[ad_1]
The switch works using smoke. It probably won’t go out with a whimper.But the needle is gone. The 2024 release calendar is spotty, and even some notable games come with hybrid handhelds. which there are only a few games It is still having trouble running with nearly eight year old technology. Coincidentally, eight years is pretty much the amount of time between the release of the SNES and PlayStation 2.
Nintendo has found a way to keep the Switch alive – it’s almost certainly headed to 2025, but this year has mostly felt like it was in line at the DMV, waiting. Overview of Switch 2 Only to have the office close before you were called to the reception. while others Focused on the future, Nintendo stubbornly stuck to the Switch’s present. Going all the way to waging an all-out war on Switch emulation enthusiasts and ROM pirates to stop the platform from turning into a hacker’s paradise altogether.
2024 is most notable for what we don’t see or receive more than any movement or announcement. As it turns out, Nintendo has no news about the Switch 2 other than it will be revealed in the next few months and it will be compatible with existing models. Mario or Zelda games, but we get two great but flawed little spin-offs from those franchises. There are no major changes to the switch itself. This is the best way to see how much has changed. The sloppiness that lags behind the eShop remains– No discounts on $300 portable gaming tablets in 2017
On the other hand, Switch’s 2024 is best spent continuing to play the best indie games. With almost all of them coming to Switch, this is a great year to continue exploring. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Realm which, nearly two years later, remains the system’s most ambitious and sprawling achievement. Anyone getting their first Switch this holiday season before the Switch 2 announcement is in for a bit of a letdown. If it weren’t for Nintendo’s current console, it would still have one of the best catalogs ever in the history of gaming.
hardware
What is there to say about the Nintendo Switch? The promise it offers of playing games on the go or on a large display is as attractive as ever. Although, its ability to provide a truly smooth and seamless gaming experience has eroded over time. The difference between the performance of mid-range and light games on Switch compared to other platforms like PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC continues to grow. Frame rate hiccups Picture details And loading times are all the worse. Meanwhile, rival mobile devices like the Steam Deck and Asus Rog Ally offer less trade-off for a slightly higher price. At least when it comes to third-party ports and indie releases.
So where is switch 2? Nintendo’s much-speculated successor has yet to be revealed. But what if the ongoing alleged leaks were to be taken seriously? This seems like a more straightforward upgrade to existing hardware than Nintendo has done in some time. Whatever gimmicks there are, like the magnetic Joy-Con that sticks to the side of the screen instead of moving around. It doesn’t seem to be the center of the new console. It might be called Nintendo Switch 2–
I shouldn’t take this section on the current state of Switch writing about the future. But it’s a more accurate description of what most current Switch owners feel in 2024: Pinning what’s behind the red curtain is We become more and more impatient and frustrated with what is in our hands. As for what Nintendo actually announced this year, there’s the clock. It’s called the Alamo. and uses motion sensors to serenade users with video game music. The reviewer received it quickly. But the real thing won’t ship until early 2025. Fans will get a gold Zelda-themed Switch Lite this year, probably the best-looking special edition yet.
software
Even though the Switch’s hardware is stuck to its skin, the interface UI and general feel of navigating the home screen, eShop, and app-only features are even more intimidating. It’s slow, poorly optimized, and messy. The slimness of the middle row of tiles belies the complete lack of options when it comes to customizing or quickly getting meaningful information about your system, game, or the broader Nintendo ecosystem.
The eShop is a special pain point. I sigh softly Every time I have to open the store to buy games. See what’s on sale. Or try to see what comes out. It feels like it takes a bit of a marathon to open a store. And it takes longer to load the actual parts one by one. Finally getting into the store was just the beginning of the headache. They have shovels and famous games at low prices. It’s packed into the catalog as you scroll through it. It’s not great, and it doesn’t help that Nintendo doesn’t seem very responsive to legitimate issues. It’s an ominous sign that the digital buying experience may or may not change when it comes to the Switch 2.
The current console received one minor update to the feature set for 2024, but it was mostly only intended to fix existing bugs. October Firmware 19.0.1 updated. So that the game will still download when the console goes to sleep. This is especially useful for players who purchase a game at midnight and then wake up the next morning to find it still hasn’t installed. And it’s a good indicator overall of just how far Nintendo’s interests have moved beyond the current system.
