The hottest holiday gift of 2017 is the Nintendo Switch. I’m calling it right now.
More More MORE Switch Games and Accessories have been at the top of my kid’s wish lists since the minute we bought it and if I had not already bought the Switch earlier this year, I’d be buying one now. In fact, I am considering buying a second unit for more game play options.
I should disclose that we are Nintendo Brand Ambassadors however all the items mentioned in this post were purchased by me at full retail price even! We have not received compensation for posting about this. My sons made the video on their own, sans bribery, or cajoling. (I edited it – they could talk about the Switch for hours)
Earlier this year my kids attended a Nintendo Holiday event where they got the chance to preview and try new games, meet some of their favorite characters, indulge their inner Nintendo Geek and best of all for them, spend a whole day of guilt free gaming and talk about their current obsession, the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch and Screen Time Concerns:
I realize that the topic of screen time is a hot one for parents and especially as it pertains to holiday gifts and I’m not going to go deep here on the reasons why I think Nintendo Switch is different. I could go deep but I’ll save it for another post and summarize just to get it out of the way.
1. Nintendo Switch is a very social gaming environment. This means my kids are not isolated while playing, they are playing in real time with physically present friend or virtually.
2. Many Nintendo Switch games are quite physical, as well as social. After two solid hours of playing Dance Dance Revolution, panting and soaked with sweat, my son asked me what was for dessert. He had froyo with zero guilt that night. In fact I claimed the session as his Homeschool PE class that day.
3. Many of the Nintendo Switch Games involve thought provoking problem solving similar to STEM building classes that parents pay big bucks for. I am thrilled my kids are using logic and learning to be better problem solvers.
4. The games are free of the violence of many other platforms. Games like “Splatoon 2” take the shooter model out of the world of war and instead present target practice as a colorful turf war where the protagonists are inky squids and nobody dies a gory traumatic death.
There – you have my rationale!
Now that this is out of the way I’m going to share our Nintendo Switch Wish List with you.
We did 8 items, because we are Jewish and wanted to list one for each night of Hanukkah here. You could throw in some extras for stocking stuffers and I will reference those ideas at the end of this post. My sons had some detailed and solid reasons for these choices and recs.
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item One:
1-2 Switch. My older son chose this game as the number one first thing you should get because the simple games are very fun, and interactive, but they are also training devices. They teach you how to use the controllers so that when you begin using other games you will already be quite familiar and adept with how the Switch controllers work and feel and it will be second nature to you
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item Two:
The next essential item is a Nintendo Switch carrying case . These are actually quite important for two reasons. Your kids will want to take the Switch everywhere and it’s not so cheap. It needs protecting. Also because those games are itty bitty and quite easy to lose. If you lose them, you are sad puppies.
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item Three:
Mario Cart 8 is classic Nintendo racing fun and a great game to play with all your friends. There is a Deluxe version with a lot of cool stuff preloaded and my kids insist this is the way to go. Worth the extra bucks!
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item Four:
Extra Switch Controllers (Special Editions Welcome!). When you have a gang over playing and when your kids are wanting to play certain games (our next choice, Arms uses two controllers per player) you will need more controllers. It’s a good idea to get specialty one and the mom is me says slap a label or two on them as well or you may be scouring the neighborhood!
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item Five:
Arms. This is a crazy game that has your kids punching each others lights out but not in real life, for once. You play Arms as a wacky robot with super duper extendo arms and it’s ridiculously fun without anyone getting injured. It’s not so much violent as silly.
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item Six:
Super Mario Odyssey. More more more Mario. The most Mario ever! Will we ever tire of Mario? I don’t think so. This game is even more fun with Amiibos.
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item One:
Splatoon 2 is a game that my 13yo son described as “turf war” or “run and gun” which sound pretty scary when you put it that way. However… the Nintendo version is a bunch of cartoon squids who are determined to paint the world with their own signature color. You can play in teams and it is so fun. Like a giant virtual paintball battle.
Nintendo Switch Wish List Item One:
Zelda Breath of the Wild. Oh Zelda. This game is what my kids call “saving the best for last.” It is probably their all time favorite game, ever. They will talk about it for hours and could spend a lot of time playing (airplane rides, long car trips…. Zelda is your friend. Its a beautiful and HUGE game with an entire world contained within the game play and even more content via DLC expansion packs. The thing that I most like is that it is not mindless play. There are clever puzzles and challenges so your kids are always thinking when playing.
Nintendo Switch Stocking Stuffer Ideas:
• Amiibos – great with Mario Odyssey – Mario characters will unlock extra outfits and bonuses
• DLCs (aka downloadable content) = these are inexpensive bonus game play content for games like Zelda and Mario Kart and expand game play even more!
Thanks to my goof balls for making this post happen!
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