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Video game company Nintendo has existed for over 30 years now. In their varied history, they have become home to some of the biggest titles in the gaming industry. Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pokemon and so on - these first-party franchises continue to be popular even decades later.
That success is in no small part thanks to the consistent quality and care Big N's developers show these intellectual properties. Nearly every major game release still gets 9s and 10s across the board from critics.
However, there are a handful of titles that haven't been anywhere close to popular on their own systems. Perhaps a modern Nintendo Switch re-imagining would bring them back on track?
Here are 5 first-party Nintendo games deserving of a modern remake
1) Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Reqiuem
After her grandfather is found murdered, Alexandra Rovias takes it upon herself to seek out the truth; one that spans centuries. Eternal Darkness puts players in the shoes of various people across various time periods. Their lives are brought together by the Tome of Eternal Darkness, a supernatural book linked to ancient evil.
Released on GameCube in 2002 by the now-defunct Silicon Knights, Eternal Darkness is a survival horror game that is a true cult-classic. It introduced elements that are mainstays in modern horror games, like a sanity meter and fourth-wall breaks.
It includes standard third-person exploration, puzzle solving, and combat against supernatural enemies. However, the unique magic system, variety of levels, different characters, and unorthodox plot have turned it into a game that is still fondly remembered.
While a third-party modern spiritual successor called Shadows of the Eternals was in the works, the PC/WiiU project has unfortunately been put on hold indefinitely. Given how beloved this game is, maybe Nintendo should revive it to bolster their horror game ranks.
2) ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat
Nintendo has a decent number of games that were released only in Japan. The 2007 Nintendo DS strategy RPG ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat is one of them. It was developed by Mistwalker, which includes Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy fame.
The plot is fairly unique for an RPG too: Queen Aisya's coronation is interrupted by a fiery serpent that burns everything to the ground - from settlements to the people themselves. However, she is spared and is able to magically revive the fallen into beings made of ash, hence the title.
The gameplay takes place on a grid with both players and enemies taking turns by spending Action Points (AP) for movement, item usage and attack. However, what's different here is that the actual battle against foes are your usual party-based showdowns like Dragon Quest.
The Japanese publisher is slowly racking up a decent collection of SRPGs: Fire Emblem and Advance Wars are quite popular, and new entries like Mario + Rabbids have proven successful too. Perhaps ASH will see the light of day in the future.
3) Drill Dozer
Developer Game Freak has Pokemon as their crown jewel franchise. However, they have managed to work on a handful of unique experiences as well. One of them was Drill Dozer for the Game Boy Advance.
Rival gang Skullkers breaks in and ends up stealing the powerful Red Diamond that once belonged to protagonist Jill's mother. She must chase them down and does so in the super-versatile Drill Dozer - a pilotable mech with drill arms. A simplistic plot for a surprisingly complex game.
As an action-platformer, players will traverse linear hallways, breaking cracked walls for upgrades, drill enemies out of the way, and solve puzzles.
Jill can move, jump, dash by crouching and perform various actions solely with the machine. This is where the game shines: Jill can latch onto certain objects or bounce off others with the drill.
The levels, in themselves, are puzzles of increasing complexity that rely on temporary Gear upgrades to bust the harder walls and quickly dispatch enemies.
It's an underrated gem in the GBA library, so a modern 2.5D remake would be well-appreciated in highlighting one of Nintendo's more interesting IPs.
4) The Last Story
Released exclusively for the Nintendo Wii in 2012, The Last Story is the second Mistwalker game to make an appearance here. It was a swansong for the Wii's lifecycle and one of the best action-RPGs. Sakaguchi once again held the reigns for this project, but as a director.
The visuals, writing, and art design elements definitely take a note from Final Fantasy.
The narrative features protagonist Zael and his band of mercenaries on a journey to seek greatness. This takes them across various locales, like a city and a ship, to battle fearsome monsters.
Combat is the highlight, with real-time hack-and-slash battles interspersed with auto-attack options and an overhead tactical view. The fresh Gathering mechanic taunts enemies to focus on Zael while other AI party members can grab the opportunity. There are stealth and cover systems as well.
There's even a multiplayer mode where players can fight enemies or even take on each other - very unique for a JRPG. Given how late it arrived into the Wii's lifespan, it was a commercial success.
However, a new rendition built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch that further polishes the concept would be welcome.
5) Code Name S.T.E.A.M.
Another SRPG on this list, 2015's Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is perhaps the most intriguing game from developer Intelligent Systems. It's a fresh, comical take on the Steampunk genre and launched for the Nintendo 3DS.
It features historical figures like Abraham Lincoln amidst fictional ones such as Tiger Lily from Peter Pan. Why would they mingle, you ask? To stop an alien invasion, of course.
The narrative is crazy to say the least, and it is paired with tactical gameplay similar to SEGA's Valkyria Chronicles. Players can similarly move around freely in third person and take cover too.
Each player has a unique set of abilities, passives and can be equipped with different weapons. All actions are determined by the steam system, which is basically a form of Action Points for this game.
While it is a modern game in relation to others on the list, the game has seen poor sales. Criticisms included slow pacing and difficulty spikes, even though it was a fun game overall.
A Nintendo Switch remake should definitely grab more attention and prove that every now and then, Nintendo does have interesting titles up their sleeve.
