07-27-2020, 04:08 AM
Poll: No, Really, What Was Nintendo’s Worst Year?
<div><div class="media_block"><a href="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/large.jpg"><img src="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<figure class="picture strip"><a title="Paper Mario" href="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/paper-mario.original.jpg"><img src="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/paper-mario.900x.jpg" width="900" height="506" alt="Paper Mario"></a></figure>
<p>Earlier this week you may have seen a certain tweet doing the rounds on Twitter insinuating that 2020 is the worst year Nintendo has had for a while. This comes following <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/poll_did_the_nintendo_direct_mini_partners_showcase_meet_your_expectations">an underwhelming Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase</a> which came on the heels of a Nintendo Treehouse stream that also <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/wayforwards_new_switch_game_is_bakugan_champions_of_vestroia_coming_in_november">disappointed fans</a> hoping for big announcements on upcoming games in the second half of the year.</p>
<blockquote class="right">
<p>Even if the first half of 2020 has proved light on the ‘MEGATON ANNOUNCEMENT’ front, we’ve been playing some mighty fine games on Switch</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Without naming names, it struck us as amusing that Nintendo’s year so far could be considered a ‘bad’ one. Has it been a bit quiet? Certainly. Lacking in blow-out Direct presentations compared to Switch’s previous years? <em>Undoubtedly.</em> But Nintendo’s worst year since…? Everything is relative, of course, but it’s clear that some fans have let their expectations run amok. Anybody expecting confirmation of the <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/03/nintendo_to_remaster_most_of_super_mariors_35-year_catalogue_for_switch_in_2020_new_report_says">rumoured Super Mario 35th Anniversary remasters</a> from a video clearly labelled as a ‘Partner Showcase’ only has themselves to blame.</p>
<p>Even if the first half of 2020 has proved light on the ‘MEGATON ANNOUNCEMENT’ front, we’ve been playing some mighty fine games on Switch the past six months. A quick visit to <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews?score=10%2C9&system=switch-eshop%2Cnintendo-switch&year=2020">our reviews section</a> reveals that in 2020 we’ve awarded over 30 games a review score or 9- or 10/10 across various genres. We’ve seen brilliant remasters of older titles like <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/catherine_full_body">Catherine: Full Body</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/xenoblade_chronicles_definitive_edition">Xenoblade Chronicles</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/bioshock_the_collection">BioShock: The Collection</a></strong>, and delightful indie hits like <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/good_job">Good Job!</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/in_other_waters">In Other Waters</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/la-mulana_2">La-Mulana 2</a></strong> and <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/to_the_moon"><strong>To The Moon</strong></a>.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, our review banks are bubbling over with <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews?score=8&system=switch-eshop%2Cnintendo-switch&year=2020">great games that scored 8/10</a>. We’ve had Pokémon DLC, we’ve had new Smash fighters, within the space of two months we’ve had the announcement and release of a brand new Paper Mario game that’s <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/paper_mario_the_origami_king">really rather good</a>… and we’re only just halfway through the year. Oh, and that other first-party joint that launched back in March. What was the name? <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/animal_crossing_new_horizons">Animal something-or-other</a></strong>…</p>
<figure class="picture strip">
<div class="img"><a title="Even if you can't stand New Horizons, there's been plenty to get busy with besides." href="https://images.nintendolife.com/d3a7ecbdbf874/even-if-you-cant-stand-new-horizons-theres-been-plenty-to-get-busy-with-besides.original.jpg"><img class="lazy" src="//www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 900 506'%3E%3C/svg%3E" width="900" height="506" data-original="https://images.nintendolife.com/d3a7ecbdbf874/even-if-you-cant-stand-new-horizons-theres-been-plenty-to-get-busy-with-besides.900x.jpg" alt="Even if you can't stand New Horizons, there's been plenty to get busy with besides."></a><span class="image-credit" title="Image Credit">Nintendo Life</span></div><figcaption class="caption">Even if you can’t stand New Horizons, there’s been plenty to get busy with besides.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Have there been disappointments? Sure, but considering the wider trials and tribulations citizens across the globe are contending with in 2020, we’d say Switch owners and Nintendo fans have had a pretty good time of it when it comes to gaming.</p>
<p>With that in mind (and for a bit of fun), we thought we’d ask you lovely people which year from Nintendo’s illustrious gaming history you think was the ‘worst’. How you define that superlative is up to you: perhaps <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/feature_every_virtual_boy_game_ranked">the release of an unloved console</a> sullied an entire 365-day period for you; maybe a post-launch drought sapped your enthusiasm one year; perhaps a hilariously poor E3 showing flushed Nintendo’s gaming calendar down your toilet.</p>
<p>The poll below starts with 1986–the year of the NES’ full launch in the West following its release in test markets the previous year–giving you 35 years to choose from. If you’re having trouble remembering what was released when, you can always head to our games database and filter by year to jog your gaming memory.</p>
<p>So, let us know which year represents Nintendo’s <em>nadir</em> below, and leave a comment to let us know why.</p>
<p><em>All a bit of a downer? Fear not – it’s only a bit of fun and we’ll counteract this negativity with a ‘Best Year’ poll soon. In the meantime, we’re off to find that Ravi Drums clip…</em></p>
</div>
https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/2020/07/...orst-year/
