Nintendo is such a celebrated and storied developer that there’s very little in its back catalogue that lies undisturbed. The company is adept at recycling their vintage IP and adapting it with new mechanics and a fresh lick of paint, and even long-forgotten peripherals turn up in Smash or make surprise appearances in WarioWare games.
As such, there aren’t really many ‘niche’ Nintendo titles anymore – not for fans with an active interest. When games like Famicom Disk System title The Mysterious Murasame Castle get localised and released in the west nearly 30 years after they launched in Japan, it's clear that the number of little-known curios in the annals of Nintendo gaming are few and far between. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Captain Rainbow get a western release one day.
There are, however, certain beloved franchises that have been neglected and we feel deserve an outing on Switch. With the console selling incredibly well, Nintendo has some leeway to supplement the stalwart and familiar first-party offerings with games from the support cast. None of the series below have historically been system sellers, but together they form a wonderful collection of second tier games to bolster the Marios and Zeldas of the world. It’s been far too long since we’ve seen some of them, and with Switch doing so well, now’s the time to make hay with new iterations.
Below are a selection of Nintendo developed or published properties we'd like to see return. Some are obvious, others perhaps less so, but each would be gratefully received if a handheld HD update/remake/sequel were to materialise on Switch and make use of the hybrid console's unique features. With E3 just around the corner, now is the time for dreams to, perhaps, come true. Apart from Mother 3, of course - that will never happen.*
Let's relax by taking a look at a bunch of game series we'd love to see return on Switch...
*And now we’ve said it, there’s that bit of our brain hoping we’ve tempted fate and it’ll now be announced. We're geniuses!
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire (GBA)
Last seen: Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, 2003 (GBA)
Built on the foundation of Kirby's Pinball Land from HAL Laboratories, the original Pokémon Pinball on Game Boy Color released back in 1999 and combined the fundamentals of pinball with the Pocket Monsters' mantra Gotta Catch 'em All. Developed by Jupiter (the talented team pumping out Picross after Picross these days), it featured two tables (Red and Blue) and charged you with not only scoring big points, but also capturing the 151 Kanto region Pokémon as you did so. A sequel, Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, used the same idea to similarly great effect.
Despite the games' popularity (and the continued success of the wider franchise), 2003 was the last time we flipped Poké Balls. With Switch's HD rumble and the potential for DLC tables and Generation packs, online leaderboards and all that gubbins, it sounds like a perfect candidate to follow Tetris 99's lead to us.
F-Zero / 1080° Snowboarding / Excitebike / Wave Race
Last seen: F-Zero GX, 2003 (GC) / 1080° Avalanche, 2003 (GC) / Excitebike 64, 2000/1 (N64) / Wave Race: Blue Storm, 2001/2 (GC)
For the sake of brevity, we’re going to bunch all these painfully obvious ones together. They actually form a nice pack of sorts, something this writer likes to call ‘precision arcade racers’. They’re all easy to pick up and play, but with a depth and subtlety in their mechanics and controls that make mastering them hugely challenging (and mightily satisfying). How many weeks of practise did it take to pull off that first 1080°, for example? How did it feel to catch the crest of an undulating wave, really stick a tough landing in Excitebike 64 or finesse the analogue stick just so to nail the apex of a tight 90° turn in F-Zero X?
Long-time readers of this site will be aware of our proclivity for the F-Zero series; fans have been calling for an update for years, and that goes for all the above. With the exception of Excitebike (we saw the 'Excite' series on Wii with the underrated Excite Truck and Excitebots: Trick Racing), we haven’t seen an entry in any of these franchises since the GameCube three console generations ago.
We could talk about how the Switch could bring some new spin to these games but, frankly, we don’t care – just get a decent version of these games on the console! Unique features are all well and good, but a quality HD entry would be enough.
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii)
Last seen: Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, 2010 (Wii)
Co-developed by Nintendo and Treasure, the company behind such classics as Gunstar Heroes, Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun, this arcade-style rail shooter for Wii was the surprise sequel to the N64 original that got a belated localisation and release in the west on Virtual Console years after its Japanese release. The pedigree of the developer shines through in both entries, with tense gunplay and epic boss battles that we'd jump at the chance to experience again on Switch; a focus on high scores, a variety of control options and the benefit of handheld play would make a new entry in the series a good fit for the system.
Failing this, we wouldn't mind a new Solar Striker, either. Our recent celebration of the Game Boy's 30th anniversary had us delving into its catalogue and Solar Striker is a solid little first-party shmup that deserves an update on a system that's become a haven of shmup enthusiasts. Yes please, Nintendo.
