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Discussion Where does the Switch sit in the pantheon of Nintendo hardware for you?

Jerm411

Jerm411

Goomba stan
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Ok I'm bored and had this conversation with a friend of mine the other day so I wanted to see where this landed for everyone on here...

It's ALWAYS been NES/SNES at #1 and #2 for me (that order depends on the day lol) and probably DS at #3, I'd have to think about it for a bit.

I gotta say though, the Switch is def. in my Top 3 now...dare I say it might be my new #1, I think it's 2 at the lowest.

I just love this thing and everything about it...the concept, the form factor, the nostalgia with the old games, the library of games, the way it brings generations together, etc. etc.

So yeah I think I'd go 1) Switch 2) SNES 3) NES.

How about you?
 
Older systems have the advantage of nostalgia to carry them in addition to the great games they undoubtedly had. Switch doesn't have that atm.

Despite that, I recognise the Switch has an insanely deep lineup of games from 1st party, indies and 3rd parties which has meant I've never been lacking for stuff to play.

I've got more games for the Switch than any other system by a country mile. It really reinvigorated my passion for gaming.
 
bixente said:
Older systems have the advantage of nostalgia to carry them in addition to the great games they undoubtedly had. Switch doesn't have that atm.

Despite that, I recognise the Switch has an insanely deep lineup of games from 1st party, indies and 3rd parties which has meant I've never been lacking for stuff to play.

I've got more games for the Switch than any other system by a country mile. It really reinvigorated my passion for gaming.
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I'd 100% be lying if I said nostalgia doesn't play heavy for me lol...I have so many seminal gaming moments with the NES and SNES that it's hard to shake that when being objective, it really is. Having said that, I love the libraries of those systems so much that I feel like even stripping away the nostalgia, I'm still comfortable with putting them up there.
 
Tbh it's really difficult for me to evaluate modern systems in comparison to old ones. The reason being exclusives just aren't as much of a thing anymore outside of Nintendo licenses. That's cool for us in terms of choice, but since I play all multiplats on PC it's hard for me to look at the Switch library and go "yeah, Celeste is a great Switch game, this raises it in the comparative console rankings". There aren't any Castlevania or Mega Man equivalents here that I can only find on Switch like the old systems. If I just look at the exclusives I'd say Switch is better than the Wii and Wii U at least.
 
I think I'm slightly younger than most people here, so I think my ranking is still topped by SNES, GameCube and Wii U. Switch started very strong but I think its appeal worn off around its fourth year for me.
 
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dolpic said:
Tbh it's really difficult for me to evaluate modern systems in comparison to old ones. The reason being exclusives just aren't as much of a thing anymore outside of Nintendo licenses. That's cool for us in terms of choice, but since I play all multiplats on PC it's hard for me to look at the Switch library and go "yeah, Celeste is a great Switch game, this raises it in the comparative console rankings". There aren't any Castlevania or Mega Man equivalents here that I can only find on Switch like the old systems. If I just look at the exclusives I'd say Switch is better than the Wii and Wii U at least.
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That's a fair point and one I honestly didn't think about...
 
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Switch is easily the pinnacle, DS is a very close second. Both systems are/were phenomenally popular, have/had immense libraries, and their respective impacts sent literal ripples through the industry that - IMO at the very least - have surpassed those of NES, Game Boy and SNES (all things considered). Wii should get an honourable mention here as the console that helped usher in the 'blue ocean' Nintendo era, and helped bring gaming back out of the basement to make it 'cool' again.
 
It’s #1, and no other video game console really comes close, let alone Nintendo console.

Maybe the PS2? I was never really into the PS2 though, so on a personal level it’s not really on my radar.
 
BowserIsMyFather said:
Switch is easily the pinnacle, DS is a very close second. Both systems are/were phenomenally popular, have/had immense libraries, and their respective impacts sent literal ripples through the industry that - IMO at the very least - have surpassed those of NES, Game Boy and SNES (all things considered). Wii should get an honourable mention here as the console that helped usher in the 'blue ocean' Nintendo era, and helped bring gaming back out of the basement to make it 'cool' again.
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I'm glad you said that about the Wii because I think it's slept on pretty hard by a lot of people...
 
Switch #1
GameCube #2
N64 #3

I won't rate any of the handhelds, because I really only ever got them for Pokemon, so I rarely played anything else on them.
 
Depends on how we're evaluating it. In terms of overall library, including third party support, ports, and NSO games, easily #1.

