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The True Cost of Gaming Scott’s Thoughts

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Have you ever stopped and added up your recent gaming purchases, just to see how much your hobby is really costing you?

The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is an abbreviation that get’s thrown around a lot oil the gaming industry, indicating what most stores charge for new hardware and software as recommended by the publishers.

However, the amount on a price tag isn’t the true cost associated with gaming.

Price ≠ Cost.

Time: You spend much more time equity on a game compared to what’s come out of your wallet. Even if your job pays minimum wage, your time has a high value on it that is quickly surpassed when sinking hours into the latest open world adventure or competitive shooter. (Related: “Making Your Gaming Time Matter”)

Mood: It takes some maturity and self-awareness to think about how you’re thinking. Oftentimes, video games are liable to alter our moods. We usually like our titles to be somewhat challenging (as opposed to a cake-walk), and there’s a fine line between difficulty that enhances your accomplishment and difficulty that causes frustration. It’s okay to walk away from a game that’s interfering with real life, in any way, shape or form.

Opportunity: Related to time management, opportunity cost is a real thing to consider. Sometimes, it’s good to think about what else you could be doing with your time. In other words, what are games causing you to potentially miss out on? Who could you meet, what could you make, or where could you go?

Health: I’d love to believe that there are no health risks with partaking in Nintendo fandom, but my hands tell me otherwise. Carpal tunnel can set in without proper ergonomics, especially if you spend a considerable amount of time on computers on top of your gaming hobby. Additionally, omitting a short stint in the Wii era, time spent gaming is time spent sitting on your God-given cushions. It’s important to balance digital entertainment with some amount of physical activity (don’t ask my advice on this—I’ll get back to you later).

Don’t feel guilty for spending money, time, and other assets on video games. Like you, it’s my favorite way to have fun! Just try to consider the true cost, and avoid debt… monetary, health, or otherwise.

What is it about Launch Day? Scott’s Thoughts

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I’m younger than you might guess. I was only 12 years old as I was saving up for the launch of Nintendo Wii.

I had never been more excited for a video game console, and I was literally counting down the days. On my wall calendar, I flipped forward to November 19th, 2006 and wrote “WII DAY” in big marker. I then proceeded to work backward and mark a countdown on each preceding day, up into the 60s!

Many families lucky enough to locate a Wii on store shelves would get to open their shiny new system for Christmas that year, but that wouldn’t do for me. As a 12 year old, I performed every extra chore I could find until a stack of $500 ensured I could buy the console and whatever games and accessories I wanted, on launch day.
Ever since then, I’ve been hooked on getting my games the day they come out.

Release date announcements go straight into my Google Calendar (sadly, I no longer hang a physical one on my wall) and I receive reminders as the launch comes nearer.

Whenever Nintendo launches a new title, you can find me at the store either at a midnight launch, or right when I get off work.

It’s an event. Every time.

But why—why is it so important to me that I experience new games on the first day? Wouldn’t it be smarter to wait and read some reviews? Delaying my purchase even longer could land me a discount.

The game industry moves fast. Conversations online quickly turn to the latest and greatest, so participating in gaming communities is easier when you’re up to speed.

There’s also a heavy dose of excitement that comes with being an early adopter. You get to go into a brand new, creative piece of art before it’s talked about like common knowledge on podcasts or had its surprises spoiled in YouTube thumbnails (our channel doesn’t do that, by the way).

It’s fun to be on the cutting edge. Sure, you get cut every once in awhile, but the thrill is worth it.

Picross S is NOT Competitive Scott’s Thoughts

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Full disclosure: I have a Picross addiction. If Pavlov is Nintendo and Picross is a bell, I’m the salivating dog.
They release a new game in the series, I buy it, and the next 20 hours of my life are a blur as I perfect every puzzle.
Having said that, my excitement for the sudden release of Picross S on Switch was huge!

An important new feature was touted: multiplayer. New to the series, two players would be able to “play cooperatively, or compete to see who can place the most tiles!”

This was a game-changer! I have a friend from Picrossers Anonymous who would love to relapse with me and go head-to-head!

Well, Nintendo wasn’t fully honest with their description of this functionality. Technologically, it’s all there: two players can control cursors on the same screen, and it works. It’s fun to help each other out and solve puzzles together.

