I get that Doom or Sonic 2 or Goldeneye or other 90s games aren’t guaranteed a place every year

FWIW Sonic 2 was the game that kicked things off this year.

But also I think the goal should be either showing off new tricks or showing off new games. Older games are going to have fewer new tricks. Obviously sometimes a barrier is broken or a new category is put together that has interesting gameplay, but in general we probably will see fewer old games.

That isn’t to say that old games should go away completely, but if there is a bias towards newer games, it makes sense.

But you are not buying a game, you are renting it.

I absolutely agree that companies shouldn’t be able to say they’re selling you a game. They should make it 100% clear that you are renting it.

I’m also onboard with requiring p2p/LAN functionality for multiplayer.

When I pay to see a film in a theater, I don’t own the film. I don’t get to watch the film again after it leaves the theater.

While I pay to see a concert, a play, or a musical, I don’t own those performances. I don’t get to see them again. They generally aren’t recorded (Although that is changing in some limited cases.)

I do think a game dying is terrible and I do think games should be clearly labeled (so people can make an education decision if they want to rent the game).

To allow for a live avatar. For example when playing Mario Kart online you can see the reactions of your friends your playing with. When you hit someone with a red shell and they make a mad face, you get to see it.

Microphones have been in gaming for a while, this is just the next step.

Now… Is any of that necessary? No, not really. Is it kinda neat? Maybe for some.

That’s a fair point. I also have a SteamDeck so indie games I previously bought on the Switch 1, I would now buy on the SteamDeck.

If I only had a Switch or Switch 2, there are advantages to buying handheld versus a PC/Xbox/PlayStation.

With the new Xbox handheld thing that likely further cuts into the handheld market and unique feature of the Switch.

Are there lots of non Nintendo games exclusive to the original Switch?

Nintendo consoles are for Nintendo games. Non Nintendo games on Nintendo consoles are a nice bonus, but only when looking at the lifetime of the console and not the launch.

I just tried a bunch of apps that I swear used to have it, it all of them just say “Open in the real app” now. I wonder if low usage here also means developers stopped using them.

Basically what would happen is you’d click a link to Instagram, and instead of opening a web page, it would open the Instagram “app” instantly. If you then tried to do anything more advanced in the app (advanced decided by the developer) it would prompt you to install the app.

I suppose the reason I’m so forgiving of the online features, is that I don’t use them. They’re a nice little addition for sure, but I do not see them as core to the game.

I think it’s embarrassing that they’re sooooo far behind. Definitely if they’re a thing you’re expecting, it’s going to sour your view of the game.

Performance is a personal thing.You’re not alone, it’s a common complaint, I won’t deny that. I’ve played all three of those games, Kirby, Zelda & Mario but never remember having an issue. I’m sure I did, but it never stuck with me. I remember Arceus looking like an GameCube game. But I also remember completing the Pokedex 100%.

I was burned by Super Mario Party, so that franchise is dead to me. Maybe others will burn me too.

I think the Switch 2 launching with just Mario Kart was a huge mistake. No Mario. No Zelda. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Donkey Kong is coming soon, and it’s supposedly similar to Oddessy… But we’ll have to see. There are great DK games, but he’s no Mario and it’s been a while.

Oh I absolutely agree there are plenty of criticisms about the company itself and their other offerings, but the games are absolutely top tier.

Their online is miles behind, games from Smash Bros to Mario Maker to Mario Kart could all be improving with better online, but since they were terrible at online I never used them, but those games were still excellent.

A lower powered system or poorly optimized game has some frame rate dips or stuttering, but never in a way that gameplay was affected. I know people will disagree but I’ve never had an issue with it.

Yes, joycon drift is a real problem. But that’s a hardware problem. We should absolutely give Nintendo shit for hardware problems.

Suing fan projects or being aggressive about YouTube/Twitch take down, all fair. Fuck Nintendo for all that.

But all of that is different from their games being solid. I don’t blame people who choose to emulate their games, they’re awesome games.

I’ll give you that Sony might be competitive, I don’t see Xbox/Microsoft anywhere close. I think Valve and the SteamDeck are probably 4th in the race, but Valve has to actually make a game. They made great games and should continue to do so.

Nintendo gets away with it because their games rarely have a discount. An $80 game today will be $80 in a year. After several years you sometimes get a limited discount for their best selling games. A bundle or a voucher can be a small loss leader, usually if you buy one of something you buy another.

The other thing of course is that Nintendo makes absolutely top tier games. The fan base is earned. You can buy a Mario or Zelda game, knowing nothing about it, and it’s going to be good. Pokemon is the obvious exception here, the mainline games are fine, but would be nothing without the brand. (I also won’t forgive them for Super Mario Party, that was a $30 game, not $60.)

I don’t expect $80 games to go away, because as long as someone will pay it, it’s free money. But if sales slump too much in the long run I do see quick discounts, possibly even for Nintendo games.

