Cartridges are so much more soulful than anything else

Cartridges are so much more soulful than anything else.
This is what a damn videogame should look like.

physical media in general has more soul

people don't even blow on these, absolutely soulless

ok but what if those didn't have the games on them? Just the license files to download the full game from the server?

Shame third parties ditched actual physical releases for Switch 2 and opted for shitty game-key cards. Someone should punish them.

They'd be soulless husks.

maybe its nostalgia but imo it peaked here

should I bother buying a switch? I never got one and I haven't played a Nintendo game since 2011.
I'm curious to try out the pokeymans

I got something you can blow on

Agreed but SNES cartridges were the most soulful

Stop reminding me that I ended up getting the bundle instead of Mario Kart physically. Fuck

This, it's not a real cartride until you blow air to fix it and possibly flick a finger to kick off dust and misaligned cartridges.

Too bad most moving forward will be glorified digital redeem codes
Nintendo has sleezed out in the worst way

should I bother buying a switch?

best Nintendo console library easily, the amount of obscure indieslop and random AA games with physical releases along makes it fun to collect for

I'm curious to try out the pokeymans

Nevermind, wanting a switch for pokemon is like wanting a PS5 for The Last of Us

I bet the reason for this is because Nintendo was charging too much for cards that could hold the games so everyone naturally went for the cheap as fuck fake physical choice.

You are supposed to lick them.

to be honest it's not just Pokemon, it's the only first party game I can think of that I'd be interested in.
There's some stuff on it I think is interesting (physical copies of every ff from 7 to 12, which i've never had; wizardry, suikoden) but I don't know if I can justify purchasing a Switch when I already have a PS4.

wanting a switch for pokemon is like wanting a PS5 for The Last of Us

This
, I recommend just emulating (if you don't have one) the DS games, those were the last of the good ones before pkmn shit the bed appealing to every demographic except veterans, and using

New kanto form

this, and

Other kanto reference

that

I mean the new S2 carts are more expensive. I wonder if they could put a switch 2 game on the cheaper switch 1 carts and have it be a mandatory install instead of playing off the cartridge. It would eat your storage but at least the physical edition actually has the game

le soul

Shut up, you fucking buzzword spouting, third world troglodyte. Those flimsy little cards the size of your micro penis are nothing like old cartridges.

depends on if you think the portability is worth it, would you not want to just wait on the Switch 2? Even if you aren't interested in it right now you'd basically be buying a switch that will also play everything else that comes out for the next 10 years.
If you like JRPGs then the Switch is the perfect Xenoblade machine and Dragon Quest and the FFs definitely fit like a glove on the system.

Metroid dread
Astral chain
Splatoon 3
TotK
FE engage
Smash bros
Mario Odyssey
Pokemon legends (actually decent)

Yes get a switch

No Metroid Dread or Prime 1 remaster

Tendies are literal children. Bing bing man and the fairy boy are always obscuring true greatness.

Another man of culture. I hate CDs, they are the beginning of soullessness

why are you so mad? are you a digitalfag who regrets it?

I figured it's because they get absolutely assblasted over even the slightest whiff of piracy, but I wouldn't doubt that either
Either way, I'm very unlikely to participate this time around
Yes, all the shiny new features are (relatively) shiny and new, but I don't like how they're using the carrot as the stick with NSO, and it bothers me that after YEARS of doing their own thing, not giving a fuck what sony or Microsoft do (software and hardware wise), they have become just like their competition. So unless this is another "wii u", they'll get away with it because the legion of man-children that blindly and gleefully consoom anything N, and coasting on the "kid friendly" console brand for un/under-informed parents

I figured it's because they get absolutely assblasted over even the slightest whiff of piracy, but I wouldn't doubt that either

If it was that I think Nintendo would also be using Key cards but they aren't, only third parties are using them. I think it's just Nintendo being too greedy for its own good and expecting third parties to pay premium for cards.

