Welcome again to The Nintendo Report! That is the place we’ve been having a look in any respect of Nintendo’s varied properties and types to see how effectively they’re doing as of late (in alphabetical order). Some have been nice. Some, not so nice. And right now, we come to an attention-grabbing letter: R. How are the massive N’s R properties doing? Let’s discover out in The Nintendo Report.
Radar Mission
Have you ever ever performed the board sport Battleship? In that case, then you definitely’ve principally performed Radar Mission. You may have a grid with a handful of ships on it, as does your opponent. You then preserve monitor of your missile launches to try to work out the place your enemy’s ships are, and blow them the heck up. It’s a timeless method that’s been imitated quite a few endlessly, however hardly ever with such good musical accompaniment!
Well being score: Principally lifeless
Radar Mission is a one and performed sort of sport, however solely form of. Whereas not technically associated so far as I can inform, Radar Mission’s second sport mode appears to have been the inspiration for Metal Diver, a sport that we’ll you should definitely cowl quickly. However the Radar Mission model itself? Little or no has occurred with it within the 35-ish years since its launch. It discovered its approach to the 3DS Digital Console, however that’s about it. This looks as if the sort of sport that might do effectively as a funds eShop sport, however as of now, that is the model’s solely entry. Disgrace.
Radar scope
Earlier than coming into the house console market, Nintendo made arcade video games. A number of of them have been considerably by-product works, together with Radar Scope. It was a fairly attention-grabbing tackle the House Invaders method, presenting gamers with a neat, pseudo 3D perspective. Bother is, despite the fact that it was reasonably profitable in Japan, it landed within the US with an unlimited thud.
Well being score: Principally lifeless
Radar Scope’s failure is the stuff of legend. Not as a result of the sport is especially dangerous, however as a result of it led on to the creation of Donkey Kong, and by extension Mario. If Radar Scope had succeeded, we would not have ever gotten Tremendous Mario Bros., and who needs to dwell in a world like that? As for Radar Scope itself, so far as I can inform Nintendo has by no means reissued this sport in any kind. I believe it’s toast for good.
Crimson Alarm
Nintendo made plenty of high-profile missteps with the Digital Boy, and Crimson Alarm is definitely one in all them, however they’ll hardly be faulted for making it. Largely as a result of they didn’t. Crimson Alarm is technically a third social gathering sport from T&E Smooth, however Nintendo was concerned in its manufacturing to a point (so far as I can inform) and printed it themselves. It’s a wireframe 3D motion sport that in all probability makes extra use of the Digital Boy’s distinctive capabilities than every other launch for the platform.
Well being score: Principally lifeless
Like almost each Digital Boy sport on the market, Crimson Alarm was one more one and performed. In all probability as a result of, whereas it’s a really spectacular sport when considered by the Digital Boy itself, it isn’t precisely what many would contemplate “enjoyable.” It did not have any form of memorable narrative and even visible design to talk of, both. It seems to be like a whole mess when considered wherever besides the Digital Boy itself, and it nonetheless isn’t tremendous straightforward to inform what’s occurring even there. Crimson Alarm was a valiant effort, however I can’t think about (except the upcoming Digital Boy: Nintendo Classics line for Swap 2) that Crimson Alarm will ever be again in any significant capability.
Rhythm Heaven
Rhythm video games take many kinds, however I might argue that none are wherever close to as charming as Nintendo’s outlandish Rhythm Heaven model. It’s a set of rhythm-based mini video games which might be as enjoyable as they’re bizarre. And once you’ve acquired lumberjack bears, dancing frogs, baseball in area, and onions in want of hair trimming available, you higher consider this one’s acquired bizarre to spare.
Well being score: Nice
If I had occurred to jot down this just some months in the past, I might have proclaimed this sequence as Principally Useless. One of many driving forces behind the sport, Tsunku, needed to have his vocal cords eliminated on account of laryngeal most cancers, and the final entry within the sequence was the 2016 3DS sport Rhythm Heaven Megamix, which wasn’t even composed of completely authentic content material. However right here we’re in 2025 with a model new Rhythm Heaven sport coming to the Nintendo Swap in 2026. It seems to be nice, too! Rhythm Heaven is alive and effectively, and the world is a greater place for it.
Ring Match
When Wii Match U failed to realize the identical numbers because the bajillion-seller Wii Match, it appeared believable that Nintendo was going to go away the health style altogether. Fortunately, they didn’t stop, and wound up making the good Ring Match Journey as a substitute. The place Wii Match was a really easy health program, Ring Match Journey is a full on turn-based RPG the place you carry out varied varieties of train with a Joycon strapped to your leg and an digital pilates ring in your arms to assault and defend. It’s completely good.
Well being score: Nice
It’s surprising to me that Ring Match Journey hasn’t seen any form of followup but, however I’ve to imagine it’s inevitable as a result of holy cow did that sport promote a whole lot of copies. Like, a metric ton and a half of copies. I actually can’t think about a world the place Nintendo simply leaves this property alone endlessly. Ring Match Journey 2 is inevitable, and I’m 100% right here for it.
R.O.B.
ROB is such an attention-grabbing property as a result of he isn’t a sport, he’s a peripheral. And a barely purposeful one at that! However, I made a decision to place Gyromite and Stack Up right here on this class as a substitute of overlaying them each individually since they’re each associated. ROB is a bodily robotic that “helps” you play video games on NES. You usually management his assumed creator, Professor Hector, whereas ROB does some very sluggish rudimentary motions along with his um… arms? It’s bizarre.
Well being score: Principally lifeless
For apparent causes, the precise ROB accent isn’t nonetheless round. It barely functioned at its finest, and the 2 video games launched to work with him are straight-up unfinished. Nonetheless, ROB has endured. He was a playable character in Mario Kart DS and the previous few Smash Bros. video games, and his iconic design makes him largely nonetheless recognizable to today. I personally suppose there’s a ton of potential available in Professor Hector and ROB’s world, however alas, I appear to be alone on this need. Gyromite 2: ROB’s Revenge is about as possible as a Digital Boy 2.
And that wraps issues up for the letter R. Not a spectacular exhibiting on Nintendo’s half, however I suppose it may at all times be worse. Be a part of us subsequent time for the letter S. Nicely, the primary half of S. There are a LOT of S video games.
See you then!
