During yesterday’s Nintendo Direct there was a lot of news relating to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that I am sure got a lot of fans very excited for the game. But there was one tiny detail buried under all the excitement. Nintendo recommended that you should use the USB to Ethernet adapter that they sell for $30 for online play. I’m going to list all the reasons below why this annoys me and should frustrate other consumers.
Super Smash Bros. is a Nintendo Switch exclusive game coming out this December worldwide. It is a game that features both single-player and multiplayer, but it’s most popular mode by far has been multiplayer for a long time. By making this announcement, Nintendo is basically asking players to do two things.
First, they are asking you to buy a $30 dollar switch accessory. While every other console and PC comes with an Ethernet port, Nintendo wants you to buy an adapter that they could have easily included for only a few dollars extra. Or even better they could’ve included an Ethernet port on the Switch Dock from the beginning considering the dock is pretty much empty as it is.
My main problem with this is that there have been plenty of other games released for the Switch that is multiplayer and Nintendo has never gone out of their way to promote the adapter for those games. They know Smash Bros. Ultimate is going to sell a lot of copies so I feel like they’re promoting it now as a must-have accessory for big fans of the game and pro gamers.
The second thing Nintendo is asking you to do is not play Smash Bros. multiplayer in portable mode. After all, the USB adapter doesn’t work with the USB C port on your Switch and you would have to buy another adapter for USB C to then get it working, and while that should work, I haven’t personally tested it so I can’t guarantee it.
The obvious problem with this is that it goes against the core idea of the Nintendo Switch. The Switch is supposed to be a portable console that you can dock to play on your TV, but Nintendo would rather you only play multiplayer Smash Bros. in docked mode so that you can use their Ethernet Adapter. While this obviously isn’t what Nintendo is saying directly, it is what they imply by recommending this accessory.
I think both of these things are ridiculous to ask Switch users in 2018, and I strongly believe Nintendo only did this to increase sales of their USB adapter. I, of course, could be wrong but if the game comes out and it works well over Wi-Fi then I will be very disappointed with Nintendo. Of course, if the game doesn’t work well over Wi-Fi that will still be Nintendo’s fault. If other fighting games like Brawlhalla, Injustice, and Killer Instinct can be played over Wi-Fi on Xbox One and PC then why can’t Smash Bros. work well on Switch? IGN Japan managed to stream Resident Evil 7 to Nintendo Switch over Wi-Fi and I believe that if that is possible then Smash should be easy.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Are you going to buy this adapter or even this game? Do you think Nintendo is being greedy? We would love to hear from you!