EPTNintendo Switch Thread - Page 239
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sharkie
Austria18636 Posts
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
On January 05 2026 17:47 Grovbolle wrote: Got 2 256GB SD Cards for my Switch 2 for Christmas so I got some return credits to a store I had to burn. Picked up Donkey Kong Bananza and have played about an hour or so, looks promising given my love for Odyssey on the OG Switch. Other than that I now mostly play with my sons (4 & 6) and we play Mario Kart (Both 8 and World), Super Mario Strikers, Smash Bros, Mario & Sonic at the Olympics. If anyone have recommendations for fun and simple sports games that are good with kids, let me know. I have Super Blood Hockey which is ok, and I am considering NBA Bounce as well. I thought DKB was absolutely phenomenal: the gameplay-loop was consistently fun for me, and the late game / ending was something really special. Since you and your kids enjoy Mario sports games, you may want to keep an eye out for Mario Tennis Fever, releasing February 12th. I think you've pretty much landed all the greatest hits so far, with Kart(s), Strikers, Olympics, and Smash. The "Desktop" sports games (Desktop Basketball 2, Desktop Soccer 2, Desktop Baseball 2, Desktop Dodgeball 2) aren't bad non-Mario alternatives, and they're pretty easy to learn, although they're not as flashy as the Mario versions. As far as adjacent-to-sports / kind-of-related games are concerned: Super Mario Party Jamboree is pretty fun with a great variety of mini-games that all have very simple controls (and better than Super Mario Party imo) if you want a mini-game-focused option too. Also, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a great introductory platformer game for small children who are developing hand-eye coordination and dexterity, with several difficulty settings that make the gameplay very forgiving (including invincibility/immortality). The Switch version is already available and very fun, and a Switch 2 version with upgraded graphics (and maybe other perks) should be arriving sometime in the spring! Non-Mario games that have party/chaos/silly elements include Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout and Stumble Guys  | ||
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Grovbolle
Denmark3813 Posts
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
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JimmyJRaynor
Canada17518 Posts
On January 05 2026 10:53 Yaqoob wrote: Do you post the same stuff over and over again in this thread every month? i think the 3DS XL's increasing popularity is news. | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
On January 06 2026 04:23 JimmyJRaynor wrote: i think the 3DS XL's increasing popularity is news. Can you post a source that goes into more detail about this news? It may be true (and awesome) that the 3DS XL is increasing in popularity, but I'd like to see evidence of it being linked to Switch 2 sales/costs. The most relevant article I could find on the topic was this one that agrees that the 3DS XL is increasing in popularity, but doesn't agree with you that people are buying it because the Switch 2 is too expensive. In fact, this article actually states that the cost of the 3DS XL has skyrocketed to occasionally be comparable to the cost of a Switch 2, and suggests a whole slew of other explanations that contradict your assertion: "Nintendo 3DS prices skyrocket up to 76% — vintage Nintendo console rivals the cost of a brand new Switch 2 ... Nintendo 3DS has seen its value skyrocket, now almost matching the price of the brand-new Switch 2. On eBay, Nintendo 3DS XL consoles are fetching between $200 and $350, costing more now than when they first launched. ... Just a year ago, you could pick up a used Nintendo 3DS XL for as little as $100. Now, their prices have soared—climbing 3.5 times in just twelve months—making some used units up to 76% more expensive than when they first came out. ... Production of the Nintendo 3DS ended in 2020, followed by the shutdown of the 3DS eShop in 2023 and the console’s online services in 2024. This full sunset has likely fueled a wave of nostalgia, prompting collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts to snap up the now-vintage handheld—driving prices to new heights, as sealed and mint-condition units are a rarity nowadays. ... The Nintendo 3DS was far from a flop—over 75.94 million units were sold by the end of 2024. The handheld boasts a stellar library of iconic titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and Bravely Default. For retro gaming fans, the 3DS remains a treasure trove of classic experiences. ... The Nintendo 3DS is also a favorite among modders—thanks to its accessibility, gamers can easily install custom firmware or set up emulation with minimal effort. ... It’s also possible, however, that those pesky scalpers are driving up prices by buying up consoles and reselling them at eye-watering markups." https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/nintendo-3ds-prices-skyrocket-up-to-76-percent-vintage-nintendo-console-rivals-the-cost-of-a-brand-new-switch-2 The competing hypotheses in the above source are that the 3DS XL has recently increased in popularity due to the console and its residual services being discontinued by Nintendo over the past few years, that this last dedicated handheld is becoming a collector's item, that it has a library of popular games not available on other platforms, and that there are perhaps also effects of nostalgia, modding, and scalping at play. But nowhere does it say what you said: that the 3DS XL's popularity is evidence that the Switch 2 is too expensive, and I've already refuted your cost comparisons between the Switch 2 and earlier consoles. You're fabricating way too much causation without providing sources. | ||
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sharkie
Austria18636 Posts
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