Chibi-Robo (GCN)
Last seen: Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, 2015 (3DS)
Aww, we love the little guy - we couldn't resist his brilliant amiibo, but the game it released alongside wasn't particularly great. The original GameCube 3D platformer was a lovely introduction developed by Skip Ltd. with Nintendo lending a hand, even if it wasn't the most mechanically impressive game. Still, an abundance of charm made up for its shortcomings and Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol was a nice little DS entry for the series, but we'd still love to see him return in a game worthy of our adoration. With his scale in the real world being part of his charm, perhaps there's potential for some sort of Chibi-Labo crossover...
Golden Sun (GBA)
Last seen: Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, 2010 (DS)
If we’re honest, Switch isn’t lacking for quality JRPGs, but we would still love to see this gem return. This GBA classic was published by Nintendo but actually developed by Camelot Software, originally a Sega software team responsible for the Shining Force series. The company provided the RPG trappings of the Game Boy Color’s brilliant Mario Golf and tends to stick to Mario sports games these days – the last Golden Sun, Dark Dawn, appeared on DS in 2010. The original came to Wii U Virtual console but seeing the series again on Switch would let an entirely new audience discover its charms. The Link’s Awakening remake has us dreaming…
Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
Last seen: Kid Icarus: Uprising, 2012 (3DS)
It's been seven years since Masahiro Sakurai, Smash Bros. overseer/guru and father of Kirby, exacted revenge on us all by making the controls for Kid Icarus: Uprising cripplingly uncomfortable. He hoped, no doubt, to put a generation of gamers out of commission and give himself some blessed time off from Smash's neverending, punishing development cycle. It seems that didn't work out as planned, and it only succeeded in limiting the appeal of Pit's third outing. Although we've seen the winged one grace our screens on Switch in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, we'd like to see him in another game of his own. With more control options than the 3DS, hopefully a Switch entry could solve those issues and let the tight shooter gameplay shine on another handheld.
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Last seen: Punch-Out!!, 2009 (Wii)
Punch-Out!!'s simple controls and addictive timing-based boxing would be a perfect fit for a side-flipped Joy-Con on Switch. The 2009 version from Next Level Games was a brilliant reimagining of the original, updating the cast with a beautifully cel shaded style that took the edge off the stereotypes that would otherwise be tough to justify in the 21st century. You can arguably see some of Punch-Out!!'s DNA in ARMS, but if he's not going to put in an appearance there, we'd welcome a return for Little Mac in a game of his own on Switch - it would be a great game to play on-the-go.
Speaking of timing-based gameplay...
Elite Beat Agents (DS)
Last seen: Elite Beat Agents, 2006/7 (DS)
The spiritual western 'sequel' to Japan-only Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents has achieved something approaching cult status. We've had some fantastic rhythm games on Nintendo consoles over the years, with the Rhythm Heaven series in particular still going strong, but there's something about the combination of the barmy story and the tap-slide gameplay that sets EBA apart from the pack. The game was so good we never really cared that it used cover versions for all the songs. Switch's touchscreen could be put to great use if the agents were to return, and there's even scope for same-console multiplayer in handheld mode with two players using opposite ends of the screen.
While we're on the subject of rhythm games, we'd love the opportunity to use our bongos again with a new version of Donkey Konga, too - it's not just GameCube pads which plug into those adaptors, you know!
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GCN)
Last seen: Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, 2002 (GC)
The first thing that springs to mind when you mention Eternal Darkness is the incredible sanity 'effects' that broke the fourth wall and tried to unnerve the player by having the game's madness spill out into the real world. Developer Silicon Knights would have an onscreen volume control appear and lower the game's audio, or the screen would go entirely blank, causing you to think they were sitting on the remote or the TV was broken. It would tell you it was deleting your save file or your character's head would suddenly explode or a message would flash up telling you to reconnect your controller as enemies tore you limb from limb. All great stuff.
What you might not recall is the brilliant, Resident Evil-style gameplay, the multiple playable characters, the era-hopping narrative, the deep Magick system, the haunting audio and the myriad touches that made this game stand out on GameCube. We'd love to see those elements return in some form, and with Nintendo continually updating its ownership of the trademark, there are always whispers that it'll be back. Don't pay attention - they're probably just sanity effects, and Silicon Knight disbanded long ago. There's nothing stopping Nintendo putting a fresh team on the job though. Chattur’gha - Narokath - Santak - Pargon - Pargon...
Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain? (DS)
Last seen: Brain Age: Concentration Training, 2013 (3DS)
Perhaps not the most obvious choice, but variety is one of the best things about Switch's bulging software library and it's been a while since Dr. Kawashima evaluated our grey matter. Actually, that's a bit of a lie - in PAL regions Concentration Training (or Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can You Stay Focused?, as it's known here) was release in 2017, five years after the Japanese version. Coming so late in the 3DS' life, most of us didn't pick it up, but it would be a nice change to see Dr. Kawashima's disembodied, polygonal noggin bouncing around our handheld screens once more on Switch - we could use a little mental workout.
