Topic: What Should Nintendo's IP Lineup Be?

So Nintendo mentioned in an interview that they want to focus on a mix of staple IPs and new IPs. So that got me thinking, what IPs should be kept and what new IPs should they create? Here is what I think they should do:

-2D Mario: It's time for a new era of 2D Mario, hopefully one that's more creative than NSMB. They could also turn Mario Maker into a level designer mode for the 2D games (just for the new game though, not for the older games from the first two Mario Makers), to give the game more longevity.
-3D Mario: Make Odyssey 2 and then the next gen game should be like Bowser's Fury
-2D Zelda: 3D Zelda gets all of the glory now, even doubly so now with BotW, but 2D still has its place
-3D Zelda: BotW is clearly the future for this series
-Pokemon: Pokemon continues to print money, so it's going to continue as long as Game Freak wants to keep making it
-Pokemon Legends: Legends is easily the most exciting Pokemon game in the last decade and actually seems to be the game Pokemon fans have been begging for. It's tough not to see this being a financial success (because it's Pokemon) and turning into a running subseries for Pokemon
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Mystery Dungeon has done juuust enough to keep going and it's Nintendo's only roguelike, so keep it going
-Mario Kart: Nintendo's highest selling IP isn't going anywhere
-Mario Kart World: Mario Kart releases about every 3 years and since Nintendo's shifted to a single hybrid console, it means there will now be more than one Mario Kart game per console. So in order to keep the series on a regular release schedule without cannibalizing sales, it might be best to create a subseries for Mario Kart. The most common sense idea would be to have an open world racing games like Forza Horizons, and could satisfy the requests for another game like Diddy Kong Racing.
-Animal Crossing: New Horizons was an utter phenomenon
-(Tom Nook Animal Crossing tycoon spinoff): As hugely successful as Animal Crossing is, it doesn't appeal to everyone. The dull, chore based nature of the gameplay can grate on people and feel repetitive. What would draw in more people to Animal Crossing would be a tycoon type of game (think Roller Coaster Tycoon/Planet Coaster, Zoo Tycoon, etc.), something where you manage something a little more exciting and try to manage businesses. Tom Nook would be the perfect star for this type of game.
-Splatoon: Splatoon's sales have cemented it as a Nintendo staple now. There could potentially be room for a spinoff, but I don't have a good idea for one (I guess it could go open world, but what does that really add that couldn't be done in a main game)
-(One Other Racing IP): Mario Kart sells insane numbers and the racing genre feels very samey right now (the entire genre right now is driving sims in a car/kart with the same drive/drift/boost mechanics), so it's ripe for experimentation. There's a couple of different options for things they could do different, they could do a foot racing game like Sonic R and work in some platforming mechanics, they could do a board racing game like 1080 Snowboarding or Sonic Riders which involves performing tricks, they could bring back Wave Race or Excitebike. Just... something that's not a generic driving racer.
-Luigi's Mansion: With Luigi's Mansion 3 being a surprising success and Next Level Games now owned by Nintendo, this series will certainly keep going
-Rosalina's Galaxy: A lot of people liked the Galaxy games and want a Galaxy 3, and there's a lot more that could be done with the Galaxy series. However, constantly having to develop sequels to Galaxy would feel too restrictive for Mario, so how about turning it into a Rosalina spinoff?
-Fire Emblem: Nintendo seems to love Fire Emblem so unless the sales go down again, it's going to keep going
-Mario Sports: There will always be more Mario sports games, but I'm not sure which ones and how many. Golf and Tennis seem like they'll continue, maybe they could also bring back Strikers as well?
-Mario Party: Super Mario Party is easily its best selling title, it's going to keep going
-Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong's sales are somewhat low and seems to have taken the back burner after Retro was pulled to work on Prime 4, but there's still enough sales for it to continue. I think maybe we see one more 2D entry to complete the trilogy with Returns/Tropical Freeze and then if they don't have any other ideas, maybe he 2D games take a backseat. However, they could experiment with a new gameplay style in 3D as a new subseries, one that's more of a hybrid platformer/beat em up, and if successful, they could bring some of these mechanics back to the 2D games.
-2D Kirby: As disappointing as Star Allies was, we'll probably see more of them. We know there's at least one more Kirby game in development.
-3D Kirby: This seems imminent given how HAL has been creeping closer and closer to this point.
-Xenoblade Chronicles: Sells well enough to keep going
-Duck Hunt: Duck Hunt recently came back into relevance because of Smash and with the Duck Hunt Duo mirroring Banjo-Kazooie, maybe Duck Hunt could go 3D platformer? They could definitely use more. Better yet, they could hybridize it with its original genre of shooter, think Banjo-Kazooie meets Metroid II/Samus Returns.
-Paper Mario: As much as people hate what Paper Mario's become, it still sells.
-Yoshi: Again, still sells even though people didn't like Crafted World that much, it'll keep going. Maybe it'll go 3D soon, but I'm not sure much will change with Yoshi anytime soon
-2D Metroid: Samus Returns didn't sell that well, but it had so much going against it and there's rumors of another 2D Metroid. I think this time 2D Metroid sells much better and continues
-3D Metroid: Usually when a series' back is against the wall and they go all out, it ends up being a success. I think Prime 4 ends up reviving Metroid and it continues
-Astral Chain: Technically a Nintendo IP because they own the rights.
-Warioware: It's still selling, and should keep going.
-Captain Toad: The Switch port sold well enough to continue and there's rumors that a second game is happening.

