Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
Super Mario movie screenshot
Animated Movies Nintendo and Illumination are "working hard" on Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto saying the idea for the sequel is an "interesting" one
Super Mario World, our number one best retro games
Adventure Movies Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel accidentally drops official title, and it's a direct call back to one of the best Mario games
Pikmin 4
Strategy Games Despite being the father of Mario, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has once again affirmed Pikmin is his favourite child: "I spent a lot of time the past 5, 6 years really wanting to grow Pikmin"
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Live Action Movies The Legend of Zelda movie: Everything we know so far about the live-action movie
Upcoming video game movies - Five Nights at Freddy's
Movies Every upcoming video game movie you need to know about
Crash Bandicoot PS1
Crash Bandicoot Long before the Super Mario Bros. movie grossed $1.3 billion, Sega's president tried making a Crash Bandicoot movie but was told "video games is like a toy business"
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild screenshot showing Link, a male character with elf-like ears, blond hair, and bright blue eyes
Live Action Movies The Legend of Zelda movie has been delayed, but creator Shigeru Miyamoto says it’s so they can "make the film as good as it can be"
  1. Games
  2. Action

Let's all go to the lobby with these great Nintendo movie ideas

Features
By GamesRadar Staff published 7 September 2015

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Silence your cell phones now

Silence your cell phones now

Apparently the sting of the Super Mario Bros movie has finally worn off, because Nintendo is talking about making movies based on its properties for the first time in a long while. There haven't been any specifics and Nintendo doesn't have anything in the works, but the mere suggestion of a new all-Nintendo movie (and not just a wince-inducing cameo in an Adam Sandler film), has thrown open the theater doors to fans' enthusiastic desires.

Everyone has an idea of what Nintendo property could make the best movie - Zelda! Metroid! Chibi-Robo! - and we at GamesRadar+ are no exception. But, rather than argue back and forth amongst ourselves (and express our disagreement by flinging any Nintendo figurines within arm's reach), we thought it more constructive to jot down our arguments for each and present them for the world to weigh and consider. These are the Nintendo movies we dearly want to see, and you know we'll pay extra for the 3D glasses.

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
Connor is fantasizing about a Fire Emblem film

Connor is fantasizing about a Fire Emblem film

The Lord of the Rings trilogy made fantasy cool again, and then Game of Thrones exchanged all the fey interludes with elves and tree folk for traumatizing turns of treachery. But there's still plenty of room for something in the middle: a fantasy world filled with good friends, grand adventures, and intricate politics alike. And that's Fire Emblem: The Motion Picture.

As much about relationships as it is about saving the world, Fire Emblem is perfect cinematic fodder for action fiends and drama lovers alike. With a little bit of narrative surgery to bring characters from across the extended (and somewhat unclear) Fire Emblem timeline together, we could watch their triumphs and tragedies play out across generations. After all, Fire Emblem was setting up weddings and perma-death funerals before George R.R. Martin even started on A Song of Ice and Fire.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
Anthony wants to take a stroll through Startropics

Anthony wants to take a stroll through Startropics

In an age when Goonies continues to find new treasure-finding fans through Netflix and Nintendos back catalog of B-list games looks sweeter and sweeter, a StarTropics movie just feels right.

Its got everything! Adventure, a personal submarine, gender-swapping castle invasions, tropical beauty, and eyeball-vomiting alien overlords. The NES action RPG about a young man using a yo-yo to save his uncle from island deities/space monsters is full of enough weird characters and hijinks to fill myriad cultishly adored summer flicks.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
Ashley thinks a Pikmin picture would be perfect

Ashley thinks a Pikmin picture would be perfect

Pikmin may seem too gameplay-focused to shine on the silver screen, since you spend most of its run directing a navely helpful sprite army and swallowing back a lump of guilt when you accidentally drown half of them. But a Pikmin movie could still be appealing (and all kinds of adorable) if it shifted focus from strategy and instead fixated on the game's colorful world and its always inquisitive flower-headed leads.

