Goodbye Switch, Hello Switch 2!

[SteveGrabowski]

If you have amazon prime, you can get on an actual waiting list. That is how I managed to get mine (not sure if I was lucky or if the list had just started or both, but I clicked the link to get an "invite" and the next morning I had one). They send out an email and you have something like 22 hours to complete the purchase, otherwise the move on to the next person on the list.

Edit: There may be more to the invite list than just when you got in line, as they might have some algorithm that checks your customer history etc., to give some preference to long time and good customers.... (I've had amazon prime since it was first released, and have been buying stuff from them regularly since 1999 or so).

Probably going to try to hit up Best Buy since supposedly they have a re-up for the Bananza release. I can afford to be a little patient though as I'm deep into a very long JRPG on my PS5 (Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth) so probably won't even turn the system on for a few weeks if I get one tomorrow.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Yeah it's getting rave reviews. I want to hear reviews from real people first though. I don't really trust "professional" reviews when it comes to AAA big titles. But the consistency is definitely there.

It's no so much the reviews as it is seeing the gameplay video for me. This almost looks like a spiritual successor to Odyssey and the exploration looks top notch to me. It looks like exactly what I want a 3D platformer to be and the breaking everything mechanic looks fun as hell to me. Ugh I wish this was out at launch because I would have bought the system then.

 

[purbeast0]

It's no so much the reviews as it is seeing the gameplay video for me. This almost looks like a spiritual successor to Odyssey and the exploration looks top notch to me. It looks like exactly what I want a 3D platformer to be and the breaking everything mechanic looks fun as hell to me. Ugh I wish this was out at launch because I would have bought the system then.

Videos that I saw actually didn't look that interesting to me. The whole "break everything" seems like it's going to get old quick. But... everyone that's played it on previews and stuff said it's great, so I'm definitely curious to hear what people who are your every day gamers say about it.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Videos that I saw actually didn't look that interesting to me. The whole "break everything" seems like it's going to get old quick. But... everyone that's played it on previews and stuff said it's great, so I'm definitely curious to hear what people who are your every day gamers say about it.

I have been nuts for open world games since GTA III and this one looks pretty fresh. Def looks like the best DK game since the SNES classics.

 

[purbeast0]

I have been nuts for open world games since GTA III and this one looks pretty fresh. Def looks like the best DK game since the SNES classics.

I thought it's more like Odyssey in that you have your own levels that are open to explore, versus being a fully open world game.

Is it like a real open world game like the Zelda games on Switch?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I thought it's more like Odyssey in that you have your own levels that are open to explore, versus being a fully open world game.

Is it like a real open world game like the Zelda games on Switch?

You're right, looks like levels, but the Odyssey levels were huge and this looks similar.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Probably going to try to hit up Best Buy since supposedly they have a re-up for the Bananza release. I can afford to be a little patient though as I'm deep into a very long JRPG on my PS5 (Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth) so probably won't even turn the system on for a few weeks if I get one tomorrow.

That is fine. Just expect to be at your local Best Buy about 3-4 hours before it opens to be in line tomorrow morning to have a chance to get one (if it is like anywhere near me). Due to the fairly widely advertised fact that they would have a restock for tomorrow's release of DK, you will have LOTS of people with you hanging out at that time (heck some are already in line now around me at 2 of the Best Buys I passed when I went to get a late lunch).

I already had my fill of running from store to store for disappointment of being told they are already sold out. After hitting up 5 places on launch day and then hitting another 20-30 other places (2 of them daily on weekdays) just in case they had a restock, I was done with running around. All it took was 4 clicks to get it online at Amazon (one to click on the link to see the product page, one to click on the "invite" me box, a third click on the link in the email that I had been invited to purchase, and a 4th to complete the purchase....). Total time I spent trying to get one physically in person: ~40 hours. Total time of my life spent trying to get one via Amazon: ~30 seconds.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

After hitting up 5 places on launch day and then hitting another 20-30 other places (2 of them daily on weekdays) just in case they had a restock, I was done with running around. All it took was 4 clicks to get it online at Amazon (one to click on the link to see the product page, one to click on the "invite" me box, a third click on the link in the email that I had been invited to purchase, and a 4th to complete the purchase....). Total time I spent trying to get one physically in person: ~40 hours. Total time of my life spent trying to get one via Amazon: ~30 seconds.

