The King of Couch Co-op

Before the days of smartphones, wireless internet, discord, and twitch, finding an entertainment system to play in-person, on the same couch, with your friends was not a challenge. Every system was offered this way for obvious reason. We also only called them “video game systems” at the time, and not entertainment systems, since their reasons for existence were simple and uncongested. Those days are long gone in only a few decades, and while I love the 4K surround, 3D, intelligent AI experiences that have resulted in years of innovation, it is hard to top the feeling of crushing your friends in Halo or Super Smash Brothers when they are sitting right next to you.

In a home with both a Nintendo Switch OLED and Microsoft Xbox Series X, I can tell you they both have strong advantages. It all comes down to what games you play, how you want to play, what your friends use, and what else you want to use these systems for outside of video games. In this article, I will also compare the newer OLED Switch to the standard 1st and 2nd generation. But with a focus on Nintendo, the true king of couch co-op in 2022, you cannot go wrong for adults and children with a Switch, especially if you have some Nintendo affinity in your DNA.

Specific to the couch (or at least the same room), nothing can beat the Nintendo for the quantity and quality of in-person gaming. Regardless of the console version you have, almost every game they produce (especially with their own IP like Mario) is first designed with in-person gaming in mind. Will this change in the future? No one knows, but even in 2022, the Nintendo is an incredible party and friend choice, offering variety for a spectrum of interests and activities. Their games like Switch Sports, Mario Tennis, Ring Fit, and Mario Kart Live even get you off the couch and moving in fun and creative ways. I love these active games, and they provide an excellent alternative to traditional exercise (while at the same time being loads of fun!).

To Buy or Not to Buy

It might be clear by now that the Nintendo Switch is an absolute “BUY” from me in 2022. I will say the same in 2023. Not only does Nintendo still have a huge collection of new games planned over the next year that have been announced, but they haven’t given an indication that a new system would be released before 2024 at the earliest. Now, anything is possible, but the enjoyment and portability of the Switch will last even after the next gen finally releases. Winding down doesn’t seem to be in the cards either, with massive games like the sequel to Zelda’s Breath of the Wild in the works.

So, the second question, OLED Switch or standard Switch? With the pricing between the two typically within $50, and the upgrades offered on the OLED, that one wins out from my perspective. A few reasons:

• Higher resolution, larger OLED screen (7″ OLED vs 6.2″ LCD)
• OLED offers better color range, contrast and saturation, and overall picture quality
• Hard-wired ethernet connection (great for online play, faster updates and games like Fortnite)
• OLED model offers a much nicer out-of-the-box kickstand that also adjusts
• Twice the internal storage included (64GB vs 32GB)

If you don’t already own a Switch model, the OLED is the one to get. If you own the original Switch model (1st gen), the stability, speed, and screen have been enough for some to upgrade to the OLED switch. If you already own a 2nd gen, it’s personal preference whether you have the extra $350 looking to be spent. The good news is the same joy cons work on either console, and utilize the same HDMI connection to the TV. I plan to review some of my favorite couch co-op, family, and friend games in a future post. Game on!

Fact: Thanksgiving Day is just a day like any other day on the calendar. When you break it down, just as many friends of mine will celebrate with their immediate family as will spend time with friends as will not hold themselves to a traditional gathering at all. As my son gets older, the day means more to him as well, and he remembers the small moments that make a lasting positive impact. While the fact it is a holiday can make it memorable, the day of gather itself represents something that is culturally important and a key component to developing your sense of self–traditions.

Traditions are a big deal. Now, I am guessing my definition of tradition is different than many reading this article. For some, traditions are tied to a specific location, or an event, or the group, that needs to be consistent in its design and outcome to feel like the tradition is intact. My personal belief in how traditions impact a person’s life connect closely to the definition of the word: “the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way”. This doesn’t mean an event or holiday needs to include the same people, food, experiences, and outcomes to be a tradition. It means the tradition brings those involved closer together through shared emotions, organically creating a means to string together yet another special series of similar moments. Traditions bring familiarity, love, togetherness, experience, and most importantly—a platform to pass each of these from person to person, and generation to generation.

Gustav Mahler said, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” Think about that for a minute. Think about the moments in your life that contributed to the person you are today, the memories that force a smile each time they enter your thoughts; those impactful experiences where you preserved and passed down ‘fire’ to the most important people in your life. Chances are many of those were traditions. From attending hockey games with your son to gathering around the table with family at Thanksgiving to that annual camping trip you look forward to each summer, we all preserve fire with our families and friends in our own way.

