30 Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games To Look Forward To In 2022
Image: Nintendo Life
Note. As we’re approaching the end of the year, the number of 2022 games still left is obviously decreasing. As such, you’ll notice that we’ve started to flesh out the back half of this upcoming games list with some 2023 releases.
We’re now into the final stretch of 2022 and while we’ve already seen plenty of fantastic games on Switch this year, there are still more to come!
Below we’ve rounded up 30 of the biggest Switch games we’re looking forward to. They run the gamut from AAA first-party offerings to promising-looking indies. Nintendo’s habit of not announcing games until a couple of months prior to release means there may be even more surprises to come before the year closes out — we’ve already added to (and subtracted from) this list several times throughout the year.
We’ve had some cracking games in the last nine months, including the excellent Pokémon Legends: Arceus, OlliOlli World, Triangle Strategy, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Mario Strikers: Battle League, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The September Nintendo Direct delivered a load more announcements, so even though the likes of Metal Slug Tactics and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom slipped into next year, there’s still an awful lot to get excited about as the Holiday season appears on the horizon.
So, let’s take a look at our most anticipated Switch games…
Long-rumoured to be coming to Switch, Remedy confirmed that the remaster of the 360-era cult classic was Switch-bound in an anniversary update back in May. Pleasingly, this is a native Switch port, too, and not a cloud version.
The remaster released on other platforms last year, and out of the blue Alan Wake Remastered dropped on Switch eShop on 20th October. Yes, it’s out now. See how Switch handles the strange goings-on in Bright Falls in our review;
- REVIEW Alan Wake Remastered — A Modern Classic Returns With Major Visual Downgrades On Switch
They only went and did it! Atlus finally went and announced possibly the most obvious and requested Switch port ever — Persona 5 is coming to Nintendo’s console (in Royal form, no less), as announced in the June Nintendo Direct Mini.
Protagonist Joker made his Switch debut in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, of course, but Persona fans have been clamouring for this entry on Switch since…, well, since the console launched back in March 2017. Lest we forget, Persona 5 launched on the PS3 (yes, three), so any arguments that Switch wouldn’t be able to handle it were obviously poppy-cock.
The game is out now. Yes, you will finally be able to play a full-fat Persona game on Switch (with P3P and P4G lined up for January 2023). Took you long enough, Atlus, but you came through in the end. Nice one.
And we’re pleased to report that the port is a good ‘un. Check out our glowing reveal for more:
- REVIEW Persona 5 Royal — Finally On Switch, This Is The Very Definition Of Essential
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The Umbra Witch was a conspicuous absentee over the last few of years, despite repeated reassurances that her third series entry is coming along just fine. To be fair, we did get PlatinumGames’ excellent Astral Chain — one of the best Switch surprises of 2019 — but the lady with the magical hair was uncharacteristically quiet for too long…
But thankfully a Nintendo Direct finally showed off this next entry and confirmed a 2022 window, before an announcement in July revealed the 28th October launch date alongside a new trailer. Phew.
Let’s hope the wait was worth it.
We enjoyed the first Doraemon: Story of Seasons game, and not just for its incredible art style that fused Doraemon’s manga lines with a painterly, tranquil aesthetic that made you want to play the moment you saw a screenshot. The sequel is looking just as luscious, too.
Marvelous’ original game itself was pleasant enough — we awarded it a respectable 7/10 in our review — although there’s certainly room for improvement.
Hopefully, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom will improve things in the gameplay department to make it a match for those gorgeous visuals when it launches on 2nd November.
While some of us on the team probably wouldn’t have given this the GOTY gong at The Game Awards 2021, the fact that Hazelight’s co-op game is finally coming to Switch — with Turn Me on port duties — is cause for celebration. Switch owners will get to overcome life’s obstacles and experience strained relationships in this critical indie darling from 4th November.
We like ourselves a good farming game, and Square Enix’s Harvestella looks set to deliver a striking example into a crowded genre. Announced during the June Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, it’s an ambitious-looking life-sim RPG which combines big swords and combat with fields to sow, crops to harvest, and an in-depth story of the variety you’d expect from the developer.