Competitively, the structure is non-existent. There’s no separate “Vs. Mode” or anything of that nature, it simply tallies up the number of tiles filled in by each player. The game doesn’t keep score over multiple rounds or celebrate a victor. The players are left to point out that their score was higher and rub it in their “opponent’s” face.

That’s not the extent of the issue, either. This game is impossible—I repeat—impossible to be treated competitively. It leaves the door wide open for cheating and unfair play.
I mentioned my fellow addict above. We got to playing a few rounds of Picross S together and it wasn’t long before he had outsmarted the game. Whenever I placed a tile, he would follow behind my cursor and overwrite it with a tile of his own color, taking my points for himself.

Picross S lets competitors get away with whatever they’d like, and also creates another problem by not awarding any points for blocking off tiles. Placing an X on a space that won’t contain a colored title is a critical part of Picross gameplay, but gamers are punished in multiplayer mode by not receiving any points, leaving their opponent to score off their work.

My advice to Switch owners: Purchase this title and enjoy it as a single player or cooperative affair.
Words to Nintendo: Be careful how you advertise your games; it’s important to be honest about what’s included in the package.

Update: Nintendo has adjusted the wording on their Picross S online listing to read ‘Unique to the Switch version, 2 players can now play simultaneously! Enjoy with friends and family!’
That’s better.

Lessons for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Scott’s Thoughts

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1. If I earn something, just give it to me. Don’t tell me I earned it, then explain how I have to tap through menus to retrieve my reward. Just give it to me.

2. Crafting is not the best thing since sliced bread. Just because Minecraft was super popular doesn’t mean everything needs to be crafted from now on.

3. Simplify the exchange rates. I don’t want to pay real money for leaf tickets to buy a mining pass to collect gold in order to exchange that for bells so that I can use the bells to purchase digital furniture. The expression is “cut out the middleman,” not “let’s create an army of middlemen.”

Collecting Vs. Trading Scott’s Thoughts

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I have conflicting impulses.

I’m a collector. I have multiple shelves in my house dedicated to Nintendo, lined with cases of games, amiibo, preorder bonus merchandise, or Club Nintendo rewards (remember those? They used to be physical).
My biggest console library belongs to Wii, and I hope to outnumber those games with Switch software this generation.

I’m also a tightwad. I prefer saving money over spending it. I don’t mind waiting months or years for things to go on sale before buying.

How does one balance the urge to collect games, when trading or selling them can help financially?
It’s a tough choice.

I’ve purchased 9 Switch games in the system’s first 7 months and sold 3 of them. Sure, it was opposed to my goal of expanding my collection, but they weren’t great games. I’d rather have a small amount of excellent titles than a larger batch where you don’t know what you’re going to get.

When deciding to keep a game or not, first acknowledge that it’s probably disappointed you. If it hadn’t, you likely wouldn’t be debating what to do with it.

Next, this question is super helpful: Do I want to introduce my kids to this?
Whether you’re a parent or not, it helps put things into perspective. Video game collections are best not when they take up a lot of space, but when you can proudly open up a box with your ten-year-old and tell him or her to pick anything; you know you’ll have a great time.

Do I want to play this with my daughter in fifteen years? No, it’s not the best one in the series. Sell this one. We’ll play the older version.

Keep the best, get rid of the rest! You’ll have more space and more money to put toward better experiences.

Related: Simeon’s Guide to Decluttering your Collection

Don’t Forget the Fun Factor Scott’s Thoughts

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I often see newly released games being appraised for their graphics, controls, music, and price.

What the industry needs more of a focus on is simple: fun.

A game can have terrible graphics, no soundtrack, and clunky controls, but still be a lot of fun.
Conversely, a beautiful and imaginative game can be boring and punishing.

Video games are a form of art, but that doesn’t mean they need to be treated with as much weight and gravitas as other mediums.
Some critics don’t understand this and neglect to consider the fun factor, so take review scores with a grain of salt. A 7/10 game might be the most fun you and a friend have ever had.

Goodbye, Stereoscopic 3-Dimensional Gaming Scott’s Thoughts

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I’m one of the first people to happily wave goodbye to the 3DS.