If we're just talking first party software, including ports/remasters/remakes/NSO, still #1.

If we're ONLY talking about new exclusive software... maybe #2 alongside SNES. It's hard for me to separate myself from how impactful those games were, but the Switch certainly has a robust library even if the lack of a new DK game is disappointing.

With all that accounted for, it's easily a top 3 Nintendo system, and could be my #1 depending on my mood.
 
I don't think i'm capable of an objective ranking with the nostalgia I have for the Gamecube/N64

but it's gotta be #1 in terms of amount of games i've been interested in, even only counting stuff that's only on the Switch since I play other stuff on my PC
 
  1. Nintendo Switch - I love the hybrid format so much and I wish it could have pulled off sooner; the convenience of being able to seamlessly puck my console out of the dock and continue playing a game on the subway or in a waiting room is unmatched. Even if you don't factor in NSO, the system has a damn solid lineup across a wide variety of genres by way of Nintendo, indies, and third-parties. And with NSO? So many games that I adore that I likely would have never touched under the Virtual Console model.
  2. Game Boy Advance - Mostly nostalgia for being the first gaming device that was truly mine and not a hand-me-down from my older brother, the GBA was a great little device. Sure, most of my playtime was exclusively Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Pokémon, with the odd Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Ball licensed game thrown in, but still.
  3. Wii - This got me back into gaming after leaving it for a while. I really bought into the motion control hype with Wii Sports, yeah, but my fondest memories with the console was playing New Play Control! Pikmin 2, Metroid Prime Trilogy, and Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. Just a great time all around that reignited my love of the medium as I explored different genres and scoured "Hidden Gems" lists.
 
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Just the hardware on its own? I'd rank it near the bottom due to the Joycon alone, they started going bad on me pretty early on so it ruined most of my time with Splatoon 2. Then there were all the times I would decide to play in bed, just laying the thing down and it would get uncomfortably hot. The battery didn't last that long for a regular play session, either. But I like the idea behind it and being allowed to stretch any way I want while using the split Joycon made me wish every other controller could be like that, so I'm looking forward to the Switch 2 hoping Nintendo sat down and looked at all the downsides and are putting some effort into righting them once that comes around.

Now if it was a hardware+software thing, I'd put it just a bit higher up on the leaderboard.
 
I’d put Switch, DS and SNES as my top tier. And, honestly, Switch’s library in terms of the back catalogue and eshop is just wild before I even look at the stacks of great games you can play on it. I could pick any of the three on any given day, but if I had to pick a Nintendo console to play for the rest of my life, it would be the Switch. As there’s large chunks of the better games on the other two available on it.

Then Wii, GBA, 3DS

Then GC, NES

N64 and WiiU at the bottom
 
probably 5th for me. I grew up on the NES and brick Gameboy for context

3DS > DS > GameCube > Wii U > Switch > the other systems I'm too lazy to sort out where stuff should go
 
If including only home console is probably #3 just behind the Wii and a tad SNES. If Prime 4 is still Switch and it gets a DK game it will be #2.
If all platforms included then it's like #4 or #5 after DS and GB/C... but also may be above the latter.

So it will probably ends being #3 overall since it looks like there's a substantial amount of exclusives still in the oven.
 
In terms of home consoles, probably fourth, after the Gamecube, N64 and SNES. It's powerful enough that it feels wrong to compare it to the handhelds, and I use it docked 99% of the time anyway.

A lot of that's probably nostalgia talking, but it's my opinion and I can like what I want, so nyeh nyeh nyeh.
 
It's about to dethrone the Super Nintendo for me.

SNES is my nostalgia console. It defined so much of gaming for me between 1992 (more like 1993) and 1996 that to me at the time it felt like a lifetime but was in reality less time than Switch has been on the market as Nintendo's primary console
 
Hardware wise: It was a very powerful portable device for the year it released. And it got complete control inputs, first time in handheld history. And on top of that Nintendo released both a bigger screen and a smaller lite versions of the console. Hardware wise it's #1.

Current gen library wise: It's great. Got amazing games no other handheld got before. But diversity wise, it's behind home consoles like SNES, Gamecube or N64. It's not its fault though, this generation in general had shitty variety. Some genres got killed for some reason (hint: money). Switch is #5 in this regard.