The best part is that we already know Pikmin can work in a strictly cinematic format: Miyamoto's stupidly cute Pikmin shorts show that a little change in perspective from tactics to antics can turn Pik-adventures into good viewing. Admittedly these shorts lend themselves more to a TV series than a feature-length film, but with such a blank story-canvas, there's a world of Pik-possibilities here.

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
Maxwell should direct an Earthbound movie

Maxwell should direct an Earthbound movie

I can see it in my mind's eye: Earthbound, with all its dry wit and nostalgic undertones, realized as a Wes Anderson-style comedy-cum-drama in the vein of Moonrise Kingdom. We open on Ness, our young hero, who leaps from his bed at the sound of a meteor crash. He runs to the door clutching a baseball bat, stopping to tell his mother - played by Tilda Swinton - that he is "going on an adventure." The camera swings around to the mother, looking unimpressed, who states "Okay, but first change out of those pajamas." Cue upbeat music.

We'd see new age retro hippies chase our heroes through the streets with rulers. The villainous Happy Happy cult would try and cover them in blue paint because, frankly, "Blue is the happiest color." Jeff would shoot bottle rockets at an angry tree. These gags would be punctuated by a coming of age story about four friends who leave everything familiar behind and learn to rely on themselves - and each other - in the adult world.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
Lorenzo has ideas about Legend of Zelda

Lorenzo has ideas about Legend of Zelda

If Nintendo wants to make a Zelda movie, there's one big problem: You know it's going to feel weird when the characters from the Zelda universe start speaking out loud on the silver screen. The Zelda series has always kept its characters from speaking in game, so it would feel out of place to hear the characters string more than a few words together. The last time Link said anything more than a grunt or a yell we got this nonsense. If we end up getting a Legend of Zelda movie, Nintendo will need to find a way to zip Link's lips.

The story should be everything you'd expect: A young boy goes off on an adventure to discover magical artifacts and rescue a kingdom in peril. But how do you keep him quiet? Maybe make him travel alone. When you're alone in the wilderness, there's no need for words. Or, just make it a silent film. That way it will keep with the characters being unable to vocalize their thoughts, and everything they say will be shown in a text box. Now that would be staying true to the games.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
Sam knows that StarFox has star power

Sam knows that StarFox has star power

I know what you're thinking, but hear me out: A StarFox film could be more than Star Wars But With Furries. An animated film (yes, animated - you don't want another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 incident do you?) would be a perfect way to explore the roots of the team and show Fox's ascension from rookie to pro.

See, Fox and crew have always existed as perfect archetypes: Fox the infallible hero, Falco the sassy sidekick, Peppy the wise mentor, and Slippy the bumbling rookie. It would be a fun twist to see these characters as something more complicated than a series of tropes and cliches, and a movie is the perfect opportunity to do just that. A film adaptation would also let us learn more about the galaxy that the StarFox team is fighting to protect. This way, those who want to just hop in an Arwing and go blasting can do that, while those interested in the lore can pop in the movie.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
Susan wants Metroid to take it to the edge

Susan wants Metroid to take it to the edge

It doesnt get much more ready-for-the-silver-screen than the tale of Samus Aran, space pirates, and Mother Brain. An intergalactic bounty hunter who comes packed with all sorts of weapons and gadgets is tailor-made for some cinematic adventures, and it would be easy enough to throw some new alien enemies into the mix to keep things lively. The action sequences practically write themselves, and could either adopt a grim and gritty aesthetic or keep a more family-friendly aspect - the Metroid franchise is very flexible that way.

