Mailbox: Farewell GameCube, Mario Party Pairings, and Tariffs – Nintendo Life Letters

As we dive into the back half of November, it’s time again to open up the Nintendo Life Mailbox and welcome all your game-related musings and questions.

If there’s something you need to express, we’re here and eager to hear from you. Every month, we spotlight a Star Letter from your submissions, and the lucky writer will earn a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Be sure to check the submission guidelines at the end of this article for more details.

So, settle in with your favorite tea, slippers, and embrace as we sift through the best correspondence we’ve received this month.

Nintendo Life Mailbox – November 2024

"compelled to ask" (**STAR LETTER)**

Dear NL,

In light of recent election events, I’m curious about the thoughts of the NL staff. Do you think this might pressure Nintendo into moving all its manufacturing out of China? And if they do, how might this affect the price of the Switch or its new successor? I’m concerned that this could hurt Nintendo’s profits when they release a new console in the U.S. With tariffs affecting so much, it leaves people with less to spend on entertainment. It’s tough to get excited about Mario, Metroid, and Zelda when basic living expenses are a bigger priority. While this outlook is pessimistic and many outcomes are still uncertain, I’m hopeful that Nintendo, with its financial stability, can weather the next few years and remain strong. After all, the U.S. isn’t their only market.
MegaMari0

Certainly, this is a loaded question, and we’re left to speculate. For those not in the loop, the incoming administration has suggested imposing U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, which could majorly impact the gaming industry, driving up hardware prices for consumers still grappling with economic challenges.

Reflecting on past actions, in 2019, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft collectively addressed the U.S. government, highlighting the potential chaos and harm if consoles weren’t exempted from such tariffs. Their letter remains significant even five years later, and it’s worth revisiting.

Given the uncertainty surrounding this administration, predicting outcomes is tricky. I hope sensible resolutions prevail and that we’re not reminiscing about the bygone days of a $700 PS5 Pro era in three years. – Ed.

"different queues"

Like many, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Super Mario Party Jamboree, but I have concerns about the game’s long-term trajectory, something I’ve seen discussed elsewhere—the matchmaking system. In Superstars, you chose your preferred board, were paired with three other random players, and the board was selected from all players’ preferences. While it was frustrating not to get your favorite board repeatedly, the process was quick and efficient.

However, Jamboree’s system allows you to pick your board (seven options), choose rules (party or pro), and decide on motion control (on or off) preferences, requiring exact match settings for matchmaking. This results in 28 different queues! If there aren’t enough players, bots now given custom names fill the lobby, trying to mask the absence of human players (you can tell by the lack of party cards or minigame records). Consequently, I’ve yet to play an online match with more than one other real player. If the current setup already limits human matches barely two weeks after launch, I worry about how matchmaking will evolve as server activity declines in a few months.
Munchlax

It’s a shame to hear that matchmaking is a struggle so soon after Mario Party’s launch. Maybe this new approach was meant to address the annoyance of playing unwanted boards, something I can certainly relate to with Mario Kart.

Unfortunately, the widespread joy of Super Mario Party Jamboree has been a mystery to me. I don’t get it, and it’s become a jest among us at NL Towers. Watching friends and colleagues revel in seemingly endless minigames amidst long stretches of downtime leaves me baffled. Everyone enjoys their own thing, but sometimes it seems like there’s a trick being played on me. I expected a lively party, not… this! – Ed.

"museum-bound"

The GameCube is Dead?

In a recent article, you suggested that Xenoblade has marked the end of the Wii U. Considering the wave of remakes and newer game versions, what would lead you to deem the GameCube museum-worthy? Personally, I’d point to remakes, new releases, or reissues of Wind Waker, NFL Street 2, and F-Zero as indicators.
Juan

I have this ‘Rule of Three (or Four)’—any console boasting three or four stellar exclusives still deserves its spot in the closet. While the Wii U may be outdated, titles like Nintendo Land, Affordable Space Adventures, the original Mario Maker, and Splatoon keep its charm alive.

