Zelda Breath of the Wild - Wii U vs. Switch

[marlowe221]

Wii U - 7
Switch - 6

I counted the results (along with those double dipping on each) and I'm going to end the tie breaker up to this point and go with the Wii U version. I personally don't see $300 worth of difference.

That said, like some others here I will probably get the Switch version down the road. But I don't know when I will get a Switch.

That's me in a nutshell; I haven't seen $300 worth of difference between the two versions. Besides that, Nintendo's games have looked damn good on my 42" tv @ 720p. Hell, I didn't even know the Wii U was a 720p machine until a couple of weeks ago.

But I hope supplies of the Wii U version aren't TOO limited. My birthday is only 8 days after the Wii U version is released....

I feel if I thought about new console purchases this way, I'd never buy a new console.

'I don't see £300 of difference between these 2 versions of Zelda'

'This new game looks awesome, but does it look £340 worth of awesome?'

'Sure there might be 6 games I want on this system now, but do I want to spend £500 on half a dozen games?'

I buy consoles based on potential. Sure, there's opportunity to get burned there, but I've been OK so far. Even widely considered 'disappointing' systems like Vita and Wii U have more than justified my investment.

I don't even regret getting 3DS before the £70 price drop half a year later

I have to quibble with you a bit here. It's not $300 worth of difference for a new console to me, it's $300 worth of difference for literally the same game.

As far as the Switch as a whole, I am taking a very wait-and-see approach. After 20+ years of watching Nintendo make questionable/bizarre decisions regarding their home consoles (N64 to present), I have become a pretty cautious Nintendo fan. I really WANT the Switch to do well and I really WANT to want to own one, if you see what I mean. But they haven't convinced me so far.

(That said, Nintendo has been all aces with their handhelds if you ask me. No complaints at all there).

[laurenhiya21]

I'm definitely getting the Switch version. Still haven't decided if I want the Wii U version as well though. With Twilight Princess, I want to have both versions because the Gamecube and Wii versions are pretty different (and I really like the game). For Breath of the Wild, the differences don't seem to be that big, but I want to get a Switch anyway so that's why I'm getting the Switch version.

[Sarge]

The Wii U can do 1080p, just not all games actually use it. It upscales to that, much like the 360/PS3 did. Still, some notable exceptions to that rule are Super Smash Bros. (1080p/60) and Twilight Princess.

[marlowe221]

The Wii U can do 1080p, just not all games actually use it. It upscales to that, much like the 360/PS3 did. Still, some notable exceptions to that rule are Super Smash Bros. (1080p/60) and Twilight Princess.

What resolution is Mario Kart 8? That's one of the visual standouts in my Wii U collection.

[isiolia]

It's not about $300 difference, it's about this being the next Nintendo console, with all the gaming that entails. Including Super Mario Odyssey. And hopefully a new Metroid and F-Zero, if Ninty can get their act together.

True, but in the short term, it's mostly about Zelda - and keeping in mind that the next couple months have a good number of other anticipated titles. Nioh, For Honor, the Berserk musou, Halo Wars 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Torment Tides of Numenera, Nier Automata, Mass Effect Andromeda, Ghost Recon Wildlands, and so on, and that's glossing over more niche games (you know Elkin will be buying Peach Beach Splash for instance) or other remakes/remasters, etc.
Just to say, there's a lot of other stuff to spend your gaming dollar on than a new system. It's not to pick on Nintendo specifically or anything either. I cancelled my PS4 preorder when the launch lineup solidified, because it just wasn't worth the money to me then either.

What resolution is Mario Kart 8? That's one of the visual standouts in my Wii U collection.

720p per the list over at Beyond3D.

[Sarge]

The Wii U can do 1080p, just not all games actually use it. It upscales to that, much like the 360/PS3 did. Still, some notable exceptions to that rule are Super Smash Bros. (1080p/60) and Twilight Princess.

What resolution is Mario Kart 8? That's one of the visual standouts in my Wii U collection.

1280x720. That being said, I don't find the difference between the two that huge. It's certainly not the gap between 480p and 720p, and artistic design goes a long, long way.

EDIT: Ninja'd.

isiolia, you're not wrong. I just want it, doggone it.

[ElkinFencer10]

I buy consoles based on potential. Sure, there's opportunity to get burned there, but I've been OK so far. Even widely considered 'disappointing' systems like Vita and Wii U have more than justified my investment.

I don't even regret getting 3DS before the £70 price drop half a year later

Same on all fronts. Almost every console has some awesome games that you can't play anywhere else. The Wii U has many such games, and it's considered a disaster. The Switch will, I think, probably do very well, so I don't see a big risk with another Wii U type of situation but with fewer good games. The Switch will offer a large number of amazing games that you won't be able to find anywhere else, and that alone makes the console worth the purchase in my opinion.

[marlowe221]

Same on all fronts. Almost every console has some awesome games that you can't play anywhere else. The Wii U has many such games, and it's considered a disaster. The Switch will, I think, probably do very well, so I don't see a big risk with another Wii U type of situation but with fewer good games. The Switch will offer a large number of amazing games that you won't be able to find anywhere else, and that alone makes the console worth the purchase in my opinion.

The Switch may have awesome games that you can't play anywhere else but it doesn't have them yet.

Both Zelda and Mario Kart can both be played on the Wii U. The additional "content" in the Switch version of MK does not inspire me to pay $60 for the game all over again...

That leaves you with what? Arms? 1, 2, Switch? That's it so far isn't it? Are those really the "awesome games that you can't play anywhere else" that you are referring to?

I'll grant you Splatoon 2 and Mario Odyssey, but that game is almost year out from where we sit right now.

[ElkinFencer10]

Shin Megami Tensei V, the upcoming Fire Emblem, FAST RMX, whatever mystery game The Pokemon Company is working on all come to mind as well. Those, too, are a ways off, but I would buy the system at some point anyway, and third parties will take early sales into consideration, so I reckon I might as well do my small part in helping the launch take off.

[marlowe221]

Shin Megami Tensei V, the upcoming Fire Emblem, FAST RMX, whatever mystery game The Pokemon Company is working on all come to mind as well. Those, too, are a ways off, but I would buy the system at some point anyway, and third parties will take early sales into consideration, so I reckon I might as well do my small part in helping the launch take off.

I hope you're right!

I don't mean to sound as down on the Switch as I probably do. I want it to do well. And I'll probably own one at some point.

But I was disappointed by the reveal information and launch lineup. And I was baffled by a lot of the decisions they made regarding this console/handheld/thing.