A few more I'm on the fence about:

-Smash Bros.: This one is more about Sakurai's health/interest than sales, Smash obviously sells well enough to continue. But Sakurai seems to be getting on in years, and there's going to be no topping Smash Ultimate, so might that be the series swan song?
-ARMS: It sold much less than Smash, but still enough to try a sequel. I think this gets at least one more entry, and then what happens next depends on the 2nd game's sales and whether or not Smash continues. I don't think both Smash and ARMS continue.
-Pikmin: 3 Deluxe sold 1 million, which should be enough to give 4 a chance, but beyond that if 4 doesn't do well, Pikmin may be done. No one at Nintendo except for Miyamoto seems to be particularly enthusiastic about Pikmin.
-Star Fox: Star Fox is on shaky ground and may or may not continue. I think if it has any hope of continuing, they'll want to base it on Starlink, maybe they could even let Ubisoft work on it.
-Ice Climbers: This might have a shot at revival because it fits the Switch, but IDK what to do with it. Maybe with the right idea it could make a comeback?

What are your thoughts on what IPs and series Nintendo should have?

@Bolt_Strike
For ARMS, make it sequel, add more new characters, add proper storyline, add custom character from head to toe until voice sample, add more mini games, add Boxing cardio workout mode, add Normal Boxing mode (their arms will not extended)

For Animal Crossing, make it spin off such as Tycoon games or Dragon Quest Builders style. Sport party games is welcome as long Boxing must be on it.

-3D Mario platformer
-2D Mario platformer that doesn't play exactly like the old Mario games (barring a one per system Mario Maker release)
-Mario Kart
-Paper Mario that can actually bother to decide if its an RPG or not
-Mario sports/Party
-Luigi's Mansion
-Wario Land or Ware*
-Something Donkey Kong*
-3D Zelda
-2D Zelda between spinoff games
-Kirby, going back and forth between platformers and spinoffs, like God intended
-Metroid Prime
-2D Metroid
-Smash Bros
-Pokemon with a good mix of old and new spinoffs
-Animal Crossing
-Splatoon
-Fire Emblem**
-Xenoblade
-Ring Fit
-Another racing series
-Mii focused games
-3+ IPs from the past (can change which IPs at potentially any time)
-Arms***
-Astral Chain***

*Wario Land means Rhythm Heaven can continue, Warioware means DKC can continue
**it should've been Advance Wars, but we don't live in a fair world : (
***should get a sequel, much less sure about after that

I wouldn't mind something like 3D World being the formula for the next "2D" style Mario game. 3D World is the best course-completion Mario game since World IMO.

@Bolt_Strike

-2D Mario, for sure, there's absolutely an install base for that.
-3D Mario: Bowser's Fury was well designed and there'd be a really good full sized game lying in there somewhere
-2D Zelda: Remaking the Oracle games should be a priority, I've heard they're extremely deserving of it.
-Pokemon: No matter how trash the games are they'll sell.
-Pokemon Legends: About time, how'd it take so long?
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: It's there or thereabouts. Not too special but an idea.
-Mario Kart: About time for a new game I'd think. It's time to take the series open world, or have some kind of true racing element.
-Animal Crossing: It can use a break, so hopefully we'll get a game packed with content next time.
-Splatoon: An excellent idea, so hopefully the third entry is good enough to satisfy everyone.
-Racing IP: 1080 Snowboarding or a new Excitebike game? I'm all for that.
-Fire Emblem: Remake some older games; Radiance / Radiant Dawn, Awakening port, Fates... it's all there.
-Mario Sports/Party: Not my thing at all, but if there's a market for it, go!
-Donkey Kong: Love the ideas, I think 2D Donkey Kong has used most of its potential. A hybrid beat 'em up sounds awesome.
-Kirby: Time for a new game.
-Xenoblade Chronicles: MONOLITH, make it happen right now.
-Smash Bros: The hype is ridiculous and the way the fighters are getting revealed it feels like a swansong.
-ARMS: It could merge with Ring Fit and become a fitness-combat series because of the emphasis on motion control.

