Latest news with #Switch
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It looks the same': Who's buying Nintendo's new $700 Switch 2?
' Rune Factory 5 ran absolutely horribly on the Switch 1. I didn't finish it because it was so bad. And I'm finding it runs fine on the Switch 2,' she said. 'I've recently finished Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which ran okay on Switch 1, but it would lag and lock up when you were loading into a new area. Whereas I'm not getting any of that on the Switch 2.' I definitely took a deep breath when I saw the price of it, but considering what other consoles go for, that's unfortunately the new reality. Donald Duong, 37 In addition to a more modern processor, a lot more power and compatibility with all the existing Switch games, the new console has a bigger display, support for 4K HDR visuals when connected to a TV, and new versions of the Joy-Con controllers that attach to the side with magnets. Appleby hoped the Joy-Con 2, which can be placed on a tabletop to act like a computer mouse, would help improve the simulation games she likes to play on the system. 'I'm getting the new Rune Factory tomorrow, which has the mouse controls, I'm quite keen for that because there's a village-building aspect to it. So instead of trying to struggle with the control, hopefully you can drag and drop exactly where you want,' she said. 'I won't play The Sims on console because it's weird with the controller. Or Rollercoaster Tycoon. So it would be cool if they can go back and patch in mouse controls, or release new games with that.' Appleby's partner was replaying The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a launch title for the original Switch in 2017. But it's now been updated to run at twice the resolution and frame rate on Switch 2. Government worker Nick Fitzgerald, 42, said the Switch was the obvious system for him and bought one during its 2017 launch. His downtime was mostly when the kids were in bed and his wife was watching something on TV, or when commuting on the train. 'It doesn't make sense for me these days to buy a home console. I need something that's on the go. I'm not a tech-head that gets into buying [a portable PC like] the ROG Ally or Steam Deck, but I'm aware that being tied to the Switch 1 really restricts the types of games that I could play,' he said. 'So for me, the reason for the upgrade was [the] bigger screen, better quality overall with the Joy-Cons, and the potential of the games that are going to come out. There'll be a range of third-party games that were not previously available to me.' Loading For now, he's playing Mario Kart World, Nintendo's major launch title for the Switch 2 online, and is anticipating Donkey Kong Bananza next month. But he has also enjoyed dipping into the small library of Gamecube games included with Switch 2, through Nintendo's online subscription. Gamecube is a system originally released in 2001 and joins the retro libraries already available on Switch, including Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy and Sega Mega Drive. As a fan of revisiting older games and systems, Fitzgerald said the Switch's integrated battery was among his concerns, along with a reliance on connecting online to verify game ownership, meaning it was unlikely to last as long as something like a Super Nintendo. 'I want to keep my Switch and all my digital purchases there. But there's a potential one day that I don't charge the Switch for a year, and then it's possibly dead,' he said. The other primary beneficiary of the Switch 2 in the Fitzgerald household is eight-year-old Sam, who claimed his dad barely lets him touch the machine, but now has free access to the hand-me-down original Switch. The fan of Minecraft and Lego Star Wars said he was most looking forward to Pokemon Legends: Z-A – a sequel to 2022's Pokemon Legends: Arceus – coming to both Switch consoles later this year. 'That was the first game my dad got me to play on the Nintendo Switch. I'm gonna play it when I get home again, because I haven't played it in a while,' he said. Sam said he had also explored the older games included on the Switch, including Pokemon Stadium (for Nintendo 64) and Kid Icarus (for NES). Most of his friends have Switches, and they show each other games they've discovered. If he could choose any game to get next, Sam said it would be Worms WMD, a modernised version of the classic PC artillery game. His friend showed it to him. 'Charlie let me play it. They say funny things, the enemy worms,' he said. Nintendo has specially tuned its Switch systems for family use, with the ability to link up to eight profiles together. As part of a $55 annual Switch Online subscription, each profile gets access to retro games and online play, plus cloud save storage that means users can put the profiles on multiple devices (for example, the kids have their own Switch, but their profile is also on the Switch 2 connected to the TV), and each user can access their progress across multiple devices. There's also the ability to lend digital games between family members, even between Switch and Switch 2 systems, meaning you don't have to buy multiple copies. And Switch 2 comes with a new feature called GameShare, which can stream games to other Switch systems (including the original), for multiplayers using only one copy of the game. While a parent's upgrade to a Switch 2 can benefit all players in the house, kids can be tough to impress. My children both immediately noted that the new console was bigger – one said the magnetic Joy-Con 'makes it cooler' – but weren't that fussed about playing on it versus their Switch Lites if it mostly played the same games. Technical advancements like higher frame rates and HDR colour, or even 4K output to a TV, meant little to them. 