THE POWER OF NINTENDO
Just last week, Nintendo revealed that Fire Emblem Warriors would be releasing for the New 3DS and Nintendo Switch. It follows the trend set by Hyrule Warriors of taking an established Nintendo franchise and translating it to the hack and slash style used by the popular Musou games. So we began thinking, what other series could Nintendo turn into hectic, fast-paced, over-the-top action games?
Some clearly work better than others but Nintendo is no stranger to taking concepts that seem like they wouldn’t be fun and turning them into incredibly entertaining games. So we have the utmost confidence that the Big N would be able to churn out some pretty great titles. But until they start releasing those games, here are a couple of ideas.
METROID
The Metroid series is the perfect candidate for high octane action against waves of dangerous foes. Samus and her fellow bounty hunters each possess unique skills that would fit perfectly into this kind of game, not to mention the many memorable villains the series has produced. The battles could take place on strange alien worlds or derelict spaceships, the possibilities are endless.
The series would also translate nicely into the over-the-top action that Musou games are known for. Giant laser beams, morph balls barreling through enemies, areas that can only be accessed once certain weapons are equipped. The core tenants of the Metroid series would still be fully intact, just a little faster.
SUPER MARIO
A Mario warriors game would have a ton of material to draw from. Not only does the red-clad plumber stomp his enemies out of existence, he is also very proficient at go-karting, baseball, tennis, golf, and various other Olympic sports. Mario and gang could easily rush through the Mushroom Kingdom, knocking down waves of Goombas, sending Koopa shells flying in all directions, and making Pirhana Plants hide in their pipes.
There are dozens of playable characters on offer. Bowser, Waluigi, Wario, Rosalina, Peach, Luigi, Boo, and anyone else who has ever shown up in a Mario game could be featured. And because each character has their own past in the series, coming up with bizarre, unique moves for each combatant wouldn’t be hard.
KIRBY
Nintendo’s pink puffball is famous for stealing the abilities of his enemies and turning their own power against them in horrifying fashion. What better way to recreate this in a 3D space then by putting Kirby against hordes of ruthless combatants? King Dedede has a pretty big army, so it stands to reason that he has enough to fill a couple of fields and attack some objectives.
Hyrule Warriors took the characters of the Zelda franchise and cranked the action up to 11. Kirby Already shoots fireballs and wields swords with precision and poise, Nintendo just needs to ramp the action up. Imagine Kirby inhaling a fire enemy and gaining the ability to spew massive streams of fire across the battlefield. Kirby would be a very versatile character, but playing as series mainstays like Metaknight would also be fun, switching up the pacing and how you tackle each objective.
ANIMAL CROSSING
Animal Crossing is a phenomenon. Millions begin salivating at the mouth the instant a new game in the series is revealed. The core series may be cute and cuddly, but the Villager was no pushover in the most recent Smash Bros. game. Clearly something is going on in Animal Crossing if the town’s inhabitants need to be that proficient in combat.
Maybe Tom Nook has to protect the shop from throngs of shoppers looking for deals. Or maybe you play as Mayor Tortimer defending his home against possessed villagers. The possibilities are endless and because the series is so diverse the situations Nintendo could dream up would make for a wacky yet deep hack and slash game.
LUIGI’S MANSION
Mario may be the star but Luigi can still hold his own. He’s survived not one, but two excursions into ghost-infested houses, and who’s to say he can’t do it again? What if the green plumber didn’t have to vacuum up ghosts, but could just knock them back into their graves. The vacuum could still play a role in the gameplay, but spending countless minutes focusing on singular enemies would be a thing of the past.
Luigi could draw in hordes of phantoms only to send them flying back. Even if Luigi does figure out some way to beat back legions of spectral baddies, it wouldn’t be a Luigi’s Mansion title if he wasn’t quivering in his boots. It’s a good opportunity to add a bit of humor to a style of game that usually consists of mashing the same two buttons until all of your enemies lie at your feet. But Luigi isn’t some hardened warrior. He’s just a guy trying to rescue his brother from a painting. So creating a Musou game that makes you feel like you’re playing as a bumbling idiot would be a refreshing change of pace.
POKEMON
Pokemon is still one of Nintendo’s biggest properties. With over 700 pocket monsters to choose from, a Warriors style game could feature a daunting number of characters. Obviously, not every Pokemon would be featured. Some simply don’t lend themselves to this style of game, but tearing through crowds of enemy critters using fan favorites like Mewtwo, Charizard, and Suicune would be hectic and dizzying.
Evolution has always been at the core of the series, and it could be worked into this style of game. Choose your starter at the beginning of the game and watch them grow through dozens of battles with hundreds of enemies, collecting more companions on the way. Pokemon is about a young child embarking on an adventure with their Pokemon companions. Even if the series were to be translated into a straight action game, keeping this idea intact would make for a game that stays true to the series. Plus, what could be better than cutting your way through a horde of Magikarp?
RHYTHM HEAVEN
Of all Nintendo’s IPs, Rhythm Heaven is by far the most recognizable, right? Well maybe not. It may be more of a niche series but it still has dozens of memorable characters and minigames to draw from. And the combat could even work these minigames into combos. Maybe you need to time your attacks to the beat to deal more damage or complete a minigame in order to pull off a devastating finishing move.
It would be whacky fun through and through. Nothing says ‘warriors’ like plucking the facial hair off onions and stacking robots. Nintendo has so many weird franchises in its catalog that not dipping into some of the more bizarre offerings would be doing fans everywhere a disservice.
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