iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Oli Welsh argues that Nintendo should make more games where the people in the story, rather than only its famous mascots or sweeping plots, are the main reason players stay invested. His lead example is Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, a Nintendo Switch 2 game whose four heroes each pursue their own goals. Welsh’s piece is an opinion column, not a review, and the copy available to us is a syndicated reproduction attributed to Polygon and dated September 26, 2026. We could not confirm the original Polygon page, so the argument below is presented as Welsh’s interpretation.
What Welsh is arguing
The core distinction in the column is between two ways a game can hold attention. The first relies on recognizable characters or a large-scale plot: a familiar mascot, a world-ending threat, a sequence of spectacular events. The second makes specific human motives and relationships the thing players care about. Welsh’s case is that Nintendo has excelled at the first and could do more with the second.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time | Buy on Amazon |
The argument is about the kind of emotional response a game can produce. It is not a measured claim about every Nintendo game or about how all players feel. Welsh also does not present audience data, and the column does not cite a survey or study.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy Fortune’s Weave is the example
Welsh uses Fortune’s Weave because its structure puts individual people at the center. Nintendo’s own US product listing describes the game the same way, which makes it a useful reference point for readers checking the claim against official copy.
#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Four heroes with separate aims
According to Nintendo’s US listing, the game follows four heroes who each have distinct personal goals. Their stories are woven together inside a time-travelling saga, and the game is built around tactical battles that players prepare for. Welsh’s point is that these personal goals are specific enough that the heroes do not blur into one another.
Relationships and support conversations
Nintendo’s listing also says players can build bonds of friendship with the characters. Welsh treats the support conversations as the main route to characterization: the moments where a relationship is developed and a hero’s motives become clearer. He describes the relationships in the game as specific and character-led, which is his judgment rather than a claim Nintendo makes.
Rank #2
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
How to test the “about people” idea
Welsh’s column implies a set of questions that readers can apply to any character-driven game, Nintendo or otherwise. The table below turns them into checks you can make while playing or reading about a title.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Question | What to look for | Why it matters to the argument |
|---|---|---|
| Are relationships specific? | Do characters have distinct histories, tensions, or goals, or do they fill generic roles? | Specificity is what separates a memorable character from a recognizable one. |
| Do personal motives shape the story? | Do character goals change which paths the plot takes, or are they decoration around a fixed plot? | If motives drive events, the people matter to the plot itself. |
| Do support or bonding systems reveal character? | Do conversations, gifts, or shared battles tell you something new about a person? | These systems are where Welsh locates characterization in Fortune’s Weave. |
| How directly does the narrative handle emotional complexity? | Does the game leave room for ambiguity, regret, or conflict between characters, or resolve everything neatly? | Emotional response depends on whether the story trusts players with complicated feelings. |
These are editorial questions, not a scoring system. Nothing in the column converts them into a rating, and different players will weigh them differently.
Rank #3
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
Other games Welsh raises
Welsh names three comparison points in the column: Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Xenoblade Chronicles, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. He discusses them as part of a broader opinion, not as detailed case studies. If you want to test his comparisons, check the specific mechanics against the games themselves or against official Nintendo material rather than relying on the column’s summary.
Product facts for Fortune’s Weave
These details come from Nintendo’s official pages and are useful if you want to try the game or check the basics before reading further.
Rank #4
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive; physical edition listed | Nintendo US listing |
| Publisher | Nintendo | Nintendo US listing |
| Developer | Intelligent Systems | Nintendo US listing |
| US release date | September 17, 2026 | Nintendo US listing |
| Content descriptors | Fantasy violence, mild language, suggestive themes, and use of alcohol | Nintendo US listing (US rating) |
| In-game purchases | Listed | Nintendo US listing |
| Regional description | Leads four heroes through tactical battles and changes the past to save the future | Nintendo UK official page |
The content descriptors matter if you are deciding whether the game suits a particular audience. Nintendo’s pages describe the product but do not address the broader argument about Nintendo’s design direction.
Recommended Free Tools
What the argument does and does not establish
Welsh makes a reasonable case that Nintendo’s most memorable games are not only the ones built around mascots or big plots, and that Fortune’s Weave gives him a concrete example of personal storytelling. The column is persuasive as a framing for how to judge character-driven games.
Best Value
- Become the Hero of Time and save Hyrule from darkness
- Venture into dungeons, solve puzzles, and travel across time in two different eras to restore balance to the land
- A classic tale, reborn for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, featuring voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, visuals built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2, and more
- Play Link’s in-game ocarina by humming or singing into the Nintendo Switch 2 system microphone
It does not prove that Nintendo should change direction, and it does not show how most players respond. Nintendo’s official pages confirm the game’s features, but they do not endorse the thesis. Readers who want to weigh the claim fairly should play or watch a game in this style, apply the questions above, and treat Welsh’s characterization as one informed reading among several.
Quick Recap
- The argument is Welsh’s opinion; the column does not cite named statistics or studies.
- The example rests on Nintendo’s product copy and on the column’s own description of the game.
- The original Polygon page and any reporting on player reactions were not confirmed.
“
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
