{"id":89797,"date":"2019-03-21T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/feature_nintendo_indie_collaborations_and_crossovers_werd_like_to_see"},"modified":"2019-03-21T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-03-21T18:00:00","slug":"feature-nintendo-indie-collaborations-and-crossovers-wed-like-to-see","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/03\/21\/feature-nintendo-indie-collaborations-and-crossovers-wed-like-to-see\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: Nintendo Indie Collaborations And Crossovers We\u2019d Like To See"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a9e701a66eb1\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a9e701a66eb1\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<div class=\"youtube\">[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Y3fiwIdKhZw?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1&#038;w=900&#038;h=507]<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The announcement of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/cadence_of_hyrule_crypt_of_the_necrodancer\">Cadence of Hyrule \u2013 Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda<\/a><\/strong> (to give its unwieldy full name) in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/watch_nindies_direct_march_2019_broadcast_-_live\">yesterday\u2019s Nindies Direct presentation<\/a> was a delightful surprise. Although we\u2019d heard whispers of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/rumour_links_awakening_might_not_be_the_only_zelda_game_released_in_2019\">another 2D Zelda<\/a> possibly releasing this year, this collaboration with an indie studio Brace Yourself Games \u2013 a developer with just one (very successful) game to its name \u2013 is somewhat unprecedented; Nintendo is letting an indie developer play with one of its big-name franchises. It wasn\u2019t long ago when Nintendo wouldn\u2019t acknowledge the <em>existence<\/em> of small developers unless they had a non-residential office address.<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s approach to indies has evidently changed a lot since the WiiWare days. It all seems to have come about thanks to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/how_the_crypt_of_the_necrodancer_developer_got_to_work_with_zelda\">a DLC pitch<\/a> by the team for <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/crypt_of_the_necrodancer\">Crypt of the NecroDancer<\/a><\/strong> which really fired up Nintendo\u2019s interest. It&#8217;s heartening to see the company embracing the spirit and talent of these studios &#8211; yesterday\u2019s \u2018Nindies\u2019 Direct was full of strong titles across a variety of genres. The strategy of using these reveal videos to plug gaps between bigger Directs seems to be working very well. Indeed, <em>some<\/em> might argue that yesterday\u2019s video was better than some of the company\u2019s more lacklustre Directs.<\/p>\n<p>Nintendo has often used outside studios to support or fully develop games using its biggest stars. Ubisoft\u2019s <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/mario_plus_rabbids_kingdom_battle\">Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle<\/a><\/strong> was a very successful recent crossover, taking the plumber and his friends into a new realm of <strong>XCOM<\/strong>-style turn-based combat, but other franchises have seen traditional entries coming from teams outside Nintendo\u2019s wheelhouse \u2013 the Capcom developed Zelda games on Game Boy and GBA, for example, or Sega with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/gamecube\/f_zero_gx\">F-Zero GX<\/a><\/strong>. There have been numerous collaborations with Bandai Namco over the years. More recently, Mercury Steam was trusted with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/metroid_samus_returns\">Metroid: Samus Returns<\/a><\/strong>, and the crossover with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/starlink_battle_for_atlas\">Starlink: Battle For Atlas<\/a><\/strong> is arguably the best <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/snes\/star_fox\">Star Fox<\/a><\/strong> content we\u2019ve seen in a <em>long<\/em> time.<\/p>\n<p>However, those all come from established third-party studios with many high-profile games to their names \u2013 giving indie developer the keys to the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nes\/legend_of_zelda\">Zelda<\/a><\/strong> franchise feels daring and the trailer itself sizzles with energy and freshness. Of course, we\u2019ve yet to sample the game but if it\u2019s anything <em>like<\/em> as good as Crypt of the NecroDancer, we\u2019re surely in for a musical treat. It makes you wonder why the company has taken so long to tap the potential and enthusiasm of hungry upstart developers.<\/p>\n<p>Nintendo will, of course, continue to develop the majority of its tentpole series games in-house, but seeing as it\u2019s beginning to trust top tier franchises to smaller studios, we thought we\u2019d take a light-hearted look at some of their <em>other<\/em> treasured properties that could work well in the hands of a talented indie dev; we doubt that COHCOTNDFTLOZ (as absolutely <em>no-one<\/em> is, or will ever be, calling it) will be the last.<\/p>\n<p>Do we think these are likely to happen? Of course not, but with all sorts of unlikely crossovers occurring throughout the industry, stranger things are coming to pass every day. So, sit back and take a gander at our crossover suggestions&#8230;<\/p>\n<h2>Axiom Verge X Samus<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"AXIOM\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/4108fd0527f03\/axiom.