During each Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate, we preserve fire with each other, and especially the youngest generation. Some years might include more extended family, or my dad attempting a new way to cook the turkey (which is both amazing and delicious at the same time), a different venue, or even holding it on a day other than Thanksgiving Day…but the core values and sense of togetherness we create stays the same. And this is what truly matters to us as adults, and to the children who cherish and remember these moments. In addition, whether they realize it at the time or not, these moments create a solid foundation as they grow older, and contributes to their internal compass. As they experience their own obstacles, challenges, and ‘forks in the road’, what we each take from our ‘tradition memories’ provide valuable input to making decisions and taking action that represent the best version of ourselves.

We each hold these traditions close to our hearts, and I encourage everyone to find ways to make special moments, events, outings, and gatherings into traditions. Even if decades down the road the people we shared those traditions with are no longer in our lives, we preserved fire with them, and we can continue to pass it on to those we love, who can build and expand that flame in their own lives. I know I look forward to adding logs to our Thanksgiving fire again this year.

We all know what LEGOs are. The vast majority of us have at least held one of those tiny plastic bricks in our hands. And for many of us, LEGOs were a memorable part of our childhood (and possibly adulthood too).

It doesn’t take a toy fanatic to grasp the truly fascinating story of LEGO. Their operation is top-notch, driven mainly by robots and automated processes. This also speaks to the improbable fact that when the box says that Police Station set I’m about to build has 1126 pieces, all different in color, size and function, those 1126 pieces are there. Their yield quality is incredibly high, adding to the more-than-satisfactory experience. We all expect the pieces inside the box create the fantastic image on the outside of the box, and LEGO delivers, each and every time. Most of us work for companies that could take a few yield and quality pages out of this playbook!

I grew up loving LEGOS. I loved the sets, completing pirate ships and police cars and gear and pulley driven Ferris wheels. To the same degree I loved the loose piece sets, which foster creativity, imagination, and countless hours of construction potential. I built castles and bridges and houses and vehicles and jails and thief hideouts and towers and…..you get the idea. The only limitations were my imagination and not having enough of the precise pieces I needed!

In my professional life, I’ve worked in various industries and roles, including product design, quality, and product management. Each of those functions appreciate the LEGO machine for various reasons, but the kid in me shines through the most when I now open up one of these boxes with my son. At seven years old, he passed the ‘Duplo stage’ years ago, and a lot faster than the side of the box recommends, partially due to my excitement to share the experience of building intricate sets with him. His love of building, superheroes and creating stories  has grown exponentially, and I knew he would love the challenge and the result. Plus, his Hulk and Thor mini-figures need somewhere to meet for LEGO coffee and discuss saving the world. How could they not?

I was impressed with my son from the start. At three, he was assembling these ‘big kid’ LEGOs, with some assistance from dad on the complicated sections, but with no shortage of passion. He loved to build a vehicle, then take a break to test it out. Then we would build part of a structure, and take a break to make sure the superheroes or police officers would be proud to call it home before moving on to the next section. Watching his creativity unfold and his fine motor skills improve with each subsequent set is a wonderful thing to watch as a parent. Regardless of the future profession he chooses, he is learning and polishing skills that will extrapolate and benefit him for life. This is the magic of LEGO, and other interactive, imaginative, idea-spawning toys such as MagnaTiles and even classics like Lincoln Logs. He is building cognitive ability, unleashing his creative mind, and having the time of his life…all in unison.

In the four years since introducing him to that first Batman set, we have built up a fun collection. He loves to build them all, break them apart, build them again, smash them in an epic superhero/villain battle, build them into something completely different…build, disassemble, repeat. The backstories he creates each time are worthy of network television. The fact that Hulk sometimes just wants to go hop in a camper with the police officers and drive to the Arctic set to see the polar bears…are story lines I could listen to all day. Part of the enjoyment in having an eclectic collection of sets is the way they interact in his mind, and the way the stories always end with the robber mini-figures landing in jail and the good guy mini-figures celebrating together.

LEGOs are an incredible toy option for kids…and adults. I still love that my son can stroll into our local LEGO Store, and just create custom mini-figures, each with their own history and character. This ability to create with his hands and invent a backstory for the characters never gets old. I’m sure it is only a matter of time before he convinces me we have to start getting into the Jurassic Park/World sets now…because why wouldn’t the Indominous Rex want to play with the Avengers and the LEGO CITY construction workers. It just makes sense.

Happy building!