They should be in a classic 4-4-2 formation.

Have Zelda in goal as they have the reach to be a good stopper.

The defence should be made up of Animal Crossing for their methodical approach and partnered with Star Fox that has more energy to cover for AC's slower pace.

The fullbacks should be Mario Kart and Smash Bros, they are reliable and can move down the field on the counter attack.

Midfield should be Fire Emblem and Pokemon, they have the range and tactical smarts to dictate the flow of play.

The wingers should be F-Zero and Splatoon to use their pace and agility down the wings.

Upfront should be Super Mario, they are big enough you can just knock the ball up the field to them and they normally smash it when they have their sight on goal and have Metroid to link play from midfield to Mario, they have the legs to endlessly run around the field and can shoot on target when given the chance.

On the bench should be Donkey Kong, Xenoblade, Wario, Luigi's Mansion and Arms. Yes, I'm cutting Pikmin from the squad, they have had their chance but they never score!

This reminds me, I forgot to put Pikmin in the maybes. 3 Deluxe sold 1 million, which should be enough to give 4 a chance, but beyond that if 4 doesn't do well, Pikmin may be done. No one at Nintendo except for Miyamoto seems to be particularly enthusiastic about Pikmin.

@kkslider5552000 Any specific ideas for which IPs they could bring back?

I'd like to see the third entry in the Sin & Punishment series some day.

Dare to dream.

I mean, we could kill 2 birds with 1 stone with F Zero, and there's several others I'd personally like to come back.

But Nintendo could also conceivably bring back, I dunno, Clu Clu Land and somehow revamp it to the point of being something great. It's just an IP at the end of the day, Kid Icarus Uprising started as a Star Fox game, so who knows?

I'd like to see Treasure make anything at all at this point.

I think F-Zero is dead. It's sold less than 1 million since 2001, and it falls into that same category of "driving sim" so it's not really unique enough to bring back. I think the issues with the racing genre will be solved by another IP, probably even a new one like what Splatoon did for shooters.

They already did that.

It got one sequel on the DS, and again both sold under 1 million and never saw the light of day again.

Maybe the next Luigi's Mansion could be more "open world". I mean, still have a structured progression, but set it in a more open location such as a haunted theme park/carnival. The setting makes sense for having thematically diverse zones (one of which could be a more traditional indoors haunted house attraction, tying it to it's roots). EDIT: Or heck, maybe have King Boo (or some other supernatural threat) take over Bowser's Castle, and Luigi would somehow get roped into liberating it (maybe Bowser & said other villain would team up to trap the Bros./Peach, but Bowser would get double crossed in the process).

Kirby would be cool in 3D. Maybe make it more exploration/puzzle based, with an emphasis on using different copy abilities to access various areas (like how powerups were handled in Bowser's Fury, it'd probably be a good idea to let the player store a certain number of powers in this case). His ability to fly would probably have to be nerfed though, like it is in Smash.

These are the ones I really want.

F-Zero - 30 player online mode.
Advance Wars - We've had a million fire emblems, it's time for a change.
Project Zero 6 - Ask the developers to use Eternal Darkness's sanity meter.
Sin and Punishment 3/Starfox developed by Treasure please.

I'd also be happy if we got

Geist 2
Endless Ocean 3
Super Paper Mario 2
Pandora's Tower 2
The Last Story 2
Mario Strikers 3
Kid Icarus Uprising 2

I bought and played both of the Oracle games at launch. They're fun games - possibly the best two exclusive GBC games. Seeing the treatment of Links Awakening and knowing that the games would work very easily in that engine I'd definitely welcome that happening.

That said I don't think either of them holds up to Links Awakening game design wise. The idea that they're somehow "secretly the best Zelda games" is basically a hipster position fed by the fact that they've not been widely available. They have some very inventive items, they have some interesting scenarios and they're certainly competent 2d Zelda games but they have a bit more waste on them than Link's Awakening, the locations sometimes don't quite work (the underwater/island section of Ages particularly), the ridable animals were pure gimmicks and they have some mandatory rhythm mini-games to negotiate. I also personally felt like Ages was a bit too obtuse in some of its puzzles (which I never felt were as clever as the developers thought they were).

@RR529 I was thinking 3D Kirby might be Metroidvania style like Great Cave Offensive and Amazing Mirror. Those games were fun to explore.

