Between the eclectic selection of NES and SNES games served up as part of everyone’s Nintendo Switch Online subscription, Fire Emblem's long-awaited (if time-limited) English language release thirty years after its Japanese debut, and the upcoming remake of their Disc System adventure game Famicom Detective Club, it seems clear Nintendo is not only able but also more than willing to make the effort to dive into its extensive back catalogue in the search for old titles.
Whether it's bringing these lost gems to a fresh international audience for the first time or digging up retro curiosities which are deserving a head-to-toe remake after decades languishing on plastic platters and silicon chips, it seem that a game’s age, genre, or current obscurity apparently are no barrier to its re-release potential.
And this exciting behaviour got us thinking: with Nintendo taking such an active interest in its history, what else could be on the horizon for Switch owners – and if we were given the keys to Nintendo’s vaults what would we choose to bring back? Knowing the legendary Japanese company the only honest answer is “Expect the unexpected”, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating...
We’ll start with something simple. Imagine a Nintendo sports pack, gathering together all of their oldest and most straightforward titles in the genre (Golf, Ice Hockey, Tennis, Baseball, Soccer, and so on) and then giving them a stylish facelift, anything from the familiar faces of Mario and friends to the cutting-edge minimalism of the bit Generations series – or even both, flipped between at will.
With their simple setups enabling entire matches to quickly start and end in easy to digest chunks of unplanned-for time, almost universally understood rules (we have to admit baseball is utterly lost on us, but even we can bumble our way through an 8-bit match), and multiplayer built into the very nature of the games themselves, these would make the perfect bundle of pick up and play games; the digital equivalent of a quick kickabout with a friend in the park or some casual throw-and-catch in the garden. We could see it becoming something like Clubhouse Games or Ring Fit Adventure, the sort of title nobody would never dream of asking for when there are more Zeldas waiting to be made but the instant you’ve got it home you wonder how you ever managed without an evergreen collection of easygoing sports games that won’t expect you to purchase a full-priced annual update or require a serious time investment to enjoy.
Another obvious choice is Famicom Wars: We may already be a few years too late to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of this once popular franchise, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter too much because any time is the perfect time for a Famicom Wars/Super Famicom Wars double pack. Never made available outside Japan in any official form, a release of early Wars history could perform double duty as a playable slice of history as well as an English language first all rolled in one.
If Famicom Detective Club proves to be a success that could easily pave the way for a release of its Famicom Disc System cousin, Shin Onigashima. Released on Nintendo’s 8-bit hardware in 1987 and ported to the Super Famicom eleven years later, this supremely Japanese adventure game would leave a strong impression in any region thanks to its unusual subject matter and beautiful artwork. As it stands, an international release of either of the older versions in any language would be welcome, but a full remake so stylised it appeared to be illustrated with woodblock prints would surely be nothing short of incredible.
One of the more obscure hypothetical candidates for a Switch makeover would be a revisit of the Mario Artist concept, the under-experienced series of creative utility programs originally created for Nintendo’s N64 add-on, the 64DD. With barriers to sharing creations all but gone Nintendo could potentially build up a thriving online community of budding pixel and polygon artists by reintroducing accessible creativity to a whole new generation of gamers.
Another possibility that in its original form also required a specialist attachment would be the e-Reader series, the GBA card reader/card pack combination first released in Japan back in 2001. At the time they were expensive to collect and some would take some serious swiping over several cards to get anything worth playing working, which has to make them the perfect subject for a more convenient modern package. The NES games released on the format are already handled elsewhere on the Switch but that still leaves a wealth of other content hidden in those dot codes just waiting to be rediscovered: the special Mario levels intended for use with Super Mario Advance 4 would be a perfect capsule of entertainment, as would the courses designed to be used with the Japanese version of F-Zero: GP Legend, and surely the Switch’s screen would make a serviceable replacement for Mario Party-e’s physical play area, keeping everything in one neatly contained portable pack. It’d definitely be an odd and unexpected collection, but that would only mean it’d fit right in with Nintendo’s existing Switch output.
Oh, and we couldn’t mention the GBA without giving Mother 3 a nod, could we? Whether it’d sell more copies than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or sink without a trace within a week, it’d be nice to at least draw a line under the oft-requested RPG conspicuous absence. On a slightly more likely note (sorry, Mother fans), Kuru Kuru Kururin has lain dormant for far too long, the game’s unique action-puzzling just begging for an utterly bizarre gyro-control/Nintendo Labo collaboration that will either make users dizzy due to its raw innovation or spiral out into an angry forum-filling frenzy.
