In order to showcase the appeal of the Nintendo Switch Lite, the portable-only variant of the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has indicated that it intends to bring more Nintendo 3DS franchises to the platform. Of course, this is great news for more than just Nintendo Switch Lite owners, because the portable-only system and its docking older sibling both share the same software library. What works on the Lite works on the regular Nintendo Switch, so that means all Switch owners benefit to more franchises being brought to the system.
This summer, tactical strategy fans saw the release of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Just this week, gamers got to get down on Halloween with the just-released Luigi’s Mansion 3, a title that garnered strong critical praise and finally brought the ghost busting spin-off into trilogy territory after the original released way back in 2001 on the GameCube. Next month, Switch owners will be able to scoop up Pokémon Sword and Shield, and March of 2020, barring any other delays, will bring gamers Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Each title represents jumps from the 3DS to the Nintendo Switch, and it sounds like fans will get to see more franchises make the upgrade in the future, too.
The word comes from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa during an earnings call with investors. The Wall Street Journal’s Takashi Mochizuki reported on the story and shared what Furukawa had to say on Twitter after stating that the Lite sold 800,000 units in the U.S. and 390,000 units in Japan. That figure is typically flipped when it comes to handhelds, with portable hardware faring better in Japan, the land of easy mass transit.
The Nintendo Switch already offers a library littered with re-releases from the ill-fated Wii U, but fans are in for another treat of an extended library thanks to the Nintendo 3DS. That portable boasts a large roster of franchises that haven’t been on any recent Nintendo home consoles, including Kid Icarus, Mario & Luigi, Tomodachi Life, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. and many more third-party titles. It also opens the door for remakes of 3DS classics like Fire Emblem Awakening, Rhythm Heaven, and Super Mario 3D Land.
Furukawa’s statement is admittedly confusing as he says Nintendo wants to convey the appeal of the Nintendo Switch Lite with Nintendo 3DS franchises. One wonders why this would specifically raise the appeal of the Lite over the regular Nintendo Switch. Perhaps, Nintendo hopes that gamers will associate the Nintendo 3DS franchises of yore with playing games on the go. Or, maybe they’re hoping that fans of Nintendo 3DS franchises will see the Switch Lite as a more affordable way to pick up the next entries in their favorite franchises. Either way, the oddity of the statement stems from the fact that the Switch Lite and the regular Switch play the same games.
Next: Why It Took So Long For Pokémon to Come to Consoles
Nintendo Switch owners, both of the Lite and standard flavors, will be able to enjoy the mainline console birth of a classic portable franchise with Pokémon Sword and Shield when it drops on November 15th, 2019.
Source: Twitter - Takashi Mochizuki
