We’re well into the back half of November and we’re back once again to open up the Nintendo Life Mailbox.
Got something you want to get off your chest? We’re ready and waiting to read about your game-related ponderings.
Each month we’ll highlight a Star Letter, the writer of which will receive a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Check out the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page.
So, grab your pipe, slippers, and cuppa as we go through the best of this month’s correspondence.
Nintendo Life Mailbox – November 2024
“compelled to ask” (***STAR LETTER***)
Dear NL,
Due to recent election events, I feel compelled to ask the NL staff their thoughts on the matter. Do you believe this Will this push Nintendo to move manufacturing completely out of china? In doing so, do you think this will this affect the overall price of the switch and/or new successor? I believe this could negatively affect Nintendo’s bottom line when they launch the new console in the US. Tariffs on just about everything leaves less for discretionary spending. Hard to look forward to Mario, Metroid, and Zelda, when I have to worry about keeping my family fed and housed. Since this is a rather pessimistic take and most of this has not come to pass yet, I’d like to optimistically assume that Nintendo– with it’s vast war chest of funds– will weather out the next 4 years somewhat bruised but still intact. After all, the US isn’t the only market they sell to.
MegaMari0
Hmm. At this stage, we can but speculate. For anyone unfamiliar with the situation, the incoming administration has promised US tariffs on Chinese imports which have the potential to massively affect the gaming industry in the coming months and years, significantly increasing hardware prices for consumers still reeling from a cost-of-living crisis.
One thing that is worth considering is what happened last time. Back in 2019 Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft sent a joint letter to the US government warning of severe disruption and negative effects for the video game sector should consoles not be exempt from similarly proposed tariffs. The letter remains relevant five years on and is worth reading.
Now, given the unpredictability of this particular administration, it’s impossible to say for certain which way things will go this time. I’d like to imagine calm heads and common sense will prevail and three years from now we won’t be looking back at the good ol’ days of $700 PS5 Pros. – Ed.
“different queues”
Like many of us, I have been thoroughly enjoying Super Mario Party Jamboree lately. However, I have a concern about the game’s long term success that I have seen mentioned elsewhere- the matchmaking system.
In Superstars, you selected your board preference, got matched with 3 other players at random, and then the board was chosen from all of your preferences. It could be annoying to not get the board you wanted several games in a row, but matchmaking was quick and efficient.
In Jamboree you select your board (7 options) rules (party or pro) and motion control (on or off) preference separately, and the game matches you with somebody who chose the exact same settings- that’s 28 different queues! If not enough opponents can be found, the lobby will be filled with bots instead, but now given custom names in order to trick players into not noticing (the signs are still there- e.g. they won’t have a party card or minigame records). As a result, I have yet to experience an online match with more than one human opponent. If you can only find bot games only two weeks after launch, I am worried about how the matchmaking will function under the current system when the servers become quieter in a few months.
Munchlax
Mario Party sells incredibly well, so it’s disappointing to hear that matchmaking is a drag so close after launch. Perhaps Jamboree’s approach was a response to gripes about the old system forcing you onto boards you didn’t want to play. I can definitely relate to that feeling with Mario Kart.
Unfortunately, I just can’t relate to this “thoroughly enjoying Super Mario Party Jamboree” phenomenon. I don’t get it, and it’s become a joke around NL Towers. Watching people I love and respect inducted into a patently wicked cult — one where playing 10 minutes of minigames in between 80 minutes of waiting and reading and inane, endorsed-by-the-man Fun™ is apparently a raucous time — leaves me totally confused. Each to their own, but it’s like someone’s slipping crazy pills in my coffee. I was promised a party, not… whatever this is! – Ed.
“museum-bound”
The GameCube is Dead?
You wrote recently that Xenoblade has ended the life of the Wii U.
With all the great remakes, and new versions of games, what would it take for you to consider the GameCube museum-bound?
For me it would be remakes, new games, or re-releases of Wind Waker, NFL Street 2 and F-Zero.
Juan
I’ve got a ‘Rule of Three (or Four)’ whereby any console with three or four great exclusives is still worth the space it takes up in the wardrobe. The Wii U may be dead, but Nintendo Land, Affordable Space Adventures, and even the original Mario Maker, Splatoon, and a few others keep the system’s spirit alive.
The GameCube died the moment the backwards-compatible Wii came out – it’s absolutely a museum-grade artefact. Yet you’re also talking to a man who owns six of the things. F-Zero, Rogue Leader, Eternal Darkness, a bit of Doshin, everything with the DK Bongos, Chibi-Robo, Wave Race, the best Mario Kart, dozens of games I never even played… No one’s ever really gone, right? – Ed.
