Updating Nintendo IPs

I'm an ideas guy, and let's get that straight right off the bat. I enjoy speculating and theorycrafting more than I am comfortable admitting, and if I were told to choose between spitting ideas or actually making something, well... I have to admit I would really struggle with that choice! 

So by now it's probably obvious that, with this being a Nintendo-focused blog, I've already tried my hand at conceptualizing some ways Nintendo could update stagnant IPs. With rumors that they may be doing just that by utilizing the help of independent developers to save on AAA budgets, I want to make clear that my approach here is as if this were guaranteed to be the case. If this catches your interest, excellent, please do read on! And, well, if it doesn't, then maybe just click the X and go find something more valuable to do with your time. I warned ya! 

IP: Balloon Fight

Idea: Balloon Fight Battle!

Pitch: "Balloon Fight meets Splatoon meets Towerfall"

Balloon Fight isn't that obscure, but it's definitely not even a C-tier IP, so don't kid yourself. IMHO, the formula would work really well as an indie-developed competitive multiplayer game, complete with the flashy pixel art, online lobbies, and lots of ridiculous bullshit that drives you to come back for more. The core gameplay is pretty easy to grasp, so making this into a "so simple yet so addictive" type of game seemed like a no-brainer (think Fall Guys or Rocket League for inspiration here). Imagine Balloon Fight with a "Battle Royale" mode and perks. There could be different gear to pick out, each with its own buffs, and a handful of cool ways to alter the appearance of your avatar to make you feel extra unique. I'd also say jazz up the gameplay by throwing in the ability to use comical weapons like anchors, 10T weights, slingshots, bow and arrows, throwing stars, spiked cleets, maybe a jetpack, bombs, thumbtacks, boomerangs... It could make for a really fun, chaotic multiplayer game with just adding a little "sauce" on top of the already existing basics! I also can't neglect the 1-player mode, which could easily be based on the original Balloon Trip mode, which was reused for the GB game Balloon Kid and the Balloon Fight mini-game in Nintendoland. This concept is by far my favorite, because it presents such a rich, untapped potential for Nintendo (and its fans) to sink their teeth into. I should also remind everyone that a fangame that is already a lot like this exists on Newgrounds and you can play it here. You're welcome.

IP: Ice Climber

Idea: Ice Climber (2020)

Pitch: "Ice Climbing co-op puzzle platformer"

This is a pretty simple improvement to make: Ice Climber, but bigger. The original was a co-op vertical platformer with an interesting screen scrolling gimmick that would move the "black pit of death" upwards as the player progressed. Ice Climber was a super basic platformer, but I think bringing that element forward would be a unique way to honor the original game and make a modern remake feel "fresh." My pitch is that Popo and Nana are now climbing mountains made up of procedurally generated platforming challenges that appear before them as they climb ever higher towards the peak. Each mountain would have its own theme (ice, volcano, tower, clouds, etc.), and each mountain would end with the same bonus game as the original Ice Climber. However, climbing the mountain would be unique every time you encounter it. In a sense, this turns Ice Climber into a "roguelike" platformer, which isn't anything new but not something we see often. I think expanding the abilities of the characters might help with the challenge as well. Popo and Nana could still use their hammers to break blocks or stun enemies, but they can now also create 1x1 ice blocks that can be used at platforms or pushed around. The belaying rope from Smash Bros. would also be present, giving the Ice Climbers a grappling hook like ability that works similarly to the Ninja Rope from Worms; attaching the rope to a surface allows the climber to dangle freely and either extend the line, reel in the line, or swing back and forth to gain momentum. This plus the ice block could help immensely with traversing whatever the game throws at you. In 2 player co-op, new abilities would be opened up: the climbers can use one another as an anchor for the rope; 2 players can also make 2 ice blocks, increasing their options; the climbers could bounce on each other's heads; and when next to one another Popo and Nana could perform the unique Squall Hammer ability for an extra attack. This may seem like I didn't flesh out the game entirely too well, but I hope you can imagine what I see in my mind's eye from my descriptions here. It would make for one hell of a cool indie crossover title.

IP: Mach Rider

Idea: Mach Rider Future

Pitch: "Post-apocalyptic racing visual novel"

This could be a hard sell because i's not like other ideas out there at all. Imagine a stylized cyberpunk visual novel where the main character takes on the role of the "Mach Rider," a title that gets passed down to the baddest, toughest biker around. You traverse the vast deserts of the apocalypse on your bike, tricking it out with weapons and gear, as you gather resources, take down gangsters, and solve missions for locals. At night, you enter the neon lights of the city to seek out new intel and chat with locals as you get a feel for the night life of this futuristic world. Lying somewhere between the original Mach Rider, Shenmue and games like Snatcher, I think this take on Mach Rider would be ambitious but such a great way to reinvent the IP if given to the right developers.

IP: Wild Gunman

Idea: Wild Gunman: Wicked West

Pitch: "Overwatch in the Old West"

The concept for an Old West "team shooter" has been in my head for probably decades now, and Wild Gunman is a pretty ripe IP to try and explore that concept with. The original game was a simple light gun game (both on the NES and in Arcades), and something like that really isn't a draw anymore. For me, the appeal would be in the branding alone and really nothing else. So, what would this game look like? This may be a bit ambitious for a smaller, indie-developed title, but I'd picture this as an Overwatch style team shooter (moreso than TF2) with a lower bar of entry for younger players. Being set in the Old West means you can have the usual cast of characters show up: the Sheriff, the Bandit, the Outlaw, the Ranger, the Dove, the Brave, and the Sharpshooter, just to name a few of my ideas. The characters would take inspiration from the original Wild Gunman sprites (for example, the bandit would easily be based on the image above), but you could also throw in expys of well-known historical and mythical figures like Annie Oakley, Billy the Kidd, and John Henry. That's about as far as I'm really willing to go in this short paragraph here, because to me these types of games are all about the characters and, honestly, I'm not too familiar with team shooters in general. That said, I'll leave it up to somebody else to get down to brass tacks when conceptualizing how this game would play and feel; I just care about the broader scope.

IP: Wrecking Crew

Idea: Wrecking Crew TWO

Pitch: "Competitive and cooperative demolition"

This is another concept that kind of writes itself. The original Wrecking Crew was a 2 player game starring Mario and Luigi where the players had to demolish a building. It has some light puzzle elements, like the order you destroying things affecting the layout of the stage and so forth (and the Japan-only sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, laid the puzzle elements on thick as it was pretty only a puzzle game). I think taking that basic formula, giving it a fresh coat of paint, and making it an online multiplayer game is really all you need. I'm also a strong believer that Nintendo can easily "remove" Mario characters from this IP and it would still work. You don't need Mario to make Wrecking Crew, well, Wrecking Crew. This IP can be its own thing and that wouldn't jeopardize the game's quality or fun factor, similar to how they took Mario out of Donkey Kong for Donkey Kong 3 (and replaced him with Stanley who, hey, would actually work well as the star for this game concept!). I don't have much else to say here if I'm being honest. Just another great candidate for revival from the early NES days!