The Wii U’s online functionality was the last straw. From now on, we want to pay for Nintendo’s online service.
Let’s face it: the Wii U’s online functions were a mess. Between the early discontinuation of Miiverse and the constant battle with finicky servers, we’ve come to expect a sub-standard experience when playing games like Smash 4 and Mario Kart 8.
However, that’s all about to change.
With the Nintendo Switch Online paid service launching this September, the dog days are nearly over.
It will limit play to more serious players:
One of the worst parts about playing Smash 4 is the players with no clue how to do anything but spam and taunt.
When players have to pay for an online service, it’s our hope that they will take online gameplay a little more seriously. After all, the reasonable price point of $19.99 per year should still deter those not taking competitive gaming seriously from logging-in in the first place.
Of course, there will still be trolls, but that’s to be expected. Hopefully, their numbers will decrease, allowing for us to get into intense gaming matches with greater ease.
There will be a better server connection:
The servers for Nintendo’s Wii U are sometimes passable, but oftentimes not. The Splatoon 2 online multiplayer has already proven that Nintendo is taking the Switch’s online services much more seriously.
While they did delay required payment for Nintendo Switch Online’s paid service to this fall, there is a notable difference in effort and quality in the Switch’s servers.
When things go into full swing this September with paid online memberships, they can only begin to improve.
Players will have a better internet connection:
Something that fits hand-in-hand with having more serious players is having players with better internet connections. Once again, players paying for an online service are bound to care more about the quality of their own upload speeds.
The Switch, much like the Wii U and Wii before it, has the ability to use an Ethernet connection via a USB adaptor. While it is possible to get by using a decent Wi-fi connection, Ethernet will always remain king in the minds of serious competitive gamers.
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Also, one can hope that once again, Splatoon 2’s online gameplay is an example of what’s to come. While Smash 5 will require more precision than Nintendo’s turf war shooter, literally anything in an improvement from Smash 4’s online gameplay connection will be amazing.
Perhaps the Nintendo Switch Online Service will be quicker to boot out players with poor connections on the upcoming Smash, as opposed to making all players in a 4-player match suffer in slow-mo for one player’s potato connection?
Free multiplayer NES online games:
As an added perk, being able to play classic NES games against friends online is pretty sweet.
Included in the subscription to the Nintendo Switch Online service, some of the 20 games already announced include The Legend of Zelda, Balloon Fight, and Super Mario Bros. 3.
All in all, color us excited to give Nintendo the opportunity to right the wrongs of online past.
As Futurama’s Fry once succinctly stated:
