Nintendo is probably one of the game industry's most iconic platformer developers in large part thanks to Super Mario, the long line of platformers that gives Nintendo one of its treasured mascots and continues to sell millions of copies every time a new game releases. However, Super Mario isn't the only platformer in Nintendo's hands. During the 2000s, Nintendo collaborated with 'ghost developer' Tose on The Legendary Starfy, a series of aquatic platformers about a gentle-hearted starfish prince who went on all kinds of adventures. Although Nintendo and Tose released a few Starfy games in the 2000s, there hasn't been another since 2009.

It's especially strange that The Legendary Starfy suddenly disappeared when one considers the franchise went dark after Nintendo and Tose released the fifth Starfy game, also called The Legendary Starfy, internationally for the first time rather than making it a Japan-exclusive. One would expect that the studios wanted to start spreading Starfy's adventures to a global audience, but the opposite happened. With a decade gone by for Tose and Nintendo to recalibrate, now seems like a great time to return to The Legendary Starfy with a fresh perspective.

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Potential Ways to Revive The Legendary Starfy

GBA Starfy

One way that Nintendo and Tose could restore Starfy to its former glory would be with remakes of the original games. The first four Starfy games, simply titled Densetsu no Stafy 1 through 4, were mostly released for the Game Boy Advance, with the fourth game coming to DS. Game consoles have come a long way since the Game Boy Advance. Tose and Nintendo could totally overhaul Starfy's graphics in up-to-date remakes, and the best-selling Switch also seems like a great platform through which to finally release these games internationally.

The studios could also decide the best way to revive The Legendary Starfy is by starting over. A clean slate could do Starfy good; maybe Nintendo and Tose can work together on a brand-new game in the franchise. A soft reboot for the series might help it establish its brand for a new generation of fans. Tose could develop some new mechanics that build on the original ideas of Starfy, adding more spin techniques and transformations for Starfy to use. The Switch's Joy-Cons enable multiplayer, so maybe a Starfy reboot could more heavily encourage two-player multiplayer with Starfy's sister Starly. The Legendary Starfy still has a lot of potential.

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Starfy Stands on His Own Two Feet

The Legendary Starfy

Some Nintendo fans might feel that they don't need The Legendary Starfy since the company already has a solid platformer thanks to Super Mario's enduring popularity. However, Starfy has plenty of things that make it unique. Thanks to its transformation system, its power-ups are more a blend of Kirby and MarioThe Legendary Starfy's level design is also completely different from Mario levels, sometimes designed less linearly and encouraging extensive exploration. On top of that, Starfy's cast of cute aquatic characters set it apart from Mario in terms of both plot and aesthetics.

With that in mind, it's surprising that so many years have gone by since Tose and Nintendo worked on another Starfy game. The two companies still have a strong working relationship, and Tose continues to quietly work on games in some of Nintendo's most valuable franchises. Since the two are still close, there's little standing in the way of a Starfy revival. The game industry seems to be in a vibrant season of franchise revivals, with everything from Fable to Dead Space coming back. It's about time that The Legendary Starfy joined in.

The Legendary Starfy is available now for Nintendo DS.

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