Category: Viewpoints

Viewpoint: Nintendo Switch: A Bold Launch and What Lies Ahead

by Chris Wheatley, posted in Viewpoints

The Nintendo Switch is here and has made quite the splash. Nearly two months old and already setting high sales records in the US, Japan and Europe. Worldwide the system has now sold roughly 2.4 million units stacking up fairly well against Nintendo’s 2006 release of the Wii, and even more so compared to the flustering Wii U. After just the first week the Switch excelled past both its predecessors (Wii and Wii U) in record time but since has slowed a bit, more than likely due to lack of availability. All this while still 7 months away from the holiday season. Impressive.

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If the high sales of the console weren’t enough, the game that released alongside the Switch sold even more. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, according to mcvuk.com, has sold more Switch copies of the game than the actual console itself, with fans buying a second as a collector’s item. If the console wasn’t hyped enough to sell a boat-load of units well outside of the holiday shopping season, a stellar game that speaks to both the casual and most dedicated Nintendo fandom is a sure fire way for a successful launch.

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Once the holidays are among us the Nintendo Switch will have a huge list of released games. With the release of the highly anticipated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, (the Wii U version was the best-selling game for the ill-fated console) and the next official suspender wearing adventure game, Super Mario Odyssey, the Switch looks to up its arsenal well into the first year of its release. Games like NBA Playground, Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers, Rime, Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition and almost 70 other titles make up the list that’s sure to keep the hybrid console afloat far passed its original launch date.

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Now, all we can do is wait and see how well it continues to sell. We know the demand is here now, and people will flock restlessly to the next store with the Switch on their shelves, but what will come in the next year for Nintendo? With the unexpected announcement of the New 2DS XL, is Nintendo really that confident in their products to have, essentially, two new handhelds on the market? At reasonably affordable prices, it may just be the case.

Viewpoint: Are video games the modern storyteller?

by Tanya Laolapha Pettersen, posted in Viewpoints

I love a good story. I love it when a story can magically teleport me into a different universe, with different rules and different cultures. I love it when they show me something tragic or something wonderful, shaking me to my core.

I think all gamers can relate to a game with a story that simply stuck with you. For me, one of those games was Freebird Games’ To The Moon. Playing as two doctors, you help a dying man fulfill his last wish by travelling through his memories.

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The experience lasted 4 hours, but those hours changed how I perceived storytelling altogether. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. The simplicity of the game, along with its fantastic soundtrack and beautifully written dialogue, really spoke to me. To The Moon became a hidden diamond waiting to be found and acknowledged by others.

Another example is the topical ‘Night in the Woods’ which received such high praise that, at the time of writing, it has an overall feedback of “overwhelmingly positive” on Steam. It’s not hard to see why: it features fantastic storytelling and a charming art style.

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The game has phenomenal dialogue that is relatable and down to earth. We recognize ourselves in many of the characters, and I love every single one of them in their perfectly imperfect way. Repeated studies have shown that games help people with different cases of anxiety and depression, along with helping those suffering from severe social anxiety. Geek and Sundry made an article of this in 2015, giving an interesting explanation of how games can help mental health. Games create a safe and caring community. A game like Night in the Woods pulls up relatable, important topics like mental health, sexuality, and friendship.

While I’m happy that eSports get their deserved recognition, it’s important not to forget those games that want to express themselves as well. There are so many games out there that are waiting to be found, and we’re the only ones who can find them. It’s important that we do not let them drown in the wake of rising eSports.

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The term “games” is a pretty vague definition that stretches so much further than the walls of eSport and the general player vs. player type of gameplay. I hope that this distinction will fade, and that a wider audience will start to open up and define games and gaming as something social, something immersive, something new and innovative. Because that is what they are.

Even though neither of the mentioned games cover the multiplayer aspect, it’s like watching a TV show. You watch it alone and then talk about it with others afterwards, and you might discover that they have a totally different opinion than you. This is an aspect that truly fascinates me: the player experience, and how it can be entirely different from person to person. It is no surprise that we perceive the world differently, and games are not an exception to that.

Today, games have become a form of expression. While some create songs or movies, others make games. In our modern era, books and television are not the only way to immerse ourselves into stories anymore. There is something unique about the way games tells us stories. Be open-minded. This is certainly not the time to be fighting change.

I hope that more people will experience fantastic worlds like Night in the Woods and To The Moon. I hope more people will fall in love with this type of gameplay, and the messages they convey. Give it a shot. Play it, enjoy it, love it. That is my opinion.

“The ending isn’t any more important than any of the moments leading to it.”
Dr. Eva Rosalene, To The Moon.

Viewpoint: Forget All The Negativity Around The Switch, Here’s What Nintendo Has Done Right

by Nitchigamer, posted in Viewpoints

There’s been a lot of negativity around the Nintendo Switch since its launch. Some of the negativity is valid, some of it isn’t.

What’s valid then? Well, the high price of the console, its games and accessories, the hardware issues with the left Joy-Con, and the lack of other games that aren’t The Legend of Zelda. These are the key points that are mostly justified. Although I don’t think the left Joy-Con issue is as widespread as many believe – it would seem the minority are being louder than the majority whose Joy-Cons are actually working.

However, while I think these are reasonable points to be made, I’m not sure the actual positive points about the console are being spoken about enough. Taking a balanced view here, we need to include those too.

What’s good about the Nintendo Switch then? Well, coming from someone that actually owns one, quite a few things.

First, the core concept really works: you can quite seamlessly take console-level games on the go with you, around the house; on the toilet (do people actually do this?). The whole idea is far more liberating than can be described.

The build quality of the console is some of Nintendo’s best work too. The Switch feels and looks like a premium Apple device, the 720p screen is truly excellent and makes the colours in games beautifully stand out, and the Pro Controller is one of the best ‘normal’ controllers out there, it feels great in the hands.

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The region-free nature of the console means that you can access any online eShop you want after you’ve made yourself the respective accounts. It’s very easy to setup. Not to mention, of course, that the Switch will play any physical game bought from any country too. Want to import a game from Japan? You can.

The UI, while being a bit minimal (what happened to the menu music?), is super quick to get around. Applications load up within seconds and the menus are easy to navigate. As for it not offering much, certainly in the way of multimedia, Nintendo will add Netflix, Spotify and more to it over time. What console has launched with all of these out of the box anyway?

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Yes, I know you can buy it for the Wii U, but seeing the game running on that 720p screen while lying in bed at night, or on the train home, is quite the spectacle. If anything, Zelda feels like it was made for the Switch – exploring Hyrule wherever you want is not something the Wii U game can offer. I think it’s fair to say you’re getting the definitive edition of Breath of the Wild, with its improved performance on the Switch, as well.

In terms of the Switch having no games – the curated Nintendo Switch eShop already has quite a few essential games on it. Fast RMX is packed with content, looks stunning and offers online and local multiplayer. Blaster Master Zero is an extremely polished blast from the past, and Snipperclips is just pure fun, the perfect game for a couple to laugh and fight over. There’s plenty more titles I haven’t mentioned either, and plenty more coming.

Nintendo has made some mistakes with the Switch, sure, but there’s loads the console has going for it. The much better than expected launch sales have certainly defied the odds in this regard. By the end of the year we’ll have a growing library of quality games, more reasonable prices, an updated OS, and Super Mario Odyssey, which should all ensure its momentum for years to come.

We haven’t seen anything yet folks.