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Having Nintendo’s games on other platforms is something we’ve always asked for, and it seems like the Japanese gaming giant is finally giving in to that plea. The company has confirmed that they are in partnership with mobile game publishing house DeNA to release games under the Big N banner on smartphones and tablets later this year.
Unfortunately details of the deal weren’t made clear. We don’t know if they will look to port existing games or create new ones, whether they’ll look to use their existing intellectual IPs or create new ones. We don’t even know how many games Nintendo is planning to release or whether this is just a one-time deal.
But it’s huge of Nintendo to even make movement on the mobile front for a few different reasons:
- Nintendo has been reluctant to join the mobile bandwagon in the past, likely in a bid to boost demand for their own hardware.
- Nintendo is historically stubborn, and proud to be so. Case in point: we still don’t have a full-blown console RPG for Pokemon despite fans basically promising to buy a Wii U if they do.
- There’s no incentive for Nintendo to see the mobile scene do well as they don’t sell smartphones like their competitors Sony and Microsoft.
So why bother? Well, their console strategy isn’t exactly working. Despite beating Sony and Microsoft to market in the latest generation they’ve struggled to get any strong momentum with the Wii U. In fact, they’re already working on a new console set to be released at some point next year.
We’d say this is a case of Nintendo finally figuring out that they need to adapt to a rapid-changing industry. Great companies are applauded when they can stick to their beliefs and do well without reacting to trends, but those who know when it’s time to swallow pride are held in even higher regard. We’re hoping this new focus on mobile is simply the first step for them in a wide sweeping of changes they so desperately need to make.
[via Wii U Daily]
YES!!! finally! I always thought they should do this.
With the amount of Nintendo emulators out there available on Android, my gut feeling is that they’re going to have to come out with new IP’s. Bringing a new Mario game to the app markets would force them to go after all of those emulators and ROM’s to protect their IP’s while official ones are present to purchase. Nintendo definitely doesn’t need that fight right now. Though I wouldn’t be mad at an Android online version of Mario Party.
I have not found 1 solid emulator yet. then again, i quit looking over a year ago….so i’m sure that logic is flawed
Oh, generally they’re all mostly awful. But early ones certainly were usable given the hardware we had. The day I realized that I could play Super Mario Brothers 3 on my G1 was a great day. Of course, I just didn’t know any better and I just did it because I could and nobody else around me could with their flip phones and iDevices. This move by Nintendo will -hopefully- invalidate all of the crap emulators anyway. (Or give rise to more, who knows?) In any event I doubt that they would launch with a ton of their “classic” lineup. There’s too much to win here for them if they do something new properly. Also, that’s a general gripe against Nintendo as a whole in the console community. Nintendo has needed new IP’s for years! Nothing against the legions of Marios*, Zelda’s, DK’s, and Pokemon games, but they’ve been done to the point of exhaustion.
*Except for Mario Party, they can’t do enough of those. Ever.
really pushing for Mario Party huh?? haha nuttin wrong with that at all!
Incorrect, as stated, most emulators are great. Playing ps1, nds, gba games on an android device is easy and a joy, especially with an HID controller.
John NES is pretty good for me for Super Mario Bros 1 and Bomberman. The sound is a little strange but otherwise it works quite well.
DraStic is a great nds emulator, plus there are very solid gba, gb/c, snes and nes emulators out. N64 is hampered by the strength of current android (phone) hardware.
Nintendo have officially stated that they will only be bringing new games to mobile. No ports.
Take my money, take my kids, take my blood. Just gimme dat Mario!
About time Nintendo, “Grow up Peter Pan,Count Chocula”
As long as they aren’t crammed with IAP to unlock every character, count me in. I never got into Nintendo as a kid (had a Genesis) so this would be cool.
why would you want them crammed with IAP?
Or did you mean ‘aren’t’
Fixed
I’m all for this
Smash Bothers, Mario Kart, Mario Party, online multi player + Local WiFi?!?!? Yeah!!!!!!
Online Mario kart would be awesome
Pokemon man! It would be perfect on mobile!
Please, no freemium, please, no freemium, please, no freemium!
One price. Full Nintendo games on Android. Heaven.
http://i.imgur.com/IyL9ozW.jpg
As I understand it, most, if not all, of DeNA’s games are freemium. Worse, they tend to be the kind of freemium games that are impossible to complete without making purchases.
You DO know that you can already make that screenshot a reality with an emulator, right?
Extremely aware but this is better by miles (if it’s not freemium). Something directly from Nintendo and their partners would be brilliant. I’ve used them for NES and Dreamcast games but of course it’s going to be glitchy and not as intuitive as something as a standalone.
Yesh!! I read this the other day!! I’m so happy!!
If only Namco could follow suit. I want Burgertime, and Dig Dug.
Love me some Galaga, my fav by Namco, but Namco doesn’t own the rights to many of their old titles when I emailed them.
Hope Nintendo brings all the popular games from NES, SN, 64 over first to test the waters.
They own all the games and they are developed, just port them over and allow the money to flow.
I still have Burgertime and Dig Dug on my old flip phone. I would love to see these two games and Qbert on Android.
Time for me to buy a controller
I recommend the Moga pro power. Don’t bother with their already dead “a mode” (or bother to install the app), just switch it to “b mode” (HID) and enjoy all the gaming goodness.
Lol.. I love Nintendo but I guess those expecting the next Zelda, Mario or even Smash will be very disappointing.. It’ll be more like what King and Zynga have done BUT in a Nintendo-esq manner
expect a lot of Dr. Mario, Tetris, and pokemon puzzle games
True.. But the potential is there for Nintendo to murder IAPs completely.. Animal Crossing would be a total cash cow!
This opportunity also gives Nintendo the chance to experiment.. Personally I’d love to see a new Odama game! Mario endless runner, Mario Party etc etc
Psh, over here still waiting for GameGear games to get released to the app store…
Sega Master System = GameGear games
“We don’t know if they will look to port existing games or create new ones, whether they’ll look to use their existing intellectual IPs or create new ones.”
When talking about intellectual properties and Nintendo, you’re basically referring to their games. So not only did you say the same thing twice, but to say “intellectual IP” is to say “intellectual intellectual property”…which, needless to say, is redundant.
Now that the composition rant is out of the way, I’d really like to see Mario Kart and Smash Bros on mobile, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were any of you. They’ll likely keep their more popular IPs on their in-house hardware. Here’s hoping we’re all pleasantly surprised though.
“We don’t know if they will look to port existing games or create new ones, whether they’ll look to use their existing intellectual IPs or create new ones.”
Actually they specifically said they will not be porting existing games. It’s going to be new games, specifically for mobile, usually their IP.