Welcome to the new age, the age of the Switch, a system with graphics considered under-par and why it really does NOT matter.
A few days ago, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch, a brand new Home console that can be brought outside. We have all seen the original promotion. The device looks amazing. The Switch, it is just plain cool.
Fast forward to today, we now know what to expect, a hybrid console, Joycon that can detach, a plethora of accessories, a future online paid service that we know little about, some smartphone app that will be linking your switch to the internet while using it in mobile mode, …
Basically so many awesome things were shared, some were just barely grazed during the presentation. I would have loved to see them mentioning more about Switch having a touch screen and one of the good ones too, I can see a Mario Maker port already, together with a ton of other games, not just first party games, but also smartphone apps like Fishdom or the likes of Candy Crush. Let’s face it, these games are coming to Switch as well, whether you like it or not, I hope they come soon! The Switch needs the biggest possible library of third party games, even when they are not your cup of tea.
Another point often made online is that the Switch is under-par graphics-wise, but that is a useless comment, because graphics rarely make a game, the actual content makes a game great or bad. Personally speaking, I do not care about the best possible graphics and neither should you.
The same remark about 4K, I know about 5 households that actually own such a powerful TV, maybe in the future, I will get one too, but I do not need it. So why does it matter? Consumerism has always taught us that the more powerful specifications should be considered the best.
I call bullshit on that one, being a consumer myself and someone who can think for himself, I look past specifications.
And what do I see?
I see a need for the specifications that I need, not that I think are cool… Sure, 4K is cool and awesome, but it isn’t necessary. Where I live, nearly nothing is actually in 4K, so I will skip on that.
When I look at a gaming console, I look past specifications as well.
So what is really important? The Games! The experience playing a great game, it doesn’t live up to any kind of graphics. I am a very big fan of the Boxboy games, games that look anything but 4K or ULTRA HD, but simply drawn, because the game itself is great.
One of my favourite games on the Wii U? The amazing Captain Toad, a rather simplistic premise of finding treasure in a small level.
One of the Switch games I look forward to most? Snipperclips! That game just screams gaming pleasure.
A game doesn’t need to be the highest quality, sure, that new Zelda game looks gorgeous and will be an amazing buy, same for Arms or 1-2 switch. But in the end, how much you enjoy a game, that is what truly matters for me and it should for you too!
Much like the Wii U, I will be buying all available Switch games, I am looking forward to several of the RPGs, at launch, I will get Zelda, Isaac and Skylanders probably. Hopefully you guys will be buying one too!
