Your thoughts on Zelda BOTW and Mario Odyssey with some distance? Feelings on Switch and it's library currently?

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liquiddragon

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#1 liquiddragon  Online

Last year, it was pretty hard to restrain myself from picking up a Switch but I did manage. This year, it's been easier. I still don't have a Switch but I am still interested in the system and keep an eye on it. For now, I'm happy waiting until the library really solidifies but in the mean time, what do you think about 2 of the biggest reasons to own the system, Zelda and Mario, now that they've been out for a while?

What do you think about the Switch? How the library is shaping up and the outlook of the console. Do you recommend it to ppl? How do you think it's doing in a vacuum and in the market with competitors?

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haneybd87

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I still think Mario Odyssey is really good and Breath of the Wild is highly overrated, so that opinion hasn’t changed. I do however think that the Switch library has really solidified and might actually be beating out the Xbox 360 as my favorite console of all time. I know many of these games are third party but the Switch is the perfect place to play them. It’s a very easy recommend.

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s-a-n-JR

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Breath of the Wild is still one of the best games I've ever played.

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NTM

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#4  Edited By NTM

I wanted a Switch because of Zelda and Mario Odyssey, and to be honest, they weren't necessarily worth the wait. I thought they were good, but neither were in my top five of last year. That said, I'm glad I got the Switch nonetheless, despite it (like the previous two Nintendo consoles) more or less (figuratively) collecting dust as I don't really play it. Luckily, my brother does since he enjoys Splatoon 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and some other titles (he just bought Octopath Traveler). Personally, the next and really only game that I want to play on the Switch will be a new Metroid game. I might play some smaller game though, like Hollow Knight (unless that comes to Xbox One/PS4), or if my brother finds some co-op game to play we'll do that.

If I were recommending the system to my past self, I would say wait for a few other games. I can't help others since I don't know what they want to or like to play. There are some people that want to play cross-platform titles on the Switch for some reason (perhaps because of the portability), but as someone that doesn't care at all for the portability of the Switch, I have no desire to play any cross-platform titles, like say, Dark Souls Remaster, on the Switch. If I get that game, it'll definitely be for the Xbox One X. That goes for any other title like the L.A. Noire remaster or what have you. I mean, why would anyone really get Doom 2016 on the Switch compared to other releases if it's your first time through it? To me, it's unfathomable.

Zelda and Mario have their charm, but in the end, they are both quite repetitive and for the most part, not worth partaking in their main 'draws' (Moons, and Shrines [especially shrines]). I did about 75 percent of the moons, and 100 percent of the shrines and can say that I am not sure if I should go back to Mario Odyssey to see if I enjoy it more by trying to get more moons, and I can say that spending time going to each shrine was kind of a waste of time. I much prefer the older style of Zelda to the open world. Mario Odyssey is good but doesn't match Galaxy 1 to me.

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Casepb

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I enjoyed both games a good bit. Odyssey a bit more simply because BOTW didn't feel very traditional to me and I rather the older Zelda games like OOT and WW. Right now I use my Switch mostly to play indies. I bought Mario Tennis Aces and played it a little, but the 1st party games right now feel a bit lacking still. I think once Smash Ultimate comes out I will be more content. Oh I also played Hyrule Warriors a good bit.

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FrodoBaggins

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Zelda is absolutely incredible, 10/10. Haven't played Mario yet. Switch is a cool fucking system.

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avantegardener

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BOTW is still a pretty stelar game. Odyssey although well presented and executed, a little too trite on reflection, I never thought about that game after finishing it, where I would have warms feels about the 1st Galaxy.

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Wraxend

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I waited to get the Switch until Mario came out and picked up Zelda along with it. I'm glad I got both together cause neither on their own are enough to hold that system up. Looking back on both I'd say Zelda is the superior of the two as the motion controls in Mario really soured my experience especially when using the Pro Controller. As for Zelda there's just something about losing yourself in Hyrule and discovering everything for the first time that can't be explained until you experience it for yourself.

As for the Switch altogether it's exactly what I thought it would be, a system just for the exclusives and nothing else. I've picked up 6 more games since then taking my library up to 8 and from what has since been announced there's only 2 more games I'm currently looking forward to. But I'm ok with that as I knew that's what I was getting myself into with Nintendo.

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Heartagram

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#9  Edited By Heartagram

Personally, if I didn't have a switch, other than maybe Odyssey I would not be at all disappointed. I think It sort of depends on what kind of Gamer you are. Personally I am not looking for something with portability so that aspect of the system is lost on me. I will not play cross platform games on switch because I want the best performance possible. Therefore, with the small amount of exclusives I'm actually itching to play, I sort of regret my purchase of the switch.

I kind of hoped this time would be different with nintendo, but I also am not surprised at the result.

