Top Ten Franchises Nintendo Should Use For Switch

Top Ten Franchises Nintendo Should Use For Switch
February 11, 2017 
By Ryan Porzl

On March 3rd, Nintendo will release their next console in the Switch. Already, Nintendo has unleashed many of it's big guns with the latest Legend of Zelda set to be released with it as well as the latest Mario and Xenoblade games following in the future. While these are great starts and we'll obviously see franchises like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart, Nintendo has tons of franchises that could be helpful to use for the Switch but it's unknown if they will be used. Here now are ten series from Nintendo that they should consider using in the years to come.



10. Captain Toad- Technically, this doesn't count as a franchise since there's only one game but it has potential to be one. The first one was a fun puzzle game and something that can appeal to all ages. It was well received by critics and sold 250,000 copies in it's first month in the United States while being nominated for many awards along with winning the 2014 Best Puzzle Game - People's Choice Award from IGN's Best of 2014 so there is an audience for it. It's also one of those games that's easy to pick up and play which makes it something for new or casual gamers along with the hardcore gamers.

9. Pilotwings- Pilotwings was Nintendo's flight simulator series. To date, the series has spawned three games with Pilotwings in 1990 for Super Nintendo, Pilotwings 64 in 1996 for Nintendo 64, and recently, Pilotwings Resort in 2011 for Nintendo 3DS. Pilotwings hasn't had an original game in years and it deserves another one. Pilotwings are games that are simple but addicting and fun to play. There also not to complex and just about anyone can pick it up and quickly figure it out. Pilotwings 64 sold a million copies so it can be successful and it's something different as it's a flight simulator instead of the usual platformer or side scroller. It's something different for Nintendo and something unique from them. Even if The Switch has strong third party support, it doesn't hurt to have a variety of different gaming from Nintendo.

8. Wave Race- I know Wave Race is a racing game like Mario Kart but it's still a classic. Like Pilotwings, Wave Race has had three games which were 1992's Wave Race for Game Boy, 1996's Wave Race 64 on Nintendo 64, and 2001's Wave Race: Blue Storm for Nintendo Gamecube. Since then, Wave Race has since disappeared and gathered dust over the last fifteen years though Wave Race likely peaked in popularity during the Nintendo 64 years like Pilotwings. Wave Race is another franchise that enjoyed critical acclaim with each of it's games and they've sold well with Wave Race 64 selling nearly 2 million units in the United States. Giving how the games have looked on Switch, Wave Race would probably be a beautiful and rich game as well. In November 2016, Nintendo renewed the Wave Race copyright so they might as well do something with it and not waste it like how Square did with the Chrono Break copyright.

7. Luigi- While Luigi is not the more famous Mario brother and is the most famous video game sidekick in history, he's proven he can carry games on his own. While Nintendo stumbled out of the gate with Luigi's first game in 1992's Mario is Missing but since bounced back with 2001's Luigi's Mansion and 2013's Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. While Luigi games have growing pains with the reviews starting average, they've gotten better reviews with Dark Moon getting strong reviews. The Mansion games have also sold well with Luigi's Mansion being a top five seller in The United States while Dark Moon sold over half a million copies in Japan and five million in The United States. It would be nice to see more Luigi adventures especially some that take place outside spooky mansions. Nintendo could have Luigi go to other places to hunt ghosts like cities or carnivals or the Mushroom Kingdom itself including Princess Peach's castle or have him do others things with Professor E. Gadd providing much needed equipment.

6. Kid Icarus- Probably one of the more underrated franchises which was a combination of a flying game and a platformer. Kid Icarus was one of those Nintendo franchises with games produced in the 1980s and 1990s but disappeared by the mid 90s. The first game was Kid Icarus which was released in 1986 on the NES and followed with Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters in 1991 on Game Boy. The franchise disappeared for over 20 years until the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising in 2012 on Nintendo DS. In the meantime, characters like Pit and Palutena have appeared in Super Smash Bros. games. Kid Icarus is one of those franchises that's in a frustrating situation as characters first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and it seemed like a comeback was coming. Then Uprising came out but the franchise has gone cold since with no games being made in the last five years. Kid Icarus: Uprising sold a million copies so it prove it can be a seller for Nintendo. Plus, Kid Icarus games have been considered challenging which could be good since a lot of Nintendo franchises like Mario and Kirby have a reputation of being "easy".

5. Punch Out!!- Punch Out!! has the same history as Kid Icarus as it too had fun games but disappeared by the mid 1990s then made a comeback only to go cold as well. Punch Out!! was always fun to play it's disappointing how Nintendo brought it back for a game in 2009 while Little Mac has appeared in Super Smash Bros. games only to then let it fade away again. Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!/Punch Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream is one of the classic games of the NES library while the Wii version sold over a million copies. There is an audience out there for it and it brings something different to the table being a boxing game. It would also be nice for a new Punch Out!! game that can improve upon the 2009 Wii release as that was almost back to basics especially with the opponents mostly being from Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!/Punch Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream. A new game can add new things like new opponents mixed with old favorites and perhaps make it bigger with more circuits and modes.

4. Star Fox- Yeah, we just got Star Fox Zero for Wii U but that doesn't mean Nintendo should take their foot off the pedal. Like Punch Out!! for the Wii, Star Fox Zero was a simple return to the classics probably because there wasn't an original game in so long. Now that we got that out of the way, it would be nice to see more Star Fox games especially since they got Zero to build off of and know what works and what they need to work on for a modern day Star Fox game. A new Star Fox down the road to build on Star Fox Zero with more levels, environments, and vehicles like a return of Blue Marine.

3. Donkey Kong- How could I not put one of Nintendo's first characters on this list? Like Star Fox, Donkey Kong has seen a nice comeback with 2010's Donkey Kong Country Returns and 2014's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Like Star Fox, that doesn't mean Nintendo should stop now. The series is back and getting better so Nintendo shouldn't stop now. DKC Returns was a simple return while Tropical Freeze added to it. The next game can be so much more with more playable characters instead of Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky just being on Donkey's back, more animal buddies including a return of Enguarde the Swordfish, and more side quests like what we saw with Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble.

2. Mother/Earthbound- I know, I know that this is likely wishful thinking but I had to include cause who wouldn't? American audiences have wanted a new Mother/Earthbound game for years after not getting Mother 3 in America. While Earthbound originally came and went, the series has gotten more popular with the inclusion of Ness and Lucas in Super Smash Bros. games. By all accounts, Mother 2/Earthbound was a top seller on the Wii U virtual console so there is an audience for it. Also, with Mother 2/Earthbound as well as Mother/Earthbound Beginnings having been released or re-released recently along with Ness appearing in every Super Smash Bros. game, Nintendo has laid the groundwork for a fourth game whether they intended to or not. Plus, many fans have wanted a new game for so long so Nintendo might as well do it and get the fans off their backs for awhile.

1. Metroid- Is anyone surprised? Metroid is weird as it's the number four franchise behind Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong yet it occasionally skips a generation as there was no Metroid game for the Nintendo 64 then made a comeback with Gamecube and followed up with the Wii only for the series to be absent for the Wii U. Not counting Federation Force, there hasn't been a new Metroid game since Metroid: Other M back in 2010 which is seven long years. That's a year short of tying the longest gap between games with Super Metroid to Metroid Prime having the longest at eight years (1994-2002). Given how big Metroid is, there no excuse for such a long wait and Nintendo really shouldn't go another system without Metroid. People have waited long enough for one of the greatest hunters in video game history.