Nintendo Switch

[Melchior]

Can someone please explain the Switch to me?

Is it a console? Handheld? Both?

I want a Nintendo console to play at home with the kids 2-4 player games and such, is Switch what I want?

The online stores have left me...perplexed.


Thanks!

[maxbeedo]

It's both.  It has 2 handheld modes I believe (I don't have one myself), one where you hold it by the controllers on the sides, another where you prop the stand up on the back and detach both controllers which have enough buttons to be full controllers for 2 people (you can sync up 2 additional separate controllers and have 4 players on a "handheld"). It can also sit in a dock that has video out to a TV, where "normally" you'd get better video quality, although I think most reviews I've seen have mentioned a lot of games aren't really optimized for docked mode, so the quality's about the same.

[Timinator]

Pc games come to it about 5 or more years after pc release and at inflated prices too

[dave in the basement]

I have a Switch and so does my son. My daughter borrows my son's from time to time to play Let's Dance with her friends and they have an absolute blast.

I love love love my Switch. We have two docking stations set up, but I think I have only docked mine a few times to play Diablo 3.

[syn]

my kids got one for christmas this year, after a fair amount of begging. got a couple 2 player games for them. so far they love it, though the games the older kiddo likes are a bit too hard for the younger one.

would happily take any good game recommendations (especially multiplayer) for the 5-10 years old range.

[dave in the basement]

Mario Kart
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
Super Mario Maker 2
Minecraft, probably moreso for the older kiddo

I'd check out videos on the above, just to see if you think your kids could handle them and would enjoy them.

I'm hooked on Stardew Valley and Pokemon, but those are probably skew towards gamers that are a little older.

Have fun with the new system!

[Melchior]

Thanks guys.

So for a home game system on the TV, with no need for handheld, would I want a Switch or Wii U?

[maxbeedo]

They're basically the same thing (handheld with a dock), except the only reason anyone would ever want a Wii U right now is the online store for retro games (or price I guess, if the Switch is too expensive), which the Switch has been very slow about updating.  But Nintendo could stop supporting the Wii U at any time, since they stopped making games for it.  Otherwise the Switch is newer and better in every way.  The Wii U never got much support from Nintendo OR third-parties, whereas the Switch has... more support at least. 

Also keep in mind that a new Switch model will almost certainly be coming out later this year.  That may drive the price down for the current model (which came out in 2017).
https://www.ign.com/articles/2020/01/07/nintendo-switch-pro-may-be-released-in-2020-report

[dave in the basement]

Anecdotally, I have heard that a lot of people don't like the Wii U default controller, but that may not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things. And hey, you may love it.

I think I'd opt for the Switch if you think they would ever MP with their friends. Switches seem to be everywhere now so there is a greater opportunity to play with others, even if it's not for awhile.