While the company would love you to buy it at launch for $80, they’re fine if you wait for a (first party) sale.

Look at the first Outer World. At launch sold for $60. Three months post launch, $50. Six months post launch, $40. One year post launch, $30.

If this new game sells the exact same, but starts at $80, they’re ahead. Even if the $80 number scares away a lot of people, they’re ahead. Only if it scares away a shit ton of people will it be a problem.

I think that’s a pretty great summary. When it comes to unnecessary/years later sequels most are just garbage. I think Matrix 4 is still bad, but I have to give it credit for trying something interesting. It doesn’t work ultimately, but it tried something.

To be fair the Switch launched with Zelda Breath of the Wild, which is arguably the best Zelda game and possibly the best game on the Switch.

So even with only a single title, the Switch had a strong launch title.

Now for Switch 2 they’re launching with Mario Kart. Now I know Mario Kart is the top selling Switch game, so it sounds like a good launch title, but I’m less confident.

I know Nintendo hasn’t made a new Mario Kart game in 10+ years, just updated the existing Mario Kart 8, and I’m sure it’ll be fun, but I think Mario Kart is too casual of a game, I think it sells systems eventually, but not so much on launch.

History shows it does pay off.

The Wii U had Nintendo Land, which was the 5th top selling game for the console.

The Switch had 1 2 Switch, which was the 40th top selling game for the console. 40th might sound low, but that’s about the same as Zelda Echoes of Wisdom, Pikmin 4 or Paper Mario Origami King.

Now this “game” looks to be terrible so far, but that can always throw it as a pack in after a year or two and suddenly the total sales bump right up. No downside.

So Donkey Kong lore can be weird, depending on which Donkey Kong you subscribe to.

The most well known version design of Donkey Kong starts with Donkey Kong Country, where Donkey Kong is the grandson of Cranky Kong. Cranky Kong was the original Donkey Kong that threw barrels at Mario (Jumpman at the time).

That also means we’re missing a Kong, Donkey Kong’s father, Donkey Kong Jr. The design shown here does closely resemble what a grown up Donkey Kong Jr might look like.

SO, the Donkey Kong show here might not be Donkey Kong, it may be Donkey Kong Jr, better known simply as Donkey Kong. It could also just be a young Donkey Kong or Cranky Kong, since they’re related and may look similar.

Good catch, so 2nd to 3rd for the Switch.

I know the headline says PlayStation, but this whole thread is ignoring the Nintendo Switch. For every PS5 sold, two Nintendo Switches were sold. Maybe PlayStation and Xbox are on the decline, but the Switch is nearly the bestselling console of all time (the PS2 is still in the lead and will likely hold that title.)

Also when it comes to MUST HAVE games, Nintendo has so many of those to choose from. Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Smash Bros, the list goes on.

Nintendo has absolutely dominated the console market and this article seems to just ignore that.

Tony Hawk 1+2 was good, if they literally just do that again, then yes. There are areas to improve, but the core gameplay, which is just the Tony Hawk games, is still fun.

I mean this game is based on/a sequel to Pokemon Legends Arceus which played differently from all other games in the series.

Additionally, based on the trailer, combat will be changing once again.

That being said, I do expect it to be buggy.

So yeah, I’ll likely be having fun with this game.

Actually the most widely used OS worldwide is Android. Nearly ½ of all devices are Android while only ¼ of all devices are Windows.

Now if you want to adjust the scope and only look at “desktop” operating systems then yes, that is the majority. However over the past 10 years Windows has declined by ~15%, the majority going to macOS, but a small percentage going to Linux. Linux is generally on the rise, albeit slowly.

Also keep in mind the data I’ve referenced above applies to ALL devices. The landscape changes dramatically when you look at console vs “PC” gaming. Console gaming is roughly ~60% of the traditional gaming market. So while a Windows user may not become a Linux user, they may disappear and become a console user, decreasing the number of Windows users.

While I fully expect Windows to be around for a while, unless a change is made it will continue to lose market share. It would be a mistake to look at these numbers and think Windows is safe and beloved. By all metrics Windows is going away. It’s not going to happen overnight, but 10 years from now?

And a big problem in this game is that it’s a pain to switch echoes all the time

It really really is. It’s one of the things I noticed in the trailer and just hoped they would have a solution for once I got to play the game.

The game has a hundred or so echoes, and you can solve puzzles in different ways, but some require a very specific echo and some require any, so you basically just use the same half dozen echoes. When you have to switch, it sucks, and so when you don’t have to switch you just spam water block or whatever.

It seems like the devs just implemented the echo switching as is and assumed they’d fix it later… But they never did.

It’s a fun game but the chances of me replaying it are near zero. Skyward Sword had a similar problem with Fi, although I understand they’ve mostly fix that in the remaster.

Excellent couch co-op, which is a rarity nowadays.

I don’t have an Xbox, but on my Switch I can play the game without updating the game. I may not be able to utilize any online features, but if that server is gone I wouldn’t be using them anyway.

