The same applies to handheld games, and we are about to see this type of indie microcosm inside the industry collapse (once the 3DS and Vita are gone for good). Developers of handheld games often had a little more wiggle room to make new and odd things for the handheld platform. One of my favorite GameBoy games, Zelda: Link's Awakening, would never have been made except for the freedom of the devs playing around trying to recreate Link to the Past. Now with the launch of the Switch, and the lack of any real (dedicated hardware with buttons) competition, we are going to have only a small area of the indie games deemed worthy coming to consoles in the future. (Note: Wuppo is a really odd fun interesting platform shooter Adventure game coming to PS4, and of course Undertale is now coming to PS systems)
I will miss most the cheaper prices for handheld games.
I agree 100% on what you said here, as that is my biggest issue/concern with the NS, as it is "console" in everything else, except the "portable" feature.
I've been handheld gaming since it all began, and for the reasons you mention, is why so many great experiences could be had in the past. The 3DS/Vita(and the Vita didn't really get the game options it should have either) are the last stop in regards to that, as "N" has positioned the NS and themselves in a rather unproven area.
The great games of the DS & 3DS are about to all but disappear, as the area of the market that allowed for those cheaper options is now gone, and there is just to much gamble to create any meaningful games that are worth a $60 retail asking price, and then there is only the mobile style ports left, or games that just don't live up to the full retail price.
But I guess that was the "hard" choice "N" had to make, as their handheld market has been loosing out to the cheaper options for awhile now. So I completely understand the move, but considering their handheld avenues have been much more successful than their console ones(with the Wii being the exception of course), it still seems in my mind at least, they should have stuck more to the handheld side of things(price, portability, lower cost, etc), instead of going the console route, and then promoting the system as a console you can take on the go.
The NS is the second home console, and first handheld I didn't buy from "N" at launch, as for me, it will only be used as a handheld, and paying near $400 for that option, I just don't see the value. At a cheaper price, I'm all in, but that will be awhile, but they seem to be doing well enough as is, so I wish them well.
