Let’s Make a Nintendo Game

Todd Mitchell

November 26, 2020

In continuing our console development basics series, we look at what it takes to develop an indie game for Nintendo’s latest game console, the Switch. If you like more options, we’ll look at a way you can make a limited Switch game with no permission from Nintendo whatsoever. Finally, we’ll take a look at the most manageable option for going old school with your own NES project.

Community Events

Catch Todd’s Game Dev Camp 2020 presentation free via Facebook on Saturday, November 28th, 2020, 4 AM – 1 PM CST, 10 AM – 7 PM GMT. Watch the website/Facebook for speaker schedule.

Show Notes

Developing for Switch – https://developer.nintendo.com
- Main call to action is to register. Registration is free, but you’ll sign an NDA right away before gaining access to the dashboard, tools, or forums. This does not include a game pitch, similar to the ID@Xbox program.
  
  Nintendo requires info about your planned project and your development background before approving a game.
- Listed Nintendo consoles
  - Switch
  - Wii U
    - The Wii and Wii U are still getting games in 2020, Michael McWhertor – https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/26/21304491/shakedown-hawaii-nintendo-wii-u-ports-release-date-vblank
  - 3DS
    - Nintendo 3DS officially discontinued (Hardware) https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-09-17-nintendo-3ds-officially-discontinued, Tom Phillips
      “We can confirm that the manufacturing of the Nintendo 3DS family of systems has ended,” a Nintendo spokesperson told our sister site GamesIndustry.biz. “Nintendo and third-party games for the Nintendo 3DS family of system will continue to be available in Nintendo eShop, on Nintendo.com and at retail.
      
      There’s no expectation that the 3DS eShop or online services will be affected in the near future.
Alternatives
- Games within a game
  - Fuze4 – Provides a basic-like language and assets to allow you to make your own games to play on the Switch. You can plug in a keyboard to code with. You can download and upload games for other Fuze users, but that’s it. https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/fuze4-nintendo-switch/
- NESMaker – $36 homebrew engine. Allows you to make games you can play on an NES emulator, make cartridges with your game, or even dive into 6502 Assembly