Again in August, we posed 64 gaming-related inquiries to Nintendo Life readers in our Change 2 Summer time Survey. Subjects included gaming habits, ideas on Change 2 and its software program lineup, how you purchase video games in 2026, and different questions overlaying the way you get your each day dose of Nintendo goodness on this right here web site and past.
We did the identical in 2024 to get a greater thought of the state of all issues Nintendo, however having now spent nicely over a 12 months with Nintendo’s latest {hardware}, we needed to get your ideas on Change 2 and your hopes for the longer term.
The survey is now closed, in order we transfer into autumn (or ‘fall’ as you name it throughout the pond, or ‘spring’ as you name it south of the equator), it is time to crunch these numbers and dip into the outcomes.
As a reminder, each query was nameless and non-obligatory (so you could possibly skip something you did not wish to reply), with the bulk getting between 4,000 and 12,000 distinctive responses. An enormous thanks to everybody who participated!
Let’s crack on, we could?
You & Your Gaming Habits
Taking a look at your distribution throughout the globe, issues stay fairly just like final time, with round 21% of respondees within the UK, simply over 45% within the US, and the remaining third residing in different corners of Planet Earth.
Practically 39% have at the very least one baby residing below their roof. Simply over 5% are Nintendo-only avid gamers, however 14% complement their Change with a gaming PC. As for different non-Nintendo platforms, PS5 and PS4 had been the subsequent hottest (13% and 11% respectively).
36% of respondees full 1-5 video games per 12 months, with 31% managing 6-10, and slightly below 5% placing 31 or extra video games to mattress each twelve months. Spectacular work!
And with regards to the dreaded gaming backlog, 40% have greater than 30 video games sitting unplayed, with simply 4% of you residing your Nintendo life with a clear slate and 0 backlog.
You & Change 2
Transferring on to the newest Nintendo console, 91% of respondees have upgraded to Change 2, with practically 83% nonetheless having a Change 1 in the home, too. Solely 3% of Change 2 homeowners by no means had an unique Change.
Mario Kart World is the most-played recreation for 17% of you, adopted by Donkey Kong Bananza (16%) and Pokémon Pokopia (11%).
As to your favorite first-party-published Change 2 exclusives, it is these three video games once more, with Mario Kart and DK swapping locations, adopted by Splatoon Raiders in 4th. 7% of respondees mentioned they have not performed any of Nintendo’s Change 2 exclusives in anyway.
How usually do you play the Nintendo Change On-line basic video games apps? (5,316 votes)
- A number of instances per week
- As soon as every week
- A few times a month
- Lower than as soon as a month
- By no means
With regards to favorite options on the console, 4K decision (37%) and GameCube NSO entry (20%) are hottest. GameChat is the least-used Change 2-exclusive characteristic (55%), adopted by Mouse Mode (19%). 47% mentioned they’d by no means used Mouse Mode in any respect – not as soon as!
42% of respondees play largely docked, with 28% preferring handheld, and 29% going 50/50. 37% of you handle between 6-10 hours of Change 2 gaming per week, with 6% cramming in additional than 25 hours each seven days.
28% of respondees play single-player video games solely, with 59% taking part in “largely single-player”.
Within the realm of additional storage, over a 3rd do not personal a Micro SD Categorical Card of any dimension. 256GB is the most well-liked possibility (29%), adopted by 512GB (20%) – slightly below 10% have opted for an expensive 1TB card.
Drilling down on the {hardware} itself, 4 out of 5 respondees describe Change 2’s battery life as “good” or “common” (near-even cut up), and slightly below 2% have needed to ship the console to Nintendo for restore. Movement blur and free Pleasure-Con had been the largest points (slightly below 3% of respondees cited stick drift as an issue), and virtually 87% have skilled no {hardware} points to this point.
What’s your opinion on Change 2 Recreation-Key Playing cards? (4,729 votes)
- Strongly like
- Like
- Impartial
- Dislike
- Strongly dislike
The Change 2 Professional Controller is your most well-liked enter technique (50%), with the usual Pleasure-Con 2 and the Change 1 Professional Controller mentioning the rear (29% and 15% respectively).