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BaneFireLord

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BOTW has definitely slipped in my personal opinion since I first played it. Went from my game of the year to only my third favorite from 2017, and I’ve bounced off on my attempts to go back to it for the DLC. There’s something hollow to the experience that’s hard to quantify. I guess I would have liked it to have had more of a sense of character progression (some sort of skill tree or other) or more permanent rewards. While I’m not inherently opposed to the weapon degradation system, it made every loot drop or what have you feel ephemeral and I never felt good using the cooler weapons as a result. That coupled with the Blood Moon resets never made me feel like anything I did had much of an effect on the world or on my character. It felt very thin compared to a more traditional RPG or even the other Zelda games where you have a dripfeed of cool equipment throughout the game instead of having all the abilities frontloaded. I loved the world design and all the immersive sim-like systems, though, and I hope if they stay with this open world design for future Zeldas they go even crazier in that direction while also leaning more heavily into the RPG side of things.

Odyssey was my first 3D Mario. I had a good time but I wasn’t blown away. It was a very polished and well made game that nonetheless felt somewhat slight. I agree with some analyses I’ve read elsewhere about how the reward curve is kind of broken, since you get the same moon from doing a complicated platforming section that you do from sitting next to a guy on a bench. I don’t know how that gets fixed without making it a completely different thing, but it was still kind of a letdown.

Overall I’m not disappointed in the Switch, far from it. I love the form factor and the power...playing Skyrim or a big-boy Zelda on a handheld on an airplane is downright magical. I just really wish there was more stuff on it, both new games and last generation ports and a broader swath of quality indies. Would really like to see some more big publishers wake up and smell the millions of potential sales, but based on Nintendo’s history with third parties I won’t hold my breath. Also, man, that All Smash All Day E3 Direct just made me miserable.

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Oddballs

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I got my Switch in October, for Mario Odyssey. If you have enough disposable income I would recommend it just for that, it's utterly fantastic. I wasn't too keen on Breath of the Wild, it felt too empty and what little was there felt very repetitive. Certainly not a bad first go at the genre, but to harken back to an early comparison from the media, it feels like a mix between Zelda and Elder Scrolls, but without the stuff that makes either series special.

I'm currently very close to selling my Switch, as I have barely touched it this year, there isn't anything that I want to play and the E3 show pretty much killed any confidence I had of a second wind for the console. The only thing stopping me is the vague possibility that they are going to release old games on the system - Gamecube/GBA/SNES etc. Unfortunately this feels further and further away, you can't count on Nintendo to do the things that would make sense for them and their fans.

I will likely sell the system and buy whatever 'Switch version 2' they release in a couple of years when the library has grown to more than a handful of interesting games.

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mellotronrules

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i've had mine since nov. of last year- no regrets. granted i have a lot of travel in my life (which it seems purpose-built for), but i'm 100% satisfied with the purchase. it's worth noting that i also have a pc in my life though- so if i were relying on it as my sole gaming device i'd probably feel differently.

it usually works out that i find 1 solid game per month or two that i end up purchasing.

as far as mario and zelda go- i was really hoping for both to deliver on the juggernaut of hype they were rolling on. and they're truly fantastic games- but definitely not the paradigm-shifting, life-altering, personal-watershed-moment games i was hoping for them to be. but certainly of a quality that justifies purchasing the console.

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#13  Edited By huntad

Mario and Zelda were not as good as previous games in their series. The switch is fine but I wouldn’t say it’s a must buy. The library is ok, but nothing is really a must play. I would sooner recommend someone buy or stick with their PS4/XB1/PC and wait until better games are released.

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BabyChooChoo

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Zelda is an amazing game that I did not like. Do not misunderstand, I actually have very little if any negative things to say about Zelda. My problems with it are my own in that I don't feel like the game does much wrong. It is one of those games you can tell they went over with a fine-toothed comb and no expense was spared along the way. It's just i know that I can often be impatient and stubborn among numerous other things, so I feel like...I don't know quite how to put it...I didn't let myself enjoy it as it is? I came at it the wrong way? Not sure how to put it into words. Like, I fully recognize it as a great game to the point if someone wanted to argue it was one of the best games ever made, I'd be right there alongside them fighting that fight. However, if I was making a list of my own personal favorite games, BotW wouldn't even crack the top 100. Does that make sense?

Anywho, as for the Switch library overall, it's killing it on the indie front. Pretty much every indie game worth a damn is on the platform so that's nice. Everything else? It's hit or miss for me. The only first-party Nintendo franchises I love are Metroid, Animal Crossing, and F-Zero. Metroid is in development, but it's been quiet for a while now. The latter two are completely MIA as far as I know. Every other Nintendo franchise I'm pretty indifferent to. Splatoon and Twintelle ft. ARMS are cool, but like I wouldn't lose any sleep if they went away.

Huge fan of Bayonetta so that's another plus. I can''t think of much else though outside of a handful of niche Japanese games that interest me that are coming to the platform. This is not to say there are no games coming to the platform, just that there are very few that I can't play elsewhere and get a much better experience to boot.