We’re intrigued to see how much this feels like Rune Factory, and how much it doesn’t, when it launches on 4th November.
One of various reveals from the September Nintendo Direct Showcase, Sifu debuted on PlayStations and PC earlier this year and sees you taking on hoards of opponents as you attempt to avenge your father in a kinetic, hardcore martial arts brawler. Our friends over at Push Square awarded it 8/10 and called it «brutal but brilliant». Yep, we’ll have us some of that when it drops on 8th November.
Officially announced at The Game Awards 2021, Sonic Frontiers looks to be giving Sega’s mascot the open-world treatment. Opinion is split whether it’s more Sonic of the Wild or Sonic of the Colossus, but the general direction has a lot of promise — we’ve got our fingers, toes, legs and eyes crossed that Sonic Team can pull it off.
In a pleasing move for fans, Frontiers will reportedly feature the return of the «entire voice cast», too. Reaction to its gameplay reveal trailers hasn’t been particularly warm, but there’s still lots we don’t know. It’s scheduled for a 8th November release on Switch and other platforms.
A surprise announcement and a classic in the tactical RPG genre, Tactics Ogre: Reborn reworks the original 1995 Super Famicom game with updated art, a streamlined HD user interface, and other improvements to the battle system and audio. While we’re not fans of the pixel ‘smoothing’ solution that Square Enix seems to have opted for here, it’s tough to not be excited for a remake of a game this good, regardless of how nervous some fans are about the advertised alterations.
We’ll find out if this version can live up to the legend of the original on 11th November.
It seems Switch is getting a bumper helping of Pokémon love with Gen 9 debuting on the console on 18th November. With the surprise announcement of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet coming hot on the heels of the release of the excellent Pokémon Legends: Arceus, this upcoming adventure will be going full open-world and taking the franchise to new places with a whole new roster of Pokémon to catch — and Gen 9 presumably taking the total number of monsters past the 1000 mark.
Blimey!
Upcoming Switch games for 2022 (and beyond)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
The upcoming Switch games on the horizon continue to grow thanks to recent showcases that have treated us to more announcements and reveals. The latest September 2022 Nintendo Direct gave us plenty to look forward to, with the likes of Pikmin 4, a remake of Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, and Fire Emblem Engage. The showcase also gave us another look at the highly anticipated Breath of the Wild sequel, which we now know is officially titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
There’s certainly no shortage of reasons to get excited about the future line-up of games coming to Nintendo’s console, from big anticipated first-party games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fast approaching and third-party games that will bring some beloved series to the Switch such as Persona 5 and Persona 4 Golden. If you’re ready to add to your wishlist, read on below to find our roundup of all of the biggest upcoming Switch games on the horizon in release date order.
2022 Upcoming Switch Games
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Release date: October 20, 2022
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is the second in Ubisoft’s brilliant crossover with Nintendo’s IP. The original heroes are back — along with some new faces including the titular Sparks and Rabbid Rosalina — but this time they’re facing a galactic-level peril in the form of new villain Cursa. The game will move beyond the Mushroom Kingdom to include the wider Mario + Rabbids universe, and is opening up each of those worlds for free exploration. The same can be said of battle too, with the game removing the grid system to let you freely control each of the three heroes in play. There are still similar turn-based, tactical rules to follow, but should allow for more creativity taking on foes.
New Tales from the Borderlands
(Image credit: 2K)
Release date: October 21, 2022
New Tales from the Borderlands is set to take us through an entirely new story that follows in the footsteps of the 2014 Telltale game.
As a standalone, choice based experience developed by Gearbox Software, we’ll be meeting three new playable characters, Octavio, Anu, and Fran, as they con their way through five chapters. First teased back in April of this year, we finally got an official look at the upcoming adventure during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022.
