Can Nintendo save their franchises. That is a very good question but only a few of the franchises you've mentioned actually need saving. let me explain just which franchises need saving and which ones really don't.
------------------------------------------------Franchises not in need of saving--------------------------------------------------
Metroid - You talk about Metroid needing saving because it isn't nearly as successful as the NES or SNES days. Well none of Nintendo's franchises are as strong as they were in the NES/SNES days. The MetroidPrime series has been a massive hit considering it was on the poorest selling console of the last generation. The many games on GBA/GCN/DS/Wii show the franchise is still very healthy turning a profit and keeping its established user base in tact. I see no reason for panic, infact I think the Metroid series is a true comeback story a series that all but dissapeared an entire generation suddenly makes a comeback as one of Nintendo's main players.
Legend Of Zelda is also not in any danger. You mention WindWaker but if I recall Nintendo's official numbers were around 3-million copies. Now I'll admit thats far weaker then the 7+ million OOT brought in but the N64 had a much larger user base. Already proving itself LOZ:TP has already broken the 4-million mark with only 10-million Wii owners. The franchise appears just as strong if not stronger then ever, with another 4-years left in the Wii's lifespan LOZ:TP could prove more successful in the long run then even the likes of OOT. LOZ is stronger now then ever and in no need of saving.
MarioKart another franchise that has only suffered resonable losses. The franchise still breaks the 3-million mark much like Zelda has. MarioKart is Mario and the franchise hasn't really suffered at all since its conception on the SNES. Much like Mario's other spin-off franchises like MarioParty and MarioTennis I don't see Mario in any way shape or form needing assistance. Yes Mario is not doing as good as he did in the NES/SNES days but as I pointed out other then Zelda not many franchises are actually beating their NES/SNES counterparts.
-------------------------------------------------What Franchises Geniunly need saving------------------------------------------
Donkey Kong is perhaps the biggest SOS for Nintendo. After RareWare was taken over by Microsoft Nintendo decided to take the franchise in a new and suicidal direction. Nintendo apparently was unable to learn or unwilling to admit it went wrong as it rushed a Bongo based side scroller to market. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat while a decent sidescroller suffered the Bongoitus. Nobody liked the Bongos and that carried to DK:JB who bombed so bad only selling 32,000 copies in its openning month to the horror of Nintendo's higher ups. But despite its horrible sales Nintendo went on to continue the madness developing Barrel Blast for the Wii and creating an arcade series following up JungleBeat which in turn were midly successful in Japan. Today Nintendo has a dying franchise on its hands, one in need of searious help. Nintendo needs to bring us something familiar a classical Donkey Kong game, no more gimicky drum based gameplay they need to rejuvinate the game series to when it was successful. Whether it be a DK64 sequal or a DKC4 on WiiWare, Nintendo needs to bring back the old Kong and be rid of the embarrasment known as Bongo's.
StarFox is a franchise that actually manages to sell decently. StarFox:Assualt suffered only minor losses when put alongside its N64 counterpart sales wise. Now I fully agree that Adventures blew and I think many agree with me. However Assualt was a compromise giving gamers the best of both worlds (N64/Adventure). I think Nintendo needs to bring the franchise back internal develope it internally under the observation of Miyamoto and make it online multiplayer. Its a decent series and sure the foot missions were tiring and annoying if done right it could turn out pretty good. StarFox isn't in much need of saving but it could use some help.
Kirby is another franchise in decent need of assistance. On the GameCube Kirby was almost a no show with a racing spin off as its only appearance. With a game already announced for Nintendo Wii you'd think you could sigh with relief but no release date has been given and very little has been heard or seen from Nintendo since E3 2006. The franchise needs a good new Wii game to keep it in the clear it could use a pick me up.
---------------------------------------------Franchises that need to be maintained and built----------------------------------
Pikmin is a series of vast potential with both versions becomign fairly successful on the GameCube one of the few triumph stories to come from the GameCubes lifespan. The series has grown with a diehard cult following but with still no appearance of Pikmin3 on Nintendo's charts it begs the question will Nintendo maintain the new franchise or forget it ever happened. As Animal Crossing has spawned a handheld sequal and is no doubt already on its way for Wii we all await the release of Pikmin3!
EarthBound is a franchise that has been extremely successful in Japan. But it has a cult following in North America as well. That being said the creator has stated he will not be making another EarthBound game that being said Nintendo could remake the to titles that never made it to North America. Not to mention Nintendo owns the franchise and its rights enabling it to make some sequals. Nintendo should port the two titles to Virtual Console or WiiWare making the franchise successful here in North America yet again.
