Switch Online Plaza
Switch Online Plaza is a social game developed by the Plaza Team, a collaboration consisting of Namco, Rare LTD, Gamefreak, and Hal Laboratory. It is a spiritual successor to Streetpass Mii Plaza for the Nintendo 3DS, now adapted for the Nintendo Switch 2.0 as a built-in application. The game acts as Nintendo's main social media platform, however, there are also several minigames players can take part in with their friends if they all have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The main purpose of the app is to streamline the process of making friends on the Switch while offering a unique twist that sets it apart from other social media apps. While critical reception was mixed, the app developed a thriving community that sees it as a must play for all Switch Online owners.
Gameplay
When first opening the app, players are prompted to create a Mii, this Mii will act as the avatar for the player in Switch Online Plaza and can be changed at anytime. The player is asked their favorite color, animal, and hobby, which influences certain mechanics in the various minigames of the Lobby. When first starting out you wake up in an empty apartment with only a bed matching your shirt color and some basic wallpaper. The bed is used to edit your Mii if you want to change it and is the only item that can't be removed in the apartment. When the player exits the apartment, they will enter the balcony, which contains several rooms:
Balcony
This is where you live, the place contains several helpful services and acts as the gateway towards the other floors:
Janitor's Closet: Enter this room to change your account settings, you also encounter Foreman Spike, now called Janitor Spike. Janitor Spike offers hints about the various minigames in exchange for the game's currency, Play Coins, he also shows the player's various stats and records in each game.
Help Desk: A stand that tells you the mechanics of each game is manned by Diskun, the mascot of the Famicom Disk System. Diskun and Janitor Spike are close friends, and talking to either of them can jump-start new conversations with the other.
Nester's News: Nester from Nintendo Power sells newspapers for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. These newspapers offer news about upcoming Nintendo games and other Nintendo-related events. Sometimes Nester wears different outfits to match any upcoming competition, such as a karate outfit during a Super Smash Bros. tournament, a summer outfit for the summer sale, or a turkey outfit for Black Friday, among other costumes for different events.
Elevator: The elevator takes you to various other floors of the apartment. These floors are either the Social Floors, Lobby, or the Gift Shop.
Apartment: In your house, you can decorate the apartment with the furniture you collected, put on different hats, and change the fonts of whatever you say.
Social Floors
Every game you have on the Switch will have it's own floor themed around it; certain games, mainly the ones made by Nintendo, will have special layouts and music. There are two parts to these floors, the Foyer, Art Room, and Trophy Hall. The Foyer is where you can chat with fellow gamers, you can either chat via text, or chat via Pictochat if you have it unlocked. When you chat with someone enough, they offer their Player Coins, which can be used to play the various minigames as well as visit that player's apartment. The Art Room is run by Nikki from Swapnote, who allows players to draw fanart of their favorite games, sometimes Nikki will run contests to see who can create the best art, and whoever wins gets a special trophy to hand in their apartments. Finally, the Trophy Hall shows achievements for each game, and earning certain achievements awards unique furniture, hats, and fonts for you to use.
Lobby
The Lobby houses the minigames of Switch Online Plaza; to play them, you need Player Coins, which influence the games in certain ways. The minigames are hosted by Arcade Bunny, and new ones will be added as the service gets updated. Minigames are added in waves, with the initial launch of the game being called Wave 1.
List of Minigames
Wave 1
Find Mii III
The classic adventure has returned. Save the seven lords from the evil Dark Master and their army of monsters. Summon warriors of many shades of colors to unlock the secrets of this lost land.
Retro Pinball
Play through an ever-increasing number of pinball boards, each based off a different Nintendo franchise. Each Player Coin is a ball of several colors, each with their own special trick shots."
Eco Warriors
Evil forces of pollution are destroying the environment; summon legendary beasts to help protect the forest in this tower defense game. Your forces will change based on the personal tastes of each Player Coin.
Gift Shop
Arcade Bunny also hosts this floor, this is where you can buy new furniture, wallpapers, and hats for you Mii to use in their apartments. Some furniture is seasonal, while others can be bought after playing certain games. You use Play Coins to buy these items, which can be collected after buying games at the Nintendo Eshop, playing the minigames in this app, or are given in small amounts once a day.