Nintendo's next console, currently codenamed the Nintendo NX, is coming. Announced on the same day as Nintendo's new mobile partnership with Japanese game giant DeNA, all we know about the Nintendo NX so far is that it will be "a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept", with more details to follow next year. That won't stop us from speculating what the Nintendo NX might entail, though, as there are plenty of features we'd like to see on Nintendo's new console when it eventually arrives.
Given it was announced at the same time as Nintendo's imminent foray into mobile gaming, the NX could well be some form of handheld successor to the current 3DS. However, when you consider Nintendo's just launched the New 3DS, which has a more powerful CPU and improved 3D head-tracking technology, we think it's more likely to be the next Wii U replacement, so we've tailored most of the entries in our most wanted list with a new home console in mind.
1) An integrated Blu-ray player
Nintendo's always maintained that it's a game developer first, hardware manufacturer second. It's never been about creating a one-stop entertainment hub to take over your living room in the same way as Sony or Microsoft have done, but there's no denying that a built-in Blu-ray player is now an expected core component of any modern games console.
We're beginning to see more online streaming services on the Wii U, such as Netflix and Amazon Instant Video (and Crunchyroll for any anime fans out there), so a built-in Blu-ray on the NX is surely the next logical step to make sure the console remains as appealing as possible when it eventually launches. If not a Blu-ray player, then our next entry might go some way to make up for it.
2) Nintendo TVii (finally)
Nintendo TVii's free TV service was originally planned as a Wii U launch feature, but it ended up getting canned in Europe due to licensing and localisation problems. By way of an apology, Nintendo replaced it with a 3DS-only anime channel, which allows users to stream selected episodes of Pokemon, Kirby and Inazuma Eleven for free.
Needless to say, it's a far cry from the US version of Nintendo TVii on the Wii U, as this let you stream shows directly from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus as well as channels from your current satellite or cable network, either on your TV or through the GamePad as a second screen.
Of course, there's every possibility that Nintendo could encounter similar problems in trying to localise a new TVii-esque service for the NX, but it would be great to finally see this feature make its way over this side of the Atlantic. Alternatively, a wider variety of on-demand streaming apps, such as Now TV, ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5 to bring the NX up to date with the PS4 and Xbox One would be a good alternative.
3) Downloadable GameCube and Wii Games on the NX eShop
We've already seen some Wii games starting to appear as direct downloads on the Wii U eShop, so it only stands to reason that more should follow on the NX. GameCube games are also a must, as these haven't been available to download on any of Nintendo's home consoles so far (something we thought would be a dead cert when the Wii U was first announced). Whether they come as traditional downloads or through a PlayStation Now-style subscription model is neither here nor there - we just want to replay some of those GameCube classics that we missed out on the first-time round.
Even better, Nintendo could stand to take a few lessons from both Sony and Microsoft on this front by introducing a completely new subscription service that gave players a couple of free games every month, ranging from one or two old NES or SNES classics, an N64 or GameCube title and then either a Wii or Wii U game as the main event. That way, we wouldn't have to cry into our wallets every time we had to fork over £5 to play Super Mario Bros. 3 on a new console.
4) A better Club Nintendo
Nintendo's already announced that it will be replacing the existing Club Nintendo rewards scheme with a new cross-platform membership service which will be co-developed with DeNA, Nintendo's new mobile partner. Nintendo's also said that it will "form one of the core elements of the new [NX]", so it will be interesting to see how that develops when Nintendo reveals new details about the console next year.
Whatever it ends up like, though, we hope the new scheme will mean better gifts than what's currently on offer at Club Nintendo, and that you won't have to save up quite so many points to get them. As much as we love our NES notebooks and limited edition Super Mario Galaxy and A Link Between Worlds soundtracks, it's crazy that the only game vouchers on offer, for example, are still largely only available for the Wii and DS. Even now, nearly three years after the Wii U launched, you still can't trade in your points for a basic eShop voucher. This needs to change. If we could also do without filling in tedious surveys every time we register a game as well, that would be much appreciated.
