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in this thread you can mock up your Wish? for the next console + Game Titles made by Nintendo (And Hal, gamefreak etc.)!
My Concept is:
Its basically a switch 2 with backwards combatibility and more power!
BUT it comes with the following:
The Console
2 Joy Cons and 2 Reality Cons
a Docking Station
joy con grip
Cables
And a Headset to slot the console into!
You can use the joy cons, Console and Docking station in all the ways you use the switch!
Or you use Headset, and Reality cons to dive into your favourite games!
Just having all of the switch backlog + (GOOD) NINTENDO VR seems great to me!
Super Mario Bros Reality Shift (VR)
In Super MArio bros reality you sit down in the middle of your room and play 2d mario levels around you but you can also control 2 floating hands to help mario out!
NEXT 3D MARIO (Normal)
I dunno you fight the dark stars to get power stars or whatever
Nintendo VR Chat (VR)
You can pick a mii or a bunch of Nintendo characters and have fun in digital nintendo worlds!
Super Smash Bros DAWN (mostly normal)
You can pick one of 60 Nintendo and 5 Third Party Characters with new movesets (Or old custom moves) theres also a campain were you are a mii and are recruited to bring your club (mario,zelda, pokemon and kirby) to the number 1 spot! also theres a custom battle mode allowing you to do spirit battle like shenenigans!
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE CURSED SEAS (Normal)
Follow a (slightly) older hero of winds link and tetra on their open world adventure build boats similar to TOTK and explore linear dungeons and story but have the freedom to explore a huge sea and huge island to your hearts contend
So yeah, gonna do the switch successor with a second screen that clamshells around the dock BUT IT ALSO splits in two so one can go in the dock and the other can be a gamepad. Joy Cons attach to either screen so you can immediately do individual screen multiplayer if you have the joy cons.
The dock has a disc drive, it can read wii, wii u, and gamecube discs.
The switch has a switch cartridge drive and an 3ds/ds cartridge drive.
Nintendo will make official external cartridge drives that connect via usb for N64, NES, and SNES cartridges. GBA/GBC too. Aaaaaand if these succeed, Virtual Boy gets in there.
And that really covers our hardware. Better CPU and processor, improve joy con design incrementally (ideally just prevent drift)
---
Games:
We know what you bought and registered from Mynintendo, the eshop, and club nintendo. If we know you bought and registered a game, you can get it on the new system for a massively discounted price. (1 dollar for NES/SNES 2.50 for N64/Genesis/Turbografx/Game Boy Advance/DS Virtual Console. 5 dollars for gamecube/wii/wii u/switch/3ds Games). And yes, this eshop launches fully loaded (it's my dream, I'm allowed).
New games:
First year of Games:
Super Mario 3D Wonderland / Bowser's Unending Fury - We're gonna do a new 3D World with wonder seeds. It's called "land" because Tatanga will be the antagonists of the Wonderland quest in the Flower Kingdom. And package it with a direct sequel to Bowser's Fury using the new power ups from that game.
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Secrets - Using the Link's Awakening Art Style this game will contain full ports of Ages/Seasons, as well as a completely new campaign around Farore, the Oracle of Secrets. There will also be another new two dungeons and additional final boss unlocked after beating all three games and the previous unlockable ganon after beating two games.
Pikmin 4 Deluxe: We're gonna throw a half a campaign's worth of DLC stages to Pikmin 4 and call it a day.
Star Fox: Command Zero: Contains ports of Star Fox Zero and Starfox Command (with improved graphics), online dogfighting multiplayer for up to 16 arwings. Contains 1 new Lylat-esque campaign with traditional starfox gameplay.
F-Zero UX: It's a port of GX with AX tracks immediately unlocked, hd, and like two bonus cups to make it seem fresh (one like knight league difficulty, one like king league difficulty).
Metroid Prime 4: We've been waiting
Animal Crossing: Land Sharks: It's a new Animal Crossing Game. I don't know the series well enough.
Pokemon Legends Celebi: Arceus style sequel in Johto.
Mario Kart 8 Expanded: No, we're not getting a new Mario Kart. It's just 8 with the expansion pack and all the dlc. Except now they added even more characters, even more tracks, and DS style mission mode.
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Remix: It's Ultimate but they added all the DLC, subspace Emissary from Brawl, a direct boss rush mode (that doesn't require playing as sephiroth) that includes the bosses from Brawl in it now as well as new bosses at certain difficulties, Smash Run and Custom Moves return.... and 75 "?" slots on the roster. There will be several Smash Brothers spinoffs that are franchise focused coming out on this system. Characters from these spinoffs can be imported into someone's main "Remix" title to be used in online play.
Smash Emblem: We're just gonna get the fire emblem guys out of the way. The single player mode is a TRPG similar to Project X zone where when a fight starts, you handle it with smash bros. gameplay. Also has Advance Wars and Codename STEAM characters.
------
Second Year of Games:
Earthbound Collection: Mother 1 (with difficulty tweaks), Earthbound (....with less, but still with, difficulty tweaks), and Mother 3 in one package, painfully recreated with stop motion claymation.
Yoshi's Really Wooly World: It's a direct sequel to wooly world.
Luigi's Mansion 4: Luigi's Pyramid
Xenoblade Chronicles 4
Super Mario Maker 3
Splatoon 4
Super Hyrule Smash: Zelda, Startropics, Takamaru, and pretty much any non-fire emblem medieval game goes here. The single player mode is a top down adventure similar to 2D Zelda. Similar to the Fire Emblem game however, when you touch an enemy or boss, it just starts a smash bros like game for combat.
Super Smash Mushroom Kingdom: Mario, DK, and Wario Characters go in this game. Single player mode is a 2D platformer that basically just feels like an expanded upon Melee Adventure Mode.
Pokken Tournament 2: New Pokken, get yer Pokken Here
Pokemon Black 3/White 3: Contains Black or white, Black 2 or white 2, as well as a third new campaign in Unova, that ends with a bonus region to evoke either Toronto or Boston.
Kirby and the Land of the Remembered: Direct Sequel to Forgotten Land
-----------
Year 3:
Super Smash Pokemon: Pokemon game, instead of pokebattles, it goes smash bros style. This is the only smash remix spinoff game with 150 characters.
Super Smash Mercenaries: Metroid, Starfox, Kid Icarus, and F Zero Characters go here. Single Player is a rail shooter/racer that ends in smash brothers rounds.
Metroid Dread 2
Paper Mario Paper Dolls
Mercenaries: Uprising: Kid Icarus Uprising 2. It's a Kid Icarus game with playable Samus, Fox, and Captain Falcon (as well as Dark Pit, Magnus, Phosphora, and more.)
Mario Sports Mix 2 (Mario Hockey Sequel, Mario Basketball Sequel, Mario Volleyball Sequel)
Pokemon Jungle and Pokemon River - Use a different pair name. New Region. We're going to Rio De Janeiro/Brasilia
New 2D Kirby
Startropics All Starstropics: Startropics 1 and 2, both with the ability to update to change graphics to 2DHD style graphics, and the ability to move and jump diagonally in the first one. A new Startropics 3 designed to emulate a link to the past and parody mid to late 90s movies, a new Star Tropics 4 designed to emulate wind waker and emulate early aughts movies. And a four sword version where the players are Mike, Doc C, Rob, and the mini Princess.
punch out x arms x teleroboxer - It’s what it sounds like. There an arms mode, a punch out NES/wii mode, and a punch out arcade/teleroboxer/super punch out mode.
I think this is a really interesting concept, but I'd like to suggest a little something unusual (and maybe even based in reality!) that doesn't necessarily act as the headlining console for the next generation, but an additional platform akin to how Nintendo has, in the past, had handheld and home consoles running at the same time. However, with the Switch acting as a hybrid, it means that something else entirely would need to be pretty different. As such, I present to you the...
Nintendo Pocket. Pitch:
Effectively, a "Nintendo handheld" that's intended to run alongside the Switch as an affordable handheld platform, akin to older systems such as the Game Boy Advance or DS platforms.
Schematics:
Overall, a similar sort of build appearance to a combination of the Switch Lite and that of the 3DS's lower half. However, the Pocket's designed to be small and portable - so its design overall is made with this in mind. It's the sort of thing you can actually just slip into your pocket.
The Pocket features four action buttons (A, B, X and Y) as well as an analogue thumbpad, and two sets of shoulder buttons (L/R and ZL/ZR). In addition, it features two recessed face buttons, acting as the Capture and Home buttons, and two other face buttons, + and - (which are similar to that of a Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons.) Furthermore, a button on the top (similar in appearance to that seen on the side of a Joy-Con, including the lights) allows the Pocket to be connected wirelessly to a Nintendo Switch, allowing you to use it as a wireless controller - with another button to function for power, and a further volume control button pair. In addition, the console features a touchscreen in its centre, and an in-built microphone.
As for non-basic stuff, the console features two speakers on either side of its bottom, as well as a USB-C plug allowing for charging and a space for inserting SD cards - with the top side featuring cooling vents for the fans and a 3.5 millimetre headphone jack. The top also features a space for cartridges, which are identical to those used in the Nintendo Switch. (Notably, Pocket cartridges are compatible with a Switch, but Switch cartridges aren't compatible with the Pocket. It won't break it, but you can't play Switch games on it.) In addition, an NFC reader is housed under the left thumbstick, allowing amiibo support, and both a gyrometer and accelerometer are housed inside the system, allowing the system's orientation and position to be used as inputs. Lastly, the right hand side features a space for the Pocket's plastic touchscreen stylus, akin to that seen in the Nintendo DS.
In terms of decorative elements, the Pocket by default releases in three colours - Slate (dark grey), Mocha (milky brown), or Citrus (yellow). Over time, though, it may be possible for more Pocket variations to be released, including some limited-edition ones.
Concept:
Simply existing as a handheld console won't be enough to distinguish the Pocket from the Switch, so the Pocket needs to effectively do something unique in order to function. As such, my thought process is that the Pocket has three seperate functions.
Function One: An Affordable Entry to the Medium
The issue with the Switch is that, being a fusion between a home/portable console, the barrier to entry (both in terms of purchasing the console and its games) is higher than it has been for previous pure-portable consoles like the 3DS. Having the console be less powerful to compensate for this, but with unique, exclusive experiences that justify its existence, would be a good way to ensure this. Now, the Switch Lite can be seen as this to a certain extent, but it should also be noted that the Pocket also fulfils...
