Nintendo Switch has been the best-selling video game console in the United States for two full years as of December 2020, selling more than 1,35 million units in November alone. Not bad luck for a three-year-old console that doesn't offer the same jaw-dropping specs as Sony's or Microsoft's next-gen 2020 offerings. Demand for this adaptable handheld device has yet to abate and has only grown as families of gamers have found themselves trapped indoors in search of a mindful and accessible escape. Nintendo found itself in an important position as a game provider in 2020, falling into a perfect storm. As a result, the Nintendo Switch has been out of stock for months. Closed gyms and recreation centers have also led to increased sales of Ring Fit Adventure. Despite its initial release in 2019, Nintendo's indoor fitness game was given a new life during its 40-year run, and even now both remain hard to buy for. This is how Nintendo came to dominate the gaming industry in 2020, without releasing a next-gen console of its own.
The 2020 Switch Shortage
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(Image credit: TechRadar) Nintendo Switch stock shortages hit retailers around the world in early 2020, when Covid 19 restrictions began to take effect globally. After a hugely successful 2019, the Nintendo Switch was the obvious choice for gamers looking for new hardware to control them during lockdown, given the impending Xbox and PlayStation overhauls later in the year. . The release of the cheaper Nintendo Switch Lite in September 2019 made the system even more accessible, especially for gamers who weren't interested in connected gaming and were just looking for an affordable gaming device. A global pandemic combined with the (at the time) most affordable games console on the market, meant that Nintendo had the perfect formula for success in 2020. The release of a serene new game, which has seen gamers skyrocket. to an exotic island, it didn't hurt either.
bring me the Horizont
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(Image credit: Nintendo) During E3 2019, avid fans of Animal Crossing: New Horizons were disappointed to learn that the game had been delayed to 2020. Looking back, this was clearly a fluke. With the world in the grip of a terrible pandemic, New Horizons launched in mid-March and quickly became a respite from the chaos that surrounds us. Such a therapeutic revision of an already iconic series was always going to go down well, but the pandemic parameters only exacerbated its usefulness in 2020. That's why the game has now sold for more. 26 million copies in just six months. On some scale, over its multiplatform lifetime, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has sold 30 million copies since 2011. It seems like everyone and their grandparents are playing it, and that's it. because it has become an unlikely vehicle for an incredible amount of empathy over the year. New Horizons has acted as a low-key gathering space, as well as a venue for impossible events. In the absence of societal normality, gamers have hosted weddings, graduations, talk shows, dates, and even presidential campaigns within its cute confines this year. It's been refreshing to see the gaming community rally around this no-frills gem of a game that has brought us all so much joy. The reason this is such a key focal point in Nintendo 2020 is that other than New Horizons there haven't been that many big releases this year.
Mario is coming back
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(Image credit: Nintendo / TechRadar) Tons of critically acclaimed games like contender GOTY Hades graced the ever-buzzing eShop this year, but when it comes to Nintendo's mainline output, things have been pretty quiet in 2020, Some of Nintendo's golden classics are coming to Nintendo Switch this year. The obvious example is the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, which has given a new generation the chance to play Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Galaxy in particular looks like the definitive version of the game and has definitely made up for the lack of proprietary titles. More than ever, third-party publishers and developers have pledged their support for the console throughout 2020. The Bioshock and Borderlands collections arrived on Switch in May, and AAA titles like Control were made playable using streaming technology. Hell, even Ori and the Will of the Wisps, previously an Xbox console exclusive, appeared on Nintendo Switch back in September. The obvious marketing win of bringing its game to the Nintendo Switch still lingers to this day, and the renewed commitment to third parties must be refreshing for Nintendo following the lack of support in the Wii U era.
The spirit of the game continues
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(Image credit: Nintendo) More NES and SNES games have also been added to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, but the addition of a true Wii-era Virtual Console is still missing from the Nintendo Switch digital library. It's a shame because there are so many Nintendo 64 and GameCube games begging to be integrated into the current console ecosystem. Having shown that it can emulate older titles with Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, it seems like it would be a smart move for Nintendo in the near future. The question is whether they'll want to repackage these games as limited collections or allow players to pick and choose on the eShop. Yet even without a sprawling series of titles, Nintendo's output has always been resourceful in a difficult year. Along with the Pokémon Sword and Shield expansions and a (clearly underrated) RPG in Paper Mario: The Origami King, games like Mario Kart Live have brought the racing series into your home. Taking advantage of augmented reality technology, Mario and his friends can now wander around bungalows and apartments (and often meet pets). As we neared the end of the year, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity received a somewhat lukewarm reception, with enthusiasm dampening elsewhere as part of Nintendo's long-running Super Smash Bros. Ultimate offensive. The addition of Minecraft characters to Ultimate in October was a major moment for the roster: a collaboration with the world's best-selling game rocked the internet. Fans expecting Sora or Crash Bandicoot were scolded as a surprise in the form of Sephiroth landing in December, giving us the now-iconic image of the Final Fantasy villain impaling Mario.
Become a professional
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(Image credit: TechRadar) There have also been some surprise game announcements throughout 2020, with new Pokémon Snap and Monster Hunter Rise now on the horizon for 2021. But even with such success in 2020, a 'pro' review '' for the Nintendo Switch (or Nintendo Switch 2) is still in high demand. At this point, we're starting to get the impression that the graphics in third-party ports of games like Immortals: Fenyx Rising amount to a compromise of fidelity for portability. As such, a new, more powerful console would be a winning decision for Nintendo in 2021, especially if it coincided with the Breath of the Wild sequel that's currently in the works. But the continued success of the base model and the Nintendo Switch Lite will likely prompt the developer to slow down. Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser (yes, really) confirmed this position in a recent interview with Polygon, where he said the company still sees momentum in the fourth year of the Nintendo Switch lifecycle. Many will have purchased a Nintendo Switch by Christmas 2020, so releasing a new model shortly after the holiday season might be too early to offer an upgrade, while many are still very happy with what the Nintendo Switch has to offer. It's not that Nintendo is trying to compete with Sony or Microsoft when it comes to specs, the company is on a completely different path. Today's best Nintendo Switch deals Nintendo Switch game console... Nintendo Switch with Neon... Nintendo Switch with... Nintendo Switch with Minecraft...