<div><div class="media_block"><a href="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/large.jpg"><img src="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<figure class="picture strip"><a title="Paper Mario" href="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/paper-mario.original.jpg"><img src="https://images.nintendolife.com/b323158cedd01/paper-mario.900x.jpg" width="900" height="506" alt="Paper Mario"></a></figure>
<p>Earlier this week you may have seen a certain tweet doing the rounds on Twitter insinuating that 2020 is the worst year Nintendo has had for a while. This comes following <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/poll_did_the_nintendo_direct_mini_partners_showcase_meet_your_expectations">an underwhelming Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase</a> which came on the heels of a Nintendo Treehouse stream that also <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/wayforwards_new_switch_game_is_bakugan_champions_of_vestroia_coming_in_november">disappointed fans</a> hoping for big announcements on upcoming games in the second half of the year.</p>
<blockquote class="right">
<p>Even if the first half of 2020 has proved light on the ‘MEGATON ANNOUNCEMENT’ front, we’ve been playing some mighty fine games on Switch</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Without naming names, it struck us as amusing that Nintendo’s year so far could be considered a ‘bad’ one. Has it been a bit quiet? Certainly. Lacking in blow-out Direct presentations compared to Switch’s previous years? <em>Undoubtedly.</em> But Nintendo’s worst year since…? Everything is relative, of course, but it’s clear that some fans have let their expectations run amok. Anybody expecting confirmation of the <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/03/nintendo_to_remaster_most_of_super_mariors_35-year_catalogue_for_switch_in_2020_new_report_says">rumoured Super Mario 35th Anniversary remasters</a> from a video clearly labelled as a ‘Partner Showcase’ only has themselves to blame.</p>
<p>Even if the first half of 2020 has proved light on the ‘MEGATON ANNOUNCEMENT’ front, we’ve been playing some mighty fine games on Switch the past six months. A quick visit to <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews?score=10%2C9&system=switch-eshop%2Cnintendo-switch&year=2020">our reviews section</a> reveals that in 2020 we’ve awarded over 30 games a review score or 9- or 10/10 across various genres. We’ve seen brilliant remasters of older titles like <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/catherine_full_body">Catherine: Full Body</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/xenoblade_chronicles_definitive_edition">Xenoblade Chronicles</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/bioshock_the_collection">BioShock: The Collection</a></strong>, and delightful indie hits like <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/good_job">Good Job!</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/in_other_waters">In Other Waters</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/la-mulana_2">La-Mulana 2</a></strong> and <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/to_the_moon"><strong>To The Moon</strong></a>.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, our review banks are bubbling over with <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews?score=8&system=switch-eshop%2Cnintendo-switch&year=2020">great games that scored 8/10</a>. We’ve had Pokémon DLC, we’ve had new Smash fighters, within the space of two months we’ve had the announcement and release of a brand new Paper Mario game that’s <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/paper_mario_the_origami_king">really rather good</a>… and we’re only just halfway through the year. Oh, and that other first-party joint that launched back in March. What was the name? <strong><a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/animal_crossing_new_horizons">Animal something-or-other</a></strong>…</p>
<figure class="picture strip">
<div class="img"><a title="Even if you can't stand New Horizons, there's been plenty to get busy with besides." href="https://images.nintendolife.com/d3a7ecbdbf874/even-if-you-cant-stand-new-horizons-theres-been-plenty-to-get-busy-with-besides.original.jpg"><img class="lazy" src="//www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 900 506'%3E%3C/svg%3E" width="900" height="506" data-original="https://images.nintendolife.com/d3a7ecbdbf874/even-if-you-cant-stand-new-horizons-theres-been-plenty-to-get-busy-with-besides.900x.jpg" alt="Even if you can't stand New Horizons, there's been plenty to get busy with besides."></a><span class="image-credit" title="Image Credit">Nintendo Life</span></div><figcaption class="caption">Even if you can’t stand New Horizons, there’s been plenty to get busy with besides.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Have there been disappointments? Sure, but considering the wider trials and tribulations citizens across the globe are contending with in 2020, we’d say Switch owners and Nintendo fans have had a pretty good time of it when it comes to gaming.</p>
<p>With that in mind (and for a bit of fun), we thought we’d ask you lovely people which year from Nintendo’s illustrious gaming history you think was the ‘worst’. How you define that superlative is up to you: perhaps <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/feature_every_virtual_boy_game_ranked">the release of an unloved console</a> sullied an entire 365-day period for you; maybe a post-launch drought sapped your enthusiasm one year; perhaps a hilariously poor E3 showing flushed Nintendo’s gaming calendar down your toilet.</p>
<p>The poll below starts with 1986–the year of the NES’ full launch in the West following its release in test markets the previous year–giving you 35 years to choose from. If you’re having trouble remembering what was released when, you can always head to our games database and filter by year to jog your gaming memory.</p>
<p>So, let us know which year represents Nintendo’s <em>nadir</em> below, and leave a comment to let us know why.</p>
<p><em>All a bit of a downer? Fear not – it’s only a bit of fun and we’ll counteract this negativity with a ‘Best Year’ poll soon. In the meantime, we’re off to find that Ravi Drums clip…</em></p>
</div>
https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/2020/07/...orst-year/