Complete library wise (current gen + re-releases): Yeah this is pretty much epic. Older games turn this machine into unstoppable beast and complete and total package. Still, DS has the upper hand in JRPG and strategy genres. Doesn't mean it'll stay that way, Switch still is getting games. Switch is #2.
 
9-Volt said:
Hardware wise: It was a very powerful portable device for the year it released. And it got complete control inputs, first time in handheld history. And on top of that Nintendo released both a bigger screen and a smaller lite versions of the console. Hardware wise it's #1.

Current gen library wise: It's great. Got amazing games no other handheld got before. But diversity wise, it's behind home consoles like SNES, Gamecube or N64. It's not its fault though, this generation in general had shitty variety. Some genres got killed for some reason (hint: money). Switch is #5 in this regard.

Complete library wise (current gen + re-releases): Yeah this is pretty much epic. Older games turn this machine into unstoppable beast and complete and total package. Still, DS has the upper hand in JRPG and strategy genres. Doesn't mean it'll stay that way, Switch still is getting games. Switch is #2.
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I don't understand this though. How can the N64 boast a more diverse software line-up than the Switch?
 
Switch definitely sits top of my list for Nintendo hardware now.
It's given me top tier games in almost all of my current favourite series, from the obvious big hitters like Mario and Zelda, to my RPG faves like Fire Emblem and Xenoblade, to smaller niche favourites like F-Zero, and even third party favourites like Sonic, Persona, and Trails. I've been so well catered to with Switch that it's hard to say any other hardware comes close to it now. The only series from like my top 20 favourites that I can think is missing in any capacity is Custom Robo. Donkey Kong is also lacking with only the Tropical Freeze port, but everything else has been so good

I'd say GameCube and SNES probably round out my top 3 consoles from Nintendo.
 
The goats
1.) Switch
2.) Wii
3.) GameCube
4.) SNES
-Really Good, just not up to snuff with the top
5.) DS
6.) 3DS
7.) N64
8.) GBA
-Oh poor summer child
9.) Wii U
-Some gems, but largely hit or miss
10.) Game Boy
11.) NES
 
In terms of significance to Nintendo, it’s probably up there with the NES and the DS in the top 3. For me it’s definitely not in my top 5 Nintendo consoles/handhelds but you have to appreciate how much you can play on it, including our beloved NSO.

Speaking in terms of actual hardware, it’s horrible. The joycons and the Switch Pro controller are probably the worst controllers Nintendo has put out in terms of quality since the Famicom controller they had to recall. Once again our beloved NSO comes in to play here because the replica controllers are actually very nice.
 
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Mbolibombo said:
It's my goat by now. Nostalgia beaten.
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Me to myself:

wZYKXHz-150x150.png
 
1) 3DS 2) DS 3) Switch

The DSs are more playful and I think I generally prefer the third party lineup of those with first party being super strong for all of them
 
Jerm411 said:
Me to myself:

wZYKXHz-150x150.png
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Hehe yeah basically.
I tried for the longest to rank the NES ahead of the Switch.. but by now I cant lie to myself :p

NES was my first gaminglove and I still love it to bits, but man - Switch got so many of my absolute favorite games of all time and that's just hard to beat
 
bixente said:
I don't understand this though. How can the N64 boast a more diverse software line-up than the Switch?
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N64 library is pretty diverse because many genres were still alive and kicking back then. It got all of the sports games, extreme sports, tons of racing, both fantasy and realistic, fighting games, aracady puzzle titles both enough amount of 3D and 2D platformers. Even third person action games, such as 007 The World is Not Enough.

Lack of diversity doesn't mean Switch didn't got any of these. It did but not in enough amount. Some genres got far more love than others. Like racing or fighting. Only few. While literally hundreds of metroidvania or turn based strategy made Switch their home. There was no balance.
 
9-Volt said:
N64 library is pretty diverse because many genres were still alive and kicking back then. It got all of the sports games, extreme sports, tons of racing, both fantasy and realistic, fighting games, aracady puzzle titles both enough amount of 3D and 2D platformers. Even third person action games, such as 007 The World is Not Enough.

Lack of diversity doesn't mean Switch didn't got any of these. It did but not in enough amount. Some genres got far more love than others. Like racing or fighting. Only few. While literally hundreds of metroidvania or turn based strategy made Switch their home. There was no balance.
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I feel like the N64's library suffered from lack of balance way more imo.

Such as almost non-existent rpg presence.
 