Pilot Wings a franchise that hasn't been seen or heard of since the N64. A Factor5 developed title was supposed to make an appearance on the GameCube but was cancelled. A new Pilot Wings is needed quickly before the franchise begins to dissapear. The series has always been resonably successful and could really use saving right about now. However unlike Donkey Kong or StarFox the franchise hasn't deteriorated its simply dissapeared which is a major differance when it comes to needing saving. It just needs to reappear before the user base forgets it ever existed.
-----------------------------------------------Franchises in need of Revival---------------------------------------------
Killer Instinct is a franchise I didn't even know Nintendo owned. However in a recent Rare interview it became apparent that Nintendo owns the Killer Instinct franchise. Now that Rare is gone the series has sat unused since the N64. However Nintendo could and should revive the franchise as competitors have titles from that genre that are very succesful. In all honesty this is a franchise in need of a ravival but just like Pilot Wings the franchise isn't actually in need of saving rather just a revival.
Ice Climbers is a franchise that reappeared thanks to SmashBros:Melee the franchise hasn't been heard or seen since the NES days. However with the Wiimote and pretty much a blank slate Nintendo could bring the franchise back in a big way as a 3D platformer using the Wiimote for controlling the pick axe and such the game could really catch on. This franchise could use a revival and could really benefit Nintendo.
----------------------------------------------Franchises in need of maintanance or fixing---------------------------
Giest is yet another title that started off a not so successful franchise. With N-Space developing a new Wii game you never know if the franchise will be developed further or ditched. The franchise showed a little promise the game was decently fun but pretty glitchy if Nintendo poured more money into it and brought it inside internally they could turn it into pure gold. The title would give Nintendo an internally developed shooter which they really need right now.
-----------------------------------------------Spinoffs that could use revival or saving------------------------------------
Pokemon Snap is perhaps one of the most desired spin offs of the last few generations. Uniquely their aren't many photography games and the origional was very very successful. The spin-off series could really use saving, with the Wiimote gameplay could be improved upon so much with the photo channel and so many other options like competing pictures online and stuff the Wii would be the perfect home for a new version. I mean thereare now over 300 Pokemon that could be used Nintendo is sitting on gold.
Mario RPG, some may count it out because Paper Mario has been very succesful in replacing it. However many gamers imagine a world with a 3 Dimensional Mario RPG. Paper Mario continues to be very succesful but a return to the RPG series perhaps by Square would really benefit Nintendo. Of course however Paper Mario continues to do a great job and shouldn't be replaced so i don't know.
DiddyKong/DonkeyKong Racing - the franchise began with Diddy Kong Racing on the N64. However after Microsoft took over RareWare Donkey Kong Racing was cancelled after being delayed a few times. In Nintendo's most recent attempt to create a true new Donkey Kong based racing game brought Barrel Blast Nintendo failed in its attempt to create a decent Donkey Kong title.
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So theirs my outlook. Nintendo's hardware is doing very well but your absolutely right Nintendo is allowing their franchises to slip. No real gains have been made in any of Nintendo's franchises other then Legend Of Zelda. While I think you exagerated just how in trouble some of the key franchises are. I agree that Nintendo has done a horrible job maintaining Donkey Kong.
If Nintendo doesn't clean up its act with Donkey Kong other franchises could follow. To be honest when Nintendo said they could single handedly support the Wii without the support of third parties and announced massive additions to the Japanese internal studios. This is embarrassing with more developement power then ever before we are seeing less games then ever. Nintendo's E3 2007 press conferance was horrible with barely anything new coming from their dozens of internal studios.
As one of the leading publishers Nintendo has failed to maintain its established user bases in most of its successful franchises. Many of the franchises remain strong but their established user bases are being replaced by casual gamers who won't be their if and when Nintendo screws up. Casual gamers are temporary while the hardcore are forever. Loose the support of the hardcore and the franchises will tumble along with the hardware as Sony is realizing right now. You can't rely on third parties or casual gamers to support you once you've lost your instilled user base.
So its my greatest wish that Nintendo gets its act together in regards to Donkey Kong and a few other franchises. However for the most part Nintendo is doing a great job maintaining LOZ, Metroid and Mario. Nintendo is not actually loosing by any means, in the short term they are enjoying alot of success. Nintendo's decent support of their super powers (Pokemon, Zelda , Mario) is more then enough to keep them afloat I just feel their neglecting their other franchises which could really need some help right now! (DonkeyKong,StarFox)
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
