The reveal of the Nintendo Switch successor is getting ever closer. What it is and what games will be coming to it are sure to be everywhere. But for now, I’ve got more concepts for games to fill out that launch line-up. In an alternate reality. Four games this time, all with something to do with crime. While that last one doesn’t seem to be related to crime, I’ll just say that the Mario universe probably sees less fights in car parks (or pubs) after a game than reality.

One of my favourite Disney films is Bolt. In it, there are a few pigeons who play a small part in events. So, thinking of what they represent in the film, I settled on making them detectives. In a way. See, they’re not actually detectives, being hired to find things out. They’re just playing a game, seeing crime where none exists and solving it in their own way. In other words, they’re roleplaying detective pigeons.

Upon seeing something as simple as a bit of littering, these pigeons will go into action, concocting a whole backstory for the person and why they’re involved in a larger crime taking place. To do this, you’ll control a pigeon flying high above the city, marking out places important to this person and assigning them purpose. Their house, the place the crime happens, and more.

With that assigning finished, each location will be visited to craft detail to this story. How the robbery happened. Why they felt the need to kill a lover. While pigeons can’t go inside buildings, they still have a good sense of what is within them. All of the important things that can be used in the story they are crafting are highlighted, with those being used in it then becoming a different colour. When everything is in place, the story can begin.

The pigeons will fly around the city, narrating the action as though they are following it. The action that happens can be seen, with what happens inside buildings again visible as highlighted colours from outside. Once the story has fully played out, that event is locked in and a new day begins. Then, it’s time for a new simple crime to start a new story for this next day.

This is all meant to be comical. There’s humour behind all the narration, even if it needs a lot of interchangeable elements to work with the creation aspect of storytelling. These pigeons also go with the bigger is better style when it comes to storytelling stakes, so these crimes get more outlandish with each day, until eventually they’re telling multi-day arcs from one side of a city-wide war.

The second of these games I was thinking of having be a collection. After all, getting some of the Yakuza games for the launch of the Switch successor would feel a big win. Especially when the Switch had none. And then the Partner Showcase in August revealed that one of the games is coming. But even so, there’s no need to change plans. Just the games that would appear in the collection.

Originally, I would have seen the remakes of older games be in this collection. Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Like A Dragon: Ishin!. With the first of those being the game heading for the Switch, it does make sense for the second to be part of this collection. With Ishin! being a remake of a spin-off game, I felt it not worth including if all the remakes aren’t being featured.

So instead, the two latest main games will make for great additions to the collection. Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth start a new story following a different protagonist, but Kazuma Kiryu still plays a part in that story. Thus, this collection continues the first story and also begins the second. Starting the second on the Switch successor is important, as it’s likely it will see any new games released for it.

The third is a second collection, but this one with just two games. The GTA Stories games told new stories in the 3D era Liberty City and Vice City maps, before the events of GTA 3 and GTA Vice City. With the 3D trilogy of 3, Vice City, and San Andreas having seen a remake already, it’s about time the Stories games also were brought to new systems with a remake.

As much as I didn’t mind how Grove Street Games remade the 3D trilogy, I’d much rather they stay away from these two. A true remake, bringing higher fidelity to the visuals and a modern refresh to the controls. But the most important thing is to keep the atmosphere that the games held. Which also includes not removing the effects that keep the map hidden across distances. Seeing the entire of Vice City from a skyscraper clear as day kinda spoils the illusion of a large city.

One thing I think wouldn’t spoil the atmosphere of the games is a tightening of some mechanics, such as driving. Keep everything that was available in the PSP versions of these games, including the multiplayer. Perhaps that could even be expanded out to include more players, and free roaming of these cities in multiplayer. Wouldn’t want that to be the main focus of the remake, however.

And lastly, a Mario Sports collection. This is somewhat different to other collections, in that all the sports are those not featured in other collections. None of the typical stuff such as golf, baseball, or tennis are here. Instead, this collection features downhill skateboard racing, freerunning, and whitewater kayaking. All three combine to create the fourth event of triathlon racing.

There would be five themed worlds where each of these sports take place. In the career, these worlds are visited sequentially. Each world has both a small and a long route for each event. Each of the individual races can be chosen in any order, with a tournament taking place. First on the short route, then the long one. With a win confirmed on all three, the triathlon tournament begins.

Downhill skateboard racing and whitewater kayaking feature a vehicle, making these two each to balance for. When it comes to freerunning, that character has to rely on their own attributes, which means making sure all characters can complete the course. This means split paths, allowing heavier characters such as Bowser a way to traverse sections in their own way.

All sports have special abilities active, charged through certain actions. For downhill skateboard racing, that is performing tricks. Whitewater kayaking and freerunning have orbs of various sizes found on the routes. There are two types of abilities. Those that only take a small chunk of charge to perform small acrobatic acts or attacking moves. And those that use the full charge for a longer move that combines both. Diddy Kong, for instance, can spawn in a barrel during freerunning to launch into the sky.

Images Taken From:
Bolt (2008) | IMDb
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024) | Pure Xbox
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) | Push Square
–Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006) | Push Square
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019) | Nintendo Life