Last week, Nintendo announced an announcement that includes a handful of original Switch games for the Nintendo Switch 2 edition. Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + The World of Stars Crossed, The Legend of Pokemon: ZA – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Editionand The Legend of Zelda: The Kingdom’s Tears – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. What quickly became clear was the titles of such a game. Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + The World of Stars Crossed, The Legend of Pokemon: ZA – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and The Legend of Zelda: The Kingdom’s Tears – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition It’s completely too long, so practice in this naming should stop!
Of course, these overly verbal titles are not new. Nintendo has released a re-release like this Super Mario 3D World + Kupper’s Fury, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionand Dragon Quest XI S: Echo of an Elusive Era – The Definitive Edition For the Switch – these long names help to distinguish these titles from the original version. Nintendo is navigating Rocky Console Transition and is trying to clarify which of the older titles upgraded to showcase Switch 2 features. But something has to be changed.
Certainly, I’m arguing from the standpoint of someone who might need to put this primarily Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + The World of Stars Crossed or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Story headings about polygons are mostly asked to write short, punchy headings. Naturally, I find these names (over 77 characters) to be awkward.
Wouldn’t Nintendo just shorten these game titles by adding DX, Deluxe or other single word descriptors? Back in the DS era, what about when gaming companies telling you the platform on which the software was released by pasting Dawn, Dual Strike, or Destiny’s Soldier at the end of the title? In addition to looking at the box art in the game, do you want to see the word “new funky mode” in the top right corner and admit that you’re getting something extra?
Maybe these aren’t great solutions. (I am very grateful for the alternative suggestions!) And maybe I’m approaching this from an internal perspective that hates asking people who define our style guides, “Hey, we’re saying ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a 2 edition.” Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV? “However, even if you only get a handful of games named like this when Nintendo moved from Switch to Switch 2, I think the solution that Nintendo lands will be both troublesome and unsettling.
But as the game title progresses, Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + The World of Stars Crossed, The Legend of Pokemon: ZA – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Editionand The Legend of Zelda: The Kingdom’s Tears – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition It’s completely too long. If Nintendo can’t do anything about it now, don’t happen again.
