As a minimalist, I tend to flatter myself that I am especially frugal. I rarely waste money on things that are not essential or will not somehow improve my life. But when it was announced that a new Donkey Kong 3D platforming game was going to be released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2, I knew it was a matter of time before I broke down and bought a system.

I resisted at first. While I have fond childhood memories of Nintendo, as an adult I find myself being really displeased with many of the decisions they make, especially when it comes to things like stifling emulation, threatening developers and streamers, and using laws like the DMCA to prevent users from actually exercising ownership over the devices they have purchased.

My dislike of Nintendo is outmatched only by my lifelong obsession with Donkey Kong and the wider DK Universe. My love for Donkey Kong knows almost no bounds, and any time there is a genuine effort by a game studio to release a new DK title, you can rest assured that I will do whatever necessary to play it. Even if it means shelling out six hundred bucks for a completely unnecessary console and a copy of the game.

Having now spent a few weeks with the Nintendo Switch 2, I have to say that I’m not particularly enamored with it. I don’t feel a sense of buyer’s remorse— if I had it to do over again, I would still purchase it to experience the joy of playing through Donkey Kong Bananza and sharing that joyful experience with the rest of the Kongmunity (a Bananza-centered blog post will be coming very soon)— but I also don’t feel a strong attachment to the console. Unless I find a compelling reason to keep it, I’m likely going to offer it up for sale in the coming weeks. The only real hesitation I have about doing so is that the price of a system will likely be raised again due to tariffs, and there is still a chance that additional Donkey Kong games or even DLC for Bananza might be on the horizon within this console’s lifetime.

If there’s any guilt I feel, it’s not in purchasing the console itself, but instead financially supporting a company that is actively working against my own self interests. The truth is, I would rather not purchase any Nintendo devices, games, or accessories. Below is a list (with links) of some of the actions Nintendo has taken in recent years of which I am opposed:

Nevertheless, I did purchase a Nintendo console, and I have to reckon with the fact that my funds will be going to further those causes and generally enrich an organization that I believe is fundamentally detrimental to many of the digital rights causes I believe in.

That’s not to completely discredit them as a company. Nintendo still make what many would argue are, and I would tend to agree, the best overall video games for the widest audience. While many game studios and independent developers are able to craft genuine works of art that are a joy to play through, Nintendo is still able to design games that are imaginative, fun, and appealing to adults, children, and everyone in between. When it comes to the idea of “play,” perhaps it’s still the case that no other company understands the core mechanics quite like Nintendo.

Ultimately, I have little use for the Nintendo Switch 2. Most of the games I like to play have PC/Steam counterparts as well, which I tend to prefer. Unlike Nintendo, which is often working against the well-being of the ecosystems I’m interested in, Valve has invested countless dollars and engineering resources into helping expand not only the Linux gaming ecosystem, but Linux as a whole. If I only have so many dollars to allocate for gaming, I’d much rather my money support the latter.

Plus, I really hate how Nintendo insists on mapping the Jump button to “A”, which is the right-most button on their controllers. Everyone knows the bottom button on the right half of the controller should always be jump (what Nintendo would call “B”, but the rest of the world would call A, or perhaps X).

So yes, I made a decision that will benefit Nintendo. But honestly, I think it’s still a decent decision that will benefit others. Assuming I am able to sell the console for around $400, I will have made back almost all of the money I originally put towards it. Some kid who otherwise might not be able to afford a new system can get a Switch 2, practically brand-new, at a steep discount. And for me, I was able to spend dozens of hours on a new adventure with my favorite character in my favorite franchise, and it will have only cost me about a hundred bucks. That’s a better value than a trip to the movies, or a day at an amusement park — and I didn’t even have to leave my living room.