Umihara Kawase Trilogy for Nintendo Switch

[Princess Rescuer]

Less than 12 hours ago, Nintendo announced that the name of their new console/handheld hybrid, previously known for over a year as the "NX". It has an official, ready-for-market name now: the Switch.

The console is a small tablet that you can attach and detach two sides of a controller to, in order to "switch" between Big TV Console mode and Handheld mode.

Outside of the PC, the previous release of Umihara Kawase was on the PS Vita, as well as its companion console, the Vita TV. The game plays great on both systems. Switching over to the Switch would be a natural fit.

Outside of work's-already-done ports of all three games, what else could it offer, besides being on a flexible console? Well, the Shun section could find a way to work in the DS-exclusive fields that even the PC version hasn't seen. And there can be an off-to-the-side tutorial-y training grounds mode containing all nine fields from the promotional discs found in 1997 magazines. Basically, include extra content that's already been made, and would be enough to get a veteran player to re-purchase.

It wouldn't sell, but that's offset by the fact that it wouldn't cost much to make either. I can only speak for myself, but a Trilogy-on-one-cartridge with the extra content would sell me the console more than any third-party AAA game or non-new IP Nintendo exclusive that isn't about sports.

And besides, it might even rekindle interest in the series by putting it on a more mobile platform with less competition.

Or perhaps I'm just wishing.

[Commando125]

It would cost the publishers too much to put it on consoles. I feel that the company is already struggling to keep alive. It is way cheaper to do what they are doing now: put them on the steam store (by the way, there is a huge sale going on for their games, 60-70% off type of sales, ends October 24th). Saves on distribution costs.

[Princess Rescuer]

You're right. I thought it at least made sense that Umihara could still get physical releases because it's still been happening as recently as 2015. Plus there hasn't been a physical trilogy release yet.

I'm excited for the Switch. Not because I want to buy one, but because I'm excited for the deluge of clones and copycats that will standardize tablets-with-buttons-as-gaming devices. Plus it could also, you know, get a digital release as well. The next iPhone or Samsung will probably have button adapters (and maybe even TV adapters) and Western hardware manufacturers have a history of being easygoing with third party saturation. Maybe the next Sony handheld could have it, since Sony is known for being an extra-nice sugar daddy to Japanese third parties.

And besides, someone has to demand them to be on more platforms to maintain interest and increase visibility. A Nintendo or Sony device would at least be a less crowded market.

[Canvas]

I think the biggest issue with this idea is that there is no dpad, so it would be difficult to even play. We have to see more, I am hoping Nintendo will utilize it's potential for peripherals

[Princess Rescuer]

Been a while, huh?

I think one thing that could be done in a potential Trilogy-For-Console/Portable Hybrids is including a new game with a new engine that could possibly produce a grand brand new installment further down the line. It could maybe be, like, 10 fields long and every field could be one exit, similar to Sayonara's Shortest Path. It could possibly be just more Sayonara, but with more realistic physics (like getting stunned from falling too far maybe) and trace amounts of elements from the first two games, like respawning enemies and a rudimentary scoring system where you have to finish the field to keep all of your points (similar to Sayonara's backpack collecting). Field 9 (it would start at 0) could be a new and random, but unintimidatingly easy boss that leaves the possibilites for a new game open to the imagination. The developers could even license an existing engine to give the game current-gen qualities on the cheap. Put this game alongside the three other games (which at this point will require little or no effort to remaster) and you have a package that even those who bought the DS game, the Vita game, and the PC versions could justify buying again. Plus it would be enough content to justify a purchase for new players at $40 dollars when the Trilogy wouldn't be enough, and lead to an amazing new installment in the future using the same engine after tiding us over.

I get it, Umihara Kawase isn't a big franchise that some company needs to pimp out and respond to fan input to keep profits and positive images consistent. Even those on this nobody forum know that. But I'm open to the possibility that someone will want to make a new one someday. This would at least help make it profitable.

Experiencing a new Umihara game, with all of its tricks and winding paths, is a magical gaming experience that I would gladly pay modern console prices for. If there were a PS4/upcoming Sony Switch version, I'd buy that version too.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, the new Umihara game with the new engine, along with the appetizer game in the remastered collection would also have to have time limits as well as points. Something I forgot about given how fast I go through Umihara levels. Just thought that would go without saying.

[Princess Rescuer]

While I'm well aware that very few people (even big Umihara fans) don't care about my High Score, I think the video should be studied and used as an example of why scoring must be handled in a "sayonara backpacks" esque way.

[Princess Rescuer]

Allow me to give you some examples of "playable previews" like I suggested done wrong and right.

Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes does it wrong. A tacky game to begin with, made all the more disappointing that it was a $40 preview. Had it been bundled with a re-remastered collection of all 4 previous numbered games (as well as not being as bad) it would have been seen as a free bonus. Remastered numbered games would have taken the burden off completely. Let's move on to another example:

Kingdom Hearts 2.8. A new game, 0.2 (a short preview for possible upcoming games, appropriately named because it resembles 1/5 of a game) and it was only bundled with one game: Dream Drop Distance (not even a good one from what I've heard) Despite that, one full game alone makes the purchase feel worth it entirely. On the PS1, DDD would have been the main event, and 0.2 would have been the free demo disc that comes with it.

Another thing is: imagine if Super Mario All-Stars came out before Super Mario World and contained the remakes of all 4 8-bit ones, with a demo for the upcoming SMW. Think SMAS + SMW, except SMW is a short shell of itself. Or if Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii contained the four classic games and also included a Wii-compatible demo of New Super Mario Bros. Mii or New Super Mario Bros. U or whatever they'd call it to get you to buy a Wii U.

This happened quite often in blockbuster PS1 games- you would often have full games come with demos for upcoming games that weren't the same IP. In Japan, Spyro 1 came with a demo disc for Saru Get You. One of the biggest examples is on the PS2- Dragon Quest 8 came with the demo for Final Fantasy 12- which is the main thing Final Fantasy fans bought the game for!