Mailbox: Metroid Excitement Levels, Game Clubs, “The Galaxy Strategy” – Nintendo Life Letters

We’re deep into October now, which means it’s time to open up the Nintendo Life Mailbox and see what word-based packages you’ve been sending our way this month.

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.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? We’ve reached our Halloween quota for the month already, so rest assured you’ll find no spook and/or spoop below…

Nintendo Life Mailbox – October 2025

“strong reasons” (***STAR LETTER***)

Saving for a Switch 2, but the release of the Galaxy bundle, I realized. Why do I want a Switch 2 now? I’m still in Pharloom, just defeated the Last Judge and entered the Citadel. I’m still eager to return to Hallownest afterwards. I played, and loved, the Galaxy from 3D All Stars, and always wanted to go for Galaxy 2, but it wasn’t available. Hundreds of hours still wait for me, and the Switch 2 has yet to give strong reasons to give hundreds for it. Mario Kart World is cool, but not enough to replace 8. Bananza can’t carry a system by itself like BotW did. Right now, considering price price and gaming options, the first Switch is still the better choice.
Rui Pedro

I could retire now, do nothing but play games eight hours a day, and still never get through my Switch backlog. Software library-wise, it beats even the mighty 3DS as it nears the end of its cycle.

If you’re not desperate for the upgrades and speedier menus (which are hard to go back from), and you can live without Bananza and co. for the time being, I’d absolutely sit tight and enjoy the system you’ve got. It’s a winner. – Ed.

“two pack”

Hi,
With the release of Super Mario Galaxy 1+2, do you think that Nintendo will pursue other “two pack” games in the future? I’m thinking specifically of the very often rumored Zelda: Wind Waker/Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 2 & 3 Switch ports. I am specifically curious to see what forms MP2 and MP3 could arrive in, if at all. MP2 was a GameCube title, so it could be on the Expansion Pack for the Online service. But what about MP3, which was a Wii title? If Nintendo were to remaster/remake it for Switch/S2, couldn’t they just do the same for MP2 and repeat the Galaxy strategy?
If these games are to be released, what form do you think we’ll see them in and why?
Thanks,
An Anonymous Nintendo Fan

Wind Waker and TP would be standalones, I’d say. For Prime 2 and 3, as straight sequels, I’m imagining a hypothetical ‘Metroid Prime Trilogy Remastered’ physical three-pack, rather than a standalone Prime 2+3 package.

Sure, you’ve already got Prime 1 on the shelf, but as Nintendo (probably) says, “You’ll buy the same game again as part of a $70 package and you’ll like it!” – Ed.

“not true”

Dear Nintendolife
I wonder if Nintendolife have ever reviewed or made more articles about the games by Outright Games.
I have found certain games by them in articles but unfortunately only very very few games by them get highlighted on Nintendolife. I have to create my thread about Outright Games and keep posting new trailers to update the information.
Also, I keep hearing the negativity from other users who prejudge the games as cash grabber games.
That’s not true. Kids franchise games can be as great as other games, it’s depend on the developer who made them. And not everyone has interest in AAA games. I’m sure there is always the audience who has interest, not only me.
I hope the Nintendolife staff can give more credits to the games by Outright Games. Even adults like me can be interested in kids franchise like Paw Patrol, Bluey, Barbie, Gabby’s Dollhouse, etc.
From: Anti-Matter

Looking back, we’ve reviewed 14 Outright-published games (including Bluey) throughout the Switch generation, and we’ve touched on plenty more with news articles. We try to cover a wide range of games that will interest readers of all ages and tastes, but personal interest is definitely a factor in our selections. Which, for instance, accounts for our increased Star Trek-related coverage in recent years – one of which was from Outright Games, in fact.

We’ll continue to do our best to cover as broad a spectrum of software as possible. There’s just so much out there that, unfortunately, some things have to fall by the wayside. Shining a light on games that don’t have the brand power of a Gabby’s Dollhouse or Paw Patrol is something we factor in, as well. – Ed.

“keep things reasonable”

I’ve been running a video game club for about two years now. Think of it like a book club, but with games—someone picks one, we all play it, and then meet once a month to talk about it. The tricky part is cost. I try to keep things reasonable by setting a $20 limit, but it still means asking people to buy games they might not end up liking. I really wish there were a library or rental service for games. Do you know of anything like that? Or any tips for sharing a game across 6–8 people?
Alexander Zaitzeff

Getting eight copies might be an issue, but despite the odds, public libraries do still exist in some places and they’re a real untapped resource. Last year, I was amazed to see the selection of PS4 and Switch games at my local, so definitely investigate and support your libraries, if you’ve got them.

Otherwise, I’d say $20 is a fairly high limit considering how frequent and full eShop sales are. You could probably cut that in half, which should make a dud easier to live with. A quick look at my ‘On Offer’ wishlist shows Time Flies for 11,19€, Lego Bricktales for 4,49€, Kentucky Route Zero for 9,19€, Blazing Chrome for 4,24€…

Obviously, it’s more challenging if you’re nominating tentpole first-party titles, but I’d try tailoring your shortlist around discounted games. There’s bound to be something, large or small, in the ‘2,382 games on sale’ that’ll appeal to whoever’s picking this month. – Ed.