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/4108fd0527f03\/axiom.900x.jpg\" alt=\"AXIOM\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>When <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/axiom_verge\">Axiom Verge<\/a><\/strong> first came to Wii U, developer Thomas Happ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2016\/09\/a_samus_costume_was_almost_in_the_wii_u_axiom_verge_port\">wanted to include an unlockable Samus costume<\/a> for the game\u2019s protagonist, Trace, to wear. Despite enthusiasm, ultimately the powers-that-be in Nintendo HQ decided that it wasn\u2019t appropriate, but this excellent Metroidvania has held over many a fan as they wait for the next 2D entry in the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nes\/metroid\">Metroid<\/a><\/strong> series. Of course, the Wii U version is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/axiom_verge_is_finally_getting_a_physical_wii_u_release_after_months_of_legal_struggle\">finally getting a physical release<\/a> at the end of the month (yes, <em>this<\/em> month!).<\/p>\n<p>With the 2D branch of the Metroid series seemingly lying dormant, a cross over with Axiom Verge would be a fine way to bring Samus back to the second dimension. Failing that, thanks to the incredible work of indie developers in the genre, there\u2019s a <em>long<\/em> list of brilliant alternatives to choose from \u2013 check out our selection of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/feature_the_best_metroidvania_games_on_nintendo_switch\">the best Metroidvanias on Switch<\/a> and take your pick.<\/p>\n<h2>Fast RMX X Blue Falcon<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"FASTRMX\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/df44637da3037\/fastrmx.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/df44637da3037\/fastrmx.900x.jpg\" alt=\"FASTRMX\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Okay, while we know there are <em>many differences<\/em> between <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/fast_rmx\">Fast RMX<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 the updated version of the futuristic Wii U racer that launched with the Switch \u2013 and <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/snes\/f-zero\">F-Zero<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s particular brand of twitchy high-speed racing, but Nintendo seems content to let the franchise lie in state. The best we\u2019ve had since Sega\u2019s excellent turn at the wheel with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/gamecube\/f_zero_gx\">F-Zero GX<\/a><\/strong> <em>sixteen years ago<\/em> is a Mii-based minigame in <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/wiiu\/nintendo_land\">Nintendo Land<\/a><\/strong>, some charming nods in <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/mario_kart_8_deluxe\">Mario Kart 8<\/a><\/strong> and Captain Falcon\u2019s inclusion in the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/super_smash_bros_ultimate\">Smash Bros.<\/a><\/strong> roster. As lovely as an amiibo is, why shouldn\u2019t Nintendo let an enthusiastic indie have a crack in the Blue Falcon? Sixteen years!!!<\/p>\n<h2><em>A Cracking Platformer<\/em> X Mario<\/h2>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<div class=\"youtube\">[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Qyl3_VJEl5M?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1&#038;w=900&#038;h=507]<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>This would really be the daddy \u2013 a bona fide 2D Mario platformer from an outside company. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nes\/super_mario_bros\">Super Mario Bros.<\/a><\/strong> is possibly the most played, most analysed video game in existence, but it would take a brave, audacious developer to attempt a Mario game \u2013 not only to nail the basics, but also to have the courage to add new ideas rather than create a homage. There are too many options to pick just one &#8211; take a look at our selection of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/feature_the_best_2d_platformers_on_nintendo_switch\">best 2D platformers on Switch<\/a> for a couple of ideas.<\/p>\n<p>One area that could definitely use some fresh ideas is the aesthetic. The <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/ds\/new_super_mario_bros\">New Super Mario Bros.<\/a><\/strong> art style served the plumber fine, but it\u2019s surely time for a change. The fan game Super Mario Forever shows above what a pixel-based alternative could look like, but the sky\u2019s the limit.<\/p>\n<p>With <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/super_mario_maker_2\">Super Mario Maker 2<\/a><\/strong> enabling gamers themselves to make their own Mario, why not give a small developer the opportunity to spice up the tried-and-tested 2D Mario recipe? Worst case scenario? Just make another one.<\/p>\n<h2>Cuphead X Yoshi<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"CUPHEAD\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a9e701a66eb1\/cuphead.