Celebrating 30 Years of Starlight Gaming

Since 1992, Starlight has partnered with Nintendo of America to deliver happiness to seriously ill kids through the power of play with Starlight Gaming. 

Together with Nintendo, we have delivered more than 7,200 Starlight Gaming Stations to hundreds of hospitals, bringing smiles to an estimated over 12 million seriously ill children and, over the course of thirty years, this program has become a key, innovative resource for healthcare providers. 

The Starlight Nintendo Gaming Station is specially manufactured to incorporate current gaming technology, from the beloved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to the modern handheld Nintendo Switch. With seven iterations of the Gaming Station and counting, this program is a testament to our commitment to advance our programs to meet the evolving needs and interests of hospitalized kids.

Video games deliver happiness to kids stuck in the hospital by providing entertainment and much-needed emotional support in stressful situations. With the support and dedication of Nintendo’s expert engineers, Starlight Gaming has always provided kids with a fun and familiar gaming experience, while also addressing the ever-changing needs of healthcare providers, from upgraded materials for increased sanitization, to making them even more portable. 

As we navigate this new landscape caused by a global pandemic, having an option for kids to play independently without feeling isolated is essential for our hospital partners. Starlight Gaming delivers happiness to seriously ill children by providing hours of fun and distraction playing Nintendo video games and streaming their favorite movies and TV shows through Netflix and Hulu. 

“The gaming stations are important distraction tools that normalize the health care environment and help kids through difficult experiences. They provide choices for kids, motivate them, and give them the opportunity to have fun when it is needed most.”  Julie Hertzog, CCLS, Mary Bridge Hospital

“Starlight Gaming has been a great aid in helping patients cope with hospitalization. We cannot thank Starlight enough for impacting the lives of our patients, families, and staff members on a daily basis.” Lexi Little, CCLS, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System 

Every year, donations from individuals and corporations fund the delivery of approximately 300 Starlight Gaming Stations to Starlight’s network of more than 800 children’s hospitals and other health care facilities. You can bring the joy of video games to hospitalized kids by sponsoring a Starlight Nintendo Gaming Station!