Nintendo of America has announced that it will release two more smartphone games, based on its popular, long-running franchises Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem, later this year, as part of the Japanese company's commitment to release five smartphone games by March 2017.

Animal-crossing
Nintendo fans are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming titles, which will not be direct ports of the console-based games but rather mobile-optimized spinoffs that could involve a series of in-app purchases. Nintendo declined to say whether the games will be free to download on the App Store.

Animal Crossing, based on a simulated world of animals, and Fire Emblem, a tactical RPG, are expected to be "more accessible" and "connected" versions of the traditional console-based games. The titles can currently be played on Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and multiple other Nintendo platforms.

As for the former app, while making it more accessible in comparison to the Fire Emblem games for Nintendo’s dedicated gaming systems, Nintendo aims to offer the great value of a role-playing strategy game. Nintendo will design the latter game so that it will be connected with the world of Animal Crossing for dedicated gaming systems. By playing both Animal Crossing games, users will find increased enjoyment.

Nintendo's first iOS app Miitomo debuted on the App Store last month in partnership with Japanese developer DeNA. The social-based game allows players to create and customize avatars called "Miis," chat with other players, play mini games to earn coins and tickets that can be used towards purchasing new outfits, and more.

Miitomo is believed to be off to a good start for Nintendo, earning the struggling game maker an estimated $280,000 per week in in-app purchases revenue, but the company's most dedicated fans remain hopeful that it will eventually release smartphone games based on its most iconic franchises like Super Mario and Legend of Zelda.

For now, fans will have to make do with Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem.

Top Rated Comments

Christoffee Avatar
97 months ago
Animal Crossing will be a great mobile game! Dipping in and out all day will be perfect. Bit of fruit collecting, back to work. Write a letter, talk to my wife. Plant some trees, watch TV. A great low stress game.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Paradoxally Avatar
97 months ago
Next stop, Mario Kart iOS.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rizzo41999 Avatar
97 months ago
I'm down for Animal Crossing. Used to play on the Gamecube in early 00's, a lot of fun
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blesscheese Avatar
97 months ago
I don't play iPhone games. BUT...Animal Crossing on my iPhone? Holy cow, kiss my productivity good-bye!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mattopotamus Avatar
97 months ago
Mario. Everyone wants Mario games! Would love some official support for those games on the ATV. Mario tennis was amazing.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
countryside Avatar
97 months ago
I love Animal Crossing! It's the only Nintendo game I loved to play.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: Preliminary Weights and Dimensions

Friday September 29, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
MacRumors has obtained preliminary information on the weights and dimensions planned for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The information corroborates previous reports suggesting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature larger displays. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Current information suggests that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will maintain the same...
CarPlay SharePlay

CarPlay Not Working for Some iPhone 15 Users, Possibly Because of USB-C Cables

Friday September 29, 2023 2:27 pm PDT by
CarPlay is not working as expected for some iPhone 15 users, an issue that is likely linked to the transition to USB-C. There are multiple complaints from MacRumors readers and Reddit users who are unable to get CarPlay to work with their new devices. Cable type and available port options are a common theme in the CarPlay reports, with many of the functionality problems linked to USB-A to...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...