It’s low-resolution screen looked behind-the-times the moment I laid eyes on it on launch day.
However, there is one aspect of its visuals which I will miss: glasses-free 3D.

Nintendo pulled something incredible off by releasing the only mass-market device employing the technology.
Personally fine-tunable by a slider, no less!

The company also made a wise move in never requiring 3D visuals to advance in any games, ensuring those too young, who had eye problems, or just preferred flat images, weren’t forced to see in 3D.

But boy was it helpful.

Super Mario 3D Land, for example, is a fantastic title that takes full advantage of the unique screen hardware.
I have a harder time lining up precise jumps on my Switch.

Stereoscopic 3D, I‘ll miss you.

Retail Vs. Digital Pricing Scott’s Thoughts

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There is a discrepancy.

When you walk into a store and purchase a new video game, you get more in return: a display case, a printed cover and (sometimes) instruction manual, a cartridge housing the game’s data, the ability to lend the copy to a friend, and the option of selling the copy when you’re done with it.

Downloadable versions provide none of the above benefits (though you could definitely argue for the convenience factor). They cost the same as a physical version, but take up more space on your hard drive or memory card, and are far cheaper for the publisher to distribute.

With digital games, creators don’t pay for printing discs or cartridges, packaging, shipping, or shelf-space at stores. They also don’t split any profit with retailers.

You would almost think the downloadable version should be cheaper.

Further confusing the matter are stores like Best Buy and Amazon, where you can actually get retail releases at a steep discount. It feels backward.

The reason Nintendo and its competitors are afraid to cut gamers a deal on digital versions is that it would make retailers upset. Their relationships with WalMart, Target and others would be severely damaged as gamers flocked to online offerings to get the lowest price.

Why doesn’t Nintendo just cut its retail ties and only offer their games digitally?
They’re not ready yet. The majority of sales still take place in brick and mortar, but that is starting to change.

Someday, a Nintendo console might not come equipped with a cartridge slot. And just maybe, downloadable games will be a little cheaper.

(Or not because of inflation, the rising cost of development, server infrastructure, and Nintendo being a business trying to make money. But one can dream.)

Are Portable/Console Hybrids the Future? Scott’s Thoughts

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NX rumors began shortly after Wii U launched. People were quickly eager for the next big thing.

Closing in on Switch’s first year, and Nintendo fans aren’t fidgeting for news on its successor.
We’re content. Eager for certain game announcements, yes, but satisfied with the hardware.

“What do you want in the next Nintendo console?”
Even enthusiasts are having a hard time answering that. A more powerful Switch, I guess?

And I would agree with that. Friends texted me right after the Switch reveal video, asking me what I thought. My response: What more could you want? It’s got all the buttons, it’s HD, and you can play on your TV or take it anywhere.

In many ways, we’ve arrived. Similar to the cellular market, where your phone looks about the same as it did 4 or 5 models ago, the Nintendo hardware line is maturing.

Could you imagine a follow-up console to the Switch not being portable? You don’t want to think about that, do you?
Rest assured, the hybrid strategy is here to stay.

With Nintendo, that is.
Competitors like Microsoft and Sony might not adopt it so quickly because of their emphasis on graphical power.

You can think of those companies as desktop PC makers, whereas Nintendo has differentiated itself as the laptop provider. Not leading the charge in technical specifications but in form-factor.

There certainly are advancements still waiting to be made in the gaming industry, make no mistake. In five years or less, we’ll likely have the opportunity to purchase a 4K Switch tablet with VR capabilities.

But Switch represents a revolution in how Nintendo makes their flagship consoles.

Why Indies are Better than 3rd Parties Scott’s Thoughts

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Do you love huge, generalized sweeping statements? Well, you’re in luck!

Indies are way better than 3rd party developers.

When I play a 1st party Nintendo game, the polish is undeniable. I can practically taste the quality assurance oozing out of every aspect of the game.

Playing a 3rd party title is often a disappointing affair. I’m reminded how much less effort they put into their menus, onboarding new players, readability, and the overall stability of the experience.

