To Switch or Not To Switch

[Kavik]

Since Metroid Dread was released for the Nintendo Switch Friday, I have been tempted to buy the console finally; however, I found out that a refresh, the Switch OLED model, was released on the same day (although impossible to find). I found ample Switch Lite consoles when shopping Friday, but I found only three regular Switches, and no Switch OLED models.

• Is it worth buying any version of the Switch? Is it worth trying to find the OLED model?
• People often point to Zelda games as a reason to buy a Nintendo console, but I frankly don't care for Zelda. I liked the original for the NES and Link's Awakening on the Game Boy, but I have got stuck on every other Zelda game I've played (Minish Cap, Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time). Mario games are another supposed killer app, but I view Mario games as fun but mindless time wasters, not something to be excited about.
• There are Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Sword and Shield, which piqued my interest, but the last Pokemon game I played was Sapphire version in 2003. My interest in Pokemon stopped at a fairly young age.
• Every other game seems to be a port from the Wii U or HD remaster from the Gamecube or Wii, or something available on other consoles/PC.
• How is Nintendo Labo? Is all that stuff compatible only with the original Switch, given the slight change in physical dimensions? Is it even fun?

Ultimately, if Metroid Prime 4 were confirmed for the Switch, that might be enough to make this a definite purchase, but, since development started over from scratch, I think there's a high chance it won't be available until the next generation. My main qualm with Nintendo consoles is that I always find the hardware fascinating and really want to like it, but then I'm disappointed by the lack of games; this has been my experience with the DS Lite, N3DS XL, Wii, and Wii U. Each of those systems had only two or three games I actually liked.

[Kavik]

Nintendo's marketing strategy of making its products scarce worked on me. I went to Wal-mart to buy a few groceries and saw six white Switch OLED models that had been put on the shelf a mere hour before according to the employee who opened the case for me. Considering myself lucky to have found any, I purchased one and a copy of Metroid Dread. So far I am enjoying them. I got one for a friend who had been looking for one also, so double score.

I don't have an original Switch for comparison, but the OLED screen looks very nice - deep blacks and good contrast. Metroid actually looks better on the Switch screen than it does on my computer monitor. 

Edit: It looks good on my monitor after changing a display setting on the Switch.

[Shapey Fiend]

There aren't many consoles with libraries as broad as the DS, 3DS and Wii so if you couldn't find something to play on those you probably would find the Switch a let down.

[phinix]

I just looked at that Metroid Dread game - it looks fantastic. I would love to play it, but dont know about buying console for it.
Maybe PC emulator would be solution...

[noisyturtle]

I know I'm 100% picking up an OLED Switch as soon as they are in stock at my local game store. Sure I could order one off Amazon today, but I aint supporting those bastards when I can support my local brick and mortar. I own 15 Switch games and no Switch, so it's starting to get weird not having one.

Switch is a great system, and in my opinion the only console worth owning right now. PC delivers better performance, and basically the same library as Xbox and PS. Nintendo is the only company that offers exclusives not playable elsewhere.

[Kavik]

There aren't many consoles with libraries as broad as the DS, 3DS and Wii so if you couldn't find something to play on those you probably would find the Switch a let down.

My recollection of the DS and Wii libraries is that they consisted primarily of terrible, gimmicky movie and toy tie-in games like Nerf, Barbie, The Sims, Lego, etc. The more normal games I bought on the DS were disappointing enough that I bought a flash cart, and even playing games for free was disappointing. To be fair to the Wii, it had a lot of those bad games too, but it also had good ones; I never really gave it a chance because I never got used to the motion controls. I still haven't beaten Metroid Prime 3 because of the controls.

But you are right. I'm a picky gamer. I got a Wii U for Smash Bros., which was awesome, and I bought a few more games to justify the purchase and have barely touched most of them (Star Fox, DK Tropical Freeze). Mario 3D World was a fun time waster though; that reminds me I need to finish the last few levels in that game. Hopefully, I'll find something else on the Switch I enjoy.

I just looked at that Metroid Dread game - it looks fantastic. I would love to play it, but dont know about buying console for it.
Maybe PC emulator would be solution...

I just beat it today. It really is fantastic. It's a true successor to Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. It's neat that people are already figuring out sequence breaks and speedrunning the game in under 2 hours. It took me just over 13 hours.

But yeah, it's probably not worth buying a console for if you're not really into Metroid. The only one I don't own is Metroid Prime pinball, so I guess it's part of the collection for me.

I know I'm 100% picking up an OLED Switch as soon as they are in stock at my local game store. Sure I could order one off Amazon today, but I aint supporting those bastards when I can support my local brick and mortar. I own 15 Switch games and no Switch, so it's starting to get weird not having one.

Switch is a great system, and in my opinion the only console worth owning right now. PC delivers better performance, and basically the same library as Xbox and PS. Nintendo is the only company that offers exclusives not playable elsewhere.

I think your local games store is your best bet. Finding them online is hard unless you want to pay scalper prices. Even Wal-mart's website had a couple for $520 (3rd party seller), which was funny since I couldn't even place a local pickup order for one at the store I bought mine at for MSRP.

I was skeptical about the Switch, but it really is nice being able to play it on a monitor and then switching to handheld mode if I need to take the dog outside or just using the screen separately if I need to use all my monitors. Nintendo is the only system that is compelling since the PC competes with the others.

[noisyturtle]

I heard Nintendo has something like 30 million OLED units being manufactured now for November and December, so if you just wait a little bit they should be plentiful soon.

[tp4tissue]

The thing I worry about is near black chrominance overshoot (dreaded oled flicker), and how it handles near black gradation.

[Kavik]

The thing I worry about is near black chrominance overshoot (dreaded oled flicker), and how it handles near black gradation.

I'm not a screen connoisseur like you, so I probably don't know what to look for, but it looks good to me.