Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

@PikminMarioKirby
I don't think another expansion tier makes sense. I can see them adjusting the pricing and/or shuffling the systems around sure. But three tiers is too complicated

I can see a scenario where N64 and GBA shuffle down to the standard tier and new systems are added above to replace them. I can also see a scenario on a future NSO where it's less per-system and more per-game. More of like a second "shop" you can browse and add classic and other games if you have a subscription. That'd solve both the tricksy value questions with titles like Goldeneye but also storage questions with GC and Wii games

Also I'd love it if we didn't have these apps polluted with those special editions of games. I don't want that and I certainly don't want it taking up additional space on the menu

@PikminMarioKirby @FragRed I think it'll all come down to how Nintendo approaches remasters/remakes with Switch 2. If they pull the PS5 trick and focus on remastering Switch 1 games to fill in the gaps (e.g. choosing to remaster BotW and TotK instead of porting over WWHD and TPHD from Wii U) then GCN/DS/Wii/3DS NSO seems likely.

But if they focus on remastering/remaking games that aren't already playable on Switch, then it seems more likely that Nintendo finds some different way to create NSO value than adding new consoles.

@skywake I don’t really think a 3rd tier makes complete sense either, but it just feels like something Nintendo would do 😆

I’d love if NSO games were individually downloadable instead. Would be very useful especially if we get to GameCube/Wii where the file sizes will be bigger. I’d say the majority of NES and SNES games could be removed for me as there’s a ton of games on those (many of which I’m not that interested in). I’d also really like to see the option of having selected individual downloaded games on the Switch/Switch 2 menu.

@GrumbleVolcano I feel like we wouldn’t be getting backwards compatibility for them just to remaster those games. I personally wouldn’t care about Switch 2 if we get 1st/2nd party Switch ports/remasters. It would just take away from real remasters and new games.

I could see early Nintendo Switch 2 getting some Wii ports and maybe later there will be more of a 3ds focus.

A 3rd tier would be a disaster and I don't even think Nintendo would do that, it'd be way too complicated to manage 3 tiers and I don't think they'd get enough subscribers on all 3 tiers to justify it. Worst I could see is dropping the standard tier, making the Expansion Pass the new standard, and making a new Expansion Pass that's even more expensive and exclusive to Switch 2. So the new tiers would be a standard tier that's $50/year and includes N64, Genesis, and GBA, and an Expansion Pass that's more expensive (like $75-$100/year) and includes new systems like GC, DS, etc. 3 tiers would be unnecessary and convoluted, if they want more money for more content they'll probably just reorganize it and jack up the prices like this. That's the more likely way they'd disappoint/anger fans by continuing to provide poor value for their online services.

I’m still in the camp that Nintendo stands to gain more by outright remaking gamecube titles rather than including them on NSO.

@VoidofLight They've pretty much exhausted what they can do for GC remakes. Most of what's left is too unprofitable to actually get a remake. Those kinds of games need a service like NSO to see the light of day again.

@Bolt_Strike They could always remake Twilight Princess. Like an actual full-on remake. Not just a horrid texture pack.

@Bolt_Strike I think Prime 2, Wind Waker (via the Wii U remaster), Twilight Princess (via the Wii U remaster) and Luigi's Mansion are very likely candidates for port/remaster/remake. After that it's a case of could go either way like for example Star Fox Assault would be a very good candidate for a remaster but considering how tied Nintendo is to Star Fox 64, it feels like Nintendo may end up doing another reimagining of Star Fox 64.

@Grumblevolcano Interestingly, the "Ship of Harkinian" developers (behind the native Steam modded Ocarina of Time) have recently announced they plan to undertake a similar scope of work with Starfox 64 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjGSFdQcNEs

I have a deck, alongside a Switch, and recently played the OoT native Linux/Steam mod version - it was genuinely incredible. From the remastered controls (fully mappable, and also ability to free-move the camera!!!) to the upscaled graphics + QoL features, it was immaculate.