I still think it's a great platform that I would recommend to some people, but I can see why people seem to be cooling on it. If you have any other platform, you're pretty much covered on the third-party front. And unless you absolutely love every first-party Nintendo franchise, it's easy to get the impression that there are some gaps in their calendar.

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Master_Funk

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Zelda still holds up in every way for me, whereas Odyssey, which I thought was pretty good last year, has become pretty forgettable apart from a few moments.

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rethla

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Great system, no games. Same as at the launch.

Mario is ok but not worth buying a system for. Im playing Octopath traveler right now and i would give it the same lukewarm recommendation as Mario. The rest is mediocre indiegames found on all other platforms and superhyped Nintendogames that wouldnt stand on their own without the Nintendo branding.

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thegreatd

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I've played at least half a dozen Zelda games and BotW is the only one that I didn't stop playing due to boredom. I think it's a fantastic game if your expectations are set accordingly. If you're looking for a traditional Zelda game or even an open-world RPG akin to the Elder Scrolls you're going to be disappointed. The game is almost entirely about exploration and I've honestly never felt more like an explorer in a video game than I did with BotW. It strikes this awesome balance between tension and serenity and I honestly loved it.

I have less hands-on experience with Odyssey, but it seems to be more on the level of Sunshine than, say, Galaxy. It's adequate if you're starving for a 3D Mario game, but I wouldn't call it special. Plenty of people seem to love it though.

As for the system in general? If it has games you want to try and you can afford it, I'd say go for it. Especially if you don't have a PS4 or Xbox or if you travel a lot. It already has a pretty good lineup even beyond those two prestige titles and it will only be getting better.

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deactivated-61665c8292280

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I really enjoy my Switch, but I use it less than I'd like.

Both Breath of the Wild and Odyssey are great games that I'm not sure I'll ever play again after having finished them. I find myself continuing to wish they'd move things like Samus Returns or Mario Maker to the platform. I'm still looking for my killer app on the Switch.

But I play a fair amount of Splatoon regularly. And the Switch is my de-facto indie game machine. Also, Sonic Mania. LOTS of Sonic Mania on the Switch.

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Justin258

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I played Zelda for almost seventy hours in the two weeks after it came out. I loved it. On the other hand, I can't go back to it. I'd love to, but the weapon degradation is so over-the-top and so poorly implemented that I just can't make myself play any more of it and thus can't really recommend it, no matter how much I'd love to jump back into that world and just wander around. BotW might be one of my favorite games of all time if they'd patch out the weapon degradation and the inability to climb stuff while it's raining. And maybe give the UI some more features while we're at it (I'd love to be able to batch-cook things instead of having to make it one at a time).

I played Super Mario Odyssey for quite a bit of time as well when it first came out. I think BotW has higher highs, but also much lower lows. Mario Odyssey is a more consistent "really good" game. However, there are just too many goddamn moons. I'd much rather have 200 moons that are all cleverly hidden or require you to do some interesting challenges than 800+ moons that are frequently copied and pasted. SMO hands them out like candy and I wound up putting the game down because I was tired of it, not because I was satisfied with it.

Does this mean that the Switch isn't worth it? No! There are a lot of games available on the Switch. Octopath Traveler is fucking great and there are plenty of ports-up from the Wii U that nobody really played, plus a lot of smaller/indie games that work really well on a portable system. That said, there have been long periods of time where my Switch has gathered dust, so don't expect it to be your primary gaming system. Just something you have a ton of fun with here and there.

I'll finish with this - if I had to choose one current-gen console to keep in addition to my PC, it would be the Switch without a doubt.

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bmccann42

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#20  Edited By bmccann42

I bounced off both pretty hard, and do not for a second believe they deserve the accolades they got. They are enjoyable to alot of people, but they never drew me in.

Now I never grew up with a Nintendo system (I'm 42 and grew up on Canadian PCs for the most part), so I have no nostalgia for these games which might make me a little more unforgiving.

For all of the 10/10 reviews, I feel like Zelda was at best a 7/10 - too many mechanics issues, no direction, lacklustre combat after a set period of time playing, boring and poorly explained dungeons, terrible voice acting, and after a while it just felt like busy work.

And as for Mario it just felt like cotton candy for me, this sugary confection that some people really like, but just gave me a headache after a while. It just left me uninspired and generally had no real interest or drive in the game.

I'm not saying they are bad games, they just didn't work on me and I always question how much nostalgia plays with Nintendo. I've never seen a game company get forgiven as much as Nintendo does.

Edit - I should mention I haven't turned my Switch on in probably 3 months, or as long as it has been since Battle Chef Brigade. It is now my least played system, and while a lot is coming to it, none of it speaks or interests me.

