Skip to content

COLUMN: Will Nintendo disappoint Squamish gamers again?

NES Classic consoles were a rare find, so will Switch deliver?
Photo by metro creative Only a handful of Nintendo NES Classic Editions were available to purchase in Squamish.

In November, I was reminded just how many other gamers existed in Squamish, at the launch of the Nintendo NES Classic Edition. 

The mini console was a replica of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, and came preloaded with 30 built-in classic Nintendo games from my youth (like Donkey Kong and Mario Bros.) for a paltry $70 price tag. It was, of course, going to be an instant hit for the nostalgia factor, and for parents like me that wanted to show their kids what old school video gaming was all about. Nintendo, however, either misread how popular and in-demand the NES Classic would be, or they intentionally only released a few units to get some free news stories and hype. Either way, I went to every store in Squamish on launch day and the NES was already sold out.

“We only received a couple of consoles,” was what I and every other Squamish geek  heard that day. It seems only a scant few lucky locals were able to procure a coveted NES, as there were maybe five or six in all of the town on launch day. One Squamish store caught wind of the “like hotcakes” nature of the NES Classic, and even nearly tripled the price. Ah, capitalism. Personally, I’ve not since been back to that store, where my family used to go there every couple of weeks. 

Most people haven’t seen hide nor hair of the NES Classic since. Seriously, go online or hit a retail store and you’ll find it almost impossible to find one of these things just three months after they hit the shelves. I can’t believe Nintendo bombed so badly on something that would have been the most popular (and affordable) Christmas present under the tree. It is 30-year-old technology, too, so it isn’t like they couldn’t have gotten a factory or two in China pumping these things out.

I think I speak for pretty much every Squamish geek and gamer when I say I hope Nintendo doesn’t drop the virtual ball next month when the company releases the long-awaited Nintendo Switch system. For those who don’t obsess over the latest gaming technology, the Nintendo Switch is a “hybrid video game console” that could very well be the next big thing. You see, there are really two types of games: Games you play at home on a console or computer, and mobile games you play on a tablet or smartphone. But the Nintendo Switch lets gamers take the game they are playing on their screens at home – on the go! 

The system is comprised of a dock that attaches to your big screen TV at home, and a console that fits into that dock. The console is actually a suped-up tablet like an iPad, on which you attach these neat little controllers (either on each side, or the controllers attach together to make a wireless gamepad). Essentially, you slip the console portion of the Switch into the dock and you can play your games at home, just like on a PlayStation or Xbox. When it’s time to head out the door, you just pop out the console, and you can continue your game right where you left off, anywhere you want! No game system has done this so far, and the sheer versatility of being able to play the same game, and continue your progress, whether you’re at home or on the road, is sure to be a game-changer. Remember, Nintendo was the company behind the Wii, a console that was super popular a few years ago, thanks to innovative motion controllers. However, the Wii lost out to the PlayStation and Xbox, due to those gaming systems having more oomph when it came to both graphics and titles available. Now with the Nintendo Switch, the company hopes to reclaim some of that gaming console market share, by allowing gamers to play titles like Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (still my favourite game) anywhere they want. In the end, it may prove to be the next big console hit. Now, if only they’ve gauged the demand properly and ship enough units. I, and other Squamish gamers no doubt, will be waiting to find out. The Nintendo Switch hopefully hits stores in abundant quantities on March 3. 

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks