Not all Nintendo Switch games are going to take advantage of the console’s dual TV/portable nature. Released last year for iOS and Android, rhythm game Voez is now a Japanese Switch launch title, and it requires a touch screen to play. Does this mean we’re in for a flood of tablet ports?
The latest game from mobile developer Rayark, Voez is a lane-based rhythm game where the tracks are dynamic, shifting and changing as songs play. It’s a very neat game with some lovely visuals.
I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit on my iPad, and today it was announced as a Japanese launch title for the Switch (via NeoGAF). But how does a touch-intensive game work in TV mode? According to the FAQ accompanying the announcement, it does not.
Q: Can I play even in TV mode?
A: No. This software can not play in TV mode.
Touch the touch screen in mobile mode to play the game.
Button operation is not available.
(Translated via Google)
I don’t know about you folks, but I was not expecting the Switch to get games that were portable only. It makes sense. The Switch is at its most basic level an Android tablet with a dock that gives it an HDMI out to your television. It’s running a version of Nvidia’s most recent SoC (system on a chip), the Tegra X1, which powers several Android tablet devices. Anything that runs on one of those should be able to run on the Switch.
Now that we know there will be portable, touch screen-only Switch games, who knows what other mobile games will be making the jump?
Voez will be available in the Japanese Switch eShop on March 3.
Comments
24 responses to “Not All Switch Games Will Support TV Mode”
nintenedo ♥ shovelware
As long as they’re mobile game priced I’m OK with this.
Aw – switch users get ready for some serious MOBILE GAME fun! (that’s what you bought it for right?)
Zelda? Yes.
Zelda is coming out on iOS and Android?
What am I buying a switch for then? :S
Oh Yes, Zelda is a game that is coming out that is mobile on the Switch. It’s one of the best yet say early reviews.
There are mini-games on 1-2-Switch that don’t support TV mode, aren’t there?
I thought this was something that was patently obvious. “Mobile” is not really a genre you can pin down anymore – and touch-screen stuff literally made the DS/3DS what it was. Of course they are going to leverage that.
I’m not against this at all, opens up game experiences for games that might not otherwise port. But man are you guys in for some shovelware.
You thought the Wii was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
The x1 chip now? Both Nvidia and Nintendo have stayed silent on what chip it’s using, unless you know something no one else does.
I’ve heard rumours that it is now both die shrunk and with pascal features. Who the fuck knows atm :\.
As long as World Of Goo is there its day 1 for me. Forget Zelda.
This always happens when you keep a project super secret until release date. The disappointments just line up. Feels like it’s all downhill from here.
How is this bad?? It literally means that not being forced to have a TV mode for all games allows a plethora of /additional/ games to be ported to this console. You may not like those games but for those who do this is a positive feature that doesn’t take anything away from the other users.
I for one was looking forward to using my 100 inch 16K touchscreen TV to play tablet games, but now Nintendo have personally offended me, so I shan’t be purchasing their products anymore. It’s boycott from here on Nintendo.
Why would you want to play mobile games that have been around for ages?
Yep, we’ll only get Angry Birds and maybe original Snake? The possibility for mobile game-makers in the /future/ to directly port their games to the Switch will not be used. Only stale old ones.
I want a portable Metroid game. FFS, who cares about mobile gaming, I have a mobile for that.
Well depending how far you extend your definition of “Metroid game” we’ve had five of them so far 😛
Huhuhuh, a new Metroid Prime game.
Yes…? And how are this news contradicting that expectation? Nintendo will keep pumping their AAA games as normal. The only thing that has changed is that mobile third-party developers will also get to get into their playground.
I dunno man, but apparently people are OUTRAGED that you cannot play console games that have been around for decades. Maybe new shit is only for playing old shit.
Curious. Before the full details of the console were announced, I was trying to rationalise whether the tablet would be touch screen. It couldn’t be, I thought, because it would create a class of games that are unable to be played on the TV. That just makes no sense!
Now that this is actually happening, it still makes no sense. You’ve created a weird chimera that will probably just confuse developers and players. Well done, Nintendo!
Rather than confusing them, it will bring different kind of developers into a single console. Mobile game makers do not need to worry about making a TV version and console game makers do not need to worry about using touch mechanics in their games.
This is interesting, I couldnt find the quote, but Nintendo was asked early on about mode switching incompatibilty with games… Nintendo was pretty Adamant that Nintendo wont be allowing games to do this… that they must be playable in TV and Portable modes.