7 Possible (?) Reasons for the Nintendo Switch Tax
Ever wondered why games for the Nintendo Switch are so expensive? Sometimes more than on alternative platforms? It’s not always by much, though sometimes it’s a whole lot, but it’s definitely enough of a trend to be noticeable. So, what’s the deal with that? Here are some possible reasons for what I like to call the Nintendo Switch tax.
#7. Nice box art.
When it comes to beautiful covers, Nintendo really knows what to do. The Switch is no exception, with some really lovely cases and many exclusive games in particular sporting wonderful box art. Just look at the box for Breath of the Wild or Octopath Traveler. They may be simple, but they’re stunning. Then there’s the increasing number of reversible covers, meaning you get two beautiful designs at once. So, these are obviously going to be a contributing factor to the high price, right? Shell out coin for some sweet, sweet, premium box art.
#6. Miyamoto has lots of dogs to feed.
So, as you may or may not know, Shigeru Miyamoto loves dogs. In fact, he’s a semi-professional dog breeder (for real). But even if he wasn’t, he’s a man who deserves a lot of dogs. The thing is dogs need to be fed and stuff, and that costs money. The next time you lament paying extra for a game on Switch, just think of Miyamoto surrounded by happy puppies.
#5. Sakurai requires constant fuel from energy drinks to make Smash.
Making Super Smash Bros. must be hard work. The time, effort, and creative genius it takes must be truly exhausting. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the way this year, Nintendo must have been doing everything in their power to make sure the whole process goes smoothly. That means powering through those roadblocks like ‘Ridley is too big to be in it’ and all. Naturally, the best approach to this is making sure Masahiro Sakurai has so many energy drinks he never needs to sleep again and leaving him to it.
#4. Regaining money lost on failed attempts at Labo (and planting trees).
The Nintendo Labo sure is something. Must have taken a lot of attempts to get right though, no? That’s a lot of wasted cardboard. The costs of bulk buying cardboard aside, Nintendo, being the responsible company it is, no doubt has taken to planting trees to keep the balance. Unfortunately, that costs money too.
#3. Before a new kart is implemented in Mario Kart, it must be made in real life and tested out on a racetrack.
There’s a whole variety of vehicles available in the Mario Kart games. With over 20 basic karts alone as of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, that’s a long history of karts to be made and tested. This would clearly be a very large expense. Not only do you need the materials, but you have to find the time (and drivers) to test the different models out. It’s worth it, of course, because Mario Kart is a blast, but the ‘take’ to the game’s ‘give’ has to fall somewhere. Where do the karts go after they’ve been tested you ask? That’s a whole new Nintendo mystery.
#2. Still paying off lawsuits from Wiimote-related injuries.
Let’s be honest with ourselves: those wrist straps didn’t do a damn thing for the dangerous capacity of the Wiimote. You’re just innocently playing some Wii Sports, your sibling just innocently comes over to see how well you’re doing and suddenly you’re driving to A&E with a guilty conscience. By splitting the load between two controllers – each with their own individual wrist strap, of course – the Joy-Cons mitigate risk. But the sins of the past cannot be erased.
#1. Mario is a real person and Nintendo has to pay him a sizeable sum of money every year to keep using his likeness.
When you think Nintendo, Mario is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. He’s pretty much the face of the company. He’s everywhere! Just look at the amount of times he’s in this article alone! But, maybe Nintendo never intended for Mario to become the company mascot; maybe he became supremely popular and it just sort of happened. Stuck in royalty hell, Nintendo created Luigi as an attempt to slyly shift the mantle. When that didn’t work, they resigned themselves to paying Mario for the rest of their days and the resulting bitterness towards Luigi is because that plan didn’t work out.
Have you ever had the Nintendo Switch tax put you off a game? What are your own ridiculous theories for the price discrepancies? Let me know in the comments!
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