Nintendo targets Chinese gamers with remasters for Nvidia Shield
Platform holder increases presence in lucrative market with China-only re-release of Twilight Princess and New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Nintendo has teamed up with Nvidia to bring a host of classic Wii and Gamecube titles to China for the first time.
The news comes from industry analyst Daniel Ahmad who posted videos of Nintendo games being played on the Nvidia Shield.
Back in January, Ahmad highlighted the potential arrival of Nintendo titles on the platform in China.
The Nvidia Shield hit the Chinese market today and offers New Super Mario Bros. Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Punch-Out, among others. The hardware comes in at $226 while each remaster is priced at $10.
This is significant for two reasons. Firstly, save for the Zelda CDi series and Nintendo's recent foray into smartphone adaptations, first-party Nintendo properties rarely depart the parent console.
Nintendo has typically been very protective of its properties but relinquishing control like this could be a show of things to come.
Secondly, competition is fierce in China with competitive MOBA's, shooters, and mobile games accounting for huge swathes of the market. However, traditional family-friendly console gaming remains a relatively untapped.
Of course, how bountiful that market is remains to be seen, but if anyone can corner it, Nintendo can.