Nintendo and DLC: What We'll Never Get (by Carl B.)

October 31, 2011, by Carl B. - Nintendo recently announced plans to support DLC on 3DS through the eShop platform, with many developers, including Capcom, pledging support in future games. Nintendo itself, however, probably isn't going to support their own features, just as they've failed to do in the past. It's a shame, too, because there's loads of potential for DLC in Nintendo's franchises.

The most obvious landing spot for DLC is Mario Kart 7, set to release on December 7. Nintendo plans to launch its DLC-enabling eShop update in November, so no patch would be required to utilize downloadable content in Mario's latest kart racer.

Mario Kart 7 features several new gameplay mechanics, but will DLC be one of them?
New track packs are the obvious suggestion for DLC in Mario Kart 7. Nintendo doesn't even have to design new tracks – there are plenty of classic tracks that aren't even going to be in the game. User-generated content, a feature that was in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, would also be ideal for Mario Kart.

The only thing I see Nintendo doing is what they did with Mario Kart Wii: offer tournaments every now and then that really don't do anything for a player's online profile. Tournaments in Mario Kart Wii weren't even true DLC.

Considering how addictive online play was on the DS and Wii versions of Mario Kart, I have no doubt that Mario Kart 7 will equal that. But to take it to the next level, Nintendo must implement DLC in the form of tracks – or even new racers or karts – in the game.

A less likely landing spot for DLC on Nintendo 3DS is with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (or a future 3DS Zelda iteration). DLC in Zelda can work like almost any other RPG out there: offer new quests and items for players to complete and collect. One of my biggest wishes when Ocarina of Time 3D was announced was for Nintendo to release DLC dungeon packs for the game; imagine playing re-mastered, 3D versions of classic Zelda dungeons, such as the Eagle Dungeon in the first title or the difficult Turtle Rock from A Link to the Past.

Hopefully the next Zelda title will make use of downloadable dungeons.
I would pay $4.99 for dungeon packs in a heartbeat. It really does feel like too much work for Nintendo, though. After all, they seemed to have trouble developing games for Wii, 3DS, and Wii U at the same time, despite being a very large publisher.

What are your hopes for Nintendo and DLC? Let us know in the comments section below.