Last month, Nintendo pulled back the curtain on the Switch Lite–a smaller, more affordable iteration of its popular hybrid system. Unlike the standard Switch, which is able to function as either a handheld or home console, the Lite is tailored specifically for portable use. As a result, it’s missing some of the system’s most distinctive features: It isn’t able to connect to a television, it has no built-in kickstand, so you can’t set it up for tabletop play without an additional accessory, and it eschews detachable controllers in favor of a solid body design.

That Nintendo is releasing a newer version of the Switch should come as no surprise. The company has a long history of refreshing its gaming hardware every few years. However, these revised systems have generally supplanted their predecessors; the DS Lite, for instance, was an all-around upgrade over the original DS, while the New 3DS boasted slightly more powerful hardware than the standard 3DS, as well as a second analog nub–a feature 3DS owners had long been clamoring for.

The Switch Lite, by comparison, feels more akin to the toast-shaped 2DS; it utilizes the same internal components as the base Switch but in a more compact (and kid-friendly) form, and it removes extraneous elements in an effort to reduce the system’s price. All of that is to say that the Switch Lite won’t appeal to everyone.

Still, the system certainly has its charms. We recently had a chance to check the Switch Lite out at a demo event in New York, and now that we’ve gotten some hands-on time with it, we have a much better understanding of its benefits and tradeoffs. We’ll post our full review of the new console closer to launch, but in the meantime, if you’re on the fence about picking one up, here are some pros and cons to consider to help you decide if the Switch Lite is right for you.

It’s Literally A Smaller Switch With Fewer Features

Whether this is a pro or a con will come down to personal preference, but the Switch Lite is very much the same piece of tech, just in a smaller form factor. The system interface and menus are identical to the standard Switch, and while you can’t physically attach controllers to the console, pairing them works the same way–you’ll need to go into the Controller menu and press the synch button on your Joy-Cons or Pro Controller.

Games also seem to run just as well on the Switch Lite as on the standard Switch. We got to play three titles on the system at the demo event–Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Maker 2–and noticed no discernible difference in terms of performance during our hands-on time. However, there were a couple of control quirks, particularly when playing Super Mario Maker 2, that we’ll elaborate on further below.

PRO: It’s Lightweight And Comfortable

The Switch Lite is designed strictly for portable use, and it certainly succeeds in that respect. Thanks to its smaller size, the system is easier to tote around than a standard Switch. Because it forgoes detachable parts for a solid body, it also feels sturdier than the base model, and it’s much lighter and more ergonomic, conforming to your hands better.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch Lite

The system also offers some control improvements over a regular Switch. Much has already been made about the Switch Lite’s proper D-pad, which is certainly a boon when playing some games like the aforementioned Mario Maker 2, but its analog sticks are also a little bit larger and more flexible than those found on the Joy-Cons. As a portable device, the Switch Lite is all-around more comfortable to use than a standard Switch.

CON: You’ll Need To Buy Separate Controllers If You Want To Host Multiplayer Games

Because of its emphasis on portability, the Switch Lite doesn’t lend itself nearly as well to hosting local multiplayer gaming sessions. With the original Switch, you could set up an impromptu match in, say, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate effectively anywhere by flipping the system’s kickstand out and passing one of its Joy-Cons to another player, but the Switch Lite lacks both of these features.

Despite these omissions, it’s still technically possible to host these kinds of multiplayer sessions on the Switch Lite, but you would need to jump through a number of hoops to get there, and the experience seems like it would be less than ideal. First, you would need to prop the system up somehow, be it by purchasing a stand for it or leaning it against another object. You would also need to own separate controllers for each player to use, offsetting any of the money you would save by springing for the cheaper Switch model.

Of course, if you and your friends own a copy of the same game, you can still play with them wirelessly using the Switch Lite. However, it’s clear the system is intended to be more of a personal device than a communal one like the standard Switch, so if being able to set up a multiplayer session anywhere is an appealing feature to you, then you’d likely be better served by the original model.

CON: Some Games Aren’t Suited For It

Since the Switch Lite doesn’t come with Joy-Cons, it lacks those controllers’ unique features, namely HD rumble and the IR camera. There are also some games that won’t work with the system at all, such as the Nintendo Labo line. The DIY titles require you to slot the system into the Toy-Cons you construct, but the Switch Lite’s size and lack of detachable controllers means it won’t fit into the cardboard peripherals.

Another thing to note is that a few games, such as Super Mario Party and 1-2-Switch, don’t support handheld mode. If you’re really interested in those titles, you would need to purchase a pair of Joy-Cons and find some way to prop the system up in order to play them on a Switch Lite.

Beyond those few exceptions, most games should work just fine on the system. As previously mentioned, however, Super Mario Maker 2 has a unique control quirk: the game plays differently in handheld mode than when docked. In handheld mode, you can only use the touch screen to edit levels in the Course Maker; you can’t use the system’s buttons to lay down parts or select on-screen icons, so the only way to do either of those on the Switch Lite is to use your finger or pick up a stylus for the system. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker, but it is something to be aware of.

PRO: It’s Very Pretty

This is an entirely superficial point, but dang is the Switch Lite very pleasing to look at. The system is launching in three colors–yellow, turquoise, and gray–and all of them look lovely in-person, as you can see in our Switch Lite photo gallery from Gamescom. You may not have the freedom to mix and match Joy-Con colors as you could on a standard Switch, but the Lite’s solid body contrasted with its white buttons make it much more eye-catching.

