Nintendo Switch Online: New Info (Cloud Saves, 20 NES games, Family Plan)

[Protoman200X]

So E3 came and went and we really don't know anything more about this service than we did before, and it launches in less than 3 months.

Reggie did say in an E3 interview that this is the successor to VC and that just raises a ton of questions in my mind.

https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/news...tual-console-reggie-fils-aime-e3-2018-1869383


So the implication here is that there is no VC-type content planned outside of the subscription.

Is there a way to buy the games?

The service is starting with NES, how long is it going to take to get SNES, N64, GBA and possibly GC, Wii etc? Or maybe the answer is never?

Just what is the scope of content Nintendo plans to include for a mere $20/year when previously they were charging $8 for a single SNES game on VC?

Are going to have to go through a terrible drip feed and have a quarter of a year with games like Urban Champion?

Where does 3rd Party come into this?

We really should know more at this stage and my biggest fear is that they just don't have much planned for the service considering that $20 is really, really cheap if a large library of Nintendo classics is being included. And again, are those gamea exclusive to the service? Will they rotate or just keep piling up?

With PS+, if you aren't subbed when they offer the game you never get another opportunity to get it free through Plus. But surely people who join N Online next year aren't going to completely miss out on SMB3, right?

On the other hand, I just can't imagine a world where in 2020 you spend $20/year and get access to this huge catalogue of classic Nintendo games across generations. This the company that rarely has sales and price drops becaus it "devalues" the software. So how do I get those games on Switch?

I know Nintendo and I know they'll cheap out big time on their precious legacy of roms.

We're talking about the company that won't even do an even 50% off coupon for SMB3 on MyNintendo (it's 45% lol)

But if this really is the successor to VC then does that mean they just aren't going to sell all their classic games on Switch? WTF?

I don't give a fuck about NES games outside of maybe 5 that I've played to death and really don't plan to play much, if ever, in the future. So for me the promise of NES games means jack shit, especially if the games on offer are not very fun in 2018.

For me, this ultimately is not a value issue regarding what I'm getting for $20/year. For me, this is about the platform's plans for allowing me to play classic games from Nintendo's various consoles on my Switch.

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I honestly feel the same way. It burns me that the games that I've purchased on the Wii/Wii U will not be carried over to the Switch, and their new system in place isn't doing anything to convince me that this new approach is the way to go. Besides, a lot of my favourite SNES, GBA, and GameCube games were from Third Party Developers, so who knows when I can play Chrono Trigger or Skies of Arcadia on the Switch (IF that ever does happen down the road and provided we are not going to be drip feed with those releases).

It doesn't help that Nintendo's commitment to their online infrastructure in the past hasn't been the best, so I can forget playing Splatoon 2 or Mario Tennis Aces online, as I've been having more issues as of late with playing both.

 

[HotHamBoy]

I honestly feel the same way. It burns me that the games that I've purchased on the Wii/Wii U will not be carried over to the Switch, and their new system in place isn't doing anything to convince me that this new approach is the way to go. Besides, a lot of my favourite SNES, GBA, and GameCube games were from Third Party Developers, so who knows when I can play Chrono Trigger or Skies of Arcadia on the Switch (IF that ever does happen down the road and provided we are not going to be drip feed with those releases).

It doesn't help that Nintendo's commitment to their online infrastructure in the past hasn't been the best, so I can forget playing Splatoon 2 or Mario Tennis Aces online, as I've been having more issues as of late with playing both.

Click to shrink...

I don't even care if I can't transfer my games, I never expected that. I just want to be able to play them, even if I have to rebuy them.

It's insane that Nintendo isn't more transparent about this when we just had E3, a perfect time to dive in via the Direct, or Tree House, to explain what we can definitely expect come September.

But I also can't fathom why they haven't added paid themes to the OS. How hard could it be to intergrate and sell some $2 PNG files? They're just leaving money on the table.

Hell, at least give me more background color choices than Black and White. I guess I don't really understand the realities of OS development. It took Sony, what, 3 years to add folders? I just hope I don't have to wait another 3 years for Nintendo to do the same. I have a lot of Switch games and the lack of organziation is drving me nuts.

 

[justiceiro]

Isnt just lovely when nintendo goes: "lets be cheap so nobody can complain that we are really lackuster".

However, i hope that all of us see how bad this is and don't spend our money on it. It's a total waste, and we can keep playing nintendo games anyway, so why bother?