Function Two: A Space for Smaller-Scale Experiences
Due to the Switch being a fusion between a home/portable console, most of the first-party games released for it are required to be roughly at home-console levels of content and scale (with smaller-scale games often not having much of a space to breathe, or being outsourced to other consoles.) The Pocket would comparatively focus on experiences that are more handheld-centric - plenty of singleplayer games, for instance, as well as a few entries in pre-established IPs that might work well on a console such as this. In addition, the eShop would also allow for both large-scale and indie third-party developers to release games on the platform, allowing the console's library to grow over time.
Function Three: Switch/Pocket Interplay
One of the more unique concepts that Nintendo's experimented with in the past is the idea of a controller featuring a screen - and whilst the Wii U is the more well-known example of this, my take on it would look more like that seen with the Gamecube and Game Boy Advance. This would allow for asymetric gameplay in multiplayer games, as well as potentially being useful for heads-up displays or other elements as options for console games. Note, however - the Pocket isn't just a smaller Switch, and nowhere is this more obvious than with its buttons. This means you can use the Pocket with the Switch if you prefer, but it's not designed to replace your Joy-Cons or anything of the sort.
Basic Content:
The Pocket would feature a decent breadth of in-built content and features, similar in scope to that of the Switch (including eShop, News, Captures, System Settings, and so forth.) Notably, you would be able to use the same Nintendo Account as you would for your Switch, so you'd also have account options as a result. With this in mind, parity between the two platforms would be important - so for instance, all account icons would be accessible on both platforms, and could even act as a form of cross-promotion.
As for the Nintendo Switch Online service... it would simply be renamed to "Nintendo Online", now also functioning for the Pocket. This includes the features and functions you'd get for using NSO, and in addition, a Nintendo Online subscription can be used for both a Switch and a Pocket! Though, one thing to note - whilst the Nintendo Online games are accessible on the Pocket (with the very same gameslist), the controller doesn't support the N64 due to the sheer number of buttons, so you'll need to connect a pro-controller or something similar to play them. Also, on the note of NSO - whilst the Pocket does feature a microphone, voice-chats or similar functions aren't included as a default online option. However, some games might use the microphones to allow this - just not first-party releases.
However, I'd also like to add a little something else - specifically, an evolution of the DS's Download Play. Whilst the Nintendo Switch allows for interconnectivity between consoles, the Pocket would do so more akin to its older predecessor - allowing wireless local multi-player as a major feature, only requiring one person to have the game active in the process. This lends to the concept of affordability I mentioned earlier, but also allows the Pocket to branch into being very much its own thing amongst the success of the Switch!
Games:
Given the Pocket is a smaller-scale platform, it's not going to be well-suited to the same large-scale titles we've seen on the Switch. However, I do think we could take inspiration from some of the things that the Switch has been doing in order to determine some interesting ideas. Side note: I'm not going to include new NSO titles here, but I may include a remake or two. For the most part, I'll only focus on first-party games (as well as IPs that may potentially get outsourced), and this shouldn't be treated as an exhaustive list by any means.
Firstly, our Launch Lineup. I want there to be an eclectic but fun mix of games of a variety of genres, and perhaps unusually, I'd also like to include some smaller downloadable-only titles at launch too.
Mario Kart Pocket: Deviating from the numerical scheme of previous Mario Kart games, this one's essentially a fresh, new game in the series that acts as somewhat of a palette cleanser following an entire decade of Mario Kart 8. Notably, Pocket wouldn't feature a single Retro stage - every single stage in Pocket would be unique to it, though I imagine certain themes or ideas could easily be pilfered from elsewhere. With this in mind, Pocket would be a lot smaller than post-Booster Course Pass Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (I imagine maybe only having 8 cups total), but allows the series to continue with fresh blood whilst not needing to overly expand content too much. Think of it as a soft reboot.
Pocket Café: A collection of three paper-and-pencil puzzle games (namely Crossword, Sudoku, and Picross), all of which are in a stylised package with a café-themed look. Each of these games features 50 levels, as well as the Daily Puzzle, a total of 365 puzzles (which alternate between the three) that can be solved over the course of a year. In addition, you can create your own levels in any of the puzzle games, then share them locally with other Pockets, or to a Friend over the Internet - and on the first of every month, ten Nintendo-created levels from all three puzzle types are added.
Joy Mech Paradise: A sequel to Joy Mech Fight for this new, modern platform! Similar to the original game, combat is between robots with floating limbs, allowing them to do some pretty exciting and fun things in a simplified tradfighter (complete with command inputs) with a generally bright and cutesy aesthetic. Amongst other changes, you now have access to Template, a robot who you can customise with different components from the other robots in the game to give a unique moveset and abilities to - and whilst the game's story is fairly simple (a worldwide tournament of robots to see which is the best in combat!), the game features plenty of new additions like online play that you'd never have seen in the original title.
Next up, Year One. Again, a nice mix of genres would be good to see, with a similar mix between larger and smaller titles overall.
Donkey Kong 99: A new game on the Pocket that's also simultaneously released on the Switch, this is an entry in ARIKA's series of online battle royales remixing Nintendo IP. Based on the original Donkey Kong arcade game, players would fight to be the first to climb to the top - but using the Hammer to break barrels or enemies results in those obstacles being sent to other screens for players to deal with. As well as the four original levels, additional levels from Donkey Kong '94 are added for the sake of variety.
MetroidTactics: A tactical RPG (similar to XCOM) centred on the Metroid series, with a story focusing on the various exploits of a small team of Galactic Federation soldiers. In addition, you can hire Bounty Hunters with unique abilities beyond the capabilities of the Federation themselves, including characters previously featured in the Metroid franchise, and some new ones. The game includes elements such as ammunition, cover and elevation, which all have to be considered whilst playing.
Game & Mario: Basically a spiritual successor to the Game & Watch Gallery titles, but with a fresh new look. Game & Mario contains a whopping 25 classic Game & Watch titles (and a bonus 26th in the form of Color TV Game 6!), which can be presented either with the classic LCD look, or with a brand new 3D-modelled look featuring Super Mario characters. In addition, you can consult the Game & Watch Chronicle to interact with 3D models of the original units, look through manuals, and learn about Nintendo's early forays into the video game market!
And following this, there's of course other games, but I feel like going into them would be a bit... much. Anyway, hope this is fun! I might edit this at some point to add more games.
I think this is a really interesting concept, but I'd like to suggest a little something unusual (and maybe even based in reality!) that doesn't necessarily act as the headlining console for the next generation, but an additional platform akin to how Nintendo has, in the past, had handheld and home consoles running at the same time. However, with the Switch acting as a hybrid, it means that something else entirely would need to be pretty different. As such, I present to you the...
Nintendo Pocket. Pitch:
Effectively, a "Nintendo handheld" that's intended to run alongside the Switch as an affordable handheld platform, akin to older systems such as the Game Boy Advance or DS platforms.
Schematics:
Overall, a similar sort of build appearance to a combination of the Switch Lite and that of the 3DS's lower half. However, the Pocket's designed to be small and portable - so its design overall is made with this in mind. It's the sort of thing you can actually just slip into your pocket.
The Pocket features four action buttons (A, B, X and Y) as well as an analogue thumbpad, and two sets of shoulder buttons (L/R and ZL/ZR). In addition, it features two recessed face buttons, acting as the Capture and Home buttons, and two other face buttons, + and - (which are similar to that of a Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons.) Furthermore, a button on the top (similar in appearance to that seen on the side of a Joy-Con, including the lights) allows the Pocket to be connected wirelessly to a Nintendo Switch, allowing you to use it as a wireless controller - with another button to function for power, and a further volume control button pair. In addition, the console features a touchscreen in its centre, and an in-built microphone.
As for non-basic stuff, the console features two speakers on either side of its bottom, as well as a USB-C plug allowing for charging and a space for inserting SD cards - with the top side featuring cooling vents for the fans and a 3.5 millimetre headphone jack. The top also features a space for cartridges, which are identical to those used in the Nintendo Switch. (Notably, Pocket cartridges are compatible with a Switch, but Switch cartridges aren't compatible with the Pocket. It won't break it, but you can't play Switch games on it.) In addition, an NFC reader is housed under the left thumbstick, allowing amiibo support, and both a gyrometer and accelerometer are housed inside the system, allowing the system's orientation and position to be used as inputs. Lastly, the right hand side features a space for the Pocket's plastic touchscreen stylus, akin to that seen in the Nintendo DS.
In terms of decorative elements, the Pocket by default releases in three colours - Slate (dark grey), Mocha (milky brown), or Citrus (yellow). Over time, though, it may be possible for more Pocket variations to be released, including some limited-edition ones.
Concept:
Simply existing as a handheld console won't be enough to distinguish the Pocket from the Switch, so the Pocket needs to effectively do something unique in order to function. As such, my thought process is that the Pocket has three seperate functions.
Function One: An Affordable Entry to the Medium
The issue with the Switch is that, being a fusion between a home/portable console, the barrier to entry (both in terms of purchasing the console and its games) is higher than it has been for previous pure-portable consoles like the 3DS. Having the console be less powerful to compensate for this, but with unique, exclusive experiences that justify its existence, would be a good way to ensure this. Now, the Switch Lite can be seen as this to a certain extent, but it should also be noted that the Pocket also fulfils...
Function Two: A Space for Smaller-Scale Experiences
Due to the Switch being a fusion between a home/portable console, most of the first-party games released for it are required to be roughly at home-console levels of content and scale (with smaller-scale games often not having much of a space to breathe, or being outsourced to other consoles.) The Pocket would comparatively focus on experiences that are more handheld-centric - plenty of singleplayer games, for instance, as well as a few entries in pre-established IPs that might work well on a console such as this. In addition, the eShop would also allow for both large-scale and indie third-party developers to release games on the platform, allowing the console's library to grow over time.
Function Three: Switch/Pocket Interplay
One of the more unique concepts that Nintendo's experimented with in the past is the idea of a controller featuring a screen - and whilst the Wii U is the more well-known example of this, my take on it would look more like that seen with the Gamecube and Game Boy Advance. This would allow for asymetric gameplay in multiplayer games, as well as potentially being useful for heads-up displays or other elements as options for console games. Note, however - the Pocket isn't just a smaller Switch, and nowhere is this more obvious than with its buttons. This means you can use the Pocket with the Switch if you prefer, but it's not designed to replace your Joy-Cons or anything of the sort.
Basic Content:
The Pocket would feature a decent breadth of in-built content and features, similar in scope to that of the Switch (including eShop, News, Captures, System Settings, and so forth.) Notably, you would be able to use the same Nintendo Account as you would for your Switch, so you'd also have account options as a result. With this in mind, parity between the two platforms would be important - so for instance, all account icons would be accessible on both platforms, and could even act as a form of cross-promotion.
