Gaming

When Nintendo launched the Switch (its seventh major gaming console) back in March, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Let’s face it, on paper, the Switch is underwhelming in a lot of areas, specifically in the horsepower department. But surprisingly, it’s Nintendo’s fastest selling game console of all time. Let’s take a closer look at why the Switch is doing so well.

Excellent Game Line-Up

Granted, you won’t be playing games like Assassin’s Creed on the Switch, but Nintendo has already released many new, huge games that can be played on the Switch exclusively. Titles like Yoshi, Kirby: Star Allies and the not-to-be-beat Super Mario Odyssey (all-time top 10 highest-rated games) cannot simply be ignored – they are some of the best games of the year.

The Price is Right

At $299, the Switch is more expensive than either the Xbox One or Playstation 4, but it’s also a two in one console: it can be played on the big screen or as a hand-held device. This means that you can play it while chilling in your living room as well as on your commute to work; and because of its size, the Switch is the perfect console to take on vacations or long car rides. This versatility means that you get twice as much playing time as you do on cheaper consoles.

It’s Family Friendly

It doesn’t matter if your family is big or small – the Switch offers games for everyone, and can accommodate up to three players in competitive games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Grown ups and kids alike can partake in the fun – and if there’s more than two players in your family, you can purchase an additional controller so no one is left out.

It’s Fast, Game-Focused, and FUN

The Switch doesn’t feel like a computer that you need to boot up – in fact, it turns on instantly to allow gamers to jump into their favorite titles with as little delay as possible. There’s no web browser, streaming or social media options, so you can focus on playing your favorite games without distractions. And let’s face it, Nintendo has always produced wholesome, fun games that immerse you in the magic of innocence.

There is No End in Sight

Nintendo has big plans for its Switch’s upcoming titles. And if that isn’t enough, think of Nintendo’s upcoming subscription service that, for only $20 a year, will offer access to an ever growing library of some of Nintendo’s best classic games.

If you ask me, the Switch is the way to go.

I’ve already written about the Nintendo Switch being Nintendo’s fastest selling game console of all time. It now seems that even Nintendo’s sales predictions will be surpassed: the original estimate, which was 10 million units sold for the year, is now expected to raise to 14 million units, making the Switch the hottest gaming platform at the moment. Since its launch in March of this year, Nintendo has sold nearly 8 million Switch consoles and over 27 million games. And that doesn’t include data on Super Mario Odyssey, which is one of the top rated games of all times, and one can imagine that Nintendo will sell even more Switch gaming consoles following the game’s release.

Interestingly, Nintendo’s sales of 3DS handheld systems also saw a boost in sales this quarter, despite the fact that the Switch can be used both as a portable device and at home on the big screen. This quarter, Nintendo sold just under 2 million 3DS gaming systems, which represents more than twice what it sold during the previous quarter, and 3DS game sales were also up. All in all, a very good year for Nintendo, it would seem.

The Switch’s most popular game to date is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with almost 5 million copies sold around the world, followed by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with 4 and a half million copies, and Splatoon 2 with over 3 and a half copies. With all the hype it’s generating, I imagine that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will soon relinquish first place in favor of Super Mario Odyssey, although only time will tell. I’m willing to bet that sales both of the Switch console and its various titles are about to take a big leap with the holiday season soon upon us, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mario Odyssey jumps right to the top of the line before the year is out.

You can get the switch here, but I suggest you hurry, because it’s expected to be one of the most popular Christmas presents this year. And at $300, I’m sure they will be in high demand.

Nintendo scored a huge hit with its release of the NES Classic edition. I am therefore not surprised that they decided to launch its successor, the SNES Classic edition, and I expect that they’ll have just as much success with this one (if not more) than they did with the first.

The console is ridiculously small (it almost fits in the palm of one hand) and looks just like the original. It packs an amazing 21 classic games (including Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy III and Super Metroid) that anyone growing up with video games in the 90s will recognize instantly. The game menu is easy to navigate, and each game features four save slots.

Unfortunately, the SNES Classic edition also has its downfalls. Namely, in order to reset the console, users have to physically get up and go press the reset button manually. Admittedly, this is how the original console worked, too, but in this day and age people are annoyed when they have to leave the couch for a task that could very easily been integrated in the controllers. The other issue, and also one that the gaming world has come to take for granted, is that the SNES Classic features wired controllers, which greatly limit range and user interaction.

This is where 8BitDo comes in the picture. They can’t fix the reset issue, but they did produce wireless controllers that have been designed especially for the SNES Classic edition. If you also have an NES Classic edition console and 8BitDo’s wireless Retro Receiver, you’re in luck, because they are also compatible with the SNES Classic console, pending an upcoming firmware update. If not, get yourself the SN30, it’ll make your gameplay experience much more enjoyable.

The SNES Classic edition is available now for $79 – a reasonable price for those who, like me, get nostalgic for the good old games they grew up with. The wireless controllers are available at a handful of retailers (including Amazon) for $49. It might seem a bit pricey, especially considering that you can get the SNES console, 21 games and two (wired) controllers for $79, but if you intend to get the most out of it, you might decide that it’s worth the price.

Unless you’re one of those people who likes to bully others or thinks it’s ok to vent the day’s frustrations on other players, no one likes to sit down for some quality live online gaming only to have to contend with abuse. At the very least it’s extremely annoying, but for some players, it can also be intimidating and downright hurtful. The Overwatch team has always been very clear on their dislike of toxicity during live game play, having even gone as far as explaining to their fan base that the time it took them to deal with reports of abuse would effectively slow down upcoming features in the game.

Two days ago, the Overwatch team released Junkertown, the latest game map, and took the opportunity to move in on particularly toxic players. As you may know, the game allows players to brand abusive players with the “Avoid Me” label. The updated version of the game will assess how many “Avoid Me” each player has received, and those deemed toxic will be banned from in-game voice chat. I think it’s a brilliant idea.

First, because it helps lower the amount of verbal abuse, obviously. But also because it sends a clear message while continuing to allow everyone to play. People who just happened to have had a bad day the one time are not banned from play. It’s also a way to warn all players that their actions have consequences – the Overwatch team has made it clear that they would much rather ban the worst acting players from the game altogether, and this silencing repercussion might only be the first step. The team has already “silenced” 480,000 players, which undoubtedly is making game play for everyone else a much more enjoyable experience.

The team’s approach and their introduction of a softer form of punishment isn’t only clever, it’s also effective. Those players who don’t want to lose in-game voice chat privilege will try to adjust their attitudes, and those who just can’t help themselves stop being a nuisance for everyone else and can launch abuse at their television all they want without hurting anyone else. And that leaves the other players ample room for decent communication and game play.

I do not have any information whether this disciplinary method will apply to other games under the team’s control.