With a high profile game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the horizon, you’re probably very excited. Now, with 70+ fighters you may have wondered — do Nintendo games feature people of color?
Why yes friends, Nintendo games do feature people of color. This is what inspired me to create this list.
Now, Nintendo as a gaming company avoids diversity issues with their games. Well, mainly because they don’t speak about it. All things considered, you don’t really think ill of their games or business model.
They also seemingly employ diverse individuals whom we see often. So diversity shortcomings in turn doesn’t come to mind for most fans. This doesn't mean that their games can’t/shouldn’t be criticized for lack of representation. The industry as a whole should be held to that critism, among others.
Most people give Nintendo a diversity pass because major franchise games are developed in Japan. But other Japanese developers still have games that feature people of color, so that’s a pretty weak defense…especially in 2018 with a very global gaming company.
With diversity and inclusion optics mean a lot. At some point you, maybe your kids, or someone else will/may have asked; where are the characters that look like me?
