Nintendo is getting used to delivering games in installments
On February 9 of this year, Nintendo made a Direct of more than half an hour in which they presented us with some of the titles that would come out for Switch during this year and part of 2023. A few minutes after starting, Shinya Takahashi released the first bombshell, which was nothing more than the return of mario strickers. The game caught many of us off balance, as it seemed that the Big N had that IP completely forgotten. But it was not the only surprise of the night. Almost at the end of the Direct, Nintendo presented Switch Sports, a new edition of the success that made our grandmothers play a video game for the first time. On both Switch Sports and Mario Strickers, the release dates were very close to the event. Players went from not knowing those titles were being developed to practically being able to pre-order them the next morning. And already there, we should have suspected that something was wrong.
Switch Sports has not lived up to expectations
The first pitcher of cold water arrived at the end of April. Switch Sports he didn’t have to do much to please the public. During the first few minutes of playing as a couple, I remember enjoying myself like that Three Kings day in 2007 when they gave me the Wii. After trying all the sports, I started to investigate if there was any kind of progression. And after seeing the cosmetics and points systemI only had to add two and two to appreciate that it was a video game focused on online gaming. The essence of the original was absolutely diluted despite this new game being a quite remarkable evolution. And, the fact that games like golf are missing – which will arrive in an update in the fall – is an indication that this game has been released. incomplete. No bugs, but incomplete.
Mario Strickers: Here we go again
In the middle of June, the play would be repeated with Mario Strickers: Battle League Soccer. To put us in a situation, the first edition of this game came out at the end of the GameCube’s life, in 2005. It was a groundbreaking title, absolutely original and very creative. Super Mario Strikers It was that game for which your friend, the deadly defender of the PlayStation 2, sneaked into your house in the afternoon to play a game of “Mario Kart soccer”. Seeing the ad in the Direct was enough to make the reservation. Nothing could go wrong.
And, to a certain extent, Mario Strickers: Battle League Soccer It is a game that is difficult to criticize. Mechanically, it works like a charm, and there are all sorts of combinations you can learn to gain an advantage on the pitch. However, it fails in the most basic, because playing the ‘Story Mode’ – to call it in some way – feels like wasting time. There is nothing to unlock more than a few more complicated accessories and extra cups. Not a stadium, not an extra character. And that’s almost a crime considering that there are only 8 characters in the game.
Does this formula have a future?
Just yesterday, Nintendo published that two new soccer players, a stadium and a new complement would arrive Mario Strikers: Battle League Football via a free update. Daisy, Shy Guy and the new customizable stadium are sure to give this title a lot of play. Nevertheless, improve the game afterwards it won’t always work. The online reviews that were published the first week will still be there. And low scores on metacritic They will go down in history.
Everything indicates that the quality of the latest Nintendo games is being diminished by the game itself. release schedule. Are developers running out of material in the pipeline? We hope that these two cases that we have mentioned are the result of an exceptional situation due to the pandemic, and that this formula does not end up being standardized for the future of the company’s titles.