'It looks exactly the same,' said Icarus, 8. 'The controllers are different, that's about it,' said Starling, 5. While most adults I spoke to were excited by the prospect of their existing games working better on Switch 2, kids were most excited about the brand new games. As soon as they'd spent some time playing Mario Kart World, they were on board. A few days after the initial lukewarm reception, I asked which system they'd rather play. Loading 'Switch 2. It's the only console with Mario Kart World,' Icarus said. Starling nodded. I asked: 'What's so good about Mario Kart World?' 'It looks brighter and more realistic. It has free roam [where you can drive anywhere],' said Icarus. 'I like how each person can unlock all different versions of themselves. All the outfits,' added Starling. And now that they have more of a grasp of the things that are only coming to Switch 2 and not the original (including an expansion later this year for one of their favourite games, Kirby and the Forgotten Land), they're excited. For accountant Donald Duong, 37, the exclusive Nintendo games are the entire appeal of the machine. He plays on other systems and has a handheld gaming PC, but was compelled to buy it on day one, since he knows many of Nintendo's games will only be available on the Switch 2. 'It was an inevitability for me. I definitely took a deep breath when I saw the price of it, but considering what other consoles go for, that's unfortunately the new reality,' he said. 'And the Switch is unique. PlayStation is increasingly releasing games on PC, and Xbox is just straight out making them for everything. You can still only get first-party Nintendo games on the Switch.' The increase in power and fidelity will also, he hopes, make the Switch 2 a perfect home for indie games, like the original Switch was for most of its life.
The Age
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘It looks the same': Who's buying Nintendo's new $700 Switch 2?
' Rune Factory 5 ran absolutely horribly on the Switch 1. I didn't finish it because it was so bad. And I'm finding it runs fine on the Switch 2,' she said. 'I've recently finished Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which ran okay on Switch 1, but it would lag and lock up when you were loading into a new area. Whereas I'm not getting any of that on the Switch 2.' I definitely took a deep breath when I saw the price of it, but considering what other consoles go for, that's unfortunately the new reality. Donald Duong, 37 In addition to a more modern processor, a lot more power and compatibility with all the existing Switch games, the new console has a bigger display, support for 4K HDR visuals when connected to a TV, and new versions of the Joy-Con controllers that attach to the side with magnets. Appleby hoped the Joy-Con 2, which can be placed on a tabletop to act like a computer mouse, would help improve the simulation games she likes to play on the system. 'I'm getting the new Rune Factory tomorrow, which has the mouse controls, I'm quite keen for that because there's a village-building aspect to it. So instead of trying to struggle with the control, hopefully you can drag and drop exactly where you want,' she said. 'I won't play The Sims on console because it's weird with the controller. Or Rollercoaster Tycoon. So it would be cool if they can go back and patch in mouse controls, or release new games with that.' Appleby's partner was replaying The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a launch title for the original Switch in 2017. But it's now been updated to run at twice the resolution and frame rate on Switch 2. Government worker Nick Fitzgerald, 42, said the Switch was the obvious system for him and bought one during its 2017 launch. His downtime was mostly when the kids were in bed and his wife was watching something on TV, or when commuting on the train. 'It doesn't make sense for me these days to buy a home console. I need something that's on the go. I'm not a tech-head that gets into buying [a portable PC like] the ROG Ally or Steam Deck, but I'm aware that being tied to the Switch 1 really restricts the types of games that I could play,' he said. 'So for me, the reason for the upgrade was [the] bigger screen, better quality overall with the Joy-Cons, and the potential of the games that are going to come out. There'll be a range of third-party games that were not previously available to me.' Loading For now, he's playing Mario Kart World, Nintendo's major launch title for the Switch 2 online, and is anticipating Donkey Kong Bananza next month. But he has also enjoyed dipping into the small library of Gamecube games included with Switch 2, through Nintendo's online subscription. Gamecube is a system originally released in 2001 and joins the retro libraries already available on Switch, including Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy and Sega Mega Drive. As a fan of revisiting older games and systems, Fitzgerald said the Switch's integrated battery was among his concerns, along with a reliance on connecting online to verify game ownership, meaning it was unlikely to last as long as something like a Super Nintendo. 