Instead of upgrading the current system, Nintendo spent most of 2024 threatening legal action against anyone who made it possible to copy Switch games elsewhere. It’s reached a deal. to have a yuzu creatorwhich is a popular emulator on rival PC gaming mobile devices such as Steam Deck, abandons the software and takes it offline. It does the same as Another Switch emulator is called Ryujinx.– Sues the person accused Pirate game or even just streaming them– It has Github will post the backup. and Go follow the Switch Reddit group.– Some of this may be a response to the claims of One million copies of Tears of the Kingdom Copyright infringement when it launched The new crackdown may be an attempt to lock things down. ahead of the Switch 2 launch and avoid repeating how quickly homebrew enthusiasts managed to jailbreak the previous generation.
Network and services
Nintendo Switch Online continues to expand. Including a parade of classic Game Boy Advance games added throughout 2024. Golden Sun 1 and 2– F-Zero: Top Speed– The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and four swordsand Metroid Zero Mission– Mother 3 Even came to use the service only in Japan. A wide selection of retro games is included in the rest of the catalog as well. super art type On SNES to Vector Man On Sega Genesis, Xbox Game Studios offers many games such as Killer Instinct and perfect darkness– and the original Game Boy library was flooded. Mega Man and Donkey Kong Country game
It’s an impressive deal for both the $20 per year base service and the $50 per year Expansion Pack add-on, although whether it’s actually worth the money remains debatable. A big attraction of the Expansion Pack is the access to new DLC as well as expansions. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe But as Nintendo’s first-party releases ceased and online multiplayer games quickly abandoned, that privilege has weakened. Still, it’s a key point to Nintendo’s retro offerings that none of the games can be purchased separately as Sony has allowed with PlayStation Classics. It’s 2024, and fans are still paying $50 a year to rent. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Runs on a Nintendo 64 emulator.
However, the biggest addition to Switch Online this year isn’t a game at all. It’s Nintendo’s music streaming service that allows fans to play game soundtracks from their phones, such as Donkey Kong Country 2The amazing Bramble Blast and Chiptune’s title track for the original. Metroid On the NES, if only fans Only the songs can be purchased and downloaded DRM-free. Nintendo also uses Switch Online to Launch play testing For a secret project that looks like a mix between an MMO and Minecraft– This service is also used to offer trials of various eShop games, such as free for one week. Cursed golf and vampire survivor– Switch Online is more valuable than ever. But it still lacks one thing its competitors do: access to a Netflix-like library of new games.
Games
Nintendo is a master at making the off-year feel like it’s still full of big games, and the Switch’s 2024 calendar is a mix of remakes and smaller spinoffs, fueled by a good year for indie games. The first half of the year also skyrocketed. Mario vs. Donkey Kong– Princess Peach: Showtime!and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door– And he brought things home too. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom– Super Mario Party Jamboreeand Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood–
The volume is definitely there in 2024, but it feels like the second year while Nintendo put the startup on hold. echo of wisdom It experiments with neat and innovative ideas but lacks grandeur. Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood It’s a sequel to an otherwise excellent RPG-lite that fails to truly transform the series like other Switch games have for their respective franchises. The best games Nintendo puts on the Switch in 2024 are questionable. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year DoorIt’s a remake of a 20-year-old GameCube game set in an alternate universe. It must arrive on the platform without an HD upgrade, simply via Switch Online’s back catalog.
Luckily, the Switch still has another year of indie releases to fill in the gaps. Some of the most popular games of 2024—loved one– 1,000x resistance– Lorelai and laser eyes– animal pond– Argo– Botany Manor– Thank God you are hereand Neva—Everyone arrived on time. Even if their port to other consoles is delayed. Microsoft’s multi-platform push is also giving the Switch a boost. prisonAwesome Renaissance murder mystery RPG. While some third-party GOTY contestants preferred Unicorn Overlord and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown There are days and dates.
The Switch’s library in 2024 isn’t as high as it has been in years past. But there are still many games to play. This is an incredible feat for a console that should have been replaced long ago. And there’s more coming. Port of Donkey Kong Country is back. and Xenoblade Chronicles X Arriving in early 2025 Metroid Prime 4That was announced a long time ago. Still preparing to come to the platform as before. Pokemon Legend: ZAThe next game in the hit franchise after a year away from new Pokémon games, Nintendo is clearly saving its best for the Switch 2 launch, in that context. The quiet year for the current Switch is still better than it should be.
–
[ad_2]
Source link
