Nintendo Life Mailbox – February 2024
“a bad thing” (***STAR LETTER***)
When did it become an absolute crime to make an iterative sequel? You know if Mario Kart 9 doesn’t reinvent the wheel (potentially literally) that some people will be up in arms. “How DARE the new Assassin’s Creed be exactly like the previous one!?” “Tears of the Kingdom should have been DLC for Breath of the Wild!” I’m all for taking risks and creating something fresh. Pokemon for sure was/is in desperate need of a status quo shakeup, and if something didn’t work the first time why would you go back to the same well? But sometimes, with some franchises, coloring inside the lines is more than okay, and thinking outside the box gets you a Mega Man X7. Maybe there’s a reason restaurants keep serving the same menu, and maybe it’s okay for games to serve us more of the same.
Splash_Woman
The sheer amount of games these days — great ones! — makes it harder to get excited about sequels that barely change things up, I’d say. With all the brilliant genre homages we get, a new Mega Man should aim higher than just another ‘one of those’, no? If a series goes totally off the rails, a solid, back-to-basics entry gets things back on track, but minor tweaks to the same formula, forever? It’s not a crime, it’s just boring.
Iteration is essential, but so is experimentation and reaching for something new. We can’t move for quality Metroidvanias, so an actual Metroid or Castlevania should be something a bit special. Otherwise, what’s the point? – Ed.
“wise to arrive”
So, I’ve never gotten a launch console before. In fact, I’ve had my PS5 for less than a year. However, I’m now in a position to be able to afford the Switch 2 when it comes out. I would love to get my hands on a launch Switch 2 (although, my local GameStop guy hinted at a Pokemon Edition that I’m assuming won’t come out at the same time). My question is: How early do you think it would be wise to arrive at any store offering preorders when they begin taking them? Thanks!
Ethan
Hmm, not to cast aspersions on the wisdom of GameStop guy, but I wouldn’t expect any themed SKUs in the launch year.
In terms of pre-orders, get there as early as is practical, but also remember that one of Nintendo’s primary goals with the launch is to satisfy demand. So unless they totally fail on that front, you should be able to get hold of one if you’re keeping half an eye on things. You shouldn’t need to camp outside the store to get your pre-order in, at least.
But hey, I’m a guy who improbably got the last Wii from Woolworths in December 2006, and randomly wandered into a department store and picked up a Switch off the shelf on launch day in 2017. Maybe I’ve just been lucky. Some people love setting up the tent on the sidewalk for these kinds of things. If that’s you, crack on! – Ed.
