The Nintendo brand has been a cornerstone of gaming for decades. From Mario to Pokémon, there's no shortage of iconic franchises for fans to enjoy from various genres. However, while its best known for its console releases, the company has branched out a bit in recent years with mobile games like Pokémon Go and Mario Kart Tour. The positive feedback these titles have received could open the door to further gaming endeavors outside of consoles -- possibly even PC ports.
While not known for its cutting-edge technology or graphics, Nintendo has still pushed the limits of what's possible in gaming through titles like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These titles explore new features through innovative and thought-provoking mechanics and design choices. However, Nintendo's major games have long been exclusive to the company's own hardware, meaning those who opt to play games exclusively on PC are missing out. Given the success of its IP and some of its mobile games, PC is an avenue the company should consider -- and one it actually has history with.
In the late '80s and early '90s, when Nintendo was establishing its reputation in the gaming space, the company actually tried bringing games to PC. One example was the educational game Mario's Time Machine, which released on both the SNES and PC. The company also paired with developer Hudson Soft to release a collection of ports that included Excite Bike and Ice Climbers. It also released new games like Mario Bros. Special, which saw the iconic plumber traverse eight new worlds. However, the most famously is Donkey Kong 3: The Great Counterattack, a follow-up of sorts to the NES' Donkey Kong 3 that was made as a Japan-only PC exclusive.
While most of these games were well-received, Nintendo ultimately moved away from PC. Instead, it chose to focused on its consoles and creating excellent gameplay experiences there, a philosophy that has endured to this day. Judging by the current success of the Switch, this approach has clearly worked for Nintendo. However, considering the modern state of PC gaming, it may be time for Nintendo to reevaluate.
In the decades following Nintendo's foray into PC gaming, the medium has evolved to keep up with the ever-changing gaming industry. Platforms like Steam allow users to easily buy and access games. PC also offers more flexibility than consoles, as gamers can upgrade parts of their tower as needed rather than buying a new console every few years. PC's technical capabilities also far exceed what Nintendo offers, and while the days of the company trying to compete in terms of graphical fidelity are lost gone, its games could absolutely benefit from the visual and performance boost of a gaming PC.
Additionally, Nintendo bringing its games to PC could help alleviate fan concerns about game preservation and accessibility in regards to older titles. With the Switch not being backwards compatible with any previous system, a lot of games are now stuck on discontinued hardware and digital stores that will eventually shut down. While there have been many Wii U and 3DS ports, there are still so many games that haven't come to Switch. By releasing first-party games -- new and old -- on PC, gamers could have a more reliable way to experience older games -- which could encourage them to pick up new installments on Nintendo's own consoles.
While Nintendo is often ahead of the curve in terms of gameplay innovations, it has often fallen behind in regards to industry trends. Microsoft and even Sony are putting at least some of their exclusive games on PC, with Sony porting Horizon Zero Dawn three year after its PlayStation 4 launch. While Nintendo certainly doesn't seem to have suffered for its lack of a presence on PC, since it seems this is the direction gaming as a whole is moving in, now may be the right time to bring games like Mario and Zelda to more gamers by porting them to PC.
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