I currently play most games thru emulators but been wondering whether it is worth it to get the Switch V1 version for handheld.
my plan would be putting the roms onto the Switch and then play handheld (is this possible?)
Playing when traveling, a few hours in bed before sleeping or cozy up next to the heather in the evening seems nice. However is it still worth around €300 euro for it, may I have your opinion on the matter?
Worth it? Sure, but I’d try to grab a 2nd hand steamdeck instead, similar prices, but much more capable
I vote no.
Switch hardware in general is a much worse experience than emulation due to graphical limits, no save backups, etc.
If my understanding is correct, a used steam deck should be about €300, which will offer a much better experience for your switch games and play other games as well.
You can get a new one for $350 USD now and the hardware is easy to upgrade.
The V1 seems weird to spend so much on when the V2 and OLED exist for the same or less money.
Emulating on a Switch is also an odd choice, it’s mainly for pirating current games. For €300 you could find a second hand V1 Deck and emulate Switch games instead.
Playing roms on a Switch means you’re NOT emulating, that’s the reason people jailbreak them. Plenty of Switch games run like crap on a Steam Deck, and the more demanding games are difficult to get running at all via emulation.
I’m not saying a jailbroken Switch is the best option, I’m just saying there are pros and cons. Honestly, I’d recommend OP get a cheap desktop PC with a budget GPU instead of a Steam Deck, unless they need it to be portable. It would perform better for emulation.
I think, I worded it wrongly.
I currently just pirate the roms and play the games through emulation. Wondering whether it is worth it to purchase an V1 Switch, that can be ‘hacked’ and then put the pirate roms into it to play the games handheld (traveling, in bed, cozied up next to the heater).
I have been told only the V1 versions can be hacked/ jailbroken.
That’s not true, all can be. But get a Deck. The V1 dropped in price after the widely available new hack.
Early V1 can be soft modded which is much more hassle-free, new ones require a modchip.
Absolutely, v1 is the easiest Switch version to jailbreak. You could do it with a piece of foil or a $5 jig from amazon.
Not sure if you mean Switch ROMS or retro console ROMs, but a jailbroken Switch plays both, you’ll just need to install RetroArch for retro games.
You can also use Nintendo’s own emulators to play most NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA, and Genesis games. Nicer interface and has rewind.
I think a Steam Deck is a better buy. It’s a little more pricy sure, but a lot more powerful and a LOT more games to pick from. And it docks great, I mostly play docked to my TV
I’m a massive fan of my V1 Switch. There’s an insane library of games available for Switch, and I’ve played it fairly regularly since launch. Problem is doing what you want to do with it. The Switch is not a platform that supports emulation in a way that’s user friendly or enjoyable.
If you want a handheld with all of the bells and whistles for emulation, get a steam deck.
Hell no, get a Steam Deck. Nintendo’s hardware sucks, I regret buying my switch and have had 6 pairs of joycons with drift problems.
I like the idea of joycons, like you can split it into two controllers for team games, but at the price Nintendo is attempting that drift is completely unacceptable.
They could definitely fix it, but they don’t, then they go after emulators instead.
I’ve got a Switch and a Deck, and I can’t fathom all these replies saying the Deck is just as good for Switch. It’s not, and it’s not worth playing games at 90 or 95% performance when you want 100% performance. “Playable” to “native performance” is such a big step. Plus, it costs more.
I also own both a hacked V1 Switch as well as an OG Steam Deck and prefer playing my Nintendo games on the original hardware.
Steam Deck lags like dogshit in certain games for no reason on Yuzu and other emulators. Meanwhile I can install PC mods on very specific Switch games in my hacked Switch and still play at full speed on Switch hardware.
Everyone saying to get a deck for switch games also needs to realize that emulation isn’t perfect; many games don’t run full speed, or have issues, because the deck isn’t extremely powerful.
But, I’d check which games you want to play and how they run on the deck first, then choose
IME the only switch games to have significant issues on deck are the Zelda titles. Everything else works at least as well as on a switch, usually better.
The Zelda titles also choke on the switch lol.
If you specifically want to play switch games, get a v1 switch.
If you’re fine with switch games being hit or miss, get a steam deck. Much better overall on all fronts except not all switch games run well.
my plan would be putting the roms onto the Switch and then play handheld (is this possible?)
Jailbreaking a still supported console is generally pretty tough. I’m guessing you’ll have to look for specific product numbers and firmware versions. For handheld gaming you could always get another device and use it for PC and retro emulators games. Steam deck is excellent, but pricey (and actually plays some switch games). On the slightly more affordable end there are the retroid pockets. There are hundreds of other cheap handheld emulators, but I’d do some reading into one before going with it.
On the first run of switches, there’s a hardware bypass they can’t patch out, it’s super easy to mod.
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So, buy a used one?