I think the price increase is to cover the production cost, not because the cartridges themselves pack a lot
The real proof will be the info people dump once it's in savvy hands, but tentatively, what I'm reading regarding the matter doesn't bode well

If it was that I think Nintendo would also be using Key cards but they aren't, only third parties are using them

I think it's a matter of time before many become key cards, but regardless, the fact that a considerable amount of games will be like that is/ should be troubling in itself, and it furthermore troubles me how indifferent many claim to be about it

It's both, the cartridges factually cost more

are they using express cartridges now because they're like an SSD in the cartridge? There's gotta be some reason fucking nobody wants to print non-gamekey cards now

I'm aware that disks are relatively way cheaper
It all comes fulll circle to the whole counter piracy thing
They created the system and it's infrastructure to be as anti piracy as possible, at the expense of the average consumer, and it just rubs me the wrong way how they were always the "bad guy", in a legal sense, but now they're the bad guy for going full tilt into skeezy nickle and dime-ing trends

Honestly I'm surprised more people haven't noticed the key cards are basically Nintendo's answer to its storage issue. Think about it...

Switch 2 uses NVMe type storage

Switch 2 can only use SD express cards which are NVMe type

both are expensive and if Switch 2 had 512GB/1TB options it would be $550-$600 for the console alone

SD express cards for 512GB/1TB are $100-$180

Key cards technically are a work around to this hurdle by being physical licenses that can be downloaded/removed/downloaded again without depending on constant use of "parced out" cloud storage for each user. It's not that different from the PS5/Series X situation. All three need some form of specific SSD related medium to play games at higher fidelity.

Physical media has seem to hit a wall.

Maybe so, but it's not like someone had a gun to Nintendo's head and said "GIMME 4K AND HDR OR DIE"
The original switch did/ continues to do plenty fine as it is
I think this is just a way to exploit consumers with money to piss away because they're "premium" now, and exploit to folks who'd buy it regardless, and squeeze blood from stones with their goddamn nso

Switch Cartridges are too small. Gotta get some meat on those bones.

It'd be hard to justify not having those features in a 2025 device. And people expect improvements in a new generation, the games should load faster. I don't know why you're so intent on blaming Nintendo for this, they're using full carts and so is CDPR, the other third parties just cheaped out.

and have it be a mandatory install

Fuck off.

Nevermind, wanting a switch for pokemon is like wanting a PS5 for The Last of Us

You know that doesn't make any sense right?

soul

it does make sense, because you're buying a system for a game that isn't worth buying a system for

It could definitely be a way to exploit customers for more money. But then the question becomes what type of console could Nintendo make that could play games optimized for ssd like Cyberpunk or possible ports like Monster Hunter World?

Mind you I'm not too keen on physical media being dropped either. I don't plan on buying key card games but what is the alternative?

Do you know why tlou isn't worth it?

i am switching to digital because the market here has both eur and usa region cartridges (and even some other rare ones like japanese cartridges), meaning you could get screwed out of region-locked dlcs

furthermore troubles me how indifferent many claim to be about it

it won't be an issue until a decade from now for most people, even literal Africans have WiFi these days

Just don't bother with those games, they aren't very good as it is anyway.

and it furthermore troubles me how indifferent many claim to be about it

People are generally indifferent because it acts as a label for games you shouldn't buy because the third party dev cares more about money than they do their consumers.

also i don't like the new cartridge color
should have kept it black with the notch

yes

But then the question becomes what type of console could Nintendo make that could play games optimized for ssd like Cyberpunk

I mean Cyberpunk is using a 64GB switch cart instead of a key card.

im coping that the carts will become cheaper as time goes on and the key card debacle is just a growing pain of the first year

Let's hope you're right.

aren't a lot of games 100gb+ now though, how will that work

The tell everyone here why and let's set if it's the correct answer.

A lot of games are 100gb purely due to lack of optimisation especially where audio files are concerned since they have every single language on one disc with zero compression.

The PS1 disks with the black underside and pictures on the top were pretty cool.

They optimized it, they've been bragging about it on X since the reveal and are using the bad publicity key cards have to promote the Switch 2 version of their game. Having the actual game on cart is a selling point now that devs can use to further promote their product. Marvelous is also doing that with their Rune Factory and DxM games which also don't use key cards.