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a9e701a66eb1\/cuphead.900x.jpg\" alt=\"CUPHEAD\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>The rumour of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/cuphead\">Cuphead<\/a><\/strong> coming to Switch was confirmed during the opening of the latest Nindies Direct and we\u2019re ecstatic that it\u2019s been liberated from the console confines of Xbox One thanks to some behind the scenes dealings between Nintendo, Microsoft and the game\u2019s developer, Studio MDHR. Its 1930s-style animation perfectly captures the look-and-feel of cartoons of the era and it\u2019ll be a joy play on-the-go on Switch.<\/p>\n<p>So now Cuphead and Mugman have arrived on a Nintendo platform, why not get Yoshi in on the action? He&#8217;s going through every other art style he can get his hands on, so why not rubber hose Fleischer animation? It would be refreshing to see the dinosaur in a rock-hard platformer, a far cry from his usual relaxing fare.<\/p>\n<h2>Owlboy X Kid Icarus<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"OWLBOY\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/57630ba814de1\/owlboy.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/57630ba814de1\/owlboy.900x.jpg\" alt=\"OWLBOY\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Another dormant Nintendo franchise. We\u2019ve seen some <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nes\/kid_icarus\">Kid Icarus<\/a><\/strong>-style games before (remember <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/wiiware\/nyxquest_kindred_spirits\">NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits<\/a><\/strong>?) but it\u2019s been a while since <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/kid_icarus_uprising\">Kid Icarus: Uprising<\/a><\/strong> on 3DS. Now that we\u2019ve recovered from the hand cramps induced by that game&#8217;s awkward controls, a crossover with D-Pad Studios\u2019 <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/owlboy\">Owlboy<\/a><\/strong> would return the series to the platforming roots of the original game and we\u2019d love to see Pit back in action in a non-Smash context. Director and designer Simon Stafsnes Andersen originally took inspiration from Kid Icarus, and judging by the result, there\u2019s no-one better to handle the series\u2019 return.<\/p>\n<h2>Wargroove X Advance Wars<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"WARGROOVE\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/2c15702c2d9c8\/wargroove.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/2c15702c2d9c8\/wargroove.900x.jpg\" alt=\"WARGROOVE\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Possibly the least work-intensive proposal from this list of ideas, Chucklefish\u2019s <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/wargroove\">Wargroove<\/a><\/strong> is heavily inspired by Nintendo\u2019s turn-based <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/gba\/advance_wars\">Advance Wars<\/a><\/strong> games, from the art style down to the mechanics. Of course, there are differences, but an official collaboration would be an excellent way to satisfy fans of the series while Intelligent Systems concentrates on the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/gba\/fire_emblem\">Fire Emblem<\/a><\/strong> franchise.<\/p>\n<h2><em>A good party game<\/em> X Mario<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"PARTY\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d7209e9a2d229\/party.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d7209e9a2d229\/party.900x.jpg\" alt=\"PARTY\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><em>Oh-no-we-didn\u2019t!<\/em> Okay, calm down, <em>calm down<\/em> \u2013 we love <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/mario_party\">Mario Party<\/a><\/strong>, as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/nintendo-switch\/super_mario_party\">our review<\/a> of the latest entry attests. However, it\u2019s tough to argue that every single game in the long-running series has been a winner. Some of the minigames can be hit-and-miss, which can seriously put a dampener on any party. After all, party-goers need <em>constant<\/em> diversion \u2013 it only takes a 30-second lull to burst the bubble. Imagine, if you will, a genuinely hilarious, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/jackbox_party_pack\">Jackbox<\/a><\/strong>-style party game featuring the Mushroom Kingdom crowd. Alternatively, something along the lines of Wii U\u2019s unsung <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/wiiu-eshop\/spin_the_bottle_bumpies_party\">Spin the Bottle: Bumpie\u2019s Party<\/a><\/strong> might help freshen up the slightly sterile Mario Party formula. It couldn\u2019t hurt to experiment with the series \u2013 Lord knows there\u2019ll be another entry along soon enough.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em>Which one of these has the most potential? Can you think of any other fitting crossovers between Nintendo franchises and indie titles? Think <strong>Olli Olli X 1080<\/strong><\/em><em><strong>\u00b0 Snowboarding<\/strong> sounds promising? How about <strong>Meat Boy X Mario<\/strong>? Pop into the comments to share your ideas.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Y3fiwIdKhZw?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1&#038;w=900&#038;h=507] The announcement of Cadence of Hyrule \u2013 Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (to give its unwieldy full name) in yesterday\u2019s Nindies Direct presentation was a delightful surprise. Although we\u2019d heard whispers of another 2D Zelda possibly releasing this year, this collaboration with an indie studio Brace Yourself Games \u2013 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89797\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}