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The_Nubster

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Breath of the Wild is hella amazing and I keep having to resist re-buying it on the Switch. Mario Odyssey to me is, as it was then, comfort food. or a rebound. Like, it was nice and light and I didn't have to try super hard but it was there for me every step of the way and holy shit did it ever try to get me to love it. I feel a bit bad for leaving it behind, and like maybe I shouldn't have played it at all? It's weird. Sorry Mario. Wasn't meant to be.

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nicksmi56

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Haven't played Odyssey or BotW yet, but I'm happy with the Switch. The games look great both handheld and docked, the system is simple and easy to use, and I've already built up a nice library of 1st parties, 3rd parties and indies that I'm excited to dive into once I clear out my backlog a bit more.

Portability is an awesome feature and drags out my playtime of games more than I'd like to admit (5th playthrough of Sonic Mania coming up, and that's without the Plus DLC). It helps me finish them much more quickly as well since I can play to and from work.

Also, Switch has made me really appreciate having a console that focuses on couch multiplayer again. Whether it's the hours of yelling at the TV and each other my brother, friends and I have done in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the hours of teamwork and pain my girlfriend and I have put into Overcooked, or the madcap insanity of throwing 3 people into a Kirby game with Star Allies, the Switch has quickly become my social console and reminded me why I've kept those Gamecube controllers lying around just in case for all these years.

The Switch also has accomplished the major feat of taking me into that dreaded space of gaming I swore I'd never go: online. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and more recently Splatoon 2, I've finally given in and I've been having a lot of fun. Funnily enough, it's only been helped by the lack of voice chat that everyone else says is a huge problem. I've been online long enough to know that people on the internet are huge pricks, and seeing my brother's online gaming habits (blasting music all the time, screaming his head off) has me 100% certain I don't want anything further than just straight up playing with others.

Plus, Switch's online games seem more friendly and less demanding. I can jump into and out of them without feeling the need to play and keep up with the community, just the way I like it as a predominantly single-player guy.

So yeah, I'd say I'm having a great time overall.

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BisonHero

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*some mild item spoilers I guess?*

Zelda: BotW is a weird one for me to explain. I think it's very well made, but in some ways the play experience is uneven. The game starts very strong and wows you with a lot of new ideas, but then drags quite a bit near the end. Where previous Zelda games would bore you with a painfully condescending tutorial and then gradually give you new abilities and items over the course of the game, BotW gives you a much more open-ended tutorial area that you don't even mind being 2-4 hours long, and it frontloads most of the game's items/abilities during that 2-4 hour window.

So for me, the result is that I think that game frontloads a lot of its impact: you spend the 2-4 hours in the tutorial area getting a variety of new abilities and learning some basic mechanics, then when you leave the tutorial area you spend quite a few more hours learning the overworld exploration mechanics and learning how the game is structured, which is markedly different compared to the fairly empty overworlds of past 3D Zeldas. That period of the game is pretty magical as far as constantly finding different stuff, always having to switch up tactics as weapons break and you have minimal resources to work with.

Then even the midgame is quite fun, as you know more of how the game works, but you start tackling Divine Beasts more and have hopefully expanded your inventory some more, upgraded some armour, found a bunch of shrines, have a few long term quests you're keeping on the backburner, etc.

But I think the game kinda falls apart in the end game (by which I mean "exploring the last 20-25% of the map you haven't been through yet"). There are a variety of things that happen in the end game that just made the minute-to-minute gameplay less engaging:

Weapons: Once you have the Master Sword, you don't feel scrappy anymore, because to have the sword at all means you've conquered a lot of shrines and have a healthy amount of stamina and health. Plus you now have this unbreakable sword which means you have to rely less on crappy breakable weapons. This gets even more ridiculous if you do the DLC that boosts the Master Sword's power.

Collectibles/Resources: By the endgame, most chests you find while exploring or clearing enemy camps will be meaningless; if it's a weapon your inventory is probably full of better weapons, if it's any kind of resource you probably have more money than god and don't need another gem. As much as this game is about exploration, the main reason for exploring off the beaten path is finding valuable stuff; look, sometimes there is a cool landmark or something, but the vast majority of the time exploring just nets you more generic terrain for that area, so really you're exploring for the purpose of finding stuff. While exploring, my super rough breakdown of things you might find is this: 5% shrine, 15% rare ore deposit or other rare resource, 40% chest, 40% Korok seed. The chests are mostly meaningless by this point, and at least in my playthrough, I found enough Korok seeds to max out everything by the time I had seen about 75-80% of the map, so exploring that final 20% was pretty unrewarding. Resources of any kind were basically meaningless, whether naturally occurring or in chests, and Korok seeds were also meaningless. I combed those last few regions for shrines, but all of my time outside of shrines was pretty unrewarding because nothing you find is meaningful.