As for the Nintendo Switch Online service... it would simply be renamed to "Nintendo Online", now also functioning for the Pocket. This includes the features and functions you'd get for using NSO, and in addition, a Nintendo Online subscription can be used for both a Switch and a Pocket! Though, one thing to note - whilst the Nintendo Online games are accessible on the Pocket (with the very same gameslist), the controller doesn't support the N64 due to the sheer number of buttons, so you'll need to connect a pro-controller or something similar to play them. Also, on the note of NSO - whilst the Pocket does feature a microphone, voice-chats or similar functions aren't included as a default online option. However, some games might use the microphones to allow this - just not first-party releases.
However, I'd also like to add a little something else - specifically, an evolution of the DS's Download Play. Whilst the Nintendo Switch allows for interconnectivity between consoles, the Pocket would do so more akin to its older predecessor - allowing wireless local multi-player as a major feature, only requiring one person to have the game active in the process. This lends to the concept of affordability I mentioned earlier, but also allows the Pocket to branch into being very much its own thing amongst the success of the Switch!
Games:
Given the Pocket is a smaller-scale platform, it's not going to be well-suited to the same large-scale titles we've seen on the Switch. However, I do think we could take inspiration from some of the things that the Switch has been doing in order to determine some interesting ideas. Side note: I'm not going to include new NSO titles here, but I may include a remake or two. For the most part, I'll only focus on first-party games (as well as IPs that may potentially get outsourced), and this shouldn't be treated as an exhaustive list by any means.
Firstly, our Launch Lineup. I want there to be an eclectic but fun mix of games of a variety of genres, and perhaps unusually, I'd also like to include some smaller downloadable-only titles at launch too.
Mario Kart Pocket: Deviating from the numerical scheme of previous Mario Kart games, this one's essentially a fresh, new game in the series that acts as somewhat of a palette cleanser following an entire decade of Mario Kart 8. Notably, Pocket wouldn't feature a single Retro stage - every single stage in Pocket would be unique to it, though I imagine certain themes or ideas could easily be pilfered from elsewhere. With this in mind, Pocket would be a lot smaller than post-Booster Course Pass Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (I imagine maybe only having 8 cups total), but allows the series to continue with fresh blood whilst not needing to overly expand content too much. Think of it as a soft reboot.
Pocket Café: A collection of three paper-and-pencil puzzle games (namely Crossword, Sudoku, and Picross), all of which are in a stylised package with a café-themed look. Each of these games features 50 levels, as well as the Daily Puzzle, a total of 365 puzzles (which alternate between the three) that can be solved over the course of a year. In addition, you can create your own levels in any of the puzzle games, then share them locally with other Pockets, or to a Friend over the Internet - and on the first of every month, ten Nintendo-created levels from all three puzzle types are added.
Joy Mech Paradise: A sequel to Joy Mech Fight for this new, modern platform! Similar to the original game, combat is between robots with floating limbs, allowing them to do some pretty exciting and fun things in a simplified tradfighter (complete with command inputs) with a generally bright and cutesy aesthetic. Amongst other changes, you now have access to Template, a robot who you can customise with different components from the other robots in the game to give a unique moveset and abilities to - and whilst the game's story is fairly simple (a worldwide tournament of robots to see which is the best in combat!), the game features plenty of new additions like online play that you'd never have seen in the original title.
Next up, Year One. Again, a nice mix of genres would be good to see, with a similar mix between larger and smaller titles overall.
Donkey Kong 99: A new game on the Pocket that's also simultaneously released on the Switch, this is an entry in ARIKA's series of online battle royales remixing Nintendo IP. Based on the original Donkey Kong arcade game, players would fight to be the first to climb to the top - but using the Hammer to break barrels or enemies results in those obstacles being sent to other screens for players to deal with. As well as the four original levels, additional levels from Donkey Kong '94 are added for the sake of variety.
MetroidTactics: A tactical RPG (similar to XCOM) centred on the Metroid series, with a story focusing on the various exploits of a small team of Galactic Federation soldiers. In addition, you can hire Bounty Hunters with unique abilities beyond the capabilities of the Federation themselves, including characters previously featured in the Metroid franchise, and some new ones. The game includes elements such as ammunition, cover and elevation, which all have to be considered whilst playing.
Game & Mario: Basically a spiritual successor to the Game & Watch Gallery titles, but with a fresh new look. Game & Mario contains a whopping 25 classic Game & Watch titles (and a bonus 26th in the form of Color TV Game 6!), which can be presented either with the classic LCD look, or with a brand new 3D-modelled look featuring Super Mario characters. In addition, you can consult the Game & Watch Chronicle to interact with 3D models of the original units, look through manuals, and learn about Nintendo's early forays into the video game market!
And following this, there's of course other games, but I feel like going into them would be a bit... much. Anyway, hope this is fun! I might edit this at some point to add more games.
This console would be perfect for 2d Zeldas and kirbys aswell as being perfect for children i personally think the last good kids console was the 3ds!
Also one thing i would include is less signing in and subscribing just buy a game and have fun!
I think I should come back to this with a reworked look at the Pocket. Shoutout to Freduardo for reminding me that this thread exists - and, if this is considered necroposting, I deeply apologise.
Hardware
The key point for the hardware here is portability, and that's the central philosophy behind the Pocket's design. It's smaller and more stripped-back than the Switch, but in many ways, it excels in ways the Switch can't quite manage.
The Nintendo Pocket features a control scheme with four face buttons and an analogue thumbpad, as well as two sets of shoulder buttons. In addition, it features an additional four face buttons for Home, Capture, Plus, and Minus - similar to the Joy-Cons, and serving similar functions. The console’s 4.2 inch screen also functions as a touchscreen, which can be interacted with using the packaged stylus.
Internally, there is also a section of the console that holds a plastic touchscreen stylus, and it contains a microphone, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C charging port, ports for Game Cards and SD cards, and an NFC reader under the thumbpad. Additionally, an internal accelerometer and gyroscope are housed inside the system, and of course, the user also has access to buttons for power, volume control, and Bluetooth connectivity both for external controllers, or to allow the Pocket itself to be used as a Switch controller. The Pocket also features a kickstand similar to that seen on the Switch, but with higher build quality.
Decoratively speaking, the Pocket launches in four colours - Mocha (milky brown), Slate (dark grey), Citrus (bright yellow), or Chalk (off-white). However, more colours can become available as the console continues its lifespan, including promotional variants.
Software
The Nintendo Pocket has some similarities to the Nintendo Switch in its presentation, sharing similar formats of things like its Home menu. As such, it contains a variety of similar features - such as access to the eShop, News, Captures, System Settings, and so forth. In addition, the Nintendo Online service has been branched out to now include the Nintendo Pocket - allowing access to long-distance multiplayer connections.
A major selling point of the console is also its Download Play function, returning from the DS family of systems with some minor changes. This allows a Pocket to wirelessly download copies of software for free, which can include multiplayer versions of a game, custom content, and game demos amongst other uses - even if only one Game Card is shared between all players. However, it's now also possible to share data from one console to another and store it in memory - including things like custom content, save data, or screenshots - all without the need for an internet connection.
Unlike the Nintendo Switch, a major selling point of the Pocket is customisability. Various menu themes and screensavers can be accessed beyond just baseline ones, with some degrees of customisability as to how your games are presented. In addition, some games may come packaged with exclusive menu themes or screensavers, and some may only be available through the Nintendo Online service.
Games
The Pocket's games are generally intended to be lighter, less expansive experiences than on the Nintendo Switch - but that's not to say they'll be less fun. Part of the appeal of Nintendo's original business model of co-existing home and portable console ecosystems was that they could in some way specialise in their own kinds of experiences - portable games could generally focus on lighter, shorter experiences and gameplay loops, compared to home console games that would tend to specialise in longer-form experiences. Obviously these aren't mutually exclusive, but the Pocket's a good place to explore the former.
Launch Lineup
Pocket Café - a free, pack-in collection of three paper-and-pencil games - Crossword, Sudoku, and Picross - in a stylised, relaxing café-themed package. There's 100 total Nintendo-created puzzles of each type right out of the box, as well as the ability to create your own puzzles and share them with friends both online and over Download Play. In addition, the Daily Puzzle is a new, unique puzzle for each day of the year that alternates between Crossword, Sudoku, or Picross. Not only this, but you can customise various elements of your experience, including background music and pen & paper colour.
Super Mario Subcon - a successor of sorts to Super Mario Bros. 2 / USA, acting as a 2D platformer that maintains the original gameplay of that game - including picking up enemies and objects and tossing them at opponents in entirely new levels. Once more taking place in the world of Subcon, a big selling point of the game is the option to take it on alone or with friends - as the original cast of Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach are joined by newcomers Yoshi and Wario!
Joy Mech Paradise - a tropical-themed sequel to the classic Famicom fighting game, Joy Mech Fight, now featuring a total of 40 characters of - of which 24 return from the original game. It features an expanded and refreshed take on that game's simplistic but approachable gameplay, as well as modern boons like online play, an expanded training mode, and a story mode - not to mention a new customisable robot named Template, who can be customised with moves and components from the various other robots on the roster.
Year One Lineup
Eternal Fantasia - a character-focused RPG that crosses over iconic characters in a strange new world, mostly from the Fire Emblem and Xenoblade Chronicles franchises, but also featuring characters from The Legend of Zelda, Kid Icarus, Golden Sun, Dragalia Lost, Magical Vacation, Shin Onigashima and The Mysterious Murasame Castle amongst other more fantasy-based Nintendo franchises. Taking some inspiration from Project X Zone, the main gimmick of the game is that the characters that join your party have unique gameplay systems and mechanics based on their original source material, allowing for a lot of unique ways to take on the evil forces of darkness that are beginning to cloud the universe...
Magical Puzzle League - a puzzle game in the Puzzle League / Panel de Pon series, maintaining a lot of the original gameplay and concepts that were originally present - but focusing on the original cast of Panel de Pon as well as some newcomers. On top of a variety of modes from across the series, a new function - character abilities - brings a whole new level of strategy to the game, as each character has their own magical skill that can affect gameplay for either themselves or their opponent. Not only this, but characters from various Puzzle League spinoffs - including from the Yoshi, Kirby, and Pokémon franchises - are added in the form of free updates over time.
