Fans were more than puzzled whenNintendo revealedTetris 99during a Nintendo Direct presentation back in February of 2019.Tetrishas gone down in history as perhaps one of the most iconic video games out there, but putting a modern twist on the game in the form of a battle royale-style formula is something almost no one saw coming. Nonetheless, the free title included with fans' Nintendo Switch Online memberships went on to receive incredibly high praises.
What possibly surprised fans even more, however, was when the formula was adapted yet again inSuper Mario Bros. 35, which saw 35 players compete in an endless game of the timeless NES classic to remain the last Mario standing. And whileSuper Mario Bros. 35has disappeared along with the end ofMario’s 35th anniversary, Nintendo and Arika have nowbrought fansPac-Man 99,which also puts a battle royale spin on the retro title. But, what other classic games deserve aTetris 99-styled revival?
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The Legend of Zelda
Off the bat,The Legend of Zelda35almost seems like a given, especially considering the rumors that Nintendo plans on celebrating the fan-favorite action-adventure series'35th anniversary this year.It’s not hard to imagine the original 1986 NES title working well in theSuper Mario Bros. 35format, where enemies like Octoroks or Moblins defeated by players could be sent to other players' games as a hinderance, and vice-versa.
It could be interesting to see an item roulette similar toSuper Mario Bros. 35’s, offering players boosts with certain items such as potions or temporary Heart Containers. Of course, shouldThe Legend of Zelda 35come to fruition, there is always the possibility of it disappearing at the end ofZelda’s anniversary, though it would certainly be a neat novelty nonetheless.
Duck Hunt
A unique kind of battle royale shooter in the form ofDuck Hunt 99could breathe new life into the classic light gun NES game. Nintendo has already proven that the Switch Joy-Con controllers (as well as the Pro controller) are more than capable when it comes to gyroscopic aiming, whether withSuper Mario GalaxyfromSuper Mario 3D All-Stars, or perhaps even more telling, the Shooting Gallery game included inClubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics.
Players could perhaps send decoy ducks over to their opponents' games with the help of a certain power-up, or even obtain rare power-ups that help players by clearing their entire screen for them. With 99 players, the game could work either as a progressively difficult endless shooter, or retain the original game’s round-styled gameplay. Unlockable bonuses such as customizing one’s dog or the scenery in which they hunt could also be neat additions.
Galaga
Given Nintendo and developer Arika’s work onPac-Man 99, a strongrelationship with Bandai Namcocould very well give rise to adapting other Namco classics into theTetris 99format. The 1981 arcade cabinet shooterGalagahas cemented itself as an iconic video game classic, helping to surge the popularity of arcades and arcade games back in the early 80’s along with others likePac-ManandDonkey Kong.
Typically,Galagaonly ever sees the light of day when included as part of the newest installment ofNAMCO MUSEUM, like the one on Switch, so taking a much more competitive approach in a new battle royale format could bring some chaotic fun to the age-old title.Galaga 99could easily implement features of other99games, like power-ups increasing things like rate-of-fire, movement speed, and more.
Dr. Mario
Nintendo and Arika have shown that puzzle games indeed have a place in the battle royale genre withTetris 99, so why not implement some Nintendo magic with aDr. Mario 99? The 1990 NES puzzle game recently saw a resurgence withDr. Mario Worldon mobile devicesin 2019, receiving continuous updates even today with gameplay tweaks, new features, and new characters.
WhileDr. Mario Worldis a free-to-start game much like Nintendo’s early mobile outingSuper Mario Run, adaptingDr. Marioto a battle royale format could instantly make the game readily available to millions of Nintendo Switch Online users off the bat. Further, the game already shares many similarities withTetris, so much so that it was released as a 2-in-1 gameTetris and Dr. Marioon the SNES, so it could likely take much inspiration fromTetris 99in that respect.
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OutRun
While a classic arcade game, platformer, and puzzle game have all been adapted into a battle royale format now, it could be very interesting to see a retro racing game be adapted to theTetris 99formula. Ever since the release of the1986 SEGA classicOutrun,the game has gone down as one of the most memorable arcade driving games out there, lauded for its advanced graphics and unique soundtrack. Of course, it would likely be too chaotic to shove nearly 100 players onto a single roadway, but having players race separately on their own seems like the way to go here as with the other99titles.
BecauseOutruncenters around avoiding traffic, players could send more traffic to their opponents in attempts to hinder their progress and make their navigation all the more difficult. AnOutRun 99could also implement features fromBattle OutRun, like the mobile Tune-Up Parts Shop truck used to upgrade players' cars.
DOOM
A battle royale-styledDOOM99could play out in a variety of ways. Developers could take the classic battle royale route by makingDOOMa fully multiplayer 99-person brawl where players compete against each other on the same map in real time, including weapon upgrades, loot, etc. However, it’s hard to think that the game wouldn’t lose itsDOOMcharms without the series' signature demon hacking and slashing, so competing against others in individual playthroughs ofthe originalDOOMgamemay fit that style a bit better.
Of course, it would come with theTetris 99bells and whistles, such as sending more demons to opponents' games, or giving players the ability to downgrade the weapons of their opponents temporarily. Finally, aDOOM 99could very well play out as a horde-style game where players compete to fight off endless hordes of demons until only one Doom Slayer remains standing.