Persona 5 Royal
(Image credit: Atlus)
Release date: October 21, 2022
Get ready because the Phantom Thieves are coming to steal your heart on Switch. At long last the world of Persona is arriving on Nintendo’s console with the launch of Persona 5 Royal. As the enhanced re-release, the Royal Edition introduces new memorable characters, additional story content and all of the previously released DLC into one package. With it’s slick music, satisfying combat, and engrossing story, we’re looking forward to finding out how it runs on the Switch this October.
Bayonetta 3
(Image credit: PlatinumGames)
Release date: 28 October, 2022
Bayonetta is back, baby.
Bayonetta 3 was announced back in 2017, and you’ll finally get to play it on Switch five years later. Expect everything you’d want out of a Bayonetta title and then some: gun fights, dancing, witty one-liners, gigantic Kaiju you’ll have to fight with your own Gozdilla-ish monster. The highly anticipated return of the Witch is sure to be worth the wait, with the famous protagonist said to be more powerful than ever.
Harvestella
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Release date: November 4, 2022
Harvestella is an upcoming life sim farming RPG from Square Enix. Set in the new fantasy world in the peaceful village of Lethe, you can farm, craft items, gather materials, fish, get to know the locals and form friendships as you go about your daily life. Seasons will change from Spring through to Winter, but it’s said that they’ll soon give way to a season known as Quietus, aka the season of death — that certainly doesn’t sound like good news. It’s up to you to try and overcome any threats and uncover the mystery of the death season.
Sonic Frontiers
(Image credit: Sega)
Release date: November 8, 2022
The blue hedgehogs latest adventure Sonic Frontiers is speeding its way on the Switch towards the end of 2022. With what Sega describes as «open-zone freedom», the new action experience takes place on Starfall Islands, which is said to be home to an ancient civilization. As you zip your way through the zones, you’ll be able to make use of Sonics skills to spin and dash across the landscapes.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Release date: November 18, 2022
Pokemon’s going truly open-world this year, with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet set to drop later this year. Yes, there’s another Poke-venture arriving in 2022, building on the foundations laid by January’s Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Arriving alongside the Gen 9 Pokedex, we’ll be exploring a brand new locale inspired by Spain and the Mediterranean with seamless exploration.
Dragon Quest Treasures
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Release: December 9, 2022
As a Dragon Quest series spin-off, Dragon Quest Treasures follows two siblings Erik and Mia who find themselves in the magical realm of Draconia. With treasure-hunting aspirations, the pair set out to get their hands on treasure with their creature companions Purrsula and Porcus at their side. As you try to hunt down riches, you can also team up with monsters in the realm. The spin-off is said to be a prequel of sorts that takes place before the events of Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
TBC 2022
(Image credit: Night School Studio)
Release date: TBC 2022
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is the sequel to the critically acclaimed indie hit that was Oxenfree. However, don’t fret if you’ve not played the original, because this is an entirely new story. Yes, the same heroine remains and she’s returning to her home town, but this is an story that’s unconnected to the events of the original game.
Instead, Riley is investigating a new mystery in Camena, and finds something rather unexpected — and more importantly, supernatural.
2023 upcoming Switch games
Fire Emblem Engage
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Release date: January 20, 2023
Fire Emblem Engage is the latest instalment in the game that will see us set out to save the continent of Elyos as the Divine Dragon. As well as introducing us to a new cast of characters, Fire Emblem Engage will also allow us to summon heroes from past games, with the trailer featuring the likes of Marth from the original Fire Emblem game and Celica from Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. We don’t yet know much about the story of the new adventure, but we’ll once again be engaging in tactical, turn-based combat.
Octopath Traveler 2
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Release date: February 24, 2023
The pixelated strategy RPG is returning for a sequel that will introduce us to eight new travelers in the land of Solistia.
We got to see some of the characters we’ll be meeting briefly in the Nintendo Direct September 2022 showcase, which debuted a reveal trailer that gave us our first look at the game. The sequel is also set to bring a day and night cycle to the adventure.