And on the contentious matter of the eShop, 49% of respondees charge the shopping expertise on Change 2 as “good” (26% =”wonderful”, 21% “enough”).
As to your “worst buy”, the $80 Mario Kart World — additionally the most-played recreation — topped the desk, with Welcome Tour and Metroid Prime 4: Past shut behind. Simply 13% do not subscribe to Nintendo Change On-line in any kind, with 37% paying for the very best Enlargement Pack. 69% of respondees “agree” or “strongly agree” that NSO represents good worth.
Trying to the (then-)future, Fireplace Emblem: Fortune’s Weave (which launched on seventeenth September – good recreation!) was essentially the most anticipated title on the time of the survey, with 2027’s Pokémon Winds & Waves and Xenoblade Genesis coming behind.
And relating to a hypothetical Change 2 {hardware} revision, 29% would need higher battery life whereas 24% would favor an OLED display.
You & Nintendo (Life)
Simply because it was two years in the past, the newest information, opinions, and previews — in that order — are the highest three causes you come to nintendolife.com, with our Options shut behind. We did not put ‘dynamite taglines’ within the choices, sadly, however who would not love a pun?
Talking of our opinions, 24% mentioned that they “Usually” affect shopping for choices, with 49% choosing “Generally”. As with our earlier survey, 8% of you’re “By no means” persuaded by some means by our takes, whereas 3% “all the time” look forward to the NL verdict earlier than splashing money.
Our associates over at Digital Foundry prime the rankings of different websites you frequent below the Hookshot-affiliated umbrella (though Steam Hype has joined the household for the reason that survey went out – verify them out in case you’re a kind of NLifers who’s additionally rocking a gaming PC or Steam Deck).
With regards to Nintendo Life’s pretty YouTube channel, 30% of you’re website-only, and 21% are video-only (nicely, besides if you’ve kindly come to the location to fill out a survey). Of all our movies, it is our evaluate diversifications and gameplay footage that seize your consideration most.
And heading all the way down to the feedback, 46% of you learn and write (if solely often) feedback. Conversely, 27% are read-only, and one other 27% channel their best Don Draper and do not have a look at the feedback in any respect.
You, Nintendo, & Shopping for Video games
Transferring again to Nintendo generally, here is your all-time prime 10 Nintendo sequence:
- Zelda (40%)
- Tremendous Mario (13%)
- Pokémon (10%)
- Xenoblade Chronicles (7%)
- Metroid (5%)
- Fireplace Emblem (5%)
- Mario Kart (4%)
- Tremendous Smash Bros. (3%)
- Animal Crossing (2%)
- Splatoon (2%)
Aww, no Pikmin love? (Really, Olimar made it in at #11.) And of practically 5,000 respondees, a complete of 28 clever, handsome connoisseurs of the medium selected Rhythm Heaven. *raises glass*
Child Icarus received 30% of the vote for sequence you’d prefer to see return, adopted by Wario Land (24%) and Wave Race (10%).
What number of Change 2 video games do you personal? (digital vs. bodily) (7,544 votes)
- Digital video games (eShop)
- Bodily video games (boxed copies)
- None 0.2%
With regards to shopping for Change video games, 52% of you buy 1-5 full-price (as in not discounted) video games yearly, with 25% shopping for 6-10. 5% “all the time” purchase video games at launch, in comparison with 2% who “by no means” purchase video games Day One.
The first components for figuring out whether or not you purchase bodily variations of Change video games are having a tough copy that may’t be delisted and pricing, and 76% of respondees have pre-ordered Change 2 video games up to now.
And Lastly…
And in spite of everything that large knowledge, lastly, the large query: When will the subsequent 3D Mario platformer arrive?
63% imagine that Mario will return in 2027, with 30% hedging their bets on 2028.
On the different finish of the spectrum, 2% (nicely, 1.67% to be exact) proclaimed that any new 3D Mario is in one other timeline and “Nintendo won’t ever make one other 3D Mario platformer.” Useless sequence, going nowhere. Disgrace.
