英国任天堂玩家特辑-英国最大任天堂粉丝群体的十年

在游戏行业，尼INTERNET设 itself apart not only 通 its high-quality games and classic characters evergreen catalogue，but also a focus on community。Whether through software that brings people of all ages together, hardware features like StreetPass，or the local multiplayer functionality built into every Nintendo Switch console，尼INTERNET is particularly good at igniting positive vibes for gaming and providing like-minded fans with reasons to gather and celebrate the games they love。

In the United Kingdom, Nintendo Players UK (NPUK) is the largest Nintendo-focused community。This independent 'umbrella' network of Nintendo fans organizes physical meetups for gamers in the UK and Ireland and is made up of 29 individual regional communities。Jen Griffiths is part of the NPUK committee and the head administrator for this inclusive gaming hub, which is approaching its ten-year milestone this August。

"Our ethos is simply to provide free events in person that are inclusive and family-friendly spaces for Nintendo fans to meet and play games with each other," Jen tells us。The idea of a more unified collective of UK Nintendo enthusiasts began life earlier, starting out as an effort to make use of a 3DS feature that remains close to our hearts, before blossoming into something more。

"A few groups popped up individually around the release of the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, and initially it was all about getting those StreetPasses。Nintendo has always been about getting people together just to simply enjoy their favourite games。We wanted to put that on a local level, and over the period of 2012-2013, James Bowden set himself the task of connecting everyone together, and joining the dots for what became StreetPass UK, and later Nintendo Players UK."

While NPUK serves as an umbrella for all Nintendo fan groups, Jen believes that one of its strengths is the diversity of each member group。"The beauty of Nintendo Players UK is that everyone’s group comes together for the same ethos and ideals, but every group has their own identity," she continues。"Some groups are more sporadic than others, but the most active groups tend to aim for monthly events, and some are even weekly。We are all volunteers and our passion for Nintendo and community shines through in everything we do."

The events organized and linked under the NPUK banner range from smaller regional meetings to larger multi-group blowouts。Jen mentions the January 2015 Smash Final at the Custard Factory in Birmingham and the Mario Kart Finals / Splatoon Invitational last year as particular highlights。

The evergreen Mario Karts, Smashes, Pokémons, and Splatoons are regular fixtures at community events, although that doesn't mean lesser-known, smaller games don't make appearances, too。"We often see Good Job being played!" says Jen of NNW, her local group。The Switch's local multiplayer focus has also helped bring more players into the NPUK community。

"More people in family settings have Switches, and the younger generations are starting to get involved again."

And then there's the tantalizing prospect for 3DS fans like us — and our lovely video producer Zion — to rack up some of those sweet, sweet StreetPass hits。For 3DS-Lifers still flying the flag for the delightful social feature from Nintendo's previous generation of handhelds, organized and safe events like these are a real boon。

"I personally last got a StreetPass on 15th April," Jen tells us。"We always ask/remind our members to bring their 3DSes in case anyone needs any puzzle pieces!"

NPUK's mission is to network with other gamers and make connections in person, going against the old 'lone-gamer' stereotype。Making connections in groups like these also has potential benefits that go beyond a mere boost in the social skills department。

"Once-lonely people are able to find their kindred spirits, and for the organizers of events, it’s also a great boost for your CV and job prospects."

Looking back over the last decade, Jen mentions the North vs South Wales meetup from June 2015 as a significant achievement, "but establishing a full committee to help with the running of NPUK is up there, too。September 2020 was the pivot point for NPUK."

As a nationwide hub, one of the great things about the network is how widespread it is — 29 regional groups and counting。NPUK ties local gaming communities together into a