Relive Your Nintendo Gaming Historical past Throughout Consoles and A long time Via the New Store App

Nintendo has launched a brand new cell app for its storefront for iOS and Android, and whereas the Nintendo Store app does a very good job of constructing it simpler to browse and buy video games for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, its most compelling function could also be one which lays out your Nintendo gaming historical past by yr.

Buried on the very backside of your Profile web page (you may get to it by tapping the icon along with your Mii on the backside proper) is an possibility referred to as Play Activity. At the highest, your Recent Activity will show video games you performed lately and for the way lengthy. But scroll down by All Activity and you will find video games and console apps stretching again years and years.

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For me, it was a shock to see Wii U and Nintendo 3DS titles I’d forgotten all about, reminiscent of a recreation my daughters loved — Art Academy: Home Studio — and Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, which I performed in 2015 for 10 days. I’ve no recollection of taking part in Steel Diver for Nintendo 3DS, however there’s proof to show that occurred on March 28, 2011.

Why Play Activity issues

If the function had been simply nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, that will be one factor, however for anybody who has a protracted historical past throughout a number of Nintendo console generations, that is good info to have. In an period of remakes and re-releases, it is useful to know what video games you even have performed earlier than, what console you performed them on and whether or not you spent a lot time on them. My Play Activity historical past is plagued by video games I solely performed for lower than an hour, reminiscent of Ridge Racer 3D, and deserted for others.

It jogs my memory that I performed Nintendogs, the lovable canine simulator, for a full 4 years, from 2011 to 2015. Why hasn’t Nintendo rebooted that franchise? 

It’s helpful you could type the play historical past by most lately performed, date first performed, complete time performed and by recreation system. I used to be shocked by what number of titles I performed on the Wii U, but it surely in all probability paled compared to the variety of video games I performed on the GameCube or the unique Wii. The Play Activity does not seem to return that far; for me, it stops at 2011 with the Wii U and 3DS. Games on the Switch seem to indicate extra element, exhibiting you ways a lot you performed for every gaming session.

But most of all, it is good to have a doc that charts your relationship with Nintendo’s techniques and software program, whether or not it is to see how a lot time you spent watching Netflix in your Switch or to see what number of hours you have logged in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

What else is within the Nintendo Store app?

If Play Activity had been the one function within the Nintendo Store app, it will nonetheless be value a obtain for longtime avid gamers. However, that is only a nice-to-have function, not the primary attraction.

The finest motive to obtain the Nintendo Store app is the shop itself, which turns into a lot simpler to navigate and search by than the model on the Switch, which might be sluggish and cumbersome. You could make purchases to your Switch or Switch 2 immediately within the app, use Nintendo Points, do GPS check-ins and look at occasions, promotions and recreation information from the corporate. 

There’s additionally merchandise obtainable, together with recreation soundtracks, clothes and toys. Being capable of shortly navigate which video games have demo variations and having the ability to ship a digital obtain to your Switch out of your telephone is useful.

An Ask the Developer tab is a pleasant space to browse within the News part of the app; latest tales focus on the making of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.

Using the Nintendo Store app requires linking your Nintendo account.