Topic: Predicting new titles based on VC releases

[azeke]

It makes sense for publisher to prepare audience for new games in the series by releasing previous one (or similar one, or at least the one with similar name) on downloadable services. Like with seemingly random Sin & Punishment N64 release on VC that was actually leading up to S&P 2.

Let's look at trends with Nintendo's VC releases and try to guess what's coming next.

3DS Ambassador titles (2011):

Super Mario Bros.
Metroid
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Balloon Fight
Ice Climber
NES Open Tournament Golf
Donkey Kong Jr.
Yoshi
Wrecking Crew

Metroid Fusion
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Wario Land 4
Mario vs. Donkey_Kong
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror

Famicom trial campaign (2013)

Balloon Fight (NES)
F-Zero (SNES)
Punch-Out!! (NES)
Kirby's Adventure (NES)
Super Metroid (SNES)
Mario & Yoshi (NES)
Donkey Kong (NES)

Also, individual VC releases.

Yoshi's Yarn explains why Yoshi (NES) and Yoshi's Island are there. They're even releasing Yoshi for second time on Wii U VC.
Fire Emblem was leading up for new FE game for 3ds.
Donkey Kong Jr. , Mario vs Donkey Kong (GBA), Donkey Kong 94 lead to two new DK titles for 3DS in latest Direct.
NES Golf and Mario Golf release on 3DS VC was leading to new 3DS Mario Golf.
Balloon Fight on 3DS and Wii U is probably to hype up Nintendo Land mini-game. Or it's just Iwata giving his game priority #1.
F Zero -- probably also for Nintendo Land
Ice Climbers -- i dunno lol. Gritty realistic revival?
Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda -- duh.
Wario and Game Watch collection VC releases lead to Game And Wario.


That leaves us:
Metroid -- included in 3ds ambassador and Wii U Famicom trial campaign. Also Metroid 1 and 2 released on 3DS VC.
Kirby -- constant stream of VC releases. Earlier ones can be attributed to two Kirby games in 2011, and but they are still releasing more old Kirby spin-offs.

[NWR_insanolord]

The more I think about it, the more likely I think it seems that there will be a Metroid game before the end of the year. It could either be what Retro's making, or possibly a 2D game for the 3DS.

In the latter case, the argument goes that Nintendo's going to want something else in Q4 besides Pokémon, but something that appeals to a different demographic. There's not much they haven't already done on 3DS that fits that, but Metroid does.

[Sarail]

I'm starting to agree with this sentiment, too, J.P. 3DS's year is fully loaded now - this greatly pleases me, but Wii U's lineup looking ahead is not as stellar. Unless Nintendo plans on having Mario Kart or the new 3D Mario headline November (please don't), then it's definitely got to be whatever Retro is cooking up. There's no way Wind Waker HD is the flagship game for this holiday. I just won't believe it.

[NWR_insanolord]

The kind of game I think most of us here want Retro to be making isn't a game that could be Nintendo's big headline November release. November's for Mario and Mario Kart; what we're looking for would hit somewhere between August and October. Whether it's Metroid, Star Fox, a new IP, whatever, it's coming in that timeframe. I've often referred to a late August release as "the Metroid slot."

[alegoicoe]

I would pay hands down to play LoZ MM with Miiverse support and saves states.

[Pixelated Pixies]

It makes sense for publisher to prepare audience for new games in the series by releasing previous one (or similar one, or at least the one with similar name) on downloadable services. Like with seemingly random Sin & Punishment N64 release on VC that was actually leading up to S&P 2.

I don't believe that it was Nintendo's intention to prepare (or create) an audience when they released Sin & Punishment on the VC. I remember reading that the popularity of the VC release had surprised Nintendo, but that it had convinced Nintendo and Treasure that there was an audience out there big enough to justify a sequel. Which is supported by the fact that Sin & Punishment was released on VC in Sept 2007, while Star Successor came out June 2010. If it had been their intention from the start to build some momentum behind the series then I'm sure they would have had the two be released within weeks of each other rather than years.
 
Generally though, I just don't give Nintendo that much credit when it comes to preparation and planning as it relates to Virtual Console. Everything about VC has always seems ad hoc and chaotic to me. Even those times where synchronisation is apparent, or a VC release quite clearly has been used to build momentum for a given series, I still like to think that those examples are pure happenstance, lol.

[azeke]

They're still doing stuff with Kirby on VC.

I think a new Wii U Kirby game should appear in next E3 Direct. And what a coincidence! HAL's gone completely silent lately...

They're releasing so much Kirby spinoffs, maybe this one will also be spinoff in another genre? Canvas Curse 2? Air ride 2? Something new? Obvious they're not gonna do Epic Yarn 2 with Good Feel doing Yoshi and all.

[nickmitch]

If there's a new Kirby game in the works, I hope to Based God that it's a fleshed out version of Milky Way Wishes. Add a few more powers, expand the levels, maybe make the powers act differently depending on what level you're in, and a few more improvements could really make it something.