Dormant franchises are abundant, and especially when it comes to Nintendo. Nintendo is one of the oldest gaming companies around. We at least can cross Pokémon Snap off our list now that New Pokémon Snap is coming soon.
However, New Pokémon Snap's announcement really outlined how much potential the Nintendo Switch has when it comes to reviving a whole host of fantastic and long-forgotten franchises. The Nintendo Switch only released in 2017, so Nintendo has time to get to work. Nintendo fanboys (and fangirls) are growing weary of ignored franchises, finding themselves eagerly anticipating their old favorites getting a fresh coat of paint. Here are ten dormant franchises that deserve the reboot treatment.
10 Metroid
This section refers to the original Metroid series and not Metroid Prime. That's not to say that Metroid Prime isn't a phenomenal franchise, but Metroid does offer something unique as a 2D platformer. Its intricate level design and boss battles are awe-inspiring.
Metroid received numerous 2D sequels, but the franchise has been dormant since Metroid's enhanced remake, Metroid: Samus Returns (remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus). It's time to either release the remake of Super Metroid or release another sequel.
9 Banjo-Kazooie
Xbox Games Studios is an industry leader concerning mergers and acquisitions. They have purchased numerous gaming companies, while companies like Nintendo have acquired companies to a lesser extent. Many of the Nintendo Switch's best games are first-party exclusives.
Banjo-Kazooie is an intellectual property of the Rare development company, which is owned by Xbox. Despite appearing in Diddy Kong Racing first, Banjo may never return to Nintendo. Whether it's Nintendo or Xbox, this dormant franchise needs to return, though seeing it return to Nintendo in proper fashion would be a landmark moment.
8 Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong 64earned critical acclaim when it released in 1999. This game was bundled with jungle-themed Nintendo 64 consoles. Utilizing an Expansion Pak, which boosted the video game console's RAM, the game offered breathtaking graphics.
Because Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and other Donkey Kong 2D platformers are so successful, Nintendo may not want to release a 3D game. Nintendo rarely releases similarly themed games concurrently. Nevertheless, there is plenty of pent-up demand for a proper Donkey Kong 64 sequel.
7 F-Zero
Set in the surreal future, F-Zero was one of Nintendo's most prominent franchises. Did you know that Captain Falcon was once the intended mascot of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System? This series spawned several hits and is renowned for hyperspeed races. What happened to the F-Zero franchise? Ever since F-Zero Climax in 2004, this has been a dormant Nintendo franchise.
6 Diddy Kong Racing
This racing series is renowned for its unforgiving races. Although not quite as punishing as rival Crash Team Racing, Diddy Kong Racing had races more competitive than kart racing series like Mario Kart. The items did not change based on your race position, and it required genuine skill to win races.
Diddy Kong Racing is next up for a reboot. It is credited for introducing prominent Nintendo characters like Banjo and Conker. This racing series is relevant in the Nintendo racing world for having a competitive multiplayer and an intriguing single-player campaign.
5 Mario Kart
Although Mario Kart could be considered an active series, it's been more than six years since the last Mario Kart game released, excluding Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This is a game series that likely won't release another game until 2021. Mario Kart: Double Dash was inventive, bringing two players racing on a single cart. Mario Kart 9 should attempt to reinvent itself, but still contain everything we love about the series.
4 Super Mario Strikers
One of the newer dormant franchises which is long overdue for a reboot is Super Mario Strikers. For the first time ever, Mario and friends (and enemies) band together to play competitive soccer games. This Nintendo GameCube game received a sequel for the Nintendo Wii, but it's been dormant since then. Mario Tennis Aces released for the Nintendo Switch, but we haven't seen soccer make its long-awaited return. This is a game series that works well online. It's relevant and deserves to return.
3 Super Mario RPG
Paper Mario is steadily becoming less of a role-playing series since its inception on the Nintendo 64. The first game was a full-on role-playing game with turn-based battles and a leveling system. Paper Mario: Color Splash was more of an action-adventure than a role-playing game, and Paper Mario: The Origami King is classified as a cross-genre video game.
Although Nintendo's direction with Paper Mario isn't entirely misguided, it leaves an empty place in our hearts for a Mario role-playing game. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars released more than twenty years ago, but a sequel could still happen.
2 Earthbound
This retro game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. Earthbound was created by HAL Laboratory, the developer behind games like the original Super Smash Bros. and Kirby Star Allies.
Despite having lackluster sales figures, the game maintained a cult following. People today rate it as one of the greatest games of all time. There is a depth of artistry in this game that's rarely seen in the industry at large, even today.
1 Star Fox
The Star Fox series was the pinnacle of aerial combat when it was an active franchise. For reasons that are unclear, the series has remained a dormant franchise. Even the spin-off game Star Fox Adventures was a hit. The latest from the Star Fox series is Starlink: Battle for Atlas; a game that won't satisfy fans of the main series. Although Starlink: Battle for Atlas is not completely terrible, it isn't the triple-A game fans deserve.