With the prodigal Kid (Icarus) being so warmly received after an absence of 20 years, you might well ask which Nintendo series would benefit from a similar revival. Indeed, Nintendo has such a formidable stable of franchises that maintaining them all would be an almost impossible task. By having such a large cast to play with, however, Nintendo has the luxury of being in a position to bench a franchise for a generation or two, and we have seen this done with high profile series' like Kid Icarus and Metroid, and more recently F-Zero and Star Fox. This is not necessarily a bad thing and it can in fact be beneficial for the series. Putting a given franchise on hold for a few years can go some way towards preventing it from becoming stale and it can also be beneficial for the developers themselves, as rather than diving headlong into the next installment it allows for new ideas and concepts to evolve.
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Pit might have been sorry to keep us waiting, but fans of the original were more than happy to see him return.
That's not to say that the reason Nintendo has not released a new F-Zero in recent years is because it is highly principled and does not wish to devalue the franchise (this is after all the same company who have strong-armed Mario into every genre under the sun).The reason Nintendo has not saw fit to release a new F-Zero game is more likely because it was a niche game which failed to meet sales expectations. As we saw with kid Icarus: Uprising, residual affection for a series can play a big part in whether or not a series is revived, but it also needs to have a market that it can be sold to. In other words, if a series is to see a revival it must not only satisfy existing fans, it must also be capable of bringing in new ones.
For this reason the launch of new hardware would seem to be a perfect time to revive a franchise. Not only does bringing back a popular franchise get existing fans of that series excited about the new console, the game itself is also likely to get a sales bump from those, who might not be familiar with the series but, have just bought the new system and want something to play on it.
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A shiney new system demands a shiney old game.
Successful revivals also tend to have a purpose. With the return of the Metroid series on the Gamecube for instance the intention seemed to be to provide an experience that would appeal to the western markets, where Nintendo was losing ground to their competitors. With Kid Icarus: Uprising, Nintendo's ambition was to make a game which would really show off what the 3DS was capable of. If and when Nintendo choose to revive a series for the Wii U, I think it's probable that there will be a strategic element to it.
PixelatedPixies' Choice.
Had this question of reviving a dormant Nintendo franchise been posed a few years ago I would have jumped up and down screaming 'Sin & Punishment' at the top of my lungs. Being the insatiable and greedy gamer that I am, however, the franchise that I now wish to see revived is one which I believe meets the criteria stated above (i.e. one which has been dormant for several years, can be marketed to a certain demographic and which fulfills certain strategic considerations). This franchise holds a unique place in many Nintendo fans hearts and is often cited as one of the best games ever made. Unlike many video games which have been absent for 10 years, however, this game's systems and premise are such that it could easily be adapted for modern sensibilities. The return of this series might also go some way towards one of Nintendo's stated goals, which is to make a more concerted effort to engage 'core gamers'. Indeed, it is one of the few games Nintendo has produced which is aimed squarely at mature gamers. I speak of course of Eternal Darkness.
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This oft-delayed epic was switched from N64 to Gamecube before being finally released in 2002.
What little we do know about the Wii U's hardware might also suggest some interesting new features for an Eternal Darkness sequel. For a start there is the fact that the Wii U is capable of pushing prettier graphics. The original Eternal Darkness, a game which was originally designed for the N64, was not the nicest looking game on the Gamecube, but it still had a certain artistry. From small things like particle effects and lighting, to beautifully crafted and seemingly authentic churches and temples, Eternal Darkness was an impressive looking game if not a notably pretty one. The thing that made the original so visually appealing was it's detail and density. Objects in the world were not merely painted backgrounds, they looked and felt like real objects, things which could be interacted with and would change as the game progressed. It's this sense of detail and authenticity that I see really benefitting from being on a more advanced console like the Wii U.
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Canadian developer Silicon Knights, under Nintendo's guidance, were able to explore the psychological side of fear and insanity in a way that no other horror game had before.
There is also the matter of the tablet controller. One of the most unique and surprising features of the original Eternal Darkness was of course the 'Insanity Effects', which would alter the characters perception of their surroundings depending on the messed up things that they witnessed or the evil abominations they encountered. The Roivas family, who comprise some of the more important characters in the game, were prone to insanity and this mechanic provided an interesting look into the psyche of the characters themselves. The Wii U controller would seem well suited to providing even more brain scrambling effects. Not only could the controller be used to widen the scope of some of the more notable flourishes (blood pouring down the walls for instance), it might also be used as a sort of window into the game, allowing the player to see past the twisted visions and into the real world or vice versa. Using the tablet screen to display a different version of the world from that which is shown on the main screen might even allow the game to mess with the player by having them question which version is real.
Ultimately, what I want from an Eternal Darkness sequel is something which is inspired by the original but not beholden to it. I'd like to see the insanity effects return in some form, and I'd also like it to be able to convey, as effectively as the original, a sense of time and place. Beyond that I'd like a sequel to go in a crazy direction and totally throw me for a loop. I'd be fine with some of the characters from the original returning, but I think I'd prefer to see a completely new setting with new characters, tangentially related to the first but not easily connected to it. To me Eternal Darkness was all about the atmosphere and story. If a sequel can nail that, then I'm on board.
Which dormant Nintendo series do you feel would benefit from a revival? How would this series benefit from being on the Wii U? Let me know in the comments below.
