10 Nintendo franchises that need the 3DS treatment

There's a whole heap of Nintendo franchises preparing to make their debut on 3DS. As you can imagine, we're all rather excited about them here at PG Towers.

Sure, there's already been a 3DS Super Mario game, 3DS Mario Kart game, and a Luigi's Mansion game for 3DS, but pretty soon we'll be able to play Yoshi's Island on our 3DS, as well as a new Mario & Luigi RPG, a new Mario Golf game, a new Mario Party, and, of course, the new Legend of Zelda instalment.

But, naturally enough, we're never satisfied. As such, we've been dreaming about which other Nintendo franchises we'd love to be able to play on the 3DS. We do hope that Nintendo is reading.

Pokemon Snap is the obvious one, as our Mark has already pointed out. But what about the rest? Read on and find out what we're praying for the most.

F-Zero
Latest release: F-Zero Climax for Game Boy Advance (2004)

Without doubt, one of the best speed-racing video game franchises ever. It's frankly mind-boggling that we haven't had another instalment in the series since the Japan-only Climax in 2004.

Strangely enough, the Game Boy Advance was the grateful beneficiary of three F-Zero games before the series was suddenly put on hold. The Nintendo 3DS needs to change all this.

Imagine rushing forward through stereoscopic 3D visuals, dodging at the last moment and catching Captain Falcon's cheesy grin slip away as you smash him off the track.

Chibi-Robo!
Latest release: Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Osoji! on Nintendo DS (2009)

I recently played Alien Chaos 3D, a game about shooting people and then cleaning up the mess afterwards. The maker of the Chibi-Robo series does away with the first bit, and just asks you to clean things instead.

You are a tiny robot who darts around a family house, removing dirt and helping out toys for Happy Points.

It's all very bouncy and lovely, and just what the 3DS needs. Just imagine cleaning up mess in stereoscopic 3D! It would be like completing chores at home in real life. Ah.

StarTropics
Latest release: Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II for NES (1994)

At the time StarTropics touched down on this planet, it felt very much like a successor to The Legend of Zelda, with its top-down adventuring action and lots of greenery.

Saying that, there were a number of big differences between this and Zelda. Most worthy of note would be the linear gameplay, which meant the story was split into chapters.

With The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 materialising on 3DS later this year, now would represent the perfect time to resurrect this classic adventuring franchise.

Metroid
Latest release: Metroid: Other M on Wii (2010)

Look, the 3D Metroids are all very well and good - the original Metroid Prime is clearly one of the greatest first-person shooters of the last generation - but, please, Nintendo, we need a new 2D side-scrolling Metroid.

And, no, Other M does NOT count.

We need a new game along the same lines as Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission. We need flat Samus back, Ninty.

How about this: you announce a new side-scrolling Metroid for 3DS during the next Nintendo Direct broadcast, and I'll endeavour to review it? Deal? Deal.

Golden Sun
Latest release: Golden Sun: Dark Dawn on DS (2010)

The first two titles in this highly lauded series are still regarded as some of the best RPG games of all time. It's surely time for a revival on 3DS.

What Golden Sun players really love is the Djinn system. So, you collect creatures hiding throughout the game, and then use them to enhance your party.

It took seven years for this franchise to be resurrected on DS. Three further years down the line, we'd quite like to see it revived all over again.

Advance Wars
Latest release: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin on DS (2008)

When you clicked on this feature, I'll wager the first thing you did was scroll down to check that Advance Wars was here.

That's because pretty much every Nintendo fan ever is screaming for a new Advance Wars. Right now.

This turn-based strategy series is utterly fantastic. It's almost a crime making us wait more than five years for a fresh instalment.

Now that Intelligent Systems has finished work on the glorious Fire Emblem: Awakening, we're hoping the team's next project is a new Advance Wars game. Oh, please, Gaming Gods, let it be so.

Custom Robo
Latest release: Custom Robo Arena on DS (2007)

Remember the Craig Charles-hosted TV show Robot Wars? Custom Robo is a bit like that, except with giant Transformers-like battlers.

So, errr, not a lot like Robot Wars, to be honest. But, still.

That doesn't stop us from begging - no, pleading - for a new game in the series, mind. Although Custom Robo was mainly a Japan-only series, it finally got its day in the West towards the end of the noughties.

Imagine battling giant robots in stereoscopic 3D, and you'll understand precisely why we're up for a series revival on 3DS.

Punch-Out!!
Latest release: Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! on Wii (2009)

Although the Punch-Out!! series centres on the art of boxing, you could safely argue that quick reactions are more essential here than hooking technique and foot movement.

That's because rather than just laying into your opponent with punches and jabs, the idea in this franchise is to wait for visual hints, dodge around attacks, and then go for the counter.

The Nintendo Wii version of Punch-Out!! was great fun, and so we'd thoroughly appreciate a handheld version now. Thank you.

Excitebike
Latest release: Excitebike: World Rally on Wii (2010)

The Excitebike series is an intriguing one. After the original NES arcade version and the wonderful Excitebike 64 on Nintendo 64, this particular IP began to jump the shark.

Excite Truck came next, followed by Excitebots: Trick Racing. Both were fun games, okay, but we still longed for another motocross-based racer.

That's where the 3DS comes in.

We've already had a 3D Classics version of the original Excitebike, so surely a brand-new game in the series isn't too much to ask. Surely?

Endless Ocean
Latest release: Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep on Wii (2010)

Here's one to finish with that will no doubt divide opinion.

Endless Ocean isn't strictly a Nintendo game, given that it was created by Arika, but it's been the sole preserve of Nintendo consoles to date.

In this series of games, you dive deep beneath the ocean, explore the ocean floor, and generally enjoy the simple act of floating through an underwater wonderland.

Can you imagine how gorgeous an Endless Ocean title could potentially look in stereoscopic 3D? We'd quite like to find out.