I am trying to choose between buying a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo DS.
This may not be the perfect community to ask - but I can’t think of any better place.
The reason for my question: I don’t want to own obsolete hardware in 10 years. Lately most games seem to depend on a “phone home” feature, which is not really an issue for my pc because it is always connected, but a console is something I want to play always and everywhere.
I already did some searching and found that games can be played offline fine (most of them, some exceptions are there like Multiplayer and Mortal Kombat), but:
- There is something like the paid Nintendo Online Account. I am not planning on having a paid account. How much of the system depends on the account?
- Can I have progression in a game (let’s say: one of the Zelda franchise) and will my Wife and Kids all have their own progression, without having to pay for X accounts?
- People who own a Switch, let’s take this to extremes, do you feel like in 20 years from now you can still do the same things on your hardware as you can do now? (No multiplayer is fine)
Also, feel free to rant about “paying is not owning”, the state of the gaming industry is horrible.
edit: Thank you all for the comments! I don’t post a lot, so it was kinda overwhelming :)
For clarity:
- I meant I want to “buy for life” (not really “life”, but, if the hardware survives you can play on pre-internet consoles forever - you can even buy more games if you can find them)
- I want to buy a physical copy of the games, not download them
I’ve decided to go with the Nintendo DS for now (I have a DSi - this week I bought a couple of games, 2nd hand). Reasons:
- I already had it
- Joycons on switch. Multiple people mentioned having problems with them. I don’t count on being able to buy them new in 10 years, meaning they will have to last.
Again: thank you all for the useful input!
A steam deck can run all the games those two can and it runs Linux which means it will probably never be obsolete
It’s pretty repair friendly as well.
The battery is a notable exemption from this (as is the display), which is also the most likely to fail multiple times over a span of 20 years. It’s certainly doable, just not as simple as swapping out the thumb sticks for example.
Second that. It is a bit of a hassle to get all the games and to access them on the deck, but once you set that up, it runs great and you also are much less limited :)
The hassle is “search Pirate Bay for the game > download it into your games folder” after initial setup of emulators using emudeck
I would still steer clear of the Pirate Bay but depending on what you are looking for there’s likely a repacker or site that has what you need. FitGirl for example has some Switch games bundled with the keys that you need for Ryujinx. If you just needs ROMs I’d recommend checking out the /r/ROMs megathread.
Playing Nintendo first party games on Nintendo consoles is superior for many Nintendo first party games lover. It is just as it was when one was small 😄 that’s why right now, I go for 3ds.
Exact same game;
Switch: 30fps
Steam deck: 60fpsHow is the switch superior?
Is the Steam Deck emulating Switch games that much better? I’ve been thinking about setting up a few but I wasn’t sure if I would see a lot of performance dips with more demanding games.
Yes, many games run smoother and better on the deck, it just is very big and heavy achieving this.
If it’s like my other consoles from 20 years ago, It’ll be sealed in a box in the attic while you emulate it without a thought.
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I’ve got my Switch since 2018 and am still on my first (Splatoon-edition, bought shortly after the Switch) Joycons. No problems, no drifting. And the OEM Joycons are in a drawer somewhere as backup.
Do you play a lot of Zelda? Just asking because my suspicion is that the joycons go bad quicker depending on how they’re used which is dependent on the games you play.
I play a good amount of Zelda on mine and have had to replace the sticks multiple times.
I played the first Zelda for half a year and Ocarina of Time, but also lots of ego shooters like Doom, Doom Eternal, all the classic Dooms, Quake, Duke3D, etc. And Animal Crossing. And racers and space games.
Yeah I don’t play any FPS games, and way more Zelda than you have. So it could be certain movements on the sticks wear them out quicker.
Of course it could just be how we’re using the controllers is different. Maybe I’m just hard on equipment.
Or you just got better sticks.
I mean it is a problem on all controllers really, PS and XBox controllers can have drift problems too. But the Switch controllers are notorious for it, so I always wonder if it has something to do with the games that are exclusive to the Switch. But maybe Nintendo just has quality control problems with their controllers. Who knows?
You’re one of the lucky few
tbf i think dualshock 4 controllers die about as fast as joycons. but also joycons cost 70$ while you can get a new dualshock 4 for 25
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I’ve been using a pair of dual shock 4s for something like seven years now without any drift. I had to buy new stick tops because I wore them out.
OTOH, the dual sense I bought started drifting so badly, it was unusable after a year.
my last dualshock 4 lasted like 3 years before starting to show first signs of drift
There are games like “Control” that are guaranteed to be dead in 5 years max as they’re glorified remote play solutions. The game is playing on someone else’s computer and streamed to the switch. So the bill for that computer is paid by new sales like a Ponzi scheme. No more sales = the dev turns off their servers = no more playing
control is streamed? for switch or in general?
