The Nintendo Switch has been on the market for six months, and the system is finally worth a purchase. This is due to the system finally having enough worthwhile games on the system, and a good calendar of games still to be released in the coming months. The variety and quality of games already on and still coming to the system shows Nintendo, third-party and indie developers are supporting it.
The Nintendo Switch is all about convenience. The main gimmick of the console is that you can take it away from your home and play it wherever you may want. This is a very inviting option. The options of being able to play something while waiting for a class to start or during a break between doing homework is great. I love handheld game systems, and having massive console games like “Doom” or “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” become portable is great.
The reason why most people buy a Nintendo console is for their first-party titles, and they have been on the top of their game for the Switch. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is one of the few games the system launched with, and it is also one of the highest-rated games ever. It is the reason I bought the system, and it justified my purchase by itself. The game works great portably, being able to do a small shrine or exploring a small area in the little amount of time you may have available.
Since the system’s launch “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,” and “Splatoon 2” have also released. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” has the most content of any Mario Kart game, having 48 different places to race in, and multiple different tracks for the battle mode. “Splatoon 2” has a new story mode, but is otherwise very similar to the first game, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The first
Splatoon game was an inventive and fun twist on the usual multiplayer shooter genre and the second game continues that.
There are also games that have been announced but not yet released. “Super Mario Odyssey” and “Xenoblade Chronicles 2” are releasing before the year is over, and look to be spectacular entries in their franchises, especially “Super Mario Odyssey.” New entries in the Pokemon and Fire Emblem series, as well as “Metroid Prime 4,” have been announced for past 2017.
Nintendo have definitely brought their heavy-hitters for the system, but the third-party developers have also started to get on-board too. “Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle” is a great collaboration between Nintendo and Ubisoft. It is a fun and surprisingly difficult game that includes a fair bit of strategy and thought.
“Sonic Mania” and “NBA 2K18” are two games that have also released for the console. “Sonic Mania” is an old game made new, with some old stages and levels being recreated, with new additions. It is an amazing game that knows its past, and uses it to great success. “NBA 2K18” is the next basketball game of many, but now being able to take it anywhere is where the game will really shine. Being able to play a game before class is an exciting option to have.
The still-to-be-released games from third-party developers are no less exciting either. FIFA returns to a Nintendo console on Sept. 29 when FIFA 18 comes to the Switch; and like “NBA 2K18,” will be fun to play anywhere. “Project Octopath Traveler” by Square Enix is a role-playing game by the developers of “Bravely Default,” and looks to merge the old RPG mechanics with an HD style that looks gorgeous.
Two companies that aren’t known for putting their games on Nintendo consoles, Bethesda and Rockstar, are switching that trend up. Rockstar is bringing their hit detective game
“L.A. Noire” to the console. Bethesda, shockingly, is bring three games to the system. The first of these is “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.” It will be the first Elder Scrolls game to come to a Nintendo console. They are also bringing the newest “Doom” to the console. “Doom” is an amazing game, and was personally one of my one or two favorite games last year. The last of the three games is Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. This game is coming to the Switch next year, but on other consoles before the year ends.
The indie developers’ support for the Nintendo Switch is the main reason it is worth a purchase. The support has been massive, with many popular already released games and upcoming ones as well coming to the console. Some standouts that have already released on the system are “Fast RMX,” “Overcooked! Special Edition,” “Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove” and “SteamWorld Dig 2.”
“Fast RMX” is a racing game in the same vein as the F-Zero and Wipeout series. It is a fast, exciting racing game that is easy to learn, but difficult, and fun, to master. “Overcooked! Special Edition” is a game where the player is trying to save the world, by cooking and feeding people. While it is one of the best couch co-op games I’ve ever played, it’s a blast alone too. “Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove” has the original Shovel Knight game, and the downloadable content, which is all free. The original game, and the downloadable content are some of my favorites in the past few years. Lastly, the newly-released “SteamWorld Dig 2” is a great and enjoyable Metroid-like that is even better than its predecessor.
The upcoming indie games coming to the console are also exciting. “Rocket League,” “Stardew Valley,” and “Hollow Knight” are the notable games that are still to come. “Rocket League,” the popular mix between soccer and cars, is a perfect fit for the system. Each game only takes five minutes, which is prefect for a pick-up and play system like the Switch. “Stardew
Valley” is a farming simulator that lets the player choose any path. The player can farm, fish, mine, or date any character they want. There are no lack of choices in this game. “Hollow Knight” is a similar game to the old Metroid and Castlevania games. The player searches and uses abilities to find new areas and bosses.
The games that have released and will release for the Nintendo Switch are a great indicator that the system has a long and worthwhile lifespan ahead. Nintendo seem to have found a winner on their hands with this console, and after six months it is finally a purchase that I can recommend.