Owning games is pretty cool, but swapping them without standing up is better

Frankly they should make multiple language options dlcs to cut on space. I remember how some Vita games had to do that to make some games fit on their carts.

Having the actual game on cart is a selling point now that devs can use to further promote their product.

I reckon that's what Nintendo was going for all along. I mean, this is the perfect filter for developers who don't give a flying fuck about their consumers more so than the downloads on switch.

Having the actual game on cart is a selling point now

kind of gay that something that used to be a standard is now an attractive selling point, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more interested in those games just to support corpos actually putting their games on cart

I feel like this is why I prefer digital over key cards, the only benefit key cards bring is being able to resell or lend them but I have no one to lend it to and I never resell games so I'll probably go for digital versions of those games.

Remember when Nintendo released Xenoblade DLC as carts? Sort of crazy how we went from DLC on carts, which essentially brought back the Expansion Pack format to empty cards for Switch 2.

Europoor cartridges

worthless trash

You should be supporting DxM because it was just a good fucking mech game with some top notch music.
God I hope they can top Grief and Battle dance.

Already preordered the Limited Edition.

Meant for

Monolith are just the goats, I wish we got a physical for the Ashen Wolves route of Three Houses

The first game was meh, so im not interested on it, sorry

With the recent statistics of how popular physical purchases were on Switch 1, I can tell the publishers that went for key cards just wanted to have their cake and eat it, they want the physical sales but didn't want to spend money on cards.

please, PLEASE, for the love of god, stop spouting this stupid bullshit you read once in an article about titanfall a decade ago. please. every fucking game is not titanfall.

The recently released oblivion remaster's filesize doesn't help your argument.

i dont get how Nintendo can squeeze their games down so much more, I get the graphics aren't as demanding but still, they're like 1/5 of the size of a normal AAA game.

oblivion remastered has audio in one language and looking it up it uses wem files which are most likely vorbis, a shitty lossy audio codec from 2000. oblivion is giant because of modern outsourced HIRE THIS MAN graphics assets and not because of its audio. so again, stop hand wringing over "muh uncompressed audio" without even looking at the fucking game you're talking about and seeing what's wrong with it.

I think Nintendo itself has a firm compromise with physical media because even the "Switch 2 Edition" games actually have the upgrade packs inside the cards themselves and aren't just Switch 1 cards packaged with a code for the upgrade pack. They know damn well many third world nations don't have internet and they still want their money so they'll make everything as internet free as it can be save for shit that has online MP.

Oh I wasn't the one claiming the audio thing just that optimization can make shit fit (I'm ), see? This is why altchans were based for having thread IDs.

yeah i really miss IDs. i still go on other chans but Anon Babble coming back was a blow to activity.

Why don’t they just make switch 1 carts then add switch 2 versions for free?

evidently publishers are allowed to do this because shadow labyrinth will do it. i guess everyone's just following nintendo's example for now and marketing paid upgrades.
i honestly wonder if nintendo has put some kind of embargo on announcing you're releasing free switch 2 upgrades, because i expected way more of them to be announced by now.

A good question, some have been asking Sega why the fuck Sonic x Shadow doesn't have an upgrade pack or the Raidou remaster doesn't have one either.

i guess everyone's just following nintendo's example for now and marketing paid upgrades

They should have also followed Nintendo's example and made them free then.

this, anyone who actually buys a game keycard is peak goy

even the "Switch 2 Edition" games actually have the upgrade packs inside the cards themselves and aren't just Switch 1 cards packaged with a code for the upgrade pack

damn is that true? all of a sudden buying the Switch 2 edition for Prime 4 and Legends ZA sounds good

I felt compelled enough to email Sega support asking them to reconsider not offering upgrades for Switch 2 games knowing full well it will make no difference. Maybe if social media keeps pressing the issue and other people write support and politely ask for an upgrade path Sega will take notice.

I'm convinced the only reason Splatoon 3 doesn't have a Switch 2 upgrade pack yet is because it's going to be more than just a graphics/framerate bump (and god knows Salmon Run needs that FPS Hazard Level Max shifts) and serve as a proper dlc like the Forgotten Land/Mario Party Jamboree upgrade packs.

the publisher of rune factory said it's on a red switch 2 cartridge that includes the entire switch and switch 2 versions both on the cart and works in either console. presumably nintendo's games will also work this way, but they haven't confirmed.

