I guess I am just drawn to this visual aesthetic, and it might be a good game for both Conklederp and me to play together.

Final Fantasy IX:  I probably will not pick up FFIX, especially at the oddly priced $20.99, and I do not know if I would actually pick it up again with all of the newer games that are being released that I have not yet played.  What excited me about seeing this released was that I had a lot of fun playing FFIX and really, just think it is cool to see this released for the Switch.

Astral Chain:  I had mixed feelings about this game.  My first thought, was how two police looking officials were confronted with what looked like an aggressive adversary, the amount of time it took them to acknowledge the tactic they were going to use, then activate whatever it was they were attacking seemed laughably long.  Then I realized that this was a Platinum IP because I was getting Bayonetta / Devil May Cry vibes and I was a little more okay with the absurdity of it all.  I feel like this might be a doable title in the meantime for Bayonetta 3.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening:  And holy damn what a way to finish this Direct!  I was a little worried when during the initial cinematic there was the "not actual gameplay footage" disclaimer down at the bottom and I was afraid that this was just an announcement trailer and that there would be nothing presentable.  And in the fewer than 24 hours after the presentation, I have read mixed reviews on Twitter and Reddit for the art style being taken.  I personally love it and think that it is a great way to remake a game that I had a lot of fun playing roughly 25 years ago.  I would even be 100% okay if Nintendo used the exact same engine and did remakes of the original Legend of Zelda and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.  Not that either of those games need to be remade, but if they did, and they looked as good as the Link's Awakening trailer, you bet I would be just as excited.  The only thing about Link's Awakening that I am not looking forward to is collecting all of those shells.  That was stressful enough considering there were some you could only get when you had the rooster to fly you around.


So those are my thoughts about the most recent Nintendo Direct.  And do not get used to us posting whenever one of these drops, this just so happened to have a fair amount of content that I was interested in amongst all of the posts I saw about people being upset that there was no mention of Animal Crossing, Pokémon, Metroid, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Party updates, Mario Tennis Aces updates, Netflix support, or that there were just too many JRPGs for all the apparent weebs (?? Yes, I looked it up, but didn't know that that was a name for it, and how is too many JRPG's a bad thing!?).



~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
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