Most of us associate summers as a dry spell for video games. Sure there are releases that happen here and there but they are few and far between. The Nintendo Switch has hit hard with its summer lineup this year and I want to talk about Nintendo’s strategy to take advantage of the transitional phase that Sony and Microsoft seem to be in at the moment.
I am going to talk about a few of the biggest games to drop over the last few months that have kept my eyes glued to the Nintendo Switch while my other consoles are begging for my attention.
Super Mario Maker 2
Mario Maker 2 is everything I could’ve asked for in a sequel. Tons of upgrades to the tools and level creation, a story mode, multiplayer, new filtering options, a leveling system and many more other features were added to flesh out the ultimate 2D Mario game. Losing myself in this game for hours is quite easy to do, when I fall down a rabbit hole of trying to create the perfect level or trying to beat one of the hardest Mario levels I have ever played. This is a game that is just as fun to watch as it is to play and I can’t wait to see if they add more to it down the line.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem Three Houses is a new take on the Fire Emblem series. Borrowing mechanics from the Persona games while retaining the combat system that has kept me with the Franchise for so long has got me addicted to the game. The story is incredible and the more I play, the more I want to run through again with all the other houses to see the story from a different perspective. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is loaded with charm and fantastic character development and it is one of my favorite games this year.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3
There’s nothing better than an action game starring all of your favorite super heroes and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 doesn’t disappoint in its ability to provide players with what made the two previous games great while also lending a good story, new characters, and great presentation. Having this game on the go is great, and it’s one of those games that just works so well on the Switch. The Co-Op is a blast and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I also want to mention Astral Chain here as it looks fantastic. I haven’t had a chance to play it myself, but the overall positive reception by both critics and gamers alike points to this being one of Platinum’s better offerings.
All of these games are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch and released during the summer, when game releases typically don’t happen. 2019 is the first year in a long time that I have had something great to play year round and I hope this becomes a trend for years to follow.
