Nintendo is one of the most popular gaming companies of all time. From developing iconic titles like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda to some of the best-selling consoles ever made like the Wii and the Switch, Nintendo has come a long way since it first began back in 1889 as a card company.
While titles like Pokémon, Super Mario, and Super Smash Bros. are some of the most notable gaming franchises, Nintendo also has a lot of series that deserve more recognition. Some franchises have had many fans and could gain a lot more if Nintendo were to revive them and release games on the Switch.
10 Star Fox Started Out Strong With Its First Few Releases
Star Fox is a shooter series that started in 1993. The first installment, which has the same name as the series, was one of the most popular games on the SNES. Despite its success, there were only seven other main titles in the franchise, with Star Fox 64 having a remake on the 3DS. Besides Nintendo, other popular developers have worked on the series, including Rare, Namco, and PlatinumGames. The latest installment of the series, Star Fox 2, which, as its title suggests, was the second game to be made. However, it never released until 2017 along with the SNES Classic Edition, which gave many fans a reason to get the limited console. Star Fox once had the potential to be one of Nintendo's best franchises, and it still could be if Nintendo made games similar to the first three.
9 Pikmin Has Taken A While To Release Its 4th Installment
Pikmin is a trilogy of RTS games with two spin-offs, one of which is an upcoming mobile title. The original installment released on the GameCube in 2001 with its sequel releasing on the same console three years later. Pikmin 3 first came to the Wii U in 2013 and a deluxe version released just a few months ago, causing fans to hope that this new version will be successful enough for Nintendo to release Pikmin 4, a game that was supposedly almost finished six years ago according to Shigeru Miyamoto, yet there has barely been any news about it. Luckily, while fans wait for the installment to hopefully release, they'll be able to play the mobile game that has a lot of similarities to Pokémon Go.
8 Wario Land Can Make A Return After Over A Decade
A lot of the characters who have appeared in Mario games have gotten their own series. One spin-off that doesn't receive the popularity it deserves is Wario Land. The first installment of the series, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, released in 1994 for the Game Boy and, as indicated by the title, is also the third game in the Super Mario Land series.
Five other games in this series would be made, though Wario would go on to be the main character of other titles, with the most popular being WarioWare. As WarioWare is completely different than Wario Land, however, platformer fans miss the series that ended in 2008 and would still like another installment over a decade later.
7 Mother Could Benefit From Being More Accessible Outside Of Japan
Mother, also known as Earthbound, is a trilogy of RPG games. The first game in the series was released on the NES back in 1989, but would only be available in Japan until 2015 when it came out on the Wii U for the rest of the world. Fans didn't have to wait nearly as long for its sequel as it came to North America for the SNES in 1995, a year after it came out in Japan. However, the last installment, which came to the Game Boy Advance in 2006, still isn't available outside of Japan. As the series has gained a lot of fans all around the world, it's a shame that Nintendo hasn't done more for them and should bring these games to the Switch for all gamers, no matter where they live, and make more sequels.
6 Golden Sun Left The Third Title On A Cliffhanger
Golden Sun is another trilogy of RPG games that deserve a revival. The first two installments, Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age came to the Game Boy Advance in the early 2000s and were originally going to be the same game but it was too long for the handheld system. The third title, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn came to the DS in 2010 and follows the characters of the first two game's children on their own adventure. It unfortunately ended on a cliffhanger and a fourth installment was never made. Seeing as how many players still want the game's mysteries to be revealed, a fourth Golden Sun title should be made.
5 F-Zero Was Another Racing Game Like Mario Kart
When most people hear racing and Nintendo, they think of Mario Kart. However, before the company's superstar began driving, Nintendo had started working on another racing series called F-Zero, with the first installment releasing in 1991 for the SNES. The last title in the series, F-Zero Climax came out in 2004 in Japan and has not been released elsewhere.
As the franchise has gotten more popular in recent years due to a couple of tracks from this series being included in Mario Kart 8 and Captain Falcon being playable in Super Smash Bros., Nintendo should make another installment.
4 Kid Icarus' Most Recent Release Was Its Most Popular, & The Next One Could Be Even Better
Kid Icarus is another trilogy of games, though unlike Golden Sun and Mother, it's not an RPG. The first title released in 1987 on the NES and the second came to the Game Boy in 1991. After two decades, the most popular game in the franchise, Kid Icarus: Uprising, released on the 3DS, which could have been the start of a revival to the series. However, it's been nine years since that installment came out and nothing has been announced since. With a whole new fanbase, it would have been great if Nintendo kept releasing new titles, and it's never too late to do so.
3 Wii Sports Took Advantage Of Nintendo's Signature Motion Controls
Wii Sports was a game that came with the Wii, in which players could use their Miis to play baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, and tennis. Due to its success, a sequel was made three years later called Wii Sports Resort, which included a lot more sports to play. These titles were a great way to show off motion controls, something that Nintendo still commonly adds to their games on the Switch. Though it wouldn't make sense to continue calling the series Wii Sports if another game was made, a potential Switch Sports could easily be one of the console's bestsellers.
2 Rhythm Heaven Is Due For A New Installment For The Switch
As indicated by its title, Rhythm Heaven is a rhythm series. The first installment of the series, Rhythm Tengoku, only came out in Japan on the Game Boy Advance in 2006. The other three games in the series are available elsewhere. Rhythm Heaven, the second title, released on the DS in 2009. Rhythm Heaven Fever came to the Wii in 2011. And Rhythm Heaven Megamix came out in 2016 for the 3DS. With the exception of the DS title, a new entry has come to the series every five years, and this could be the year that an installment releases on the Switch.
1 Metroid Has Fans Waiting For Prime 4
Metroid is an action adventure series that began in 1987 on the NES. Some of the most beloved titles in the series are the Metroid Prime trilogy, and fans have been waiting patiently for the fourth installment since 2017. Unfortunately, everything that happened in the first two years of development had to be scrapped so it's anyone's guess when the game will release. And this is just how long it has been since fans have waited for a new 3D game. Like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, this series has had both 2D and 3D entries. The latest 2D title, Metroid: Samus Returns came out in 2017 and was a remake of a 1991 game. The last 2D game to come out before that was Metroid: Zero Mission, which was yet again a remake that released all the way back in 2004. It would be great for the 2D installments to have a comeback with after Metroid Prime 4 releases.