With the release of Metroid Prime Remastered, many are getting to experience the franchise’s initial foray into 3-D for the first time. Like so many iconic Nintendo franchises, the transition from top-down or side-scrolling 2-D to a fully immersed, 3-D environment was one fraught with questions. Could these household brands survive the transition while keeping their distinctive flavor of adventure? Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid all made the jump with major successes, while others like Star Fox withered on the vine when changing formats.

Certainly in terms of pure sales, one would have to argue Super Mario Bros. most successfully transitioned to 3-D; however, the Italian plumber has always been Nintendo’s biggest seller, so I’m not sure that’s the best indicator. Certainly Super Mario 64 shocked the video game world when it moved platforming into an open, immersive world. It did more than just transition the franchise, it helped push the entire video game world.

While I’ve always loved Metroid, I’ve never had a chance to play the Prime series and experience the franchise’s jump to 3-D. Metroid Prime Remastered has changed that and I must say, I’m seriously impressed. Retro Studios somehow managed to preserve that sense of exploration that the side-scrolling games possessed while lifting the games into the modern first-person shooter era. With the enhanced graphics of the remaster, the game is simply phenomenal. Ultimately, I’d have to say I still enjoy the 2-D iterations of the franchise best; and for that reason, I don’t think it’s the answer to today’s question.

The Nintendo franchise I’ve had the most invested in personally is The Legend of Zelda. Growing up in the 80s and early 90s, Zelda defined my childhood; but perhaps nothing captured my attention quite like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It was the pinnacle of top-down adventures and a welcomed return after Zelda II: The Adventure of Link to the formula that had made the series successful. For me the series was so steeped in nostalgia that I never wanted to see anything change again for any sequel going forward. Ironically, the Zelda franchise would become known for experimenting and changing, and somehow each iteration became more successful than the last. (We won’t talk about the DS era . . . and Tri Force Heroes, you don’t exist).

Zelda‘s transition to 3-D became so successful that the format has literally defined the franchise. It’s the baseline assumption that new games are produced in 3-D (despite the longing for a throwback from fans like me). It’s hard to argue against Zelda being the franchise that best transitioned to the new format.

Tell us what you think! Which Nintendo franchise best transitioned into 3-D? Are there other games we didn’t mention here that did it best? Share your reactions in the comments below or join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.

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Nintendo Pow Block is Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network’s Nintendo podcast. Each week, Edward, Corey, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk about the week in Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, questions, and the fan-favorite Snacktendo segment. Check out Nintendo Pow Block Live on Twitch every Monday night at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30PM Pacific or on Podcast Services and YouTube Wednesday mornings at 7AM. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving us a five-star rating on iTunes and Spotify. Thanks for listening to Nintendo Pow Block!

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