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Release date: February 24, 2023
A remake of Kirby’s return to Dreamland which landed on the Wii is officially coming to the Switch with a Deluxe version. In Return to Dreamland, the loveable pink puffball sets off on a quest to help Magalor after a spaceship crashes onto Planet Popstar. Excitingly, the adventure will see the debut of a new copy ability known as Mecha. With multiplayer support for up to four players locally, the game also features a host of minigames. The remake comes as part of the celebrations for the little pink hero, with 2022 marking Kirby’s 30th anniversary.
Blanc
(Image credit: Gearbox)
Release date: February 2023
Blanc immediately caught our eye with it’s beautiful black and white hand-drawn art style and adorable protagonists.
Set to take us on an «emotional journey», Blanc follows the story of of a wolf cub and a fawn in a snowy world who must work to together to make it home through the frigid terrain. With online and local co-op support, the puzzle element comes into play as you try to use the unique skills of the wolf cub and the fawn to progress.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Release date: Spring 2023
Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is officially titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The expansive landscapes of Hyrule are set to open up even further in Tears of the Kingdom, with an expanded world setting that will take us to the skies above as well as the vast landscapes below. The latest look at the upcoming adventure came in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, with Link diving from great heights and landing on a new glider contraption, and also move platforms through the air. There looks set to be lots of means of traversal as we explore all the Hyrule has to offer.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
(Image credit: Gameloft/Disney)
Release date: Full launch TBC 2023
Developer Gameloft new life simulation adventure is already proving to be pretty magical. Released in early access in September, Disney Dreamlight Valley takes place in a land where a host of beloved Pixar and Disney characters live. Once an idyllic place, everything changes when a force known as the Forgetting comes into the picture, detaching the memories tied to the land. Now, it’s up to you to bring the magic back by helping the residents. With quests to complete, areas to unlock, and stories to discover, Disney Dreamlight Valley is set to launch in full sometime in 2023. You can check out our early impressions so far in our Disney Dreamlight Valley review.
Pikmin 4
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Release date: TBC 2023
Pikmin 4 is officially coming, with confirmation during the September 2022 Nintendo presentation from Miyamoto.
While no gameplay was shown, we got to see the first image of the game that shows how we’ll be playing from the Pikmins perspective. Miyamoto also revealed that the Nintendo Switch makes controlling the game «simpler», which means you can concentrate on the «core essence of Pikmin gameplay».
Moving Out 2
(Image credit: Team17)
Release date: TBC 2023
Co-op game Moving Out that was released back in 2020 is getting a sequel in Moving Out 2. Set to bring back the frantic process of, well, moving out, we’ll be returning to Packmore for more furniture lifting shenanigans with a cast of quirky playable characters to choose from. This time around, Moving Out 2 will also support Online multiplayer cross-platform support, so you can play with pals no matter where they are or what they play on.
Persona 4 Golden
(Image credit: Atlus)
Release date: TBC 2023
As the enhanced version of Persona 4 which originally released on the PS2, Persona 4 Golden takes you to town of Inaba as a highschool student and his friends who gets caught up in a strange series of murders.
Experiencing school life by day, you’ll get to know fellow students, form bonds, take part in social gatherings, or spend time at home with the family. By night, though, you’ll venture into dungeons to face the darker side of the people you’ve come to know. As a memorable coming of age story with plenty of mystery, it’s sure to find a happy home on Switch.
Persona 3 Portable
(Image credit: Atlus)
Release date: TBC 2023
Happily, alongside 4 Golden and 4 Royal, Persona 3 Portable is also coming to Switch. Originally released on the PSP as an enhanced version of the PS2 version with alternative protagonist routes, Persona 3 Portable sees you play as a teenage student who sets out to investigate the Dark Hour, a period of time that occurs every night that most aren’t aware of. During this time, people turn into coffins and monsters known as Shadows roam. When you’re looking into this strange occurrence alongside your friends, you go about your day-to-day at school, forming bonds and building skills.
With Japanese and English voice acting, the Switch version also comes with full HD graphics.
