Topic: What will he the big release of this year? Since we won't be finding out today

You make a good point, from my perspective Mario ports would be a big release, there are some of them I haven't played yet, and I'd love to revisit some I have. I imagine a majority of people on this forum would also buy them.

I'm just saying I'm not sure the wider gaming community, casual Switch owners and hard core gaming switch owners who have multiple consoles etc would see older mario ports as must have purchases? I think they will sell really well, but are they a tent pole/hardware selling release? However, could it be argued with the evergreen titles the switch has, plus the huge library, is one needed?

@MarioBrickLayer "However, could it be argued with the evergreen titles the switch has, plus the huge library, is one needed?" I've got no idea what you're trying to say here, you think the Switch doesn't need releases on it?

Hardcore gamers and casual Switch owners are probably the ones who will buy it the most, just look at the business Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy did as the hardcore Crash fans weren't the only ones buying it and Crash is not on the magnitude of Mario. If anything I can see the die hard Nintendo fans are probably the most reluctant to buy remasters as they are still playing it with the Gamecube and N64 controller and even then they will probably double dip.

Pikmin 4

[quote=jump]

You make a good point, from my perspective Mario ports would be a big release, there are some of them I haven't played yet, and I'd love to revisit some I have. I imagine a majority of people on this forum would also buy them.

I'm just saying I'm not sure the wider gaming community, casual Switch owners and hard core gaming switch owners who have multiple consoles etc would see older mario ports as must have purchases? I think they will sell really well, but are they a tent pole/hardware selling release? However, could it be argued with the evergreen titles the switch has, plus the huge library, is one needed?[/quote/]

Good point! From the eyes of Nintendo and the casual gamer, yeah, the remasters are a big release. But it is just recycled content no matter how you slice it. There are a core end of Nintendo fans who will buy it, even tho they played it, just because it is Nintendo. Then there are casuals like me who will buy it bc it is new.

But I can see a large group of Nintendo fans thinking, "This again?!?!?"

This is how I feel about all the WiiU ports. Seems like they are passing off old content for new and patting themselves on the back of you ask me.

@jump The big launch game was a dual-release. Whether it originated on the Switch or not isn't really the same as releasing a game that was already accessible elsewhere as a big event.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for ports of games I haven't had the ability to play (SMT III: Nocturne is something that made me super excited), but I don't think BotW should be considered a port within the context of this discussion.

@link3710 You can call BOTW a multi-platform release rather than a port if you really want but if the notion is that the games exclusivity to the platform is important to its status as a big release than nothing has changed still.

@jump Ah I see. BotW is still exclusive to the Nintendo ecosystem, however. On top of that, if you want to say only the Wii U release counted (which is... odd but whatever), it still launched on the same day, so it would still be a major release. I don't think you can neglect it's exclusivity entirely just because it's not a full exclusive, especially when it was such a system seller at launch.

I'm not saying all games that are major releases have to be exclusives btw. Dragon Quest XI, Final Fantasy VII, Doom, Witcher 3, Hollow Knight, Fortnite, Overwatch, Crash and Spyro trilogies, basically every Wii U port, there were a lot of notable releases to be found that are multiplatform, yet it's hard to say they didn't contribute in a notable way to making the console a successful platform. But exclusivity does help boost the notability of a release, it doesn't explicitly make it notable or not notable. For example, the jump rope game is exclusive, but not notable.

@link3710 so if BOTW is an “Nintendo Ecosystem exclusive” then the same applies to the Mario games seeing as they aren’t on other platforms.

I’m finding it a bit ridiculous that people are on a Nintendo site trying to argue that Mario games aren’t a big deal.

@jump I mean, yeah. They're a big deal relative to say, mmm Witcher 3. Which while also being unarguably a major title (It sold like, 14 million copies or something), is less of a big deal than Mario 64 + Sunshine + Galaxy coming over. But they're less of a big deal than something like Super Mario Odyssey 2, which is a brand new experience not available elsewhere. It's all relative.

Actually kind of surprised that people wouldn't be amped for the remasters. For me it's twofold, assuming the rumor is true (I was quite skeptical until recently).

• I haven't played any of these games in a really long time. For Mario 64 and Sunshine it's been more than 15 years. For Galaxy, more than 10. I'd love to replay them and all
• Nintendo doesn't half-ass remasters. Going all the way back to Super Mario All-Stars, they're usually amazing. Link's Awakening, Metroid Zero Mission/Samus Returns, OOT/MM for 3DS, Mario 64 DS... the list goes on and on. What I'd expect here it something on the level of porting the old game assets/maps/characters into the Super Mario Odyssey engine. And some new content on top of that. The potential to be amazing.

Since the rumor states Nintendo plans to re-release most of the games from Mario’s 35 year history. Is there a good chance of Mario games from the NES and Super NES era will be re-released as well?

@Don they are already on the Switch as part of the online subscription.

@Don @Jump I can't see them releasing any NES or SNES games, as @jump says, there can all be played via the online service.

I would like to see a New Super Mario Bros release though, New Super Mario Bros 1 + 2 and New Super Mario Bros Wii. I'd hope they could all be remastered pretty easily? Hopefully they could reuse something from New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe.

I find MK 9 an interesting point. Personally, I don't understand why they would release a new MK when the current one is always in the top 10 sales charts. In the simplest terms, why bother with a new one when the current one still sells like hotcakes? Might as well prioritise something else.

Also, any mention of Star Fox gets a +1 from me - would love a new game!

@bpapa2020 Pretty straightforward. Replaying the games on the original hardware continues to be possible, as Nintendo systems generally last a long time, unless the person in question decided never to play them again and sold them. For newcomers, Nintendo’s back catalogue should be available through virtual console and/or backward compatibility (which they did for a while until they realized just how many people could be cucked into buying the same game over and over again). The ports will also be sold at an $80 price despite not having $80 worth of new content (worst is when they add just enough new content so you’re missing out if you don’t buy it, but still not $80 worth). I’d rather they spend all of their development resources on games that are new for everyone. Why settle for less?

Eventually it will peak. Core fans have lots long since been burned out. If AC sold 15 million so fast, imagine how much this would sell?

@meisthemunch Yup. They can literally do nothing and continue to make an insane amount of money on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. MK9 is best served for when it won't cannibalize those incredible MK8D sales. Perhaps that's in the Switch's lifetime, but it sure doesn't seem to be the case.

@Euler I hear you - if you're the kind who has the old consoles kicking around it makes sense that you may have re-played those games more recently than me. For the other use cases though: a VC ain't coming (sure seems like it isn't), and I think you might be underestimating what they would have up their sleeves if the rumors are true, Nintendo's level of effort into remasters is well exhibited. I think it would be really good. And if it's 3 really good remasters at one price (to be determined) I think that's certainly worth the full retail.

I still reckon Mario Kart Double Dash 2 or a HD remaster is more likely than Mario Kart 9. I believe (but not 100%) the Mario Kart team worked on Tour so I doubt they would have had enough time to be doing 9 for a release this year.

I have no idea how they work as far as teams, but is it possible that they started working on the next Mario Kart after the completion of MK8? Or at least started working on the mobile version then?

As far as MK8D, I still think a lot of the sales are due to the new buyers due to COVID and ACNH.... It's a natural second game to get. Eventually it it drop off as will sales in general for the Switch with new systems coming out. If they want to keep the fan base happy, they need more content, especially among the core fans.

Animal Crossing was the big release this year, and I'm sure it will sell extremely well throughout the Christmas season.