That stinks. Where I'm at (San Antonio, Texas) multiple Targets near me still had them in stock until around 9PM on launch day and some Walmarts around me still had them in stock the day after launch. I requested an invite from Amazon but don't expect to get one any time soon since I don't have Prime.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

That is fine. Just expect to be at your local Best Buy about 3-4 hours before it opens to be in line tomorrow morning to have a chance to get one (if it is like anywhere near me). Due to the fairly widely advertised fact that they would have a restock for tomorrow's release of DK, you will have LOTS of people with you hanging out at that time (heck some are already in line now around me at 2 of the Best Buys I passed when I went to get a late lunch).

I already had my fill of running from store to store for disappointment of being told they are already sold out. After hitting up 5 places on launch day and then hitting another 20-30 other places (2 of them daily on weekdays) just in case they had a restock, I was done with running around. All it took was 4 clicks to get it online at Amazon (one to click on the link to see the product page, one to click on the "invite" me box, a third click on the link in the email that I had been invited to purchase, and a 4th to complete the purchase....). Total time I spent trying to get one physically in person: ~40 hours. Total time of my life spent trying to get one via Amazon: ~30 seconds.

Welp it was a bust. Went to Best Buy an hour and a half after opening and they had a ton of Switch 2, but only the Mario Kart World bundles and I have minimal interest in MK.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Not a single store within 100 miles of me has any in stock now. All sold out within 35-40 minutes of opening the doors this morning (verified via live stock trackers for Target, and Best Buy), basically long enough to get into the store, go to the games departments, get the console, probably grab some accessories and/or DK game, get in line and checkout.

Good luck on getting it through Amazon if you are not a prime member. Given the demand in so many parts of the country, I suspect you may be waiting a bit for an invite since I thought I read they said they would be inviting prime members first and only go to non-prime members if there were additional console available. I believe that is how they have handled other high demand, limited stock items of late (GPUs, certain CPUs, etc).

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Not a single store within 100 miles of me has any in stock now. All sold out within 35-40 minutes of opening the doors this morning (verified via live stock trackers for Target, and Best Buy), basically long enough to get into the store, go to the games departments, get the console, probably grab some accessories and/or DK game, get in line and checkout.

Good luck on getting it through Amazon if you are not a prime member. Given the demand in so many parts of the country, I suspect you may be waiting a bit for an invite since I thought I read they said they would be inviting prime members first and only go to non-prime members if there were additional console available. I believe that is how they have handled other high demand, limited stock items of late (GPUs, certain CPUs, etc).

Curious, where are you at? The Gamestop in the same shopping center also had stock today as in I walked in a little before noon and asked for a Switch 2 and they pulled out Mario Kart bundles, which I passed on since I don't see the point paying $54 after tax for a game I won't play. What stock tracker are you using? I found a Best Buy / Target stock tracker on the r/NintendoSwitch2 reddit that was wildly off as I saw a whole shelf of Mario Kart Switch 2 bundles at Best Buy despite the tracker saying they didn't have a single one. Best Buy they had all the Switch 2 stuff at the register and were pushing accessories hard with little printouts showing everything they had available that I got coached on once when I asked if they had Switch 2's and then again when I went to the register to buy one (only to find out they only got in Mario Kart bundles).

I can also buy a Mario Kart bundle right now from Costco but it's $525 and bundled with a year of online. No thanks Costco, I don't play online games and strongly prefer Dolphin for my Gamecube emulation and play NES/SNES on my modded SNES Classic.

EDIT: Nevermind, they had stock I could order 2 hours ago at 9PM CST but it's sold out now.

I imagine whatever big release they have next they'll probably release new stock just like they did with Best Buy and Gamestop today and both would have been easy to get without any wait in line had I wanted the MK bundle. Ugh if I would have known Bananza was gonna be this good I would have bought on launch date where local Targets and Walmarts even had the systems in store the next day.

 

[Fallen Kell]

I'm in the NY/NJ/PA/DE area (in other words the highest population density section of the nation).

 

[jpiniero]

Looks like Nintendo is going to switch the game bundle to Pokemon Z-A soon. Guess if you want the MK bundle you need to get on it.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Wouldn't surprise me about the change up of the bundle. They have bundled Pokemon many times in the past going all the way back to the N64 days when they even made a custom console shell for the bundle.


