With the upcoming Super Mario animated movie, a new step for Nintendo is being taken. Previously the company was reluctant to do such adaptations since the infamous live-action film in the ‘90s, but things have changed since Nintendo teamed with Universal. While the casting has caused some confusion, the product seems to be in good hands.
Should the movie succeed, however, there will no doubt be more adaptations of Mario and other Nintendo IPs made. With that, here are six Nintendo games that would do well in adaptations. There have long been rumors about the Legend of Zelda getting an adaptation, and we have decided to focus on other Nintendo games at this time.
F-Zero
F-Zero is everyone’s favourite science fiction high-speed racing game and one with a surprising amount of lore to it. Captain Falcon is not just a racer but also a highly successful bounty hunter, and the other F-Zero racers all have their own unique characterization that would fit a movie as well. A movie could be a mix of following Captain Falcon’s bounty hunting and dealing with Samurai Goroh, while mixing in the high-speed racing everyone loves, which can create an amazing visual spectacle.
Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem’s rich and detailed storytelling would lend itself well to an ongoing TV show or streaming original, or perhaps a miniseries. Different seasons or miniseries could adapt different games and the intrigue within them, such as Fire Emblem Jugdral, which can rival Game of Thrones in storytelling. With multiple games and storylines, there would be no shortage of material to work with.
Star Fox
This one should be a no-brainer, as a film of Star Fox would be just what that franchise needs. There are two ways to go about it, either as a CGI animated film or using advanced puppetry and bits of CGI to create a new take on the classic Thunderbirds formula. The many adventures of the Star Fox team in their battles to save the Lylat system would make for a truly amazing sci-fi action film.
Arms
This may sound strange but there is a reason Arms would work. Arms would be ideal for a Pixar-style project about a new competitor joining the Arms league with any of the main cast being a possibility for who to follow besides just Spring Mab, and their interactions while trying to rise through the ranks as an underdog. Arms had a surprising amount of characterization and there is a clear villain to work with as well, as the plot could have the main hero try to live up to Max Brass while fighting Hedlok and dealing with Dr. Coyle’s attempts to take over the Arms league and it would be a success.
Pikmin
Another game that would fit a Pixar-Style film would be Pikmin, which could adapt any of the three main games, or take elements from all of them. Olimar and friends’ encounters with the strange Pikmin and the adventures they go on while trying to repair their ship or get food back to their home planet, would make for an interesting film that would have a clear environmental message while leaving room for great storytelling. The sense of wonder and amazement at what the Pikmin can do can be fodder for some amazing stories along the way.
Eternal Darkness
They cannot all be family-friendly, can they? An adaptation of Nintendo and Silicon Knight’s horror title could see the film adapted not just as a horror movie, but one that proved to be interactive while taking cues from the game’s sanity effects. The struggle against the ancients would play out on screen, while genuinely throwing audiences for a loop with many sudden surprises happening in the presentation. On top of all that though, the story itself really does make for a good Lovecraftian film and would work well to show a different side of Nintendo.
And there we are, what Nintendo games would you like to see get movie or tv adaptations?