Interviews / 2 March 2023

Thinking Back To 3rd March 2017

The Nintendo Switch, alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and more, were released on this day 6 years ago on the 3rd March 2017.

In the early hours of the 3rd March, I had just returned from my very first Midnight Launch event with a group of friends at a now closed branch of GAME in Swansea. My first midnight launch was of course a very special one, as it was for the Nintendo console that everyone had been raving about for months, even years prior – the Nintendo Switch.

Holding a little pre-launch event at GAME with my fellow gaming friends at Nintendo South Wales to keep all the eager fans busy while they waited, the clock was ticking ready for the next generation of Nintendo. A few minutes to midnight, we all lined up and within half an hour, I was back at home with a brand new console.

Unfortunately though, this console was not for me. I had recently started a new job and was clearly feeling very generous as I decided to treat my younger brother to the console and a few games as well. I had ordered my own console from the Nintendo store, so therefore it was time for me to go to bed and hope and pray the postman was kind to me in the morning.

First Picture: The haul from GAME | Event Photos: Nintendo South Wales

And thankfully, the postman was kind, as by 9:30 that morning, there was a knocking on the door and the day was now mine to do with as I pleased. It didn’t take long for the console to all be set up and for me to load up The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (while also convincing friends to lick the cartridges of their newly arrived games).

I was lucky enough to have already experienced the opening of Breath of the Wild at a Nintendo Switch Premier event in London a few months prior, but regardless of seeing that opening title sequence in person before, and on many adverts and videos, it didn’t stop me from receiving shivers of excitement for a brand new adventure that lay before me.

Even now, thinking back to that first adventure six years ago I am filled with a lot of fond memories and love for the early days of the Nintendo Switch. It brings me excitement for the next adventure that I will experience in Hyrule when Tears of the Kingdom launches in a few months time.

Screenshots: Mine from the early stages of my first day playing.

I really feel like I do owe the Nintendo Switch for the path I am now on in my life. I have always been a big Nintendo fan, finding my local gaming community through that love, and creating life long friendships and memories.

Through games like Splatoon and Mario Kart is how I met my partner, and ultimately why I am now living in Norwich, where I have met and befriended many more likeminded people, and now co-host and create content for our own community.

Thank you Nintendo for helping create these memories. Happy 6th birthday Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild.

Mentioned Community: Nintendo South Wales
A Nintendo fan community for people living in South Wales. They hold monthly meetups in the Swansea and Cardiff area. (Twitter: @Nintendo_SW | Instagram: NintendoSouthWales)

Can you remember what you were doing on 3rd March 2017? Let us know in the comments below.