How will the Switch Lite be remembered?

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

I've been wondering how the Switch Lite is going to go down in history. It has the potential to become the last dedicated handheld by Nintendo. It's sales numbers are around 19 million which, I guess is ok by revision standards. It also got two of the Pokemon LEs typically reserved for handheld consoles.

I just wonder if anyone will actually care about this thing in the future since the Switch is already good for on the go gaming and the OLED Switch is clearly the best revision of the lot. 

Personally, I like the Switch Lite's form factor and came to prefer it over the standard model. I play almost exclusively in handheld mode and the smaller foot print just makes it easier to leave around the house and on the night stand. 

What do you all think? Will the Switch Lite be forgotten or be sought after as an oddity?

Edited August 5, 2022 by RegularGuyGamer

[RH | 4,966]

I still think it's hard to say.  Yes, I am 99% sure that Nintendo is working on their next system, but looking back over time, Nintendo has been rather dedicated to letting any iteration of hardware be backwards compatible with their previous hardware.  There was the GB->GBC->GBA.  Then DS/GBA->DSi->3DS.  Next Wii->WiiU.  Now we have the Switch then ???

My gut tells me we're about to see a "Switch 2".  It will probably have a cartridge similar to the DS/3DS slot in that Switch carts can plug in, but "Switch 2" carts won't fit into an old Switch.

This matters because if the new device is portable (and my gut also thinks it will be), then all former versions of hardware will simply fall out of style.  Considering the history and iterations of the DS, I think the OG Switch will be similar to the original, bulky DS in peoples minds.  You can use it, but it's not your best option.  The Switch Lite would compare to a DS Lite--a desirable variant for portable play but the OLED version will be the step up and doesn't have a DS equivalent.  Maybe a better comparison would be like the AGS-101 of GBA models.

Regardless, in 10-15 years, for people wanting to play Switch titles of any variety, I think they are going to want the next Switch, again, because I'm betting on full backwards compatibility plus the ability to play new games.

[OptOut | 8,892]

I bought em for my kids. It's the "little brother" console, the "chuck em in the back of the car" console, the "shut em up for an hour or two" console!

What I'm saying is that the Switch Lite is a goddamn hero! 

[AstralSoul | 502]

It will be a footnote in the Switch's history just like the 2DS and the DSi

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

I've been wondering how the infamous drift issue affected the Lite since its controls are integrated.  I  hesitate hard af on the lite due to Nintendo's controller QC. 

I've had two sets of Joy Cons and a Pro controller and none of them work right.  The Joy Cons are unusable.  I literally can't use the Switch as a handheld.  My best controller is a cheap 3rd party.  Switch Controller, Switch Pro... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC2K7VW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[TDIRunner | 2,771]

The Switch Lite seems to be a decent idea for younger kids, especially if you are buying multiple for siblings (which seems common place these days). 

As an example, we bought a Switch for each of my kids, but since we only have two kids, we bought each of them regular Switches because I wanted both to be able to connect to a TV (and the OLED models did not exist yet).  I went with unique versions to help tell them apart (regular Switch for one, and Fortnite Edition for the other).  On the other hand, my brother in law has 4 kids, and they didn't want to buy 4 regular sized Switches.  So they have one normal Switch that can connect to a TV, and the other 3 Switches are Lites (all different colors of course).  They don't worry about the inability to connect to a TV, because with 4 kids, they would be arguing over the same TV all night.  The drift issue doesn't seem to be an issue because younger kids don't seem to notice stuff like that as long as they aren't experiencing extreme drift.  

With all of that said, I've always felt that the Switch Lite seems overpriced.  You only save $100, but the Docks cost close to $100.  So if you buy an extra dock, you have spent nearly as much on a normal Switch except that you still cannot connect to a TV, or replace your Joy Cons easily.  It just doesn't seem like a good value in my eye.  

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

1 hour ago, JamesRobot said:

I've been wondering how the infamous drift issue affected the Lite since its controls are integrated.  I  hesitate hard af on the lite due to Nintendo's controller QC. 

I've had two sets of Joy Cons and a Pro controller and none of them work right.  The Joy Cons are unusable.  I literally can't use the Switch as a handheld.  My best controller is a cheap 3rd party.  Switch Controller, Switch Pro... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC2K7VW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Why haven’t you just sent them in for repair?

[Reed Rothchild | 9,580]

1 hour ago, JamesRobot said:

I've been wondering how the infamous drift issue affected the Lite since its controls are integrated.  I  hesitate hard af on the lite due to Nintendo's controller QC. 

I've had two sets of Joy Cons and a Pro controller and none of them work right.  The Joy Cons are unusable.  I literally can't use the Switch as a handheld.  My best controller is a cheap 3rd party.  Switch Controller, Switch Pro... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC2K7VW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

You tried the contact cleaner trick?

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

7 hours ago, AstralSoul said:

It will be a footnote in the Switch's history just like the 2DS and the DSi

That's a mixed bag there. I see your point but the DSi is more of the OLED Switch although I think the Switch Lite is on par with the 2DS overall. 

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

11 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

Why haven’t you just sent them in for repair?

Already did that.  They failed within the year.  I'm not gonna keep sending them in.

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

10 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

You tried the contact cleaner trick?

