(AfroGamers.com) Nintendo is a developer/publisher that is known to really protect its franchises. I mean, they protect their franchises to the point that they would ax an anticipated live-action Netflix series for The Legend of Zelda.
Nintendo’s Main and Subsidiary Developers Can Be Sluggish
They’re also slow to move in many ways. Games take years upon years to develop to the point you figure that it must have been ended—yes, I’m looking at you Metroid. Actually, a new Metroid has been in the works for years now and seems to be close to release.
Then you have 2019’s Metroid Dread which had been bounced around during the 2000s. The main reason that game always does well is because there’s usually a noticeable gap of time between each game.
That’s a thing with most Ninty titles that aren’t Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and maybe Donkey Kong. I’d say that’s a hard “maybe” because Kirby can sneak up on you when you’re not even anticipating a new one.
When you’re looking at the company’s development teams, you’ll notice that the tradeoff for lengthy time between games is ridiculously high quality. Ninty is the textbook definition of “Do you want it done right or do you want it done fast?”
If you want it done right, Nintendo is going to give you something that’s no less than a B+ to A minimum quality-wise. I mean, that has to be the tradeoff with anything.
CD Projekt didn’t get that memo with Cyberpunk 2077, mind you, but that’s the rule of thumb. If it’s going to take a long time then it better be good with few bugs and stuff.
Tagging In Other Developers
In the later half of the 2010s, Nintendo kind of opened up to working with other developers outside of its roster of studios.
The best examples are Nintendo working with Koei Tecmo on for Hyrule Warriors duology and Fire Emblem Warriors. In the 90s we got the acclaimed Super Mario RPG in cooperation with Square Enix.
Those four games added a fresh spin on Nintendo IPs that were very outside of what the company would’ve done with them anyway.
We were going to get more Mario platformers, Zelda action-puzzles, and Fire Emblem tactical RPGs. Those are the rivers and lakes that Nintendo are used to, obviously.
However, you want to see something fresh for a long-running franchise. Besides, a series doesn’t become a franchise until you have some titles to mix things up.
That could even come in the form of new stories being told within the same universe but different timelines—with the expecting of Legend of Zelda and its odd timeline.
Giving a franchise fresh breath also has the benefit of at least giving diehard fans a taste of the franchise when the main game is being developed.
It’s not like the outside developers’ games are canon. They’re just canon to this new universe created off of Nintendo’s IPs.
Potential Pairings for Ninty
Looking at it, I’d say Nintendo’s two best partners would be Koei Tecmo—which has already been established—and Square Enix which gave the iconic developer a classic RPG banger.
Thanks to the Super Mario RPG titles throughout the 2000s as well as the OG Super Mario RPG, the world of Mario was opened up significantly. So much so that we have characters that diehard fans want to see more of such as Geno and Mallow.
On that note, I’d say a Warriors game with Koei Tecmo would give us a dope ensemble game. Legend of Zelda deserves a proper RPG and I believe Square Enix would be the strongest candidate for that project.
Of course, Gust and Nippon Ichi Software could both deliver a fun, engaging turn-based experience. As a matter of fact, a tactical RPG series developed by NIS would rock.
It would keep the Legend of Zelda centralized on a continuous story from game to game instead of Nintendo’s usual formula of “an all new adventure”.
Sometimes you want to see new characters introduced in one game and return in the sequels.
Without that, there’s really no need for heavy character development in a game if you’re not going to see some characters again.
I’m a fan of the Kirby games so I’d like to see a proper RPG done with that series. There’s a lot to the series besides this pink puff that absorbs powers.
A hard fit would be Namco Bandai. While the developer does some of everything genre-wise, it’s currently known for fighting games. Nintendo has its own fighting game series.
While it’s a hard fit, it would be the most interesting pairing with Nintendo as there’s this “What kind of game are they developing” element there.
If all else fails, an ensemble Nintendoverse musou game or RPG with all of the company’s heavy hitters could have a massive Super Smash Bros effect in either genre.
What do you guys think? Which developers would you like to see tag up with Nintendo and what projects would you love to see?
Let us know in the comments or send me a tweet. I’m always up to discuss retro gaming and dream games!
Staff Writer; M. Swift
James Swift Jr. (AKA M. Swift and Metal) enjoys comics, Chinese comics, RPGs, and all things old school and retro. Check out his writing here, on ThyBlackMan, and TBRHM if you’re also into games and comics! You can also find him on Twitter at; metalswift. Check out his younger brother Tardell Swift’s features here on AfroGamers as well.