With the announcement earlier this week that Professor Layton and the Curious Village, a 2007 DS game, would be coming to iOS devices, we learned that Nintendo is relinquishing some control over titles in their expansive backlog, at least for titles they published. The move of bringing this 11-year-old game to a new platform will surely breath new life to the title and the series writ large. If Nintendo is interested in giving their old games a second chance on mobile devices, then here are 10 Nintendo games we would love to see ported to mobile platforms.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Elite Beat Agents
Back in 2006, in the infancy of the DS, Nintendo released a wacky title like they had never released before. The title had players singing, dancing, and helping those in needs as government agents. It was called Elite Beat Agents and if it sounds like a strange combination, that’s because it was. Setting the weird premise aside, Elite Beat Agents was actually one of the best rhythm games to appear on the DS and was critically lauded at the time. Since the game was developed by a third-party and published by Nintendo, it could just as easily be ported to mobile from a permissions point of view.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes
While it may be nice to have some of the generation-defining Zelda titles like Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild on our phones, the 3DS spin-off Triforce Heroes may actually be the best fit for mobile. The focus on local co-op lends itself even better to mobile devices than it did to 3DS because everyone has a phone; the install base is absurdly larger. The different costumes and powers associated with them is a nice built-in loop of replayability that could keep players coming back for more, especially if you have new comrades for every dungeon run.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
WarioWare: Twisted
Warioware: Twisted was one of the first uses of gyro controls, especially on a handheld platform, back in 2005 and is to this day one of the best and most meaningful implementations of tilt controls in a game. Despite the dropping hazard, the high-quality gyro games would fit perfectly on mobile, which is already filled with games featuring tilt controls of varying levels of quality. Can’t you just imagine rotating your phone in all manner of fashion with Wario maniacally laughing at you on your morning commute? Doesn’t that sound fun?
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Nintendogs + Cats
The Nintendogs series has laid dormant since it launched alongside the 3DS back in 2011, but mobile would be a fantastic place to revitalize the series because of the platform’s accessibility. Checking in on your pup or kitten a couple of times a day in the few minutes you have to catch a breath could be just the ray of sunshine needed to get through a hard day. And for those of us who aren’t allowed to have pets due to living constrictions, a Nintendog or cat could be as nice of a substitute as we can have.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Advance Wars
Fire Emblem Heroes has shown everyone that Nintendo knows how to do strategy on mobile devices, even if it is on the lighter side. It would be awesome to see Nintendo roll up their sleeves and bring this beloved GBA classic back. Fans of the series are clamoring for anything in the series, even an acknowledgment from Nintendo that the franchise isn’t dead, so a mobile port of the game that started it all would be a perfect bone to throw.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
Rhythm Heaven is known for its bopping tunes and short, character-filled minigames, which would both fit well on mobile. Megamix is the 3DS entry in the series that had the most remixes while also adding new content. It also appears to be the game that got the least amount of love, so a mobile port would give it a well-deserved second chance. The quick games would be a perfect way to kill those few minutes between obligations that everyone experiences on a daily basis, all while bringing a smile to our faces. Adding an offline jukebox mode to listen to the music while on the go would be a nice touch for a mobile version.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
All of the games on this list thus far have been focused on fun, but could they have a function as well? A game that makes its players better and mentally quicker is the whole premise of Brain Age, which had players playing fun math and logic games to keep them sharp. Brain Age isn’t a game you binge for hours on end, but for just a few minutes a day. If that philosophy sounds familiar, then chances are you’ve played a mobile game before. It’s a match made in heaven and all in the name of personal improvement.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Point-and-click adventure titles are right at home on mobile devices. Nintendo hasn’t made a ton of them in their history, but the DS gem that is Hotel Dusk: Room 215 delivers. A noir mystery drama with a charming, sketchbook look fuses into a wonderful gaming experience that we would love to see again.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokémon as a series is in a bit of weird spot. With the rise of Pokémon Go and the impending launch of Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, fans are seeing a splintering of the series. The difference between what makes a Pokémon game special to the hardcore audience and the more casual players of the series is being exasperated by Game Freak and Nintendo. A possible method for restoring balance could be to release a core Pokémon RPG on mobile devices, making every type of Pokémon playable on every platform it appears on. Truthfully, any core title would do, but the best bang for buck titles are far and away HeartGold and SoulSilver.
10 Games Nintendo Should Port to Mobile
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
The spin-off puzzle platforming series featuring touch controls would naturally translate to mobile platforms. The bright, claymation vibe would ultimately be a joyous experience. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse reviewed generally well when it released on the Wii U in early 2015, but was criticized for how it split play between the two screens of the console. Porting the title to mobile would eliminate that major gripe and factor out to a wholesome gaming experience.
For more on mobile gaming, check out Twinifinte’s list of the 10 best Android games.
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