Balloon Fight (NES)
Last seen: Balloon Kid, 1990/1 (GB)
Essentially Nintendo's take on Joust, you can already get Balloon Fight on Switch if you're a subscriber to Nintendo Switch Online, but there's something about the game which we think could make a reimagined version a real winner. How about a 4-player co-op game where you have to 'pass the baton' or transport something from one side of the screen to another? How about relay races, or putting together multiple Switches on the table to create a course similar to Toad's Rec Room in Super Mario Party, with one player having to stay on one screen as the other grabs the 'bottom' Switch and puts it above to form a route to proceed? We got a taste of an updated Balloon Fight in Nintendo Land for Wii U and its Balloon Trip Breeze minigame, but we think there's great potential for some sort of party game on Switch.
And that's only in 2D. If we open up the third dimension there's another whole world of possibilities, although it starts to look a bit like the next game on our list...
Pilotwings 64 (N64)
Last seen: Pilotwings Resort, 2011 (3DS)
Pilotwings was an odd omission from the Super Nintendo Classic Mini and the series has been missing in action for eight years now. The original game and the Nintendo 64 iteration in particular were relaxing, light-hearted flight sims that eased players into the 3D space, gently testing you with missions to complete as you enjoyed gliding around. It's been a while, but with Switch's laser focus on co-op fun and local multiplayer there seems to be room for a more sedate, relaxing solo experience and we think Pilotwings is the series to bring it. Throw in a little HD rumble and job done.
Perhaps we're just getting old. Of course, there's plenty of scope for all sorts of co-op and online multiplayer shenanigans. Imagine if Pilotwings was Nintendo's first step into persistent online worlds, a relaxing hub where you can glide around a huge Breath of the Wild-style map with your pals...
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (GCN)
Last seen: Baten Kaitos Origins, 2006 (GC)
Co-developed by tri-Crescendo and Monolith Soft, the latter responsible for the Xenoblade Chonicles games and helping out on the next Zelda game, Baten Kaitos was an RPG which fused turn-, action- and card-based mechanics into a unique battle system. Playing as an overseeing guardian, the player interacts directly with the characters rather that ‘controlling’ them, giving it a unique flavour apart from other games in the genre. Japan and North America got a prequel that us Europeans never saw, and a DS iteration was cancelled. That was the last we saw of the series. As we said, the Switch is blessed with a great many RPGs but we’d jump at the chance to see a fresh spin on traditional mechanics, and Baten Kaitos fits the bill.
The only potential spanner in the works is that Bandai Namco owns the IP (Namco originally owned Monolith until Nintendo bought the dev, you see). It’s not a huge hurdle – Nintendo has a great relationship with the company – but when Monolith already have their hands full with Xenoblade and Zelda, it might make this an unlikely candidate to return.
Custom Robo (GCN)
Last seen: Custom Robo Arena, 2006/7 (DS)
No relation to Chibi-Robo, the Custom Robo series has five games to its name, the first appearing on N64 in Japan in 1999. An action RPG developed by Noise, you pilot little customisable robots that battle each other in an arena called the Holosseum. The first game to make it outside Japan was the GameCube iteration in 2004 which, although receiving mixed reviews on release, has come to be warmly regarded by many. A Switch version with some NFC functionality – perhaps with custom parts available on cards – would seem like a good fit, with the console’s portability opening up all sorts of opportunities to meet up and pit your robo against a friend’s. Simple, colourful, fun; seems like Custom Robo would suit Switch to a T.
Advance Wars (GBA)
Last seen: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, 2008 (DS)
Yes, it's been eleven years since the last Advance Wars game on a Nintendo handheld. We've had plenty of Fire Emblem to satisfy our pangs for turn-based combat in the meantime, but anybody wanting to blow up the opposition using artillery and cute little tanks has been out of luck. We've seen other developers take up the mantle, with the excellent Wargroove aping the Advance Wars style beautifully, but if anything it only intensified our desire for the genuine article. Local or online competitive play would be obvious features for a Switch port and, again, imagine putting two or more Switches down and laying out a battleground across them in a Toad's Rec Room-type way. The possibilities!
There are plenty of things that could be brought out of cryosleep for another outing on Switch, as you can see. Think we've missed something? Share your thoughts and your favourite dormant Nintendo franchises in the comments below.
Comments 149
Yes to Golden Sun. No better time to revisit the series with all the JRPGs currently the system. I'll settle for remakes too!
Good list. Nintendo, please bring us another another Advance Wars!
Surprised no mention of the Mother series.
Edit - Actually, I see it mentioned in one sentence before the list. You should have included it! One can dream.