On January 07 2026 01:50 sharkie wrote: To stay on topic: I wish for a smaller handheld again tbh... Switch, steam deck and switch 2 are all too large to me tbh... I hear that. The Game Boy and DS families felt really good as compact handhelds, even when I was a kid. For me, the original Switch and Switch OLED were at the upper limit of how big I'd prefer a portable system to be. The Switch 2 crosses that boundary for me, in that it's a little too cumbersome for the way I've held portable gaming consoles for the past three decades. Thankfully, 99% of the time, I either play in docked mode or I use the handheld mode to play a low-stakes / low-APM / low-stress game. I didn't buy a Switch Lite, but I heard it was more compact than the original Switch. Unfortunately, it sacrificed the joy-cons and docked mode in the process. | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
Incredibly strong start for 2026 - and that's just the first quarter of the year! | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
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Gescom
Canada3511 Posts
On January 07 2026 02:51 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: Random update: I'm 140 hours into Octopath Traveler 0. Almost done with everything... maybe by the 150-hour mark. It's now my favorite OT game in the franchise. After I've completed OT0, I'll move on to Yoku's Island Express, then Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, then Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, then Pokemon Pokopia. Incredibly strong start for 2026 - and that's just the first quarter of the year! Very interesting! I'm having a hard time getting into it and it's certainly not feeling as polished or developed as OT2. But, I'm only at about the 20h mark. I'm shocked there's that much content! Took a break for a week to get back into work mode following the holidays, but this is inspiring to keep chugging along. :} | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
On January 08 2026 01:12 Gescom wrote: Very interesting! I'm having a hard time getting into it and it's certainly not feeling as polished or developed as OT2. But, I'm only at about the 20h mark. I'm shocked there's that much content! Took a break for a week to get back into work mode following the holidays, but this is inspiring to keep chugging along. :} I hope it picks up for you - it took me a little while too! I just completed the game and I'm happy to say that the story and character relationships end up being a lot more fleshed out than either OT1 or OT2, and the number of surprises at the end of the game had me emotional in all the right ways. Once you finish the game, feel free to read this spoiler: + Show Spoiler + The "utopia" version had me feel all the feels. | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
One important asterisk: There does not seem to be an upgrade available from the Switch 1 version to the Switch 2 version, so if you're considering getting this game and if you're considering getting a Switch 2 soon, you may want to wait until you have a Switch 2 so that you can buy/play the Switch 2 version (as opposed to playing the slightly downgraded Switch 1 version on either the Switch 1 or Switch 2). Regardless, the free demo is out now, and you can load your demo's progress into the full game if you want! | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
Also, AmericanUmlaut, I'm very much enjoying the cute, colorful, creative puzzle-pinball world of Yoku's Island Express! Great recommendation! | ||
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AmericanUmlaut
Germany2594 Posts
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
Here's Nintendo's overview trailer for MTF: | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
Jump into another round of Nintendo Switch Online https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/jump-into-another-round-of-nintendo-switch-online/ You can test out the benefits of a Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership* with a free 7-day trial. And now you can start another free trial even if you’ve already tried it! During the trial period, you’ll be able to connect with friends and family online in games like Mario Kart™ World, access a library of 150+ Super NES™, Game Boy™, and NES™ titles, jam out to video game tunes with the Nintendo Music™ smart-device app**, and so much more.Plus, you’ll be able to visit Slumber Island to build and decorate with friends and family in the new free update for the Animal Crossing™: New Horizons game, available Jan. 15. If you’re playing on a Nintendo Switch™ 2 system, there’s no better time to try out Nintendo Switch Online again. You’ll be able to fire up GameChat*** and hang out with friends while playing together. Share the chaos in games like Kirby™ Air Riders, or relish in their defeat when you nab all the Stars in the Super Mario Party™ Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV game. | ||
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KobraKay
Portugal4303 Posts
On January 13 2026 05:31 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: Nintendo has announced another free trial for gamers interested in trying out Nintendo Switch Online (online connection + a few hundred retro games): https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/jump-into-another-round-of-nintendo-switch-online/ Yeah i have Nintendo online and for the 20 bucks per year it costs, to me it is def worth the price. On the price topic, the switch 2 was 419 standalone and 459 with MKW this weekend in the main electronics' chains around here. While it is still a 60€ discount in both cases compared to the usual price tag, given the cost of the average game i still didn't pull the trigger. I'm betting that later this year or early next year, i'll find a bundle with the console and one game on the 400€ mark. Either that or a big promo connected to pokemon 30th anniversary plus gen10 launch or something, even if that means getting a switch 2 with pokemon decoration. | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States45937 Posts
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