F-Zero Online - a sort of psudeo-sequel to F-Zero 99, acting as a reworked celebration of the series in a modern style that mimicks the series' classic Mode 7 origins. Featuring tracks from F-Zero, the BS F-Zero games, Maximum Velocity, GP Legend, and Climax on top of all-new ones, and racers from across the series (as well as a few fresh faces), the game's intended as a soft return to form for the franchise after 99's success - with additional elements like custom racers, online and local wireless multiplayer, and a one-of-a-kind soundtrack featuring both old and new songs from the franchise.
Game & Mario - a spiritual successor to the Game & Watch Gallery series, containing over 20 classic Game & Watch titles - including Ball, Manhole, Parachute, and others. They're playable in two unique styles - Classic, which recreates the original LCD experience, or Modern, which features Mario and his friends (as well as revamped visuals, music, and gameplay) in a new 3D artstyle. On top of this, the collection would include the Game & Watch Chronicle, a museum of sorts showcasing interactable 3D models of the original hardware, scans of instruction manuals, and even never-before-seen documentation and concept art from that era.
Year Two Lineup
The Legend of Zelda: Depths of Dungeons - a sort of "Zelda Maker" that allows for the creation of dungeons and overworld segments in four graphical styles - based on the first game, A Link to the Past, the Oracle series and the Link's Awakening remake. In addition, the game features a variety of gimmicks and items from across the series, even from other games. With both Online and Download Play connectivity, the game also features both wireless multiplayer and the ability to share and download levels - both from your friends and from players around the world.
New Kururin Continent - a new entry in the classic Kururin series. While the main attraction is the main maze-like gameplay in sixteen uniquely themed worlds, all of which are on the mysterious new continent of Mu, the Helirin also has all-new modes and modifiers inspired by those seen in Kururin Squash! - a total of ten! On top of new playable characters from Kururin's family and friends and exciting new bosses to go up against, and even some multiplayer battle modes for you and your friends to have fun with.
Splatoon Skirmishes!- a spinoff in the Splatoon series that features a tactical turn-based RPG style, akin to the XCOM or Mario + Rabbids series, but with unique functions and gimmicks based around the use of Ink both as a source of ammunition and as a necessary way of keeping control of turf. The game takes place around 20 to 30 years before the mainline series and follows a small team of Inklings seeking to become the greatest Turf War champions of all time - and generally has a more 80s/90s-esque urban feel compared to the mainline series' more modern look.
X-Celsior - the sequel to X and X-Scape, X-Celsior follows a crack team of battletank pilots as they seek to recover the legendary VIXIV. It continues the last game's retro-inspired graphical style, but features multiple playable tanks - each with their own unique physics, special weapons, and unique mechanics. On top of the tunnel-based rail-shooter gameplay style and free-movement style where you can explore the surface of planets, the game now also features multiplayer connectivity to allow you and your friends to take on the alien threat - or to fight one another in training missions.
I think I should come back to this with a reworked look at the Pocket. Shoutout to Freduardo for reminding me that this thread exists - and, if this is considered necroposting, I deeply apologise.
Hardware
The key point for the hardware here is portability, and that's the central philosophy behind the Pocket's design. It's smaller and more stripped-back than the Switch, but in many ways, it excels in ways the Switch can't quite manage.
Year Two Lineup
The Legend of Zelda: Depths of Dungeons - a sort of "Zelda Maker" that allows for the creation of dungeons and overworld segments in four graphical styles - based on the first game, A Link to the Past, the Oracle series and the Link's Awakening remake. In addition, the game features a variety of gimmicks and items from across the series, even from other games. With both Online and Download Play connectivity, the game also features both wireless multiplayer and the ability to share and download levels - both from your friends and from players around the world.
Genuinely, I’d care less if the hardware came with new gimmicks or just ended up being a “souped up Switch”. As long as I’m satisfied with whatever it is, I’m satisfied.
Over on Famiboards, I’ve posted a thread with a similar premise to this and I came up with up to 20 games (mostly new spin-offs and IP revivals).
First Parties
1080°: Alpine Saga (A third, new entry reviving this IP albeit with a story mode)
Animal Crossing: Atelier Enchantment (A brand new mainline Animal Crossing)
Animal Crossing: Bell Bonanza (An Animal Crossing party game... don't worry - this one won't be like Amiibo Festival!)
Another Code: Urban Symphonies (The third installment of the Another Code series revolving around Ashley in a New York esque band camp)
BattleMania (A Super Smash Bros. spin-off albeit with the gameplay of Power Stone)
Bowser's Minion Mayhem (A spin-off dedicated to Bowser that plays similarly to Plants vs. Zombies)
Daisy Cruise (A spin-off dedicated to Princess Daisy, I honestly have no idea how to describe what this one would be all about)
Dr. Mario: Pathogen Pursuit (A Dr. Mario game with a story mode revolving around curing a deadly virus that also has a world map similar to Dr. Mario World)
Donkey Kong Country: Metropolis Mayhem (A fresh, new DKC game since Tropical Freeze, being urban themed while being able to play as any of the Kongs (including King K. Rool) as player one much like in Super Mario Bros. Wonder)
Donkey Kong: Island Riot! (A Donkey Kong racing game acting as a sequel to Diddy Kong Racing, also returning the original characters from the former)
EarthBound Trilogy (You get the idea, a pack in trilogy of all three EarthBound/MOTHER games translated and localized with a clay esque art style)
Excitebike Airstrike (A brand new Excitebike game that's similar to the GameCube game "Big Air Freestyle")
F-Zero: Falcon's Fury (A 2D sidescrolling action spin-off starring Captain Falcon as the main protagonist)
F-Zero Resurgence (A brand new, TRUE F-Zero game since F-Zero GX)
Famicom Detective Club: The Shadow Over Paradise (The fifth installment of the Famicom Detective Club series revolving around Ayumi tackling a case while on a hot, summer vacation)
Fire Emblem Clash (A Fire Emblem fighting game similar to the SoulCalibur series)
Funky Kong's Funkadelic Fiesta! (A reboot of the Donkey Konga games now being a spin-off dedicated to Funky Kong)
History Hop with Mr. Game & Watch! (A 2D platformer starring Mr. Game & Watch as the protagonist with boatloads of obscure Nintendo references)
Ice Climber Adventure (A new Ice Climber game that revolves around cooperative puzzles)
Kid Icarus: Aether's Embrace (A brand new 2D Kid Icarus title since Myths and Monsters)
Kirby's Cloudbound Clash (A Kirby racing game reboot)
Luigi's Mansion 4: The Ghostly Regatta (A new Luigi's Mansion game taking place on a luxury cruise ship)
Mach Rider Reborn (A Mach Rider reboot game, I thought of this one as far back remembering a really fake 3DS leak)
Mamu's Serene Slumberland (A cozy looking game starring Mamu (Wart) as the main protagonist)
Mario & Luigi: Prankster Prattle (A Mario & Luigi game with Wario and Waluigi as the main antagonists)
Mario Big League Brigade (A brand new Mario Baseball game since Mario Super Sluggers, featuring a team with Pac-Man and his Namco buddies)
Mario Rim Rumble (A brand new Mario Basketball game since Mario Hoops 3-on-3, featuring Final Fantasy characters especially a team with Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa)
Metroid Veil (A new 2D Metroid from the same development team behind Dread)
The Mysterious Murasame Castle (This would be a reboot of this IP that only had one game)
Nintendogs: Puppy Paradise (A brand new Nintendogs game in a while)
Paper Mario: The Miraculous Mirror (A brand new Paper Mario game in the style of Paper Mario 64 and Paper Mario TTYD with some influence from Super Paper Mario in terms of originality)
Professor E. Gadd’s Innovation Station (A spin-off dedicated to Professor E. Gadd, this game would revolve around using his wacky gadgets)
Punch-Out: Globe Trotter (A Punch-Out game with a story mode similar to Street Fighter VI’s World Tour)
Star Fox Nitrorush (A Star Fox racing spin-off)
Super Mario Bros. Euphoria (A 2D Mario with a 32-bit pixel art style a-la Sonic Mania)
Super Mario Generations (You get the idea, the Mario version of Sonic Generations which celebrates Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary)
Urban Champion (A reboot that takes this game to a whole new level where it acts as Nintendo's rendition of Streets of Rage)
Waluigi Pinball (Yes, FINALLY! A spin-off dedicated to Waluigi in a similar vein to Mario Pinball Land from GBA)
Wario Land: Flip It! (A brand new Wario Land game since Wario Land: Shake It!, featuring a gimmick revolved around switching gameplay from 2D to 3D similarly to Super Paper Mario) (yes, I got this idea from Arlo that I genuinely think made tons of sense for Wario)
Wave Race: The Triton’s Call (A third, new entry reviving this IP albeit with a story mode)
Yoshi’s Biscuit Bazaar (A brand new Yoshi game since Yoshi's Crafted World, albeit with references)
Zelda Dungeon Designer (The Super Mario Maker of Zelda)
Third Parties
Banjo-Kazooie: Double the Fun (A two-pack remake of both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie)
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg: Rehatched! (A full-fledged HD remake of SEGA's cult GameCube classic albeit with new content thrown in there)
Conker's Bad Fur Day Again (A full-fledged HD remake of the N64 classic albeit with new content thrown in there)
Rad Racer (A reboot of the classic NES game)
T.T. Time! (A 2.5D platformer with a similar appearance to the SEGA Saturn launch title “Clockwork Knight”, starring T.T. as the protagonist)
I’m just going to stick with the Super Nintendo Switch, a sequel console to the Switch. In terms of games…
April 2025 to March 2026:
Super Mario Artifact
A new 3D Mario adventure on launch day, situated on an island filled with strange open biomes and ancient ruins. Bowser tries to take the power of this ‘artifact’ to bend reality to his whim. Mario has no companion this time, as he’s on his own with new power-ups, such as the Thunder Flower.
Animal Crossing
With the success of New Horizons, it feels pretty obvious Nintendo would want this as soon as possible.
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
A port of the Wii U remake of Wind Waker, now on modern systems.
Mario Kart X
Coming just prior to the holiday season, comparable to Mario Odyssey’s release date. A new Mario Kart game dabbling more in the crossover potential, while still primarily being a Mario Kart game with 48 tracks (16 nitro, 16 retro, 16 crossover)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii HD
A quick port to celebrate Mario’s 40th anniversary.
Pokémon (Gen 10)
The holiday title for Nintendo. Not much to add here.
Super Mario Maker 3
A new Mario Maker game. No, it’s not 3D. But it offers new enemies, new biomes such as volcano and beach, new game styles based on NSMBW and Mario Wonder, and more.