Lack of difficulty: Once you're in the end game and have upgraded your armour a lot, in combination with having the Master Sword and other good weapons, no enemies will be threatening other than the top-tier Lynels. The last few combat shrines you find are super jokes, since with the Master Sword even the toughest variant is not even remotely difficult. Also, you're probably dozens of hours past having seen a new enemy type; the game doesn't feel like it has a lot of enemy types, and as you progress you just see ugpraded/elemental variants of the same Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, and Lynels you saw in the first 15 hours. I know even those guys were likely a lot of work for the devs since each of those enemies can wield multiple different weapon types, but I wish there were more enemies unique to each area. That would've been something to look forward to as I went through the final 20% of the game, but nope, same enemy types, same resources I don't need anymore, only new thing is the handful of shrines in each area. I also just kinda felt like I was meaninglessly prolonging the game, when sometime back in the midgame I could already tell I was more than powerful enough in terms of health/stamina/armour/weapons to navigate my way through Hyrule Castle and face Ganon. It's disappointing that even in the regions far away from the middle of the map, they don't ever really mix up the way you encounter enemies. Bokoblins/Moblins/Lizalfos are going to be in camps or patrolling somewhere, while any Lynels/Hinox are going to be alone in an enormous clearing. The difficulty of enemy encounters is too flat and unvaried, and all they do to change it up is gradually increase enemy HP/damage. I would've preferred that they make you fight Lynels/Hinox in weird environments, or in combination with weaker enemies, but this only really happens in DLC 1 where you go through a challenge dungeon.

Non-endgame complaints: I wish that all 120 shrines were puzzles; way too many are dull combat shrines, and way too many are "so-and-so's Blessing" because the devs consider the overworld quest the "puzzle" so once you find the shrine you just waltz in and get the reward. Also I think the 4 Divine Beasts are just too small and short to be interesting, and "activate the terminals" was not a very interesting goal each time. Instead of those 4 Divine Beasts, I'd hope a sequel would find a way to make multiple dungeons more like the sprawling fortress that is Hyrule Castle in BotW, but incorporate more shrine-like puzzle solving instead of Hyrule Castle's focus on just combat and climbing. I liked that the dungeons of Zelda past were a mix of tougher combat arenas than you would find in the overworld, and tougher puzzles than you would see in the overworld. BotW splits these concepts up too much; the Divine Beasts and most of the shrines are 100% puzzle with no enemies, while the combat shrines, Hyrule Castle, and much of the overworld is 100% enemies with no puzzles.

Overall though, it's a really great game, and I'd still recommend people play it if they have a Switch or Wii U. The climbing and gliding make the world really fun to explore, and the shrines are an interesting way to repackage Zelda puzzles into a Portal-like size. My recommendation is that even if people tell you it's a 100 hour game or something, don't feel obligated to visit every area. If after 40-60 hours, you finish the 4 Divine Beasts and feel powerful as hell but still have a few areas you haven't explored yet, who cares, just sneak into Hyrule Castle, kill Ganon, and beat the game. Or only explore all the regions if you know you're unthorough as fuck, because if you're as thorough as the way I played, you'll have enough resources and Koroks after visiting about 60-70% of the map, and the final 30% of the game will give you almost nothing of value.

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nutter

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I’m not a Nintendo guy. I always had better memories of Capcom, EA, and Konami games from the 8-16 bit eras.

Mario Odyssey was cool, but too long. New Donk City was great. It’s a really fun game if you’re up for some Nintendo-ass Nintendo.

Zelda...look. The hype is strong at launch. If a game is just A LITTLE too praised, I file it away as something I maybe come to later.

I haven’t beaten a Zelda since Zelda 2, though I dabbled in some SNES, N64, and Wii Zeldas (including Wind Waker).

That’s not to say anything bad about Zelda, it’s just not something that means much to me.

Zelda 1 is an absolute classic, though.

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bmccann42

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Quick thoughts on the Switch as a system:

1) The battery life is frankly absolutely unacceptable for a modern handheld.

2) The internal storage is a joke, and almost an insult. Forcing someone to buy an SD card because the internal storage isn't enough to hold some current downloaded games.

3) I've had issues travelling with it when the Switch wouldn't charge through voltage adapters, so I ended up with a dead Switch after 3 hours into a 6 hour flight when it wouldn't charge using the included AC adapter.

4) It's a nice system, but feels empty. Lots of older software on it, but no killer app these days.

5) Motion controls are a non-starter and, for myself, completely unwanted.

Sorry having one of those days where I feel like lashing out at something.

