Okay, let’s put the Amiibo fiasco out of our mind for a moment. It may be difficult, since word on the street is three more are gone for good, but try. We know Nintendo messed that up, big time, but let’s be positive. It’s easy, because Nintendo is going a lot of other things right in 2015, which means the start of what could be a very good year. So good, that I’m tempted to go ahead and caps it and say Very Good Year instead.
To start, Club Nintendo kicked off 2015 with actual, physical rewards. There should be a round of applause for this. We went months with nothing new, aside from the usual six eShop downloads. Now, 2015 has kicked off with a NES Remix shirt in the shop, with Samus blasting up some blocks, as well as two more of those spiffy, 3DS cartridge holders. I know they’re cheap plastic, but I’m really excited about the storage units. I grabbed the Animal Crossing one back when it was available, and it’s the perfect size for transporting games.
Speaking of Club Nintendo, some European Club Nintendo members are getting a chance to buy New 3DS Ambassador Edition systems. This is huge. Nintendo has never given people the chance to buy one of their consoles early, just because they’re part of the loyalty program. Yes, the company is getting buzz and money out of it, but it’s also a way to get people talking about the reboot of the system. I mean, I want a New 3DS XL, but I’d definitely buy a New 3DS Ambassador Edition if I had the chance for the collector’s value.
The extended Wii U Deluxe Digital Promotion is another thing making 2015 great too. People who got the system as 2014 ended either for Super Smash Bros. or as a gift have a chance to get money back for eShop purchases. Nintendo went ahead and extended the deal into 2015. Before, it was going to end in December 2014, but now we have until March 31, 2015 to exchange points and June 30, 2015 to redeem earned codes. It’s a nice “thank you.”
Then, there are of course the games. I mean, good titles can make anyone’s year, and Nintendo is starting off 2015 right. First, there’s Kirby and the Rainbow Curse . Wii U owners are definitely going to appreciate this successor to Kirby: Canvas Curse . It looks so fanciful, will make people glad there’s a touch screen on the Gamepad, and gives us something to look forward to during this dry spell. Not to mention, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is on the way, with a special edition, no less! Nintendo almost never does that for its games, yet here we have a limited box that gives people their very own Skull Kid. Sadly, it’s already sold out in most places, but it’s the thought that counts.
Really, Nintendo is setting up 2015 to be a pretty great year. If the company can maintain a good lineup of games, do a hard sell on the New 3DS, and fix that Amiibo situation, they could make a lot of people happy. Of course, the Wii U will still never come close to the success of the PS4 and Xbox One, but as long as the company does its best to ensure people who bought it are happy, it will still be a victory.