Again in August, we posed 64 gaming-related inquiries to Nintendo Life readers in our Swap 2 Summer season Survey. Matters included gaming habits, ideas on Swap 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 concept of the state of all issues Nintendo, however having now spent effectively over a 12 months with Nintendo’s latest {hardware}, we needed to get your ideas on Swap 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-compulsory (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, lets?
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 least one little one residing beneath their roof. Simply over 5% are Nintendo-only players, however 14% complement their Swap with a gaming PC. As for different non-Nintendo platforms, PS5 and PS4 have 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 12 months. Spectacular work!
And with reference 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 nil backlog.
You & Swap 2
Transferring on to the most recent Nintendo console, 91% of respondees have upgraded to Swap 2, with almost 83% nonetheless having a Swap 1 in the home, too. Solely 3% of Swap 2 house owners by no means had an authentic Swap.
Mario Kart World is the most-played recreation for 17% of you, adopted by Donkey Kong Bananza (16%) and Pokémon Pokopia (11%).
As on your favorite first-party-published Swap 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 stated they have not performed any of Nintendo’s Swap 2 exclusives in anyway.
How usually do you play the Nintendo Swap On-line basic video games apps? (5,316 votes)
- A number of occasions per week
- As soon as per week
- A few times a month
- Lower than as soon as a month
- By no means
In the case of favorite options on the console, 4K decision (37%) and GameCube NSO entry (20%) are hottest. GameChat is the least-used Swap 2-exclusive characteristic (55%), adopted by Mouse Mode (19%). 47% stated that they had by no means used Mouse Mode in any respect – not as soon as!
42% of respondees play principally docked, with 28% preferring handheld, and 29% going 50/50. 37% of you handle between 6-10 hours of Swap 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 “principally single-player”.
Within the realm of additional storage, over a 3rd do not personal a Micro SD Specific Card of any measurement. 256GB is the preferred possibility (29%), adopted by 512GB (20%) – slightly below 10% have opted for a dear 1TB card.
Drilling down on the {hardware} itself, 4 out of 5 respondees describe Swap 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 unfastened Pleasure-Con have 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 Swap 2 Recreation-Key Playing cards? (4,729 votes)
- Strongly like
- Like
- Impartial
- Dislike
- Strongly dislike
The Swap 2 Professional Controller is your most well-liked enter technique (50%), with the usual Pleasure-Con 2 and the Swap 1 Professional Controller citing the rear (29% and 15% respectively).
And on the contentious matter of the eShop, 49% of respondees fee the shopping expertise on Swap 2 as “good” (26% =”glorious”, 21% “satisfactory”).
As on 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 Swap On-line in any kind, with 37% paying for the best Growth Pack. 69% of respondees “agree” or “strongly agree” that NSO represents good worth.
Seeking to the (then-)future, Hearth Emblem: Fortune’s Weave (which launched on seventeenth September – good recreation!) was probably the most anticipated title on the time of the survey, with 2027’s Pokémon Winds & Waves and Xenoblade Genesis coming behind.
And in the case of a hypothetical Swap 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 most recent 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% stated that they “Typically” affect shopping for choices, with 49% choosing “Typically”. As with our earlier survey, 8% of you might be “By no means” persuaded by hook or by crook by our takes, whereas 3% “all the time” look forward to the NL verdict earlier than splashing money.
Our buddies over at Digital Foundry prime the rankings of different websites you frequent beneath the Hookshot-affiliated umbrella (though Steam Hype has joined the household for the reason that survey went out – test them out if you happen to’re a kind of NLifers who’s additionally rocking a gaming PC or Steam Deck).
In the case of Nintendo Life’s pretty YouTube channel, 30% of you might be website-only, and 21% are video-only (effectively, besides once you’ve kindly come to the location to fill out a survey). Of all our movies, it is our overview variations 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 sometimes) feedback. Conversely, 27% are read-only, and one other 27% channel their most interesting Don Draper and do not take a look at the feedback in any respect.
You, Nintendo, & Shopping for Video games
Transferring again to Nintendo normally, here is your all-time prime 10 Nintendo sequence:
- Zelda (40%)
- Tremendous Mario (13%)
- Pokémon (10%)
- Xenoblade Chronicles (7%)
- Metroid (5%)
- Hearth Emblem (5%)
- Mario Kart (4%)
- Tremendous Smash Bros. (3%)
- Animal Crossing (2%)
- Splatoon (2%)
Aww, no Pikmin love? (Truly, Olimar made it in at #11.) And of almost 5,000 respondees, a complete of 28 clever, handsome connoisseurs of the medium selected Rhythm Heaven. *raises glass*
Child Icarus gained 30% of the vote for sequence you’d wish to see return, adopted by Wario Land (24%) and Wave Race (10%).
What number of Swap 2 video games do you personal? (digital vs. bodily) (7,544 votes)
- Digital video games (eShop)
- Bodily video games (boxed copies)
- None 0.2%
In the case of shopping for Swap 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 Swap video games are having a tough copy that may’t be delisted and pricing, and 76% of respondees have pre-ordered Swap 2 video games prior to now.
And Lastly…
And in any case that large knowledge, lastly, the large query: When will the subsequent 3D Mario platformer arrive?
63% consider that Mario will return in 2027, with 30% hedging their bets on 2028.
On the different finish of the spectrum, 2% (effectively, 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.” Lifeless sequence, going nowhere. Disgrace.