Whilst no one really cares about the Wii U anymore, it is a shame to see the 3DS online store go. This new Nintendo Store is pretty great, though...
We salute you, Nintendo, for once more giving us an excuse to groan: shutting down the Eshops for both the 3DS and the Wii U. You know, it would be okay to shut down Wii U one, no one plays that bloody console, but the 3DS? We love that thing! Sexy, sleek, full of great games, fits in your pocket, a screen from the 1990s, just absolutely flippin' (get it?) wonderful!
Well, luckily for all of us Nintendo fans out there, the company behind Mario, Zelda, Metroid, you know, all of those actually good games that don't involve excessive amounts of violence, have completely revamped their online store. It's... actually pretty great. You can buy merch from them now, as well as both physical and digital games.
So, to summarise, Nintendo have killed the 3DS and Wii U online stores, and then within 24 hours have relaunched their main store with new branding and products? We have mixed feelings, to be honest. On one hand: great, a new store that doesn't suck! On the other... I want my 3DS Store! Why did you take that away from me, Nintendo? Well, I guess because the Switch has now been out for half a decade and there really is no point in playing 3DS anymore...
Nintendo Launches the "My Nintendo Store"
The "My Nintendo Store" replaces the old store with a new design that is far sleeker and easier to use. It also revamps what's included, changing the selection from simply a range of digital games and Gold/Platinum Points to a store that has both wider-reach and wider appeal.
You can now also buy physical goods, including hardware and games, but also merchandise. That means that you no longer really need to go to Amazon or your local retailer to get physical products, you can buy them directly from the My Nintendo Store!
This might seem like insignificant news, and it kind-of is, but we thought we'd showcase it based on the fact that Nintendo actually seem to be moving into the future. Last week's Direct was pretty fantastic, with our columnist noting that it could be the redemption story Nintendo needs. Is Nintendo trying to play with the big boys again, perhaps?
You can even claim the Gold Points earned through purchases for physical items as well (though you will need to wait until you receive those games and can then redeem the points, which is a little silly). The other big thing is that you can buy all of the different Switch consoles online now, as well as various different coloured Joy-Cons.
Whilst the Wii U and 3DS shops have not fully shutdown yet (they will be phased out over the next year or so), it is sad to see them go, relics of a now-forgotten past. We really hope that as this happens Nintendo port as many of the platform-exclusive digital-only games over to the Switch as possible. It would be a shame to lose so many great games simply because the store is inaccessible.
Anyway, Nintendo seem to be actually doing 21st Century things now, isn't that impressive? We're looking forward to this year of Nintendo, it should be great, and can't wait to dig our teeth into Breath of the Wild 2 when it drops later this year. Cheerio!