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!
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)
No chance.
Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long, the supplies for hardmodding it likely won’t either, and in 20 years there won’t be enough of a community interest to support hardmodding services unless some sort of master keys are leaked. And without hardmodding, the only Switches that you can install whatever you want on are very ld ones that were released with firmware 3.x or something, which are also less capable hardware and lower quality joycons.
Heck, if I had to bet on 5 years more instead of 20, I’d flat out sell my Switch and buy a Steam Deck 2.0 as soon as they release.
Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long, the supplies for hardmodding it likely won’t either, and in 20 years there won’t be enough of a community interest to support hardmodding services unless some sort of master keys are leaked. And without hardmodding, the only Switches that you can install whatever you want on are very ld ones that were released with firmware 3.x or something, which are also less capable hardware and lower quality joycons.
Do you think that will be very relevant if we get things like the MIG Switch? I feel like there will still be a decent dedicated community for the Switch for a while. It is a Nintendo product with decent emulation/homebrew potential.
I don’t know enough of it to opinionate but I see at least two big issues (for me thinking about usefulness for that time period):
- it’s hardware, meaning it’s far more pricey and international access far more restricted (they do point out for example they don’t sell to end users).
- in theory it only runs Switch carts (or, technically, Switch installable packages). if so meaning they only supplement a previously jailbroken Switch’s setup (eg.: pegascape, atmosphere, emulators, …), not replace it.
it’s hardware, meaning it’s far more pricey and international access far more restricted (they do point out for example they don’t sell to end users).
I am hoping it’s one of those things we see replicated and sold across different sites for cheap. Kind of like how the MX4SIO was originally only sold in a few places by people like Helders Game Tech and now you can pick them up on Ali Express for dirt cheap pretty much wherever you are.
in theory it only runs Switch carts (or, technically, Switch installable packages). if so meaning they only supplement a previously jailbroken Switch’s setup (eg.: pegascape, atmosphere, emulators, …), not replace it.
Kind of like HEN for Playstation systems?
Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long
Electronic hardware can last for a very long time unless it’s mistreated. I still have a working Pong unit that’s all original parts. Also an NES and SNES and the only thing wrong with those is the SNES turned yellow over time.
For some weird marketing and CEO reason, electronics anytime after the Game Boy Advance don’t last more than 10~15 years, and spread themselves out like spaghetti if the transport clerk in charge haphazardly trips over your suitcase. From washing machines to vidya consoles, if you want it good it has to he old. Nintendo is no exception, the Switch is not anywhere as durable as the Game Boy Color, battery lifetime notwithstanding.
I’m using a thirteen year old XBOX 360 — love it. Have all physical media. It’s fun. 7 more years until 20 so I guess I’ll keep you posted.
Have you replaced the thermal paste? I just did mine
I’m not a huge gamer. 30 hours per year max. I get to longing some immersion so I do four hours and I’m free of the longing for months. I think this might be why I haven’t needed any maintenance.
My kids are still on an XBOX ONE but they too have pretty much grown out of excessive gaming.
Who knows how long these will last when the use falls to minimum.
But is it jailbroken?
That, for me, is pretty much half or 3/4ths of the point of “can I keep the same things” with the Switch. The console (any console, really) is useless for me if it comes without aftermarket / altermarket value.
It’s not jailbroken. I can still pick up games for it at garage sales. I haven’t run into problems — but I mostly play racing games — obviously not online but it’s still fun. RDR still runs. Working as usual.
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.
42 not enough of an answer for you people? Does everything need to be spelled out?
Whoah whoah whoah! Who are you calling “you people”!?
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.
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.
My DS Lite battery still works. If it doesn’t, it can be replaced.
Good news is it’s really easy to replace the Nintendo Switch battery. Bad news is if the LCD goes bad or you get the blue screen you’re fucked. You can replace the LCD but the digitizer will give issues after messing with it 9/10 times. Reflowing is only a temporary solution to blue screen. I guarantee one or the other will happen within 20 years.
That assumes there are good quality batteries and displays and whatever other parts you need. I think the (launch?) switch uses the same batteries as the wii u tablet? But there is no guarantee the switch 2 will us that and just look at how companies like apple lock down access to replacement parts.
In ten years (honestly? if the switch 2 really is 2024/2025 then I would give it less than five years) the issue will be finding old switches on ebay and hoping they were well maintained and have parts you can salvage. Because buying a compatible battery pack or display or radio or whatever will be a shitshow because those parts won’t be accessible unless you are buying in bulk from electronics companies… who will probably want to sell you newer components anyway.
I agree this will likely happen. Your best bet would be hoping sites like mobilesentrix still carry some
Digitizer issues are usually from getting the wrong digitizer. They are programmed differently for the HAC-001(-01) (v2 classic switch) vs the HAC-001 (v1 classic switch).
More specifically the game card reader board that the digitizer plugs into needs to match. So make sure you buy your digitizer to match the game card reader version, or buy a game card reader to go with it (you can get them for ~$14). Unfortunately many digitizer sellers on eBay don’t say which model it is designed for.
Alternatively you can mix and match those versions if you have an unpatched/modded switch. Just launch Hekate, go to tools and run the digitizer calibration.
