Nintendohas had great success in the mobile gaming market, especially with the likes ofAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp,Super Mario Run, andFire Emblem: Heroes. It has produced some of the most engrossing free-to-play titles for mobile that still attract enormous player counts to this day. However, while it has all but cornered the free-to-play space, it has failed to capitalize on one aspect of the mobile gaming market that fans desperately want.
Some of Nintendo’s best games would make for the ultimate mobile experience, and some, includingSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, could end up being thebest co-op mobile gamesof all time. However, Nintendo has always been hesitant to port its games to mobile devices and give the fans what they’ve been asking for this whole time. So, it’s time it learned a lesson from Square Enix, which has been dominating the premium mobile gaming space for a while.
Nintendo Needs To Copy Square Enix When It Comes To Mobile Games
A Large Selection Of Square Enix Classics Are On Mobile
Square Enix has already ported a huge selection of its critically acclaimed games to mobile devices, giving players a premium gaming experience on their phones.Everything fromFinal Fantasy 7toDragon Quest Buildersis available on mobile, easily making up some of thebest mobile gamesof all time. It is great to have access to some of these games, especially when a lot of them aren’t available on modern hardware, like a handful of theDragon Questtitles. It also gives those who don’t have access to a Switch or other console the chance to finally experience them.
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Super Mario 64 received a remake on the Nintendo DS in 2004, but there are many issues with it that could be resolved by remaking the classic again.
Of course, playing these games on mobile devices is definitely not the best experience, especially when compared to playing them on PC or the Switch for those more handheld-inclined. However, it is great to have such easy access to such an enormous library of games, especially JRPGs, even despite their sometimes extortionate prices.Square Enix has simply made its library of games more accessible, bringing it to a wider audience, and further assisting the hard work of games preservationists.
Nintendo doesn’t have many mobile games currently active, let alone mobile ports of its main library. It has the enjoyableMario Kart Tour;one of thebest cozy mobile games,Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete;the gacha-focused strategy gameFire Emblem: Heroes;the auto-runnerSuper Mario Run;and thePokémon Go-esquePikmin Bloom. It used to have a lot more, but it shut down many of them, including some of its higher-profile and even original titles, likeDragalia Lost,Miitomo, andDr. Mario World.
Of course, there are also a number ofPokémon-related mobile games available, including thenostalgicPokémon TCG Pocket,Pokémon Go, andPokémon Masters EX, among many more. However, these aren’t published directly by Nintendo, but by The Pokémon Company, of which Nintendo is a co-owner.
However, while all of these free-to-play titles offer fun yet substantially lower-quality spin-offs of the original mainline series,Nintendo has yet to put any of its fully-fledged games onto mobile devices. This has led many to rely on emulators, something that Nintendo has a habit of cracking down on rather harshly. Of course, it is yet to offer an alternative, especially to the games still trapped on the Game Boy and DS systems, such as the originalFire Emblemgames,Pokémontitles, andAdvance Wars.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Is A Step In The Right Direction
Nintendo Finally Has A Console-Like Experience On Mobile
Fortunately, Nintendo is moving somewhat in the right direction with the release ofAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete. After announcing the closure ofAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Nintendo revealed it would re-release it, albeit withseveral key changesand a price tag. However, this is absolutely the right direction for both Nintendo and the mobile industry as a whole, asit offers fans the chance to have a more console-like experience on mobile, akin to what Square Enix has been offering for years.
Of course, it’s not quite the same as havingNew Horizonsported to mobile devices, butit is a good start and shows that Nintendo recognizes players want premium experiences over microtransaction-riddled free-to-play titles. Nintendo has also just launchedits own music app, which, while launching with a limited selection and slow to introduce new tracks, showcases Nintendo’s willingness to finally give fans what they’ve wanted from the start.
Nintendo has always seemingly had a policy of withholding its IP and content from its fanbase while simultaneously preventing anyone else from uploading it for everyone to enjoy. This newfound approach to handing out its various forms of media could, eventually, see it port several of its classic titles onto mobile devices.It is hard to imagine a world in whichOcarina of Timeon mobile doesn’t become one of the best-selling gamesacross all storefronts.
Nintendo Should Make More Mobile Spin-Offs
It Should Capitalize On The Mobile Gaming Market
In addition to porting its plethora of incredible classics to mobile devices,it would also be great to see Nintendo branch out into new experiences exclusive to phones. It has attempted this in the past with the likes ofMiitomoandDragalia Lost, games that aren’t just watered-down versions of their premium counterparts. It would be great to see Nintendo attempt something akin to the newopen-worldMonster Huntermobile gameor even something on a smaller scale likeMiitomo.
Nintendo has proven time and time again that it is a very inventive developer and publisher, one capable of producing unique experiences, such as an alarm clock that everyone couldn’t help but love, despite it coming during the height of the Switch 2 fever.Having more premium mobile experiences that tap into that creativity would be great, and would help to further legitimize the mobile gaming market as more than just a microtransaction-filled machine.
Now Is Actually The Perfect Time To Get Into Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete is now a one-time purchase, microtransaction-free, and filled with special features for new players to enjoy.
Nintendo doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but more mobile game spin-offs or even original IP could be an interesting avenue for it to take. Ultimately, what fans want to see the most is Nintendo’s library of classics ported to mobile. Offering the Nintendo Online subscription service to mobile users would be one way of accomplishing this - it could work like the new Nintendo Music app by combining multiple games in one place. Regardless,Nintendoneeds to see the mobile gaming market as a great way of making more money and giving fans access to the games they love.