 

[legend166]

Honestly I don't really care about buying individual games. If the service gets taken down, there's plenty of other ways to obtain individual games.

What I really want them to outline is how many actual games they're going to release on this. I've said it before, I'll say it again, $50 a year for access to Nintendo's entire legacy catalogue would be incredible. But I've got very little interest in NES games any more.

 

[Asbsand]

Inb4 the service has been out for 6 months and everyone's talking about how much value it contains.

I'm really looking forward to seeing if the online play for classics is really just netplay or if Nintendo actually modified the games themselves somehow. Like, imagine two links in Zelda 1 or something like that.

 

[Protoman200X]

I don't even care if I can't transfer my games, I never expected that. I just want to be able to play them, even if I have to rebuy them.

It's insane that Nintendo isn't more transparent about this when we just had E3, a perfect time to dive in via the Direct, or Tree House, to explain what we can definitely expect come September.

But I also can't fathom why they haven't added paid themes to the OS. How hard could it be to intergrate and sell some $2 PNG files? They're just leaving money on the table.

Hell, at least give me more background color choices than Black and White. I guess I don't really understand the realities of OS development. It took Sony, what, 3 years to add folders? I just hope I don't have to wait another 3 years for Nintendo to do the same. I have a lot of Switch games and the lack of organziation is drving me nuts.

Click to shrink...

It's possible that they are not going to offer more than what has already been said. Maybe they don't want to be scrutinized for providing a bare-bones service with questionable stable servers to run their games.

As for more customization for the OS, that is a low priority for them right now. We didn't get wallpapers for the 3DS until it's later revisions.

 

[HotHamBoy]

Inb4 the service has been out for 6 months and everyone's talking about how much value it contains.

I'm really looking forward to seeing if the online play for classics is really just netplay or if Nintendo actually modified the games themselves somehow. Like, imagine two links in Zelda 1 or something like that.

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Wow, you're dreamin dude.

It's gonna be 2P online Balloon Fight and shit.

If they want to be more forthcoming and explain just why it really is a great value then they should probably do that.

As I said, though, for me this isn't about value. This is about access to the content I want on Switch, regardless of price.

It's possible that they are not going to offer more than what has already been said. Maybe they don't want to be scrutinized for providing a bare-bones service with questionable stable servers to run their games.

Click to shrink...

And that's a big problem if this really is the only successor to VC.

 

[rocketpunch]

$20 a year is a small ask. I'm in for online and cloud saves. Couldn't care less about NES games though. That nostalgia ship sailed a long time ago. Oh, and fuck the phone app for voice chat. Fortunately I don't use voice chat on console games but I feel for those that do.

 

[Pablo Mesa]

Isnt just lovely when nintendo goes: "lets be cheap so nobody can complain that we are really lackuster".

However, i hope that all of us see how bad this is and don't spend our money on it. It's a total waste, and we can keep playing nintendo games anyway, so why bother?

Click to shrink...

I hope is good so incan have a fun experience online, and as a bonus, get half the board to hunt and eat a crow

 

[kc44135]

So E3 came and went and we really don't know anything more about this service than we did before, and it launches in less than 3 months.

Reggie did say in an E3 interview that this is the successor to VC and that just raises a ton of questions in my mind.

https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/news...tual-console-reggie-fils-aime-e3-2018-1869383


So the implication here is that there is no VC-type content planned outside of the subscription.

Is there a way to buy the games?

The service is starting with NES, how long is it going to take to get SNES, N64, GBA and possibly GC, Wii etc? Or maybe the answer is never?

Just what is the scope of content Nintendo plans to include for a mere $20/year when previously they were charging $8 for a single SNES game on VC?

Are going to have to go through a terrible drip feed and have a quarter of a year with games like Urban Champion?

Where does 3rd Party come into this?

We really should know more at this stage and my biggest fear is that they just don't have much planned for the service considering that $20 is really, really cheap if a large library of Nintendo classics is being included. And again, are those gamea exclusive to the service? Will they rotate or just keep piling up?

With PS+, if you aren't subbed when they offer the game you never get another opportunity to get it free through Plus. But surely people who join N Online next year aren't going to completely miss out on SMB3, right?

On the other hand, I just can't imagine a world where in 2020 you spend $20/year and get access to this huge catalogue of classic Nintendo games across generations. This the company that rarely has sales and price drops becaus it "devalues" the software. So how do I get those games on Switch?

I know Nintendo and I know they'll cheap out big time on their precious legacy of roms.

