Some of the most renown Nintendo icons happen to be Mario and Link. We enjoy the stories they tell, the adventures they bring us on, plus the worlds that can be explored. It’s not necessarily that my story has ended, as it could just be on a short hiatus. However, there was a noticeable drop off from how much time I actually spent on Nintendo video games. These include my skipping of Super Mario Galaxy and Luigi’s Mansion. There was a point where I had picked up The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and in the end it felt there was no reason to pop the disc in. With game after game, my excitement for the Nintendo games dwindled. Why?
First true excitement for a Nintendo icon…
The Nintendo 64 had released, and the following Christmas showed up as a present in my home. My excitement grew, having a few games under the tree to compliment it. Super Mario 64 was one of the first games I played. For the time, being a child like me, the colors drew me in first. The ability to choose camera angles, jump off walls, and of course go through different levels, all felt so epic. My previous experience with a Super Mario game was that of Super Mario Bros. 3, and even the original, but my excitement was far more tame.
It was due to what the Nintendo 64 was at the time, where I started having Link and Mario ingrained into my mind whenever Nintendo was mentioned. Since the release of the new, slimmer, version of the PlayStation, titled the PSOne, my feelings waned a bit. Having an entirely new console with longer gameplay and something that felt more “adult” was appealing. After that, playing any Nintendo game was not giving me a strong enough feeling. There was the Gameboy and Gameboy Color, but those were primarily used for Pokemon and at school. Generally speaking, Nintendo just kind of fell off the map for me.
Even with the announcement of the GameCube, that still didn’t do it for me. I was interested, but not really hyped about it. Super Smash Bros. Melee was possibly the only game that could have persuaded me. Not even Super Smash Bros. could do it. The PlayStation 2 was rapidly growing around that point, and at the time I dabbled in their online functionality with Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. With this fun war game, the internet, and a friend who occasionally came over to play, there was no way I would be switching anytime soon. This far into the game, Nintendo was all but done for me. The Wii passed me by, as well as the Wii-U, and finally the Switch.
Was there any hope?
There was little hope. With the DS and 3DS, even though they were used very little, they were still used. The middle of the DS cycle, when the DS Lite had come out, it revitalized my handheld Nintendo experience. I started purchasing games, and my love of Nintendo was steady. Pokemon was perhaps one of the only games I could even bring myself to play on the DS. The 3DS was another story… It was more expensive, but the gimmick of it being able to play in 3D drew me in. Pokemon was still at the forefront, but between having a job and a 3DS, it didn’t make sense as my only real option was to play at home.
Currently with the Nintendo Switch, I feel there is still not enough games to get me invested in the purchase price of a new console. Since I have not played either Super Mario or Zelda games in quite some time, it is difficult for me to get back into it again. With already owning a PS4 I used constantly, a PC I use most often, and an Xbox One that collects dust, there is no incentive to own a Switch. I am not guaranteed to play Super Mario Odyssey, or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as they seem to be lengthy games. Those games just are not on my radar, since my collection has already grown since, and my taste in games has changed drastically.
Will I ever purchase a Nintendo Switch?
It is likely. I will never forget the memories of my older, retro, days of these two Nintendo icons. They are just as important to gaming today as they were back then. In my mind, I want to play them. Taking a step back, it’s highly unlikely that I will play them long, if bought. With Link and Mario making a huge comeback, time will only tell if it will ever bring me back to the franchise. My story ended as fast as it had begun.. Or has it? I’m still wondering if I will ever pick up where I last left off. One day I hope to be excited again for a new Super Mario or The Legend of Zelda entry.
Of course, this is all from a current generation PlayStation 4 and PC gamer. Let us know in the comments where it ended for you, if it ever did.Â
