Over the gaming industry’s 50-year history, there have been many great games and series that disappear for a few years, or even decades, and are then revived. Sometimes, the reboot goes well, like in the case of Prince of Persia (2001), and other times, the game flops, like Golden Axe: Beast Rider (2008). Some reboots do well, but don’t spawn more sequels, such as Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012). At the moment, there are quite a few big series that haven’t had new releases in a few years. These series could be classed as dormant. This article looks at 7 dormant franchises, what they first achieved, and how likely they are to return at some point soon.
F-Zero
I think Nintendo missed a great opportunity by not bringing F-Zero to the 3DS. The 3D effect would have looked great on an F-Zero that could have looked like a cross between F-Zero X and F-Zero GX. Just imagine what the power of the 3DS could have done with a game from the franchise. But, they didn’t, so we are left with X, which is as fast as Sonic after drinking a liter of 7-Up… and F-Zero GX, a GameCube racer that along with its arcade sibling, looks amazing and runs buttery smooth. Then there are also the GBA games. Honestly, I feel there is a huge gap in quality between the GBA games and the N64 and GameCube iterations.
Nintendo has implied that it hasn’t produced a new F-Zero since F-Zero Climax in 2004 because it can’t think of a way to change up the gameplay without cutting into the appeal of the other Nintendo racing series, Mario Kart. Sega developed F-Zero GX so it’s possible Nintendo doesn’t have the staff to develop a futuristic racing game in 2024. F-Zero 99 was released earlier this year, but it could be described as an official ROM hack of F-Zero for SNES that allows 99 players to compete. It is not, a big new F-Zero with advanced visuals. However, if fans keep asking for it, maybe we will get a new 3D F-Zero with good visuals soon.
Castlevania
This iconic vampire-hunting series Castlevania, which has recently spawned a Netflix anime series (and was so successful it has resulted in a spin-off anime series) has been limited to mobile releases in recent years. With a reboot that happened in the Xbox 360 era that strayed quite far from the series roots in terms of gameplay, people have been clamoring for a return to the metroidvania style of Castlevania game. However, Konami has failed to deliver and the last mainline entry was Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, released back in 2014 (which was part of the reboot series).
The Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS had six whole metroidvania-style or Castlevania-style games between them and the 3DS had Mirror of Fate, which was a more linear platformer (but was still fun) and was developed by Mercury Steam, the people who made Metroid Dread. Konami has also very recently released compilations of classic Castlevania on the Switch and PS5. However, there is still no sign of an original Castlevania game being in active development.
Star Fox
Star Fox has had some great installments over its 30 year history. From the great Star Fox 64 (or Lylat Wars if you are from Europe), to the underrated Star Fox Assault on GameCube, there have been some great Star Wars-inspired experiences. However, the Wii U installment Star Fox Zero has had mainly negative reactions. While I haven’t played it, what I’ve heard is that the gameplay uses the Wii U gamepad as the cockpit viewpoint and it could have developed into a great idea but the execution missed the mark. Also, it has been criticized for poor graphics (which is a more obvious point as the art style didn’t try to do anything different from past games in the series).
However, as was shown with games like Star Fox Adventures on the GameCube, the IP can successfully be used in another genre of games. I think it would be great if the next Star Fox game (if they do ever spark life back into the franchise) was a more experimental game that tried to change things up. I feel a new Star Fox is more likely than a new F-Zero for reasons which I’ve mentioned in the F-Zero section, and I also think Star Fox is a more versatile franchise that has a wider appeal.
Golden Axe
The Golden Axe series was once presented as Sega’s answer to The Legend of Zelda. It had titles such as the Master System’s Golden Axe: Warrior, The Sega Game Gear’s Axe Batter: A Legend of Golden Axe, and the vanilla arcade ports of Golden Axe paralleling Zelda’s sword and sorcery antics. However, after the Genesis/Megadrive era, the series became less prominent, and the revival of the series with Golden Axe: Beast Rider on PS3 and Xbox 360 was a huge disappointment. Nevertheless, it is still great fun to smash through levels playing co-op on Golden Axe 1, 2, and 3. The magic of emulation means it is possible to play these titles on many systems. However, the authentic experience is on the Genesis/Mega Drive with a couple of three button pads and some pizza. You’ll have a great time.
