I don't need a Switch anymore
I’ve been pining for a Switch on and off for years. My financial situation at home has made it difficult to prioritize such an expense; it didn’t feel like a “productive” use of my money. It’s taken an emotional toll on me, as I’ve watched countless YouTube videos of people with these devices, making me feel like I’m outside on a cold dark night peering into a warmly lit coffeehouse.
I’ve been dabbling into emulation for a while now but my laptop wasn’t feeling like a proper gaming laptop. I initially thought that I’d need these fancy Android handhelds, like the AYNs or the Retroids.
But then something clicked.
I was watching a review of one of these Android devices when the guy did an odd thing: he flipped the device vertically to configure some settings. When he did that, the emulator didn’t look like a console at all—it looked like my phone.
It made me realize that these consoles were only just a little fancier than the Android smartphone that I already own. Ever since then, I’ve entered the thriving world of Android emulation, and man has it been glorious. It’s been glorious. The fact that I’ve been able to play Chains of Olympus or Link Between Worlds on my phone—paired with a PS4 controller that I already own—has been absolutely unreal.
Now, the thought of buying a Switch feels even more absurd. There’s already about a lifetime’s worth of incredible games to play on the PSP, 3DS, and GBA alone thanks to some incredible emulators. And with mobile ports of games like Balatro, Slay the Spire, and Dead Cells, that’ll supply a few hundred more hours of entertainment, too.
Who needs those fancy shmancy consoles now!