We're talking about the company that won't even do an even 50% off coupon for SMB3 on MyNintendo (it's 45% lol)

But if this really is the successor to VC then does that mean they just aren't going to sell all their classic games on Switch? WTF?

I don't give a fuck about NES games outside of maybe 5 that I've played to death and really don't plan to play much, if ever, in the future. So for me the promise of NES games means jack shit, especially if the games on offer are not very fun in 2018.

For me, this ultimately is not a value issue regarding what I'm getting for $20/year. For me, this is about the platform's plans for allowing me to play classic games from Nintendo's various consoles on my Switch.

Click to shrink...

Personally, I think we already have the answers to these questions. Nintendo has nothing to gain by keeping any of this a mystery, and their plans are exactly what they appear to be. As they have said, there are no plans to bring a VC style service to Switch at all, nor any current plans to extend the Online Service's selection of games beyond NES. Maybe they don't think their Classic games would sell well enough, maybe they don't want to harm Indie sales, or maybe they love their Classic Consoles and want to sell more of them.

Regardless, the situation is exactly what it appears to be on Switch. There's no plans for retro content beyond the NES games and the occasional Wii U port. Classic Consoles (and old Nintendo Consoles) will be for everything else now. They totally pulled a Sony here, and are no longer offering classic content on their current platform. Frankly, to me, as a longtime Nintendo fan and a huge fan of the VC concept (if not always the execution), this is completely and utterly heartbreaking.

 

[Renna Hazel]

I don't even care if I can't transfer my games, I never expected that. I just want to be able to play them, even if I have to rebuy them.

It's insane that Nintendo isn't more transparent about this when we just had E3, a perfect time to dive in via the Direct, or Tree House, to explain what we can definitely expect come September.

But I also can't fathom why they haven't added paid themes to the OS. How hard could it be to intergrate and sell some $2 PNG files? They're just leaving money on the table.

Hell, at least give me more background color choices than Black and White. I guess I don't really understand the realities of OS development. It took Sony, what, 3 years to add folders? I just hope I don't have to wait another 3 years for Nintendo to do the same. I have a lot of Switch games and the lack of organziation is drving me nuts.

Click to shrink...

I think your problem is that you want them to be transparent about things they aren't doing. We know what the online plan is and mostly how it works. What you're hoping for probably isn't in the cards which is why they aren't talking about it.

 

[HotHamBoy]

Personally, I think we already have the answers to these questions. Nintendo has nothing to gain by keeping any of this a mystery, and their plans are exactly what they appear to be. As they have said, there are no plans to bring a VC style service to Switch at all, nor any current plans to extend the Online Service's selection of games beyond NES. Maybe they don't think their Classic games would sell well enough, maybe they don't want to harm Indie sales, or maybe they love their Classic Consoles and want to sell more of them.

Regardless, the situation is exactly what it appears to be on Switch. There's no plans for retro content beyond the NES games and the occasional Wii U port. Classic Consoles (and old Nintendo Consoles) will be for everything else now. They totally pulled a Sony here, and are no longer offering classic content on their current platform. Frankly, to me, as a longtime Nintendo fan and a huge fan of the VC concept (if not always the execution), this is completely and utterly heartbreaking.

Click to shrink...

I think your problem is that you want them to be transparent about things they aren't doing. We know what the online plan is and mostly how it works. What you're hoping for probably isn't in the cards which is why they aren't talking about it.

Click to shrink...

Well this is just bullshit.

My fucking SNES Classic isn't a handheld. They don't even give you legal ways to add more games.

What fools. I thought I would be able to have Wii U VC content on Switch in some form and it was going to be awesome. Why would they do this? Why are they gimoing the potential of the Switch?

I definitely don't think it has anything to do with getting out of the way of indies, never stopped them before and VC is 100% revenue for them.

Well guys, just another reason to hold on to your Wii's, Wii U's and 3DS's. Pretty damn good reason, too.

 

[KtSlime]

Isnt just lovely when nintendo goes: "lets be cheap so nobody can complain that we are really lackuster".

However, i hope that all of us see how bad this is and don't spend our money on it. It's a total waste, and we can keep playing nintendo games anyway, so why bother?

Click to shrink...

All these online services are bad. No one should spend their money on any of them, they don't actually pay for anything of substance.

 

[MajorBritten]

This is all assuming Nintendo will copy Sony and MS with giving subscribers only a month/2 weeks to download the games before the next batch become available and them becoming unavailable to download for free. Nintendo could just have the entire catalogue of games available to everyone who subscribes, no matter when they do so, with the library of games increasing each month.

