The Switch Lite models are lovely little machines, aren’t they? Perfect if you don’t play on the TV. We thought the original three turquoise, yellow, and grey colours were all pretty swish, but the fourth colour, coral \u2014 released in April 2020 \u2014 was a very different but welcome addition to the line-up. And, as it turns out, the inspiration for the colour came from a very big 2020 game.<\/p>\n

In a Nintendo keyword article, which has been translated by Jarop for Nintendo Everything, Nintendo designer Sakai Yuriko shared that Animal Crossing: New Horizons served as the inspiration for the console.<\/p>\n

Yuriko was aware that the game would be launching before the console, but he wanted something to match the aesthetic and mood of the series. And a warm colour \u2014 like the coral \u2014 was perfect.<\/p>\n

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“The concept behind the Nintendo Switch Lite is a small, light, and easy-to-use device, but it\u2019s also a kind of fashion accessory \u2013 like shoes or a purse, it\u2019s something you show off when you\u2019re out and about. The idea for the new color came from playing the Animal Crossing series. Looking through the potential candidates, we decided that pink would be a good choice, as there weren\u2019t any warm colors on the existing line-up.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Yuriko wanted the shade of pink to be a different one from the neon-coloured Joy-Con that came out alongside Splatoon 2, and acknowledged that pink could be a “divisive” colour, but felt that the warmer coral balanced out the other three choices, and was also “well-suited to the Animal Crossing franchise, with its yellowish tinge that evokes the excitement that spring brings”.<\/p>\n

Well, we couldn’t agree more! And Nintendo obviously recognised that as one of the coral bundles comes with a copy of Animal Crossing, It’s the perfect poolside game, the perfect relaxing game, and the perfect summer-coloured console!<\/p>\n

We’ve since had a fifth colour in the Switch Lite line-up \u2014 a rather lovely blue that reminds us a bit of the GameCube \u2014 along with a few limited designs for Pok\u00e9mon Sword & Shield and Pok\u00e9mon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, but what if there was a sixth colour, a Yoshi green?<\/p>\n

Do you have a coral Switch Lite? Have you played a lot of Animal Crossing: New Horizons on it? Let us know!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n