You may have thought that the Nintendo Switch is the latest 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 health centers – is equipped with 25 games and can be run in different rooms.
Gaming Station, which is the latest collaboration between Nintendo and Starlight, was announced last year at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. The same hospital was the first to receive the console, which comes in four models (Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi and Donkey Kong) and was specially designed to be easy to disinfect and clean. The 25 games loaded on the game station include 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 transport!
We will end with this emotional quote from Starlight, which I say better than I ever could:
“Games provide happiness to children trapped in the hospital, providing much-needed entertainment and distraction from stressful situations. It can even provide emotional support, resulting in reduced anxiety and improved mood.”
Yes, we will only be here crying in our minds of joy, then.