Yes to Golden Sun, Eternal Darkness, F-Zero and of course to Baten Kaitos !
Dying for a Mole Mania reboot
Balloon Kid isn't the most recent Balloon Fight game, that'd be Tingle's Balloon Fight DS.
A new Advance Wars would be cool, as well as Golden Sun.
Pilot Wings and Waverace, ohh... and 1080 Snowboarding please!!!!
Eternal Darkness is my favorite video game ever. I played through all three times to see how the enemies changed. I think that is part of the system a lot of people didn't think about when they talk about it. You couldn't beat it just once. You had to beat it against all three final bosses to see then ending. I thought once I did that, the big pool monster( forgot his name) would rise up and be the FINAL final boss but no luck. I can't believe this game hasn't been remade. I'd gladly pay $60 for this one again. Seriously, only game I'd ever give an 11 to on a scale of 1 to 10. That's how much I like it.
F-Zero, Kid Icarus, Advance Wars, Punch-Out, Metal Combat
@BANJO Original 1080 snowboarding was my jam, and I was blown away that they had Tommy Hilfiger design the clothes. I wanted one of those coats so bad. haha
Also, Surprised Geist isn't on here. With the new Watchmen 3 letting you play as any npc, it seems like Geist should have done that first.
A *cough good *cough Paper Mario game
What the world needs now, is Wario Land for Switch
1. Nintendogs + Cats + Mice / Nintenpets
2. Miitopia 2
3. Mii Sports 2
4. Mii Music 2
5. Dillon games
6. Miitomo Rebirth
7. Paper Mario games
I would like a remake of the Famicom tantei club games. And kurukurukururin.
@SoIDecidedTo Yes I remembered getting it for Christmas 1998. I remember thinking that too, it was a cool game to show off to my Playstation fanboy friends..... 1080 along with Goldeneye and strangely International Track and Field 64 were the games to play when friends came over...
I would like mario golf to come to switch
@USWITCH64 I would like this too
A new Sin and Punishment would be so awesome, loved playing the first two and I want really badly to know what happens after the cliff-hanger ending.
Elite Beat Agents 2 would be great too.
F-Zero is not that big of a deal since there are similar games on Switch.
I need Sin & Punishment 3 and F-Zero SX!
Yes to all of these. I'd be the most excited for a new EBA/OSU or Advance Wars. I'm sure they're going to bring Advance Wars back sooner or later. Can't say the same for EBA unfortunately. I hope it comes back but I'm not sure if it's something they want to make.
DS was perfect for EBA and while it would work fine on the Switch, they'd have to make some compromises. It would be a handheld only experience and they don't have a second screen for the animations.
Pretty stoked to see Baten Kaitos there, EWatLO in particular is a top tier RPG as far as I'm concerned, and Origins is very solid as well.
F Zero GX HD would satisfy me. I just can't see a new F Zero being made as things stand...
I would like to see many of these francises return, but only if Nintendo has a real vision for them. As consumers we constantly want games, but also want them to be a good value for our money. This is especially true for Nintendo games which are famous for overall being very polished and inspired projects. I want to see new Metroid projects and an actually good traditional Star Fox game, but I want them to be good as well. Same with something like Waverace or F-Zero (sorry 1080 fans but that one is probably gone for good).
It would also be nice to play some of these old franchises again on current hardware. Nintendo’s stinginess on the Switch is the most annoying thing at the moment.
Advance Wars and Golden Sun. nuff said.
@USWITCH64 was missed in the Wii u but the 3ds has one. I would love one for the switch.
@LuigisCube
Mario golf was also in a las generation system. 😉
How about Last Story or Pandora’s Tower?
I never played Baiten Kaitos, heard it was good. I'd love to see Custom Robo make a comeback--I was a fan of the Gamecube game, and I think I played it on DS as well.
This would be my list for franchises that have appeared on a Nintendo console that I would want back in switch - remastered or new entry
1 - Top Gear
2 - Wave Race
3 - Star Wars Rogue Squadron
4 - NFL Street
5 - NBA Street
6 - Fight night (or Knockout Kings)
7 - NHL Blitz
8 - Any NCAA (I know I know)
9 - Burnout
10 - Jedi Knight series
11 - Diddy Kong Racing
12 - Simpsons Hit and Run
13 - Def Jam - Fight for NY etc.
14 - SSX
15 - Need for speed.
16 - F-Zero
17 - Beatle Adventure racing
And they’d all be day one!
I honestly had no problem with kid Icarus’ controls. I wish I had still had a 3ds so I could play it right now.
@USWITCH64 Thank you! I would play that until my Switch melted. Mario Golf, Wave Race and 1080
It's been 17 years since Eternal Darkness? That's crazy. Same with Wave Race. Is there a way to calculate how much Mario and Zelda games were released in that span?