“exploring open areas”

Hey Nintendo Life!
How excited are all of us for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond? I can’t wait to get my hands on it! After the latest Nintendo Direct trailer, I’m curious if the Bike will have it’s own set of upgrades/power-ups to find? I think it would be cool to unlock different methods of traversal like hovering over water or anti-gravity tracks to drive up necessary walls. Could make for unique combat situations too! I guess it just depends on how much time we’ll be exploring open areas like the desert we saw!
You can omit this part if he can’t answer but I have to ask: How is Zion’s first playthrough of Metroid Prime Remastered going? Hope he’s loving it!
Thanks for reading!
MTMike87

When it comes to Prime, I’m not the man to ask. So, let’s check in with Team NL, starting with Ollie ‘Roid-Boy Reynolds. How excited are we? – Ed.

• 🫲————-🤓————-🫱 – Ollie
• “Not as excited as Ollie.” – Alana
• “Wait, they’re doing a fourth Metroid Prime?” – Jim
• “Go away, I’m on holiday.” – PJ
• *sleeping in Australia* – Liam

As for Zion, he disembarked the good ship NL a couple of weeks ago now. Let me Whatsapp him…_. – Ed.

• Mike! Thank you for asking, I actually rolled credits on Metroid Prime Remastered a few weeks ago! I really enjoyed the exploration, the music, and the overall discovery. I had a lot of trouble with the platforming and finding the Artifacts towards the end there, but overall I’m really happy to have finally checked this box! I’ve heard Prime 2 and 3 are a bit more straightforward too, so I’m looking forward to giving them a go. I still enjoyed games like Dread and Zero Mission more, but they’re seriously so exceptional at what they do. I also need to be ready for Prime 4! The little I played with mouse mode on Switch 2 has me excited to go through the game with that too! – Zion

“time to game”

Recently, college started for me. This is my first time in college, and I find amongst all the classes and homework and stress I haven’t had much time to game. I barely managed to squeeze Silksong into the beginning of the semester, and now that things are really ramping up, I don’t know how much free time I’ll have in general. Any suggestions on games to play to maximize my gaming time? Also Animal Crossing and once-a-day games like it don’t count. They’re just not really my thing.
Kirbyo

So you’re looking for quick-to-start games that don’t waste your limited time? Depends on whether you’re after short and sweet, complete narrative experiences, or you’re happy to jump in for a satisfying run or two in a game where story takes a backseat.

Our Best Short Games list does what it says on the tin, but otherwise I’d consider getting cosy with a quality roguelike. Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or 10 hours, things like Rogue Legacy or Vampire Survivors are always a great time. You might never play anything else, is the only problem. – Ed.

“not a website”

Dear Nintendo Life,
As a long time reader, I have always viewed Nintendo Life as not a website, but more of a modern day version of the old print magazines of the 1990’s, like; Nintendo Power, GamePro, Electronic Gaming Monthly. Under this context, have you thought about bringing some of that nostalgic back to your “mailbox” and commissioning an artist to create a comic strip each month worthy of “Howard & Nester” from Nintendo Power?
Sincerely,
Luigi Mario

I love this idea, although commissioning a comic strip would stretch the budget and I’d rather spend that elsewhere.

But hey, if readers want to send pics of their letter art, I’m more than happy to include it. Family-friendly, obviously. As a 30-ish-year internet denizen, I’ve seen more than enough material depicting Sonic and friends getting along famously, thank you very much.

Here’s my Sonic from memory:

Yep. Still got it. – Ed.

Bonus Letters

“A word of advice to all: Nintendo Customer Support does not like people recommending game ideas ” – XXharmless_yigaXx

At least it’s the right company. I get furious correspondence saying I’m greedy for charging $80 for Mario Kart. – Ed.

“Have you ever thought of showing the totals for an entire year of the What are you Playing this Weekend survey? I think it would be neat to see.” – YarrCaptainJuan

I haven’t ever thought of that. Maybe we’ll look into it. – Ed.

“If Nintendo asked you to choose a single game for their next Switch 2 Edition, which would you pick?

For me it’s Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Awesome game that looks quite bad on Switch 2, and the devs could take the opportunity to learn more about the hardware prior to Xenoblade 4.” – RenanKJ

Mario Maker, maybe? At this point, I’m intrigued to see just how stupid and convoluted Nintendo can make the titles, so put me down for ‘Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’. – Ed.

Thanks for reading my long letter! Feel free to edit / cut my rambling. – JJtheTexan

Donezo. (Jokes aside, thank you for the letter, JJ!) – Ed.

“That’s a supergiant win with a team cherry on top.
” – YoshiTails

An outright winner. Am I doing this right? – Ed.

They could have introduced Yoshi and the Koopalings… – Mario Fan

As in a ‘date’ scenario? Now there’s a thought to leave on. – Ed.

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That’s all for this month! Thanks to everyone who wrote in, whether you were featured above or not.

Got something you’d like to get off your chest? A burning question you need answered? A correction you can’t contain? Follow the instructions below, then, and we look forward to rifling through your missives.

Nintendo Life Mailbox submission advice and guidelines

• Letters, not essays, please – Bear in mind that your letter may appear on the site, and 1000 words ruminating on the Legend of Heroes series and asking Alana for her personal ranking isn’t likely to make the cut. Short and sweet is the order of the day. (If you’re after a general guide, 100-200 words would be ample for most topics.)
• Don’t go crazy with multiple correspondences – Ideally, just the one letter a month, please!
• Don’t be disheartened if your letter doesn’t appear in the monthly article – We anticipate a substantial inbox, and we’ll only be able to highlight a handful every month. So if your particular letter isn’t chosen for the article, please don’t get disheartened!

How to send a Letter to the Nintendo Life Mailbox

• Head to Nintendo Life’s Contact page and select the subject “Reader Letters” from the drop-down menu (it’s already done for you in the link above). Type your name, email, and beautifully crafted letter into the appropriate box, hit send, and boom — you’re done!