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Six Nintendo Games Switch Could Breathe New Life Into
After the lackluster lifespan of the Wii U, Nintendo is back on its A-game with Switch. With its new system, Nintendo is capitalizing on its re-found popularity by releasing a sampling of recent first-party titles like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. While many of these re-releases are Wii U games that many missed due to that system’s poor sales, Nintendo could update other first-party games to take advantage of the Switch’s capabilities.
Here are our picks for older Nintendo games that could find new life on Switch.
Super Mario 3D World
This one seems like a no-brainer. The Switch is a system that touts its accessible local multiplayer by divvying out Joy-Cons, and what better game to show off that functionality than Super Mario 3D World? We know that of New Super Mario Bros. U is coming to Switch, so why not bring over another cooperative-focused Wii U adventure? We’d throw Super Mario 3D Land from 3DS into a compilation with 3D World for good measure.
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
While it would be incredible for Nintendo to bring Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D, Wind Waker HD, and Twilight Princess HD to its current platform, the Switch can likely emulate the original Skyward Sword experience. The Joy-Con motion controls could allow for accurate sword gestures, though in an ideal world, there would be some non-motion control option for players who want a more traditional Zelda experience. If motion controls are necessary for Skyward Sword, it could make handheld mode difficult, but TV and tabletop mode would be as simple as grabbing a Joy-Con in each hand. Either way, much like Wind Waker, the Skyward Sword art style would look gorgeous in HD. Don’t get me wrong, though, Nintendo should totally bring every Zelda ever to Switch.
WarioWare
Maybe this isn’t as much of a single game to bring back as much as it’s a much-needed return of a franchise. We haven’t seen a proper console WarioWare game in over a decade (No, Game & Wario doesn’t count), and that entry (Smooth Moves on Wii) is still an incredible pick for parties. This year’s WarioWare Gold served as a terrific reminder of just how much fun those micro-games can be. The WarioWare team could have fun experimenting with different gameplay modes depending on which Switch style you’re using. If you’re playing in handheld mode, you could have minigames that rely on touchscreen and physical controls, while TV or tabletop modes could do away with the touchscreen in favor of motion controls. It’s time for the over-the-top goofiness to return to the big screen, and the versatile Switch is the perfect system for it.
Advance Wars
We’re already getting the Advance Wars-inspired WarGroove at some point in the future, and while that looks promising, it would be awesome to have a proper Advance Wars title on Nintendo’s current hybrid system. Intelligent Systems’ turn-based strategy squad has been focused on the Fire Emblem franchise lately, and with Three Houses coming in 2019, the two scenarios most likely to play out would be for a different team to work on a new Advance Wars game, or for Nintendo to just put together an Advance Wars compilation for Switch. A new Advance Wars game seems unlikely at this point, but I don’t think any long-suffering fans would be upset with the entire Advance Wars catalog on Switch. Look, Nintendo, we just want a sign of life.
Rhythm Heaven: Megamix
Much like WarioWare Gold, Rhythm Heaven: Megamix reminded players of how much fun the music-based minigames are in this series. Serving as a greatest hits-style title, Megamix provides plenty of content and serves as a stroll down memory lane for fans of the series. Being able to play all those games on the big screen with a good set of speakers would be awesome, but there’s no denying that they also fit perfectly into the on-the-go format they’ve benefited from on DS and 3DS. Switch gives you the best of both worlds, while also improving on the graphics and sound.
Super Mario Maker
One of the most beloved Wii U games, Super Mario Maker, seems like a perfect fit for the latest Nintendo system. While the lack of second-screen functionality might seem like a roadblock, Nintendo could restrict building a stage to handheld mode, or simply allow the joysticks to control a cursor in TV mode. In addition, the Switch’s abilities could allow for cooperative building like what was seen in the 3DS version, with multiple Switch consoles using their local connectivity to connect players hoping to build together. Super Mario Maker is a flat-out must-own for Mario fans and creative players alike, so this sits firmly at the top of my wishlist.
Which Nintendo games do you want to see come to Switch with new enhancements?
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