Do I need a Switch?

[Maximo101]

Steam deck and yuzu or ryujinx (what does that mean?) play 90% or so of the switch games I've thrown at it so far, and also expertly emulates a ps1, ps2, old nintendo and sega systems, mame arcade, xbox, etc. And emulates a pc gaming rig pretty well and a ps3 so-so as well.

I can't think for the life of me why I should add a nintendo switch to my gaming platforms. What does a switch go for these days used good condition? SD was $350 new from Valve a few months ago.

Anyone who runs both, please let me know your thoughts. Thx.

 

[masagrator]

I can't think for the life of me why I should add a nintendo switch to my gaming platforms

Then don't buy it? Why you need someone to convince you otherwise? You don't see a reason, you don't buy it.

I don't want steam deck because it's too bulky, and anything else than the most expensive version has too short battery life to consider it as a handheld.

And as a VN player I like that VNs released on Switch have bigger fonts than on PC. Many of those VNs don't work on emulators since their devs don't consider them a priority to fix because of niche audience. Higurashi took few years to fix on Yuzu, and only because some other game had the same issue and fix for it accidentally fixed Higurashi.

 

[jkm81]

I own both and i play more on the switch since i have a pretty good collection of phisycal copies of games and the steamdeck i just use it to play movies and watch them on my tv

 

[qqq1]

I've had a Switch for a few years... I played it once. The only Switch era Nintendo games I've wanted to play were better on my PC than on the Switch. I'd say don't bother.

 

[RHOPKINS13]

I used to enjoy owning a Switch, until both the microSD card reader and the Wi-Fi died on it. I have a Steam Deck as well. I've done some Switch emulation on it, but some games certainly play better on Switch.

If you have friends that you want to play Switch games online with, I'd say it's worth getting one. Otherwise, probably not since you already have the Steam Deck.

 

[Lumpofcoal]

For one, to play online (besides local lan), assuming one has any desire to do so. Second, most cheats you see for switch games are for playing on the switch, not many of them are converted for use with emulators. Third, not having to worry whether the game is compatible at release. Emulated ones might have to wait for updates to either get better performance/less buggy or to even get it running at all.

 

[masagrator]

most cheats you see for switch games are for playing on the switch, not many of them are converted for use with emulators

Actually that's an issue only with Yuzu and its forks. That's not the case with RyujinX

 

[Lumpofcoal]

Actually that's an issue only with Yuzu and its forks. That's not the case with RyujinX

Hmm, not too sure about it given the constant requests I see in various cheat threads for "conversion" to work with Ryujin.

Just in case there's a misunderstanding, I'm not saying that they are not convertible. Rather, very few authors of those codes could be bothered to convert them and very few others have knowledge to do so.

 

[masagrator]

Hmm, not too sure about it given the constant requests I see in various cheat threads for "conversion" to work with Ryujin.

I wouldn't consider that as proof of anything, since many users just ask for many things without checking if they actually need it. Recent case - new Eiyuden Chronicles. People ask for 60 FPS cheat even though this game runs at unlocked framerate. They don't even bother to check. No wonder I have trust issues.

 

[pig_slaughterer69]

While I haven't tried emulating the Switch before, if my Switch dies I don't intend to replace it.

If you want to play online or locally in handheld mode with your friends or prefer the convenience of not needing to set anything up then buy a Switch.

 

[Maximo101]

The games that run on the emulator look good. Most play at framerates that I find acceptable.

What would any of you pay for a used switch if you were to buy one today, say yours died and you wanted to replace it...

Masagrator: I'm looking for intelligent input from Switch Users. I make my own decisions, nobody talks me into anything. But thanks for your opinion.

 

[RedColoredStars]

You can get a unpatched v1 switch tablet for $150. Steam Deck is garbage imo.

 

[Statesman]

There is no point to run both. A Steam Deck/Legion Go/etc can run everything a Switch does but IMHO they are too large and bulky. A Switch Lite is the closest to a properly-sized modern handheld. If anything, bulky handhelds are the problem child vs just getting a Switch Lite or a Laptop for portable gaming.

With that said, if money isn't an issue, it is pretty comfy to segregate games by console. While I could play every Switch game on a PC, yet I simply choose which ones are comfy to have on the go/small form factor, and then graphic-intensive games stay on PC. I suppose you could do the same with a Switch+Steam Deck pair, just keep Nintendo-exclusives+low intensity games on the Switch. Memory isn't infinite after all, I'm rather fond of having everything available at any moment.

 

[Maximo101]

You can get a unpatched v1 switch tablet for $150. Steam Deck is garbage imo.

why don't you like the SD? I am genuinely curious. So far so good, for me...

 

[4d1xlaan]

I avoid emulating anything N64 or newer because emulators for newer systems just aren't accurate enough to real hardware. but that's just me

 

[Maximo101]

There is no point to run both. A Steam Deck/Legion Go/etc can run everything a Switch does but IMHO they are too large and bulky. A Switch Lite is the closest to a properly-sized modern handheld. If anything, bulky handhelds are the problem child vs just getting a Switch Lite or a Laptop for portable gaming.

With that said, if money isn't an issue, it is pretty comfy to segregate games by console. While I could play every Switch game on a PC, yet I simply choose which ones are comfy to have on the go/small form factor, and then graphic-intensive games stay on PC. I suppose you could do the same with a Switch+Steam Deck pair, just keep Nintendo-exclusives+low intensity games on the Switch. Memory isn't infinite after all, I'm rather fond of having everything available at any moment.

I do notice some issues with games with higher challenge graphics on the SD when running an emulator. I have SOR4 as a pc game running on the deck as well as on yuzu on the same device. The pc game is much sharper than the switch game graphics-wise.
I wish rpcs3 would run more ps3 games on the deck than it does. I can get GTA IV to run, but SF Driver or Midnight Club are to slow to play.

 

[a_username_that_isnt_cool]

I used to use my switch a lot, but then the backplate broke and now my SD card reader keeps unseating. I ended up just using yuzu, and then maybe later I'll extract the saves (I'm probably never going back to playing games on my Switch, though) so if you want to play switch games, but don't care for the actual switch, I'd just get an unpatched v1 switch, Lockpick the keys (Lockpick-RCM), then set up yuzu.
For the games you have 2 choices:
1. Piracy (no links here! go fend for yourself landlubber )
2. Buy the games, dump them with nxdumptool, then fuse them if necessary and put them into yuzu.
If you decide number 1, you can sell the switch after keys have been obtained (I think).
For number 2, I'm pretty sure you have to keep the switch.