In its most recent Direct, Nintendo revealed a much-anticipated expansion for the Nintendo Switch Online program. Sometime in October, an alternate subscription plan for Nintendo Switch Online will release containing avariety of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games. While Nintendo has been slowly rolling out more obsure NES and SNES games alongside major titles for months, this move should bring a spark of life back to the Switch Online libraries and will allow players to experience the highlights of the N64 and Genesis by themselves and with friends online.
The proposed line-up of N64 games for the new plan looks impressive, with many of the system’s highlights included in the initial package or promised for the near future. Nintendo even managed to secure a deal with Microsoft to haveBanjo-Kazooieon the service. However, the surprise reappearance of this Rare classic has fans thinking about another Rare icon: Conker, the star ofConker’s Bad Fur Day. It would be great ifBad Fur Daycould join the Switch Online catalog, but there are several reasons why that may not come to pass.
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Conker’s Bad Fur Dayis a cult-classicNintendo 64 game released in 2001 by Rare. The game’s strange development history is a frequently told story, detailing how Conker was originally intended to be a family-friendly mascot character before his debut game got rebooted. The Conker released on N64 was a foul-mouthed alcoholic living in a world similar to that ofBanjo-Kazooie,but with everything made darker and raunchier. At the time, there was nothing else like it on Nintendo systems, and many were shocked at how far the game went in presenting adult themes via cute, kid-friendly visuals.
Yet even with an open ending that left plenty of room for a sequel, Conker’s story ends there.Aside fromConker: Live & Reloaded, a remake for the original Xbox, Conker has not made any more meaningful appearances. He showed up briefly inProject Spark, but that game was shut down before his episodic campaign could be completed. Even a re-release of Conker’s first game would make more people aware of who Conker is, and why he might be worth bringing back for a proper revival. The IP is lying dormant right now, so if Microsoft is willing to negotiate, it would be beneficial for everyone if Nintendo could temporarily reclaim one of its iconic N64 games.
Why a Conker Re-Release Probably Won’t Happen
Unfortunately, it’s for that very reason thatConker’s Bad Fur Daymay not make it to Switch Online. Microsoft does not seem interested in doing anything with the brand right now, and Nintendo may not care to bring it up whenBanjo-Kazooieis already on the table. Also, Microsoft already has the N64 version ofConker’s Bad Fur Dayavailable on Xbox Onevia theRare Replaycollection, so it makes sense not to hand over multiple exclusives to a rival platform. It also leaves room for theLive & Reloadedremake to come back at some point, though that isn’t likely considering that fans don’t look too kindly upon its increased censorship.
Nintendo itself may also lack interest in Conker.Banjo-Kazooieis a more iconic title for the N64, withConkerbeing more of a cult classic. Also,Conker’s Bad Fur Dayis magnitudes more inappropriate than the rest of the games on the N64 Switch Online expansion pack, includingSin and Punishment. Nintendo may not want to have a game like that mixed in with all of the other child-friendly games it is putting forth. Because Conker essentially only has one game to his name, it’s less of a priority thanBanjo-Kazooie,Donkey Kong 64, orGoldenEye 007. Fans can keep hoping for Conker’s return to gaming,especially duringBad Fur Day’s 20th anniversary, but for the time being it looks likeConker’s Bad Fur Dayremains missing in action.
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