The Nintendo Switch Stopped Appealing To Me In 2024; Here’s Why

So the Nintendo Switch is something, I will give it that. I mean no disrespect either to Nintendo or their legacy with this article. Without them, the childhood of many of us would’ve been more than just dull.

That said, I seriously can’t comprehend why anyone would want to buy a Nintendo Switch in 2024. It has one of the most egregious online stores, subpar hardware, and an infamous stick drift which has caused many to replace their Joy-Cons.

So allow me to go into detail why a Nintendo Switch doesn’t excite me the same way any other platform does, and why it shouldn’t excite you either.

The Switch’s Hardware Is Not The Best

In front of you, ladies & gentlemen, is the hilarious comparison of Mortal Kombat 1 on the Nintendo Switch versus the PS5, and this isn’t the first nor the last game on the Switch that looks something out of an Android.

We owe it all to the Nintendo Switch’s sub-par hardware, worse than a PS4’s. As EaseUS makes this comment about the comparison between the Switch & the PS4:

The clear winner is PS4, though it was released a few years back, thanks to the excellent combination of CPU and GPU.”

-Jean (an EaseUS author)

I understand that the Nintendo Switch wasn’t made with “peak performance” in mind. Instead, it accommodates the average gamer with its hybrid portable design. My question then is: Why port these modern games in terrible states when you know your console can’t handle it?

The usual offenders of a poor Switch port i.e. long load times, low FPS, input lag, and others, can even be seen in technical masterpieces such as Perfect Dark. the Batman: Arkham Trilogy, Mortal Kombat 1, etc…

Let’s also not forget one of the main gripes of the Switch at its launch. If you owned a Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite, you probably feared its Joy-Con could start drifting at any time. This happens due to dust & dirt particles getting inside the exposed circuitry of the Joy-Cons, thus irritating them.

I’m Not Going To Sugarcoat It, The Online Experience Is Awful

It's been seven years and the Switch eShop is still awful.
byu/crome66 innintendo

The above post references a similar post that was made 5 years before this post. It sadly talks about how the Nintendo eShop is still painfully slow & clunky to use. There’s also no proper content moderation, as the eShop usually prioritizes sketchy AI art or mobile-esque games, furthering people’s disdain.

It’s hard for the indie market to thrive in Nintendo’s eShop, thus most people end up using a fan-made site called Deku Deals instead.

This video by Flip Side addresses another issue I had with Nintendo’s online services. Its take on the Xbox Game Pass caters to providing you with games from older generations, such as games from the DS, 3DS, GBA, Sega Genesis, via a subscription service.

On paper, this is a neat idea … only if implemented competently.

The lack of popular old-school titles is already pretty suspicious, coupled with the fact that monthly only a few (often obscure) games are added to their library. Most of these games end up being terrible ports that come with input lag, glitches, and framerate fluctuations.

An original or emulated copy often tends to be a superior experience compared to Nintendo’s ports. In scenarios such as these a certain someone said; 

We think there is a fundamental misconception about piracy. Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem,” says Gabe Newell. 

Everything The Switch Can Do The Steam Deck Can Do Better

At this point, get a Steam Deck. Not only does it perform better than a Nintendo Switch, but at least Valve is honest with its audience about whether a game on the Steam Deck is in a playable state or not (not that the list of playable games is currently small).

I agree that the Steam Deck is slightly pricey compared to a Nintendo Switch, but, you get your existing Steam Library (if you have one) for free. You also get a working store that constantly provides you with amazing deals. Compared to its peers, the Steam Deck is also relatively cheaper, and tons of Steam users have been shown to prefer it over other gaming platforms.

Coupled with other amazing Steam services such as; Localized pricing, Controller support, Mod support, and many others. I find it hard to consider a Switch worthy of my attention when its replacement is in front of me.

Credit Where It’s Due And Final Thoughts

We have to give Nintendo credit where it’s due. All of the Switch’s issues aside, you can’t call Nintendo unoriginal. They made an innovative portable gaming device that can be played on your TV and while on the road.

Also unless you sail the Seven Seas, there is no other way to play Switch exclusives, and I love its exclusives. Despite my many complaints, they’re still the 3rd best-selling console in the US. I’m just salty at the fact that the Switch could’ve been more if Nintendo just listened.

Well, maybe they will listen when the next console comes out.