Tag: Nintendo switch

Games

A Rant Against Nintendo

Not A Walking Tree

I don’t think I’ve ever used a system such as theirs that actively disables my third party purchases. They’re a company run by maximizing profits, like any other. You can only use their products, and the products they sell at triple the cost with their units. Want a new controller? Better pony up 1/3 the price of the system. Oh, you bought a third party controller for a fraction of the price? Sorry, let us push an update that not only makes your device not work anymore with ours, but disables your device from working with any other system too! Aren’t we such friendly gamers? Loved by all, such a family friendly company that we love, nay strive, to gouge our consumers dry.

Don’t get me started on HDMI cables too. Nearly half of them don’t work with the switch, they work fine with PC or other consoles but not with switch. Gotta get the right one. They would prefer you bought theirs. Oh, and game prices? Let’s talk about the “switch tax” aka any game sold on switch is marked up by nearly half compared to any other system. Dead cells, for example, is nearly 45 dollars on switch and 30 bucks everywhere else. The ability to play anywhere does not facilitate such a price increase. The downgrade in graphics most games receive to play on switch should have the opposite effect. The price should be lower or the same, not marked up. One can assume that the Nintendo store charges extra for developers if almost most games have to have raised prices.

Then we get to the joy con controllers themselves. Out of all consoles, these have the fastest fail rate I’ve ever been witness to. It’s like they are designed to fail as soon as possible, so you have to give more money to Nintendo. It’s no surprise then that there are several class action lawsuits against them for such. The joycons will drift. Then they are useless. Time to pony up another hundred dollars. My PlayStation controllers have never drifted, neither have my xbox. No controller I’ve ever owned has until the switch’s ecosystem showed up.

Nintendo is like the Apple computers of gaming companies. They took an already existing device (Nvidia shield) and touted/marketed it as a brand new device aka the switch. Then they set up their own ecosystem and can charge whatever they want and their loyal lap dogs will eat it all up. Any criticism is disguised, and brushed away. Money always wins. What a depressing reality. You’d think that actively nurturing and helping a consumer base would be the goal so they in turn reward you by purchasing your goods but it’s not. Gaming is no longer about enjoyment for the user, but how can investors bleed dry the market before moving onto the next. Given this, it’s so rare to find a game that’s purely made to be enjoyed. No ulterior motive, no microtransactions. No downloadable content. And Nintendo is definitely not where you look if that’s what you want. If I had to say where, I’d say go with a sony exclusive. Time and time again, these have been proven to be nothing but pure enjoyment for the consumer. There’s no extra purchases needed. The game is as is. One look at Ghost of Tsushima and that’s all you need to know. Review for that upcoming.

To surmise, I’m tired of Nintendo’s ecosystem. Price gouging through and through. The fun I get with Super Smash Bros is always sullied by the drift in my controller. This is one system that gathers more and more dust and is only pulled out for parties.

Games

Starlink; A gorgeous view for joyous gameplay

Not A Walking Tree

Few games these days invoke a childlike sense of wonder and an urge to explore. Most games start to burn up fast in the unravelling of the illusion of the game world via repetitive actions. Repeating tasks over and over with no recourse, or stoppage. Every game has repetition. The key is to mask it through other ways such as the scenery.

And boy does this game sure chew it up. Each vista a beautiful sight, with the colours blending and creating a harmony to behold. The sunlight(s) bouncing off the river(s) and trees as you fly by in your craft, shafts of light dancing. No matter where I fly, nor how often, each time I’m mesmerised by the view. And speaking of flying! It’s so good. So smooth. Feels like a joy. Each movement and forward motion, and flip, and barrel roll; everything works to create wonder and happiness. There is no anger to be had in the controls. No anger to be had in the combat. This is a game to be played and enjoyed, and thoroughly explored.

Starlink, played on the Nintendo switch, can be bought digitally or by way of physical copy that has a mount attachment for models of the ships, weapons, and pilots featured in the game. Every beyond a starter ship (Arwing), two pilots (Mason and Fox), and three weapons (two physical, one digital) must be purchased separately. You cannot find other weapons in game. The game is entirely doable with the guns you have. This being the switch version and should you not use any weapons, the laser cannons on the Arwing will be used by default. You can also play with a co-op partner at any given time through drop in/out mechanics so long as the switch is in tv/console mode.

I’ve yet to beat it as I’m playing with a partner. I highly recommend this game to all ages.