Indies, however? I’ve had the pleasure of completing multiple independently-developed games that feel as if they belong in Nintendo’s own stable of IP. They often approach development the same way Nintendo does, creating a unique mechanic and building an entire world around it.

These self-published titles come with lower budgets and therefore have less marketing. They have to compensate with more ambitious pitches; it takes a lot to stand out on the Switch eShop, with handfuls of games being dumped onto the store weekly.

An indie game tries to do less, and with that narrower focus comes a more concentrated dose of polish.

For the most part, independent games are structurally and functionally tight. You can learn what’s expected of you in a matter of seconds, just like an old arcade or NES game.

They are more often labors of love, made by people who don’t come home with a check twice a month from an employer but quit their job to work on the idea that they just can’t get out of their head.

Indie games are less restricted by businessmen who demand a carbon copy of what’s already selling and are free to experiment with art styles and non-traditional music.

Do yourself a favor and enjoy indie games, thereby supporting these small studios. They both need it and deserve it.

To Backlog or Not to Backlog Scott’s Thoughts

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That is the question. The question we are all asking as a new wave of indie titles hits the Nintendo Switch each and every week.
It’s nearly impossible not to fall behind.

To illustrate this point, consider the following group of games: Shovel Knight, TumbleSeed, Thumper, Sonic Mania, SteamWorld Dig 2, Golf Story, and Stardew Valley.
Did you purchase and play all of those?
This is just a quick list of games filed under “DON’T MISS” off the top of my head. Chances are, you’ve let a handful of these slip through the cracks. (If you actually played all of those, I want to shake your hand.)

Each week is a new opportunity to either A) catch up on amazing games in the backlog, or B) play the newest latest game that was released.

Option A feels good because you get to experience that title that’s been sitting on your wish list, enjoy it, and cross it off.
It creates a problem, though, when it causes your backlog to grow. Thanks to the deluge of new releases, truly “catching up” isn’t really an option.

Option B is exciting. You get to buy a brand new game and join in the conversations while it’s still hot. All the Nintendo podcasts and groups are discussing it.
The downside is, it prevents you from getting back to some of those earlier eShop games that received 8s or 9s out of 10.

No matter what we choose, we’re missing out.
How do you pick between shoring up your collection and trying out the latest greatest?

You have better chances of enjoying your purchases, and not regretting them, if you go with the backlog. Hindsight is 20/20, and a few months after a game launches, you know from the way a title is talked about (and IF it’s even remembered) if it’s worth it or not. You probably build a wish list and whittle it down as your perception of each game’s value evolves with time. What’s left is a series of sure-fire hits that you’re bound to enjoy.

Delve into games like that.

The cutting edge is risky, but rewarding. You can get in on a game’s fandom on ground 0 and be a part of a community’s formation. Other times, the game just isn’t what you thought it was and you’re out $10 or $20.

When you have a really good feeling about an indie title, and you can just sense that you will love it, buy it on launch day. Don’t let it pass you by. During those times, the backlog can wait.

#NotMyNintendo Scott’s Thoughts

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Nintendo’s reward program has evolved and devolved over the years. There was a really nice sweet-spot during the Wii era, where lots of great games earned you points and those points could be redeemed for awesome physical prizes. I enjoyed that period and collected a lot of exclusive merch that made me feel like a part of the—well—club.

Things are different with today’s program, My Nintendo. The approach pivoted from rewarding surveys to gameplay accomplishments and task completed instead, which is a sensible exchange. However, with the new program, we’ve firmly waved goodbye to physical goodies like tote bags and hanafuda cards, left to spend our Gold and Platinum coins on in-game outfits, themes, and digital wallpapers.

Turns out, it’s no replacement. I was excited at the onset of My Nintendo, as a few games were offered for redemption: WarioWare Touched!, a DS title, and a Zelda-themed Picross game exclusive to the loyalty service.

Eager for more rewards like this, I quickly became disappointed when I found nothing worthwhile to spend my coins on.

Worse, the digital currency was a ticking time-bomb. Expiration dates loomed over my Nintendo piggy-bank, which threatened to disappear if I didn’t hurry up and spend it on a bunch of themes I would never use.