Can't wait to see what they do with SF64. I just wish Nintendo would do something official in a similar vein

Nearly every remake of a 3D game has been little more than a "horrid texture pack". They don't seem interested in doing much to actually remake 3D games, they mainly just touch up the graphics and resell the game for $60. You're unlikely to get an actual remake of Twilight Princess.

Prime 2 is probably the only viable GC remake left. At that point you're just doing re-remakes and they're probably going to end up like DKCR so why bother? Putting them on NSO just feels so much more economical.

@Bolt_Strike Ehh, Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora's Mask 3D actually were full on remakes though. The models were actually changed. Twilight Princess HD just swapped out textures and that was it. I'm hoping we get a full on remake that's on the same level as Metroid Prime's remake and Paper Mario TTYD. Something with a new score as well as better graphics.

@VoidofLight Graphical changes overall feel pointless. Especially for 3D games where the improvements are less noticeable and you have issues with diminishing returns from graphical improvements from generation to generation. The difference between remaking textures vs. remaking models feels insignificant, I would put all of those games in the same tier of being lazy, copy/paste jobs. A REAL remake to me would be more like Metroid Zero Mission/Samus Returns, the Pokemon remakes not named Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, Mario 64 DS, and the Switch remake of Mario vs. DK. Those games actually made significant improvements to gameplay and content instead of just redoing the graphics and ignoring everything else.

@Bolt_Strike The thing is that Twilight Princess doesn't need a mechanical shift. It needs an actual graphical remake. The game does not hold up well at all, and the HD version is just painting over the mold. Animations need to be reworked and it would benefit the game massively if stone walls actually looked like stone instead of a flat sticker texture. The game also was made in mind for an orchestral score, but they went with midi music instead. It needs to be reorchestrated in order to actually do the OST justice.

Also, I count BDSP as a remake- as it's remaking the game from the ground up asset-wise in a new engine. What you consider remakes are reimaginings. HGSS and ORAS are reimaginings of those games, not remakes.

@Bolt_Strike I see Wind Waker and Twilight Princess being a simple double pack of the Wii U remasters much like Pikmin 1+2 was a simple double pack of the Wii ports. By your logic, Pikmin 1+2 would've been NSO only.

As for LM1, I think the key that makes port/remaster likely is the extra features that were added to the 3DS version. For example, the GCN version is completely single player only meanwhile the 3DS version you can play the entirety of the game in co-op. Adding LM1 to GCN NSO would just make it a single player only game again.

I genuinely just don’t want twilight princess to come to switch if they’re going to port over the lazy wii u version.

@VoidofLight I have never played any Zelda other than TotK, OoT, and OoA, and I only have beaten the first thus far. That said.... I completely agree! I hope it gets more sidequests, at least, as well as hopefully an update to the models, to make it more stylized rather than looking like cheap realism.

I'm actually not that in love with wind waker. I played it a few months ago for a replay and while the dungeons are great, it's one of the weaker 3d entries in the series. Probably my least favorite 3d entry.

Even though I've played through OoT a million times, I'd prefer a remake of that over any other in the series. I'd be happy with twilight though, too.

Having said all that, I'd probably still be lined up to buy WW again for a 3rd time 🤣

For Wind Waker, I felt the GCN version was one of the weaker Zelda entries because sailing is way too slow and the Triforce Quest is really obnoxious. But both of those got fixed in the Wii U remaster which moved the game up to like 3rd for me.

Twilight Princess is definitely my favourite Zelda game though I do prefer the Wii U remaster over the original because the added content was neat and I liked the concept of using the Wii U Gamepad as a map and inventory management. While a Switch port would lose that Gamepad functionality, it would allow you properly use Wolf Link in BotW on Switch without needing a Wii U.

@CaleBoi25 The realism isn’t my issue since it’s stylized enough as is. My gripe is mainly with the lack of orchestration mixed with the visuals.

I think Twilight Princess looks great in 2024 - it's a good balance of stylised and realism and graphically I think I prefer it to Skyward Sword (which I think went a bit too far with the watercolour aesthetic at points).

Do agree that it could benefit from an orchestral OST though. But either way I'm dying to play it on Switch / Switch 2.