5 Nintendo Games That Could Implode the App Store

Advance Wars

Nintendo is finally diving into mobile gaming, with Pokemon GO still ongoing and Super Mario Run releasing today. Now that the gaming legend has its sights on smartphones, here are five Nintendo IPs so perfect for mobile gaming that their sheer presence would utterly ravage the app store.

There’s something to be said about turn-based strategy games being perfect for smartphones. The fact that it’s not real-time means you can break away whenever you want, they’re the perfect way to tax your brain on a long journey, and touch screen controls become far less of an issue when you’re not frantically swiping the screen.

For those unfamiliar with Advance Wars, each game is made up of a number of grid-based maps. Players are put in control of one army and must eliminate the forces of either their AI or human opposition. Having both of these options available on a smartphone version of the game would mean you’d never be without an opponent to play, be it on a plane, or on your morning commute to work.

It’s been eight years since we last saw an entry into the Advance Wars series, and that’s a crying shame considering how consistently great the series was. With Nintendo due to bring its Fire Emblem series to smartphones sometime in 2017, Advance Wars feels like another obvious avenue they can use to offer some turn-based strategic goodness on the go.

 Super Mario Maker

Super Mario Maker has become one of the biggest surprise hits for Nintendo in recent years. Players didn’t think they’d have fun designing their own Mario levels as much as playing the real things. Understandable, considering Nintendo’s prowess at making some fantastically designed levels for the portly plumber to navigate. Despite this, Super Mario Maker has found a community of creators that have made some incredible levels.

Imagine that on smartphones. Using your touch screen to create your own level of doom for Mario, before uploading it for others to experience, and downloading a new set of courses from both other players and Nintendo. With its basic gameplay mechanics and limitless course possibilities, it’s quite possibly the best way to bring the classic Super Mario experience to smartphones.

Star Fox

Star Fox Zero might have been a bit of a low point in the franchise, but there’s no denying that Nintendo fans are keen to see Fox McCloud and the rest of the team return to form. While smartphones may not be the best platform for a blockbuster title in the series, it would be the perfect place to, say, port that Wii U title that was hindered by a bizarre control scheme.

While you’d still need to use motion controls for steering your Arwing, doing so while having a third-person view of your ship on your screen would be much less confusing and nauseating than the dual-screen setup the Wii U used. Heck, even if we saw a remake of Star Fox 64 come to smartphones, it’d be sure to keep fans happy.

An alternative option would be for Nintendo to pursue a sequel to the part turn-based part real-time action of 2005’s Star Fox Command. The title used the DS’ touch screen to have players plan out a path on a map of the level to defeat the forces and take control of enemy bases. It was a change of direction for the series, but one which may suit the smartphone platform better than the traditional Star Fox gameplay.

Metroid

The Metroid fanbase is so desperate for a new “proper” entry in the series, and while it’s likely that Nintendo will eventually answer their prayers and bring the next blockbuster chapter of Samus’ adventure to the Switch, smartphones would be the perfect platform to take the series back to its roots.

Just as Metroid Fusion on the GBA allowed players to head back into the 2D-side scrolling action that kickstarted the series all of those years ago, Nintendo could do the exact same thing once again on smartphones. With smartphones now capable of running some incredibly impressive games, the beautiful retro visuals, large sprawling map, and epic boss battles would all be a perfect fit for your handheld device.

It may require a bit of a workaround for the controls, but just as Never Alone: Ki Edition, and Rayman have managed to make a smooth transition to smartphones, so too, can everyone’s favorite space-traveler.

The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is undoubtedly going to make its way onto smartphones at some point in the future. As one of Nintendo’s headline franchises, it’d be odd for Link and the rest of his Hyrule companions to not make their way to the mobile platform. What form a Legend of Zelda title for smartphones would take, however, is less clear.

There is actually a good deal of different ways that Link could make his smartphone debut. A Hyrule Warriors title that has players cutting down huge legions of enemies with quick swipes of your phone’s touch screen could work pretty well. Alternatively, a traditional 2D side-scrolling experience that harks back to the series’ roots may help fans survive the wait for Breath of the Wild.

There is the chance that Nintendo could opt for a more casual Legend of Zelda title in the form of something like Tri Force Heroes, the 3DS title co-operative title that saw players making their way through dungeons and battling bosses together. It’d be a pretty neat concept on smartphones, with your device’s speaker and microphone allowing you to communicate with teammates if you’re playing together online. Add in a level creation tool and the ability to share your creations with others and you’d forever have new stages to play. Especially if the community gets behind it as they have done with Super Mario Maker.