There is a chance that previously canceled 3DS games may get a second chance at life as Nintendo Switch titles, according to former Game Informer editor, Imran Khan, in an interview with Kinda Funny. Khan shared some of what he’d recently learned about Nintendo’s plans, such as details about the closure of AlphaDream, the studio behind the Mario & Luigi RPG series. Because Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey struggled with sales, Nintendo reportedly pulled back on some other 3DS plans at the time, including some titles that were already in development, such as Style Savvy and a possibly unannounced Fire Emblem game.
Khan spoke on the possibility of a Fire Emblem remake for Switch, saying, “I know there was another Fire Emblem remake in the works for 3DS and that was one of the things that they shuttered. So maybe that’s one of the things they’ll bring forward in the future.”
On the same day Kinda Funny uploaded their interview with Khan, Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki also spoke on the possibility of 3DS titles coming to the Switch on Twitter. He noted the success of the Switch Lite sales, particularly in the U.S. compared to Japan, as handheld systems generally perform better in Japan, yet the Switch Lite has “found new market in the U.S.” Mochizuki believed this is a good sign for 3DS games being ported to the Switch, as he reported that “Nintendo chief Furukawa said company would make more 3DS franchises available on Switch to convey appeal of Lite.”
For now, these remain rumors above all else, but they are far from unconceivable, especially given the Switch Lite’s success as the 3DS’ popularity declines.