9-Volt said:
N64 library is pretty diverse because many genres were still alive and kicking back then. It got all of the sports games, extreme sports, tons of racing, both fantasy and realistic, fighting games, aracady puzzle titles both enough amount of 3D and 2D platformers. Even third person action games, such as 007 The World is Not Enough.

Lack of diversity doesn't mean Switch didn't got any of these. It did but not in enough amount. Some genres got far more love than others. Like racing or fighting. Only few. While literally hundreds of metroidvania or turn based strategy made Switch their home. There was no balance.
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I love N64, but the most common criticism of it is lack of genre diversity. It has plenty of sports, racing, and platforming games because that’s what the console does well. But compared to Saturn and PlayStation (and SNES) there are huge gaps in genres that don’t fit into those categories, the most obvious being RPG. N64 has like 5 RPG games— three of them star Nintendo characters, and one of the others is Quest 64.
 
9-Volt said:
N64 library is pretty diverse because many genres were still alive and kicking back then. It got all of the sports games, extreme sports, tons of racing, both fantasy and realistic, fighting games, aracady puzzle titles both enough amount of 3D and 2D platformers. Even third person action games, such as 007 The World is Not Enough.

Lack of diversity doesn't mean Switch didn't got any of these. It did but not in enough amount. Some genres got far more love than others. Like racing or fighting. Only few. While literally hundreds of metroidvania or turn based strategy made Switch their home. There was no balance.
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This just doesn’t make sense to me. The N64 only got a few hundred games in total. There were very few 2D platformers compared to the Switch, almost everything I loved on SNES was gone overnight, almost no RPGs or strategy games. If the Switch lacks balance through having absolutely tons of games across various genres but not the ones the N64 had, the N64 was just woeful in that regard, even though it did get the sports and arcade game ports of the time. What it wasn’t was diverse beyond that, if you wanted 2D games, arcade ports and RPGs (and pretty much everything else) you were much better off with a PlayStation.
 
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The only Nintendo systems I've owned were a Wii, DS, Wii U and 3DS, and of those it definitely is the best one, I did own a GBA but I lost it and didn't play on it enough to form an opinion.

As far as libraries go though, especially for original exclusives, I think SNES, N64, GC and GBA all come close.
 
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(By what metric exactly?)

1. N64
2. GBA
3. Gamecube
4. Ds
5. Switch

Either I'm a sucker for nostalgia or I was born at the exact right moment. I can't get enough of low poly. I do not like the hi-def generation and Nintendo is making less interesting games for me personally these days, I also miss the classic Zelda.

Favorite game is still Banjo Kazooie
 
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The Switch sits pretty comfortably at the number 1 spot in terms of overall value for me. It is by far my most used console of any that I've ever owned, and the library of games is second to none.

I should note that while I've been a fan of Nintendo's games for as long as I can remember, there are several of their handheld and home consoles that I didn't get to experience much while growing up. I have no special attachment to the SNES for instance, because my family didn't own one. I do have fond memories of it, because friends of mine did own the console and I remember vividly how we would sometimes sit around a small TV and take turns playing Donkey Kong Country or Super Mario All-Stars. The N64 is probably the console that I am most nostalgic about, because I can distinctly remember that feeling of when we booted it up the very first time to play Super Mario 64, and I also have fond memories of the fun we had with different multiplayer games like Goldeneye, Mario Kart 64, Mario Party 2 and Super Smash Bros. So the N64 is probably up there just for being a really fun multiplayer machine.

The 3DS is also a strong contender in my view. It is greatly aided by the backwards compatibility that it has with the DS, and it has a very robust library of its own as well.
 
Switch, and it's not even close. Basically all of my favorite games of all time, outside of a few Sony produced PS exclusives, are playable on it in some capacity, which is bonkers. Just added another to the list today.

I'm not even sure how anyone argues for anything else, unless you're only counting original releases for some reason. Even then it would be difficult to argue against.
 
It's hard to compare due to nostalgia but library of exclusives wise, it's off the charts.
 
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Normally I’d say Wii, GBA, or DS is better..

But I’m looking at my TV right now and I literally have: Mario Kart 8, BOTW, Great Ace Attorney, Megaman Battle Network, Advance Wars, Splatoon 3, Paper Mario TTYD, FZERO 99, Persona 5, Ghost Trick, New Pokémon Snap, and Pokemon Legends Arceus

ALL ON ONE CONSOLE

So yeah Switch is number #1.
 
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