Whatever happens, there’s no doubt there’s plenty of options for Nintendo to explore and it’s clear it is happy to consider any and all possibilities; its rich history is something it wants to bring into the light rather than keep locked away forever. Some of these suggestions may be more likely to become reality than others, but then again, this is the same company that decided to blur the lines between home and handheld gaming when everyone else was content releasing another black slab of plastic, the same company that gave the world satellite-broadcast SNES games, a cube with a handle on the back, and glasses-free 3D in a handheld – what’s one more unlikely idea made reality to Nintendo?
What do you think of our suggestions? What titles would you like to see revived or re-released? Let us know with a comment below.
Comments 64
I really want the other two Kururin games to get localised, maybe Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love too.
@Noid Kuru Kuru Kuruin was amazing!! Got it as my GBA launch game along with Mario Advance. Didn't know there were two more in Japan. 😯
Kurikin: Nano Island Story
A Doshin the Giant remaster would be great.
They could easily release the BS Zelda games (3rd/4th quest and Ancient Stone Tablets) for the anniversary but you know they won't which is why the main page that hosts them has never been taken down;
https://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/bszelda.shtml
All three Mother games need to be on Switch. Does Nintendo not like money?
DKC Trilogy HD remake is an absolute no brainer with the success of Crash and Spyro
Kururin Trilogy would be nice, they're not story heavy games so translation wouldn't be too hard. They're probably too niche to bother with though.
I would love for them to translate the Fire Emblem Jugdral games, though they are MUCH more likely to translate Roy’s games.
Virtual Boy collection to the switch online service in 3...2...
I'm aching for the weirder nintendo cuts
Tingle's Love Balloon Ride, the 2nd DS Chibi Robo title, and Captain Rainbow would all be incredible
@kepsux : The 3DS was the perfect place to remake their Virtual Boy library. Typically, we got nothing.
I suppose they could also replicate the Virtual Boy library via Labo VR, but the Labo line appears to be discontinued.
@anti-matter
Never heard of it. But it looks terrific!!!
I'd like to see a Hotel Dusk remaster alike Famicom Detective but instead of redrawing and changing the artstyle, just use the original files unprocessed, maybe revamp the DS-specific puzzles and make the 3D areas more alive by using animated models instead of cardboard cutouts.
I understand the company behind this is gone and so the assets are most likely also gone, but since Nintendo owns the rights to the series maybe they still hold onto the source files.
For a game to just translate like they did FE, then probably the Starfy trilogy on GBA, seeing how this character has seen multiple appearances in Smash.
Oh, and the first GBA Fire Emblem would be great to have officially translated, it's the kind of game where the fan translations can be lacking in terms of quality.
@PitThePup
I have the game, just 1 step closer to Final Boss but last time i still lose despite my Kins are level 60 while the Final Boss was at level 45. The medium of the place (Acid) was my real problem as my level 60 Kins are Alkali type, very hard to populate in Acid medium. I have the Acid type Kins but they are still under level 45. It will take a long of time to grind them until at least level 60. 😩
I've brought it up a lot in the past, but I'd love a return of Wave Race. At this point an HD remaster of Wave Race 64 would suffice.
How about a remake of Mole Mania? That's a lost gem in Nintendo's backlog that tends to be forgotten, and poor Muddy Mole needs some love.
Remakes of Star Tropics I and II would be nice as well.
I wish Nintendo would do a western localization for Genealogy of the Holy War or other unreleased Fire Emblem games. The Mother trilogy would be nice too.
Man Kuru Kuru Kururin was my alltime fav on the GBA.
MOLE MANIA!
This is always the correct answer.
@Muddy_4_Ever hoping for an battle Royale mmo retelling of mole mania
@quinnyboy58 I feel a lot of original charm will be lost if those games were to be remade in modern HD 3D, DKC returns are great games and more DKC is always welcome but the original DKC series is something special as is.
Just as long as they're more like that detective game and not like Fire Emblem, where Westerners don't get the original game unless they pay extra.
This will never happen, but a reboot of The Mysterious Murasame Castle as a 3D action-adventure game in the vein if Ghost of Tsushima would be pretty cool. It doesn't need to be open-world; the focus could be on combat/stealth instead.
