Nintendo has been late to the mobile gaming party but much to the delight of its fans worldwide, the company recently announced that it will launch two new games on Android and iOS. Nintendo had earlier released an all-new social networking app called ‘Miitomo’ on the same mobile platforms and by all accounts, that particular app has been very well-received across the spectrum, with latest reports suggesting that it already has over 10 million users worldwide. Meanwhile, even though the first-ever mobile app from Nintendo was not a game, the company recently made up for that by announcing two gaming titles on Android and iOS. While one of them is the mobile version of the ever-popular ‘Fire Emblem’ that already has a strong fan following on various gaming platforms, the other one happens to be ‘Animal Crossing’.
While it’s perfectly logical that Nintendo will launch something like Fire Emblem to cater to the game’s dedicated fans, it is the company’s choice of Animal Crossing instead of the legendary Super Mario Bros. that has attracted some criticism from fans worldwide. Now, the company’s President, Mr. Tatsumi Kimishima, has sought to clear some confusion by answering some queries regarding the thinking behind leaving out an immensely popular franchise like Mario from its mobile lineup; even if it is just for the time being. According to Mr. Kimishima, the choice to go ahead with Animal Crossing was made “from the viewpoint of increasing the diverse types of consumers interested in Nintendo, and widening opportunities for gameplay”.
He acknowledged that the Animal Crossing series was chosen to attract “a wide range of consumers including children and women” and said that he believes “there is a good chance that those consumers would enjoy this (game)”. Meanwhile, Nintendo had earlier promised as many as four mobile games by the end of this year, so users can expect two more to come their way within the next few months. However, there’s no word from the company President about the other two titles that will be released on mobile later this year, so it’s anybody’s guess as to whether the Japanese gaming giant will bring some of its most beloved franchises to mobile, including the likes of Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.