Summary
Nintendois arguably the most recognizable and influential video game company in the entire world, so it is no surprise that most of the franchises it owns are among the most iconic in the industry.But not all of them can be as prolific and successful asMario,The Legend of Zelda,Pokemon, orFire Emblem.
There are a great number of beloved Nintendo franchises that, regardless of the high quality of their entries, have remained forgotten by the majority of gamers and the company that owns them. And while it’s inevitable for many of them - likeStar FoxorF-Zero- to eventually come back someday, the same can’t be said about the following franchises.
1Duck Hunt
An Iconic Game From Another Time
Duck Huntis one of the most successful and beloved NES games,mainly because it was released in a bundle with the originalSuper Mario Brosin North America. It had simple yet effective shooting mechanics that made great use of the NES Zapper, and the infamous “Duck Hunt Dog” became a video game icon, to the point that it was featured as a playable fighter in theSuper Smash Brosseries, alongside one of the ducks.
There’s no doubt thatDuck Huntwas a fun little game for its time, but it’s not something that modern audiences – especially Nintendo fans – would enjoy playing today. Not only are gimmicky shooter games like this one not really a thing anymore, but hunting is a much more controversial topic.Duck Huntshould just live on as cameos in other titles, and nothing more.
2The Mysterious Murasame Castle
A High-Octane Action About A Samurai
Originally released in 1986,The Mysterious Murasame Castleis an action-adventure game for the Famicom that is similar to the originalLegend of Zelda, but with a bigger focus on combat, power-ups, and bosses. Sadly, this solid title was never published outside of Japan in its original form, but worldwide audiences got to experience Takamaru’s epic adventure thanks to subsequent re-releases on the 3DS and the Switch.
Despite having just one game that was ported multiple times,The Mysterious Murasame Castlehas managed to form a long-lasting legacy and a sizable fan base that would love to see Takamaru return in a brand-new adventure with modern mechanics. Sadly, this series’ relative obscurity and the fact that it was originally exclusive to Japan make it all the more difficult for it to make a true comeback.Maybe someday Suda51 will achieve his dream of developing a remake of the original title.
It may not seem like it nowadays, but there was a time in whichPunch-Out!!was a huge deal for Nintendo. The original arcade game from 1984 was quite revolutionary,and everybody remembers the highly challenging NES game featuring Mike Tyson. The company kept releasing many other entries during the following years, including the incrediblePunch-Out!!game for the Wii, which was developed by Next Level Games.
Unfortunately, that was the last time Little Mac appeared in a game of his own, and many fans are wondering what happened, especially because Nintendo is still working closely with Next Level Games. Some speculate that the company would much rather focus onARMS, a new fighting game IP with similar aesthetics and controls and that having both franchises coexist would be redundant because of these glaring similarities.
4Custom Robo
An Obscure Franchise With A Lot Of Potential
Custom Robois undoubtedly one of Nintendo’s most obscure franchises, but also one of their most creative ones. It was originally exclusive to Japan untilCustom Robo: Battle Revolutioncame out in North America for the GameCube, and it captivated audiences with its dynamic action, vast personalization, satisfying gameplay loop, and solid presentation.
There’s no other Nintendo franchise like thisbut, sadly, it was left behindafter the release ofCustom Robo Arenain 2006. Even though there isn’t an official reason for this series’ stagnation, fans speculate that the lukewarm reception and disappointing sales ofArenawere big factors in Nintendo’s decision. On top of that, developer Noise now focuses more on making mobile games for other companies anyway.
There’s no denying thatEternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiemis one of the greatest horror games ever made, mostly thanks to its innovative Sanity Effects that would often try to both trick and disturb the player. However, its dark atmosphere and engaging story should also never be underestimated. Nintendo doesn’t usually make violent, M-rated video games like this one, butEternal Darknesswas so well-received that fans have been begging for a sequel for a long time.
Sadly, this will most likely never happen since they stopped collaborating with developer Silicon Knights many years ago, not to mention that the studio was closed in 2014 for a bunch of infamous reasons. Curiously enough, Nintendo still holds the rights to the franchise and has renewed them multiple times,but it doesn’t seem that they’re interested in ever making a sequel and/or remake.
Nintendogswas one of the biggest system sellers of the Nintendo DS, as this adorable pet simulation game made everyone want to own the handheld so they could take care of their virtual dog. It was fun, informative, and even had a social component. This was such an influential game that it is no surprise it was devised by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto.
The original game was such a big critical and commercial success that it got a sequel for the 3DS, titledNintendogs + Cats. However, there hasn’t been any other entry ever since, as the IP has remained dormant for several years. The thing is that, while bothNintendogsand the DS were quite innovative for their time, nowadays, there are hundreds of similar games that can be played for free on mobile devices. Soit’s most likely that Nintendo feels that there’s no need to invest resources in making a new one.
The originalChibi-Robo!game from 2005 may not be the most popular GameCube title, but those who experienced it certainly adore it and can attest to its qualities. This was a wonderful little adventure that took place entirely inside a house, with a fresh concept and a charming main character that gamers quickly fell in love with.
But, as good asChibi-Robo!was, this is a franchise that could sadly never find its footing within the industry. Subsequent entries were marked by questionable corporate decisions, like making them exclusive to specific retail chains or never releasing them outside of Japan. But the final nail in the coffin for this franchisewasChibi-Robo! Zip Lash, which was such a critical and commercial failure that it made Nintendo disinterested in pursuing more sequels. Fortunately, it seems the spirit ofChibi-Robo!is going to live on inkoROBO,an upcoming video game that is being developed by former members of Skip Ltd.
Shigesato Itoi is a famous Japanese copywriter and actor who worked alongside Nintendo to create theEarthboundfranchise (also known asMotherin Japan). These eccentric turn-based RPGs starring psychic children are as inventive as they are emotional,and they have been cemented as some of the most creative and artistic games in the entire industry.
But, despite the immense popularity ofEarthbound, there hasn’t been a new entry sinceMother 3in 2006. This is mainly because Shigesato Itoi is not interested in making any more games set within this franchise, and he partially owns the rights. He was never a Nintendo employee, but an iconic figure who collaborated with the company. Therefore, if he doesn’t want to make moreEarthboundtitles, there’s not much that Nintendo can do about it. And that’s perfectly fine because these games wouldn’t be the same without his vision.
