Co-Op Critics | Dreamcast

February 15, 2017 In Opinion

I Pre-Ordered The Nintendo Switch–Did You?

Hey gang, Brian here. We are just over two weeks away from the launch of the Nintendo Switch. And the closer we get to launch the more I keep hearing people argue about whether or not it’s worth pre-ordering, or if people should wait until there are more games out for the system, or the price drops, or some bundles arrive.

I pre-ordered mine the day the went up. Why? Because there was never a doubt for me that I would be getting the new Nintendo console. I bought the WiiU, the Wii, the New 3DS Xl, the 3DS, the DS (a few times), and a slew of GameBoy models over the years. I got the NES for Christmas the year it came out, and the original GameBoy as well. In fact,the only time I wasn’t an avid Nintendo player was during the N64 and early GameCube eras (when I was mainly gaming on the Genesis, Dreamcast and Playstation).

I am a fan of Nintendo, and one of the things I love about them the most is how they don’t follow what Sony and Microsoft do. The Switch is nothing like the PS4 or Xbox One, and I love that. To me, it’s more an evolution of what they were trying to do with the Wii, and as a PS Vita owner, it seems like a better and more versatile version of the PS Vita.

So, it was a no-brainer for em to order the Switch. I’ll play Zelda at launch, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to pick up some classic games (or even more recent Wii or WiiU games I missed) through the eShop. The Switch isn’t my only console, so it doesn’t need to have everything for me.

Now don’t get me wrong–Nintendo has done plenty to screw up this launch, as they usually do. The launch lineup is weak, the accessories are way too expensive, the streaming features aren’t available at launch, and we still have little idea what the online service is actually going to look like. Nintendo has a way of shooting themselves in the foot and making things more complicated than they need to be. The launch of the Switch appears to be no different.

But that won’t stop me from enjoying the heck out of the Switch when I get it on March 3rd.

I hope the Switch is a huge success for Nintendo. A healthy Nintendo is good for the games industry. What I’d love to see more than anything is for them to phase out the 3DS and truly move forward with one platform. There are tons of 3DS games that never really used the second screen anyway and could become eShop games for the Switch. And of course, the DS and GameBoy libraries should be available for the Switch as well. The Switch could bring it all together.

It probably won’t, because this is Nintendo. But I will still love them, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the Switch.

So–did you pre-order the Switch?

May 7, 2014 In Uncategorized

It’s That Time Again–This Week’s Anti-Nintendo Nonsense

*Sigh*

Well, the Nintendo gloom and doom story of the week arrived today as word dropped that Nintendo suffered an almost $230 million net loss. At the end of Nintendo’s fiscal year (March 31st), WiiU sales sit at a grand total of 6.17 million. By contrast, the XBox One (5 million units) and the PS4 (7 million units) have vastly outpaced the WiiU in the roughly six months since their releases.

Nintendo promised a return to profitability this coming year, but predicted a modest 3.6 million in WiiU sales, and 3DS sales of 12 million, which is just below what it sold this past year.

I’ve blogged about this before, but it really bothers me to see the vulture-like mentality of the mainstream gaming media when it comes to Nintendo’s woes.** They revel in every piece of negative news, producing condescending op ed-pieces and endless roundtable discussions about how much trouble Nintendo is in, and calling for them to abandon the WiiU, put all of their games on mobile or stop making hardware altogether.

Can everyone just take a deep breath, please? The WiiU has been out for just shy of 18 months.

I mean, are we really suggesting that Nintendo pull a SEGA here and give the WiiU the Dreamcast treatment? Even that console was given two and a half years from its launch before SEGA pulled the plug (capping lifetime sales at 10.6 million).

If we’re going to be comparing WiiU sales to anything, it shouldn’t be the XBox One or PS4–it should be Nintendo’s previous consoles. It’s safe to assume the Wii’s numbers will never be duplicated by Nintendo At this point, I think a reasonable comparison would be the GameCube. In its five-plus year lifespan, the GameCube sold just under 22 million units. For the WiiU to hit that number in a similar timeframe, it should be averaging 4.4 million units per year. So, if the WiiU gets to 8.8 million by November of 2014, which is very likely, it will be on pace with GameCube numbers.

Mario Kart 8 is going to sell WiiU consoles, there is no doubt about that. How many? Probably not as much as Nintendo would like, and not as few as the gaming media and anti-Nintendo fans will predict. Personally, I think we’ll see sales of WiiU hit 9+ million by the end of 2014, bolstered by Mario Kart 8, Bayonetta 2 and (hopefully) Super Smash Bros.

I will be putting a separate post together about the WiiU and the Dreamcast, because I think it merits more discussion. The Dreamcast was a sales failure, but is among the most beloved consoles of all time and was home to some fan-favorite games. The same can be said of the WiiU, although that point is drowned out by all the negativity being shouted about.

**SIDE NOTE: I know it’s not just Nintendo that gets the tabloid treatment. XBox One has been dealing with it as of late because sales are lagging behind the PS4. Last gen it was the Sony and the PS3’s early struggles. Clearly the negative tone that permeates mainstream gaming media is not limited to any one console, but it’s unfortunate and inappropriate nonetheless. We had a decent discussion about this on the gaming culture episode of Co-Op Critics if you’d like to hear more about it.