Also, I'd like to add two sports franchises to the list with Ken Griffey baseball and Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside.
Out of all of these Advance Wars woulf be first on my list, followed by Baten Katos and Wave Race.
When are we going to get a new Mario Baseball game? It would almost certainly be the best new* baseball game on the system.
*Not counting re-releases like the Neo Geo baseball games.
The only ones I'm after on that list are the racing ones, particularly 1080 and F-Zero, though I'd take Wave Race too. Otherwise, happy for Nintendo to update their more successful franchises or give us new stuff, as they did with Splatoon and Arms.
@Stocksy Burnout 3, NFS Most Wanted (2006) and Def Jam FfNY are some of my favourites, completed all 3 of them on 3 different systems except Burnout 3 on 360 and ps2 only... However, they all had sequels, which were frankly a let down. Carbon, Revenge and Legends weren't too bad for the racers but Icon sucked so hard compared.
@SoIDecidedTo I thought I missed something there and there was a game based off of Watchmen... That would have been interesting but probably bad.
@spurryitboi @SoIDecidedTo The developer has turned into a vaporware dude. He said he was putting out a spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness and that was like 5 years ago.
Would also like to see a GTA style game set in the zelda universe or should that be GTH, grand theft horse!
No one has mentioned this franchise that seems to be really forgotten by almost everyone, and I hope for a new version; the last one was on the Wii (and one in the Arcade):
Goldeneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeee
I know all of these and have to agree with all, minus Baten, Elite Beat, Pinball, brain training and the sports titles. This is out of pp, but I could see those selling, also.
THANK YOU!!!
But what about warioland?
Eternal Darkness Yes yes yes!
1080 and wave race are the games I’m most desperate to see
Sin and Punishment, Wave Race, and Punch Out is what I like to see return for a new game. Wave Race more than anything though.
I would like a Xenosaga HD remaster before Baten Kaitos. Don't know how or if that would work. Probably wouldn't be a Switch exclusive.
Excitebike 64 was fun back in the day. I'm curious how a modern one would hold up. It isn't really fun playing it these days.
Eternal Darkness has so much potential for a sequel. Brilliant game.
F-Zero. Elite Beat Agents. Pokémon Pinball.
I'd love for ALL of the mentioned series to make a return but I'd be happiest with the above three. Hopefully E3 will show some fun surprises at us.
Where is Wario Land? The last one we got was Wario Land Shake It on the Wii, which was a fantastic game that nobody bought because it was 2D at the time 2D wasn't cool on main consoles.
Doesn’t Battalion Wars belong on this list?
It frustrates me that the whole spiel about Kid Icarus was a dig at it's controls...
The game was one of the freshest games Nintendo had released in years and desperately deserves the reappraisal that a Switch re-release would bring.
I wanted an Eternal Darkness sequel too but I think Dennis Dyack's shadiness has scuppered any chances of that happening
I'd rather have the RTS spinoff of advance wars Battalion Wars make it's comeback to Switch
This argument is tough. Not in the spirit of having new entries in these series. I agree. But just in the audience for these games and ultimately how it's gonna be received. We saw what happened with Star Fox and as mentioned, Kid Icarus.
But that also begs the question does Nintendo necessarily need to reinvent the wheel to justify a new entry? I understand they're desire to do something different. But at the same time, maybe it's a safer bet to reintroduce a series in a manner that's more familiar and then changing it up in a future entry?
I hear complaints about uprising controls but they never really bothered me :/
Has nobody mentioned Ice Climbers? My heart aches. 👀
@RevampedSpider My goodness, yes. Please bring a new WL game.
Again with the whining about Kid Icarus Uprising's controls? Do you ever consider that your experience might not be everyone's experience? I thought Uprising's gameplay was a unique and refreshing take on the genre. Finally we got something different and people are complaining because it takes some time getting used to. Git gut
What about Wii sports? SWITCH Sports Resort anyone?!
https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wii/zack_and_wiki_quest_for_barbaros_treasure
🥰
A Sin and Punishment collection please and thank you
These are the series I want to see return:
Panel de Pon/Puzzle League (no, New Leaf's mini game doesn't count)
Wario's Woods
Wario Land (either with a health meter or transformations, not both)
F-Zero
Ice Climber
Kid Icarus
Adventures of Lolo/Eggerland (though it kind of isn't really a "Nintendo" franchise...)
Starfy (or Super Princess Peach 2, at least)
@Stocksy Most of those aren't Nintendo developed, but some would be good to see, especially a decent SSX, or Simpsons Hit & Run, although TBH I prefer other Simpsons games like Krusty's Fun House. The Simpsons have a spot at E3 so who knows what's coming?
