My Nintendo Switch and I are inseparable. It goes everywhere with me, and at this point my paychecks should probably just be delivered straight to Nintendo. There are so many games releasing for the platform seemingly every single week, many of which are stellar titles and ports that keep me constantly excited, but lately I’ve been painfully aware of the poor organization the software provides (or doesn’t).
Right now, the Switch displays games in the order in which you’ve played them. So if, for example, I haven’t played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild since it was released, it would be situated at the bottom of the list, with all of the other game’s I’ve been playing since stacked on top. This is not something you can change—there are no alternative display options available on the system—but given the fact the PS4 operates in almost exactly the same way, it’s less of a gripe than it is a glaring opportunity for improvement. After all, this sort of minimalistic hands-off approach to the Switch’s home screen was all fine and good when the Switch first came out and there were only a handful of games available for the platform, but now its library is booming and active, Nintendo Switch Online is finally a thing, and I for one think it’s high time we get some new methods for organization.
As a casual 3DS player I always appreciated how many features Nintendo managed to pack into its core software, but I was never a fan of the subsequently chaotic UI that resulted from this, and so love the core software of the Switch for how boldly they attempted the opposite. Simplicity and stability seem the focus of the systems behind the Switch, and by 2018 standards I think that this approach is one of the reasons the Switch is so popular. Simple UI appeals to both younger and older audiences, this I will never complain about, but what I find strange about Nintendo’s approach to updates is their nonsensical numbering system. For most technology companies that develop software, a new “numbered” release usually indicates a core change to the operating system, it’s UI, or something of that ilk. For a company like Apple, this could mean a new design scheme for the entire phone’s UI, new or revamped lock screen mechanisms, or entire app redesigns, whereas with Nintendo a new numbered release could be anything from new profile pictures, expanded Facebook and Twitter integration, filters for its News app, or unspecified bug fixes and improvements.
I’ll never understand why Nintendo is moving so slowly and so vaguely with the Switch’s software, especially since there are so many other things they could introduce to the system besides folders that would dramatically improve the user experience, not to mention the usability of the platform (usernames and chat for Nintendo Switch Online, anyone?), but I have to believe that they have legitimate reasons for doing so.
Part of me really appreciates that Nintendo is doing things differently by committing to make the Switch as stable and secure as possible, but more than that that they’re sticking firmly to their newfound idea of simplicity behind the Switch’s UI. It was a welcome change when it was first revealed, and it still is even without all of the features of the 3DS. After all, the Switch UI is much more visually pleasing and easier on the eyes than anything the 3DS could ever hope to achieve, but I have to argue that a lack of folders only works to the detriment of this idea.
So please, please, Nintendo, give us folders on Nintendo Switch!
Joy+Sticks Gaming 