I haven’t repaired too many switches but the first time it happened to me I had a spare v2 game card reader and that fixed it immediately. Second time I used the Hekate method and that worked just as well
I used to work at a tech repair company. I’ve probably repaired close to 50 switches. Even without replacing the digitizer just replacing the LCD and not even messing with the smaller PCB for the digitizer just unplugging the ribbon cable and plugging it back in would sometimes mess with the digitizer. I didn’t realize that Hekate had a digitizer calibration but if I ever feel like picking up my modded switch again, I’ll keep it in mind. Personally I’m not a fan of the console.
What’s stopping you from replacing the battery?
People thought the same thing in 1985. The NES still works.
The switch is very weak hardware wise but also very reliable I feel. For being a handheld device they’re surprisingly tough and cartridges do have a much better chance at longevity than disks so I’d say of all consoles I’d put Switch on the top for longevity and best odds of working well 20 years from now. Do note this is ONLY true of cartridge games. If you have Nintendo eShop games I don’t expect them to work 20 years from now because that eShop might not be around and I’m confident it uses some form of phone home checkin to verify DRM. That is likely fixable but out of scope for this discussion.
As for Steam Deck / other handheld PCs the games are less likely survive 20 years, games have already started to disappear from Steam (unpopular ones) and I very much doubt every game I have today will be available/playable. Because Steam will be dropping support and not every game is DRM free in ways that mean you can run them once they’re dropped from Steam. The PC handhelds also tend to work very poorly without Internet since Steam wants to phone home from time to time. As for the hardware I think the Steam Deck might last 20 years given it’s Linux based. Stuff like the ROG Ally will be hard to make work due to the outdated Windows on it and the likelihood that you can’t upgrade it and games/steam won’t work without an upgrade.
Unfortunately there is a fair number of games with a physical release that require downloads to be playable as they are not complete on the cartridge.
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.
Isn‘t the battery simply mounted with sticky tape and thanks to the case being screwed in still fessibly replaceable by the user?
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Acetone and/or floss (“sawing” through the glue under the battery). That’s how iFixIt instructed to remove a battery from a 2016 MacBook Pro that was also fixated using nasty sticky tape.
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Check this iFixit guide: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Steam+Deck+Battery+Replacement/149070
It’s listed as “Difficult” and “2-4 hours”.
In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro battery replacement guide is listed as “Moderate” and “1-2 hours”.
One of the problems with the Deck’s battery is that it’s glued in place so well you have to heat up the adhesive, and applying heat close to a battery is something you have to be quite careful about.
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?
There is a single aspect in which the Switch remains superior: Simplicity. Sure, you could take the time once to set up Yuzu and your Switch games and be rewarded with superior performance.
But the technically less experienced user might be put off by the fact that you can‘t just plonk in the game and play it. That‘s however not exclusive to the Switch.
I tried downloading Switch games from uuuuh… rather bespoke sites and they had a rather uuuuh… curious idea of what ads you could throw into the users face. Vivaldi‘s integrated adblocker simply couldn‘t handle those sites. That discouraged me from downloading games for now. Luckily MIG-Dumper is there to save the day and allow me to back up my games to later play them in Yuzu.
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.
Honestly, emulation is pretty nice and you can backup your saves without a subscription, unlike with Switch.
I talking modded Nintendo hardware, because it is the hardware style that the games are designed for, talking form factor and input devices. Especially in handheld mode, on the TV, it does not matter on what the game runs, at least for me
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.
Unless it has gotten better, the joy cons on these things always fail. That’s 1 reason I never got one
Even if the games run, the joy cons will likely not last long before drifting
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.
You’re one of the lucky few
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?
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
For me, the Joycons feel really cheap. I don’t have a switch though.
Also, was unimpressed by the way Nintendo treated Wii U and wii customers (I had both)
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
That is an odd take, I mean, if there are still new games release on Switch in 20 years, then sure? Switch definitely has better chance on having newer games than DS in those time frame.
The reason for my question: I don’t want to own obsolete hardware in 10 years.
In that case, why not wait for the next gen? I have my Switch since 2018, I think, it’s still the first gen one, that can be modded without hardware. I’ll continue play it as long as there’s a game for it. The only way to have the most time of a hardware is to get it when it’s new, right?
I think by obsolete they mean virtually useless. Think of the Ouya not something like the Nintendo Wii. I don’t think anyone really expects the Switch to keep going for 20 years. Maybe it will get the odd homebrew but they are wondering about if they are going to be able to keep their existing library or if things like DRM are going to get in the way and artificially reduce the consoles lifespan.
You can buy a flashcart for the DS and run pirated games on it. So as long as those ROM site stay alive you can play games on the DS. The 3DS can also run custom firmware to run roms so you might want to get a 3DS instead of a DS. Installing the custom firmware is really easy https://3ds.hacks.guide/
I am trying to choose between buying a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo DS.
Last time I checked a Nintendo DS is nowhere near as expensive as a Nintendo Switch, you could probably get both unless you only have $300 in your bank account.
A 3DS with a flashcart goes very far.
Can’t OP just use an SD card with their 3DS to play DS games?
You’re probably right. I mainly got into on the original DS.
I’d get both, I have both 🙂
Strangely enough, I only play online with the DS, since long before having the Switch and even today lol.
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.
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