Conclusion

The Switch Lite lacks the versatility of the standard Switch, which makes its appeal much narrower, but it does have some benefits over the original model for those looking for a strictly portable experience. The system launches alongside The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake on September 20. In addition to the three launch colors, Nintendo is also releasing a special Pokemon edition Switch Lite on November 8, a week ahead of Pokemon Sword and Shield. For more information about the console, including where you can reserve one, be sure to check out GameSpot’s Nintendo Switch Lite pre-order guide.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-the-switch-lite-for-you-the-pros-and-cons-of-ni/1100-6469410/

Capcom has released compilations of the classic Mega Man and Mega Man X games, and now another spin-off collection is in the works. Capcom has announced the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch with a release date of January 21, 2020.

The collection includes six games: Mega Man Zero 1-4, Mega Man ZX, and Mega Man ZX Advent. It promises an artwork gallery, music player, and a new Z Chaser mode with leaderboard. The Zero and ZX games were notoriously difficult, so this compilation also includes a “Casual Scenario Mode” and “Save Assist” to let you enjoy the story at your own pace.

The Mega Man Zero and ZX games appeared on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS platforms. They take place hundreds of years after the Mega Man X games and star the sword-wielding Zero with a new art style and surrounded by a different cast of characters. They were notable for their use of an open-world area and a more RPG-like power-up mechanic. ZX allowed you to play as a male or female protagonist for the first time in the series.

These were also among the earliest games made by Inti Creates, which has gone on to develop the Mega Man-like series Azure Striker Gunvolt, along with other retro-styled games Blaster Master Zero and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon.

The collection was leaked before the announcement with a brief appearance on the PlayStation Store in Hong Kong, but now Capcom has made the announcement official with additional platforms.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mega-man-zerozx-collection-announced-coming-januar/1100-6469411/

The world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is massive. Geralt’s adventure takes him to four distinct fantasy locales (five if you include the Blood and Wine expansion), from White Orchard through to Velen and the Skellige Isles. There are small towns, sprawling cities, and miles of countryside, forests, and rivers between them. The map in Cyberpunk 2077 is smaller by comparison, but developer CD Projekt Red says its latest open-world is much denser.

In an interview with Gamesradar, Cyberpunk 2077 producer Richard Borzymowski explains how the studio built the setting of Night City. “If you look at pure surface, right–square kilometres–then Cyberpunk 2077 might be a little bit smaller than The Witcher 3,” he says. “But when it comes to the density of content, you basically take the world of The Witcher and squeeze it right in, deleting the wilderness between this.

“Obviously this is what we had to make because in The Witcher we were an open-world with vast lanes and forests in between smaller cities or bigger cities like Novigrad, but in Cyberpunk 2077 we’re set in Night City. It’s an integral part of the setting; it’s essentially a protagonist if you want to call it that, so it has to be denser. It wouldn’t give us the end effect we wanted to achieve if the city wouldn’t be believable […] so we packed it full of life.”

This density has already been showcased in numerous gameplay videos and trailers leading up to Cyberpunk 2077’s release, including the added verticality afforded by skyscrapers and other buildings.

In other Cyberpunk 2077 news, the game is expected to have a new game plus mode, and will feature a harder difficulty that turns off the game’s UI. In terms of additional modes, CD Projekt Red says it is looking into multiplayer. Producer Richard Borzymowski told GameSpot that while nothing could be confirmed, the team will “think [about expansions]” after game development is done.

CD Projekt Red is also hosting a stream on August 30 at 2pm EST // 11am PT // 6pm GMT // 8PM CEST, that will unveil a 15-minute edit of what was shown to attendees at Gamescom.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches April 16 2020 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with an unannounced release date for Google Stadia.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/cyberpunk-2077-dev-compares-world-size-to-the-witc/1100-6469407/

New Cyberpunk 2077 information is set to be revealed this week ahead of its April 2020 release. CD Projekt Red is hosting a stream for the upcoming game that will unveil a 15-minute edit of what was shown to attendees and press at Gamescom last week.

The stream will be hosted by Hollie Bennett, CD Projekt Red’s UK head of comms, and will feature interviews with a lineup of developers ready to shed additional insight on the footage that’s shown. The stream promises to delve into the thought process behind creative decisions, reveal information about Pacifica–one of the districts of Night City–and share tons of new information on the playstyles you’ll be able to adopt in Cyberpunk 2077.

The company also planned to showcase gameplay at PAX West but there’s been a change of plans and it will be streaming from Warsaw instead. “There are many logistical (and some creative) reasons behind this decision,” CD Projekt Red said on its website. “The most important thing we want to say is that we’re sorry for the change of plans. We know that many of you waited to meet us face to face in Seattle and it bums us out that we won’t be able to see each other there.” Despite this, the PAX cosplay contest is still on, there just won’t be a developer panel on-site.

The stream takes place on August 30 at 2pm EST // 11am PT // 6pm GMT // 8PM CEST on the official CD Projekt Red Twitch and Mixer channels.

We also recently learned that the map in Cyberpunk 2077 is smaller than The Witcher 3, but that it’s much denser. The game is expected to have a new game plus mode, too, and will feature a harder difficulty that turns off the game’s UI. Meanwhile, CD Projekt Red says it is looking into multiplayer. Producer Richard Borzymowski told GameSpot that while nothing could be confirmed, the team will “think [about expansions]” after game development is done.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches April 16 2020 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with an unannounced release date for Google Stadia.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/upcoming-cyberpunk-2077-stream-will-show-new-foota/1100-6469408/