April 2026 to March 2027:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time HD
It seemed to fit.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Definitive Edition
Why remaster a Switch game? This one probably needs it the most. Though it’s more so due to the new epilogue story. Rex and Nia find that Pyra & Mythra have disappeared, while also teaming up with Alvis on a new seafaring adventure across Alrest’s coastline, expanding upon XC3’s boat section.The World Tree’s ruins are an area to be explored in the expansion. Is effectively a nice bow on the original trilogy.
Super Smash Bros. Nova
A new Smash game, mostly focusing on the new age of Nintendo, the Switch era.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Donkey Kong Country Ruins
The DK Crew explores an ancient Kong temple, with a series of underground tunnels and temples under DK Island, and the third game in the DKCR trilogy.
Bowser's Minion Mayhem (A spin-off dedicated to Bowser that plays similarly to Plants vs. Zombies)
Dr. Mario: Pathogen Pursuit (A Dr. Mario game with a story mode revolving around curing a deadly virus that also has a world map similar to Dr. Mario World)
Donkey Kong: Island Riot! (A Donkey Kong racing game acting as a sequel to Diddy Kong Racing, also returning the original characters from the former)
Fire Emblem Clash (A Fire Emblem fighting game similar to the SoulCalibur series)
Ice Climber Adventure (A new Ice Climber game that revolves around cooperative puzzles)
Punch-Out: Globe Trotter (A Punch-Out game with a story mode similar to Street Fighter VI’s World Tour)
Super Mario Bros. Euphoria (A 2D Mario with a 32-bit pixel art style a-la Sonic Mania)
Urban Champion (A reboot that takes this game to a whole new level where it acts as Nintendo's rendition of Streets of Rage)
Third Parties
Banjo-Kazooie: Double the Fun (A two-pack remake of both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie)
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg: Rehatched! (A full-fledged HD remake of SEGA's cult GameCube classic albeit with new content thrown in there)
Rad Racer (A reboot of the classic NES game)
T.T. Time! (A 2.5D platformer with a similar appearance to the SEGA Saturn launch title “Clockwork Knight”, starring T.T. as the protagonist)
Seems as this place is alive again, I'm actually going to re-evaluate the Pocket from the ground up, because I think there's potential there. (And... almost all of my ideas for this concept ended up kind of revolving around to something similar.)
In a post-Switch world, it's quite interesting to look back on Nintendo's history and figure out where to go from here - because the Switch actually puts us in a very interesting place when considering where to go from here. That said, there's a lot of reasons that people tend to gravitate towards a "Switch 2" concept rather than something fresh, so I'll take the opportunity to explore some of those.
Precedent - A minor point I've seen brought up in the past is that Nintendo has a history of making "sequel consoles" to particularly successful ones, mainly the Super Famicom to the Famicom, the Game Boy Advance to the Game Boy line (including Color), the 3DS to the DS, and the Wii U to the Wii. I find this kind of interesting as a point, though... because in terms of sales, every single one of these "sequel consoles" sold less than the original. (49m < 62m, 82m < 119m, 76m < 154m and 14m < 102m respectively, source here.)
I think another point people don't pick up on is that these "sequel consoles" have other issues of their own. It's harder for them to forge a distinct identity of their own (be it through game library, marketing, or design), so it can lend to some consumer confusion (why buy a second version of the same gadget that, at a glance, does the same things?) Likewise, the issue with backwards compatibility is... why bother buying newer games if your older games are more cheaply available?
Maybe a "Switch Pro" could fix this sort of thing, but I actually kind of already think we have a Switch successor of a sort... well, two; the OLED model and the Switch Lite. The possibility for enhanced hardware, graphics, or processing power was quite literally on the table with something like a "Switch Pro", and Nintendo opted not to take it in favour of (most prominently) a more affordable entrypoint to the Switch ecosystem.
The Home/Handheld Divide - Something I've seen more people talk on is that, due to the Switch being a hybrid console, it effectively eliminates the need for a home/handheld divide whatsoever - and there are good arguments for this, such as in that releases can be focused more specifically on a single platform rather than focus being divided (by first and third party developers alike) on running two seperate platforms.
I'd counter this by looking at the rest of the industry. There's a pretty significant gap in the affordable handheld market after the 3DS's time in the limelight came to a close (especially with the 2DS, which - though a bit of a laughing stock to some - was undeniably a good business move), and Nintendo's most prominent competing console manufacturers (Sony and Microsoft) are still focusing heavily on powerful architecture and graphics at a high cost.
The home/handheld divide actually has more benefits than you might think. It means we're not hedging all of our bets on a single console (imagine how abysmal the mid-2010s would have been for Nintendo if they didn't have the 3DS to supplement the Wii U?), it allows for gameplay experiences to be tailored toward home or handheld form factors, allows for the creation of a more affordable secondary ecosystem that can draw in people with less expendable income, and allows your handheld console to be generally more portable in nature. (You can't fit a Switch in your pocket. I've tried.)
The Switch's Hardware - Another point vaguely similar to the aforementioned issues with backwards compatibility is that the Switch's hardware; most notably, its Joy-Cons - don't exactly lend well to a sequel in my opinion. The Joy-Cons themselves are too expensive to justify an element of customisation in your experience, but the efforts smaller manufacturers take to provide a variety of control experiences with different "components" you can plug into a controller just limits who can and can't access certain games and control schemes.
Ultimately, the Joy-Cons are a remarkable little bit of kit, but the fact that they're packed with so many features makes them overly expensive - especially when a lot of those features weren't really taken advantage of outside of dedicated party games like the 1-2 Switch! series or something particularly unique like the LABO project (which also saw issues of its pricing model not really matching its concept.) That's not even getting into other hardware issues with them, like the presence of stick drift, the fact you can slot them into your console upside down, or the fact that your console can just fall out from in your hands after being used for a long time.
A small - but notable - part of the Wii's appeal, in my mind, is how affordable Wiimotes could be in given situations. Even during the Wii's lifespan, the $49.99 cost of a Wiimote was offset by the fact it was bundled with Wii Play - and as the components became cheaper to manufacture, collectable Wiimotes became more appealing without offsetting build quality. The Joy-Cons never really had the option to capture this, and I think just rehashing the Joy-Con concept wouldn't really work. (I actually think the Game Boy Micro's method of exploring customisation was a lot smarter.)
With all that in mind; I don't think a "Switch 2" would necessarily be a bad thing, nor an entirely unrealistic thing. I'm moreso making the argument that it's worth going in a different direction, using the successes of the Switch as a point of inspiration rather than being beholden to its problems. However, to come up with a new console, we'll need to get into the minds of Nintendo's designers.
Nintendo's generally seen as the oddball of the console market nowadays, especially given it's almost entirely dominated by the trinity of Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo (with smaller, but existing competition with companies like Valve.) That said, this is generally at its best when handled in a creative, but logical way... and I think we can actually condense these design principles down into just three key tenets.
Creativity - If you had to think of one word to describe Nintendo's products, this is the one that comes to mind for most. It's also the hardest to pin down, but I'd generally say that this refers to the idea of using innovation to create interesting experiences; ideally, without causing more problems than it solves. Remember, for every Wii's motion controls or Switch's hybrid nature, there's a Wii U gamepad or 3DS's stereoscopic screen that didn't quite work. There's a difference between just being different from the competition and being creative in your approach to it.
Accessibility - Nintendo occupies a slightly different area of the market to other console manufacturers. Where Sony and Microsoft want to target "gamers" and offset this with other features like their consoles working as multimedia boxes, Nintendo wants to target a more casual audience - using a more "blue-ocean" marketing strategy. I mentioned the Wii's motion controls, and that's my best example here. Your grandmother might not understand that she has to press a button to swing a golf club, but actually performing the motion of swinging is intuitive for almost anyone.
Affordability - I don't think a lot of people give this much thought, but I'd consider this to be one of Nintendo's more important areas. Their consoles - while less powerful, and maybe not as capable on a purely technological level - are generally much more affordable than that of their competition, which helps to attract a larger install base of people who might have less expendable income. It draws a larger number of people into your console's ecosystem, and ultimately, it's closely tied into the idea of accessibility on that front.
Obviously all of these are, in some ways, interconnected; but if I had to give myself a "brief", I'd have these three words as a major part of it. But... how does Nintendo tend to meet these tenets in their own designs?
Less powerful architecture - As much as people joke about their consoles being underpowered, a lot of Nintendo's titles have showcased on a graphical level that less powerful architecture can still create interesting art styles, as well as breeding creativity from limitations. While this has led to some awful conversions like the infamous Mortal Kombat 11, I think those kinds of conversions miss the point of why Nintendo uses less powerful architecture; to make hardware affordable, to make their architecture accessible to third-party developers, and to breed creative solutions to hardware limitations.
Understandable concepts - On a marketing level, it's much easier to sell something to someone if you can almost immediately get the point across. The Wii's motion controls are easily shown with a simple demonstration - likewise, the Switch's hybrid nature can be demonstrated with ease. On the other hand, the 3DS's stereoscopic 3D is undeniably clever, but it's a little difficult to actually demonstrate the use of or really describe to people. If a Nintendo console has a particular "gimmick", it should be something that's not too difficult to demonstrate or describe, because that draws in more consumers.
There's way more to this, of course, but those are the main two thoughts that sprang to my own mind. Let's explore that.
So, there's two ways to take this in my mind. Either focus on a new form of technology to the Nintendo brand (not necessarily "new" in a technological sense, just something that a Nintendo console could bring a fresh take to), or iterate on an older concept they've explored before. Ideally, I'd like to do a mix of both. With that in mind, I'll briefly take a look at some technologies people often propose for a new Nintendo console, and see how they'd fit.
Virtual Reality - For some godforsaken reason, people want a new Virtual Boy. Jokes aside, I do understand the mindset behind this; it's a form of technology that's become more prominent as of recent, Nintendo's already dipped their toes into it a couple of times in the past, and it's a bit cheaper to access now than it would have been ten years ago.
My issues with this are twofold. Firstly, the market is already saturated with a lot of competition from companies like Meta and Apple... and VR games, despite having had a decade to develop, still have a lot of issues. Secondly, I don't think VR is all it's cracked up to be beyond the simple novelty of "entering a digital world" - something that's more than possible with consumer grade mobile phones and a cardboard setup.
There's potential in this space, but I don't think basing an entire console around it would be a good business decision. This is especially true if we consider some of the alarming headlines turning up around the 3DS at launch, where there was a large controversy as to whether its stereoscopic 3D could damage childrens' eyesight (which wasn't exactly true anyway.) After all, people's conception of Nintendo is as a child-friendly brand, and the idea that their products could harm children is a very worrying one.
