my experiences with the Switch so far

[Tron 2.0]

Another first, created a Japanese eshop account for an import download.

Was shockingly easy.

As for what I bought, well I found out the Japanese version of the Mega Man X Collections have content that the US download does not, due to licensing issues (namely, any game with an FMV intro or ending originally used a Jpop song. These are on the Japanese release but the US release will always use the US replacement music... even if you specifically tell it to play the Japanese version). To be honest if I had known this I would've bought the Japanese releases from the get-go instead of buying essentially the same game twice, but oh well.

Does the japanese MMX collection play in english or is it japanese still ? The only other difference i know of is the u.s version was split up between physical and digital where's japan got it on two cartridges.

[Edmond Dantes]

Does the japanese MMX collection play in english or is it japanese still ? The only other difference i know of is the u.s version was split up between physical and digital where's japan got it on two cartridges.

It actually gives you the option of whether to play the US versions or the Japanese versions (its kinda subtle... pressing Y on the game selection screen changes edition). Also if your switch is set to English as the default language then the collection's menus will follow suit, tho you can also manually change them if you feel like.

I do have one disappointment: Apparently Rockman 8 is still missing its Jpop intro song even if you're playing the Japanese legacy collection. I was surprised to see the US intro (complete with it reading "Megaman 8")... so I can only guess there were licensing issues in Japan as well. Oh well, I guess I have another reason to pick up the J Saturn release.

For the X games though every one I've tested (X4 and X6 were the first I booted up) they do indeed have Jpop music and Japanese intros. I've heard that X5 might still have some English voice samples for things like when X is at critical health, but that may only be if you bought the US version. I'll test this later.

(Oh BTW, English X5 via the collection did some minor retranslating, namely it no longer uses the Guns n' Roses names for the Mavericks).

Ooookay, I see. I hate to say it, but I'd be most interested in a Wii then at this point primarily for the retro game access I remember it having. But even that's a deep dive investment because there are lots of ways to pick up those retro titles - from emulation to used game discs with 30 titles on them.

Actually, one reason I'm really loving the Switch is its a haven for retro gaming, including games I never saw get a (legal) port anywhere else... I know Splatterhouse was included with the remake but now I can just get it on a collection of old games. I also now have pretty much arcade-perfect Shinobi (not sure if accurate port ever existed before), Space Harrier (existed on Saturn), Outrun (existed on Saturn but this version has a ton more music options), and Samurai Shodown V SPECIAL (for a long time was a Neo-Geo cartridge exclusive).

Then there's games like Super Burger Time, which I didn't even know was a thing. And of course my beloved X-Multiply (I know there was a port on the Playstation, but... it sucked).

Seriously, look up "Nintendo Switch Sega Ages" (altho Shinobi and Space Harrier seem to be Japanese eShop exclusive) "Johnny Turbo's Arcade" (how the heck did the mascot of the TurboGrafx get associated with arcade games?) and "Arcade Archives." It's quite a list. Combined with that the Switch can be played as a portable unit, it seems to me the only way to do better is to run emulators on a laptop.

[Tupin]

I don't know if it's up your alley but Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes out March 20 and will probably be the Switch's biggest game of the year barring BoTW 2 or Odyssey 2 coming out.

[IMJ]

Oh geeze... Shinobi. I wish you hadn't said that. Now I'd love to find way to play the original Shinobi arcade game, and then that thought led to how much I would LOVE to play the original Ninja Gaiden arcade. -facepalms-

[Edmond Dantes]

..... I'm so evil for mentioning this, but Ninja Gaiden arcade is also on the Switch....

EDIT: So I kinda want more recommends.

First off... is there any 3D game with high mountains in it? It's just, high places thrill me but every time there's a "mountain climbing" game, its always something like Celeste (where you never get a sense of height, since the game is a 2D side scroller and really more like a fast-paced platformer), or like Minecraft where the mountains are actually pathetically small. The only game I can think of that might help me out is Breath of the Wild. Basically something that really simulates being up in a high place. Especially if it also allows me to fall the entire distance.

Secondly are there any good JRPGs that AREN'T just ports of older games?

[Tupin]

Octopath Traveller.

[Tron 2.0]

By the way ED huge sale going on the e-shop right now and it ends on thursday.All ready bought myself the grandia hd collection

[Edmond Dantes]

Bought myself a JRPG called Bonds of the Skies. Was looking, saw it, its description sounded interesting and it was cheap. I posted thoughts on it in the JRPG topic but to repeat: its fairly typical, but has a few charms--one is that the mechanics are easy to understand and straightforward, the other is the visuals look and feel like they could've been a SNES game (though there is something weird with the water on the overworld any time the screen scrolls), and the script is full of brevity--almost to the point of lines sounding awkward or clunky. But considering it seems to be going in fairly typical directions, I'm happy it isn't wasting my time.

It managed to scratch the JRPG itch and I can see this being one of those games I forget about and plug in every once in awhile, which admittedly are a favorite type of mine--its hard to play something like Chrono Trigger sometimes because I know it so well there aren't many surprises left (or at least I think there aren't... my last playthru revealed I had forgotten more than I realized), but when I go back to a SNES game like, say, Arcana, its gonna always be fresh because it just always falls into that valley. Am I making sense?

Kemco does seem to make interesting stuff.

Also I found out there's a version of Dark Souls on the Switch, which I'm thinking of getting. My only deterrent is I have the feeling I'll wind up becoming a fan of the series, which of course will mean needing to get a PS3 to play Demon's Souls and a PS4 to play Bloodborne... that kinda sucks. I wish they would just put the entire series on the Switch so I wouldn't have to buy another console.

Random thought:.... the Switch honestly reminds me a lot of PC gaming in the MS-DOS days (hell one game I have, Meta Gal, feels like somethin that could have been an MS-DOS game. I know its a Megaman clone but... its visuals somehow remind me of VGA/SVGA-era MS-DOS games somehow. Play it and tell me if you guys see what I'm talking about). Mostly in that the market seems to have a lot of cheap games by small studios which, some are interesting and most are basically unknown. I played this one called Crimson Keep.. and this one really feels like it could've been a PC game (its a first-person dungeon-crawler RPG... trying to think what a good comparison would be. It's like if Diablo was in first person. Yes the levels are kinda-sorta randomized). For some reason it seems like people don't like Crimson Keep, but for one dollar I thought it was all right.