Dreaming of NintendoCon

Maybe you’ve had the pleasure of attending a convention like PAX or Comic-Con and visiting Nintendo’s booth. Maybe you’ve even made it to E3 and gotten to explore a gigantic section of the show-floor dedicated to Nintendo and outfitted with scenes from Legend of Zelda or Mario.

Now, dream with me: NintendoCon, an entire convention dedicated to Nintendo.
Ingenious, right? If you can handle it, read on for my take on this imaginary event:

Location & Attractions

You know exactly where this needs to be held. That’s right; Super Nintendo World, their very own theme park. Why in the world not? When you’re not partaking in conventional (pun) activities, line up to get on Mario Go Karts or Donkey Kong’s Crazy Coaster.

Nintendo Direct Live

An event of this scale could surpass even Nintendo’s viewership at E3, and would be the perfect place to drop some huge announcements in a pre-recorded presentation, or even a live stage-show. Just picture the crowds as all of Nintendo’s biggest fans are gathered in one place, hanging on every word being spoken and erupting into crazed cheers as the Big N makes their dreams come true.

Previews

After the big announcements, attendees are released to queue up for demo stations. As they say, Playing is Believing and there’s nothing like hands-on time with unreleased games to get fans excited.

Nindies and 3rd Parties

Of course, Nintendo wouldn’t be the only brand represented at their convention. Developers of all sizes could register and set up booths to display their titles running on Switch or 3DS. Naturally, these lines would be much easier to get into and would bring a huge amount of diversity to the playable lineup.

Press Days

Let’s not forget the paid professionals, whose job it is to cover announcements and events. Press should be allowed to set up meetings, interviews, and playable sessions ahead of the public convention access. This would allow them to write up stories, as well as edit and produce videos, gearing up to publish them as soon as embargoes lift when NintendoCon commences in earnest.

Tournaments

eSports are picking up steam with the Big N, and the trend would continue here. The latest fighting games would be on display, with crowds, commentators, and coaches to complete the spectacle.

Panels

Every good convention has panels, where gamers can sit down, take a break from the hustle and bustle, and learn from industry experts. At NintendoCon, you would be able to watch developers of recently-released games, and titles still in development, discuss what it’s like to be a video game creator. Fans would gain insight on what challenges Nintendo’s internal teams face, as well as be able to take a peek behind-the-scenes of their favorite hobby. Who knows, maybe a few smaller reveals would sneak into these panels as well.

What do you think—would an event like this be irresistible? I hope I’ve painted a picture of how amazing a production like NintendoCon could be. Please lend your own thoughts and ideas in the comments. Hope to see you there in 2023!

The following two tabs change content below.

Scott

Scott is an author and a lifelong fan of video games. Conqueror of punishing platformers such as Celeste, Super Meat Boy, N+, The Impossible Game, and Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels. You can find him constantly changing his main character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, stuck inside a VR headset, or helplessly addicted to Fortnite.

Latest posts by Scott (see all)