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JoeDangerous

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  • Game Opinions
    • Odyssey was a solid game that felt good to beat but didn't really want to return to for post game stuff.
    • I thought BotW wasn't my jam, which turns out I was super right, but it's still a well made game. Probably not returning to this either after I gunned for the 4 shrines and beat it.
    • The Octopath Traveler demo was the first thing to convince me to buy a Switch and, unsurprisingly, it's my favorite game on the console by a country mile. Bravely Default's one of my favorite games ever so that wasn't a huge stretch to assume I'd end up loving it. I'll be attempting to 100% this game by doing all side quests and optional dungeons tracked through my spreadsheet.
    • Not much else. Splatoon 2 came with console and I never got into it past an hour of play, Kirby should have been a homerun but it's just too easy which made it kinda boring, and Xeno2 had a ridiculous run-of-the-mill anime story that never had me engaged with the characters. Most everything else exists on other consoles so I buy them there.
  • Hardware Opinions
    • The novelty of taking it on the go is cool, but I play it docked 96% of the time so that isn't a huge plus for me. The few times that it IS in handheld mode, however, are neat and feel seamless moving between the modes.
    • I've played co-op with 1 joycon per person two times and both times have given my hand cramps. Those things are terribly uncomfortable if you have to use 1 per person.
    • System UI is devoid of life which completely blindsided me coming from Nintendo. The Wii U and 3DS both have adorable, engaging interfaces that always make me go, "ahhh the Nintendo charm". Remember downloading something for the 3DS? Man... anyway the Switch has incredibly satisfying button press noises, but no music and all of the games are plastered in this light or dark theme. It's just so... basic.

Overall I have higher hopes for the console over time, but I still don't have a good reason to get rid of my 3DS or tell others to go all in on it yet. I essentially bought it to play Octopath and Smash, so I'll be satiated, but I think it's too early for everyone else.

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Sahalarious

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Odssey, is a FANTASTIC, fun and delightful platformer that I dont think I'll ever play again. I beat it, then i "really beat it", and there is just so little engaging gameplay. THe moments where you go 2D are all phenominal, and there are some moons that are a true fun challenge, but most of the game is paint by numbers which hurts me, because Super Mario World STILL kicks my ass. Its worth your time and money but wont change your life.

BOTW however, after my 4th playthrough I can officially state as one of the best videogames I have ever played in my life. The story is throwaway but I would argue that all Zelda storylines are kinda throwaway ( I LOVELOVELOVE Wind Waker but couldnt give a shit about anything other than Link to the Past and Link Between worlds otherwise) but the world they build and the sights sounds and smells are unlike anything else. Playing the cartographer in this mysterious world is an absolute joy, and there is so much to do and see that each playthrough I find new things. Jeff frequently argued "the authored content sucks!" and I almost agree, except every inch of that world is hand crafted, every apple you climb a tree to pick is authored by this team. Play it.

As far as the Switch as a whole.....its great. It has a criminal lack of an achievement system, but its my number 1 console for indie games, I recently discoevered that Hollow Knight is a 10/10 after waiting forever for it to come to switch. 3rd party games fail here, its no powerhouse, but 1st party games and smaller experiences feel so at home on this thing.

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Teddie

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BOTW is great, but I doubt I'll ever play it again. Once I uncovered every section of the map and spent a good chunk of time running around in it, I lost all drive to keep playing it. It's probably one of the best game worlds to explore, but all the stuff surrounding it from story to the combat was really substandard.

Odyssey was also great, though I had the drive to finish this one 100% before falling into the "never going to play it again" feeling again. This is the only Mario game where I actually enjoyed controlling him, but because a lot of the challenges and engagement are, again, exploration-based and not particularly difficult or memorable on their own, I can't see myself going back to the game without a DLC level or something.

I enjoyed the demo for Octopath Traveler, and I'm waiting for a copy in the mail, but besides that and SMTV I can't think of anything else on the horizon I'm interested in (or at least, nothing else I can justify paying Nintendo prices for right now). Probably won't sell it, and I don't particularly regret owning it, but I wouldn't having more reasons to dust it off.

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DarthTraitor

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Switch started off strong with some good solid titles. Still haven’t seen much in the way of third party. But, considering that it’s barely in its second year I’d say there’s still a lot to anticipate.

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Gundato

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The Switch itself: The best thing to ever happen to work travel. Playing Bayonetta in a hotel room or Stardew Valley on an international flight is, to put it simply, my jam.

Zelda: This was every single janky Eastern European RPG I played in the 90s/00s that had plots generated by pasting scripts into altavista. Lots of good ideas, like special clothes for different climates, that we rapidly learned were just really annoying excuses to keep spending time in poorly made menus. Combat was fun but I could never stop dodging in to attacks. But even that wouldn't be bad if there were an actual dodge button instead of "oh, you rolled forward? Prepare to jump in place and get smacked". I also lost interest around the second boss, but I did grab the Master Sword which solves most of the problems with the durability system

Mario: I loved this up until I finished Darker Side. It was fun, but not a Mario game. I still expect to find out this was another Doki Doki Panic where Nintendo rapidly rebranded a different game, but it was still a good time. That being said, the repetitive moons made me want to stop long before finding out that The Super Final Dungeon was actually ridiculously easy compared to 3d world and the like.