It was news to me as well. Here is a Verge article talking about it but it says the following
In order to play the game, you’ll need a Nintendo Account to access cloud service and “a persistent high-speed internet connection to play the game.” (It includes similar technology to Stadia and Luna, but Control’s cloud game will be handled by Ubitus.) Any interruption in the connection will cause it to disconnect in minutes. In order to buy the game, players will be required to use a launcher application to test that their connection can handle its requirements for five minutes. It will also require buying an Access Pass, priced at $39.99.
I really hope it doesn’t go the same way as other game streaming services but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Nintendo online will go away at some point just like every other online serve they’ve had.
This isn’t Nintendo Online this is a third party service I’m worried about caving within a year or two.
I don’t expect it to last indefinitely I’m just hoping it lasts longer than things like Stadia.
This is a deeply philosophical question involving time, the nature of ‘self’ and potential for physical abilities, and indeed mortality itself.
I mean… how much of an answer do actually want?
OP is just asking if he can use the Switch offline and what will happen to games bought online, albeit phrased very oddly.
LOL phrased oddly? English is not my first language.
I thought it was common knowledge that paying for something (console) and owning it was not the same these days, so I just want to know what I am buying…
Don’t mind me, also we all probably think alike.
I’m right now going through the Saturn and Dreamcast catalog.
Even with the best care I wouldn’t expect it to last 20 years. The switch is nowhere near a well built machine as the DS was. The controllers will be lucky to last a year. They used arbitration to avoid a lawsuit over how crappy the switch is knowingly built. We’ve been through three since their inception. That being said they’re still a lot of fun. They are trying to integrate the sub more, but it’s still avoidable on some games. If you buy one get a hard case or at least a somewhat solid case to help support the console with the controllers connected if you decide to play it that way. The way that they’re connected with what destroyed them faster for us because you put too much pressure on the controllers and their connection when holding it. Using a case like this for reinforce the controllers and make them last much longer in my experience.
The short answer is yes, but you’ll have to get used to the reality that Nintendo themselves will not be there for you if anything goes wrong down in those 20 years. There will be third-party fixers and a community of people who’ll probably have things made for replacements.
You are far better off using a Switch as opposed to a DS. You can emulate more on a Switch than a DS.
Nintendo doesn’t have always-online DRM. Some games won’t work 20 years from now of course, but your cartridge of BOTW or Pikmin 4 will still work as long as the hardware is in good repair. The Switch is a fine system and should last for years and years of quality game time.
Off topic but does the game cartridge slot have a known amount of cycles until failure?
I’m thinking about how phone’s charging/data ports are stress tested by simulating hundreds of connections.
The cartridges are just SD cards. So however long SD cards last for is thier life span.
I’m talking about the cartridge system not the cards themselves
It’s an SD card slot. It’ll last as long as SD cards last.
Technically it’s micro SD, actually.
Not going to comment on the software ecosystems because that is pure speculation and anyone claiming otherwise is talking out of their ass.
What I will instead point out is: your hardware is likely to fail in that time period. “Planned obsolesce” or whatever, I don’t care how you justify it. The reality is that these contain batteries that will degrade, and eventually fail. That is why anyone with a PSP or a Vita should check if it is bulging and dispose of it accordingly. And I think it is the xbox 360 that has a capacitor that people should cut before it leaks? Or basically any PC from 20 or so years ago where you need to repair the system clock on the mobo.
Hell, people love to talk about how unbreakable and amazing the NES is. Except… just look at GDQ where they have had multiple (?) instances of consoles failing during runs and the runners even talk about needing to source functioning consoles and scrap them for parts. This is why the speed running community went from gatekeeping “Rawr, only original hardware” to “So… those FPGAs are fucking cool, right?”
Much like with PC gaming: having the hardware or even the license does not mean you can play it in ten years without jumping through some hoops that often involve emulation and/or cracks.
What’s stopping you from replacing the battery?
My DS Lite battery still works. If it doesn’t, it can be replaced.
For future reference, consider !buyitforlife@slrpnk.net
By DS, I hope you’re talking about a New 3DS, perhaps XL, and not the older DS models. Installing CFW on a New 3DS is pretty easy, and whether you buy your games or pirate them, there’s a giant library that could easily keep you occupied for 20+ years. Even if you stay offline. You can also run emulators, ROMs, and other homebrew to get even more use out of it.
If I was to buy a Switch, I’d want the OLED model, but they’re difficult to mod. Unless you have good soldering skills, you’ll likely have to pay for someone to install a modchip. That being said, the Switch is significantly more powerful than the 3DS. Will eShop be down for Switch in 20 years? Unfortunately, most likely. But with piracy, or games on cartridges, you could easily enjoy your games in 20+ years. The Switch can also handle emulating a lot of games that a 3DS just doesn’t have the power to.