The GameCube essentially became obsolete once the backward-compatible Wii arrived—it’s definitely a piece for museums. Yet, you’re talking to someone who owns six GameCubes. With games like F-Zero, Rogue Leader, Eternal Darkness, Doshin, various DK Bongo titles, Chibi-Robo, Wave Race, arguably the best Mario Kart, and countless others never played… really, are any of them ever truly gone? – Ed.

"more than just a video and a few articles/polls"

Dear NL,

As we approach the expected unveiling of Nintendo’s next console, I’m curious if the team has big plans for the site’s coverage when it finally happens. Given the widespread anticipation across the gaming world, it’s reminiscent of the buildup to the PS2 unveiling at E3!

P.S. It’s okay if nothing "big" is planned, but it seems the occasion calls for more than just a video and a handful of articles/polls.
Tanookduke

Oh, I’m confident we can extend to two videos for this. Maybe even a list? Let’s truly go all out!

Joking aside, if by ‘big’ you mean offering an all-encompassing Switch 2 celebration, complete with detailed features, reviews, news, and niche coverage that Nintendo fans crave, you can definitely count on us for that.

If you mean going as far as reformatting the site for circular screens, branding ourselves as switch2niverse.com, and hosting an extravagant launch event in Kyoto with Shigsy leading a Macarena atop a Waluigi-faced hot-air balloon… well, I’ll need to check with our finance team on that. – Ed.

"a flop"

If you could pick any Nintendo series to receive an incredible new game, but it would end up being a flop (despite its near perfection), effectively ending the series, what would it be? For me, it would be F-Zero: After that amazing new game, not producing more wouldn’t be much different from what we have now!
CaleBoi25

A brilliant flop, eh? Quite the double-edged scenario. Here, in a hypothetical world where an almost perfect game is also the series’ last breath, I’d choose… hmm, Smash? Wave Race? Kid Icarus?

This is one to debate in the comments. What beloved series would you say goodbye to after one final stunning performance? – Ed.

Bonus Letters

"Hello. We’re eager for more remasters of 3D Sonic games like the Adventure series, Unleashed, Heroes, and 06, but want them redubbed by Studiopolis." – Scottdevine53

Sonic enthusiasts have varied, unique requests, Scott. Truly unique. – Ed.

"I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Outright Games for their dedication to publishing more third-party kids’ games." – Anti-Matter

Outright? More like Allright Games, am I right? Kudos to them, they’re also behind the only Star Trek game on Switch. Hats off! – Ed.

"Could you add Cars Race-o-Rama on the Wii to your database? It’s an unironically great game that deserves more attention." – YunoboCo

I’ll add it, but it’ll be up to you to drum up the discussion. – Ed.

“I’ll never forget the earlier boss battles in the original SA (cool at the time), gliding as Knuckles to find emeralds, and the peculiar choice of having you fish as a character named Big. (Is he still around?)" – Richardthedragon

“Cool at the time” — sounds like a succinct review of Sonic Adventure, doesn’t it? Big had a stint at Billingsgate Market, faced a few challenges, and last I heard, he’s at an ESSO in Chelmsford. – Ed.

That’s it for this month! Many thanks to everyone who contributed, whether you were published here or not.

Have something on your mind? A question that just needs answering? Maybe a correction you can’t hold back? Check out the instructions below, and we’ll look forward to combing through your letters.

Nintendo Life Mailbox submission advice and guidelines

Letters, not essays, please – Remember, your letter might be featured on the site, and a 1000-word deep dive on the Legend of Heroes series asking for Alana’s ranking probably won’t make the cut. Short and concise is key. Aim for 100-200 words on most topics.

Don’t go overboard with multiple submissions – Ideally, just one letter per month, please!

Don’t be upset if your letter isn’t featured – We expect a full inbox and can only showcase a few each month. So, if your letter isn’t chosen, please don’t be disheartened!

How to send a letter to the Nintendo Life Mailbox

Visit Nintendo Life’s Contact page and select "Reader Letters" from the dropdown menu. Enter your name, email, and well-crafted letter in the appropriate fields, hit send, and you’re all set!

Gavin started writing for Nintendo Life in 2018 and came on board full-time the following year, working his way up to become the Editor. Right now, he’s bogged down by an enormous Switch backlog that could rival the beaches of Normandy.