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Reader Discussion: Can A Franchise Successfully Jump Genres?
Jumping genres can be a dangerous experiment. Sometimes it’s a way to pull otherwise unfamiliar gamers into new genres. Sometimes it’s a way to turn them away.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is out on Tuesday, and it made me think of Kingdom Hearts' first handheld outing, Chain of Memories. It looked like a Kingdom Hearts game, but it was really more of a card game, which admittedly isn’t too far removed from RPG conventions. It received a decent reception, but nothing spectacular.
Fighting games tend to be the worst offenders. Games like Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Tekken’s Nina Williams in Death by Degrees (yes, I think that is technically the official title) are both offensive examples of why fighting game characters should probably stick to fighting games.
Mario experiments in all genres, RPG, racing, sports, puzzle, and he usually comes out on top.
What do you think? Has there ever been a character or franchise that you enjoyed more in in a different genre? Maybe Pokemon Conquest? Or Jak X: Combat Racing? Or Link’s Crossbow Training?
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