Either system would be fine. I’d lean toward the Switch, unless you really want something that can easily fit in your pocket, can be modded without soldering, and should be a cheaper price point. I have collected every console Nintendo has made so far, and they all still work, as long as you take good care of them. The only exception is the Wii U, mine works, but they’re known for bricking because of cheap NAND chips, particularly from consoles sold at launch.
You can also buy/print an RCM jig (basically an anchored paperclip) instead of soldering a modchip on earlier models of the switch. Newer models are unhackable without a firmware version below 8.
Very difficult to predict the future, but my bet would be on no (to the in 20years question).
I doubt the hardware would last 20 years and eventually it’ll become hard to source parts as the popularity falls off, even if you could repair it yourself. I’m sure anything with an online dependency will not work either, but offline games have a chance.
But the real question is would you want to use the switch in 20 years (or honestly, even today)? There is already a better alternative (steam deck) with a much more open platform with way more capabilities and I believe it can already emulate Nintendo games (although no first hand experience with that)
I have a switch myself and would never recommend it to anyone personally.
My dude, the DS Lite is 20 years old already. There’s plenty of video game hardware still kicking 20 years out. The only hardware in the switch that shows any signs of wearing out over time is the analog sticks in the joycons and the rechargable batteries. Both already have replacements available and will likely continue to.
You can also play it docked, with a wired controller, if you somehow can’t get generic rechargable battery replacements for it.
Hardware does not break down that fast.
Nah, the thermal load on the Switch components is way higher than in the old handhelds. Plus, we’re living in a time where corners are cut and obsolescence is planned. The switch will never last 20 years without repairs to battery/PCB/display/etc.
My 3ds will live 20 more years easily, my batch one switch as well, tho
I think people are forgetting the DS part of the question
DS are very cheap second hand and all the game cartridges work in offline mode natively. If you haven’t ever owned a DS before you need to pickup a few 3DS XL models ASAP and catch up on that whole generation of gaming!
As for switch people are right below, if you want longterm playability you might need to emulate on a different device like a steam deck. Some switch games need that online ‘phone home’ to download the game
3ds with hshop and ghost eShop is just awesome 🥰
If you can get your hands on a NDS with an R4 for a decent price, I’d say that will give you way better access to a great library of games. The games are going to be simpler and a bit dated, but there are some gems in there. There’s no dependency on online and the games will work until the hardware fails
The 3DS is better, and you don’t need an R4 card to mod things anymore. You can also mod the switch, though you have to do some stuff every reboot and have to have an older model.
3ds won’t play GBA games right?
It sure does, you can inject gba files into gba Virtual Console Titles and create a new .cia file to be installed using FBI. Of course, there are many premade gba .cia files already out there (found the most important ones on reddit posts)
I now have all the pkemon (from red to ultraMoon) on my 3ds Homescreen. Additionally I have installed pksm, which gives me local pokemon bank functionality, backup of my save files, and many more features for all those pokemon versions.
I really can recommend 3ds ( 3ds.hacks.guide ). But a unpatched batch one switch, can all this and a lot more faster and for ever as well (there is a pksm for switch as well). With a newer switch, you have to solder some stuff IIRC.
open_agb_firm is another option for GBA games. Seems to offer better performance, particularly when it comes to audio. I played through Pokemon Emerald with that recently, and it was the only way I could avoid the distracting sound issues.
I have not recognized sound issues in my current emerald run on VC. But sometimes (it is supposed, due to slow SD cards), the top bar of the image is shown in lower part of the screen. For me, going home and restart the VC game fixed it normally. I just love booting games from the 3ds Home Screen
Oh, nice! I wasn’t aware of that
Yes, newer switches need a modchip. They’re dirt cheap these days but require microsoldering- not for the faint of heart, ESPECIALLY for the Lite and OLED switches.
Yea, soldering that without a microscope (or similar) seems veeery infuriating, lol, according to the videos I watched.
A microscope is explicitly required IMO. I would definitely not attempt the mod without one.
R4 is dead. Too many fakes, too many timebombs. Ace3DSx chips are where it’s at.
Easily fixable with other firmware such as YSMenu.
But the Ace3DSx doesn’t require CFW. Just load your games onto the card and you’re good.
I mean, that is correct, but you make it seem like the CFW is about hundreds of GBs and you need to compile it yourself… I think it is just replacing some files/folders of mere MBs.
Since the problem of the joycons breaking down has come up a few times, I just want to mention that you can easily couple 8bit-do controllers, or presumably any others, and play with those instead. That’s likely to mean they’ll be available for a while. Not sure that you can do anything about a DS’s buttons breaking