The Metroid games were never overly bogged down by story, which leaves plenty of room for storytelling (though well just skip Other M entirely, ok? Cool.) while staying true to what makes Metroid great. The second sequel could even fall back on that most Metroidy of story elements - stripping Samus of all her gear and forcing her to find it all again. Im thinking we cast Emily Blunt as our leading lady - she more than proved shes got the action heroine chops in Edge of Tomorrow. Why has no-one done this yet? This movie would be fantastic.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
David R's playing with fire with a new Super Mario Bros idea

David R's playing with fire with a new Super Mario Bros idea

Super Mario Bros. seems like a no-brainer for the film treatment, right? Well, it would be, had we not gotten the Blade Runner-inspired nightmare back in the early 90's. But put that celluloid travesty out of mind, because a Super Mario Bros. film could be truly fantastic if they do one important thing: make it an animated film.

The bizarre world of the Mushroom Kingdom, with its Goombas and Koopa Troopas and Fire Flowers, doesn't really translate all that well to the real world - so don't even bother. Imagine a Super Mario flick handled by Pixar or Dreamworks, with lush, beautifully animated CGI breathing life into the series' vibrant environments. Super Mario 3D World already looked like a moving picture, so just do that, but in movie form. And don't over-think the script; just let Mario and friends go on adventures and do battle against Bowser and his cronies. Simple.

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
CATEGORIES
Wii-u Nintendo Platforms
PRODUCTS
The Legend of Zelda (Wii U) Starfox (Wii U) Earthbound Metroid Prime Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn New Super Mario Bros 2 Pikmin Starfox 64
GamesRadar Staff
Social Links Navigation

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

See more Nintendo Features
Read more
Super Mario movie screenshot
Nintendo and Illumination are "working hard" on Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto saying the idea for the sequel is an "interesting" one
Super Mario World, our number one best retro games
Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel accidentally drops official title, and it's a direct call back to one of the best Mario games
Pikmin 4
Despite being the father of Mario, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has once again affirmed Pikmin is his favourite child: "I spent a lot of time the past 5, 6 years really wanting to grow Pikmin"
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda movie: Everything we know so far about the live-action movie
Upcoming video game movies - Five Nights at Freddy's
Every upcoming video game movie you need to know about
Crash Bandicoot PS1
Long before the Super Mario Bros. movie grossed $1.3 billion, Sega's president tried making a Crash Bandicoot movie but was told "video games is like a toy business"
Latest in Action
Link is in a barrel in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2
Twink Link is being freed: Nintendo apparently backtracks, says you are allowed to call yourself Twink Link as it works to unban a Switch 2 it "flagged by accident"
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann is leaving HBO's The Last of Us season 3 to turn his "complete focus" to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and the studio's "future projects"
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Death Stranding 2 has a "completely hidden mechanic" that lets you fire lethal rounds, meaning voidouts are now inevitable
a robot being shot with a gatling gun but still approaching menacingly
Rockstar remembers Red Dead Online exists and puts out a new update trailer for the first time in 4 years, leaving fans hopeful it's not dead after all: "Are we back?"
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo Switch 2 could revolutionize Zelda technology: Tears of the Kingdom tinkerers confirm lasers are way deadlier now – "We always knew 60 fps would be insane, but I didn't expect it to be this insane"
Death Stranding 2 Sam touching Lou and Fragile
Hideo Kojima says he "kind of hates" the AI assistant in his phone, which is why Death Stranding 2's message is that people shouldn't just rely on technology
Latest in Features
María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer
James Gunn's Superman may be setting up The Authority movie with its enigmatic villain The Engineer
Sam sits in a bike looking across at a city in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
70 hours in, Death Stranding 2 is one of few open world games that justifies having such a huge map
Nintendo Switch 2
I can't use the Switch 2's handheld mode, so I'm hoping a Lite is on the horizon
Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mister Miracle as the Justice Gang in Superman
The Justice Gang explained - The non-Justice League in James Gunn's Superman may be influenced by team of classic DC supervillains
Team Fortress 2 characters looking at a map
I have 464 games on my Steam wishlist, 23 games in my Steam Summer Sale shopping cart, and I can feel my already overstuffed library giving me the side-eye
Heavy Metal Death Can demo screenshot
I got a nicotine rush and set zombies on fire in this PS1-style survival horror demo, and it's basically Resident Evil on a submarine
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...