So after the E3 Direct brought back Advance Wars in the form of 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp, I'm revisiting this topic. Is Advance Wars back? Can we expect regular releases of Advance Wars? If Re-Boot Camp sells well enough they'll certainly have to take notice.

@Bolt_Strike Well, we now know they're outsourcing it to WayForward, or finding a new main developer for it. So yeah, if this game succeeds, I think they'll just make WayForward their new Advance Wars developer. I don't think we'll see any more Intelligent Systems created ones (at least not anytime soon), but it does seem likely they'd find a new home for it.

@link3710 Yeah, that might complicate the series' long term future. Unless they bought WayForward, but if they've remained an indie all this time they probably don't want to be owned by Nintendo. That would be amazing if it happened though, I'd love for Shantae to be a Nintendo IP.

@Bolt_Strike I'm not sure my definition of staple IP and Nintendo's is the same, if you take Advance Wars, that hasn't seen a release since 2008 until this year, is that a staple IP?

I think it's clear that Nintendo just want to release good fun games which they don't consider rehashes of the same thing, so with regard to existing IP's, I think they are open to any existing franchise getting a new game, if they have a good idea, which probably explains why a series like F-Zero hasn't had a new game in age, they just don't have a new idea they consider good enough to enter development.

So, I would look at this from a different perspective. Nintendo are trying to release a 1st party every month, so what should typical year look like?

1. Pokémon. Well for the past 10 years we have had a Pokémon game in 4 out of each 5 year period, so a that's one.
2. AAA Big 3D Zelda/Mario, Mario Kart, Smash etc. I think they should aiming for a big 3D game or Mario Kart every other year, with other franchises being added to pad out the cycle, why not try an epic 3D Donkey Kong, I'd include MP4 here too
3. AA games. I'd consider Animal Crossing, Paper Mario, Pikmin, Luigi's Mansion, Bayonetta, Splatoon, Xenoblade, Fire Emblem etc to be in this category - 3 every 2 years?
4. A or B games. I'd consider games like Captain Toad, Kirby, Mario Maker etc to be in this category - 1 per year
5. 2D game. 2D Mario/Zelda/Donkey Kong/Metroid etc - 1 per year
6. Family/Party Game. Mario Party etc 1 per year
7. Sports Title. Mario Golf etc - once every other year
8. Port/Remaster/Reimagining. Games like 3D World + Bowsers Fury, Links Awakening, Advance Wars etc - average 3 every 2 per years?
9. New IP - average 1 per year
10. 3rd Party loaned IP - average 1 every other year - games like Mario + Rabbids, Cadence of Hyrule etc
11. Weird Stuff. Labo, Mario Kart Home Circuit, Builder Garage etc - 1 every 2 or 3 year

@MarioBrickLayer Animal Crossing definitely counts as a AAA game in Nintendos book now, as does Smash and Splatoon. That said, I'd include those in and say it should be upped to 2 every 3 years, while dropping AA to 1 per year.

Nitpicking more, Bayo is more A/B. And I'm not sure I agree with the idea of separating out 2D games like that. A 2D Zelda and a 2D Metroid could easily coexist in the same year, while we shouldn't have a 2D DK and a 2D Mario so close. Maybe combine that category with A/B and just make it 2 per year?

As for new IPs, I think every other year for a non-bizarre new IP is fine. I do think bumping up the third party loaned would make sense. We've seen at least 8 new ones off the top of my head (Advance Wars, Fire Emblem Warriors, Starlink, Mario + Rabbids, Cadence, Kirby Fighters 2, Metroid Dread, Yoshi's Crafted World) and I swear there's more I'm not thinking of. Unless you meant crossover only?
Weird stuff is definitely at least once per year.

Another key section of their releases that's missing is fitness games. They've released 2 so far in the Switch's lifecycle, and I wouldn't place them in the truly weird and experimental category. Maybe something like Physical and Mental health, and lump in Brain Training? Approximately 2 every 3 years.

And finally, I'd point out that like Pokemon, Kirby is an annual series (though, thanks to the massive gameplay variety, not suffering the same way), so perhaps it should be its own category? Or perhaps as it's titles fit many categories it shouldn't, not sure.

And finally, they really should have at least one multiplayer title each year. Currently, those games are spread across a number of categories, but if it's a non-sports year we do need at least something multiplayer focused.

@Bolt_Strike To be fair, plenty of IPs have stayed in 3rd party hands for long periods of time. HAL is still 3rd party with Kirby, same with IS and FE/Warioware (and previously Advance Wars). And it looks like MercurySteam may be a long term home for 2D Metroid with the potential sales on Dread looking really good. Nintendos never had an issue with 3rd parties being the de facto developers for IPs