Mobile Mavens

Indies Mavens debate whether Nintendo should go paid or F2P?

How to revive a classic business?

Indies Mavens debate whether Nintendo should go paid or F2P?

As most of us will know by now, Nintendo has made its 'Great Leap' into mobile games by partnering with DeNA to bring its classic characters to touchscreens. 

We've already heard what our Monetizer Mavens think will be Nintendo's biggest challenges.

But what about our Indie Mavens?

As indies are often considered to be the people with the brilliant game design ideas, we thought to ask them the following question:

"If given the chance, how would you bring Nintendo's big franchises to mobile?"


Paul Kilduff-Taylor Managing Director Mode 7 Games

First off, I think they really need to get a full Virtual Console suite going with the best control options they can muster.

That should be relatively straightforward: classic platformer stuff like Sonic performs consistently well on the Paid charts so it has to be worthwhile.

Can Nintendo improve on the current standard of F2P design as in Clash of Clans

I would love to see Nintendo's inclusive design philosophy push some new structural F2P ideas.
Paul Kilduff-Taylor

They need to get the classics on there in as much of an unsullied form as possible.

Secondly, and I'm sure everyone will hate me for this, they really do need to look into free-to-play. Stuff with recognisable IP can be overwhelmingly popular: although it's not a game I personally enjoy; The Simpsons: Tapped Out is probably the ultimate example of this.

I would really love to see Nintendo's inclusive design philosophy push some new structural F2P ideas so we can start to move forward from things like Clash of Clans.

If you have a dual combination of well-executed "purist" versions of the classics combined with some progressive stuff which has a chance of very high revenues, I think that starts looking like a decent strategy.

Yann Seznec Founder Lucky Frame

I think Virtual Boy on Google Goggles would probably sell 10,000 copies a day.

Richard Perrin Owner Locked Door Puzzle

Mobile is full of games inspired by the Nintendo classics already.

Mobile is full of games inspired by the Nintendo classics already.
Richard Perrin

If it were me I'd be looking to the best in class of those games and seeing how to make great mobile versions of those franchises, rather than clumsy ports or insignificant tie-in apps.

For example, I'd love to see a Mario inspired by the Rayman Run series.

Personally, I'd rather they didn't embrace free-to-play as Nintendo are one of few companies with the clout not to need to nickel and dime their players to turn a profit.

Thankfully, what I love about Nintendo is that they know to ignore industry trends and find their own way. I think that's one of the reasons they've been such an enduring company through endless years of naysayers.

Pavel Ahafonau Co-founder Happymagenta

I would second all of what Paul said. Implement as close as it's possible to the classics.

F2P isn't really necessary as those titles would do quite well being expensive and paid, but DeNA's name sounds much like F2P, so we'll probably see it F2P.

Leanne Bayley Developer We Heart Dragons

I don't want to see Nintendo re-skins of mobile tropes.
Leanne Bayley

The more I think about this, the more amazing it could be. What I don't want to see happen is mobile re-hashes of existing Nintendo titles with F2P monetization shoved in.

Likewise, I don't want to see Nintendo re-skins of mobile tropes (as much as an F-Zero infinity-runner and a Hyrule-themed Clash of Clans would work).

I think Paul and Pavel are both right, Nintendo have an opportunity to innovate in F2P.

But if they're not going to then I would rather them use their clout to charge a premium for the games.

Shawn Allen Founder Nuchallenger

I think of Nintendo as the uncle who used to be awesome, but now you've found out he's been drinking a lot, and everything he says he never follows through on the way you'd expect.

Nintendo ignores the viability of SNES games on the 3DS, ports GBA games to the Wii U... Doesn't have a clue what to do with the awesome gamepad...

Will Nintendo lead its F2P charge witha version of Tomodachi Life?

So I'd probably just want to stay as far away from this nonsense as possible.

I suspect we'll be getting Tomodachi Life with thousands of dollars worth of DLC and some sort of infinite runner skinned with Nintendo's mascots.

Count me out.

Justin Smith Developer Justin Smith

You heard it here first folks...

At the 2016 WWDC, Apple will announce the addition of a shiny new "N" icon to the home screen of all devices. This will be Nintendo's dedicated portal.

Miyamoto and friends are currently being given exclusive access to pressure-sensitive touch screens (that will also be announced at WWDC), and their new games will be the first to take advatage of the new design possibilies.

It will still be Mario and Sonic games like usual. No new characters.

With an affinity for eccentricity, as well as anything macabre or just plain weird, Chris searches for the games that fly under the radar. If you ask him, anything can be a game. Oh, and a game can be about anything, if you put enough thought into it. So, there.