Rumor has it, if the snarky crew at IGN is to be believed, that GameCube eye-candy providers Factor 5 are hard at work on Matt Casamassina's long-demanded franchise revival: a sequel to Kid Icarus.
My question: is making this game even a remotely good idea for Nintendo?
It's become abundantly clear to me in recent years that longtime Nintendo gamers rarely give anything outside a launch window a second look unless it carries a recognizable name. When a game that meets that criterion rolls around the corner, it's given disproportionate attention... attention that may not necessarily translate into real sales success. I'm not here today to debate whether that attitude is right or wrong (though if you, dear readers, insist, I can tackle it another time), but rather, how this unavoidable factor is likely to doom this rumored venture—which, in honor of an N-Forums post I recall that talked about how edgy and "mature" such a venture could be, I will call Icarus.
Let's start with what Icarus has going for it. First: the truly hardcore do know the franchise; some even remember it fondly. Some, though they never laid hands on either Kid Icarus or Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters during their respective bygone eras, heard about it through either the rare offhand mention or (more likely) a discussion spawned by Casamassina's latest musings about the long-dead franchise. Others may have had their curiosity sparked by Pit's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Latecomers have had opportunity to play the original NES game via the Virtual Console since February. That all translates into at least some awareness.
But, as we've sadly seen, even total hardcore dedication doesn't necessarily translate into sales making a big effort worthwhile. Hanging around on the Internet, you'd think that a double-digit-page thread on NeoGAF filled with praise would spell million-seller—but the truth is quite different. To pick up that sweet taste of success, you've got to go beyond the officers and bring along the infantry.
Is there any indication that the franchise has recognition outside cover-to-cover Nintendo Power readers and IGN mailbag devotees? I don't think there is. If anyone did play it back in the day, they may have been put off by its difficulty. Hopefuls today imagine a Zelda-like adventure that could appeal to fans of that series, but what they're missing out on is the fact that Zelda is not only one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, but was seeded with a wildly popular NES game and kept evergreen through thirteen games across nearly every Nintendo system. Zelda has mindshare that makes people outside the hardcore inner circle sit up and take notice... and I'd argue even that mindshare is dwindling today. What does Icarus have?
I think the best Nintendo could hope for is that those already sold on Icarus would pick up the game, love it to death, and evangelize it. Unfortunately, I don't particularly have a lot of faith in this angle, either; it's not really worked wonders for bigger franchise revivals. But Nintendo's in great shape; they can afford to take even a long shot like Icarus—and we might just get a good game out of the deal. Here's hoping against hope.
"Kid Icarus: The Mirror of Palutena" fan art by "Destroyer", from VGBoxArt.
My question: is making this game even a remotely good idea for Nintendo?
It's become abundantly clear to me in recent years that longtime Nintendo gamers rarely give anything outside a launch window a second look unless it carries a recognizable name. When a game that meets that criterion rolls around the corner, it's given disproportionate attention... attention that may not necessarily translate into real sales success. I'm not here today to debate whether that attitude is right or wrong (though if you, dear readers, insist, I can tackle it another time), but rather, how this unavoidable factor is likely to doom this rumored venture—which, in honor of an N-Forums post I recall that talked about how edgy and "mature" such a venture could be, I will call Icarus.
Gentlemen, start your Photoshops.
But, as we've sadly seen, even total hardcore dedication doesn't necessarily translate into sales making a big effort worthwhile. Hanging around on the Internet, you'd think that a double-digit-page thread on NeoGAF filled with praise would spell million-seller—but the truth is quite different. To pick up that sweet taste of success, you've got to go beyond the officers and bring along the infantry.
Is there any indication that the franchise has recognition outside cover-to-cover Nintendo Power readers and IGN mailbag devotees? I don't think there is. If anyone did play it back in the day, they may have been put off by its difficulty. Hopefuls today imagine a Zelda-like adventure that could appeal to fans of that series, but what they're missing out on is the fact that Zelda is not only one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, but was seeded with a wildly popular NES game and kept evergreen through thirteen games across nearly every Nintendo system. Zelda has mindshare that makes people outside the hardcore inner circle sit up and take notice... and I'd argue even that mindshare is dwindling today. What does Icarus have?
I think the best Nintendo could hope for is that those already sold on Icarus would pick up the game, love it to death, and evangelize it. Unfortunately, I don't particularly have a lot of faith in this angle, either; it's not really worked wonders for bigger franchise revivals. But Nintendo's in great shape; they can afford to take even a long shot like Icarus—and we might just get a good game out of the deal. Here's hoping against hope.