I don’t feel particularly rewarded by Nintendo, which is a problem when you consider that I’m their best customer: a day-one early adopter, a collector, a completionist, and a brand ambassador dedicating my life to working for them free of charge.

If their customer loyalty program isn’t for me, then who is it for?

Welcome to Your Future: DLC Expansion Passes Scott’s Thoughts

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Nintendo has been diversifying their income of late. Not content to only sell you a console per generation and a shelf-full of games, offerings have increased to amiibo, special editions, and add-on downloadable content.

Rather than earning $40 off of Metroid: Samus Returns customers in North America, Nintendo was given twice the amount by hardcore fans who bought the limited box-set and amiibo two-pack.

There’s a new pricing model on the rise, and Nintendo calls it the DLC Expansion Pass.
Some might remember Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as the game that introduced the Expansion Pass to us, but this method of DLC delivery was first utilized in Mario Kart 8 on Wii U, where two major add-ons were sold in one bundle and fulfilled over time.

Of course, Nintendo is one of the last companies in the industry to adopt the practice, but now that they have, there’s no looking back.

Seeing the success of Mario Kart 8 and Breath of the Wild, Nintendo and Ubisoft created an Expansion Pass strategy for Mario + Rabbids and Fire Emblem Warriors.

It’s a brilliant business model for a number of reasons.

  • Players are encouraged to purchase additional content as early as day 1, when excitement for the game is at its peak.
  • The people most likely to give a business money are the ones who are already giving it money.
  • Revenue earned from advance DLC purchases fund continued development, where teams can keep working with existing assets for some time, rather than switching to a more expensive project from scratch.
  • Expansion Pass owners are extremely unlikely to sell their game for some time, delivering a blow to the used market.
  • 100% of DLC sales go straight to Nintendo, not split with a retailer.
  • Prevents the base sticker price from climbing.

The benefits are self-explanatory, but the final one could use some unpacking.
High-definition video games have been $60 for a considerable amount of time (over a decade). Nintendo gamers held onto the $50 threshold a bit longer thanks to Wii’s standard definition output.

The cost of a video game feels high. It’s the better half of a hundred dollars. But it has remained low relative to two major factors:
1) Development costs are rising, not declining. 2) Inflation is constantly active.

Watch our Pricing Through The Ages video to get an idea of how quickly the dollar loses value. You need more “money” to purchase the candy bar today than you did five years ago. Despite this, software prices remain steady.

That’s why Nintendo has been diversifying, and the Expansion Pass is a win-win strategy. Gamers get to support the developers of titles they care about, and Nintendo gets to stay in business!

Make your Gaming Time Matter Scott’s Thoughts

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35 hours.
That’s how many I put into Picross S for Nintendo Switch. It was an impulse buy at $8, “cheap” by many standards, but its true expense was my time.

My days contain 24 hours, like yours, but not many are leftover for gaming. What precious little minutes remain for entertainment must be wisely spent, and I failed to do so with Picross.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the series. But this particular title didn’t offer much by way of new or exciting material. My first few hours were motivated by fun, and I played a bit longer in multiplayer, which was a worthwhile experience with friends and family.

The rest of my time was spent out of compulsion. Nintendo has successfully trained me as a collector, so earning the medals on each group of puzzles felt rewarding at first, but ultimately became a chore.
I truly noticed the problem after completing all 150 levels, then immediately setting out to do them again in Mega Picross mode. The SAME puzzles!

I wanted to be 100% done with the game so that I could move on to other, more fun titles.
Therein lies the issue: I didn’t have to complete the game to move on. I should have closed the software, let it rest, and came back in a few weeks or months.

What I endeavor to do in the future, and I encourage you to as well, is make wiser choices with your gaming time.
Maximize your fun. If a game isn’t doing the trick, sell it. If you can’t get rid of it, forget it.

Our time on this planet is short, so recreation should be used for relaxing, improving skills, and most importantly: spending time with people we care about. Whether that’s your friend or your spouse, gaming can be a great way to grow bonds.

You don’t have to prove anything to anyone by being a completionist. For goodness sake, there aren’t even achievements on your Nintendo profile! And you don’t owe it to yourself to slog through a game just because you purchased it. You wouldn’t eat every bite of a meal at a restaurant if it tasted bad, or pained you to swallow, right? The same applies here.

