On Saturday August 19, the Nintendo Switch Cinema Experience was held at Sherbrooke’s Orford Drive-In, an event organized by Nintendo of Canada. Shared Screen was fortunate enough to attend as a VIP guest, to discover the activities on site and to view the Super Mario Bros movie projected on the large outdoor screen. A colorful summer experience that brought together many Nintendo fans, despite the rain!
The weather was far from optimal, but that didn’t stop many families from coming to celebrate with Nintendo of Canada, which was more than ready to welcome them all. The marquees housed many Nintendo Switch monitors and consoles where young and old were able to compete in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and discover Pikmin 4 and Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom .
Fun, discovery and competition
Dedicated staff were on hand to answer players’ questions and explain the games to novices. I was able to discover the world of Pikmin for the first time, accompanied by a knowledgeable lady who was able to explain the game to me and give me pointers as I progressed. She also told me that the free demo of Pikmin 4 on the Nintendo eShop offers almost 3 hours of gameplay, and that players’ progress can be transferred if they decide to buy the game! This convinced me to install it when I got home. Free cardboard hats were also handed out, which put a smile on everyone’s face on this gray day. I jumped at the yellow Pikmin hat, which was absolutely adorable.
At 8 p.m., everyone was invited to take part in a special Nintendo Quiz from their cell phones, using a QR code. The quiz was projected onto the drive-in screen and hosted by a Nintendo team member, whose voice was broadcast over the radio.
The quiz was followed by a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournament, once again projected onto the big screen and with live commentary. TThe winners then took their place on the Nintendo podium for a photo opportunity. The film screening began at around 8:30 p.m., leaving plenty of time for everyone to grab a delicious popcorn or BeaverTail from the drive-in canteen!
VIP treatment
I was lucky enough to meet briefly with Julie Gagnon from Nintendo Canada, who handed me a bag of goodies before the film screening. The bag contained a superb Mario Bros blanket, a pack of Nintendo-exclusive Oreo cookies, and a small set of Lego Koopa. I was able to enjoy the movie wrapped up in a warm blanket after the rain while eating Oreos, a real VIP treatment!
The Super Mario Bros movie was visually stunning and hit the nostalgia mark hard: the music, the references to the many games in the Mario franchise since its inception and the humor delighted young and old gathered for the event. All in all, it was a successful event that put a smile on everyone’s face and brought them together in a playful atmosphere despite the gloomy weather. Who’d have thought that the outdoors and video games could go so well together? An experience we hope to repeat every year!
Couldn’t make it to the Nintendo Switch Cinema Experience at Sherbrooke’s Ciné-parc Orford? Don’t worry, this isn’t an isolated event, as two identical events took place in July at Ontario drive-ins. Nintendo fans in British Columbia will have the chance to experience a similar event again this summer, as the Nintendo Switch Cinema Experience will be at the Fresh Air Cinema: Richmond Oval on September 2 and 3, in Richmond. Visit Nintendo’s website to book your tickets, or watch for notifications so you don’t miss anything next summer!