5) Virtual Boy resurrected as an AR headset peripheral
Microsoft's going to have HoloLens, Sony's got Morpheus and PC gamers have Valve and HTC's Vive to look forward to, so Nintendo definitely needs to up its game on the augmented and virtual reality headset front. Enter a newly designed and re-imagined Virtual Boy headset that builds on Nintendo's augmented reality tech in the 3DS.
Like HoloLens, this could let you project games onto a nearby wall in all its Full HD, or maybe even 4K glory (we can dream, can't we?) if someone else was using the TV, effectively replacing the Wii U's low-res GamePad screen. It could also allow you to bring certain games into your living room, paving the way for full home console versions of Genius Sonority's The Denpa Men series, for example, or (fingers crossed) the long-awaited return of Chibi Robo.
Admittedly, the original Virtual Boy was a universal flop back in 1995, but that was partly because its horrible red vector graphics made everyone feel incredibly nauseous while playing it. The other problem was price, but since then Nintendo's usually managed to sell its hardware at a much lower cost than the competition, so hopefully this shouldn't be too much of an issue.
6) Video capture and screenshot sharing on social media
The Wii U's Miiverse is a wonderful place, but really, we all want to be able to share those screenshots of our best gaming moments on Facebook and Twitter as well as Nintendo's own social media hub. A few Nintendo games, such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Tomodachi Life, have already begun making inroads into this thanks to the 3DS's Image Share feature, but we'd like to see more of this integrated across the entire NX console, allowing you to share both images and small video clips with your friends with almost no effort on your part.
7) Vitality Sensor reborn
The Wii's Vitality Sensor never made it into production, but it was meant to be able to measure your pulse and detect how tense or relaxed you were (i.e: how your sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves work in accordance with your automatic nerves), potentially give horror and fitness games a new lease of life.
Originally announced at E3 2009, all news about its potential release suddenly went very quiet until 2013 when Nintendo finally admitted defeat on the project. According to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, it wasn't working as the company had originally expected and (unsurprisingly) it didn't have as many application uses as they once thought. However, Iwata also said that Nintendo "would like to launch it into the market if technology advancements enable 999 of 1000 people to use it without any problems, not only 90 out of 100 people."
Could we see a reborn Vitality Sensor with the NX? The technology's certainly there, as there are more fitness trackers and smartwatches available to buy now than we know what to do with. With this in mind, a resurrected Vitality Sensor could take the form of a small wristband rather than the prototype's unwieldy finger clamp. Whatever happens, it would certainly fit in well with the NX's inevitable version of Wii Fit, as the current Wii U Fit Meter could really do with a proper heart rate sensor to make its calorie counting more accurate.
8) A proper Pokemon MMO
Pokemon Colosseum on the GameCube (pictured above) was arguably one of the last great 3D Pokemon games, but what fans really want - what they've been hankering for ever since the very early days of Red and Blue on the Game Boy - is a proper Pokemon MMO. Maybe, just maybe, the NX will finally make Pokemon trainers' dreams around the world come true with the announcement of a cross-platform, play-it-anywhere 3D open-world online Pokemon game. You could have your own personalised trainer, real-time battles, group battles, live Pokemon in the field - it all makes perfect sense.
It would feed in brilliantly to Nintendo's new mobile strategy as well, as you could relocate all the PokeNav Plus features from Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, such as Super Training and Pokemon Amie, to your smartphone, allowing you to tinker away at the slightly more mindless stat and friendship boosting part of the Pokemon experience. This data would then sync across your 3DS and NX system when you get back home, allowing you to pick up where you left off with new and improved stats. You could also access your own personal Pokedex through your phone and plan your next set of captures by pin-pointing certain locations.
3DS owners could also undertake certain quests in a potential single-player mode as well battle other trainers across the world over Wi-Fi, or locally with their friends. Then, you could all go on quests together when you're playing on the NX, capturing legendary Pokemon as a team or taking on whatever new dastardly Team group are wreaking havoc across the land. Simple!