Nintendo already has the NES and SNES minis with most of their major titles on there, so people who want those can buy them now. No doubt an N64 mini, and maybe even a gamecube mini, will be released in the future. With Switch, if they released the games individually like VC and charged $5-10 a game, people would bitch and moan that it is too expensive compared to the minis, they cant transfer over their previous purchases and certain games/systems are missing. The lack of transparency and communication is frustrating, and Nintendo's history of drip feeding VC releases is a fair criticism, but it seems that Nintendo are actually making more of an effort here and these are not just ROM dumps and in 2-3 years time once the library has grown, I imagine most people will be happy with the service, same as the Wii VC.

 

[HotHamBoy]

All these online services are bad. No one should spend their money on any of them, they don't actually pay for anything of substance.

Click to shrink...

I paid for PS+ on Ps3, before it was tied to online, and I found the service to be a great value.

As someone who owned a Vita and PS4 as well the service was phenomenal for years. So many great games, many of which I probably wouldn't have bought, that I experienced through Plus "freebies." I maxed out my 64gb Vita memory card in no time between those and the crazy deep discount sales.

But now they just don't even try to give out good games for Vita even though many great Vita games haven't been offered before. They also rarely ever have Vita sales any more. Used to put huge swathes of the library on sale for dirt cheap, now it's like a small handful of games that happen to be cross-buy with a PS4 version that's also on sale.

 

[HotHamBoy]

This is all assuming Nintendo will copy Sony and MS with giving subscribers only a month/2 weeks to download the games before the next batch become available and them becoming unavailable to download for free. Nintendo could just have the entire catalogue of games available to everyone who subscribes, no matter when they do so, with the library of games increasing each month.

Nintendo already has the NES and SNES minis with most of their major titles on there, so people who want those can buy them now. No doubt an N64 mini, and maybe even a gamecube mini, will be released in the future. With Switch, if they released the games individually like VC and charged $5-10 a game, people would bitch and moan that it is too expensive compared to the minis, they cant transfer over their previous purchases and certain games/systems are missing. The lack of transparency and communication is frustrating, and Nintendo's history of drip feeding VC releases is a fair criticism, but it seems that Nintendo are actually making more of an effort here and these are not just ROM dumps and in 2-3 years time once the library has grown, I imagine most people will be happy with the service, same as the Wii VC.

Click to shrink...

The Mini's are bullshit substitutes, you have to go buy a closed-system hardware that's a pain in the ass to actually play. You don't get to choose the games you want unless you hack them. They aren't on Switch with wireless controllers and portability, that's like the whole point.

God, i remember when people dreamed about Game Cube being added to the VC line up for Switch. How young we were...

God damn it, I don't want 20 NES games. I can't think of 20 i like.

 

[MajorBritten]

The Mini's are bullshit substitutes, you have to go buy a closed-system hardware that's a pain in the ass to actually play. You don't get to choose the games you want unless you hack them. They aren't on Switch with wireless controllers and portability, that's like the whole point.

God, i remember when people dreamed about Game Cube being added to the VC line up for Switch. How young we were...

God damn it, I don't want 20 NES games. I can't think of 20 i like.

Click to shrink...

Not sure how the minis are a pain in the ass to play, you just plug it into a tv and switch it on, takes a couple of seconds. And yes you cant choose the games but the games on there are the big ones that most people want anyway, I cant think of many games that I would want to play that aren't on the minis. Don't get me wrong, Its not a replacement for VC and like you I would much rather a VC style system like on the Wii, but for most casual gamers, the minis are good enough.

Also the 20 NES games is just what is coming day 1, Nintendo are not going to stop there and the library will grow every month. Also now that the gamecube controller adapter is being released for Smash, I would say that its almost certain Gamecube games will make it to the switch one way or another (either ports or Wind Waker HD style remasters).

 

[Skittzo]

Not sure how the minis are a pain in the ass to play, you just plug it into a tv and switch it on, takes a couple of seconds. And yes you cant choose the games but the games on there are the big ones that most people want anyway, I cant think of many games that I would want to play that aren't on the minis. Don't get me wrong, Its not a replacement for VC and like you I would much rather a VC style system like on the Wii, but for most casual gamers, the minis are good enough.

Also the 20 NES games is just what is coming day 1, Nintendo are not going to stop there and the library will grow every month. Also now that the gamecube controller adapter is being released for Smash, I would say that its almost certain Gamecube games will make it to the switch one way or another (either ports or Wind Waker HD style remasters).