Which games have free upgrades again? I forgot since most attention has been aimed at the ones that aren't free.

Yes this is true, I'm pretty sure it was confirmed you can use Nintendo Switch 2 Edition cartridges in the original Switch and play the compatible version of the game.

I don't think they're going to enhance Splatoon 3 for Switch 2 at all because they want to save the better hardware as a selling point for Splatoon 4.
Also, if they made an upgrade without mouse support, they'd be raked over the coals, but if they did add mouse support, Switch 1 players would get destroyed. They're not going to shake up a finished game's meta like that years after release.

i feel like splatoon gets sequels often enough that they'll just wait on Splatoon 4

Pokemon SV
3d world
Odyssey
The LA remake
Echoes of Wisdom
ARMS
and that's all I can remember off the top of my head.

Shame Pokemon Arceus didn't get one.

Eh, Arceus was fine enough.
SV was in dire need of a performance update though and once it gets it it'll be one of the best monster tamers made in the last 12 years

Surprised Age of Calamity isn't getting one since its framerate is infamously bad

Probably because they have a new game.

I hate PEGI so much

Yeah, I guess all resources went towards that but I still wish AoC got a pack since a lot of its characters sure as hell won't be playable in AoI

Never say never, they did pull time travel out of their ass to justify the present day cast being in a game set 100 years ago and Zelda actually has time travel powers.

Come now Al, you don't actually mean that.

:( ESRB > rest

I expect the modern sages, Link and some other modern characters, I don't expect characters like the King, Maz Koshia or the champions but they could surprise me.

Also Teba, I don't expect Teba since he was banished for being too broken.

Floppy disks are even more soulful.

2017: Nintendo goes back to Cartridges

:)

2025: Catridges are just tags with a downloadable internet code and are essentially useless

:(
I hate this idea that everything has to be dependant on internet. Last time I used my Switch I was stuck in traffic during a snowstorm so I had to sit my ass there until they opened the tunnel. I can't depend on internet everywhere I go.

Try harder with your bait shartyfag.

It's annoying how 90% of third parties are using them, Nintendo should have made regular cards cheaper to entice them to not fuck over their customers. If given a choice between $80 physical games that have everything on card and key cards, I'll gladly take the former.

I bet AoC will get an update, for free even, when they are in the midst of marketing AoI. Extremely easy way to gain goodwill and get people excited

Nintendo should have made regular cards cheaper to entice them to not fuck over their customers

Knowing Nintendo they're as cheap as they can possibly be while still turning a profit. But of course that doesn't stop third parties from being Jewish as possible.

I do blow on it though. Whenever I insert Splatoon 3 it never reads it the first time. Could this be the result of keeping my switch on sleep mode with splat3 running overnight for multiple days in a row?

I dunno, I feel like the increase cost of physical first party Nintendo games has to do with how much it costs to produce large enough Switch 2 cards.

how often do you need to download games

And they taste good too, love licking my switch cartridges

Switch carts are slower than even the PS4's ancient HDD, I'm not sure what you're talking about.

Big and obvious cartridge that turns the system into a flush block is peak, love the DS dust-cover cartridge for this

Both the PS5 and the Switch/Switch 2 necessitate installing games to a drive.

Switch 1

No, it doesn't. Cartridge games are plug and play.

Switch 2

Has this been confirmed anywhere?

Portable game systems using swappable media is shit, I don't care how much soul it involves.

Being able to take just your handheld with you and never having to bring any media with you to switch between your entire collection is 100% more ideal, then or now.

The good thing is that every single handheld so far has been easy to hack, so you can just dump your physical games or pirate them anyway.

I'm not sure what I'll do with Switch 2, since it's unlikely to be hacked soon.

that's great once it's hacked and i can pirate games and back up my carts. but if i'm buying gamss, i'm buying them physically.

Nah it doesn't actually need to do that on a Switch 1.