Your favorite band wants to know who you think should compose their next album. No, that’s too obvious, try this. Your favorite author wants to know who you think should write his next book.
Reggie has asked Kotaku readers who Nintendo should collaborate with next, implying the Metroid Team Ninja project won’t be the last time Nintendo brings in outside help. The problem with calling in third parties is apparently not obvious to everyone, as fans filled forums with names like Blizzard, Team Ico, Square, Treasure and so on.
Mario games aren’t great because of the Mushroom Kingdom and Zelda games aren’t great because of Hyrule. All the themes, plots, artwork and music may add to these series but they are not fundamentally what they are about. No, Mario and Zelda games are great because one of the best developers on the planet spends three years designing each new entry. Mario and Zelda games are great because the man in charge of Nintendo development studios values mechanic design above all else.
Blizzard would make a great Baloon Fight, but they would make a great any game because they’re an extremely talented developer. The specific tropes of a Nintendo license wouldn’t add anything to their ability to design something worth playing. The puddle deep characterization of Link, Mario or Samus is irrelevant to core game design; to want a different company to take Nintendo’s shallow characters and add their own design is asking a virtuoso to perform on a kazoo.
Here’s an idea, Nintendo should make Nintendo games.
So what, you’re not going to buy the next Mario game if it’s a collabo?
Pfft. I call your bluff, sir.
I think Ubisoft should make Nintendo games. Two negatives might make a positive?