Full-on 3D remake of Mario Is Missing
Solar Striker 2! Make it happen!
@The_Pixel_King "Does Nintendo not like money?" The exact quote that one NoA guy made before ranting himself right to the unemployment office.
Nintendo Wrestling.
Can we just stop mentioning Mother 3 now? The whole matter has been laid to rest more than a decade ago we are never going to have it, move on my dudes. The only time people bring it up now is so they can be "funny" like that dumpster fire of show Robot Chicken.
The thing about long-dormant IPs is that videogame publishers know full well there's a demand for them from fans. The disconnect is that other, better-known IPs are regarded as "safer" and have an established track record of making more $$$. This is precisely why, when given the rare opportunity of a franchise not seen in years or decades being released, that it's imperative to vote with our wallets and support it (and I'm not talking about waiting for a sale or for it to hit the bargain bin; that's a surefire way to tell publishers you weren't that serious about your enthusiasm. Remember, money talks...).
We'll always be assured of getting the next Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Call of Duty, Madden, and other "AAA" franchises. For some folks that's enough, but for gamers serious enough to expect more variety from the hobby, it needs these "risky" and "niche" franchises and genres. Some of my favorite games and memories of this great hobby ever have been those which fell into that category, from Daisenryaku to Valkyria Chronicles, from The Lost Vikings to ThunderForce, from TimeSplitters to Panzer Dragoon. Share that risk with developers in trying something new, and often you'll also share a surprisingly pleasant reward.
The Switch would be an ideal opportunity for Nintendo to finally bring Advance Wars to a home console. Throw in a Map Editor, a robust set of features such as Rules sets, maybe even variations with real countries and units represented (like in the Daisenryaku franchise, or fantastical modes where famous Nintendo characters can battle it out on 3D maps HeroClix-style), and local multiplayer for up to four players, and you'd have another out-of-nowhere hit for the Switch (not to mention another IP saved from the brink of extinction).
There are a lot of games I want remade of release or whatever, but the Legendary Starfy towers about them all.
@Caryslan Yes, please bring back star tropics.
Oh, I've got a lot.
I'd love to see Devil World get its first official release in NA on the NES Online app. Mysterious Murasame Castle would be great there, too.
StarTropics 3 would be great.
Can't forget Mother 3, either.
The BS Zelda games would be a fine fit on the SNES Online app.
Famicom Wars translated into English.
Mole Mania should make a comeback, too.
With the NA release of Famicom Detective Club, this opens the doors to several other Disk System exclusive adventure games. I know there's one based on Journey To the West that could be a fun play.
I would have said Virtual Boy, too, but that ship sailed, I'm afraid. The 3DS VC was perfect for it, but Nintendo obviously disagreed, and I don't see how they could work on Switch.
EDIT: Yes, Golden Sun 4 would be amazing, too.
I would want Earthbound in some capacity, over Mother 3. 3 didn’t really click with me, maybe it’s because the fan-translation was ehhhhhhh, heh.
If they give Earthbound the same treatment as Links Awakening, that would be amazing.
NINJA APPROVED
@AlienX I would say that Nintendo's forgotten about Hotel Dusk altogether, but in every Smash game, they manage to dust off Kyle Hyde for a sticker/trophy/spirit of some sort
How about Golden Sun?
@BloodNinja
I would actually buy the heck out of that, especially if it came with a collectors edition featuring these: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/08/ec/6f/08ec6fd5c75869831d86d69a332c114c.png . It would totally justify the $60 price tag.
@Jakiboy Yeah! The original art style is just screaming for it, like your Bart icon! LOL
NINJA APPROVED
Golden Sun
Advance Wars
Fire Emblem games from SNES/NES
Mario vs Wario (only released in Japan)
Earthbound Series
Ice Hockey
Wario Virtual Boy Game remake
There's too many I want. Probably the vast majority alreasy mentioned by the other repliers
Rerelease the Earthbound Trilogy on Switch. I would pay 19.99 for all three games bundle.
