• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Not buying a Switch for my kid till QA impoves

V

Vilix

Unconfirmed Member
That's surprising to hear about a Nintendo console.

Not really. Ever since Nintendo moved production of their hardware outside of Japan the quality has really dropped off. Remember how bullet proof the Gamecube was?
 

Firebrand

Member
My only really issue with my Switch is the garbage wifi reception. I'm sitting with the Switch, 3DS and tablets and the Switch has much weaker signal strength.
 

balgajo

Member
I'm also doing this. Though it's for me. Nintendo isn't officially in Brazil so there's no warranty here.
 
No doubt certain aspects of the Switch are built solidly. The tablet body itself I believe is rock solid enough to withstand drops without it breaking or cracking, but I seriously doubt those plastic latches on the Joy-Cons withstand multiple drops without chipping off like mine did. I just don't think this iteration of Switch is a universal fit for all kids or all families that's all.
 

Soapbox Killer

Grand Nagus
5 Kids and you are absolutely right about this one. 2DS is still the way to go. My kids are rough as hell on the gear in my house. Still buying Wii U games.


I love "my" Switch (which my family doesn't know I have since launch, Don't tell em)
 
5 Kids and you are absolutely right about this one. 2DS is still the way to go. My kids are rough as hell on the gear in my house. Still buying Wii U games.


I love "my" Switch (which my family doesn't know I have since launch, Don't tell em)

My son still has his 2DS, but I sold the family Wii U and my personal New 3DS XL to go all in on Switch. Haha! It's not a secret in our house, and yes it's a family Switch console but the only way my son might be able to take this out of the house is in tablet mode with the Joy-Cons detached or in a Joy-Con grip. Still nervous even about that.

This recent accessory might convince me to allow my son out of the house with the Switch in tablet/table top mode with Joy-Cons detached only. The Hori play stand that I have is not sturdy enough for my son as the system can freely fall off of it.

luOrw2R.jpg
 

RPGam3r

Member
My daughter uses my Switch and I intend on getting her one for her birthday this fall. She's 4 and she's been very good with her 2DS and iPad.

Note I have no issues with my Switch, built like a little tank.
 

Furanshi

Neo Member
Wow, your child is much more concerned when it comes to cosmetic damage than I was as a child. I just wanted to play games.
 

TLZ

Banned
What? That thing is built like a damn tank. Sorry about your bad luck, OP, but that's all it is, really.

No issues here.

As a suggestion otherwise, grab a screen protector. It's always nice to have.
^ Perfect examples of people not reading OP and posting.

Don't be. It's​ completely overblown, and a non-issue if you use a glass screen protector.
No it's not completely overblown. I've seen these issues pop up a lot and I'm not comfortable about it. Just because you have a good one doesn't mean we brush it off.
 
^ Perfect examples of people not reading OP and posting.


No it's not completely overblown. I've seen these issues pop up a lot and I'm not comfortable about it. Just because you have a good one doesn't mean we brush it off.

Yeah, I want to reiterate to people that in my OP I mention nothing about the build quality of the tablet portion of the Switch. It's the Joy-Cons locking mechanism(that's just a plastic latch)which is my main concern. I could imagine my son breaking a lot of those either through drops or no fault of his own.
These would get expensive to replace if not under warranty.

Sure, they still attach to the Switch even when the plastic latch breaks, but imagine playing in portable mode and having your Joy-Con freely unseating itself from the Switch at random times while you play. That would get annoying fast. I wonder if changing the latch from plastic to metal would fix the issue altogether?
 
There's no denying that the console, even if you got a perfect one, is for me just too fragile for kids.

Hopefully they come out with a Switch for kids. Something like the 2DS.
 

TheFlow

Banned
I think people are not understanding what OP are saying. Has nothing to do with the screen.

His problem come from usage over time.
 

mindsale

Member
Both sets of my JoyCons lose connectivity constantly ten feet from the system and I've a handful of scratches near the bezel of the Switch.

I would definitely speak with your wallet, even though I am too weak to speak with mine.
 
There's no denying that the console, even if you got a perfect one, is for me just too fragile for kids.

Hopefully they come out with a Switch for kids. Something like the 2DS.

Also trying to explain how to properly attach and remove Joy-Cons from the Switch or the wrist strap can be very confusing to children and even some adults. I think the modular design of Joy-Cons are great, but I think the plastic latches are a design flaw.

I wouldn't mind a smaller portable only version of the Switch for my son, but I would much rather see a redesign of the dock itself and a stronger latch system put in place that's still compatible with the current version of Switch.
 

watershed

Banned
I think the Switch is totally fine for kids but it just depends on the kids in question. My 8 year old niece knows how to work the Switch, including the joycon and all. She can't manage to finish better than 8th in Mario Kart even with all the assists turned on, but she definitely knows how to work the Switch itself.
 

baconcow

Member
I feel the same. I just returned mine today for similar reasons. The dock was bent inwards quite considerably and the left Joy-Con loses signal causing it to lag and eventually disconnect whenever anything blocks it, including my hand (even from a distance of around 5 feet). Given my previous issues with Nintendo Canada technicians (the 3rd party people who fix/replace the hardware. not Nintendo representatives themselves), I ended up not attempting to send it in for refurbished components or repairs. Will likely wait to rebuy it once Nintendo have properly sorted out their issues.


