Nintendo Switch
Which Console Won Q1 2018?
What a stunning year 2017 was for Nintendo. Its new console, the Switch, flew out of the traps in style with the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a host of great exclusives. The hybrid hardware has resonated with eastern and western audiences alike, and the library of games has continued to impress. In particular, the Switch is building a fine reputation for itself as a haven for indie games, and the so-called Nindies have helped round out the platform in the face of its sub-par third-party offering – not that we haven’t been impressed by titles like DOOM and Dark Souls Remastered making their way to the platform, mind.
Yet, despite the explosive start to the Nintendo Switch’s lifecycle, there are some slight concerns about its continued momentum this year. 2018 was never likely to be able to match the same pace, and indeed, it hasn’t started with too much in the way of notable new releases.
Save for its lackluster difficulty, Kirby Star Allies was a fun enough experience, especially in co-operative guise. But the year has been more defined by the steady fleshing out of the console’s library with respect to third-party releases. Remasters and ports of games such as Bayonetta, Darkest Dungeon, Owlboy, and Outlast are fast making the Switch a console to own beyond just its major first-party releases. It’s a welcome departure from the Wii U.
On a less positive note, we’re still eagerly anticipating Nintendo’s new online service a full year after launch, which is an upset we can’t help but mention.
