Nintendo Switch (Nintendo NX = Portable Console)

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Powered by the same GPU as the Nvidia Shield and a couple smart phones and chromebooks, (and not as powerful as current gen consoles or even close to gaming PCs), the Nintendo NX will use the Nvidia Tegra as a GPU/CPU combo for a handheld console with detachable controllers. It will also come with a home base that you can plug into to play the console on the TV. It will still play cartridges.

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On the move, NX will function as a high-powered handheld console with its own display. So far so normal - but here's the twist: we've heard the screen is bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required.

Then, when you get home, the system can connect to your TV for gaming on the big screen.

A base unit, or dock station, is used to connect the brain of the NX - within the controller - to display on your TV.

My guess is that it will look like the Wii U controller, except with detachable nunchuck controllers on the sides. I would photoshop something to look like that but I need a new photo editing program. ehh.

The Tegra is a decent chip, but I don't see Nintendo competing with Sony or Microsoft at this point anymore. Its like they are doubling down on their handheld market, which makes sense to me. They know how to make good handhelds and they sell. But if this is all true it seems a bit too gimmicky to me. The Wii and Wii U was all targeted at families and party games, but this is obviously targeted toward individuals and solo players. If the screen is the normal size of a cell phone and its meant to run games all the time, I wonder how hot the thing will get and if it'll need to be recharged every 2 hours.

Sources:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-26-nx-is-a-portable-console-with-detachable-controllers
http://www.vg247.com/2016/07/26/nintendo-nx-is-portable-with-detachable-controllers-and-uses-nvidia-tegra-tech-report/

Edited October 21, 2016 by Sledgstone
Updated topic title with name of console

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

39 minutes ago, Sledgstone said:

If the screen is the normal size of a cell phone and its meant to run games all the time, I wonder how hot the thing will get and if it'll need to be recharged every 2 hours.

Not exactly. I know it's running better tech then a 3DS (if this is true) and the displays on those are only slightly smaller then an average smartphone display (which is usually between 4-5 inches, my Note 4 as a 5.7 inch display and that is the biggest out there for smartphones) but I'm expecting battery life to be around that of a 3DS if not better (you gotta remember a 3DS runs two screens, a 3D and a normal one. I get roughly 8-9 hours of continuous play on my 3DS when I actually play it (it's kind of neglected, the poor thing)). Plus my 3DS never runs hot (then again different tech here). The one thing Nintendo is good at, which you said, is handhelds and they've always had great battery life once the Pocket Generation of Gameboy's hit the market (the original "brick" could probably get you around the same battery life as a 3DS if you were lucky and that was only running one screen). Plus, in all honesty, the graphical quality of the new Zelda game for the NX isn't all that better then a 3DS (I equate 3DS graphics to PS1/N64 era while the Wii U is still sitting at roughly Gamecube era, maybe slightly better) so I don't see the games that might be coming out of the NX being all that graphically taxing.

What it will come down to is the on board O/S and whether or not the console will support features like the Nintendo Store, Virtual Console, and everything else the Wii U currently has. If it does then yea battery life is going to be atrocious on this machine especially with detachable controllers (which I'm thinking, for practicality, will only be usable when the system is docked). Honestly, if this proves to be true, it could either kill Nintendo's future in the industry as a console developer or it could save them. I'm leaning more toward killing their console division because the only way I see the NX working (in this format) is if they kill their DS division and make this the new handheld which they would be stupid to do as it's the only thing making them money (outside of those few gamers who own Wii's and Wii U's). As a huge supporter and fan of Nintendo's handheld division (I've owned every incarnation of the Gameboy (with the exception of the Pocket and Advance SP) and two incarnations of the DS (the DSi XL and the 3DS XL)) I don't think I could support Nintendo's decision to make the NX a portable system, it makes no financial or practical sense as one thing in this equation is going to have to die to make things work and my feeling is it would be the DS platform.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Jack brings up a lot of good points in this video and while I don't agree with every single one of them (like the handheld market dying) I feel he summed up a lot of what I said above and did a much better job of it.

