The Nintendo Holiday Experience
Christmas season comes but once a year, but it seems like the ramp up to the holiday has become just as important as the holiday itself. Everyone has their own way of going about priming their products for holiday consumption, but I’ve always loved Nintendo’s approach of throwing a party and letting you play all their offering for your purchasing needs for the holiday season with the Nintendo Holiday Experience. After wandering around the room, chatting, drinking, and playing everything they had to offer, here’s a concise list of the best options you have at your disposal.
5) Nintendo Labo
So, the Labo isn’t exactly a new product, but it can be paired with any number of things to make it feel like a new product. For instance, have you played Mario Kart 8 with a wheel yet? Cause I play Mario Kart fairly competitively and I lost, pretty badly, playing with a Labo wheel. It brings a whole new edge to games that certain people (definitely not me) have tried to master by learning every nook and cranny of say, a specific racetrack. I never thought much of the Labo, but once I got to see it in action, it seems like the perfect pairing for a kid who wants a unique way to play Mario Odyssey, or for an adult who wants to wreck their friends’ memorizing of Mario Kart tracks. Either way, it’s a great gift.
4) Pokemon: Let’s Go
This new title, which is a remaster of Pokemon: Yellow that works with the still enduring Pokemon: Go, allows Switch owners to plunge the depths of Poke-world on a portable device that isn’t a Game Boy or cell phone. It even comes with a Pokeball controller that you can navigate the world and do battle with. Ever wanted throw a Pokeball into battle while summoning your Charizard? Look no further than this gem! You also get a game long companion in Pikachu or Eevee (Team Pika here) that can be tailored as you continue through the game. I didn’t get a ton of time with this one, but it has jumped up my ranks of games I need in my life.
3) Diablo III
The port of Diablo III to the Switch may seem slightly dated, but Nintendo didn’t mess around when they brought this game over. Whether on the big screen or on the handheld, Diablo looks just as good as it did when it was first came out. Also, who doesn’t want to spend sixty hours on a portable device as they hunt demons? I mean, I wouldn’t even need a bathroom break this time around! It also comes pre-loaded with all the previous DLC, so remember how I said sixty hours? Yeah, no, there’s going to be A LOT more than that. Trust me, I’ve had the game for quite some time now and I still play it. An excellent addition for the Switch to add in!
2) Mario Party
Ah, yes, the modern Nintendo staple. The Monopoly of video games. The game that will destroy friendships, ruin relationships, and solve all conflicts. Playing for fun isn’t an option, there is only winning! Are you close with someone? Don’t be on a team. Do you have a score to settle? Grab that controller. Are you looking for a drinking game that won’t give you alcohol poisoning like the ‘Deadpool Drinking Game’? Pick your favourite character. The unending fun, rage, and alcohol-induced inability to continue is back, and it’s still incredible. This is one of the last couch multiplayer games out there, so please, let’s all pick this one up while we can!
1) Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Smash Bros are back and better than ever!! There’s an incredible character list to pick from (even a few non-Nintendo characters) to help you ruin your friends in a variety of stages and game styles. Get ready to throw hands, bombs, bats, and special powers to induce a rage fit from either your friends or yourself as you try to win each round. I don’t know about you, but Smash Bros has always been an unending amount of fun for me, so getting my hands on a new one was the highlight of the holiday picks. Even though I found myself between two people thrashing me and I kept seemingly picking the wrong characters, I couldn’t help but hide my childish grin. This one is easily the winner of Christmas, even if it hasn’t quite released yet!
The Switch was just the console that Nintendo needed – it embraced the portable aspect, the unique factor with the Labo, and some extremely great games to command the respect of gamers everywhere. The sales for the Switch have been out of control, and based on what I saw for their holiday line up, Nintendo have no intention of slowing down. I didn’t ask for anything this Christmas, but I may have to treat myself to some Switch action this year.