Augmented Reality - This one's actually a space I think could be worth exploring, and it's another one Nintendo have sort of dipped their toes into before now. Whether it be with Niantic's Pokemon GO and how it interacts with the real world, or with concepts like StreetPass on the 3DS, the idea of meshing together the virtual and real world has a certain appeal to it.
My main issue here is in how you would go about integrating an AR experience into games. For some, it works quite well; like the AR Games on 3DS, or the aforementioned Pokemon GO - but on the other hand, I don't think a lot of games would get much use out of it, and the necessity of interacting with the physical world to do things in the virtual could quickly be seen as a distraction of sorts. (Like how people hate on having to shake the Wiimote to do an action in a Wii game, for instance. But on a greater level, because you'd need to physically visit a local shop to buy items in a Zelda game or something.)
Connection - This one's a bit more vague, but consider it a sort of catch-all for "connection" gimmicks - anywhere from StreetPass to Download Play. Essentially, anything that brings together multiple consoles for a singular purpose. My main issue with these is that Nintendo's approach to connection is very staunchly centred on doing so in person - their way of treating and handling online services is... questionable, and with NSO setting a precedent for online services to be paid for on a subscription basis, I don't think you could necessarily "get everyone online" in the same way you used to.
Another issue here is moderation. Whether it be paedophiles tracking children through Pictochat, erotica being posted on Miiverse, or the very concept of voice chat being such a concern that Nintendo only allows it through a seperate mobile app, there's a lot of issues that can be posed in terms of safety by having the ability to connect to someone without checking, somehow, if they're safe to connect to. But... at the same time, you wouldn't want it to be too difficult to connect with your friends; and the existence of complex Friend Codes with limited functions on a console like the Switch showcases how it becomes kind of pointless to even bother connecting with people if it's made too difficult. (Plus, people might just voice-chat in Discord instead.)
There's also another problem; the existence of mobile phones makes the concept that everyone would own the same console a little obsolete. My first thought process is that a revamped take on the Download Play service could work well, but if you're on a bus with 40 other people, what are the chances that someone else would have a console like yours... or that they'd not just be on their phone instead?
Even with all of that being said, though... I do think the idea of console-to-console connection is something that could work very well with Nintendo's core tenets, and much better than VR or AR. It's easy to demonstrate the ability to quickly connect with your friends, doing so locally is more plausible now than ever due to improved hardware (like RAM, for instance) and has literally no need for external servers, and the concept of multiple people connecting to the same game is absolutely still a popular one (case in point, the Jackbox games.)
So. Peer-to-peer connection seems like a good shout... and taking inspiration specifically from things like Download Play could be neat. To do that, we'll need to dive into what made that work, and what could be changed up for some different experiences. It'd also be neat to see if we could solve some of the problems that existed with Download Play with some new and innovative ideas, or just some fresh technology that exists today that might not have done at the time.
Let's explore some bad things and some good things about it..
Limitations for other players aren't fun - Whether it's being limited to playing as a Shy Guy in Mario Kart or playing only as Samus in Metroid Prime: Hunters, it's not fun when you feel penalised for not owning the game when a big part of the appeal of Download Play is that you don't have to own the game to have fun with it (so long as at least one person does own it.)
RAM limitations aren't as stringent as they were on the DS, so it may be possible to provide more content and simply a limited amount of modes.
Maybe "bonus features" you can gain by owning a copy of the game you're connecting to should be more focused on the game; like being able to save data from those modes, which often wasn't possible even for the "source" on the DS.
Region-locking and compatibility issues - This was especially apparent for the 3DS - trying to determine whether to use the 3DS or DS Download Play just added another layer of complexity when connecting, but also, 3DSes from different regions were invisible to each other.
The DS didn't have the compatibility issues the 3DS had, as there wasn't a consideration for multiple different platforms when connecting. Returning to something like that would make things a lot simpler for the end user.
Region-locking is stupid. It's pretty telling that even the Switch's physical game carts aren't region-locked (but then certain downloadables are?) Obviously it exists as a form of digital rights management, but in this specific case, just let consoles from different regions interact.
On the other hand;
Creative uses of the technology - Download Play had several clever uses during its lifespan, such as allowing the transfer of data (like Pokemon) from people without the need for physical wires, or allowing you to wirelessly download a limited demo of a game from a kiosk. There's of course even more potential for that sort of thing.
No need for internet connectivity - This removes the additional components of internet connectivity or an NSO subscription. It's also worth noting that the lack of external servers means that there's less strain on Nintendo's servers, and likely far less issues with latency.
Decent connection range - The DS's connection range went from around 30 to 70 feet, easily allowing a group of people to play while scattered around a room or somewhere of the sort. While this limited range kind of limited the use of something like Pictochat, it's a good mix of close enough to encourage social interaction, but not too close as to force people into huddled-together groups to play together.
Simple form factor - Rather than having to carry around physical Link Cables or create horrific assemblies of Link Cables between multiple systems, Download Play provides an elegant form factor for connection between two or more systems that helps with the portable form factor of the platform.
So, with that in mind... I think this could actually make for a great "hardware gimmick" on its own. It's different enough to the (generally not often used) local multiplayer function on the Switch to warrant its own existence, and I think it'd make for a cool sense of connectivity. I'll get into that in a moment.
Let's actually evaluate hardware for a sec, because I think this is actually something worth giving a look. In my personal opinion, the Switch isn't suited to portability; nor is the Switch Lite. Both consoles are too large in size, and their exposed control sticks lend to the possibility of damage if stored inside a bag or something similar. That being said; I don't think the clam-shell design we saw from the DS and 3DS family of systems is a perfect solution either, given the hinge is an obvious point of failure and could easily be damaged. I want this system to be small and pocketable, but not too small to become impractical (such as with the Game Gear Micro.)
So, to solve the problems I noted;
Issues with the clam-shell design - Just... don't do a clam-shell. This worked fine for the GBA, and it was still portable just fine. While I can still see some appeal in dual-screen gaming, the additional expense of including a second screen (not to mention a system for housing it) feels like it just lends to issues that don't need to exist with a project like this.
Joysticks getting broken when stored - Nintendo's already got a pretty decent working solution for this, but it's one I'm not sure would be too popular. Specifically, the 3DS's thumbstick; it doesn't "stick up" like a joystick, but still features the analogue functions of one. Plus, it helps keep the console slim; a consideration that was also important to ensure it would fit inside the 3DS's clam-shell design.
Issues with charging the console - Not necessarily problems in charging the console, more in terms of the practicality of doing so. The Switch's sole USB-C port was at the bottom and centre of the console, meaning that charging it in "kickstand mode" was essentially impossible. Additionally, if playing it portably while plugged in (which isn't recommended, but people do it), the placement of the wire can be awkward. The solution to this is again quite simple; simply put the charging port on the top of the console rather than the bottom.
Too many "bits and bobs" - When carrying around a Switch, there's more than just the basic assembly to think about; there's also a pair of Joy-Cons, and possibly accessories for them such as wrist-straps. Ideally, accessories of this ilk should be limited to the home as a matter of practicality; it's far easier to carry around a single "unit". Similarly, this is why I like the idea of wireless connection that I proposed as this system's "gimmick".
On the other hand, I'm actually not opposed to the idea of a stylus, so long as it's stored in the system (akin to with the DS and 3DS). Sure, it's fairly easy to lose a stylus if you're not careful, but some sort of "click-lock" assembly could keep it safe, and a stylus is quite cheap to replace.
Expense coming about from "useless" components - When buying a new set of Joy-Cons, you can be spending the equivalent price of a full game on them, because of the sheer amount of gadgets and gizmos inside them (like an IR camera) that barely get used in the vast majority of games. Additionally, system features like the Switch's touchscreen go underused as a sacrifice from the "hybrid" concept. Settling back into consoles having more specific functions (ie, the aforementioned home/handheld divide) would solve this by allowing developers access to all of the system's tools and input methods at the same time, without having to worry about what "mode" the console is in.
I think we're in a decent spot with all this in mind. Let's move on to the fun stuff.
In terms of design, I'll once again be taking inspiration from one of Nintendo's patents back during the NX speculation days. I'll also take inspiration from all the things I've mentioned above to try and make this feel fun, fresh, and... fantastic. That said; please note that illustrations provided here are just for the sake of visualisation, and are by no means complete. There's missing features on all of them.
Welcome to the colourful world of the Nintendo Pocket! I firstly want to point out that the various colour variations would be a decent selling point of their own, allowing you to pick what kind of flavour you want. Whether it's the more sensible Chalk or Charcoal variants, the more brightly coloured Citrus or Cerulean looks that provide a more toyetic feel, or something more laid back with the Coffee variant - there's a look to suit everyone.
Let's take a look at some notable elements.
Is the Pocket backwards compatible with;
The Nintendo Switch? - ...I deliberated on this. The Pocket has its own distinct ecosystem... so my final answer is no. I think the Switch already has its own "successors" in the OLED and Lite - and this should give the Pocket space to breathe in its own market rather than just being seen as a cheaper Switch. (Plus, the Switch didn't have backwards compatibility with the 3DS.)
The 3DS / DS systems? - Not happening. Sorry.
Anything older? - Again, not happening.
How does Download Play work? - If you owned a DS, you get the gist already. For those of you who don't; games with local multiplayer features will feature a "Local Multiplayer" (or similar) option in the menu. The player with the Game Card who opens up this feature creates a local server, to which other people can connect their Pockets in order to play.
Do you need a Game Card to connect to someone else's game? - No. You can't save data if you don't have a Game Card, but if you do, you'll be able to save data from local multiplayer games onto your Game Card.
Is the person with a Game Card the "Game Master"? - In a sense, yes - because they're generally going to be the ones running the server, so if their console is powered off, everyone else gets disconnected. Ideally, most games wouldn't just leave it to the "host system" to choose things like modes or characters, and would instead have a kind of voting system akin to how games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe handle track selection.
How does Nintendo Switch Online work now?- It's rebranded to "Nintendo Online". Ideally, I'd like to take a hacksaw to the whole thing and completely rework how it functions from the ground up, but in the simplest possible case, the answer would be to drop the word "Switch", allow the ability to use the same account for the Switch and the Pocket, and then port over additional stuff related to NSO from the Switch to the Pocket (like the exclusive "99" games, and the retro games in addition.)
Can I transition save data from my Switch to my Pocket? - I'm going to say a tentative yes. I think being able to back up your save data on one console or another is a smart move, and things like the retro games you can access should have save data shared between systems. That said; ideally, I wouldn't want too many straight up ports from the Switch to the Pocket, because that defeats the object of the Pocket existing at all.
