A Trip to Nintendo Headquarters

Yesterday I shared our Halloween Super Mario Bros. family costume photos, but I didn’t tell you a special part of the night. Right before we left to go trick-or-treating, I checked my email and in my inbox was an invitation to visit Nintendo Headquarters in Seattle. I could not believe it. It was for two short weeks later, and because of a work conflict, I could not attend. Graciously, they said Matthew could bring Elias and Adeline, and as you can imagine, it was an experience they will never forget.

Matthew wrote about their time in Seattle below. I hope it makes you feel like you were there, just like it did for me! Thank you to Nintendo for providing this sponsored trip.

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It was Christmas 1986 when my parents finally bought my sister and me a Nintendo Entertainment System—you know, the one that came with the dual Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt game. I’ll never forget the joy I felt when, several months later, I finally beat Super Mario Bros and saved Princess Peach.

It’s been fun, watching my kids—30 years later—fall in love with the same video game characters as I did. Though video games were never something I played much after high school, when Jessica received an invitation for us to visit Nintendo headquarters in Seattle, Washington and couldn’t attend, Elias, Adeline and I set out on a weekend adventure to the Great Northwest for some Nintendo fun and excitement. Nintendo sent the kids each a Nintendo 2DS, along with two games, which made the cross country air travel go by quickly.

On the morning after our arrival, Elias, Adeline, and I joined a large group of social media influencers (and their kids) on a bus and we traveled to the Nintendo headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The day started with an all-you-can-eat breakfast with Mario—and then that was followed up with a couple of hours of video game play inside Nintendo’s corporate game room.

The kids played Mario Cart on the new Nintendo Switch. Adeline grinned from ear to ear as she competed with other kids her age at Just Dance 2018.

Elias loved jumping from station to station, learning from Nintendo’s game experts new tricks and skills for all of his favorite Nintendo games. All of the Nintendo employees were so kind and helpful, and it was obvious that they truly loved what they do.

Nintendo also had a display with Zelda’s famous sword and the kids loved pulling it out.

After the kids got their fill of games, they were treated to a little Pokémon fun—which included a meet-and-greet with Pikachu. When Pikachu arrived, you might have thought it was 1992 and Michael Jackson had just walked into the room. The squeals of delight were incredible.

After lunch, we were treated to a trip down Nintendo’s memory lane at their corporate museum and given time to shop in their incredible on-site store. And then, since it was the world-wide release day of their new game Mario Party, Nintendo through a massive party, which included cake, face painting, and a Mario Party competition.

Nintendo’s VP of communications said, “our mission as a company is to bring smiles and laughter to kids’s faces,” later adding, “and give families some good fun that they can do together.”

Which is exactly what they provided us during our visit—huge smiles and fun. And after getting my own chance to play a little Nintendo Switch, my onetime love for video games might officially be renewed.

 

All in all, it was an amazing time. The kids had a blast. And they’re more in love with Nintendo than ever before. Here’s to waiting to see if Santa brings them that Nintendo Switch they are hoping for!