The days of genre diversity in Golden Axe games seem to be in the past. However, at The Game Awards 2023, Sega announced that it will be reviving Golden Axe. It showed a few seconds of gameplay. The 3D perspective and graphics looked good. So, some Golden Axe hack ‘n’ slash action will soon come to us. Hopefully, it can live up to its legacy. Although, we shouldn’t get excited quite yet.
Shinobi
The original Shinobi titles are etched in many people’s memories as the prominent ninja games of the Sega Genesis/Megadrive. With tight gameplay, a high difficulty level, and cool visuals, the games were part of the appeal of owning the Sega consoles. The series did try to go 3D with Shinobi (2002) which was originally scheduled to release on the Dreamcast, but was eventually released on the PS2 after Sega withdrew from the console business. However, the game kind of went under the radar and the series never established itself as offering 3D gameplay.
People still associate it with those early 2D outings. A game in the original style, again titled “Shinobi,” was released on the 3DS in 2012 and was a really fun, cool-looking retro experience. Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja Master was also remastered for the 3DS and released under the Sega 3D Classics line.
It would be great to see Shinobi return in some form. At The Game Awards 2023 it was revealed that Shinobi, Golden Axe, and other classic Sega franchises are being rebooted. Some gameplay was shown, however, it is likely that this is more of a representation of what the games could look like, rather than finalized versions. The new Shinobi will try to stick to the franchise’s roots using a 2D perspective. The hand-drawn art style looks impressive. The presentation was a treat for any Sega fan, and finally there are reasons to be excited for people that played the Sega Genesis/Megadrive and have been waiting for the games to be updated. It is looking like Shinobi and Golden Axe could follow in the footsteps of the recently released Streets of Rage 4.
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger is often regarded as the most polished, well-rounded RPG experience in existence. Its great story and easy-to-learn gameplay mechanics mean that many people continue to play through it today. It originally released on the SNES in 1995. Chrono Trigger went on to be released on the PS1 and later the Nintendo DS. The soundtrack is amazing, and the development team were lauded as a ‘dream team’ because of the games’ achievements. Chrono Trigger went on to sell 2.5 million copies on the SNES alone.
Chrono Cross, a sequel to Chrono Trigger, was released in 1999 on the PS1 and boasted 3D models and retained great music. However, some people in the fan base don’t regard it as the “true” sequel to Chrono Triggger, and understandably, people still want a true successor. A remake may even now be on the cards, with the HD-2D Final Fantasy games that have been announced recently, maybe the same treatment could be given to the original Chrono Trigger. If the game does get re-released in some form, its definitely worth picking up, as its one of the best rpgs out there.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
The initial buzz from arcade Donkey Kong is long gone, but sparks from its legacy continue to be felt through the remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong that hit Switch a few months ago. The Mario vs. Donkey Kong franchise uses the same gameplay principles as the arcade Donkey Kong, and extends the loops of gameplay, resulting in satisfying platforming and puzzle solving that finishes with challenging boss fights against Donkey Kong himself, fights where you have to outsmart the Nintendo ape by using his own weapons and tactics against him. This results in a mesmerizing experience. Especially for those who played the arcade original.
Donkey Kong “94,” a game that perfected Donkey Kong arcade’s gameplay system, established this particular brand of Donkey Kong game on portable systems (as opposed to the Donkey Kong Country games on SNES). This then eventually led to Mario vs. Donkey Kong releasing on GBA in 2002. Mario Vs Donkey Kong took everything great about Donkey Kong “94” (tight platforming and addictive gameplay), and added and expanded on it. Creating a full game and story that built on the Donkey Kong arcade framework.
We then had multiple sequels released on the DS and Nintendo 3DS, but no new Mario vs. Donkey Kong games have been released since Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars in 2015 (apart from a Wii U amiibo spin off in 2016). It’s possible that if the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake has done well in terms of sales (which it has a good chance of considering how addictive the gameplay is), it might force Nintendo to start developing an all new sequel. Let’s hope that there’s a chance of that happening.
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