Very happy to see plenty of love for Wave Race! I LOVED Blue Storm for it’s wonderful wave riding mechanics and constantly changing courses. The presentation was great too - they nailed the feel of being around water - feeling connected to nature and kind of chill amidst this competitive race set-up. A total gem in my eyes!
@Lalivero I think because Ice Climbers has just one iteration it doesn't count as a series to be revived. I'd love to see what they do with it if it gets a new game though.
@Phantom107 Pikmin had releases on both 3ds and WiiU so it can't have a revival, but don't get me wrong I'm really hoping for a Switch version.
@LavaTwilight Well I mean it says franchises, so pretty much you may as well say it is, but I get your point.
They could revive it like they did Kid Icarus after a billion years though. It's a dang shame that we get a million ports and remakes(especially from literally the last Ninty gen) when they have so many games they could make modern iterations for, smh.
Nice list. Though one of my favourites from the past that i'd like to see a return of is Geist.
Definitely Eternal Darkness! I can't believe F Zero hasn't been done yet, it's long overdue. I know the series is ongoing but I'd love to see a Mario Sunshine remake. Would've been much better than NSMBUD.
> Pokemon Pinball might get a mobile entry, but there are already a ton of more important upcoming Pokemon projects, so it's probably dead.
> Wave Race might come back based on comments from its director, who is now the head of all Nintendo software development.
> F-Zero might return if there is an interesting gimmick. Otherwise, it's dead.
> Excite Bike, 1080 Snowboarding, and Sin & Punishment are dead.
> Chibi-Robo might return...as an eShop only or Labo VR game.
> Golden Sun and Advance Wars is dead.
> Kid Icarus is dead unless Nintendo finds another director, since Sakurai will be stuck working on Smash Bros until he retires.
> Punch-Out could return once Next Level is done with Luigi's Mansion 3. Motion control boxing with Joy Cons should be fun.
> Elite Beat Agents, Balloon Fight, Baiten Katos, and Custom Robo are dead.
> Eternal Darkness might return since Nintendo has shown that they are willing to support M-rated horror games ala Fatal Frame V, but I think it's most likely dead.
Eternal Darkness and Baten Kaitos should make a return!
I always found it odd that Nintendo went to all the effort of manufacturing a specific peripheral to go with every copy of Kid Icarus Uprising, when surely it would have been cheaper and easier just to have gone "Hey Sakurai, we think the game's coming really nicely. Just one little thing though: could you maybe just fix the worst control scheme of all time!!"
I think the very fact that ARMS exists probably means that Punch-Out's dead. The Wii game flopped, and, considering how popular Wii Boxing was on the console, you'd think it would've been a home run. Plus, ARMS's out-there, fantastical approach is probably more Nintendo-y and more approachable and palatable to most people than Boxing is.
FFS Nintendo release new entries of Golden sun, Advance Wars and Wario Land.
Golden Sun 4 and a new Baten Kaitos for sure! Sign me up!
So many franchises I would love to see return
Still this be my top 5
1 Golden Sun
2 Advance Wars
3 Kid Icarus
4 F-zero
5 Wave Race
In a similar vein to Custom Robo, no mention of Medabots?
My love for the series extends entirely to the anime rather than the existing games, but I feel like the same genre of Head + Torso + Limbs robot battlers are underused on the Switch.
@Ardisan I think Warioland is so underrated.
I also agree some sort of love for Kid Icarus would not go amiss
Would love a new Wave Race so much.
Also a proper pilotwings seeing as the 3DS game felt like a tech demo with hardly any content...
Battalion wars please
A quick preview blurb from the October 2000 issue of Nintendo Power about a then-upcoming RPG titled Golden Sun for Game Boy Advance. Love seeing the pre-release graphics, everything was slightly more pastel-colored. It's funny, Advance Wars was referred to as "Game Boy Wars Advance" at the time, at least in this issue.
It's painful to see Wave Race and the likes being completely ignored by Nintendo through the years.
The Golden Sun series is just begging for another game. I haven't played the most recent DS entry (which I know many people either love or hate), but the two GBA entries, particularly The Lost Age, are phenomenal.
I also enjoyed Pokemon Pinball: R&S. It's the only Pokemon Pinball version I've played, but I've read that many consider it to be much better than the original.
It's time for the (Golden) Sun to rise again.
Reading this fantastic article brings me to tears, sad tears. I want so many, no I want all of these to make a come back! I’m off to stare at my sad face in the mirror and repeatedly ask why do I care so much?!
Baten Kaitos for sure!
@RevampedSpider A better series than any of the ones they DID mention.
Mario RPG not paper mario
This is where Nintendo really messed up with NST, they were the team that last worked on Wave Race and 1080. Without NST on full development duties, we'll never see them again as those 2 games as they weren't NoJ games.
