Nintendo Switch is Alien Tech

It’s been almost four years since the Nintendo Switch was released, and I’m still amazed every single time I dock my Switch from playing in handheld mode to see my game instantly jump onto the TV screen.

It may not be the highest powered console around, especially with the next generation of Playstation and X-Box arriving last month, but it’s still an amazing place to play so many games. It’s my indie game home machine. Anytime a game I already own elsewhere is released on the eShop I always think, “I could play this handheld on Switch.” And That’s usually enough to get me to repurchase a game on my Switch.

Here’s a list of games I own on Switch and PS4 or PC: Rocket League, The Binding of Isaac, Overcooked, Hollow Knight, Towerfall, Celeste, Fortnite, Super Meatboy, NBA 2K20, Overwatch, Rogue Company, Runbow, Bastion, Enter the Gungeon, Axiom Verge, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Steamworld Dig. Some of these games may have been free in one or both places. Other games were purchased twice, most likely on sale the second time.

The Nintendo Switch is the most Nintendo console to ever Nintendo. As one of the only gaming companies still in the handheld gaming market, they finally created the perfect device. For over a decade Nintendo has released separate games for both a home consoles (Wii or Wii U) and their handheld devices (multiple versions of the 2DS and 3DS). Now, they can focus on one console/handheld device, and it works amazing both ways.

They first tried the hybrid TV/handheld gaming console with the Wii U, which was a huge failure since many people thought it was just an upgrade to your Wii. It was neat that the Wii U could be played in handheld mode, so you could play games while watching TV at the same time. However, you could only travel a few feet from the TV with the Wii U’s clunky handheld tablet remote without losing reception on whatever game you were playing.

After being a massive failure, it’s a good thing that almost every Wii U game has seen a second life (or a “first” life, to those who went completely unnoticed) thanks to the Nintendo Switch. There were some great games for the Wii U, however not too many people got to play them because they didn’t own a Wii U.

Nintendo makes the perfect first-party games for the Switch. The concept works so well because it’s a Nintendo console. Of course it would be pretty cool to be able to play some big Sony and Microsoft AAA games on a handheld console, but it would need some insane power to run them. Plus, those games were meant to be enjoyed on a large screen with big sound or some powerful headphones.

With the release of the next-gen PS5 and X-Box Series S & Series X, Nintendo is not out of the race. In 2020, the Switch has still been the highest selling console. It was even sold out and hard to find during the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Switch’s power was already a little behind on the previous generation, and now with rumors of a new “Switch Pro” in the works we’ll see if they can increase the power. However, I don’t think they really need to.

It’s nice to see that all three companies (Nintendo, Microsoft & Sony) are each focusing on their own thing. Nintendo has always been behind on the power, but they have always focused on their signature games that work great on whatever system they have out. Sony and Microsoft were always fighting it out to be the best place to play, but now Microsoft is all-in with game pass, while Sony is all about its exclusives and first party games.

The Nintendo Switch is the perfect second console, if you want to own a PC, X-Box or Playstation for big AAA titles and use your Switch for other smaller/indie games along with first party Nintendo games. We have seen some of the AAA games come to Switch, (Doom and Doom Eternal, and some older AAA games). If you can only own one console though, the Nintendo Switch is still great as your one and only. Every week we see so many games coming to the Nintendo eShop. We’ve received many big surprises in the form of indie showcases and Nintendo directs. There’s also a few games in the works that we know about (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 4) and probably a few we don’t know about.

There is one next-gen feature I would love for the Switch or probably the “Switch Pro,” and that’s quick resume. I sometimes spend my gaming nights jumping between a few games, especially on my Switch. It would be nice to have Animal Crossing take me straight to my island (ferdington) without all of the loading and having to hear Isabelle each time I go to my island for the first time that day. I think I love playing Picross so much before bed because it’s the quickest game to jump into also. Most other games need to load up, and I start to fall asleep while waiting.

With the new consoles of the next generation out now, I’d say the Nintendo Switch is still doing great stuff.

BONUS DLC: Custom Switch Dock pics…