With all the hullabaloo over the next generation console wars, it’s easy to forget that Nintendo consoles have always thrived, not by having the best graphics or the most powerful technology, but simply by providing the most fun.
While Nintendo consoles always seem to be a step behind in technology, they excel in accessibility, something the other console makers rarely match.
For example, while the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were powerhouses at the time, the Wii kept up with both.
By 2013, the Wii sold 100 million units according to a report by GeekWire, a feat not matched by the other consoles, despite their superior graphics processing ability.
Curmudgeons would note that the Wii was a game system for casual gamers, but that demographic’s money is as green as that of the hardcore gamer.
Sony and Microsoft obviously knew this, because later they added their own motion controls to their systems in the form of the Kinect sensors for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move for the PlayStation 3.
At launch, the PlayStation 3 had trouble getting off the ground because of its $599 price tag and a noticeable lackluster launch lineup of console-exclusive games.
Sony and Microsoft seem to have forgotten past blunders and have their next consoles set at high prices again.
TechRadar projected that the PlayStation 5 will cost $499 at launch. While the Xbox Series X’s price has not been announced yet, the last two Xbox consoles were similar in price.
Meanwhile, the Switch is priced at the comparably low $299 and the portable-only Switch Lite is even cheaper at $200.
However, with any gaming console what really matters are the games, and the headstart the Switch has in that department is commanding.
Not only does Nintendo own some truly iconic first-party properties including household names like Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, but the Switch has a variety of third-party games too.
In the past, Nintendo had a reputation for being family friendly, but the Switch quickly bucked that notion with ports of M-rated titles like Witcher 3, DOOM (2016) and the Bayonetta series on top of a bevy of mature indie games.
Compared to the Series X, the PlayStation 5 has an advantage, because iconic titles like Final Fantasy, The Last of Us and “Resident Evil” are often associated with Sony consoles.
However, with the exception of The Last of Us, these are timed exclusives that often end up on other systems or on the PC.
So while the next generation is fast approaching, it would be foolish to write off the Switch as a relic when the ninth console generation begins.
While the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X try their hardest to get an audience, the Switch will sit pretty for a little while longer.
