Studying abroad obviously involves a lot of traveling. Lots of time spent in cramped buses and planes. After a while it gets a bit boring, but as you might have guessed, games make that time pass a lot quicker.
Flying with Mario
While I’ve been using my 3DS for the past 4 years when traveling, with the release of the Nintendo Switch, I recently had my first in-flight home console experience. It felt like the future. But the thing that made me even happier was looking at all the families around me, laughing and having a blast on their DS/3DS family portable consoles. This is why I often find myself thinking that I’m traveling on ‘Nintendo airplanes’.
Connecting people…offline
Behind the hypnotizing hum of the engines I can always spot Pokémon and Mario Kart sound effects. The atmosphere instantly brightens up. Say what you will about Nintendo’s supposedly outdated online platform and strategies, but you can’t deny that when it comes to making real-life connections, they are kings.
The joy of gaming
Kids, parents and complete strangers meet 30.000 feet in the air through something that I can only characterise as ‘the joy of gaming’. Satoru Iwata’s vision for Nintendo has succeeded. 2 years after his passing, his influence and legacy continues to drive Nintendo and the gaming industry forward. We are forever grateful.