If you’re just playing the simple “Ball” or “Vermin” 35th Anniversary clips, you’re probably scratching your head not knowing what all that fuss is about. But believe me, later Game & Watch titles have much more depth. And modern Library versions greatly enhance the experience to fully realize the addictive score-chasing gameplay mechanics of their 1980s LCD predecessors.
One of the things you’ll notice with the classic Game and Watch titles is how engaging they are despite the technical limitations, typical of Gunpei Yokoi – the pioneering engineer who created it. out Game & Watch and game boy (and the unloved virtual boy) – the development principle of “side thinking with withering technology”, which Big N still adheres to.
In the simplest terms, it means tapping into cheaply available technology in novel and exciting ways. Game & Watch has completely succeeded in this, and I believe that’s why its titles can still be addictive in modern times, even for up-and-coming gamers like my cheeky niece. . Personally, I also consider Game & Watch to be one of the best ‘games on the go’ out there.
You may be familiar with the old anecdote about Yokoi observing a bored Japanese salaryman pecking at a computer during a subway ride circa 1970s. Office dwellers clearly needed one. something more fun to do while commuting. At that point, Yokoi discovered a gap in the games market that he would continue to fill with Game & Watch.
Today, there is no shortage of electronic devices that distract you on the way to work. While the Switch can play home console games excellently on the go, I have to admit I don’t enjoy playing large-scale, machine-dense games out in the wild, especially in the wild. in crowded surroundings. Doing so was dizzying and gave me the feeling that I was wasting a game that should have been on my glittery 55-inch.
When I’m out and about, I look to arcade-style, score-based games; The short burst of fun and simplicity of moving from A to B. You can choose the Switch Lite (me too) or punish yourself with mobile games with ads. But what I really want on my travels is the ‘best’ Watch & Games Collection, with the button feel and beautiful design of the 35th Anniversary models.
That’s a problem the Switch can’t fix.
The series is an integral part of Nintendo’s history, spawning innovations like the four-way directional keyboard and clamshell dual-screen design. With its 45th anniversary in two years, Nintendo could drop some (more) Game & Watch titles on the Switch. We’ve had relatively sparse compilations before. But it’s time for a dedicated device to celebrate these iconic games.
While I’m happy with the 35th Anniversary models, ironically what I want from them is more Game & Watch content – not necessarily NES games that are optimally playable on Switch with an old-fashioned NES Switch Online controller. The truth is that those commemorative devices are made more for show than for play, that’s okay.
But if a matching Watch & Games Collection exists with at least a dozen or more games in their classic and modern iterations ah Game library and clock, I’ll embed twice. One for display on a shelf and another for permanent play on the subway. No matter where the late Yokoi is now, his legacy will be best honored by a less boring salaried man on his way home.