It's just a shame that NoJ won't give up any kind of control and allow NoE and NoA/NST to publish their own games, or even work on franchises that are no longer in current rotation.
So sad that no one mentions Battalion Wars
Chibi Robo deserves more than a Labo spinoff. Nintendo Life described the original as "one of the most charming and endearing games ever to grace a console", and it is up with Breath of the Wild in the upper echelon of 3d exploration-adventure games. Truly a shame that the game isn't more accessible today, even as a port (and that the DS sequel never made it out of japan!)
Earthbound, Mario Golf, Wii Sports, Punch-Out!!
-Sees Kid Icarus entry "oh!" perks up
-Sees it's mostly dedicated to throwing shade at the controls "oh..." Sad noises
@Dizzy_Boy Yeah, they made the American studio make Mario vs. DK games... Wtf, anyone can make Mario vs. DK games but only the American Nintendo studio could make more Wave Race and 1080°. Nintendo of Japan is so silly and only seems to care about Mario. This is the Nintendo of today, all shiny and commercial.
"1080° Snowboarding / Excitebike / Wave Race" Three out of four ain't bad.
Golden Sun and Baten Kaitos I want
You guys mentioned Golden Sun, so I'm good.
@USWITCH64 definitely, this is a must. Why has this not happened.
No, it was MarioGolf I was wanting 😂
No Warioland? That definitely would be my most wanted series.
Golden Sun would be nice too, but if I remember correctly Dark Dawn sold rather poorly. Enjoyed the game myself though.
Don’t mind me, I’ll continue to be the only person asking for Lost Kingdoms 3. I know it’s not From Software’s style anymore but I loved the first two...
A new golden sun would be awesome! Also, i have quite good menories playing Pokémon pinball. Never really tried advance wars but now would be the perfect time.
But you missed some:
-Wario land. We need wario land
-Pokémon TGC. If pinball, then a card game too
-Mario RPG / Paper Mario, collab with squeenix for that
-Diddy kong racing with that oh so nice story mode. To compete with CTR.
@kepsux This is the only correct response.
MARIO STRIKERS!!!!!!
And a sequel to Super Paper Mario to set the platforming version of PM right.
That would make it 2 rpg style. 2 card/sticker style. and finally 2 platforming style to establish PM as a character based series in different genres.
@Stocksy For Top Gear I highly recommend you give Horizon Chase Turbo a try. Even has the same composer & a lot of track songs are remakes of Top Gear's.
Baten Kaitos' graphics strikes me as a good template for indie devs to mimic for their RPG's. Still top-down, hand-drawn/prerendered overworld, etc. I'm a bit burnt out on the pixellated indie archetype, but that could be just me.
I just want a new Mach Rider. That is all.
I want Duck Tales for the Switch and the Chip n Dale series
Mystical Ninja count?
Funny, I remember Golden Sun Dark Dawn coming out and thinking that it took 7 years for that to happen.
It has now been 9 years since Dark Dawn.
With pinball to an extent being back one wonders why Nintendo has not released a third Pokemon Pinball.
@Lennrtjboi This. Battalion Wars wasn't perfect but it deserves another chance. Especially if they go all out with online multiplayer.
@dartmonkey Actually, the last Excitebike entry wasn't the N64 title, but the WiiWare multiplayer title called Excitebike: World Rally. Here's hoping we see that in the Switch as an HD format.
ENDLESS OCEAN
Doshin the giant.... because i said so
My biggest dream is an Eternal Darkness reboot/sequel being developed by Retro. I know it's not happening, but I can wish.
No StarTropics on the list. Sigh
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Mario Strikers. The Wii game was really good, and that's coming from someone who typically couldn't care less about football/soccer.
Unlike most of the games on this list, a new Mario Strikers entry on Switch could sell several million copies, given how popular football/soccer is (and how successful Mario Tennis Aces was relative to other Mario Tennis games).
I'd say a new Mario Strikers is the game Next Level Games should make after Luigi's Mansion 3, not Punch Out. Honestly, Arms 2 would be a better investment given that the original Arms sold 2X more than Punch Out on Wii.
art academy pls.
Nintendo has so many IP's that lie dormant, that it's very hard to pick which one I'd like to see first. Many of the above, that's for sure, but I'd also love to see a Project Zero / Fatal Frame collection. I'd even get the Labo VR camera thingie if it's required for a Spirit Camera style spin-off (that actually works in the dark).
Ah well, There's plenty I'd love to see happening, but plenty that has already happened or is happening that I have yet to see, so no harm done, take your time.
I have very fond memories of both Baten Kaitos games and would love to either revisit them or play a new installment! SteamWorld Quest has been a fun spin on the gameplay systems of those titles.
