Nintendo NX is now Switch (Official thread) (1 Viewer)

[LeoA]

If Nintendo's not at play I can't fathom why Rare would leave such a key feature off.

For instance the deal fell apart last time around apparently on the Wii Virtual Console because Nintendo balked at the 360 getting an improved remaster compared to the unchanged original that they'd be releasing via the VC.

This feature exclusivity at least from my perspective gives Nintendo a big selling point that counters to a degree the enhancements Xbox gamers will be enjoying.

Perhaps an interview will eventually shed some light on what seemingly is a bit of a bizarre choice.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Like I said, online multiplayer is a core feature for every single game in the Switch Online collections. There's literally nothing that needs to be done on a game-to-game basis to get it to work. But on Xbox, they would need to actually pop open the game and putz around with the code which is probably a huge effort.

Frankly, I don't see GoldenEye being a system seller or anything, so the time/money/effort is not worth adding that feature for just one 25-year-old game.

 

[Ruz-El]

Now we need Super Mario RPG on the SNES Online. Another one that seems to fall in the "not happening" camp but maybe posting it here will make it happen like Goldeneye.

The direct had some neat games but I'm still hoping to see Final Fantasy 1-5 sooner than later, either as a pack or even the pixel remasters. I missed out on them, the switch is perfect for them. It should have happened by now. Maybe they'll throw in Mario RPG and sell it for $70. Call it the Square Archives or something. I'd buy it. It just needs to happen!

Oh, and the new Zelda will be nice lol.

 

[LeoA]

But on Xbox, they would need to actually pop open the game and putz around with the code which is probably a huge effort.

Except it isn't emulated on Xbox. It's being built from the ground up, has new textures, 60 fps, full dual analog controls, widescreen and 4k resolution, etc. Thus your theory that implementing online multiplayer would be a big issue doesn't strike me as likely.

It's getting the treatment that Perfect Dark (Which has online multiplayer), Banjo Kazooie, and Banjo Tooie got on the Xbox 360 (And which Perfect Dark was also going to enjoy before cancellation). It isn't the original code being ran through the Code Mystics developed N64 emulator that powered the additional N64 games added to Rare Replay (Killer Instinct Gold, Blast Corps, Jet Force Gemini, and Conker).

All that's unclear at the moment other than the reason for the lack of that key feature is if this remaster started from scratch or if they dusted off that old 360 project that was nearing completion, ported it to Xbox One, and finished it.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

LeoA - dual analog control, running widescreen/4K, and a faster framerate really just sound like recompiling the source code to run on Xbox. Online multiplayer would require something similar to what the Switch Online system does (emulates local multiplayer by connecting you to friends outside of the game itself) or building something new with matchmaking, servers, some amount of interface, etc.
I don't see Microsoft viewing this as a worthy investment of the time/money it would take to get running.

 

[LeoA]

We're going in circles at this point. Let's wait and see how Microsoft's effort turns out. I doubt we have long to wait.

I believe you'll find it's comparable to those 360 era rebuilds from the ground up that Perfect Dark and both Banjo titles received. Everything from the engine on up is brand new with no N64 code assets, emulated or recompiled, being present.

This is a big deal and Microsoft/Rare haven't gone to this bother and revisited this multiple times through the years, just to now cheapen out.

 

[Ruz-El]

So I broke down and bought the official N64 controller and original NES pads for the Switch. I couldn't resist them. I skipped the official SNES since I have an 8BITDO one that mimics it and I love it.

1: I think the NES pads are very much worth it despite me not really needing two of them. They feel great and I couldn't believe how after decades my muscle memory was still there to plow through "Punch Out" and the other games I tried with them. I love the feel. Only complaint is it appears you can't really use them with non-online titles. Would love to play the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters with them when I buy it (according to redit they just don't map right due to the ease of use add-ons in the games).

2: The N64 controller is a whole other can of bees. I remember linking the controller, but it really is an awkward thing after decades of Duel Sense and other modern sticks. That said, it does feel "right" when playing Mario 64 and Goldeneye. Better than I found the pro controller since I could never really get my head around how the buttons mapped to it in a way I could just play the games. That that said, Is it worth the money? Jury's out on that one. Mainly due to it being a pretty near exact replica (as it should be) and that twee analogue stick feels downright fragile in the modern age. I'll use it until it dies but I won't replace it.

 

[DaveF]

I loved that N64 controller back in the day. But it was a weird beast. And compared to how modern controllers converged to the SNES-style 10+ years ago, N64 is probably super weird feeling now.

 

[Ruz-El]

I loved that N64 controller back in the day. But it was a weird beast. And compared to how modern controllers converged to the SNES-style 10+ years ago, N64 is probably super weird feeling now.

It's funny. It is 100% weird and awkward. But using it feels "right" on these games. Playing Mario 64 it felt like I was missing something with the pro controller. At it's worst having the N64 controller might help me brain-map the pro controller buttons to the regular controller for those games haha. I couldn't get Goldeneye to make any sense in my hands without it.

 

[LeoA]

I played through Ocarina of Time 3D on the 3DS a few years ago and even though I went to 100% completion, at the end I still was regularly hitting the wrong button for Link's sword attack as well as the generic action button that changes depending on the current situation (such as changing to a dive button when swimming in water).

Yet I can fire up Ocarina of Time on the N64 with an original controller after years away and I never once press the wrong button. I guess the unique N64 controller is just a bit too ingrained in our memory with these classics to fully retrain our muscle memory when revisiting them elsewhere.

 

[Ruz-El]

I believe it. I played Punch Out for the NES with the a joycon with a pad on it from Hori and it was fine but I felt like my timing was off which I chalked up to age. I don't know what's going on with the official NES controllers on the Switch but I was dead on like when I was a kid. Remarkable really.

I'm tempted to order an official SNES controller for that reason, but it shouldn't be any different than my 8bitDo that I have. At least I keep telling myself that haha.