Mailbox: Non-Standard Switch 2s, Joy-Con Colours, Zelda amiibo We Need - Nintendo Life Letters

Welcome back, lovely people, to the Nintendo Life Mailbox! We're still in the first weeks of a new year, and we can all now officially confirm that it's...another year. Hmm.

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Each month, we’ll highlight a Star Letter, the writer of which will receive a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Check out the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page.

So, let's see what you've got to say...

Nintendo Life Mailbox - January 2026

"[redacted] for his birfday" (***STAR LETTER***)

I still don't have a Switch 2. I totally want one, but they're SO expensive (living in Japan but playing games from all over the world I'll have to buy the extra expensive "international" version, not to mention a new gigantic SD card since I'm 100% digital, a new Pro controller, etc.). And according to my spreadsheet, I've completed 85 out of 148 or so games on my Switch. I'd love to play fancy new games (or upgrades to older games) on Switch 2, but I'm not exactly in a hurry. In fact, when it was originally released I decided that I'd wait until fancy new colors or an even fancier limited edition of some sort got released.

Well, fancy new colors got released this week, and I absolutely love them. But... it's not a set, and buying a Switch 2 plus extra Joy Cons goes back to my initial complaint.

So like, how much longer do you think I should wait?? My son is demanding that I buy him [redacted] for his birfday, but out of spite I refuse to put that thing on my Switch, so I'd rather buy a Switch 2 and let him have my original to do with as he pleases. Yes, I know, I'm a terrible father. His birfday is approaching very rapidly, though, so I kind of want to use him as an excuse to just take the expensive plunge, but if I DO buy a Switch 2 and a day later Nintendo announces a limited edition Xenoblade 4 Switch 2 I'll never forgive him because obviously it will be his fault. To summarize concisely: Me want buy fancy non-standard Switch 2 but when is happen you think does???
Kurt Asbestos

Well, excuses-wise, it definitely won't be getting cheaper anytime soon - and there's a good chance the price will go up. Given the global challenges around production and distribution on top of the general economic strife, Nintendo won't be in a rush to put out the inevitable upgraded version, either.

Personally? I don't see them doing some crazy variant for a while. They might put a Triforce on it or something, but I can't imagine them doing a white one (for example) until they've got at least another holiday season ticked off. It would just anger recent adopters still stinging from the hole in their wallet.

Seriously, what monster contemplates putting a Light Purple Joy-Con into a non-matching Light Blue mag slot anyway? - Ed.

"2026 has started"

2026 has started (by the time of the next reader letters issue) and I have 3 Nintendo predictions for the year:

1. Tomodatchi Life Living the Dream gets a direct.
2. The 40th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda isn't too big of a deal with Zelda news being saved for later in the year for the lead up to the Zelda movie.
3. Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow (and maybe Gold, Silver and Crystal) finally get a Switch release that is much more confusing and annoying than just adding it to Game Boy Nintendo Classics or selling them (be it an NSO price hike around the same time, a 3rd tier of NSO or some other new annoyance).
Aidan

"Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Pokémon: Let's Go, Furret! and Let's Go, Porygon2! is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in Summer 2026.

"Pokémon: Let's Go, Furret! and Let's Go, Porygon2! will also be available on Nintendo Switch, and the Pokémon: Let's Go, Furret! and Let's Go, Porygon2! special DLC pack — Pokémon: Let's Go, Furret! and Let's Go, Porygon2! - Dazzling Crystal — will be available for both platforms later in the year. Pre-orders will open after this broadcast and come with a limited-time bonus: the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue for Nintendo Game Boy, available exclusively with this DLC set until February 27th, 2027. Please look forward to future announcements." - Ed.

"'more serious' platforms"

Where are all the new colour variations for the Joy-Con 2?! You know times are strange when 'more serious' platforms like the PlayStation and Xbox are churning out different controllers on a quarterly basis, whilst Nintendo leave us in the dark with the boring grey duo... Same for the Pro Controller 2! I'd personally love to see some colours pay homage to the NGC; Indigo, Platinum, and Orange, with coloured buttons to boot!
Moochy

There they are, Moochy! No sooner had you sent this than Nintendo announced a new boring grey duo with pastel accents.

I wouldn't mind seeing some more interesting colours, but I'd be happy if we could just get through the generation without drift.

Oh, and 'Orange' is so vulgar; it's Spice, darling. - Ed.

"whip out something ridiculous"

Hi there NL gang,

I'm beginning to think that with every Switch 2 Edition Nintendo conjures, there is a unwritten rule that each title must be longer than the other!

*Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV*
*Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World*
And god forbid... *Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabell Park.*
I mean, seriously though, where *do* you draw the line when it comes to something like this? Does Nintendo even care if we need to take a breath midway through announcing them?!

But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now, those three games above _are_ fairly lengthy titles in their own right.
So I think we're safe... and of course now that I've said that, they'll whip out something ridiculous like *Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition = Lubba's Fury* ...There's just no escaping it!
Nintoz

It has become an office joke around these parts. They start to look like equations if you stare at them long enough. 'Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Bowser Jr.'s Big Bash', anyone? - Ed.

"great plastic"

Hello Nintendolife!

I’m a big Zelda fan and I love collecting items from the series. Unfortunately, Nintendo hasn’t released new amiibo for quite some time, despite there being so many interesting characters that could be made into these great plastic figurines.

I’d like to leave you an idea for a poll on the site...
Franc001

Okay, let's do it. (The Mineru's Contruct amiibo is still to come, remember.)

Not a bad selection! A comically enormous Deku Tree amiibo would make me grin, but I'd like a Sprout, too. And a Mido. And a Deku Scrub. An... - Ed.

Bonus Letters

"It's really cheesy, and not the good kind of cheese." - L27

All kinds of cheeses are good, my friend. Except that Wensleydale with the fruit in it. Horrific idea. - Ed.

"it's probably a steaming pile of dung." - WoomyNNYes

Hey, if it looks like dung, and smells like dung, and tastes like...

Oof, probably should have stopped after the first two, in hindsight. Anyone got a Tic Tac? - Ed.

"Has research been conducted on this?" - Davis

I'm surrounded by people in lab coats brandishing clipboards as we speak. Several of them are wearing glasses. Spared no expense. - Ed.

That's all for this month! Thanks to everyone who wrote in, whether you were featured above or not.

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