Hey, kids. Have you ever dreamed of owning a Jeep? Well, Nintendo is now making that a reality… sort of. The company announced earlier today that they’ll soon be releasing their brand-new “Jeep Simulator” for their Nintendo Switch. The game was previously tested as a beta version on the Nintendo Wii in the mid-2000s. The video game is expected to hit North American stores later this spring.
The video game is a real-life simulation of what it’s like to actually own a Jeep vehicle. Fans of all ages will now get to play through the entire Jeep-owning experience. Normally, for children, this is an opportunity they would not come across for several years. Now, they’ll have plenty of experience owning a Jeep before they even have their license!
“Children around the world have dreamed of owning a Jeep,” Nintendo said in a statement. “Now, they’ll be able to imagine themselves driving around in the rugged SUV thanks to the “Jeep Simulator.” Due to this unique video game offering, these individuals will be fully prepared to purchase a 2018 Jeep Wrangler in Keene, New Hampshire or a 2030 Jeep Patriot in Tokyo, Japan. This is the most realistic car-owning simulation on the market, and our intent is to fully prepare our players for the impending owning experience.”
What does the game encompass? Well, for starters, the player will have to complete the “buying process,” which includes comparing prices from multiple dealerships. At this point, they’ll have to overcome the first boss level, otherwise known as the “evil salesman.” This level will see the player dealing with pesky negotiations, and they’ll have to ignore the salesman’s advances to add luxury amenities to the ride.
Once the player has completed the level, they’ll get to drive around town in their new Jeep… briefly.
**SPOILER ALERT AHEAD**
After having exceeded 100 miles on the virtual odometer, the player’s Jeep will come across some type of worrisome mechanical issue. The player will then have to either purchase microtransactions via the online store to fix the Jeep, or the game is over. Assuming the player continues to make additional purchases, the Jeep will once again be usable…
…briefly. This is basically the entire game. Players will fix up their Jeep in order to drive another several hundred miles, but they’ll quickly come across more mechanical problems. You better hope you have a deep wallet because you’ll have to continually purchase replacement parts via the Nintendo Switch store.
“This game is revolutionary in its realism,” Nintendo continued. “Never before has the video game community seen a car simulator that truly reflects the real-life owning experience of a particular vehicle.”
While the video game is being lauded for its realism, some video game fans aren’t too happy with the inclusion of the microtransactions. Joey, a 22-year-old Switch fan, acknowledged that he was initially excited about the game, despite the fact that he could literally go buy a Jeep due to his age.
“I thought the simulator provided me with a unique opportunity to see what it was like owning a Jeep,” he said. “However, when I began to see how Nintendo was stealing money out of our pockets, I was less enthused…I guess I’ll still probably buy the game. I’m not happy, though!”
The “Jeep Simulator” will sell for $59.99 when it initially hits shelves, with virtual car parts costing anywhere from $20 to $200.