No issues here.

As a suggestion otherwise, grab a screen protector. It's always nice to have.

Third line down, in the OP. Sheesh. :s
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
I remember ripping that plastic screen cover off my gbc when i was a kid 😍😍just to have a better img quality.

I worked for it myself.
 

DirtyLarry

Member
Knock on wood, it has been great for me thus far. No reception issues, WiFi is blazing fast. It even survived an unintentional substantial drop with nary a scratch. I have not put it down since I got it 9 days ago now. It is the only gaming device I have played and I own all the major ones, including a PC.

No doubt it is the "newness" of it playing a big, big part on things, but I'll be damned, the option of playing a console with my wife sitting right next to me on the couch has been damn near a religious experience. I just really, really hope more games come. I truly do. With that said I have 6 solid games right now, 4 of which are eShop games: NBA Playground, Mr Shifty, Graceful Exploding Machine and the new Shovel Knight (which I have not even touched (loved the original) and 2 absolute Nintendo classics in BotW and MK8, and yeah, I can pretty much say I already feel like I have easily gotten my money's worth, but I also loved with WiiU when it was first released and I was an early adopter. I eventually wound up selling it. Although I doubt I would ever sell the Switch due to the truly play anywhere nature, I need some more games no doubt.
 
Also trying to explain how to properly attach and remove Joy-Cons from the Switch or the wrist strap can be very confusing to children and even some adults. I think the modular design of Joy-Cons are great, but I think the plastic latches are a design flaw.

I wouldn't mind a smaller portable only version of the Switch for my son, but I would much rather see a redesign of the dock itself and a stronger latch system put in place that's still compatible with the current version of Switch.

definitely. I know some here will defend it by saying you can just look at the wrist strap to know how to put it on correctly but tell that to a kid.

Like me, telling my nephews to not insert any discs into the PS3 and came back with 6 DVDs stuck inside the tray.

My biggest problem thought, is the tablet. It's just too heavy and fragile for them. Not to mention they'll definitely find a way to obstruct the cooling vents on top of it.
 
I gave it to the kids after I beat Zelda and they haven't fucked it up yet. Their track record tells me they definitely will though... RIP all you dead 3DS's and Wii U Gamepads.
 

KingErich

Banned
This Switch is the best Switch. Nintendo is awesome and all of he games they make are great. Especially all the launch Switch games.

Go Nintendo Switch! Go NintendoGaf!
 

Qwyjibo

Member
Found people on Reddit with similar issues concerning the plastic latches on the Joy-Cons.
Joy-Con Latch Issues
This is the stuff that scares me about the Switch. Well, along with the mess that the dock is and the ridiculous price (at least here in Canada). That's a lot of key moving parts with the potential for wear-and-tear issues.

I have no doubts that the Switch will one day have a very good games library but I'm good to wait for a hardware revision. If that's not until 2018 or 2019, so be it.
 
This is the stuff that scares me about the Switch. Well, along with the mess that the dock is and the ridiculous price (at least here in Canada). That's a lot of key moving parts with the potential for wear-and-tear issues.

I have no doubts that the Switch will one day have a very good games library but I'm good to wait for a hardware revision. If that's not until 2018 or 2019, so be it.

Yeah, that's fine.

Personally I'm in love with my Switch, but I know I'm lucky to get a first gen with no problems (yet)

Definitely wait if you can.
 
I gave it to the kids after I beat Zelda and they haven't fucked it up yet. Their track record tells me they definitely will though... RIP all you dead 3DS's and Wii U Gamepads.
Lol, my son never tore up the Wii U Gamepad, but he had dropped it accidentally several times and it never broke. Same with his 2DS. It never broke after several drops. Good luck in keeping your Switch safe.
 

DonMigs85

Member
Nintendo tends to build stuff that can usually endure fairly strong abuse (except maybe the DS family), but suffer a lot of relatively minor cosmetic damage. Like the original Game Boy, its shell was a tank but the plastic screen cover got scratched pretty easily. And screen protectors weren't a thing then.
 

Crayon

Member
The Switch Lite will be better in every way but I think the current one is pretty durable. Still would buy a 2ds for a young kid, tho. They can break that too but at least I can afford to replace it.
 

jts

...hate me...
I have a Joy-Con latch not holding so well as a result of a drop.

...there is no way the console will simply slide out of the Joy-cons like teflon.
 

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
I mean, it sucks for you OP but these aren't exactly widespread issues. I haven't had any issues yet and it's the same for a ton of Gaffers.
 
Top Bottom