We're well into the back half of November and we're back once again to open up the Nintendo Life Mailbox.
Got something you want to get off your chest? We're ready and waiting to read about your game-related ponderings.
Each month we’ll highlight a Star Letter, the writer of which will receive a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Check out the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page.
So, grab your pipe, slippers, and cuppa as we go through the best of this month's correspondence.
Nintendo Life Mailbox - November 2024
"compelled to ask" (***STAR LETTER***)
Dear NL,
Due to recent election events, I feel compelled to ask the NL staff their thoughts on the matter. Do you believe this Will this push Nintendo to move manufacturing completely out of china? In doing so, do you think this will this affect the overall price of the switch and/or new successor? I believe this could negatively affect Nintendo's bottom line when they launch the new console in the US. Tariffs on just about everything leaves less for discretionary spending. Hard to look forward to Mario, Metroid, and Zelda, when I have to worry about keeping my family fed and housed. Since this is a rather pessimistic take and most of this has not come to pass yet, I'd like to optimistically assume that Nintendo-- with it's vast war chest of funds-- will weather out the next 4 years somewhat bruised but still intact. After all, the US isn't the only market they sell to.
MegaMari0
Hmm. At this stage, we can but speculate. For anyone unfamiliar with the situation, the incoming administration has promised US tariffs on Chinese imports which have the potential to massively affect the gaming industry in the coming months and years, significantly increasing hardware prices for consumers still reeling from a cost-of-living crisis.
One thing that is worth considering is what happened last time. Back in 2019 Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft sent a joint letter to the US government warning of severe disruption and negative effects for the video game sector should consoles not be exempt from similarly proposed tariffs. The letter remains relevant five years on and is worth reading.
Now, given the unpredictability of this particular administration, it's impossible to say for certain which way things will go this time. I'd like to imagine calm heads and common sense will prevail and three years from now we won't be looking back at the good ol' days of $700 PS5 Pros. - Ed.
"different queues"
Like many of us, I have been thoroughly enjoying Super Mario Party Jamboree lately. However, I have a concern about the game’s long term success that I have seen mentioned elsewhere- the matchmaking system.
In Superstars, you selected your board preference, got matched with 3 other players at random, and then the board was chosen from all of your preferences. It could be annoying to not get the board you wanted several games in a row, but matchmaking was quick and efficient.
In Jamboree you select your board (7 options) rules (party or pro) and motion control (on or off) preference separately, and the game matches you with somebody who chose the exact same settings- that’s 28 different queues! If not enough opponents can be found, the lobby will be filled with bots instead, but now given custom names in order to trick players into not noticing (the signs are still there- e.g. they won’t have a party card or minigame records). As a result, I have yet to experience an online match with more than one human opponent. If you can only find bot games only two weeks after launch, I am worried about how the matchmaking will function under the current system when the servers become quieter in a few months.
Munchlax
Mario Party sells incredibly well, so it's disappointing to hear that matchmaking is a drag so close after launch. Perhaps Jamboree's approach was a response to gripes about the old system forcing you onto boards you didn't want to play. I can definitely relate to that feeling with Mario Kart.
Unfortunately, I just can't relate to this "thoroughly enjoying Super Mario Party Jamboree" phenomenon. I don't get it, and it's become a joke around NL Towers. Watching people I love and respect inducted into a patently wicked cult — one where playing 10 minutes of minigames in between 80 minutes of waiting and reading and inane, endorsed-by-the-man Fun™ is apparently a raucous time — leaves me totally confused. Each to their own, but it's like someone's slipping crazy pills in my coffee. I was promised a party, not... whatever this is! - Ed.
"museum-bound"
The GameCube is Dead?
You wrote recently that Xenoblade has ended the life of the Wii U.
With all the great remakes, and new versions of games, what would it take for you to consider the GameCube museum-bound?
For me it would be remakes, new games, or re-releases of Wind Waker, NFL Street 2 and F-Zero.
Juan
I've got a 'Rule of Three (or Four)' whereby any console with three or four great exclusives is still worth the space it takes up in the wardrobe. The Wii U may be dead, but Nintendo Land, Affordable Space Adventures, and even the original Mario Maker, Splatoon, and a few others keep the system's spirit alive.
The GameCube died the moment the backwards-compatible Wii came out - it's absolutely a museum-grade artefact. Yet you're also talking to a man who owns six of the things. F-Zero, Rogue Leader, Eternal Darkness, a bit of Doshin, everything with the DK Bongos, Chibi-Robo, Wave Race, the best Mario Kart, dozens of games I never even played... No one's ever really gone, right? - Ed.