[Myk JL 1,731]

The NX being a handheld is something I would've wanted before the Wii U happened. It's not that I wouldn't want it now. But I rather wait for Gaming on AR Glasses. But now I'm hoping that NX is a console. Because part of me is hoping The Elder Scrolls 6 could come to a Nintendo Console. That it could take place in Valenwood. And I think Link's Green Tunic would fit in as a Nintendo exclusive.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

It sounds like Nintendo is trying to siphon their handheld success into their next console. This may or may not work. As harsh of a critic as I have been on them, I am a little intrigued. I wouldn't take this out somewhere in public, but it could have functionality bringing over to a friend's place and playing console to console. 

One thing I've come to realize is that Nintendo can't afford to build the infrastructure similar to XBL or PSN. MS and Sony are very large companies that aren't limited to the gaming market. They have more resources than Nintendo has.

Still, a console with decent specs and a normal controller would still be nice. Even if the online service was non existent.

[Myk JL 1,731]

Nintendo Will Finally Reveal the NX on 10/20/2016 at 7am PT/10am ET

So why is Mario reenacting the shower scene from Psycho?

[Sledgstone 8,672]

ROTFLMAO! What a horrible image of Mario. You're right about the Psycho reference. At first I thought he was peeking out of the shower, but the bathroom is behind him. I'd say Mario is a perv but when I zoomed in on the pic and looked at the gloves, I realized thats a guy in a mario costume with a plastic head on.. that screams Psycho to me.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I saw this pic this morning:

lmao!

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

http://kotaku.com/heres-your-first-look-at-the-nx-nintendos-upcoming-con-1788004927

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

The console part of it looks fine, removing it to be portable looks good, but putting a little kick stand up and having your friends huddle around a 7 inch tv to play a game on a couple roku stick controllers while smelling each others breath doesn't look enjoyable to me.

[Myk JL 1,731]

I'll be buying The Nintendo Switch just for portable Skyrim....

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Honestly they could make more money if they made a non portable version. It seems to play regular games for once and the only gimmick is its portability. Something I'd never use. If they just made a console without the screen, but the same size it would be more appealing and cheaper at that. 

[Myk JL 1,731]

8 minutes ago, DeathscytheX said:

Honestly they could make more money if they made a non portable version. It seems to play regular games for once and the only gimmick is its portability. Something I'd never use. If they just made a console without the screen, but the same size it would be more appealing and cheaper at that. 

I could see me using the portability while at the laundromat. But then again that's only because I don't have anything to keep me distracted from snacking. I'd have nothing against a non-portable version.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

I might of mocked it when it was a rumor but I'm honestly impressed with this console (the name on the other hand can go). Seriously, I might pick one up. I like the look of it, I like it's size, and honestly it looks like a damn good machine (and for once it has a backing of major publishers). Will I ever use the portable option? Most likely not, I own a 3DS and I have a phone if I get bored while out and about but the option to take this where I want is nice. While it might be a gimmick I can guarantee the portability option will be the main reason this console sells and depending on price I can see this selling very well (look at the Wii, the whole console was a gimmick yet it sold better then the PS3 and the 360).

I have to say maybe Nintendo is starting to come back around or at least show us they still have some tricks up their sleeves.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Well the fixed the one thing that has been wrong with them for the past decade. The controls being a damn gimmick. There's no multi screens and no motion control, just buttons. The Joy-Cons gimmicky, but only in a functionality way in how it separates and can be used in various methods. The most important thing is that there are buttons to use, and 1 screen. 3rd party developers don't want to put in the extra work. I expect mostly ports from them, and its important that they can port games from XB1/PS4. Sure there will be some exclusives here and there, but cross platform titles is what Nintendo has been lacking for years becasue of how extremely different their console was. They finally found a way to be innovative without screwing around with how a game works.