'I want to keep my Switch and all my digital purchases there. But there's a potential one day that I don't charge the Switch for a year, and then it's possibly dead,' he said. The other primary beneficiary of the Switch 2 in the Fitzgerald household is eight-year-old Sam, who claimed his dad barely lets him touch the machine, but now has free access to the hand-me-down original Switch. The fan of Minecraft and Lego Star Wars said he was most looking forward to Pokemon Legends: Z-A – a sequel to 2022's Pokemon Legends: Arceus – coming to both Switch consoles later this year. 'That was the first game my dad got me to play on the Nintendo Switch. I'm gonna play it when I get home again, because I haven't played it in a while,' he said. Sam said he had also explored the older games included on the Switch, including Pokemon Stadium (for Nintendo 64) and Kid Icarus (for NES). Most of his friends have Switches, and they show each other games they've discovered. If he could choose any game to get next, Sam said it would be Worms WMD, a modernised version of the classic PC artillery game. His friend showed it to him. 'Charlie let me play it. They say funny things, the enemy worms,' he said. Nintendo has specially tuned its Switch systems for family use, with the ability to link up to eight profiles together. As part of a $55 annual Switch Online subscription, each profile gets access to retro games and online play, plus cloud save storage that means users can put the profiles on multiple devices (for example, the kids have their own Switch, but their profile is also on the Switch 2 connected to the TV), and each user can access their progress across multiple devices. There's also the ability to lend digital games between family members, even between Switch and Switch 2 systems, meaning you don't have to buy multiple copies. And Switch 2 comes with a new feature called GameShare, which can stream games to other Switch systems (including the original), for multiplayers using only one copy of the game. While a parent's upgrade to a Switch 2 can benefit all players in the house, kids can be tough to impress. My children both immediately noted that the new console was bigger – one said the magnetic Joy-Con 'makes it cooler' – but weren't that fussed about playing on it versus their Switch Lites if it mostly played the same games. Technical advancements like higher frame rates and HDR colour, or even 4K output to a TV, meant little to them. 'It looks exactly the same,' said Icarus, 8. 'The controllers are different, that's about it,' said Starling, 5. While most adults I spoke to were excited by the prospect of their existing games working better on Switch 2, kids were most excited about the brand new games. As soon as they'd spent some time playing Mario Kart World, they were on board. A few days after the initial lukewarm reception, I asked which system they'd rather play. Loading 'Switch 2. It's the only console with Mario Kart World,' Icarus said. Starling nodded. I asked: 'What's so good about Mario Kart World?' 'It looks brighter and more realistic. It has free roam [where you can drive anywhere],' said Icarus. 'I like how each person can unlock all different versions of themselves. All the outfits,' added Starling. And now that they have more of a grasp of the things that are only coming to Switch 2 and not the original (including an expansion later this year for one of their favourite games, Kirby and the Forgotten Land), they're excited. For accountant Donald Duong, 37, the exclusive Nintendo games are the entire appeal of the machine. He plays on other systems and has a handheld gaming PC, but was compelled to buy it on day one, since he knows many of Nintendo's games will only be available on the Switch 2. 'It was an inevitability for me. I definitely took a deep breath when I saw the price of it, but considering what other consoles go for, that's unfortunately the new reality,' he said. 'And the Switch is unique. PlayStation is increasingly releasing games on PC, and Xbox is just straight out making them for everything. You can still only get first-party Nintendo games on the Switch.' The increase in power and fidelity will also, he hopes, make the Switch 2 a perfect home for indie games, like the original Switch was for most of its life.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Time loop not enough of a catalyst
TRON: CATALYST For: PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC TRON: Catalyst is a top down action adventure game where you play as Exo, a program in the TRON setting's computer world, whose last delivery for the night explodes. She's taken prisoner by Core, a sort of authoritarian government of the Grid, as the obvious suspect in a potential bombing. To Exo, the explosive is the least of her concerns as the incident has given her time-looping powers, allowing her to jump backwards by choice ... or on death. Meanwhile, Conn, a Core operative looking to climb the ranks, follows in hot pursuit. The time loop is a really cool idea. Unfortunately, it is underutilised in the gameplay. The loop mechanic is only used to get the player to continue the story. That's it. You go down one linear path, are told you can't continue, then you reset the loop and follow another linear path. Rinse and repeat. It's a completely linear use of a non-linear ability. I never used it outside of those sections. This disconnect between the story