Click to shrink...

Compared to their actual most appealing hardware, the Switch, the mini consoles are indeed a huge pain in the ass. I don't want to sit right next to a TV to play LttP, I want to play it in my bed on my Switch where I do like 75% of my gaming now.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

 

[HotHamBoy]

Compared to their actual most appealing hardware, the Switch, the mini consoles are indeed a huge pain in the ass. I don't want to sit right next to a TV to play LttP, I want to play it in my bed on my Switch where I do like 75% of my gaming now.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

Click to shrink...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Clix]

Isnt just lovely when nintendo goes: "lets be cheap so nobody can complain that we are really lackuster".

However, i hope that all of us see how bad this is and don't spend our money on it. It's a total waste, and we can keep playing nintendo games anyway, so why bother?

Click to shrink...

Nah, not a waste for me. 20 bucks a year and getting classic games with some extras makes and member discounts makes it worth it to me. I've been over paying a la carte for classic games. I prefer the subscription service, or a collection of several games like the Sega 3D Classics on my 3DS. Only reason I am okay with the Sega Ages titles is because it's M2 and they always add nice extras and features, but even then, I am hoping they do what they did with 3DS and eventually make volumes of carts with several games on it.

 

[Skittzo]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Click to shrink...

It's something I've been trying to explain to people here for months now but a lot of people either just don't seem to get it or are willfully ignoring it.

I guess I understand if someone has it docked constantly, that it's not all that different from a typical console. But mine is rarely docked, even though I only really use it at home. Portability throughout your home is still extremely appealing portability to some.

Anyway I'll be very disappointed like you if Nintendo doesn't make a big chunk of their back catalog available on this.

 

[MajorBritten]

Compared to their actual most appealing hardware, the Switch, the mini consoles are indeed a huge pain in the ass. I don't want to sit right next to a TV to play LttP, I want to play it in my bed on my Switch where I do like 75% of my gaming now.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

Click to shrink...

Yeah I understand and agree with you, I even bought a few of the SNES VC releases on the 3DS because I wanted the portability. All Im saying is that those games will come to switch eventually, Nintendo arent going to just release those 20 NES games and then call it a day, the library will grow and there will be other systems supported. Just because Nintendo are being pretty tight lipped about the online service now and havent revealed their planned release schedule for next few years doesnt mean the games arent coming.

In fact, if the classic mini systems are any indication, it seems Nintendo are taking things seriously and certainly haven't forgotten about VC. The emulation quality for both mini systems was way better than either the Wii or Wii U, plus they have already announced they are adding extras as well like online multiplayer and leaderboards. The fact I will be getting all of this included in the $20 yearly fee, which I would have paid for anyway for Arms and Splatoon 2, makes the deal even sweeter.

 

[Slam Tilt]

$20 a year is a small ask. I'm in for online and cloud saves. Couldn't care less about NES games though.

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I'm okay with $20/year for what has been revealed already, though I hope the paid service has better reliability than the existing one.

I do suspect that Nintendo has a few more surprises to reveal with their paid online service, though, and they're saving those cards until we get close to launch.

 

[rocketpunch]

I'd really love to see SNES, N64, and GCN games on the service. GCN especially!

 

[RadioJoNES]

I'd really love to see SNES, N64, and GCN games on the service. GCN especially!

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If I recall correctly, the man from Eurogamer that reported on Gamecube things being on Switch is still confident they're coming for some reason. It doesn't seem likely they'd be on this service due to their perceived value though.

 

[Ororo]

I just made a list of all the VC games I purchased since the Wii came out up until halfway through the Wii U's life and I made an awesome library of Nintendo games. I paid the transfer fee for Wii U since I wanted and expected these games to always transfer to new systems. I feel incredibly burned by Nintendo abandoning it and I'll never spend another digital dollar on them. I would've loved to have played all these games on the Switch.

Yes, they do owe us, this is anti-consumer and companies need to keep their costumers happy, this is business 101 not some entitled fan.

 

[The Real Abed]

I posted it before but I made a definitive list of all the classic games I'd want to have on the Switch to make it the perfect console.

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You can see there's a large chunk that I can get right now on the Wii U and a bunch that are also on the Wii. Some I already own. And a large amount are available on the Classic consoles. Many of them I own physically. I just don't own any consoles anymore. (My NES died years ago and my SNES disappeared as did my N64.)

