After launching the Switch earlier this year, Nintendo has been on a consistent roll month after month. Sales of the new console have been stellar thanks in large part to the release cycle which sees at least one new title each month fromThe Legend ofZeldatoMario Kart, and of course, thejust-releasedSuper Mario Odyssey. Still, there’s a few franchise that Nintendo hasn’t given much attention to as of yet, like the highly requested Switch version ofSmash Brosor a newDonkey Kong.
In an interview regarding the recently releasedSuper Mario Odyssey, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime discussed how Nintendo revamped many of its core gameplay elements to deliver something unique. During his answer, Fils-Aime name-dropped both theMetroidandDonkey Kongfranchises, stating that regardless of the experience, Nintendo’s focus is delivering games that provide unique experiences and giving fans the sensation of doing things the IP has never done before.
“Whether it’s with aMetroidexperience or aDonkey Kongexperience, we’re constantly looking to push the envelope on the IP versus doing sequential small iterations with a particular franchise.”
Considering that Nintendo has seemingly put an emphasis on its first-party franchises for the Switch, hearing the potential of a newDonkey Kongtitle shouldn’t be too surprising. The franchise has had a nice rebirth during the past few years during the Wii and Wii U eras withDonkey Kong Country ReturnsandDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Both titles received praise from fans and critics alike, withTropical Freezeeven going on tobecome a Nintendo Select titlein 2016, a title that highlights games that have sold well for the company.
It’s no secret that Nintendo has crafted a revival of sorts for many of its first-party franchises with the Switch, beginning last March withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Many traditional staples of the franchise were either cast out or reworked significantly, ultimately giving players aZeldaexperience unlike anything that had been played before. The same can be said forSuper Mario Odyssey, which launched last week to critical acclaim, giving players a Mario game that expertly weaves in new mechanics to a vibrant open world. It stands to reason thatthe upcomingMetroid Primegameand any future first party games like a potential Donkey Kong title will likely follow these same innovative design patterns.
