Maybe hot take: as a handheld, the regular switch is an awful handheld
Maybe hot take: as a handheld, the regular switch is an awful handheld
Have you ever held a switch? Its long, flat and the controllers suck. Awful dpad and bad sticks.
Its almost comical, for a small stick the 3ds stick is better than any joycon stick.
And also, internal storage being only 32 GB, and cart games being downloaded in full to the system.
The switch is a mess. At least the games emulate well.
That's not even going into the online ransom shit.
And the dock sucks too. Would it have killed Nintendo to add like 2 more USB ports and an Ethernet port.
And not related but powera can eat shit
It’s definitely not as comfortable as something like the Steam Deck, but I played so much Switch while commuting on the train since it came out. It’s been a real joy to have. It’s also WAY smaller than any of the current-gen handhelds.
What do you mean by “cart games being downloaded in full to the system?”
Not a hot take at all. It was revolutionary for the first year it was released and then was quickly surpassed on every front by any company that put slightly more effort (and more cost) into any part of the switch: graphics, sensors, controllers, expandability, etc. Pretty stock for any Nintendo product, because they only focus on hardware that be produced mass-market and get good profit margins on. Which means it's often made with current-to-dated components that can get overlooked because it's the only platform you can play Nintendo games on. Also, not sure why they are so allergic to ergonomics, all the way back to the NES controller, the least comfortable controller of its peers
The OLED dock has an Ethernet port. They’ll work with non-OLED switches so you could buy one if you need the port.
The two USB’s on the side of the case seem sufficient for most use cases. Might be able to add a tiny usb hub if need be, there’s a few tiny ones fore less than $9.
Ergonomics are a bit odd, but the 3DS had similar issues as well. I ended up 3d printing ergonomics grips for my 3ds and I know they have something similar for the switch. I feel like they were towing a line between OTG usability and being able to hold the joycons in multiple orientations (think just dance, 1-2 switch, Mario party, 51 games, etc), or in different accessories (not sure how well an ergo one would work in a leg strap with the ring fit).
Edit: also the first thing I did was buy a cheap 128GB micro SD and never look back. Sure it probably would her been nice if it wasn’t needed, but it’s swappable and it’s cheaper than if they built it in.
One small thing but I'm surprised nobody points it out - the charging port location. I like using my switch/steam deck in bed or otherwise laying down, and the fact that the charging lead is at the bottom of the console rather than the top sucks. It just gets in the way and stops you resting the console on you. Whereas the Steam Deck just has it on top where you can just plug it in while playing.
I know the technical reasons behind it because of the dock and all that, but it's annoying.
In general, I think the steam deck is better than the switch in almost every way - The switch is just an expensive ticket for the right to play Nintendo games nowadays.
Yes, I didn't and still don't understand why they didn't make the joycon buttons and "d-pad" more comfortable. It's Nintendo's least comfortable controller and it's the biggest reason I hate using the Switch portable mode.
Everyone's saying it's old here - the Game Boy was more comfortable to hold and had better buttons. It's not about age.
This is something I think a lot, how portable gaming kind died. I don't mean the devices itself, yes the switch and the deck are amazing devices, but I miss games designed and meant to be playable on small devices, like the games we got until the 3DS, games that fit the portable device if that makes sense.
It's amazing but I simply can't play a game like Elden Ring on a portable device the same way I used to play my DS.
The Joycons were an absolute disaster and ruined the portable experience. I got 4 of them repaired. When they inevitably broke again, I gave up and bought a pro controller. Precariously balancing the Switch on your lap or setting it on furniture so you can use a pro controller is not a handheld. Still had lots of fun with the games on it, but the experience should have been better. Nintendo has building controllers for decades, you would think they could at least begin to approach competency.
Well it's the only handheld that hasn't given me cramp after 20 minutes, so at least there's that. DS and 3DS were limited to stylus games for me.
Back in the day I was drifting in Mario Kart DS on the Dpad until my thumbs hurt before the Wii version (with Nunchuk) and later.
The switch was fine, of course in handheld mode its inferior to the larger/heavier, newer and more ergonomically designed Steam Deck. These days at my friends house I bring a Pro controller around which works and feels just fine.
Oh and yeah the best Switch gaming experience is via emulation of the games you own and using nicer controllers.
I completely agree that the switch is genuinely painful to hold on handheld mode for more than ten minutes. The controllers and buttons are too small, it's flat, and generally not ergonomic. It's definitely designed for child sized hands in mind and not adults. I do my best to avoid using it in handheld mode.
Meanwhile, my steam deck is a much superior design. The ergonomics are excellent, it fits my hands, the buttons are spaced apart well, and are adequately sized, and I can play for hours with no hand cramps.
However....
The switch absolutely trounces the deck on portability. The fact that it's flat and small means that, even while in a case, it's extremely easy to slip into a backpack and take on the go. The deck while in a case, however, is bulky and doesn't fit in a backpack if I want to put anything else in there (like a book and my laptop).