YESSS!!! Pokemon Pinball, Golden Sun, Kid Icarus and I NEED, I repeat, NEEEEEED a new Eternal Darkness!!!! One of the best games ever!
While I am always voicing and advocating F-Zero, especially with GX/AX being the pinnacle of the series, I would also be happy to get a new Golden Sun (unfortunately had to skip the DS one), Eternal Darkness (the GameCube game really messed with me). Baten Kaito was the one that got away, since I financed my gaming in my younger years with some summer jobs and I saw this only, when I was strapped for cash, so I would be rather happy to to see a new entry.
Though it's not a dormant Nintendo IP, I would just love for Nintendo to go to SEGA again (as they more or less did with Bayonetta) and pay the bill for a new entry in Skies of Arcadia...
Aside from F-Zero and maybe Golden Sun, the others wouldn't have the same level of appeal as Nintendo's current heavy hitters, there's little point in diverting resources from good IPs so they can take a chance on these "maybe".
If they hired more talent they could do a remake or two but then if those remakes are good then that talent would be used on bigger evergreen projects.
Its not just about what we want but it's also about what makes more sense for them.as a business.
Edit: F-Zero would be an exception to this, this would sell gangbusters if they released it, it's really a mystery why they don't, it's always been a loved IP and with the absence i could see this coming in at 3m+ sales easy.
Yeah, I'd be happy to see new versions of almost every single one of those games you've mentioned.
any on the list would be great
I'd love a new Punch-Out, Excitebike, Kid Icarus, and Sin & Punishment.
I’d love to see Pilot wings return. Make it more expansive than the 3ds game. It’s felt too small, have online play and play with friends, fun mini game of hide and seek lol
Golden Sun all day long. I'll happily take even a remake of the first two in the same vein as Link's Awakening, at this point. Just give us anything.
I need a new 1080 in my life 😔
I might actually cream myself if there is either an eternal darkness remaster and or sequel.
Blimey. That would be something!
@RevampedSpider Wario Land would be perfect for something like the Switch, too
I like your thinking!
Devil World, Joy Mecha Fight, Popeye
I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY... HD HOTEL DUSK.
@ecco6t9 They haven't made another Pokemon Stadium franchise game since the Wii (though they probably deemed them obsolete with WiFi on newer gens).
I would love to see a "Nintendo Arcade Collection" that's composed of remade or reimagined games based on their old titles, like Donkey Kong, DK Jr (maybe with Diddy and Wario taking roles of DK Jr and Mario), Ice Climbers and Balloon Fight. They have shown willingness to go back to Donkey Kong being a villain, although Mario vs Donkey Kong series went in a little weird direction with the little Mario toys.
LABO VR just came out and you're NOT throwing another fit til get a new Pokémon Snap?
I'm both sad and unsurprised that Geist wasn't mentioned. I'm certain that Nintendo owns that property as its publisher, right? Would love to see a remaster/sequel. It was one of the earliest games with proper possession mechanics, and had a really neat spin on the standard multiplayer deathmatch stuff.
Besides all the obvious ones, I have to say I love that you mentioned Solar Striker.
@Jayofmaya Yeah, I'm the dude that has watched like every one of his videos on youtube and read every article. I thought Nintendo owned the IP though since he always has to call it something else, and they are the one that renews the trademark. Seriously, if this game was $100 for basic edition, I would still buy it day one. Just think, in the way we play games now, it would have probably been $60 base game, and if you wanted to play it through 2 more times for the good ending, you'd had to pay for the DLC to do that. haha
Pipe dreams to be sure but I would absolutely love a return of Advance Wars and Golden Sun. I feel like we have so many Fire Emblem games but as you say, I want to engage in some warfare with tanks and modern equipment rather than just swords and lances. There's room for both AW and FE on Switch. And Golden Sun, while yes the Switch isn't at a loss of some killer JRPGs, I'd love to see a new entry in this game or a remake of the original in HD graphics!
@RetroTyGuy Itoi has said on numerous occasions that he's done with the series. He's said all that he's wanted to say and doesn't want to pump out sequels just for the sake of doing so.
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-11-23-shigesato-itoi-on-why-mother-4-is-totally-impossible
@Oat Come on, man! Never give up hope. I've heard countless musicians says "This is our last album" or filmmakers say, "After this one, I'm done." In the vastness of time there's always a chance he could suddenly come up with a story he wants to tell.
@KingBowser86 Daemon X Machina is basically their reiteration of Metal Combat.
@stalepie I was waiting for someone to mention Joy Mech Fight!
Clu Clu Land. I loved the original. Maybe they could do something with it to make it modern.
Two words.
Rainbow Islands
do you want to know why these franchises are dormant? It's because people didnt buy these games
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