5 Nintendo Remakes That Would Sell the Switch Like Hotcakes

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Okay, yes, Ocarina of Time has already been remastered and ported to the 3DS in recent years, but it wasn’t a complete overhaul. While the visuals were certainly polished up for Ocarina’s handheld debut, we can’t help but wonder what a completely remade, HD Ocarina of Time would look like.

Exploring the lush greenery of the Forest Temple, or watching embers sail past Link’s head in Dodongo Cavern would certainly be a treat. And let’s not forget about how pretty Zora’s Domain would look. With Breath of the Wild due to release on the Switch, it’d be great to let long-term fans of the series and newcomers alike witness not only one of the highest points in the series, but one of the most revolutionary games of its generation.

Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine was a great little GameCube game, but one that’s often overshadowed by its bigger and bolder Wii successor, Super Mario Galaxy. Seeing Mario blamed for dirtying up the tropical isles of Delfino, Sunshine has players embark on a quest to clean the place up with the help of a high-tech water cannon called FLUDD. It was certainly different to the usual Mario storyline, but a welcome change and one that allowed the gameplay to receive a shakeup. Sunshine was a perfect example of Nintendo’s unparalleled creativity and game design, something Nintendo took even further with the Wii’s Galaxy duo.

With 2017 marking Sunshine’s 15th anniversary, it’d be great to see Nintendo dust off the cobwebs and bring Sunshine to the HD generation. A full-fledged Mario adventure on the go to get fans prepared for the teased Mario game in the Switch trailer? Yes, please.

Star Fox 64

It’s fair to say that Fox McCloud’s latest outing on the Wii U wasn’t quite the experience that fans were hoping for. While Star Fox Zero definitely had some of the original Star Fox 64’s spark, its irritating motion controls and dual-screen experience tarnished the game’s action. Not to mention the sub-part visuals. While fans will definitely be hoping that Fox and co. can make a fresh return on the Switch, a great way for Nintendo to test demand would be to give Star Fox 64 a full remake.

Take those polygonal-looking ships, rough-edged planets, and bland-looking space environments, and bring them into 2017. We’ve seen just how great Ratchet and his world looked on the PS4 last year, and Star Fox’s universe could be equally be awe-inspiring. Release it at a budget price of $40 on the Switch, and players will be clamoring to do a barrel roll and listen to Slippy’s incessant complaining all over again.

Metroid Prime Collection

Metroid’s 30th anniversary came and went last year without as much of a bat of an eye from Nintendo. While it did bring Metroid Prime: Federation Force to the 3DS in August, the experience fell short for fans. It didn’t place players in the shoes of Samus Aran, and its action was devoid of classic Metroid elements. Hardly the game to celebrate the series’ lineage.

Considering Super Metroid is often considered one of Nintendo’s finest games, and the Metroid Prime series that begun on the GameCube was critically-acclaimed throughout its entirety, a true celebration of its history seems missing — especially when you consider Pokemon’s anniversary dominated the whole of 2016.

It’s never too late for Nintendo to give fans what they want, though. Considering the five-year hiatus that the main series is currently going through, it’s always possible that Nintendo is working on something in the Metroid series, whether that’s a continuation of the popular Prime series, or a throwback to its roots. While it’d be great to see it release alongside the Switch or shortly thereafter, there’d be no better way for players to prepare for the continuation of Samus’ adventure than with remakes of the first three titles.

Take a look at Halo 2’s remake for Master Chief Collection, and try to not drool over the prospect of the Prime trilogy looking that good. I know, it’s impossible.

Pokemon

2016 was the year that Pokemon came back, and in one heck of a way. Its 20th anniversary was a year-round event, with mythical Pokemon given away on a monthly basis via mystery gift, Pokemon GO giving us a reason to enjoy the summer sun, and Sun and Moon closing things out with a bang in November. Pokemon GO and Sun and Moon’s successes proved that the series is definitely still in demand, and more importantly, is still undeniably likable. So why not capitalize on that success and give the Switch a much-needed kickstart?

There are so many games worthy of the remake treatment in this franchise, including the spin-off snapshot adventure, Pokemon Snap, and the classic Gold and Silver entries. There’s even the Pokemon Colosseum and XD GameCube games with their console RPG offerings. Any would be neat additions to the Switch lineup.

While it’s unclear whether Nintendo would bring their handheld-selling series to its hybrid console, it’d certainly have fans throwing their cash. Even the recently rumored Pokemon Stars – a Switch port of Sun and Moon – would be welcomed with open arms to the Switch’s library.