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Release date: TBC 2023
Minecraft Legends is a new action strategy game that takes place in the blocky universe. Set in a new — albeit familiar — world, you’re free to explore its lands, which are full of different biomes, resources, and wildlife. You’ll have to fight against the Piglin invasion in the overworld by gathering resources to build up defenses and engage in strategic battles. You can also form alliances and friendships with others in the world as you help them protect their homes. It looks set to be an interesting new direction for the Minecraft universe.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
(Image credit: Marvel)
Release date: TBC 2023
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is the upcoming title from XCOM developer, Firaxis, and is bringing a touch of the superhero magic to the strategy genre. Aimed with a roster of 12 superheroes, you’ll be tasked with taking down Lillith, the Mother of Demons.
You are The Hunter, a completely customizable Marvel hero — quite the historic event — and you are Earth’s last defense against the underworld.
TBC
Mineko’s Night Market
(Image credit: Meowza Games)
Release date: TBC 2023
If you are incapable of watching the Mineko’s Night Market trailer and suppressing squeaks at all the adorable kitties it contains, this isn’t a game for you. It’s basically a kind of game like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, where you explore, craft, oh and breed cats. The cute little balls of fluff will follow you around as you play as Mineko who’s just moved to Mount Fugu Island, and is also accompanied by her giant cat-like friend Abe. Together, you’ll gather resources and craft items to sell at your market stall, play loads of mini-games, and of course, befriend kittens. Lots and lots and lots of kitties. Sounds rather wonderful, doesn’t it?
Dragon Quest Heroes 1 and 2
(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)
Release date: TBC
Dynasty Warriors, with its endless procession of idiot enemy fodder whose only goal is to give your attack button a workout, is certainly divisive.
But whatever your stance on the series is, there’s no denying that Koei Tecmo’s spin-offs, which include the Zelda-inspired Hyrule Warriors, show that the series’ button-mashing formula still has room for experimentation. Dragon Quest Heroes heroes was a surprisingly delightful take on the musou genre, taking the series’ classic RPG framework and dressing it around real-time action combat and monster collection. This combo will include the entire first game along with its sequel, meaning you’ll get to spend hundreds of hours slicing through slimes at home or on the go.
Yokai Watch 4
Release date: TBC
If you’re a Pokemon fan, you probably already know about the Yo-Kai Watch series. It follows a similar format in that you collect critters that also function as your companions as a young kid. That’s, of course, reducing it somewhat, but I for one am ridiculously excited about Yo-Kai Watch 4. It’s already looking incredible, and actually might make Pokemon Let’s Go look a bit 3DS era.
In terms of new gameplay features, it’ll introduce a brand new item, called the Yokai Ark, which will let players travel between three worlds that are all set in different time periods, and feature their own protagonist. It should be quite the beast, and a good distraction before the real Pokemon Switch RPG arrives.
Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she’s also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for over seven years, and for GamesRadar, she is in charge of reviews, best lists, and the overall running of the site and its staff. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. Basically, she loves all games that aren’t sports or fighting titles!
Nintendo Switch: what is the reason for the resounding success and is it worth buying the console in 2022?
In 2022, the handheld Nintendo Switch turned five years old.
By the standards of game consoles, this is a lifetime and it seems like it’s time for the old man to retire, but where is there, even after the release of PS5 and Xbox Series X, it is Switch that remains the fastest-selling console in history with one of the most diverse game libraries. However, not everyone believed in the success of Switch before its launch. Analysts doubted that it would be bought by anyone other than Nintendo fans, and clouds were gathering over Nintendo itself after unsuccessful Wii U sales. in 2022.
When, in the mid-2000s, Sony and Microsoft declared a protracted console war and began burning hundreds of millions of dollars in teraflops, Nintendo shrugged and went their own way. Instead of performance, the gameplay was put at the forefront, and the hardware of the Nintedo Wii game console released in 2007 lagged far behind the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. Instead of beautiful “next-gen graphics”, the Japanese offered gamers a lot of not the most beautiful game projects with non-trivial gameplay , which is tied to the management of the gameplay using unusual controls.
| Photo from the Nintendo store in Japan. |
For example, the Wiimote touch controller can navigate in space and send signals about it to the console. Therefore, when playing tennis, a gamer needs to swing his hand with a controller, like with a racket, in boxing — punch and hold defense, and when fencing, hold the controller in front of him like a sword. Subsequently, in addition to the Wii, the Japanese released a controller in the form of a dance mat, an auxiliary Nunchuk joystick, a virtual blaster for Zapper shooters and many other exotics that gave players dozens of hours of unique gaming experience.
