Gaming Switch should have download play for multiplayer with a single copy of the game

[MikaDubbz]

So it occurs to me with Nintendo pushing for families to have multiple Switch consoles in the same household with the multiple different models, not to mention how easy it is for a friend with a Switch to bring it over to another friend's place who also had a Switch, that maybe Nintendo should bring back the download play for multiplayer titles on two or more devices, like how the GBA, DS, and 3DS could.

Now, I know, the reason those handhelds had the feature was because you couldn't experience multiplayer on those devices without at least another device, while on the Switch you can play multiplayer on the same device without the need for a second. But, think of the convenience of each player having their own screen, like Hyrule Warriors or Pokken on the Wii U. In fact, such a feature could essentially bring back Wii U functionality in general with 2 screens, one in handheld and one on the TV. Maybe features that were scrapped in development like the always displayed map or on the fly inventory management in BOTW could be reimplemented as an optional control scheme for those with 2 Switchs.

I'm sure the downloads to the guest Switch would be larger than the handheld experiences before them, but I'd think this should still be feasible. Heck it might not appeal to a lot of people, but if nintendo pushed this, I bet it could lead to a slight increase in Switch OLED sales.

Now that I think about it, Namco Museum essentially does this. The host Switch paid for and owns the game, but guest Switchs can download the free companion app that can connect with a Switch running the actual game and then the game Pac Man Vs can be experienced as intended. Would love to see Nintendo do similar with their own titles on the device.

 

[sxysmore]

Great thought, til gba had download play

 

[masenko]

but nintendo wouldn't make money. they'd rather sell two copies of a game then spend money on developing rarely use features

 

[MikaDubbz]

but nintendo wouldn't make money. they'd rather sell two copies of a game then spend money on developing rarely use features

Are you familiar with Nintendo? They love developing rarely used features and peripherals.

 

[Rahkeesh]

Thought that clubhouse games actually is similar, there's a trial version that can do full multiplayer with someone that owns the game. I think that mainly comes down to there being a number of games relying on hidden information that aren't playable on a single system, so you're missing out on quite a lot more than you would be playing smash or mario kart on one system.

 

[StrayGuitarist]

It's DEEPLY unlikely they'd ever do it, but I've thought the same thing. How many times a friend and I have gotten together with our Switch consoles, and realized we only have a few games we can really play together on our own consoles, making bringing the both of them kind of pointless.

 

[misterdarvus]

The thing is that with DS and 3DS, my understanding that Download Play works by giving "demo version" of the game to the other system via local network, and the games are probably just few MB so downloading them wont take long.

Switch games are reaching GB now and for the game to give "demo version" via Download Play to other system by local network, it would take longer and no longer feasible.

 

[MikaDubbz]

The thing is that with DS and 3DS, my understanding that Download Play works by giving "demo version" of the game to the other system via local network, and the games are probably just few MB so downloading them wont take long.

Switch games are reaching GB now and for the game to give "demo version" via Download Play to other system by local network, it would take longer and no longer feasible.

It might take awhile to download the companion app depending on the size of the game, but the length of time it takes to download the app really isn't the concern to me, as you should be able to keep the companion app on the other system after you're done playing, again like the companion app for Namco Museum (meaning you aren't exactly downloading a copy of the game directly from another Switch so much as you'd be downloading a separate free file from the eshop that has a large portion of the real game but only accessible when linked with a real copy of the game). The real issue would be if people want to keep large install files on their Switch that would only be playable when linking up with a system that owns an actual copy of the game. Depending on the size of the game, this may or may not be a big deal on a player by player basis.

 

[PewnyPL]

Download Play like it was on DS or 3DS wouldn't be feasible, as those worked by downloading the entire 'payload' into the console's RAM. Which meant that only one level/mode at a time could be shared. That's how Tetris DS worked for example, you selected the mode you wanted to play and only then the Download Play option was active, sending only that mode to the other DS.
What would be necessary to make it work is like you mentioned, a companion app. But what it would be would basically be the FULL game, just with a different executable that doesn't allow you to play by yourself. Is it doable? Sure it is. But it's very unlikely Nintendo will go for it, especially CURRENT Nintendo.

 

[Craftyawesome]

Download Play like it was on DS or 3DS wouldn't be feasible, as those worked by downloading the entire 'payload' into the console's RAM. Which meant that only one level/mode at a time could be shared. That's how Tetris DS worked for example, you selected the mode you wanted to play and only then the Download Play option was active, sending only that mode to the other DS.
What would be necessary to make it work is like you mentioned, a companion app. But what it would be would basically be the FULL game, just with a different executable that doesn't allow you to play by yourself. Is it doable? Sure it is. But it's very unlikely Nintendo will go for it, especially CURRENT Nintendo.

That's true for DS, but on 3DS the initial download is stored to the NAND.

 

[mrgone]

Clubhouse games & Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles both offer free multiplayer clients.
But i agree: i would be cool if the games itself could provide these clients without needing to get online and enter the shop.

but i'll be honest: this sounds more like a feature request for banned switches

 

[MikaDubbz]

Clubhouse games & Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles both offer free multiplayer clients.
But i agree: i would be cool if the games itself could provide these clients without needing to get online and enter the shop.

but i'll be honest: this sounds more like a feature request for banned switches

It'd be a pretty poor substitute for online play for a banned Switch. Plus can't a banned Switch still link up with other Switchs for local wireless multiplayer? Pretty sure you can, so I'm not sure what difference a banned Switch makes in this situation (if at all).

 

[MikaDubbz]

Thinking more about this concept and I came to a conclusion: to help ship OLED models and get more instances of multiple Switchs in the same household, the OLED model should ship with a port of Nintendoland bundled with it. See, then you put the companion app for Nintendoland on your other Switch and then they could link up to perfectly recreate the 2 screen games of that great title. And I would think that some of the games could be playable as a modified single screen version if booting the game on a single Switch, though I'd imagine that some games in the title would straight up not be playable without a second Switch connected.