If we have local multiplayer, why bother paying for NSO? - Local multiplayer (Download Play) would be limited to, well, local, peer-to-peer connections, while the Nintendo Online service provides access to a connection to Nintendo's servers through the internet, allowing online play over a longer range. It also provides other useful tools and neat additions, like the retro games you can get access to.
Can I change the housing to make my Pocket a different colour? - No. I considered something similar to the Game Boy Micro with interchangable faceplates, but think of this as more akin to the Switch Lite in how it's presented.
The Nintendo Pocket is fully-featured with all the controls you'd expect to have access to, plus a few more.
Buttons - Four "face buttons" are featured, along with a more traditionally-designed D-pad akin to that seen on the Switch Lite.
Misc. Buttons - On the face, both start and select buttons, as well as a Home and Camera button are featured.
System Buttons - The top of the console features a power button as well as inputs to increase or decrease volume. In addition, a button is featured allowing for Bluetooth connectivity, similar to those seen on Joy-Cons.
Analogue Sticks - Additionally, not one but two analogue thumbpads are featured. No need for a weird add-on like the 3DS had for twin-stick controls! They can also be pressed down to function as L3 or R3 inputs, unlike the 3DS thumbpads.
Triggers - L & R buttons, as well as ZL and ZR triggers, are featured. All of these are digital in nature, unlike the Gamecube's trigger buttons.
Touch-Screen - Additionally, the Pocket's screen works as a touch-screen, with the console including a stylus stored in the console itself.
Microphone - Yeah, I'm bringing it back... and this is where you might start to recognise that my take on things is getting unrealistic. It's a small, but simple addition to the console. Just add it back.
Motion Detection - Similar again to the Joy-Cons, the Pocket features an internal accelerometer and gyroscope allowing physical movements of the console to be detected and potentially used for the purposes of gameplay.
NFC Reader - Housed under the left thumbpad. Amiibo are still a thing that exists, they're still a decently popular collectable, and I don't think it'd be logical to just get rid of the functionality entirely.
It's a similar input system to, in essence, a combination of the New 3DS and the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode; but, in my opinion, I think that's a good way to take things. Specifically, I'd also like to note that I'm keeping the Switch's layout of its analogue sticks if only because it's quite a novel layout overall.
Ports, holes, and things that stick out. (Y'know, sticky-out bits.) It made sense to me when I was writing it.
USB-C Port - The top of the console features a charging port (USB-C) in the console's centre.
Headphone Jack - At the top of the console is featured a 3.5mm headphone jack, compatible with all kinds of audio equipment. No notes.
Kickstand - Similar to the Switch, the Pocket also features a kickstand on its lower rear. This allows it to be displayed or stood atop a table. (The positioning of the USB-C port allows it to be charged while in this state, and ideally, the build quality would be better than the Switch's.)
Cooling Vents - These are featured on the bottom of the console, between the holes for the console's in-built speakers.
Speaker Vents - Featured on the lower half of the assembly beneath each side, allowing for stereo audio.
Stylus Cut-Out - A cut-out that allows the insertion of a Pocket stylus, which "clicks" into place when inserted. This prevents the stylus from coming loose and becoming lost, which was a problem with the DS and 3DS families of systems.
Game Card Port - A port in which a Game Card is inserted. Y'know, like the Switch. No big changes here.
SD Card Port - A port in which you can insert an SD card, enhancing the amount of storage your system has access to.
Again, not dissimilar to that of the Switch, but things are in more ideal places where they can be.
This isn't my area of expertise, and I won't pretend for a moment that it is. That said, I have a rough enough idea to put out some vague gesturing here and there.
RAM - Ideally... this console should be pretty heavy on RAM. Given my big selling point would probably be Download Play, then the ability to download to RAM means we'll need more RAM to download to. The DS featured four megabytes of it, and while the people at Nintendo were essentially miracle workers in how they got Download Play to work, we'd need something a bit beefier. 8 GB, maybe? (The Switch had 4.)
Bluetooth - Bluetooth connectivity would allow you to connect your console to a Nintendo Switch to literally act as a controller of your own, similar to how Joy-Cons work. I don't think it'd be necessary for this connection to work both ways, but I don't see why it'd be a bad thing to allow someone to connect a Bluetooth controller to their Pocket, too. (Even if you can't attach a Joy-Con to the Pocket. Sorry, Joy-Con fans.)
****ing wifi stuff idk - I've tried to skim Wikipedia to get a vague idea of how to explain this but I'm not really sure what exactly to say, so just imagine I've plucked the Download Play stuff out of the DS, put it through a modernisation-but-cheap-inator, and plopped it into the Pocket. The technology still exists (and I think on similar wavelengths?) so like it's not hard to imagine just slipping that in there with duct tape, spitshine, and a dream.
Did I make it obvious enough I know next to nothing about the ins and outs of this stuff
Essentially; how is the Pocket presented? What do you have access to? My thought process is that given it'd be a sort of "sister console" to the Switch, it'd generally have a fairly similar design language... but, I'd like to inject a little bit of Nintendo charm by bringing back things like menu music. (Seriously, the Switch feels... sterile, sometimes.) Oh, on a similar note, the main features of the HOME menu would be;
Nintendo Online - Aside from redesigning the logo to fit better with the others, there's not many changes to this. This allows access to Online services specifically. Oh, and it exists seperately to the eShop (which has options to take you to it) because good design is for *******.
News - Almost exactly the same as on the Switch, providing information on new/upcoming releases, system updates, events, announcements and Directs, and other related stuff. It's more Pocket-centric, but it might have some notes on the Switch here and there. Side note, but I think it'd be fun if the News section is handled by a fictionalised presenter; specifically, it'd be fun to see a sibling or friend of Amelia N. who's more pocket-centric, maybe with a barista kind of look to tie into the more casual feel. Let's call her... Lilly N.! (However, articles should be credited to their actual writers at the bottom. And no, "Nintendo News" doesn't count. Credit your writers!)
eShop - The one-stop (e)shop for buying Pocketware, or other downloadable content for your Pocket games. A big issue with the Switch's eShop is the sheer glut of low-quality shovelware and AI slop that pollutes the place, as well as poor design for searching and traversing, so I'll shake things up.
Pocketware - I mentioned Pocketware a second ago, and I think I should explain it further; think of it as a sort of mix between Nintendo's vaunted Seal of Quality, mixed with a record label. It's not a publisher; rather, it's a label (and category) that a game can be released under. There'd be first-party and third-party releases alike here, as well as a promotion of high-quality indie titles - the likes of which you might see in Indie World presentations. Essentially, Pocketware is where you'll go for high-quality stuff, but you can still find other stuff outside of the Pocketware field. In this sense, it's not exactly like WiiWare or DSiWare - those games used the "Ware" as a catch-all for all downloadable content, but Pocketware is specifically used for higher-quality experiences.
Album - Where you save, access, and otherwise mess around with your screenshots or screen captures. You can also post your screenshots or screen captures to social media using the Album, which I would like to be easier than it is on the Switch. (Of course, the dedicated screenshot button is used to take screenshots or screen captures in the first place.)
Download Play - This essentially allows you to connect to another person's Pocket. Open it up, and you'll see the available servers around you, complete with the name of the system hosting it, the number of people currently connected, the game it'll be in, and a neat little thumbnail of the game itself. It'll also be here where you connect to things like a demo kiosk to download limited demo games.
System Settings - The place to be if you want to configure settings, such as your Parental Controls. No real notes otherwise.
Sleep Mode - Put your console in sleep mode. Sure, you could do this with the button at the top, but this also opens up the power options menu to determine if you want to go into sleep mode, power off fully, or restart your Pocket.
I think there's also a few other little bits and bobs that are worth considering, so I'll just run through them now;
Customisation Options - You'll find these in your System Settings, and they'll apply to things like how your game grid is shown on the main menu, or your chosen theme. I actually think the Switch's current state of things in terms of the format isn't a bad shout to work from, just with a few more options.
The Pocket's got big shoes to fill. Given we don't have compatibility with the Switch, it's important that the Pocket provides experiences that the Switch normally wouldn't. Those experiences, in my opinion, should be more focused on short bursts of gameplay. There's several ways to do this; whether you make your game itself focused on fast, arcadey game-feel, whether you do so with levels/chapters that let you segment your gameplay naturally, or whether you do so with an experience you can approach every so often for a short time without feeling lost. (Or something fresh). Obviously, we'll also want local multiplayer to be a prominent option too; and it wouldn't hurt to have a "bigger-feeling" game every so often, but not too often.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at some of the releases I'd propose for this system. This is presuming the system launched essentially yesterday, with preparation and development all having been accounted for somehow or other, so I apologise for the slight deviation from any sense of realism here. I'll also note that I won't be proposing new franchises where possible, just to keep things a little more grounded.
When launching your console, you want to give people a good idea of what your system's all about. Ideally, I'd like to do that with three first-party launch titles that can scratch different itches amongst a playerbase, giving people with all kinds of tastes something fun to do. (Oh, and some Pocketware launch stuff wouldn't hurt either.)
Full Releases
Super Mario Subcon
Kirby's Star Festival
Magical Puzzle League
Pocketware
Pocket Café
eXpanse
Our first year of releases after launch day should keep up a good rhythm, bringing people to the Pocket with plenty of unique experiences while not blowing out absolutely everything with a frontloaded release schedule. With that in mind, you'll notice a decent mix of genres and franchises to try and pull in a variety of players where possible. Oh, and Depths of Dungeons would ideally be the big holiday release.
Full Releases
Eternal Fantasia
The Legend of Zelda: Depths of Dungeons
Splatoon Skirmishes
Pocketware
New Kururin Continent
Star Fox: Corneria Chronicles
Waluigi's Pinball Emporium
Joy Mech Paradise
Game & Mario Collection
Super Mario Subcon - What if Super Mario Bros. 2 had a sequel? Well, not Super Mario Bros. 3 - rather, one that maintained gameplay and story elements from the world of Subcon, but with new explorations on the formula in a modern light? That's essentially what this project would be. Mario and friends (all four from SMB2, plus Daisy, Toadette, Yoshi, and Nabbit) are once again drawn into a new version of Subcon - where every single world is the product of a different dream...
This is obviously the headlining game for the Pocket, and it's notable in that I'd really like to include elements related to connectivity and multiplayer... almost as though we were all dreaming the same dream. Things like Ninjis in the background running in the same path as other players could be neat; and, of course, being able to play with multiple people all at once, a bit like in NSMBW or SMM2. Side note, but each world featured in this game would have a unique and fantastical dreamlike theme of its own. (Maybe one could be a toy-world of sorts inspired by Mario vs. Donkey Kong.) My other thought process is that characters would have designs reminiscent of older art from the Mario universe, stuff circa-SMB2/SMB3.