On that note, I FINALLY got a chance to sit down and play my Switch 2 yesterday (also got a tempered glass screen protector installed). I forgot how much I always like Mario Kart, and there are a lot of surprising differences in this version, some good, some bad. I think some of it comes from playing Mario Kart 8 for over 10 years that one of the immediate differences (and I think for the worse) is the addition of hidden guardrails on the grand prix tracks that keep you on the track (at least on what I have played so far which are all the 50cc, and 100cc races (the 150cc is next, but it was after midnight when I finished the last 100cc circuit)). I would have much rather they just put up road barriers/bumpers of some kind instead of this, as it feels so dumbed down against past Kart games, where you simply go off the tracks (and fall off a ledge/etc) and either need to pay the 3coins to have the lakitu put you back on the track or you end of in the rough and moving out is a lot slower. That said, I really like the changes for how fast coins and mystery boxes respawn, as it allows for someone who is just behind the pack to still collect them without needing to blatantly go out of their race path.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Bit the bullet and got the Mario Kart bundle since my niece and nephew are coming to spend the weekend while mommy and daddy get some R&R out of town and they both like Mario Kart. Ugh taking forever to download MKW and the update for DK Bananza.

 

[JujuFish]

Nintendo has a Pokemon Legends: Z-A bundle coming in October.

Nintendo Switch™ 2 + Pokémon™ Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2™ Edition Bundle - Nintendo Official Site

Buy Nintendo Switch™ 2 + Pokémon™ Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2™ Edition Bundle and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Nintendo has a Pokemon Legends: Z-A bundle coming in October.

Nintendo Switch™ 2 + Pokémon™ Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2™ Edition Bundle - Nintendo Official Site

Buy Nintendo Switch™ 2 + Pokémon™ Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2™ Edition Bundle and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

The last couple of Pokemon games looked so bad and seemed like such lazy cash grabs. The last one especially just looked so unfinished and I heard it ran even worse than it looked. Real fall from glory vs the awesome Game Boy games I played thirty years ago.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Yeah, I havn't really played any of the modern Pokemon games as I kind of agree with your assessment. I have too many other good games to play than to spend time on something that is more of an afterthought to tie into changes in the card game.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

First thoughts on the Switch 2:

1. Love the size of the tablet, it feels huge compared to the Switch 1
2. Hate the new joycon grip. Feels way worse than the old one, which was also terrible.
3. Split joycons on the other hand are amazing when the game has good haptics.
4. Display setup is confusing. First time through I adjusted my HDR as it said and then it brought up a screen with a little prompt at the bottom saying to press Y to adjust the brightness, which I skipped thinking it was just going back to the previous setup. So with default brightness it looked horrible. Looked it up on youtube and saw I needed to do that brightness adjustment and that it was separate from the HDR adjustment. Looked great after turning that brightness setting way down from the default.
5. Nintendo doesn't always hit, with big releases such as Twilight Princess and New Super Mario U that I didn't like at all, but when they do they're unbeatable. DK Banaza is wildly fun with the break everything mechanic. Literally spent 45 minutes just in the first room of the game exploring all the things I could do to trash that room before finally getting my first banana and actually playing the game for real. The break the world mechanics is every bit as awesome as I hoped it would be after watching reviews. After a couple hours in I'm already expecting it'll be the game I like most since playing Tears of the Kingdom a couple of years ago.
6. I'm amazed Bananza runs on a cpu on par with what was in the base PS4. You'd think all the physics in it would overwhelm it.
7. $450 is still a lot for this system but it's Nintendo so don't ever expect a price break.

 

[igor_kavinski]

1. I'm amazed Bananza runs on a cpu on par with what was in the base PS4. You'd think all the physics in it would overwhelm it.
2. $450 is still a lot for this system but it's Nintendo so don't ever expect a price break.

It looks mostly static physics (no real calculations being done). Real physics would be damage proportional to amount of force and speed at which that force is applied. From the gameplay, it just seems that the force of the punches/smashes cannot be varied and you can't run into stuff and cause more damage with greater momentum.

Yeah, $450 is too much to play a silly game like that.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

It looks mostly static physics (no real calculations being done). Real physics would be damage proportional to amount of force and speed at which that force is applied. From the gameplay, it just seems that the force of the punches/smashes cannot be varied and you can't run into stuff and cause more damage with greater momentum.

Yeah, $450 is too much to play a silly game like that.

Can't say Bananza alone justifies the purchase, though the game is incredible. But I always figured I'd buy a Switch 2 the second they released a real banger of a game and DK Bananza is exactly that. Also shows me the studio behind Super Mario Odyssey is still very much on their game, as Bananza is pretty unlike anything I have ever played.

I knew I would eventually buy a Switch 2 for the next 3D Mario, for the next 3D Zelda, and possibly Metroid Prime 4 or the next Xenoblade. Plus the next Shin Megami Tensei since I expect it to be a Switch 2 timed exclusive. And maybe the next Dragon Quest also considering the Switch version of Dragon Quest 11 was way better than the one that launched on PS4 (and it took like a year and a half IIRC to get a PS4 port of the far superior Switch version).