It’s True: Games ARE Made by Humans Scott’s Thoughts

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Something especially cool happened at E3 2017. If you only watched Nintendo’s press conference, you missed it.
Shigeru Miyamoto came out on stage and promoted Mario + Rabbids. But even Miyamoto-san wasn’t the star of that show; Davide Soliani stole the spotlight.

Davide was the lead on developing Mario’s crossover with the Raving Rabbids. As you’ll remember, his passion project got leaked onto the internet and was met with a collective “huh?” from gamers.

It was a demoralizing period for his team, having poured months and months into crafting the perfect crossover that no one knew they wanted. The premature announcement was met with uncertainty.

The team pressed onward, through the disappointing turn of events, and made it to E3 where Kingdom Battle had its proper announcement and another shot at recognition. Nintendo lent Miyamoto for Ubisoft’s stage, as well as dedicated a slot of time in their Treehouse stream to showcase the game.

Sentiment around the game started to turn, but nothing so critical happened as when the camera at Ubisoft’s press conference focused in on Davide.

The developer had given Miyamoto the honor of introducing his game on stage, but Miyamoto turned the praise back to Davide and the crowd got to watch his reaction as tears streamed down his face.

The French game designer was overcome with emotion as his sweat equity had finally culminated in a finished product. But most every developer experiences that sensation. Davide also had the unique opportunity of getting to work with an industry idol, and partner with Nintendo on their own property. To see Miyamoto himself introduce a game that he had conceptualized brought him to tears.

“Don’t cry Ubisoft man” became a meme, a tee-shirt, and a rallying cry for those who wanted to show their support for Ubisoft’s crazy mash-up and the people responsible for creating it.

Sometimes, gamers just need a small reminder that humans create the software. Behind every work is a team of individuals with families, needs, and dreams.

For Davide’s sake, and those like him, measure your tone carefully when offering criticism online. The status quo is harsh, and it takes more effort to be constructive. Go the extra mile.

Are Monthly Switch Releases Sustainable? Scott’s Thoughts

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Since Nintendo launched Switch in March, they’ve quickly built out the library with solid 1st party hits.

Select 3rd parties, and a swath of independent developers, have also been instrumental in filling out the gaps.

From Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Super Mario Odyssey, one can’t help but be impressed with how this hardware’s first year has been supported by stellar software.

For the first time in many years, consumers are actually starting to say “there are just too many good games. I wish they would delay some of these.”

Who can possibly manage to play Odyssey, Skyrim, and Xenoblade all back-to-back?

What’s more,  how will Nintendo maintain this breakneck development pace?

Here’s the important factor to keep in mind: Switch has a team of software designers about twice the size that Wii U had. Where did all these extra developers come from?
Well, Nintendo merged the 3DS and Wii U departments together shortly after R&D on Switch began, bringing home and portable development under one roof.

3DS is seeing it’s last days as more and more resources are allocated to developing new experiences on Nintendo’s hybrid console. And they’re selling like crazy.

I expect the manic pace to continue for the foreseeable future. It won’t be a gigantic new title like Super Mario Odyssey dropping each month, but I could see twelve releases spread over a year like so:

  • 2 Wii U/ ports (think: Smash Bros.)
  • 1 HD remake (think: Kid Icarus Uprising)
  • 1 Kirby
  • 1 Yoshi
  • 2 big franchise sequels (Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Splatoon, etc.)
  • 1 new IP (a la ARMS)
  • 1 partnership with a 3rd party (like Rabbids)
  • 1 collection (BoxBoy would work well)
  • 1 party game (people must be getting tired of 1-2-Switch, right?)
  • 1 crazy announcement no one could ever predict

And that’s twelve games right there. As you can see, it’s totally doable for the Big N to publish something every 4-5 weeks.
The only question remains: can our wallets and schedules keep up with the runaway hype-train?

What if Classic Editions were Switch Cartridges? Scott’s Thoughts

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“It’s so hard to find the NES Classic Edition! Why can’t Nintendo just put all those games on a cartridge and call it a day?”
It was the same story with the Super Nintendo version.

Nintendo fans and collectors, left baffled by supply issues, often bemoan the fact that these collections of retro games aren’t made available for Switch.