Kirby's Star Festival - Essentially, a party game (akin to games like Mario Party) but featuring concepts and mechanics from the Kirby universe. After facing off against another large-scale threat, King Dedede decides to celebrate with a festival to which everyone is invited; and he's managed to rope some Waddle Dees into creating and running a series of minigames so that everyone can have fun.
I think a Kirby spinoff is in a good spot for inclusion in a place like this, and I like the idea of a party game allowing for some more experimental gameplay the likes of which we might have seen with earlier Kirby games. Pop Star and its residents lends well to all kinds of fun, and I think it'd be a really interesting change of pace from simply going back to another Mario Party title.
Magical Puzzle League- A return to the Puzzle League series (and a sort of revamp of the world and character of Panel de Pon.) As a puzzle series that's not been touched in a while, Puzzle League is well suited to a new spot in the spotlight; and I think the characters and cute designs would generally make it popular with a more casual audience. Of course, in terms of content, it'd be a fairly fully-featured puzzle title with plenty of modes, options, and so forth... think loosely akin to highly-polished games like the Puyo Puyo series.
This game's big new twist on the formula is the introduction of character abilities. Clearing tiles and chains builds up a mana meter for each character, which - when full - allows that character to unleash an ability unique to them. A lot of these are reworked takes on the Item Blocks in Planet Puzzle League, and can have either positive effects for them, negative effects for an opponent, or chaotic effects for everyone in play. It'd also be cool for a couple of additional characters to be added over time in updates; maybe even characters from other Puzzle League tie-in games, such as Yoshi, Kirby, or Pikachu.
Pocket Café - A collection of three "paper-and-pen" style puzzle games, possibly developed by Jupiter; namely, Picross, Sudoku, and Crossword. This would be a free, downloadable title right out of the box to sort of promote the Pocketware service, with Pocket Café being the first game with the label. (Think a little like how Face Raiders was pre-installed onto 3DS systems.) Out of the box, 150 puzzles of each type are included, but you can also create your own puzzles of each type, and then share them either via Download Play or over the internet with your friends. (There's also additional bundles of puzzles added over time via free updates.) As you progress onward through the included puzzles, you can unlock different relaxing arrangements of various pieces of Nintendo music to play in the background.
eXpanse - A new title in the X series, and a sequel to Q-Games' X-Scape. This game's big notable change from its predecessors is its addition of multiplayer functions, and a greater focus on planetary exploration while piloting your space-tanks. In addition, you can customise your tank with items you find around the world, altering how you approach combat and traversal alike. (There is, however, a limit to both weight and item slots, keeping things balanced.) Obviously, being a Pocketware title, eXpanse isn't this overly complex experience; but it does still feature everything you'd expect from a game like this. Plus, you can take on PvE with allies (in which you're encouraged to each have your own specialisations), or PvP in deathmatch form.
Eternal Fantasia- A turn-based strategy RPG with mechanics mostly inspired by the Fire Emblem series. This game's "big gimmick" of sorts is that it's a crossover between many of Nintendo's more fantastical series, taking inspiration from other crossover RPGs like Project X Zone or Nendoroid Generation and presumably developed by Monolith Soft. Obviously, the big focus in terms of characters would be the Fire Emblem and Xenoblade Chronicles franchises, but it'd also feature characters from franchises like The Legend of Zelda, The Mysterious Murasame Castle, Kid Icarus and others. (Oh, and probably KOS-MOS as a guest pick later down the line. She's popular.)
The Legend of Zelda: Depths of Dungeons - Basically... Zelda Maker. You're given tools to create a Zelda dungeon in the style of 2D games from the series, as well as plenty of options for things like obstacles, puzzle elements, enemies, items, and so forth from across the series. Similar to the Mario Maker games, you also get a few graphical styles; namely, TLoZ, ALttP, the Oracle games, ALBW, and the Link's Awakening remake. However, you could probably also have a few other elements from other games that aren't included here and there.
Ideally, this game should be as intuitive to work with as Mario Maker, but given it's likely to be more puzzle-centric, you'll generally be rewarded for using tools in clever ways where possible. In addition; you wouldn't be limited to specifically dungeon tilesets, but could also have overworld tilesets for the sake of visual variety... though, you would still be limited to using it in a dungeon setting. Also, there'd be some items that may not have featured in their specific games but are featured in a given style; in my opinion, that just lends to more tools and whatnot from throughout the series.
Splatoon Skirmishes - A tactical RPG (but with simplified and fast-paced controls, think like Mario + Rabbids) in the Splatoon universe, taking place in a new setting around 20 or 30 years before the mainline games. I reckon the Ink mechanics would lend really well to a game like this, and exploring a more retro urban feel (maybe inspired by a strange mix of Shibuya-kei and the rise of Western hip-hop?) would lend to plenty of unique potential in terms of a visual style. (Think... instead of idols, disc-jockeys; that sort of thing.) While versus modes do exist, the game's main focus is its main story, which follows an unlikely team of Inklings and Octolings seeking to make a name for themselves on the world stage. (It'd also be cool if you could have the option to transfer unlocked items and cosmetics from Skirmishes to Splatoon 3, perhaps by locking them in time capsules!)
New Kururin Continent - A new game in the Kururin series, centring on Kururin once again having to find his family after they all ventured out to explore the newly-risen continent of Mu. It's a little more of a blend between skill and puzzles; featuring the modifiers system from Squash! but a little more refined and less combat-focused. While it's again a smaller title compared to others, I think it'd still draw in players regardless. With sixteen locations across the new continent to explore, though; it's hardly going to leave people wanting for content - and it could be fun to include a couple of multiplayer modes here and there to keep things fresh.
Star Fox: Corneria Chronicles - A fresh take on the Star Fox world and gameplay would be fun, so I'll suggest that this game would be a horizontally-scrolling shooter (akin to Gradius), albeit still maintaining gameplay concepts and elements from Star Fox (such as evasive manouvres) and some other little additions like grazing. Most notably, it'd feature the new generation of the Star Fox Team trying to fill the big shoes of their predecessors; but piloting the new Arwing-V models. They're capable of switching between two modes; either Defence (more shielding, less speed) or Assault (more power and speed, less shielding).
Waluigi's Pinball Emporium - You're an aspiring game developer in Diamond City, but after getting into a legal run-in with WarioWare Inc. over their poor business practices, you're left absolutely penniless. Thankfully, a certain purple-clad individual claims you'll be able to claw back all your cash over time... but only if you can become the world's greatest champion at pinball.
Probably one of my sillier ideas, but I think this would be pretty fun. The Emporium itself is set in the same world as WarioWare, and it's got a total of 15 pinball tables - each themed around different elements of the Mario universe. There's also a gimmick where you can jostle the machine to move your ball, and I think it'd also be pretty cool to have a Vs. Mode that essentially staples two tables together at the top with a single ball. (Like Pong, with extra steps.)
Joy Mech Paradise - A sequel to Joy Mech Fight, taking place on the tropical Paradise Island and centring around a robotic fighting tournament featuring entrants from across the globe. It maintains the simple gameplay and design sensibilities of the original game (including the floating limbs), but with 30 characters (including the customisable Template) and all new visuals and moves, it expands the whole thing a little. Notably, the eight characters featured in the first game's story mode return, but other characters are mostly new... albeit with a couple of them having some references here and there.
I think it'd also be cool to have a more tasteful interpretation of something like Mega Man 6's designs to lean into the idea of robots from around the world. Obviously it'd be focused less on stereotypes, though; moreso on different cultural ideas with things like sports, historical figures and artifacts, and so on and so forth. For instance; an American robot with a baseball-themed moveset or a Japanese robot inspired by dogū could be a lot of fun.
Game and MarioCollection - A spiritual successor to the Game & Watch Gallery series. It takes on a similar concept; featuring 15 games from Nintendo's Game & Watch series, both faithfully recreated in LCD form, but also with an option to play the games with modern graphics featuring the Super Mario cast. In addition, it features information related to the games included, Download Play functionality for multi-player (where applicable), and other fun little bonus additions here and there.
Nintendo Switch 2 - fans already refer to the console as such & easy way to help avoid one of many wii u marketing mistakes.
Gimmick - Cloud gaming is the likely future but Nintendo is going to get the jump start & do it their way. Dock can run independently from console maintaining decent visuals & compatibilities thanks to the cloud. This will allow for dual screen support for both a series of smaller eshop exclusives & the DS's NSO Expansion Pass debut.
Cross-Gen Releases (with improved visuals, performance, & in some cases content): Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, Pokemon Legends Z-A, Mario Kart 10, Zelda HD Wii U Pack (im bad at names).
Super Smash Bros Melee Live: The next step for the popular crossover is to revisit a fan favorite. Game will be remade maintaining gameplay & content of original while adding online play & "Live Events" which will expand the game greatly by providing new challenges & content both familiar & new to series fans.
F-Zero Invasion: Mario Kart will stay Mario & a different series will become Nintendos crossover racer. A series reboot which will see the mysterious Mr. Zero put 3 person teams from various dimensions including his own against each other in high speed futuristic races across their worlds unified under an anime inspired artstyle. Also featuring a dogfight/Star Fox inspired battle mode.
Super Mario DK Origins: The rumored 3D DK & next 3D Mario are one in the same. To weaken his arch-enemy, Bowser tries to provoke an old enemy to weaken Mario. Play as both Mario & DK as they revisit thier early rivalry before teaming up when they discover the real enemy.
Fire Emblem Echoes Elibe Retold: Surprise, IS played it safe & remade the Japan-exclusive game starring fan-favorite Roy. World is decently expanded featuring several new side missions involving characters from the game's prequel. (Id rather a Genealogy remake but surprised to not see this brought up more especially with Genealogys structure & tone likely being more difficult to adapt especially since Fire Emblem remakes tend to not do as well as far as im aware.)
Kirby & the Shifting Showdown: A 2D Kirby game that attempts to sprinkle some of that good new 3D Kirby gameplay with 3D interpretations of some levels serving as bonus stages.
Animal Crossing New Heights: For the 1st time in series history create an village with up to 3 friends online. Now with a map & population 4X the size of New Horizons, will you co-operate or keep a piece of your village to yourself & compete in various Happy Village Academy Challenges.
Splatoon Remix: Splatoon gets its 1st spinoff. Play as upcoming idols in a rhythm game with a unique, addictive gameplay loop. Will feature familiar songs with new additions & remixes from other nintendo ip plus Miku dlc.
