Nintendo’s latest hit console, the Nintendo Switch, was released in 2017, and since then a wide array of games have been released for the enjoyment of consumers of all ages. The Switch has been very popular at Mount Vernon High School, if you look around at lunch, you can usually find someone playing a Switch with their friends, and you probably know at least one person who has a Switch, if not more. But what are the most loved Switch games at MVHS? The Mustang Moon conducted an email survey of students in November to find the answer.

4 – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)

Think of a racing game. For most people, the first one that comes to mind is the classic Mario crossover game Mario Kart. Mario Kart has made an appearance on every Nintendo console since the SNES, and the Nintendo Switch is no different. As the old saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’, and Mount Vernon students still adore the newest rendition of Mario Kart, including but not limited to junior Jasper Rood. “I like Mario Kart because it’s one of the few games I’ve finished completely. Three stars on all races. I love it because It fuels my competitive nature; to the point where if I get 2nd place I feel as though I’ve lost the whole thing.” says Rood. Mario Kart appeals to students because of its simplicity and competitive nature, and it’s a great game to play with friends.

3 – Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)

Ah, Animal Crossing. For those of you who have never played the game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game in which you pay mortgages and invest in the stock market. For fun. On your own time. Yeah, crazy huh. More seriously, Animal Crossing is a freeform simulation game in which you need to make money to build and expand your own island to your design, by doing things like finding fossils, catching fish and bugs, or  buying and selling turnips, the in-game equivalent of the stock market – very cutely named the “stalk market”. “It’s a very immersive game, and it’s easy to get lost playing it for hours and hours on end until you realize that it’s 3 a.m and you’ve been playing for like nine hours,” says senior Kaiden Coleman. Players can even visit the islands of their friends and buy turnips for different prices on other islands.

2 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an outstanding game, and the Nintendo players of Mount Vernon High School agree. The Legend of Zelda series is a very unique one, with its games mainly consisting of open-world action-adventure puzzle games. While they could still be considered open world, especially for their time, most prior Zelda games have stuck to a great formula. A vast overworld connects different areas, and the boy in green travels from one deungeon to the next, completing puzzles and defeating enemies to help bring down the big bad, Ganon. Breath of the Wild challenged this formula by becoming a fully immersive open world, and, sadly, by getting rid of Link’s iconic green garb. Rather than a handful of unlockable areas connected by a large overworld filled with monsters, as soon as the player completes the ‘tutorial’, they can explore the entire map. No hand-holding or tracks for the gameplay. You’re free to explore the breathtaking overworld, complete side quests, learn to cook, buy and upgrade new tools and armor, slay monsters,  buy and furnish a house, complete the 120 ‘shrines’ scattered throughout the world, filled with dangerous puzzles, and much, much more. You can have so much fun playing Breath of the Wild without even playing the storyline one bit, and if you do, you can do it at whatever pace and whatever order you like, at your leisure. “It’s by far the best game I’ve ever played,”says Junior Mark Liberko, “Since it’s open world and exploration based you can really get lost in the scenery and despite having played it for hundreds of hours I’m still finding new things to love about it.”

1 – Super Smash Bros Ultimate (2018)

I’m sure you were all expecting it. Super Smash Bros has been a hit at MVHS, with over 35 percent of the total votes going to it. You think Infinity War was the greatest crossover of all time? Smash Bros has been doing this since 1999. All types of characters from all types of different Nintendo exclusive games, from Kirby to Pokemon to Fire Emblem, come together to duke it out, along with characters from other games such as Persona, Minecraft, Street Fighter, Metal Gear Solid, and even Bayonetta. The fighting game has been so popular that last year MVHS started its own Smash Bros Esports team. “Smash Bros inspires me to work hard when there’s something that I want,” says coach of the Esports team, Senior Lance Erikson. “It can get so competitive and nuanced that I can pour hours and hours into practicing and honing my skills for competition, and I can truly see the fruits of my time and effort. That’s why I love Smash Bros.” Smash Bros means a lot to many students on the Esports team, from a good way to spend time after school with their friends, to a full on hobby or pastime that they dedicate hours of practice to.

Nintendo games might not be the ones you see sweeping social media, but they’ve got a smaller base of very loyal fans, and our school is no exception. Out of all the exceptional games the Nintendo Switch has to offer, these are the four most loved at Mount Vernon High School.