In general: Nintendo have learned what open world games are. So now we are dealing with all the crap that we barely tolerated when Ubi started doing it and I am expecting Yoshi or Luigi to need to collect five hundred feathers without a map. But I'm older and (I don;t know what word belongs here but it isn't "wiser") so I just stop playing games once they stop being fun.

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indiana_jenkins

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Breath of the Wild is still one of the most incredible games I have ever played. I beat it on Wii U at about 145 hours and bought it again for Switch. I'm still slowly working my way through a second time and have put 25 hours on that version.

Mario Odyssey is good, enjoyable, and supremely crafted, but I don't love it. I have respect and admiration for it, but it just came and went for me.

And the Switch library is kinda thin unless you are playing every indie game on that platform.

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ArbitraryWater

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Zelda never really "clicked" for me the same way it seemingly did for everyone else on the planet. I really enjoyed the shrines I went through, but if I'm going to be totally honest I find the actual exploration to be exceedingly slow and a little dull. Maybe I've missed some hook that would get me on board, but I've owned it for almost a year now and only put slightly more than a dozen hours into the thing, which I might attribute to general open world fatigue. I don't even think I've found more than like two armor sets, and weapons are so disposable and transient that it's almost a waste of time to fight enemies if I don't have to, since the only thing I'm getting are materials and more weapons to break. I still play it every now and again, but I can't do long sessions to save my life.

Mario, on the other hand, I enjoyed a hell of a lot, even if I'll admit to falling off somewhat once I got to the credits. I got a little more than half the moons in that game and didn't feel a huge amount of compulsion to go back. Still, even if I wish it was a little more focused, it's just a lot of fun and controls incredibly well.

As for the console itself, like every other Nintendo thing I'm really hot and cold on it depending on what's out. I think the library is pretty damn solid for something only a year and a half old (even if half of those solid games are Wii U ports) but I'm not one of those people who feels compelled to get every indie in portable form and I'm still generally going to prefer getting multi-platform stuff on PS4 or PC.

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HarbinLights

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I like the new Mario, but it feels like it is lacking something.

Breath of the Wild, despite its flaws, is completely addicted to me. I've played through the game several times, and still find it to be mesmerizing.

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John1912

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#35  Edited By John1912

The Switch was the first console of Nintendos I bought since a GC. IDK new Mario is no Mario 64, and new Zelda was a bit too empty open world for me. I especially didnt like the mini puzzle dungeons as a replacement for actual dungeon content. I also REALLY hate that weapons all break, esp the master sword. I give both about a 7-7.5.

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fatalbanana

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Boy, this thread is chock full of hot takes. Let me break it down for you because my takes are the hottest takes.

Breath of The Wild is incredible, don't own a switch yet so haven't played Mario (but really want to). I want a switch but haven't justified it to myself yet. Maybe with some more certified bangers on there I would feel differently.

Alright, now you might want to go drink some milk. Hold it in your mouth for a bit and then spit it out. Don't swallow it or the heat will just stick to the side of your throat.

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BrittonPeele

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I still think they are two of the best games I've played in years, if not all time. I still want to give it more time (and probably another playthrough) before I solidify this, but BotW might supplant OoT as my favorite Zelda game of all time.

I have and regularly use all three consoles, but I'm getting more and more multiplatform games on the Switch just so I have an excuse to use it more. It's a wonderful system that I like a lot.

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CommodoreGroovy

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Considering how good the Switch was in 2017, like one of the best years Nintendo has ever had, it makes sense that 2018 is a bit more sparse, acting as a filler year. HOWEVER, I think I can agree with the landscape seeming a bit TOO scarce. Just think how amazing it would be Nintendo followed up 2017 with a strong 2018? It's the missed potential that disappoints me just a little. Even just fancier ports like a Mario Maker for the switch, and maybe even a handheld styled Zelda game woulda been nice to add to the lineup.

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big_denim

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#39  Edited By big_denim

I bought it on a whim last summer before Mario had released.

Zelda along with a number of great indie titles made the purchase absolutely worth it.

Mario on the other hand? Highly overrated in my opinion.

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oldenglishc

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I just played a round of Battle Chef Brigade on the toilet. The Switch is great.

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sweep

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#41 sweep  Moderator

BotW is an instant classic, and a game that I fully intend to replay at some point. Odyssey was, I have no admit, not my favourite Mario game. I enjoyed my time with it, though I found some of the art choices were a little inconsistent, and having completed the story mode with the bare minimum amount of moons I haven't really felt any urge to go back and attempt to collect any more, despite plenty of people assuring me that these are the best challenges in the game.

In terms of the switch in general, I'm completely in love with it. Being able to pick it up and play wherever never gets old, and that flexibility has allowed me to complete several lengthy singleplayer games that I wouldn't have touched if I was completely limited to playing in my living room. Being able to take the console on planes has also been hugely helpful, and I fly enough that this alone justifies the purchase.

