Nintendo Franchises That Need To Be Revived
Nintendo isn't beyond revisiting its past successes. After years in development limbo, "Metroid Dread" received a release date for the Nintendo Switch. YouTube commenters went wild, celebrating a return to side-scrolling "Metroid" games. The enthusiasm "Metroid Dread" received shows that Nintendo has the potential to revive long dead series successfully, creating a renaissance of reimagined Nintendo classics.
Some Nintendo series, like "Mario" or "Zelda," receive constant praise and attention, but Nintendo has access to many franchises that could be potential hits, even years after their initial release. Advancements in hardware could make older titles shine even brighter on the Switch and pave the way for fresh installments for long forgotten IP.
While there's no indication that Nintendo will revive any of these older franchises, gamers can always dream. Maybe one day we'll get to relive our pilot fantasies on the latest Nintendo console or solve mysteries in a reemergent genre.
1080 Snowboarding
While gamers like Kotaku's Ben Bertoli consider "Snowboard Kids" the hidden gem of '90s winter sports games, the "1080" series offers just as many thrills, albeit in a slightly more realistic way.
Ben Sillis at Redbull Gaming argued that "1080 Snowboarding" broke into uncharted territory for Nintendo. Unlike the goofy "Snowboard Kids," "1080 Snowboarding" sought to deliver a more realistic experience to N64 players. For example, after executing a trick in the air and landing, players had to then successfully stick that landing, grabbing onto their boards for stability. Additionally, the characters in "1080 Snowboarding" are real people, not anthropomorphic animals, and the game relies on athletic skills, not items used in combat.
When "1080 Snowboarding" first appeared in the late 1990s, fast and fun sports games were all the rage, but trends have since swung the other way and gamers enjoy realistic gaming experiences right alongside more fantastical ones. With esports coming to the Olympics, there's no reason not to revive "1080 Snowboarding" for a new generation of adrenaline-seeking gamers.
Another Code
"Another Code" and its sequel reinvented the point-and-click mystery genre by taking the fun to the Nintendo DS, which, with its dual touchscreens, allowed players to investigate the scene of the crime firsthand. As Ashley Mizuki Robbins, gamers explored an island of puzzles and mysteries. "Another Code" used the DS' innovative touchscreen to represent puzzles and rooms, allowing players to literally point and click their way through the game.
While touchscreens may seem like old news now, they were revolutionary at the time. The Gaming Brit pointed out that games like "Another Code," which released in 2005, served as the first touchscreen experience for many people, especially since touchscreen phones didn't appear for another few years after the DS hit the scene.
Fans have posted on Reddit in search of games like "Another Code," indicating that there's some demand for more point-and-click style adventures. Considering the "Ace Attorney" series produced one of the greatest games for the Nintendo 3DS and will soon be revived on the Switch via the North American release of "Great Ace Attorney," Nintendo might want to consider bringing back its other tactile mystery series.
Pilotwings
A cautionary tale that illustrates why you might want to avoid buying a console at launch, the Nintendo 64 went on the market with only two games: "Super Mario 64" and "Pilotwings 64." While that may sound shocking to gamers accustomed to a variety of choices, "Pilotwings" and "Mario" kept fans busy, providing quality gaming experiences on the new system. The "Pilotwings" series started on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, eventually making its way to the N64 and the Nintendo 3DS, and focused on flight simulation. Players could use a variety of airborne vehicles to explore lush, rolling landscapes or busy island locales.
Modders found evidence that the original "Pilotwings" would appear on the Switch's virtual console, and that wish eventually came true, allowing gamers to experience Nintendo's take on a flight simulator yet again. Soon after "Pilotwings" returned to gamers' minds, "Microsoft Flight Simulator" broke records and received positive critical attention when it released in 2020. In other words, the gaming market is ripe for a flight sim comeback. Considering how aviation technology and gaming technology has progressed since the last "Pilotwings" game, there's no telling what breathtaking views players might be treated to with a Switch version of the famous flight sim.
Mother (EarthBound)
"Mother," known as "EarthBound" in North America, fought the odds and became a weird cult classic. Even though the Nintendo Switch Online Library has grown steadily, adding a few obscure gems along the way, "EarthBound" remains absent. The touching tale has everything a gamer could want: baseball bats, aliens, and friendship among a cast of odd characters. "EarthBound" influenced a slew of RPGs, including "Undertale," yet many gamers can't experience its unique voice for themselves due to the franchise's scarcity.
Gamers love the "Mother" series for its quirky humor, and Nintendo has no problem using "Mother" characters in its other franchises, like "Super Smash Brothers." However, fans have spent so long waiting for another "Mother" game that they've had to take matters into their own hands by creating a spiritual successor to the quirky series. If Nintendo chose to bring back "Mother," creating a new game for the Switch, it would likely have guaranteed sales and maybe even attract a whole new generation of RPG fans.