Since Nintendo has decided to not give me a nice Virtual Console on the perfect portable system I have to decide whether I want to just go for it and buy them all on the Wii U VC and call it a day or somehow acquire Classic systems, but not have all my games. (Come on, the Classic has all of the Mario games, all the Zelda games but we only get one DKC game?) I have no faith that even if all these games became available through their online service that they'd be "owned" vs. "rented". I don't want them up and disappearing one day when I either stop paying for the service or when the Switch reaches its EOL and they move on.

Fortunately the one GameCube game on there I already own and have already played through on my Wii. And I own the few GameBoy games on my list and if I ever find my GameCube AC adapter I'll be able to play them on my GameBoy Player. (I just hope I haven't lost my boot disc. I also have component cables for my GameCube. So glad I bought them during that short time Nintendo re-released them for $20 on their website.)

Classic isn't much of an option for me because it still lacks a bunch of the games I want but has a bunch I would never play. I'm not one to hack my Classic either else I'd just replace the ones I don't want with ones I do. I'd rather just get them on Wii U. At least then I could kind of play them sort of "portably".

Really the only issues are that I wouldn't be able to play either Star Fox or Yoshi's Island period without either getting a Classic or finding an actual console. Neither of which will be happening anytime soon. One game, Mario RPG, isn't available on the Wii U at all, but somehow got a Wii release. And one game, Fire 'N' Ice, (A puzzle game where you magically create ice blocks to put out fires) has never been released on either VC.

So basically my options come down to either A) I spend all the money right now and buy everything I can on the Wii U VC and call it a day, or B) somehow hunt down working NES, SNES and N64 consoles which would cost even more because of inflated prices on classic games, and even then they'd be composite and look crappy on my 55" TV unless I get them modded or buy a bunch of even more expensive clone consoles, which wouldn't help with the N64 games. I'm worried that as soon as I plunk down the money to just get them on Wii U they'll come out and say "Okay, we're gonna do it and put a real VC on the Switch". If that day ever comes I hope they let me transfer my licenses over from my Wii U.

Sure would love to be able to play them on my Switch though. I really don't want to whine about this but, man it's a real bummer.

 

[sleepnaught]

Compared to their actual most appealing hardware, the Switch, the mini consoles are indeed a huge pain in the ass. I don't want to sit right next to a TV to play LttP, I want to play it in my bed on my Switch where I do like 75% of my gaming now.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

Click to shrink...

Old post but these are my thoughts exactly. Handheld Switch is the greatest piece of gaming hardware I've ever owned, I just desperately want more games for it. NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Gameboy, etc bring all these games over and I'll empty my pockets for you, Nintendo.

 

[noomi]

I know it's still too early to tell but I am hoping once cloud saves become available I would be able to transfer to a new system.

I want to give my current switch to my wife and buy a new one for myself, but since my saves are locked on the current console it's impossible at the moment.

 

[jts]

I know it's still too early to tell but I am hoping once cloud saves become available I would be able to transfer to a new system.

I want to give my current switch to my wife and buy a new one for myself, but since my saves are locked on the current console it's impossible at the moment.

Click to shrink...

You can already transfer your saves to a new Switch.

 

[Skittzo]

I know it's still too early to tell but I am hoping once cloud saves become available I would be able to transfer to a new system.

I want to give my current switch to my wife and buy a new one for myself, but since my saves are locked on the current console it's impossible at the moment.

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You can actually do that already, that's the only way to currently transfer saves. You can only transfer all of your saves to a new Switch though.

 

[maximumzero]

I know it's still too early to tell but I am hoping once cloud saves become available I would be able to transfer to a new system.

I want to give my current switch to my wife and buy a new one for myself, but since my saves are locked on the current console it's impossible at the moment.

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System Transfer functionality was added with the 4.0.0 update back in October 2017.

 

[TheFuzz]

Compared to their actual most appealing hardware, the Switch, the mini consoles are indeed a huge pain in the ass. I don't want to sit right next to a TV to play LttP, I want to play it in my bed on my Switch where I do like 75% of my gaming now.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

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These.

I'll continue to take visual downgrades like Doom or Wolfenstein if it means I get them portable. I get that it doesn't appeal to some, but people are paying more for less because of the hardware appeal.

 

[Thatguy]

Seems like good value for what you get. Still, that catalogue is ancient by todays standards. I want to play the SNES top 100 games, and I don't want a drip feed of titles for years.

This won't satisfy people tempted to hack for emulation purposes.