They were each designed with different goals in mind. I hate the ergonomics of the switch, but really do appreciate how easy it is to take on the go. I love the ergonomics of the deck, but hate how cumbersome it is to take anywhere. Nintendo made the choice to sacrifice ergonomics, and valve made the choice to sacrifice portability. Unfortunately, no solution will be perfect, and I accept that.
Yeah, it is basically impossible for me to use the stock switch for anything more than an hour handheld with my hands cramping up. I ended up having to get some rubber grips with a palm bumpout in order for it to be remotely comfortable.
The steam deck is a huge upgrade in that regard. Significantly more comfortable to hold. Plus, the steam deck is capable of emulating pretty much anything on the switch full speed :). On top of all of that is barely even costs more lol.
I agree. The hardware was out of date before it was released. The controls were poorly placed to make the joycon gimmick work. It was designed for little kids hands and didn't offer a solution for adults. The steamdeck really highlighted all these problems by doing it better day one. But for the target demo of the switch, very little of that mattered, and it was a great success. I just hope the Switch 2 learns from these mistakes and doesn't repeat them.
Handheld mode is really not great for extended periods.
I got it for (business) trips, so I appreciate that I can easily connect it to a hotel room TV, or put it upright on a train or plane table.
One disconnected joycon in each hand IS pretty comfortable, since I can avoid the static "controller in front of you" arm pose.
I think the switch did pretty well actually and I get why they made the decisions they made. As much as I love my steam deck, the thing takes up like twice as much space as my switch, for example. There is definitely room for improvement though.
It would have killed nintendo to add an ethernet port. As someone who bought the dongle, having a wired connection will NOT save you from nintendo online being the worst gaming networking service ever devised. No game benefits from it, least of all actual nintendo titles like splatoon or smash. It's not even a problem of speed, it's wholesale reliability issues, constant loss of connection errors. If an ethernet port was available included rather than needing to be a seperate purchase, more people would realize sooner just how truly awful the paid nintendo online service is.
I'm just still mad that I could play phantasy star online for ten hours uninterrupted on my gamecube, but now there's not a single nintendo title that has stable online. Pokémon might let you get a raid or two before needing to reconnect. Splatoon might get a match or three before needing to reconnect completely. Smash won't stay stable for even one full match. It's a complete tragedy.
Yup. I got a grip accessory for mine to mitigate it.
It's no Gameboy, that's for sure. I use it resting on a pillow on my lap, so I don't actually have to hold it up. Works very well that way actually
I agree I always get cramps whenever I play mario kart in handheld. That's why I buy as many of my games as I can on the Steam Deck instead.
Interesting, I adore my switch. I love my deck for its capabilities (e.g., modding) but I’ll usually buy a game on the switch if I have the option. For me, it’s much more comfortable to use for extended time whereas the deck is heavy enough that it’ll give me wrist pain for long sessions. The battery difference is underrated here too. It’s nice traveling or hell even on the couch to not have to worry much about battery on the switch.
The Joy Cons are the worst controllers Nintendo has ever made. If Switch 2 is anything even remotely similar, it's seeing zero use as a handheld from me (if I even buy one).
Everything Nintendo sucks.
It's an amazing console, but the shortcomings you've mentioned are legit. When I got my Switch, I immediately ordered the Hori Split Pad. Then I threw the Joycons in a drawer and never looked at them again. A large capacity SD card is mandatory and is so cheap, I don't consider that a big deal.
Online subscription shit is just console bullshit that I won't pay on principle.
All the reasons you've mentioned have been sorted with a Steam Deck, and I haven't ever picked up my Switch from the day my Deck arrived.
All I wanted from the Switch was a console-only version. I know why it didn't happen, but I picked mine up on launch day, I've played on it every week since, and I've used the screen like, a handful of times on one trip the first year I had it.
I haven't disconnected it from the TV since then. I really didn't need the handheld form factor.
One of my biggest complaints with the switch is definitely how my hands are too big for me to be truly comfortable with holding them when they're disconnected from the console. Either one in each hand or one for both hands. That, and I think the batteries in my joycons are a little screwed, so I just said fuck it and got a controller because the last few times I used my switch was connected to a TV.
Wii U gamepad was a lot more comfortable for me. I'd play Windwaker or Mario Maker or 3D World or Splatoon for hours and never feel all cramped up with half-numb palms. I play Ace Attorney for an hour and it just hurts.
Plus the charging port location makes it annoying to play while charging. It makes sense for the dock, but it ruins it in handheld mode.
I'd love to just get a Steam Deck and be done with it, but Valve won't be shipping here anytime soon and the cost of importing it along with our shitty forex rates end up with the base model hitting PS5 cost territory for me (which is also more expensive here than in most Western nations).
I recently bought an adjustable clip to clip the Switch (sans joycons) to my Pro Controller and it’s super comfy for long periods of gaming. I’ve also seen people use 3rd party joycons that are shaped more like the Pro Controller handles which seem comfy too.
You’re right, the base Switch isn’t all that comfy for long periods of play, but there are both ways around that and it can also be played docked, which I think are redeeming features.