Nintendo fans have now discovered the developer behind the Switch 2 launch title Welcome Tour — a collection of mini-games that also serves as an interactive tutorial for the new console. Many have argued that this experience should have been offered for free.
Although the game itself doesn’t credit the developer, Mario Party specialist Nintendo Cube — previously known as NDCube — has updated its official website to confirm its involvement.
Nintendo Cube, a Tokyo-based Nintendo subsidiary founded in 2000, frequently oversees the company’s various mini-game compilation projects. It was responsible for the mediocre Wii Party (not to be confused with the more enjoyable Wii Play, which included a bundled Wii Remote) as well as the underwhelming Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival on Wii U.
More recently, Nintendo Cube released the solid Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics for the original Switch, followed by the infamous Everybody 1-2 Switch — a party game sequel that launched with little excitement and earned some of Nintendo’s lowest review scores in recent years. (“Everybody 1-2-Switch may be the first party game I’ve played where I finished with fewer friends than I started with,” noted IGN in its 4/10 review.)
However, Nintendo Cube is best known for its work on the Mario Party series. The studio took over as the primary developer starting with Mario Party 9 in 2012, and has continued with Mario Party 10, Mario Party Star Rush, Mario Party: The Top 100, Super Mario Party, and Mario Party Superstars.
Nintendo Cube’s next release is Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV — an enhanced version of Super Mario Party Jamboree optimized for the Switch 2. It takes advantage of the console’s mouse controls and optional camera accessory, and is scheduled to launch on July 24.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Slideshow
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Although priced as a budget title, Welcome Tour faced criticism for its heavy reliance on mouse-control games. To fully experience all content and earn gold medals, players need a camera peripheral, a Switch 2 Charging Grip or Pro Controller, and a 4K TV.
“Even if Welcome Tour had been bundled with the console as intended, its execution falls short — presenting a fragmented mix of simplistic tech demos and uninteresting trivia disguised as an underwhelming completionist checklist,” IGN stated in its Welcome Tour review.
