Nintendohas helmed many of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, from the lovable worlds ofSuper Mario Bros.to the fantasy adventures found inThe Legend of Zelda. Nonetheless, the company has been behind many other franchises that, for one reason or another, have remained quite dormant in the past ten years of video game releases.
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While some of Nintendo’s biggest series have impending releases, such asPikmin 4or an untitled newMetroidPrimegame, these series currently have no planned future. Given that they appeal to many fans and have left a huge mark on gaming history, it’s only fair they’re given another shot. These are among Nintendo’s most deserving series to be revived.
10Kid Icarus
Kid Icaruswas a forgotten Nintendo classic for years until Pit was added toSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.Fortunately, the character and franchise got a revival on the 3DS withKid Icarus: Uprising, which was directed by Masahiro Sakurai following the production ofBrawl, becoming one of the best-selling titles on the system after its release in 2012.
The franchise had a new life breathed into it, featuring many new characters based on figures from Greek mythology. Many characters and stages were later featured in subsequent releases of Sakurai’sSuper Smash Brosseries, but no sequel is in the works. Hopefully,Sakurai’s allusions to a Switch portwill keep the series in gamers' minds.
9Rhythm Heaven
At one point,Rhythm Heavenwas one of Nintendo’s most promising franchises, after its worldwide release on the DS in 2008 made it one of the best-selling games of the year. The series got two sequels, one of which was the compilationRhythm Heaven Megamixon the 3DS. There were evenrumors of aRhythm Heavencharacter joiningSuper Smash Bros.
However,Rhythm Heavenhas had a quiet few years since the release of its 3DS entry. Although the game’s producer has expressed interest in developing moreRhythm Heavengames, progress hasn’t been made, leaving the franchise’s fans with dwindling hopes. Perhaps one day, the rhythm game franchise will start back up again!
8F-Zero
Captain Falcon is one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters thanks to his appearances in everySuper Smash Bros.title. However, his origin, theF-Zeroseries, hasn’t had a new release since the Japan-only GameBoy Advance titleF-Zero Climax. Sadly, the series' success may be diminished by the incredible success of Nintendo’s other racing franchise.
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To this day, theMario Kartseries is alive and well. EvenMario Kart 8 Deluxe, a re-release of the Wii U title that originally debuted in 2014, continues to receive DLC updates adding new characters and stages. It’s a tough competitor to compete with, but fans ofSuper Smash Bros.would certainly appreciate a revival of Captain Falcon’s own series.
7Duck Hunt
Duck Huntwas originally released on arcades in 1984 before it was ported onto the NES, becominga notable game that was compatible with the NES Zapper. It has nevertheless remained iconic for its innovation in gaming technology, despite one very annoying laughing dog. That dog eventually made it toSuper Smash Bros., becoming a playable character.
Nevertheless, the primitiveness ofDuck Hunthaving only one entry from over thirty years ago makes it prime for a reboot likeKid Icarus. Nintendo could potentially reinterpretDuck Huntas a third-person shooter, though it’s possible its real-life hunting basis could draw criticism. Still, it would be a blast to the past for longtime Nintendo fans.
6Star Fox
The lastStar Foxtitle wasn’t long ago, withStar Fox Zeroreleased for the Wii U in 2016. The game was panned by critics for its unintuitive controls and rehashing ofStar Foxstorylines that dated back toStar Fox 64. Prior to that, the last originalStar Foxtitle wasStar Fox Commandfor the original Nintendo DS in 2006.
Given the variety of characters in theStar Foxseries, as well as titles likeStar Fox Assaultshaking up the typical gameplay formula, the series could use a new entry on the Switch. In fact, it’s likely deserving of a brand-new game after the misfire that wasStar Fox Zero, potentially giving the series an opportunity to redeem itself in fans' eyes.
5Punch-Out!!
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!remains one of the most iconic NES titles, even earning itself its own easter egg inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. Nevertheless, aside from the obvious inclusions inSuper Smash Bros.,thePunch-Outfranchise hasn’t had a new entry since 2009, with the new-and-improvedPunch-Out!!for Nintendo Wii.
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Given that players seemed to enjoy the newPunch-Out!!that Nintendo whipped up in 2009, they could pretty much copy that same formula for a whole new series. Just by introducing new characters and controls, it could be an easy and likely rewarding output by Nintendo. Nevertheless,Punch-Outhas received criticism in the past for its depiction of other cultures.
4Mother
Earthboundwas a sleeper hit for Nintendo, following up the Japan-onlyMotherwith an RPG parodying American culture with a fairly strange marketing campaign. This unfortunately led to the game’s GameBoy Advance follow-up,Mother 3, only seeing a Japanese release in 2006, which Nintendo fans have clamored to be localized ever since.
Although Nintendo has a chance to give fans what they want by puttingMother 3on Nintendo Switch Online’s GameBoy Advance library, there’s an even better option. By officially making a fourthMothergame, one created by Nintendo and not fans, they could reignite the franchise and give many diehard Nintendo fans what they’ve been waiting for.
3Golden Sun
Golden Sunwasn’t as popular an RPG as some of Nintendo’s other franchises such asFire Emblem. However, it was a frequent series on GameBoy Advance and DS throughout the 2000s and sold decently, at least for its first two entries. Its last entry,Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, was released over a decade ago andunfortunately undersold in all markets.
Nevertheless, Nintendo has pulled through with other RPGs, such as reviving a near-deadFire EmblemwithFire Emblem: Awakeningfor the 3DS. Hopefully, if development is cheap enough, they’ll see the benefit of giving a similar treatment toGolden Sunsomeday. Perhaps protagonist Isaac could even transition from Assist Trophy to a fighter inSmash Bros.
2Custom Robo
It’s true that elements of theCustom Robofranchise can be found in Nintendo’s other properties likePokemon, or even third parties likeYo-Kai Watch. However, nothing quite compares to the series, which finds players assembling robotic soldiers to do battle with other characters across five games throughout the early 2000s.
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It wasn’t untilCustom Robo: Battle Revolutionthat the series saw a Western release, titled simplyCustom Robo. Its successor,Custom Robo Arena, also saw a global release in 2007, but nothing since. Given how different thePokemonfranchise has evolved since then, perhaps Nintendo could useCustom Roboas a launchpad for a classic type of RPG.
1Nintendo Land
Most owners of the Nintendo Wii U are familiar withNintendo Landas the system’s original package title, containing several minigames based on various Nintendo properties. The minigames stretch from Nintendo’s most popular franchises, likeSuper Mario Bros.andThe Legend of Zelda, to less-known ones likeThe Mysterious Murasame CastleorBalloon Fight.
Sadly,the Nintendo Switch did not come with a packaged game, even though a follow-up toNintendo Landwould’ve been the perfect entry to showcase the Switch’s various playstyles. Perhaps, if rumors of an upgraded Nintendo Switch are true, Nintendo will finally make a sequel toNintendo Landas a fun way to showcase how different it is.