I'd like there to be more variety to the games library right now, though when hasn't that been the case with nintendo? At the moment the majority of what's available is either 2D platformers/adventures, or ports/remasters of games that I've already played elsewhere. I'm looking forward to smash bros and the upcoming pokemon stuff, though.

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Ben_H

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I still play Breath of the Wild with some regularity and keep finding new things in it. It's a very relaxing game to just explore in. Odyssey I had fun with but I haven't had much desire to 100% it. I have gone back to it maybe once or twice since I initially played it. I may replay it some day though.

For the Switch itself, I use it a ton. I bought it to be used as a convenient way to play indie games and multiplatform games and it has done that in spades. I switched over to playing Binding of Isaac on Switch, and restarted Stardew Valley. There's probably 10-15 games on it that I play an hour or two every week when I have a bit of free time. Currently it has turned into an Enter the Gungeon and Money Puzzle Exchanger machine. I go up north to our family cabin a lot and having a machine that I can easily take with me and play without a TV makes it so that it has become the default platform for me.

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Otacon

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I still think BOTW is utterly amazing by putting discovery first into its open world, I still play it every now and again. I love Mario Odyssey, but not to the same extent, I still have a bunch of moons to get but find I have to work a bit harder each time I pick it up to get back into it.

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MrGreenMan

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I just picked up a Switch about a month ago finally and Breath of the Wild was one of the first games that was a must have and just am not enjoying it at all. I do not have the time of day as it is to play games as I want. I feel the payoff to open chests I feel are not worth all the hassle dealing with or finishing a task for someone as well. I just feel lost and bored most of the time and feel like unless I spend all my time to play this game I am unable to enjoy it at all. Having been a life long Zelda fan this game is up there with the DS games as some of the least interested in a zelda game I have been in a very long time. I really wanted to love this game, but every time I play this game it just overwhelming feeling attempting to finish anything in this game with the payoff not worth it to me in the long run.

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Slag

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Zelda I think is as good as was said at launch, the exploration and freedom was thrilling

However it did have a really serious shortcoming in that the boss fights and actual dungeons were probably the weakest in the series.

Really great game, but not the best game of 2017 nor the best of the series.

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maxszy

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Zelda is a fantastic game. One that I bounced off of about halfway through and have never got back into because its so large and so daunting. I started playing Zelda last November. I put about 40-50 hours in Zelda but never finished. Its an extremely polished game, and enjoyable. It wasn't my favorite game ever or even of last year. It was a very good game. I didn't bounce off of it for anything but lack of time, but I haven't been able to get back into it even when I've had the time.

I have not played Mario so I can't speak to it.

I think the Switch is a pretty nice system. I think the big thing is thinking about how it will fit into your lifestyle. Do you already own other consoles? Do you like playing on the go or will you play mostly at home? Do you mind playing on a small screen to get more time in? How much time do you *actually* have to play games?

Between my PC, PS4 and Switch I just don't have enough time to play games on all of them. Due to that, I find my time on the Switch extremely limited. I don't really like taking it around with me everywhere, and I've always mostly played stuff on PC so my time still is mostly there. The Switch definitely has a good catalog of games if the console will fit into your lifestyle. I think its a very personal system, much more so than the others.

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ATastySlurpee

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Odyssey is fine. Opinion hasn't changed. I occasionally go back and get a few moons.

I know I'm in the minority here, but i thought BotW was a dreadfully boring game. I've tried 3 times and put over 20 hours into it and just it feels so empty and directionless, never mind the fact its virtually unplayable with Joy-cons. Controls just feel so cumbersome with the Joy-Cons. I've heard its better with the Pro, but I shouldn't have to spend $70 for something to make it playable imo. I just feel like BotW is a bad Zelda game and an even worse open world game and I love open world games. I bought a Switch specifically to play it, but I just can't get into it at all.

Overall, I think its a fine system. Its a great way to play games that came out 2+ years ago. I bought Sonic Mania and Hollow Knight on it just so I would have something 'new' to play on it.

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clagnaught

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My complaints about Mario Odyssey have remained the same since I finished it, although I have recently came up with a better explanation for why I didn’t like it. Mario Odyssey is nothing but finding the Korok seeds, in a game where I don’t really care about the movement, find no joy in collecting moons, with an off putting personality, and find most of the level design lackluster. Last year for GOTY I had a Top 10 list and a 10 other runner ups. Mario Oddyssey wasn’t in either list.

BOTW is good, but I felt like I played that game wrong and didn’t find the joy other people found with it.

The Switch is a really good handheld / console.

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jeremyf

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Mario and Zelda are both, you know, pretty good. There are some issues for sure with both of them. As a new Switch owner I'm pretty positive so far, but I think you need to make a case for yourself based on cost and whether you like Nintendo games in general.

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fram

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BOTW is still one of my fave games ever. Mario was a lot of fun, if slight. I love my Switch and wish I had more time to play it :/