Let's be real for a second. Nintendo is never, ever going to make another StarTropics. It hurts, I know. But why would they? When you can slap Mario's face on a cardboard box and sell millions, or just remaster an old Zelda game every year until the next big one is ready, why bother digging up the dusty old IPs from the back of the vault? Unlike some companies that'll revive anything with a whiff of name recognition, Nintendo seems obsessed with chasing the next big thing. Sometimes it works—hello, Ring Fit Adventure and Splatoon! Other times... well, we get Labo and Game Builder Garage. So, we're not getting new Ice Climbers, Wave Race, or Star Fox anytime soon. But what if I told you we're already getting the next best thing? What if the best sequels to Nintendo's forgotten classics aren't coming from Nintendo at all?

I first had this realization back in 2019 with Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling. Remember when Paper Mario: The Origami King was announced and it was clear the classic RPG style was gone for good? Bug Fables felt like a direct answer to that. It wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel; it was trying to be that lost Paper Mario sequel. And you know what? Its audience loved it for exactly that. It sold well enough for physical editions and ports, and it still has 'Overwhelmingly Positive' reviews on Steam years later. That's the power of filling a void Nintendo itself created.

Now, you might think Shovel Knight started this whole trend of 'spiritual successors.' But Shovel Knight was always a love letter to a whole era of games—a mashup of Wario Land, Zelda II, DuckTales. It wasn't a successor to one specific title. A better example from the same studio is Cyber Shadow. That game? That's Ninja Gaiden 4 in everything but name. Sure, it's got a cyberpunk coat of paint and some new moves, but at its heart, it's that brutal, beautiful, wordless-story-telling action platformer we loved on the NES. The developer even recreated the iconic tall grass intro! It makes you wonder: if the original publishers brought these series back today, would they even look like this? Koei Tecmo did bring back Ninja Gaiden in 2004... as a 3D action game. And Nintendo keeps making Paper Mario games, but each one feels less like an RPG than the last.

This whole idea really clicked for me during the 2025 Steam Next Fest. I played at least four demos that felt like direct sequels to old Nintendo games. Let me break them down:

• Ex-Zodiac: This is Star Fox. Full stop. It's so faithful it even has an option to run at a choppy 15fps for that 'authentic' feel. 🦊

• Agent 64: Spies Never Die: Playing this, I'm half-expecting a lawsuit from Rare or Nintendo. It's GoldenEye 007 reincarnated. The controls, the feel, the mission structure—it's all there.

• Thunder Ray: Imagine Punch-Out!! but way, way more violent. It's the brutal boxing sequel we never knew we wanted. 🥊

• Melatonin: This one reimagines Rhythm Heaven not as a wacky minigame collection, but as a chill, almost melancholic trip through modern anxieties and social media. It's brilliant.

Honestly, some of these might not be for everyone. They can feel dated by modern standards. But that's not the point. The point is the sheer, undeniable coolness of it all. For fans of these abandoned series, it's like finding a lost treasure. When the big companies that own these beloved worlds decide they're not profitable anymore, it's the fans and indie developers who step in to keep the flame alive. It's a form of game preservation, but more active—it's not just about saving the old games, but creating new stories in those worlds.

And get this—the trend isn't even limited to Nintendo anymore! It's spreading:

• Unmetal (2021): A hilarious, loving tribute to the original MSX Metal Gear games.

• Praey for the Gods (2021): An open-world game that proudly wears its Shadow of the Colossus influence on its sleeve. Climb those giants!

• Gloomwood (2025 - Early Access): A stealth game that wants to remind everyone why the original Thief games were revolutionary.

These games are niche, sure. But the joy they bring to fans of long-dead series is immeasurable. They're made with a pure, unfiltered love for the source material that corporate revivals often lack. They ask: "What would this game be like if it were made today, but with its soul intact?"

So, while we wait for Nintendo to maybe, possibly, consider a new F-Zero, I'll be over here playing the incredible indie games that are doing the legacy justice. Now, if only someone would make a proper, modern Nintendogs... 🐕✨

The era of the 'spiritual successor' is here, and it's giving us the sequels the big publishers won't. And honestly? They're often better for it.

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Whether you're searching for the next big indie hit or hoping to uncover a niche treasure, having access to curated lists and competitive prices can make all the difference. With resources like DealNest, the journey to rediscover the magic of gaming becomes even more accessible. Embrace the spirit of indie developers and explore new worlds, all while finding the best deals along the way. After all, part of the adventure is knowing where to start your search, and DealNest might just be the guide you need.