I am trying to choose between buying a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo DS.

This may not be the perfect community to ask - but I can’t think of any better place.

The reason for my question: I don’t want to own obsolete hardware in 10 years. Lately most games seem to depend on a “phone home” feature, which is not really an issue for my pc because it is always connected, but a console is something I want to play always and everywhere.

I already did some searching and found that games can be played offline fine (most of them, some exceptions are there like Multiplayer and Mortal Kombat), but:

  • There is something like the paid Nintendo Online Account. I am not planning on having a paid account. How much of the system depends on the account?
  • Can I have progression in a game (let’s say: one of the Zelda franchise) and will my Wife and Kids all have their own progression, without having to pay for X accounts?
  • People who own a Switch, let’s take this to extremes, do you feel like in 20 years from now you can still do the same things on your hardware as you can do now? (No multiplayer is fine)

Also, feel free to rant about “paying is not owning”, the state of the gaming industry is horrible.

edit: Thank you all for the comments! I don’t post a lot, so it was kinda overwhelming :)

For clarity:

  • I meant I want to “buy for life” (not really “life”, but, if the hardware survives you can play on pre-internet consoles forever - you can even buy more games if you can find them)
  • I want to buy a physical copy of the games, not download them

I’ve decided to go with the Nintendo DS for now (I have a DSi - this week I bought a couple of games, 2nd hand). Reasons:

  • I already had it
  • Joycons on switch. Multiple people mentioned having problems with them. I don’t count on being able to buy them new in 10 years, meaning they will have to last.

Again: thank you all for the useful input!

  • @[email protected]English
    1•9 months ago

    People who own a Switch, let’s take this to extremes, do you feel like in 20 years from now you can still do the same things on your hardware as you can do now? (No multiplayer is fine)

    No chance.

    Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long, the supplies for hardmodding it likely won’t either, and in 20 years there won’t be enough of a community interest to support hardmodding services unless some sort of master keys are leaked. And without hardmodding, the only Switches that you can install whatever you want on are very ld ones that were released with firmware 3.x or something, which are also less capable hardware and lower quality joycons.

    Heck, if I had to bet on 5 years more instead of 20, I’d flat out sell my Switch and buy a Steam Deck 2.0 as soon as they release.

    • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️English
      5•9 months ago

      Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long

      Electronic hardware can last for a very long time unless it’s mistreated. I still have a working Pong unit that’s all original parts. Also an NES and SNES and the only thing wrong with those is the SNES turned yellow over time.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•9 months ago

        For some weird marketing and CEO reason, electronics anytime after the Game Boy Advance don’t last more than 10~15 years, and spread themselves out like spaghetti if the transport clerk in charge haphazardly trips over your suitcase. From washing machines to vidya consoles, if you want it good it has to he old. Nintendo is no exception, the Switch is not anywhere as durable as the Game Boy Color, battery lifetime notwithstanding.

    • @[email protected]English
      4•9 months ago

      I’m using a thirteen year old XBOX 360 — love it. Have all physical media. It’s fun. 7 more years until 20 so I guess I’ll keep you posted.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•9 months ago

        But is it jailbroken?

        That, for me, is pretty much half or 3/4ths of the point of “can I keep the same things” with the Switch. The console (any console, really) is useless for me if it comes without aftermarket / altermarket value.

        • @[email protected]English
          2•9 months ago

          It’s not jailbroken. I can still pick up games for it at garage sales. I haven’t run into problems — but I mostly play racing games — obviously not online but it’s still fun. RDR still runs. Working as usual.

      • CorrodedEnglish
        1•9 months ago

        Have you replaced the thermal paste? I just did mine

        • @[email protected]English
          1•9 months ago

          I’m not a huge gamer. 30 hours per year max. I get to longing some immersion so I do four hours and I’m free of the longing for months. I think this might be why I haven’t needed any maintenance.

          My kids are still on an XBOX ONE but they too have pretty much grown out of excessive gaming.

          Who knows how long these will last when the use falls to minimum.

    • CorrodedEnglish
      2•9 months ago

      Not only it is unlikely that the hardware will last that long, the supplies for hardmodding it likely won’t either, and in 20 years there won’t be enough of a community interest to support hardmodding services unless some sort of master keys are leaked. And without hardmodding, the only Switches that you can install whatever you want on are very ld ones that were released with firmware 3.x or something, which are also less capable hardware and lower quality joycons.

      Do you think that will be very relevant if we get things like the MIG Switch? I feel like there will still be a decent dedicated community for the Switch for a while. It is a Nintendo product with decent emulation/homebrew potential.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•9 months ago

        I don’t know enough of it to opinionate but I see at least two big issues (for me thinking about usefulness for that time period):

        • it’s hardware, meaning it’s far more pricey and international access far more restricted (they do point out for example they don’t sell to end users).
        • in theory it only runs Switch carts (or, technically, Switch installable packages). if so meaning they only supplement a previously jailbroken Switch’s setup (eg.: pegascape, atmosphere, emulators, …), not replace it.
        • CorrodedEnglish
          2•9 months ago

          it’s hardware, meaning it’s far more pricey and international access far more restricted (they do point out for example they don’t sell to end users).

          I am hoping it’s one of those things we see replicated and sold across different sites for cheap. Kind of like how the MX4SIO was originally only sold in a few places by people like Helders Game Tech and now you can pick them up on Ali Express for dirt cheap pretty much wherever you are.

          in theory it only runs Switch carts (or, technically, Switch installable packages). if so meaning they only supplement a previously jailbroken Switch’s setup (eg.: pegascape, atmosphere, emulators, …), not replace it.

          Kind of like HEN for Playstation systems?