Edit: I've rewritten the comment because a lot of neglected franchises occurred to me so I'm gonna list them here:
Advance Wars
Another
Chibi Robo
Custom Robo
Duck Hunt
Eternal Darkness
F-Zero
Golden Sun
Hotel Dusk
Ice Climbers
Mother
Rhythm Heaven
Starfox
StarTropics
The Legendary Starfy
Wario (Ware or platformers)
Oh, as a poor Nintendo fan doomed to be fascinated by their history, there are so many titles I'm interested in o get some sort of revival. To start with something simple, I welcome more gameplay heavy titles for NSO that don't get translations. Super Mario Picross was easy to figure out, and while it took some fiddling, Panel de Pon was a fun time once I understood how to navigate the menus (with a bi of help online).
For obscure games, I really want a return of StarTropics. I need to play both titles, but title separate from Zelda focused on topdown dungeon crawling would be cool. I also want a big official release for Japan. It was helmed by Nintendo devs from there, but never received any official translation or release there to this day.
For one that's a bit more likely, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 would be interesting. That's something a lot of hardcore FE fans rave about, and since Nintendo's shown willingness to bring over the original title, perhaps this one could make a return with the series' current popularity.
@Papichulo I have a beautiful, golden custom cartridge of the first BS Zelda!
And everybody here wanting Virtual Boy Wario Land and StarTropics? Among other things? Madness! I thought I was alone for many years crying out for these on every Nintendo survey! You are all true believers! But alas... we can’t even get Zoda’s Revenge or Earthbound on NSO.
Startropics, Starfy, Wrecking Crew are some of the IPs I'd be interested to see a comeback someday.
I'd like Chibi Robo Clean Sweep to end up on the eshop. But I'm sure that would never happen.
Would like EA to release Desert / Jungle / Urban Strike.
I still have the MD cartridges, also have Desert Strike on GBA, also have EA Replay on PSP. But for sake of convenience, would love it if they came to Switch
Jugdral Duology remakes! Playing through Genealogy of the Holy War for the second time and it’s just brilliant.
@Jakiboy If you can't get over all those begging for Mother 3 then what gives you the right to demand them to give up on their own fancy dreams? Have some self-awareness, mah dewd.
Anywhoo... Nintendo should bring back STREETPASS.
They could revive Streetpass on the official Switch app on mobiles. So you walk around with your phone all day and when you come home you find that all those coins have been already remotely transferred to your Switch.
The coins can then be used to unlock or buy stuff in-game like happened on the 3DS.
Nintendo could even bring back those minigames that depended on Streetpass and give them all the HD treatment.
I just don't see Mother 3 happening. Let it go. Gimme Mario Paint, plz.
a proper MOTHER collection would be a dream come true
CHIBI ****ING ROBO!
How about that weird Captain Rainbow game on Wii? It almost seems like Nintendo disregarded anything Skip developed.
@kepsux Mole Mania should be bigger than Fortnite, Pokémon, and Star Wars combined.
I know it'll never happen, and it's not even what I want the most, but I really think they could bring Mach Rider back. Give it a Mad Max: Fury Road sort of aesthetic/story, include some over-the-top setpieces (I personally envision Rider racing along a collapsing skyscraper), and make the level editor shareable over the internet so people can try out others' created tracks.
My dream game would be if they localized GiFTPiA!
Personally, the main game series that comes to mind for me is another Warioland platformer! We haven't seen a new one since Warioland Shake It, and I would love another reason to be greedy again! I just played Warioland 4 recently for the first time on my Nintendo DS and loved every second of it, and I couldn't get enough. A modern Warioland game is completely needed for me! That, and a new Star Fox would be awesome too though I am still enjoying the originals on SNES Online.
The layout of this article could be more pleasing to the eye.
I'd like to see some Kurkurukururin, but also it seems like a good time to bring Starfy over here.
Mario Paint/Artist SHOULD have been Sony's Dreams before Dreams was even a glimmer in those developers eyes.
A lot of love for Kuru kuru kururin. I don't often rebuy "classic" games but since I've been waiting 20 years for another game in this series I'd happily pay for a Switch port.
Elite Beat Agents could do with a Switch-focused sequel too
Two words: a book.
I need a book to write down all of the titles I'd love to see revived on the Switch. Growing up with Game Boys, everything feels more at home "on the go", which can mean anything that is not "tv-bound", from "on the toilet" to "outside in the part shade part sun under the trees here at home".
Kirby had a Super Famicom version of 'Kirby Star Stacker' that wasn't released to the west. Pretty much the same game as the Game Boy game, but with added features. But, hey, why not?
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