If they put a killer price like $299 I'd pick one up for Breath of the Wild and the new Mario. Honestly this is Nintendo's best idea in years. If something like this came out a decade ago, I would have used it mobility feature a lot bringing it over to friends houses to play smash bros. Hell a real Goldeneye remake would be sweet in that situation. Have a faux lan-party with a few friends on multiplayer.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

After thinking it over more, I'm also interested in this console. The Wii and Wii U were something I'd never want due to the controls and no 3rd party games. With my ulnar nerve issues I could never enjoy motion controllers. That and my dogs screw over my game play as it is. I played Journey for PS4 last weekend and while it was enjoyable it had one major flaw to me... controller position camera that I couldn't turn off. I could control the camera with the R stick, but every time my puppy got up on my lap, the screen turned into a mess of staring straight up into the sky. I could never play a Wii or Wii U with my dogs. The Switch being capable of playing (I'm assuming the remastered) Skyrim shows it has power, and I didn't see anyone in the trailer wearing straps on their wrists with the controllers which means no motion control. All positives to me. Everyone will use the portable aspect of the console to play games while taking a dump which means used versions of these at gamestops will have horrible bacteria levels.

If Nintendo made a non portable / slim version at a cheaper price I'd buy one to finally play Mario and Zelda games again. I'm not all too interested in the portable aspect because of all the rechargable batteries involved. In the trailer each half of the switch controller can be used wirelessly, the middle part of the switch controller is also wireless (probably doesn't need a battery in that considering the lights on it turn off once the controllers are removed) the tablet part is wireless and the other plain controller is wireless. Thats 4 separate things that need charging and I'm annoyed as it is with having to charge my PS4 controller. All I really want is the Switch console with no tablet screen and the plain controller. Wireless Skyrim seems amazing, but I wonder what kind of battery life that tablet screen will have when playing it and how hot it will actually get.

Then again, Nintendo could reveal some other new features of this that could get my hyped. The portable aspect could be good for me if there are alot of rpg style games like skyrim or final fantasy that I could play while reclining back on my sofa while lady can watch tv in the same room.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I bet it only lasts 60-90 min at best unplugged or else they would have touted the battery life otherwise. I wonder if they are using gorilla glass. They didn't spent a lot of time on specs. 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

I'm assuming they went with a beefier battery then that DX considering they're praising this thing for its portability. I'm going to guess you're looking at the average life of a high-end tablet maybe even laptop level (then again that ain't much, when my battery was new my laptop would get 3 hours unplugged if I wasn't gaming) so probably 3-4 hours of use with light to medium gaming. Maybe more if it has the same feature as my laptop and it downgrades graphics to conserve battery life (my laptop runs two video cards, a discreet card (my AMD Radeon) and the built-in one on the motherboard. It switches to the built in one while my laptop is running on battery to help conserve battery power (though I have it disabled, my on-board card cause major fucking issues when it switches)). Plus considering how much actual gaming you can do on a 3DS with it's 3D graphics (roughly 4-5 hours of continuous play) I'm assuming we might get that level of battery life (I mean this is the company that pioneered handheld consoles so I'm pretty damn sure they know what they're doing here).

We'll know all once specs are released.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Now that I'm seeing positive comments and negative articles I know they are on the right path. I saw a few articles calling the switch gimmicky and bland. These same sites praised the Wii and Wii U as amazing innovations and then scratched their heads collectively when they flopped.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I read this article this morning and the switch definitely looks like it copied the portable design aspect from this China console that came out over a year ago.

http://kotaku.com/china-already-has-a-handheld-like-the-nintendo-switch-178805608

 

[Myk JL 1,731]

2 hours ago, Sledgstone said:

I read this article this morning and the switch definitely looks like it copied the portable design aspect from this China console that came out over a year ago.

http://kotaku.com/china-already-has-a-handheld-like-the-nintendo-switch-178805608

I remember seeing a youtube video about that a week or so ago.

 

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

http://gizmodo.com/nintendo-switch-will-reportedly-be-cheap-but-whats-the-1788965815

$250, I'd def pick one up for that price.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I see people looking at a $250 price point and saying "Whats the catch?" The catch is Nintendo will only make 5 of these for every retailer and the real price of the Switch will be $999.99 on Ebay.

Ebay sellers love Nintendo for their limited productions, they're the same as ticket scalpers.

The console itself is really an upscaled handheld system with a charging / hdmi station. It makes sense that it's price point will be similar to the older hand held systems. The real catch is that portable games that normally sold for $29.99 will now cost $59.99 (aka console prices) because they can be played on a TV.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-nintendo-switch-spec-analysis

The system is 2.5x less powerful in mobile mode. Crazy. Good thing I'm not interested in that aspect. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

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