After writing about how Capcom still views Mega Man as a major IP, despite doing nothing with the series for almost seven years, I got to thinking. How many other fantastic franchises are stuck behind the vault walls, screaming to be let out once again? Games like Jak and Daxter fueled countless hours of my childhood, but they’ve been out of the spotlight for years. Sly Cooper hasn’t seen a new game in multiple console generations. That’s why we’re taking today to dive deep into the recesses of our minds and chat about our dream franchise returns. Welcome to Waypoint Wishlist.
It’s Time for another Waypoint Wishlist, but with more nostalgia for the Golden Years of Gaming.
Matt Vatankhah – Contributor
Back in ’95, my parents bought me my first PlayStation. And, along with it, a game that would later become one of the coolest franchises born from the gritty PS1 era. Twisted Metal. It was like the edgy older brother to Super Mario Kart‘s battle mode. Mad Max-style vehicles, equipped with rocket launchers, machine guns, and flame throwers, driven by complete lunatics with a shared goal to kill each other. And also a dude with both of his arms fused into two giant wheels.
I can’t even tell you how many hours my friend and I spent battling on Twisted Metal. Up until 2012, the series remained strong. Or, at the very least, it still had a pulse. Now, aside from a TV series that somehow got renewed for a second season, the game’s legacy has remained dormant. We were supposed to get a brand new, live-service Twisted Metal game on PlayStation 5. Unfortunately, due to industry layoffs being the norm these days, that project was canceled. And it’s a shame, because an online multiplayer Twisted Metal in the current generation would probably rip right now.
Anthony Franklin II – contributor
Nintendo! Approach the bench. We’ve got some stuff that needs to be addressed. You don’t like Star Fox? Why can’t we just get a straightforward space combat game? Or a sequel to my beloved Star Fox Adventures? The Switch 2 is your chance to right several wrongs. Start with the Fox.
And Capcom, y’all haven’t skated by either. Where is Viewtiful Joe? With the way people go up for difficult games today, you could clean the hell up by remastering the first two and giving us a true third game. I’m tired of begging for this every time y’all do one of those surveys. Just make it happen.
Brent Koepp – Contributor
My pick for this week’s Waypoint Wishlist is the Ganbare Goemon series from Konami. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I don’t blame you. I still sometimes think this franchise is a fever dream. I first discovered it back in 1998, when I rented Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon from a Blockbuster Video. To this day, I still don’t know what possessed me to grab this specific box off the shelf. But I’m really glad I did. To this day, I still have the Goemon Impact (I Am Impact) theme song stuck in my head. Seriously, I can recite every word!
For some reason, my 10-year-old self found the Japanese song the funniest thing I had ever heard. It was so hilarious that my friend actually peed his pants while we played the game. And if you think I’m exaggerating, this happened (our friendship was never the same after that). With all that said, I loved Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. While I know some of the RPG’s 3D elements don’t hold up today, I am super nostalgic about those early-era N64 games. But most importantly, I think the Ganbare Goemon franchise had incredible characters and a great sense of humor.
BUY ‘BAKERU‘, AVAILABLE NOW ON NINTENDO SWITCH AND PC, TO MAKE THIS WAYPOINT WISHLIST WHOLE AGAIN
That is why I wish more people knew about Goemon, or that Konami would release a new game. Realistically, I know the chances of this are slim to none. Even when the series was finally getting global releases, they weren’t exactly a big hit in North America. However, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon was my first introduction to the quirkier aspects of Japanese pop culture. It actually led to me eventually discovering anime and manga. I think in 2025, there is a general craving amongst players for Japanese-specific games. People want unique experiences that they can’t get from most Western studios. Ganbare Goemon totally fits that bill, and I think its sense of humor would really work today.
SHaun Cichacki – COntributor
So many fantastic games have simple two-word names. Metal Gear. Final Fantasy. Splinter Cell. But you know what other game has a fantastic name that we haven’t heard in far too long? Syphon Filter. A franchise that has so much potential, especially in the current generation when stealth action games are coming back into style, and we’ve seen nothing from the franchise since 2007. Bend Studios, I’m looking at you. Rather than working on remastering Days Gone, I wish that your time had been spent bringing Syphon Filter back to life.
Unfortunately, with John Garvin saying he was “burned out” with Syphon Filter, I doubt we’ll be seeing a new entry in the franchise anytime soon. It’s a shame, because outside of Splinter Cell (which is another abandoned franchise that we haven’t seen a game from in far too long), there isn’t much on the horizon outside of remasters and remakes. The world craves a new Syphon Filter, and I would love to see Gabriel Logan get a chance to shine once again.
This Waypoint Wishlist Hurt To Write! I want these Games Back, please!
There are far more games that have been sitting in IP purgatory for far too long. But these ring deeply within our souls. So many games with untapped potential, left to rot. We need to accept that we’ll likely never see another Banjo-Kazooie or Conker game. It’s sad to think about, but maybe, just maybe, we’ll see the return of some of these franchises. We all thought that Okami was going to be left to dry, but Clover is coming back to make a sequel all this time later. Maybe the grass can sometimes be greener, you know?
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