As a user this is content I would expect to see in this community and if the rules need clarification they should include posts like this.

Reading the notes in https://lemmy.world/post/2536430 (linked in the sidebar),

This community is focused on games, of all kinds. Any news item or discussion should be related to gaming in some way.

This post certainly relates to gaming, which to me means as currently worded fits rule #1.

I know that’s a direct quote from the developer, but I disagree that is what actually happened.

The Animal Well journey began in two phases, Basso says: a quick stab at a Metroidvania-styled prototype in 2012, and a bespoke engine project that he took more seriously, which he began coding alone in 2014 during his day job’s off hours.

It was 2017, and some of the design ideas from his 2012 Metroidvania lark had continued pulling on him, so Basso “wrote off” his 3D engine as “a learning experience” and started anew with 2D search action as a priority.

It seems clear to me the prototype did more heavy lifting than he’s giving credit. He clearly had an established vision beginning with the prototype. He spent three years thinking 3D was the best way to achieve that goal, but that goal was clearly based on the prototype. At some point it was clear that 3D was drifting away from the core, so the switch to 2D and a renewed focus was the answer.

It’s also clear that they had a distinct art style in mind from the start.

For his new game, he wanted pixels to scale perfectly to a variety of common screen resolutions, along with visual effects that meshed well with his integer-scaled pixel art.

And that existing engines couldn’t meet that distinct art style.

That home-brew engine is what gives the game its unique look and can allow for unique game elements, but that initial prototype was clearly the guide.

Also Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003).

I always knew Sakurai worked hard to deliver high quality games, but after watching this video, it’s insane.

Creating a whole YouTube channel with 260 videos just because he had a few free months. Doing the majority (pre editing) in just a few months, scripting and recording nearly ever video in advance.

Absolutely wild.

Yes, although BG2s starter dungeon is a whole act instead of a few rooms/battles.

But this mod is starting with the opening area, Waukeen’s Promenade, where the game opens up, (similar to act 1 in BG3).

Also technically BG2 has the tutorial area with Xan that is similar to BG3 in the sense of being a quick few rooms and battles to teach the basics.

#2 because it allows you to later give them a mustache (#1), which is funny but the toaster isn’t amused.

In some ways the Board being the same is a good thing, since it means they remember that they can’t try to pull this shit again.

Of course it also means they had (or supported) the stupid idea, so they’ll probably try to pull something similar again.

Really no matter what it means keep an extra eye on Unity. When it comes time to evaluate engines this incident should always show up on the con side.

Technically replaced by a similar product with a new name. I liked the simplicity of Chromecast, but if you bought the last two generations (anything past Chromecast Ultra) then you already have the more complicated device. So if you want to cast to a device, you can still do that.

For Pokemon Legends Arceus I think what would prevent me from playing it again after 100% isn’t the amount of repeated tasks to max out the Pokedex, most of which are fun and a few of which just suck. I think it’s the slow dialogue/gameplay. When playing the actual game I’m usually having fun. When I’m stuck in a forced tutorial or dialogue it’s just a slog.

Metroid Dread.

I beat the game on Normal, then went back to 100% it, then immediately played again on Hard mode, beat that and 100% it again.

If I remember correctly to 100% Mario Odyssey you need 999 moons. The game gives you 850 or so normal/good/fun moons, but the last 150 or so you have to buy with coins. For me this meant grinding a flower challenge in Bowsers Castle ~20 times in a row.

I did it, but that part wasn’t fun.

The rest of the game is perfect, but that part would keep me from 100 percenting the game again.

Yes. Many apps already do this. There is some specific wording you have to use since Apple doesn’t like when you do that, but yes you can.

It’s definitely amplified to pretend that any existing story is a “real story” or to just pad a slow news day.

You can just say “Twitter users are saying” and suddenly something sounds important. No need to clarify that it’s just a few dozen people, and by “people” it’s just Twitter accounts many of which are bots.

The sooner Twitter implodes the better off we all are. Sure I’d like folks to move to Mastodon, but really I don’t care where they go. Bluesky or Threads is fine. Some new hotness/flavor of the week is fine. But Twitter is a lost cause. It’s speeding towards failure since Musk took over but he just accelerated its eventual fate.

The linked article.

So wait they implement autoplay, autoplay then ruins recommendations, and the fix is a sleep timer?

I’ve never needed this feature, but surely the sleep timer should be an OS feature? I assume Android and iOS have apps for this.

But also it it screws with recommendations, maybe improve that UI first?

This feels like a “faster horses” situation where they have no idea what to do next.

Right but you said “hopefully” and “can”.

They haven’t actually done that yet.

I do think the Manifest v2 situation is interesting, but keep in mind the Chromium/Blink engine is fully open source.

It’s a trickier sell to say they have complete control when anyone is free to fork it.

On what grounds would that trial exist?

They’re the only rendering engine? Oh because they stopped paying Mozilla? Due to a court order?

It’s a complicated situation.