You may have thought the Nintendo Switch was the ultimate portable console, but you haven’t seen anything yet. Nintendo’s Starlight Gaming Station – not a new console in itself, but a special version of the Switch designed for hospitals and healthcare centers – comes equipped with 25 games and can be rolled into different rooms.
The Gaming Station, which is the latest collaboration between Nintendo and Starlight, was announced last year at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, located in Tacoma, Washington. The same hospital was the first to receive the console, which comes in four designs (Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi and Donkey Kong) and was specifically designed to be easy to disinfect and clean. The 25 preloaded games on the Gaming Station include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Maker 2, Super Mario Party, Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu, Super Mario Odyssey, Stardew Valley, Cuphead and Minecraft. What a haul!
Let’s end with this touching quote from Starlight, which says it better than we could ever:
“Games bring happiness to children trapped in the hospital, providing entertainment and much needed distraction from stressful situations. It can even provide emotional support, resulting in reduced anxiety and improved mood.”
Yes, we will be here crying in our joys, then.