 

[SpankyDoodle]

I just made a list of all the VC games I purchased since the Wii came out up until halfway through the Wii U's life and I made an awesome library of Nintendo games. I paid the transfer fee for Wii U since I wanted and expected these games to always transfer to new systems. I feel incredibly burned by Nintendo abandoning it and I'll never spend another digital dollar on them. I would've loved to have played all these games on the Switch.

Yes, they do owe us, this is anti-consumer and companies need to keep their costumers happy, this is business 101 not some entitled fan.

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Nah. You're not guaranteed backwards compatibility when a new console comes out, even for digital titles. It's a really really nice bonus feature but it's not any sort of requirement or promise. You pay the money to play the game on the system it's available on, not in hopes of playing it on the next one or two down the line. Digital PSX, PS2, and PS3 games purchased on a PS3 can't be played on a PS4. Until MS really started focusing on it as a selling point you couldn't do it on Xbox either (and there are still *physical* games that aren't BC yet, let alone digital ones). Correct me if I'm wrong but when those Virtual Console titles came out on Wii and Wii U, Nintendo never said, "And, hey, guess what, when you buy these, we're future proofing them so you'll be able to play them on our next system too!" it was just a pleasant surprise (minus the upgrade fee I guess) that we were able to.

 

[fiendcode]

I want to know those other 10 NES launch games already.

 

[TheFuzz]

Nah. You're not guaranteed backwards compatibility when a new console comes out, even for digital titles. It's a really really nice bonus feature but it's not any sort of requirement or promise. You pay the money to play the game on the system it's available on, not in hopes of playing it on the next one or two down the line. Digital PSX, PS2, and PS3 games purchased on a PS3 can't be played on a PS4. Until MS really started focusing on it as a selling point you couldn't do it on Xbox either (and there are still *physical* games that aren't BC yet, let alone digital ones). Correct me if I'm wrong but when those Virtual Console titles came out on Wii and Wii U, Nintendo never said, "And, hey, guess what, when you buy these, we're future proofing them so you'll be able to play them on our next system too!" it was just a pleasant surprise (minus the upgrade fee I guess) that we were able to.

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I sort of disagree since things have changed. Entertainment is driven by ecosystems now. Apple, Vudu, Google, even Microsoft are all selling digital entertainment with the idea that what you're paying for is largely transferable. VHS, DVDS, CDs were like that, yes, but digital media has changed the expectation.

Nowadays, we all buy digital music and movies knowing that as we upgrade to the next piece of hardware, that hardware is being designed to be able to play the entertainment you've already paid for. Games are going to have to move that way if providers want to really embrace digital video games.

 

[justiceiro]

I have no faith that even if all these games became available through their online service that they'd be "owned" vs. "rented". I don't want them up and disappearing one day when I either stop paying for the service or when the Switch reaches its EOL and they move on.

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You are worried about this, but at the same time...

Many of them I own physically. I just don't own any consoles anymore. (My NES died years ago and my SNES disappeared as did my N64.)

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Owning those games didn't helped after all, because you still ended up unable to play them. Is really reasonable to be so worried about if you will be able to have those games 20 years from now if the consoles you owned 20 years ago just aren't with you anymore?

 

[noomi]

You can already transfer your saves to a new Switch.

Click to shrink...

You can actually do that already, that's the only way to currently transfer saves. You can only transfer all of your saves to a new Switch though.

Click to shrink...

System Transfer functionality was added with the 4.0.0 update back in October 2017.

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Oh... awesome then! I thought this wasn't currently possible. Good to know, thanks all!

 

[sleepnaught]

You are worried about this, but at the same time...

Owning those games didn't helped after all, because you still ended up unable to play them. Is really reasonable to be so worried about if you will be able to have those games 20 years from now if the consoles you owned 20 years ago just aren't with you anymore?

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Well, you can pick up a NES/SNES for like $40. If your Switch's online service reaches EOL, then you lost everything. At least with physical there's the option of getting a new console. Or you know, not losing it in the first place. At the very least you can sell your phsyical carts in a pretty lucrative market right now for retro games.

 

[gcwy]

That $20 looks a lot less appealing when you consider it's for individual users and not the system.

 

[cardboardboxer]

I posted it before but I made a definitive list of all the classic games I'd want to have on the Switch to make it the perfect console.

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A lot of those are on the 3DS VC system. Has you considered a New 3DS/2DS?

 

[feroca]

That $20 looks a lot less appealing when you consider it's for individual users and not the system.