During the fourth war between Sony and Microsoft, which involved the PlayStaion 4 and Xbox One, Nintendo once again stepped aside. In 2017, she presented to the public the Nintendo Switch portable console, which at first glance did not fit into the landscape of the gaming industry at that time at all.
In fact, it was the reincarnation of the legendary portable consoles Game & Watch and Game Boy, which cost a little less than PS4, was significantly inferior to it in power and again could not boast of games with beautiful graphics. Nevertheless, the console brought Nintendo a resounding success. It turned out that the «cartoonish and not serious» Mario Kart, Zelda and Super Smash impressed many experienced players much more, another Sony exclusive with photorealistic graphics and a new facial animation system.
Design and ergonomics Switch: how comfortable is it?
| Switch has many faces. |
The Nintendo Switch marked an innovation with a unique design: it can be called a mixture of handheld and home console. It consists of a small tablet with an LCD or OLED screen, on the sides of which a pair of Joy-Con modules are connected with the main control buttons that act as a gamepad.
When assembled, the console resembles the Game Boy Advance, which has significantly added muscle mass. The set-top box also comes with a stationary unit needed to charge the console and connect to a TV. Games can be played from cartridges or downloaded digital versions to the console’s memory.
The console is not that big (width 172 mm, weight 400 grams), especially by the standards of modern smartphones. On top of the case are a slot for cartridges with games, a headphone jack, a power button, a volume key and a ventilation grill. At the bottom is a USB C port and connectors for a docking station. A small retractable leg and a slot for memory cards are hidden behind. The original Switch has only 32 GB of memory on board, so if you are buying not cartridges with games, but their digital versions, then a memory card is a must have. Cooling at the console is active, there is a cooler inside.
On the sides of the case are inserts for detachable Joy-Con controllers, which have a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer, infrared camera and vibration motors.
The controllers turned out to be compact (height 100 mm, width 30 mm) and fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. The layout of the buttons duplicates the classic gamepads of recent years: each half has a stick, 4 main control buttons and a pair of shifts.
| Play together on the same console? Easily! |
The convenience of controlling the console depends on how the owner will use the joycons. And you can do it in three different ways.
- In the first case, the pads are connected to the sides of the tablet, as we mentioned above. The game experience is similar to using the 3DS or PlayStation Vita consoles, only it is more convenient to play thanks to full-fledged sticks and shifts.
- If the console is connected to a TV and the player does not need a tablet with a screen, then the joycons are connected to each other using a special mount, which is shaped like a classic DualShock gamepad.
- In the third case, the joycons can be held directly in the hands without being connected to anything. The fact is that the 4 main buttons of both gamepads functionally duplicate each other, so some games can be played together with a friend by giving him a second joycon.
Nintendo Game Consoles
How successful was the hybrid console idea?
| In the morning you can play in front of the TV, in the evening — in the company of friends. |
Nintendo’s idea to cross handheld and stationary consoles is definitely a success. Since all the filling is hidden directly inside the tablet, Switch can be taken out of the dock at any time and continue to play on the go without interfering with the gameplay. In practice, this gives the player a whole bunch of possible use cases: you can play lounging in front of a TV screen, lying in bed or sitting in a train car.
That is, Switch gives the experience of playing both on a stationary console and on a portable set-top box / smartphone. With the difference that Nintendo releases really interesting games, and most mobile games for iOS and Android are aimed not so much at entertaining the player as at squeezing more money out of him.