and the gameplay drags the whole experience down. Just before the first chapter ends, for example, Exo says she's been "here for far too long", and the excellent voice acting brings out her desperation and despair — when in fact you've been in that particular loop for an hour, maybe less. You also unlock a lot of shortcuts somewhat pointlessly, as a lot of them will never be used again, due to how linear everything is. There are times when you as a player know there is a way to the location you have to go to, but the game forces you off on a different path. As a consequence of the time-looping not being deep, I struggled to connect emotionally to the overall story and was confused by certain sections. Both Exo's and Conn's development needed more time, as they both feel flat as characters. This especially hurts for Exo as the playable character. We learn nothing about her before the whole bombing incident and her arc feels rushed. The voice acting is really nice. A bit inconsistent, but really good when it counts. By far the standout is Conn, voiced by David Menkin — whom I wish was given more lines and time — but each of the important characters do have their moments to shine. Another aspect done well is the world building. The concepts behind each of the factions and characters are interesting, though there are a lot of concepts thrown about and if you have no idea who Flynn is or what a user might be, your head will be spinning in the first few hours. Thankfully, there is a glossary where you can read about all the little details of the franchise. The visual style of harsh darkness and vibrant neon in various colours has always been a TRON staple and has been lovingly recreated here. Combat is pretty easy to pick up and was initially really fun. You have a quick attack combo and a special attack, as well as being able to throw your identity disc at enemies or bounce it off walls to hit them in the back. You can also parry basically every attack and can get upgrades to kick your own thrown disc back at enemies. Later in the game you get the ability to instantly kill dazed enemies and steal their code, giving you a new combat move-set for a short period of time. Unfortunately, combat is extremely unbalanced, even on the hardest difficulty, leading to probably the worst aspect of the entire game. This stems from the parry and its upgrades. One increases the damage and another makes the timing easier. Combine these two and you have a one-shot ability that kills most enemies in the game in one hit, or does tremendous damage, even against the final boss. I like parrying as much as the next guy, but it just made the combat boring. Why bother with throwing the disc or stealing code when you can just instakill whoever fronts up? The enemy variety could have saved things here but alas that's not the case. Be it the sword guys, throwing disc guys, hammer guys or others, they are all killed the same way. Parry, one-shot, move on. The most unique are the superiors, who actively parry your attacks, but that's a simple matter of attacking and then parrying the counterattack, and they go down like the rest. The most unique enemies are those that can summon others — they're basically the only enemy in the game you can't directly kill via parry — and they're just annoying time-sinks rather than an actual engaging fight. On a lighter note, the game ran well, was crash free and almost bug-free. I somehow got stuck in a wall; thankfully movement abilities got me out of that one. There was one rather annoying time when I was unable to interact with an elevator in damage-over-time zone, leading to my unfair death. I was still technically in combat and you can't interact during combat. That's fine, though the enemy I was supposed to kill was over 25,000m away and counting. I suspect they fell through the world. TRON: Catalys t isn't a bad game by any means, but it's not great either. It performs well and without issue. It controls fine. It's short and doesn't overstay its welcome. It's a game that exists ... and in a crowded market, that's about all it is. The voice acting can't save the so-so story and the cool design of the environments can't escape the linear gameplay and boring combat. Unless you're a die hard TRON fan, this is one you can skip. By Michael Robertson
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- North Wales Live
Review: Meet the game controller with a focus on floral patterns and funky lights
We live in a world where tech doesn't just have to be brilliant, it also needs to look good. Game controllers are just one of the things that need to look good as well as do the job for the gamer. GameSir is a specialist in controllers for PC, Android, Xbox and Switch devices and has released a wide array of products in this marketplace. Its latest is the T7 Pro Floral Wired Controller for the Xbox which has a very obvious standout pattern that makes it really eye-catching. I'll be honest on two fronts, flowery games controllers and a wired device would not normally be my go-to choice, but there is a lot to like here. Let's look at the visuals first, the design is funky and coats the front with a subtle light blue, turquoise design that actually really does look very smart. The semi-transparent casing of the controller looks superb with the RGB lighting included providing a stunning effect. In short, it looks absolutely brilliant, it's a crafted piece of kit that is designed to impress. GameSir