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Hence, the $35 "family plan" which can be on one or different systems.

 

[Cinemikel]

 

[Sebastopa]

Any new info on this? Why was this thread bumped?

I only want to know if there's a chance for N64 and GC games on it...

 

[hibikase]

Bumping old threads that say "new info" in their title is just evil

 

[justiceiro]

Well, you can pick up a NES/SNES for like $40. If your Switch's online service reaches EOL, then you lost everything. At least with physical there's the option of getting a new console. Or you know, not losing it in the first place. At the very least you can sell your phsyical carts in a pretty lucrative market right now for retro games.

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The switch can still just break down the line, and a VC title can't be resold if the service ever goes down. Ownership of digital goods is just a illusion, really.

 

[FreedomFighter]

I can easily blow 20 dollars at Arby's
2 beef and cheddar
Curly Fries add cheddar
Hot Ham and Swiss Sub
Large Mountain Dew
That get's you close.

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Dude, off topic, but you have one of the best usernames on Era.

The switch can still just break down the line, and a VC title can't be resold if the service ever goes down. Ownership of digital goods is just a illusion, really.

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Pretty sure I own all my VC games on Wii, 3DS, and Wii U. But I know what you mean.

I swear, one of the most baffling things about the Switch is how Nintendo (and a lot of third parties, as well as forum goers) don't actually seem to realize how appealing the hardware is by itself to a lot of people. I'd take stripped down versions of just about anything on this device, it's just that easy and pleasant to use. There's a reason #PerfectForSwitch became a thing, and it's not just because it's a funny meme.

We want all our games on this thing, not spread out across 5 different plug and play platforms.

Click to shrink...

Exactly this. I'll take 720p Wolfenstein if it means I get the ease and convenience of gaming. I find myself able to get far more playtime in these days and I love it.

Another example: I am 145 hours in with Xenoblade Chronicles 2. While at work, i have my Switch plugged into my portable anker charger and have my Blades doing Merc Missions all throughout my workday. I made it to Merc level 5, have Roc's affinity chart completely unlocked, and have my vanilla blades all maxed out. Couldn't do this on another console. #OnlyonSwitch

 

[SpankyDoodle]

I sort of disagree since things have changed. Entertainment is driven by ecosystems now. Apple, Vudu, Google, even Microsoft are all selling digital entertainment with the idea that what you're paying for is largely transferable. VHS, DVDS, CDs were like that, yes, but digital media has changed the expectation.

Nowadays, we all buy digital music and movies knowing that as we upgrade to the next piece of hardware, that hardware is being designed to be able to play the entertainment you've already paid for. Games are going to have to move that way if providers want to really embrace digital video games.

Click to shrink...

I mean, I don't disagree with you. I would *love* for all my consoles to have backwards compatibility. I think it's fucking ridiculous that I can't play my PSX or PS2 digital games on my PS4 (I understand PS3 is a different beast given the Cell architecture). I don't know if I'll get the next Xbox but I'm certain it'll get backwards compatibility, I'll definitely be getting the next Switch and probably the next PlayStation, and while I'm reasonably sure Switch 2 will have BC given Nintendo's 20-something-year deal with Nvidia, I reeeeeally hope Sony gets their shit together.

I just don't agree with that poster saying it's anit-consumer and that they aren't acting entitled. Unlike music and movies, video games are and will continue to be a mainly physical-based product (internet infrastructure and net neutrality have a long way to go before we can move to a fully digital future due to file sizes but that's a discussion for another thread) and as such, games will continue to be sold on discs and carts. It's a nice bonus feature that should be included for digital purchases, sure, but Sony/Nintendo/Microsoft don't owe it to anyone and never promised it. Hopefully that changes going forward, as you said we're in a different age now and it looks like consoles are going to possibly go the phone/tablet route with minor upgrades in between the major ones so unless they radically change hardware between generations, backwards compatibility should become a standard feature, digital or not.

Also, thinking about your analogy with music, when iPods came out, they didn't work with our CDs. However, there was a way to take the music from your CDs and convert them to digital files to use on your iPod without being forced to rebuy them digitally. Movies are getting there with digital codes included in most releases now, but games are still behind in that respect. I don't know what the arguments are for or against it, but should buying a physical game should grant you access to the digital copy as well?

 

[gcwy]

Hence, the $35 "family plan" which can be on one or different systems.

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The info on this is a bit vague. Does it work like XBL Gold or PSN Plus where multiple accounts can use it on one system?