Today we have to talk about something that is not usually mentioned too much within the world that surrounds the video game industry , sports . Sport is a fundamental part of our lives: it keeps us healthy, it teaches us to set goals at different times, we learn to fight and strive, it challenges us to overcome our limits, and so on. However, the industry has been ignoring the issue for a few years and avoiding the debate that relates video games to sedentary lifestyle . I’m not going to get into the debate, but our favorite company has a lot to say about it.
Nintendo in sport
Not everyone knows it, but Nintendo was originally a toy company and, since its inception in the video game industry, they have been accompanied by the idea of not playing alone from the couch . Examples of this are their entire range of laptops, from the Gameboy to the 3DS they take to its literal expression that of « play wherever you want» . In addition, exercising while you play is something that led to its maximum consequences with the Wii , a console designed to play actively , standing in front of the television and not passively on a sofa. This is demonstrated from the very title that accompanied the console in all its packs, Wii SportsIf this is not a declaration of intent, someone come and explain what it is. In addition, the big N did not leave this in a mere anecdote, but showed interest in making us move throughout the life of the console. Therefore launched years later the sequel to Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort , along with an improvement for W iimote best would capture the nuances in the different movements. Within the Wii catalog there are an infinity of games of the style, but Nintendo went further still with its Wii Fit proposal , where a personal trainer made us training plans to lose the extra pounds together with the Wii balance board accessory .
After this, we jump to the present with Nintendo Switch, a console that has promoted in every possible way its portability and the idea of ”get out of the house for a while to get in the sun and if you feel like it, play some games” . In fact, in the direct of last E3, Reggie Fils-Aimé did not hesitate to thank all those players who take the climbing console, expedition or any other type of sports activity for their support. For a more in-depth analysis of Switch portability I urge you to read this wonderful article .
Mario in sports
Knowing the interest that Nintendo puts in physical activity, it is not surprising that it has used the most famous mustachioed man in the world (with the permission of Charles Chaplin) to promote different disciplines, because Mario Bros has not been just a plumber hero throughout his career, but has also served as an athlete in many disciplines. These disciplines range from golf , through tennis , to the Olympic Games. In fact, such has been the repercussion of this, that Nintendo decided to change his profession to Italian to briefly turn him into a professional athlete during 2017. It is seen that the company’s insignia goes a long way and has always served them to try new things and carry out different initiatives. Mario is not bad at anything and in the end, willingly or unwillingly, he has been motivating us for years to get out of the house and do some exercise. And it is difficult to play any Mario sports game and not want to go out. Surely many of us feel the prevailing need to play football after Mario Strikers Charged Football or to throw some baskets after Mario Slam BasketballEven more than one of us would consider the possibility of catching some clubs and a caddy to take a few holes after spending hours on Mario Golf World Tour . I myself have recently suffered from this sport fever thanks to Mario Tennis Aces , because after having fun as I had not done for a long time in a sports game with its test tournament, I found myself in the position of having to wait for the final version and I thought: why don’t I go out and play tennis? So that’s what I did, grab a racket and get some friends together to play for a bit. We were all motivated by waiting for Mario Tenis Aces, we all went out to the street for the same thing: a mustachioed plumber who makes you think that, if he can play tennis, you can too.
In the end, and although we were not as good as Mario and company, we had a good time playing tennis and that made me think about how Nintendo has been able to get me out of the house more than once. We have mentioned a few, but the examples are many, with its recent foray into the world of mobile games and many other functions that went more or less unnoticed, such as the Pokéwalker , the 3DS pedometer and its StreetPass function or the global phenomenon from Pokémon GO (which made a server walk 100 km in a week).
Thus, my conclusion is that Nintendo has been concerned with something that the industry does not usually worry about (perhaps because it is the antithesis of its business, perhaps due to a lack of concern for the welfare of the user, I do not know). Nintendo has separated itself from the rest and has decided to bet on promoting that we play the best video game in the world , even being one that they have not created: real life , leaving aside the sofa a bit to put on some sneakers and go out for a while.