Sony tried to do something similar with the PS4 + PS Vita, but the problem was that in this pair, the Vita played the role of the screen and the gamepad, and the stationary console processed the picture, so the image quality depended on the quality of the Internet connection. In the case of Nintendo Switch consoles, the player does not need to spend money on two devices, and then fiddle with transferring saves. Everything you need is in one place. It should also be noted that several switches can be connected to one Wi-Fi network and play with friends over a local network.
What versions of Nintendo Switch are there and how do they differ?
Switch, Switch OLED and Switch Lite.
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The original Nintendo Switch came out in 2017. It features a 6.2-inch LCD display and 32GB storage. As the brain, an NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor with four ACortex-A57 cores operating at a frequency of 1.02 GHz is used. The amount of RAM is 4 GB. With the release of firmware version 8, Nintendo added an auto-overclocking feature that boosts the core clock to 1.75GHz for a short period of time and increases the overall performance of the console by almost 70%.
Two years later, Nintendo responded to Game Boy fans by releasing a fully portable Switch Lite model with a similar filling, a smaller 5.5-inch display and joy-cons built into the body. Switch Lite is designed for portable use only, it does not have a docking station and cannot be connected to a TV. Actually, this is where the comparisons with the Game Boy came from.
According to most fans of the brand, the most interesting option for today is the 2021 Nintendo Switch OLED modification.
It is based on the same hardware platform, but it has a more interesting 7-inch OLED display, storage has expanded to 64 GB, and a LAN cable can now be connected to the docking station. Many gamers note the increased quality of materials and assembly, thanks to which the console is more comfortable in the hands, does not play and does not creak when pressed.
What to play?
| Unique Nintendo game library. |
And now we get to the most interesting part. The fact is that Nintendo is like that samurai from Japanese parables — it has no goal, it has only its own unique path from which it does not stray. For more than 30 years, the Japanese have been releasing old-school cartoon games about Mario Brothers, Zelda, Danky Kong and Pokemon, which do not have photorealistic graphics, shooting from behind cover, royal battles, donations, interchangeable skins and other delights of modern gaming blockbusters.
More interestingly, most of the company’s games look like they came out of the old days of 8 and 16-bit consoles, and are often more expensive than the hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the development of PlayStation exclusives. Nevertheless, it is Nintendo that remains one of the most stable and profitable companies in the gaming market, often outperforming both Sony and Microsoft in terms of profit.
What is the secret? Nintendo makes games with an emphasis on gameplay. They are fun to play because Nintendo uses a wide variety of game mechanics, does not hesitate to experiment and does not take itself too seriously. This is fundamentally different from the philosophy of large AAA studios that invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the development of the project, be afraid of any risks and use the same game mechanics (hello, stealth in the bushes and shooting from behind cover).
For example, cartoon racing Mario Kart fell in love even with people who are extremely far from racing arcades and simulators.
Instead of the brutal seriousness of conventional Gran Turismo, Nintendo proposes to get together in a fun company and arrange a crazy rally with the participation of Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi the dinosaur and other characters from the Nintendo multiverse. Along the way, you need to collect various amplifiers and pave the way to the finish line using a variety of weapons. And while it sounds like a description of some generic AppStore game, Mario Kart is insanely fun to play regardless of age.
The ability to entertain players in a non-trivial way applies to other Nintendo projects, and few people manage to repeat their formula. For example, none of the clones of the team fighting game Super Smash Bros. did not achieve the same recognition as the original from Nintendo. And The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, in which Nintendo reworked the traditional dungeon-crawling formula, was lauded by almost every gaming media as a top-notch AAA open-world project, including Horizon Zero Dawn, which was released the same year.
Thanks to the focus on gameplay over graphics, Nintendo games age like good cognac.
| Cartoon characters ≠ games for kids. |
You don’t have to be a Big N fan to enjoy Switch, though. For more than 5 years, a huge number of cross-platform AAA projects like Doom 2016, the third Witcher and ES: Skyrim have been ported to the console. Riding Roach along Toussaint, sitting in a taxi, is, you see, a unique experience. High-profile indie titles like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Hades are also constantly coming out on the Switch. And all because Switch supports the popular Unity and Unreal Engine engines, and is also friends with the Vulkan cross-platform API, which is slowly pushing proprietary DirectX 12 off the stage.