Haven't heard of that one. 

[Tanooki | 4,950]

I've heard of it and having good results.  Usually this drift isn't a broken stick, it's badly sealed just enough crap gets in there and throws it off so it will drift.  It happens to the other two guys too just in less numbers so they don't get open slagged on for it like Nintendo does which are usually known for high built quality standards unlike the others.

The lite will be better remembered than the DSi, maybe as much or more than the 2DS line, hard to say.  They bot (2DS and Lite) have very practical uses and practical prices.  The builds are more robust and better set to take a pounding from less thoughtful adults and well, typical kid behavior.  They're nice to look at on the outside, fairly thick rounded design that can take far more pounding than switch v1/v2 ever would with their thin cheap easily cracked frames.  They can get drift, but seemingly it's less of an issue for some reason, maybe better sealed, I don't know.  My kid had one, already have scuffed it up some, even took a tiny chunk/chip out of it on the edge low side opposite l/r on top and hasn't failed its strength any.  Clean hands aren't always on wise use either, yet it hasn't mucked up or become stuck either.

They're a nice budget option, while $200, can easily be had as like new or some fools accident closer to $150 or a little less with minor patience in the standard shells.  They can sync to external devices like other joycons, sticks, etc, though you'll have to lean it on stuff since it has no stand.  I got a pair of spare joycons and locked them into the lite just to 2P play once, also did with a pro controller, worked fine.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

15 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

Haven't heard of that one. 

You lift the little flap under the joystick and shoot some contact cleaner in there and jiggle the stick around real good. It fixed my friends joycons everytime they started to drift. I'm the 1% of people who never had joycon drift.

[guitarzombie | 927]

I love mine

[ApebitMusic | 130]

On 8/8/2022 at 8:11 AM, guitarzombie said:

I love mine

Same. Real d-pad, never cared for or used the joycons separated. For me it's the ideal version of the Switch. 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

24 minutes ago, ApebitMusic said:

Same. Real d-pad, never cared for or used the joycons separated. For me it's the ideal version of the Switch. 

I was hoping there would be an OLED version launched after the OLED standard size came out. 

[guitarzombie | 927]

2 hours ago, ApebitMusic said:

Same. Real d-pad, never cared for or used the joycons separated. For me it's the ideal version of the Switch. 

I prefer using it for certain type of 'pick up and put down' games, like adventure games or metroidvanias.  I have some 'bigger' games for it (Marios Odyssey, Breath) but I really don't care to use it for that.  I check the store for any cool new little thing that cames out.  Any big games go to the Xbox

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

It's a great little system, especially if you need an extra console for the kids. That being said, it's only slightly more portable than the original, can't connect to the dock, and the OLED display on the newest model blows it out of the water. So, as others have said, I think it will mostly be relegated to history as a minor oddity in the lineup.

A bit off-topic, but I really want a Switch 2. Looking at embarrassingly muddy 720p graphics chugging along at 30fps (if you're lucky...) on my nice OLED TV is physically painful at this point. I can really only tolerate it as a portable device.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

4 hours ago, DoctorEncore said:

It's a great little system, especially if you need an extra console for the kids. That being said, it's only slightly more portable than the original, can't connect to the dock, and the OLED display on the newest model blows it out of the water. So, as others have said, I think it will mostly be relegated to history as a minor oddity in the lineup.

A bit off-topic, but I really want a Switch 2. Looking at embarrassingly muddy 720p graphics chugging along at 30fps (if you're lucky...) on my nice OLED TV is physically painful at this point. I can really only tolerate it as a portable device.

Can't see the low resolution and poor fps if you never put it on the dock. Score one for the Switch Lite. 

[phart010 | 1,708]

On 8/5/2022 at 9:35 AM, JamesRobot said:

I've been wondering how the infamous drift issue affected the Lite since its controls are integrated.  I  hesitate hard af on the lite due to Nintendo's controller QC. 

I've had two sets of Joy Cons and a Pro controller and none of them work right.  The Joy Cons are unusable.  I literally can't use the Switch as a handheld.  My best controller is a cheap 3rd party.  Switch Controller, Switch Pro... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC2K7VW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I bought switch lite for my daughter. The joysticks started to drift so my brother changed out the sticks with new ones from Amazon for like $10

Edited August 21, 2022 by phart010

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,017]

It's looks like the Switch Lite got passed over for the new Purple / Red game coming out.

https://press-start.com.au/news/nintendo/2022/09/07/a-pokemon-scarlet-violet-nintendo-switch-oled-console-has-been-revealed/

[LutherDestroysTheGond | 690]

I've only owned and played a Switch Lite.  I love it.  I rarely have time to sit down in front of a TV and play game anymore, usually only play on the go.  In my mind the Switch is just the next Nintendo handheld after 3DS.  I love mine and appreciate the true D-pad on it.  I might upgrade if they ever announce the always-rumored Switch Pro but for now its great for what I need. 

History will probably consider it an interesting footnote like the Gameboy Light or 2DS or toploader NES.

[Tanooki | 4,950]

Well give it another year and it'll get replaced anyway with the surely backwards compatible sequel of a handheld hybrid to last them another 6-8+ years because what they did was right in the end, even years on now it still is.