know what it is doing with these controllers too and this is packed with the best tech you need for a solid gaming experience. With Hall Effect Trigger systems giving the smoothest of experiences, gameplay is highly responsive and rewarding. Vibration comes from rumble motors in the grips and triggers. The Nexus app is the place to go for customising buttons and changing the responsiveness. It adds to the mix and gives control for gamers to enjoy the controller to suit their needs. As I say, I'm not a fan of wired controllers, mainly because I'm used to wireless devices these days, but after a while I didn't mind. It's a really good responsive experience. I like the GameSir range and have had a good experience with its controllers, and the fact that this also looks so sharp is a bonus. What users say Jennifer Young: "The GameSir T7 Pro Floral takes the original and adds 2 back buttons and some 2-step trigger stops, and on the whole, it does feel a lot better quality build than the T7. The Floral design gave me the impression it would be a little flimsier, but it's a sturdy piece of kit." Scott Webster: "The most obvious update here is aesthetic: a floral-patterned matte shell paired with a semi-transparent finish and dynamic RGB lighting. It's the kind of controller that looks just as at home in a curated setup as it does in the heat of battle. But underneath that glow is a full-featured wired controller built for responsive, accurate play." Alternatives
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Nintendo Switch Summer Sale is live — 11 best game deals from $3 to snag now
Whether you're looking to get yourself set up with a big library of games or need something to entertain yourself while you track Nintendo Switch 2 restocks, you're in luck, as the Nintendo Summer Sale is happening right now. There are tons of discounted digital games available. And if you're a fan of physical media, you can also save on some Switch games at Amazon, with plenty of affordable options available, such as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $49. Keep scrolling to see all my favorite Nintendo Switch game deals. Plus, check out our Amazon promo codes, and see this incredible golf club deal. Enter the Gungeon is a fun game that'll test your aim and reaction time. Classified as a bullet hell dungeon crawler, the game will have you dodging and shooting with style. And at less than $4, there's a lot of fun gameplay to be had, whether you're on an original Switch or a Switch 2. Dragon Ball Z and fighting game fans are going to love this one. It promises endless spectacular fights with the beloved Dragon Ball roster of all-powerful fighters. The game features attractive anime graphics and offers easy-to-learn but difficult-to-master fighting gameplay. The whole crew is here — Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Rabbid Peach, Rabbid Luigi and everyone else from the beloved Mario + Rabids universe is ready to go in this fun strategy game. It's worth getting at the full price, but with this digital sale from Nintendo, it's even more appealing. I am a total Monster Hunter addict, and I've put more hours than I care to count into Monster Hunter Rise and its Sunbreak expansion. Sure, most players have moved on to Monster Hunter Wilds, but there's tons of fun to be had in Rise if you haven't played it yet. Persona 5 Royal is part turn-based RPG and part high-school simulator. You play as a new student who has recently moved to Tokyo. Soon, you discover the ability to traverse a strange alternate reality and form the Phantom Thieves to fix the corrupt society around you. Just be warned, Persona 5 Royal will consume all your free time once it gets its hooks in. Take a trip down memory lane with one of the best fighting game collections you can get. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics has seven games in one awesome package. The games have enhanced features that make them feel more modern, which is a nice bonus. Epic Mickey is a solid game with a few flaws. Thankfully, the Rebrushed version on the Nintendo Switch fixes some of those problems, creating a well-rounded game for Disney fans. With it being around half off, it's a great time to snag this one. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury has all the 3D Mario platforming you know and love, but with tons of added content thanks to Bowser's Fury. There are dozens of colorful courses to work through, whether you want to play with friends or on your own. If you have nostalgia for Donkey Kong Country, or you're just looking for a fun new platformer to play on your beloved Switch or Switch 2 console, this deal is perfect for you. It has some extra levels from the 3DS version of the game, so there's new stuff to experience. Ultimate by name, ultimate by nature. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings together every single fighter in the franchise's history for a showdown of epic proportions. This hugely popular party game is now on sale. This side-scrolling adventure is a wonderfully refreshing spin on the classic Mario formula. Venturing to the Flower Kingdom, you'll discover stage-altering Wonder Flowers which can warp levels, create new platforming challenges and even turn Mario into an elephant. Playable in up to four-player co-op, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a platforming marvel for the entire family and one of the very best Nintendo Switch games you can play now.