Against this background, a significant disadvantage is the company’s pricing policy. Game cartridges are at the level of PS5 games, digital versions are not much cheaper, and Nintendo itself rarely indulges players with promotions and discounts.
As a result of this, a paradoxical situation is obtained when for the Switch version of Doom or the good old Bioshock in stores they ask many times more than for the console or PC version. Each console owner chooses how to live with it. Someone is waiting for the sale of digital versions on third-party sites, someone, like in childhood, buys and changes cartridges (fortunately, they almost do not fall in price), and someone is fiddling with flashing and playing under pirate flags.
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Bottom line: how cool is the Switch and is it worth buying in 2022?
| Switch is a hybrid of a portable and stationary game console. |
The magic of the Nintendo consoles is that they offered something new and different from the usual performance improvement — Switch, fortunately, was no exception. This little tablet does wonders by switching between different display modes and control schemes on the fly.
And in his freedom there is something terribly attractive: like a full-fledged console, but at the same time completely mobile.
Playing on the go, then came home, plugged the console into the docking station and continued to play from the same place. Then I played enough, took it off the dock and went to play lying on the couch from the same place. The process is debugged like in a Swiss bank, and while using the console there are no thoughts, they say, in this case it was necessary to do this, but I would remove this chip altogether. Swith leaves behind only a pleasant aftertaste.
In order not to seem like a fanboy, in the end it is necessary to note the shortcomings of the console. We talked about high prices for games a little higher. In addition to prices, I want to scold autonomy. Despite the fact that the battery is capable of holding a charge for about 20 hours, in most popular projects it lasts for 3-5 hours of play. Alternatively, the console can blur the graphics and extend the battery life, but in this case, the picture does not look very pretty to say the least.
The networking capabilities of the console are also frustrating. For example, Nintedo has been ignoring requests from players to add Discord to the firmware for the fifth year in a row. Well, the graphics in cross-platform projects are frankly inferior to their versions for PC and stationary consoles. For example, the same third Witcher on Switch looks like all the graphics settings have been turned to the very minimum.
Nintendo is not yet ready to talk about the next console — the media believes that it plans to launch a new Switch 9 model0001
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The Nintendo isn’t ready to reveal its next console after the Switch just yet. Shuntaro Furukawa , President of the company , spoke about this in an interview with Japanese journalists.
According to him, Nintendo is now focused on further popularizing the Switch and expanding its life cycle. Sales dynamics continue to be at a very high level, so the company wants to make the most of the current situation. This will not only allow her to maximize the commercial potential of the Switch, but also provide additional time and resources to develop and prepare the next system for launch.
«Nintendo never forgets the need to release new hardware and is constantly working on its design. We will continue to focus on offering the audience a unique gaming experience,» the message says.
But if we talk about new revisions after Switch OLED or models with improved filling, these may appear in the foreseeable future, journalists of believe. At today’s analyst meeting, Furukawa was asked if Nintendo plans to release the «next iteration of the Switch in the coming fiscal year», i.
e. before March 31, 2023, and the President declined to comment .
As notes Bloomberg author Takashi Mochizuki , when Furukawa was asked a similar question two years ago, he replied that there were no such plans, and there really were no new Switch models coming out in 2020.
The so-called Switch Pro or Switch 4K has been rumored for a long time on the net. Insiders believe that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 could have been moved just in time for its launch.
By April 2023, Nintendo plans to bring the total number of Switch consoles sold to 128 million consoles. Projected sales of the hydride family in its full sixth year of life are over 20 million consoles. According to Furukawa, this is a unique case in the history of Nintendo.
Other systems at such stages of their lives could not boast of such figures.
The Switch should also hold the all-time record for total game sales of all Nintendo 9 consoles0248 .
See also : Nintendo boasted impressive Switch sales and reported record demand for games for the console .
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