What if Classic Editions weren’t miniature reproductions of the original consoles, but simple game carts or eShop downloads?

Pros:
+ More convenient
+ Cheaper
+ Portable
+ Easier to purchase
+ Less clutter

Cons:
– You don’t get the original controllers
– Only lasts one console generation
– Less of a collector’s item
– Not as nostalgic
– Well… you can’t hack it to add more games.

Personally, I’m really glad Nintendo chose to recreate the consoles. I’ve been wanting NES to return to store shelves for a decade, but I never predicted the genius of shrinking it down to the size of your palm and preloading it with games.

I can also now say that I own an SNES, which is the only console I missed while growing up.

It’s easy to beg Nintendo to make things more convenient and cut some corners, but the experience just wouldn’t be the same.

When Ignorance Isn’t Bliss Scott’s Thoughts

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They say “ignorance is bliss,” which can be true.
If you’re enjoying a meal that accidentally touched the ground, you’re probably better off not knowing that.
We’re always within a small distance from insects, but if they’re not bothering us… ignorance is bliss.

Other times, being ignorant just leaves you feeling left out. Like for the gamer who’s never played a Final Fantasy title in their life, and the discussion turns to the series.

Here’s what it sounds like to me, someone who has never touched the popular RPG franchise:
“Oh man, when are we ever going to get the proper follow-up to Twelve?”
“You know, Three is actually Six in Japan.”
“I’m holding out hope for Fifteen Two.” (What is this, Cribbage?)
“Why did it take so long for Seven to get remastered?”
“One and Four are available on iOS, but you’ll have to buy an original PlayStation to access Five.” (Clearly, I’m making all of this up.)

Final Fantasy games are referred to simply by their number designation, which makes conversations around them even harder to follow for newcomers.

When people start talking FF, my eyes glaze over.

Sometimes I wonder if I should play the entire series just to be in the know.

The Secret Selling Point of the Switch Scott’s Thoughts

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It’s not what you think it is.

It’s not the games. It’s not the price. It isn’t the user interface or the branding.

The secret selling point is that the Switch is fun to use.
It’s physically fun to play with.

That dumb snapping noise that plays in all the commercials? It underscores one of the core benefits of the experience.

Seeing the hardware’s multiple configurations raises intrigue, then the tactile feedback received when sliding the pieces together does all the convincing.

Nintendo used to say Playing is Believing, but they advanced this concept a step further by creating believers before the console even powers on.

There’s a 2D Breath of the Wild on Switch eShop Scott’s Thoughts

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On the Nintendo Switch eShop, there’s a 2-dimensional Breath of the Wild for sale.

It’s called SteamWorld Dig 2.

This is an indie title by Image & Form. You don’t have to like steampunk culture or have beaten the original to enjoy this title, it stands on its own as a must-play.

Everything that you loved about the the open-world Zelda adventure is here, in this little downloadable title.

Strictly speaking, Dig 2’s genre is most like a Metroidvania, but fans of Breath of the Wild will feel right at home in the game’s underground caverns.

Did you like defeating shrines? You’re in luck; with caves, puzzles must be completed to earn collectibles and power-ups. Just like shrines, caves feature additional hidden secrets apart from the main objective, for explorers and completionists.

Like Link’s stamina mechanics, the main character (Dorothy) has meters for water and light that the player has to keep an eye on and take into account while trying to reach new areas.

The game can be played nonlinearly, any time you wish to take a break from the main plotline to enhance your strengths.

Filling in Hyrule’s map by locating towers is not unlike uncovering new caverns and locating fast-travel points.

Special abilities can be unlocked that are very similar to the Champion Abilities in Zelda. I activated an especially helpful modification in SteamWorld which I lovingly referred to right away as “Mipha’s Grace.” Even the HUD elements share attributes in common, like how the special abilities indicate on-screen when they are ready to be used.

Don’t miss this title! Even if you don’t feel like you’re ready for “another Breath of the Wild,” keep in mind that this game is much smaller. SteamWorld Dig 2 doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.

It’s also plenty unique, with a creative world, interesting characters, and fun gameplay loops that keep you coming back and digging deeper.