Topic: What does this community mean to you?

I've been follwing this website for about a good year now, using it simply as a place for game news, but there's also a whole community behind it, and im curious what the community means to the members. Is it a place just to view news, like it is for me? Is it a place to meet like minded people? Is it a place to talk with friends? I'm really interested to know.

For me, compared to previous gaming forums I've been to, this place has been friendly. It's nice to be able to talk games and other things with others here. Most just seem so chill, especially compared to article comments sections (they tend to get negative compared to the forums IMO).

I originally used this site frequently for Nintendo news after a friend linked me to it, and then I just decided to join and I don't regret it at all.

NL's great especially compared to the median online forum, it's a lot more relaxed than other places that's for sure. Finding like minded people is easy but you also have to appreciate that sending messages onto a forum is very different from talking with someone face to face.

For me, I'm here for gaming news, and to connect with people. I have a lot of friends and aquaintences here, and they're all really nice.

How could I not value a venue like this, where I can taunt my several hundred KO victims (and counting) in F-Zero 99?

I used to lurk around the site for a little while before officially making an account. This is pretty much my go-to place for Nintendo News and whenever I want to discuss anything gaming-related. The users that use this site regularly are pretty nice compared to other places. I actually talk to some of the users here outside of the site now and we will occasionally game together.

I think overall it's just really fun being able to talk about the latest announcements with like-minded people. The live chats during Nintendo Directs here are so much better than the live chats on nintendos official stream lol.

Here to read about Nintendo news and talk with others.

@Vortexeo I lurked for a while as well but decided to make an account a couple months ago

Good source for nintendo news, and I like that it's pretty chill here. I used to post on IGN back in the day, and I found people were a lot more antagonistic there as opposed to this site.

I've been lurking here for years and decided to make an account like a year ago (<checks dates>WHAT, it's been a year already?)

It's legit my only source of human interaction outside the house

I am mainly here for the news nowadays. I use to be here for the community back around 2015 or so but after James Newton and a bunch of the old crew left this community just went downhill, I am sure @Neonpizza will agree. It use to be be I could chat with people for hours about their latest retro purchases, but now whenever retro is mention people nowadays throw in Wii and PS3 and even Wii U stuff that isn't retro. Half the time I have no interest in what people are discussing in the community and quite honest it seems that this place has turn into something like Facebook rather then a gaming site. I try to create topics but again they either get derailed, or turn into something complete different, either that or someone else creates a topic exactly the same as mine and everyone uses that one instead. The mod team isn't not what it was either back in the early days and let everyone get away with everything it seems. But I digress

Mostly I miss the old users that use to frequent the site back in 2010-2015, I don't know it seems that these new users pushed away all the old users with their talk of retro Wii games and crap like that. Community wise it's not ad welcoming as it once was. You need to becareful what you say because you might offend someone and then your post or comment gets deleted. I find that especially if you don't go along with the masses. It's almost like a hive mindset here at times. Half the reason I don't post here as much as I use to is because I am not afraid to tell stuff as it is and when I usually do my post gets deleted so why waste my time.posting.

Anyway I don't want to leave this post on a negative note, but I guess if you a Wii-GameCube gen this place is OK but if your an old timer like me there is no more community here.

@GalaxicGlobe Glad you decided to join! It's a couple of months late but welcome to the community 😂

I joined in 2013, it's mostly been a really nice place to discuss Nintendo stuff (and other things). I also like forums a lot more than social media (the only good social media was Miiverse). This site is especially special when Directs appear and there's all the speculation about what's going to be revealed and then watching the event live on the site with the chat thing.

Things have been rough more recently but I hope things improve for the new year.

@Tasuki : I agree with you wholeheartedly on your penultimate paragraph.

It has been increasingly alienating over the last few years especially, and I suspect that it's only a matter of time before I leave the website (and perhaps modern gaming) permanently, which would be a shame, but it's hardly the end of the world.

And I don't think I've left enough of an impression around here for people to particularly remember me anyway, so... I doubt that my absence will be noticed by most.

I just don't want to see any of my favourite franchises (especially Pokémon) fall into the "hive mind" (and in many ways, it already has, but it's yet to overtly manifest in the games/merchandise). The Sims was one of my absolute favourite franchises, and I still love the first two PC games (and The Sims: Bustin' Out on GBA) to bits, but I wouldn't touch The Sims 4 if they paid me, and it would be fairer to view it as something that has merely usurped The Sims branding rather than being an actual continuation of earlier instalments.

Been coming here since 2011 because I found the major sites like IGN and Gamespot really lacking when it came to Nintendo news, especially when it came to weekly 3DS eShop and WiiWare updates. Always found the community here to be mostly good people that just want to talk Nintendo. A lot of cool people here, both past and present. There have always been bad apples, but thankfully the ignore feature is a thing and those folks wind up and either get themselves banned, delete their account or just stop posting anyway.

I’ve been a regular here since 2009, so I’m quite attached to the site. Even if I don’t post every day, checking the site is still part of my daily routine.

There’s always been cliques and little groups… Specially back then... And while I’ve never really been an integral part of any of them, it’s still fun seeing them develop and change over time.

It’s like digital bird watching!

I've been reading for a while now, and recently made an account. I love all the micro-communities, where se can share our love of different series!

It's the place were I gather with my henchmen and organize fights to the death. Some of the best members have fallen that way, but it was worth it. Booze is good, ladies are great (even better after the booze) and the friendship never ends like that Spice Girls song says.

Joking aside, I've been a member since 2015, and it's a really good place to socialize for the most part. Some users come and go, but I think that most people here are accesible and kind.

@Vortexeo 😂 Thanks! Im glad to be here

I feel at home here. I visit the site daily. Back in the day it was more for the news but nowadays I just like to check what's going on in the comments and forums. In a way, Nintendo Directs have reduced the need to check for news since the biggest news are always concentrated on specific dates. You just need to know when the Direct is happening and you're good to go.

I do agree that the site in general has gone a bit downhill. It's had its ups and downs over the years. I didn't particularly enjoy the comment section back in the Wii U days either. The launch of Switch had a positive impact on the site as a whole but it has since winded down.

People come and go but I still see plenty of regulars who've frequented the site for as long as I have. I joined at the tail end of 2010, after lurking for a year or two. I know I found my way here thanks to the site's focus on WiiWare reviews. The specific review may have been for BIT.TRIP BEAT.

I'm not as active as I once was. Nowadays I'm mostly lurking. I tend to overthink whatever I'm about to write and sometimes end up choosing not to say anything after already spending way too long on my message.

There are some people here I'm always happy to see, ones that I can identify with and/or who share similar taste in games, so much so that I trust their opinion more than professional reviews. They are like friends to me, even though they don't even know I think so highly of them.