Highlights
- Endless Ocean Luminous can introduce new treasures daily, creating fun quests and events for divers to enjoy with fellow players.
- Virtual Reality support could enhance the game’s immersive experience, offering a tranquil escape into the ocean’s colorful world.
- Customizable personal islands, pointer controls, coral gardening, and interaction with aquatic life can make gameplay inclusive and engaging.
Nintendo fans got a pleasant surprise at the February Nintendo Direct. A sequel to the Nintendo Wii’s long-dormant ocean diving franchise, Endless Ocean, was announced for the Switch as Endless Ocean: Luminous, a multiplayer deep-sea adventure in a procedurally generated environment. For those who experienced the franchise, this brings back fond memories of exploring the depths, hunting for artifacts, and interacting with the water’s inhabitants.
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The franchise hitting the Switch is an opportunity to update the franchise for a new generation of explorers. It can draw from what made its predecessors memorable, while also taking inspiration from current technologies and Nintendo’s most popular franchises. Here are a few ways to make that happen.
1 Treasure Collecting
New Riches To Find Every Day
A highlight of Endless Ocean: Blue World was finding hidden treasures beneath the waters via sonar. These could be collected and appraised for money to buy cosmetics and upgraded equipment.
Treasures can easily be incorporated into Endless Ocean: Luminous. A constantly evolving ocean opens the potential to discover new items every day. It would make for fun quests to follow with fellow divers and special treasure-hunting events can be scheduled within the game itself. Rare treasures could be programmed to only be available on certain days, creating more incentive for regular visits.
2 VR Support
Nintendo Proved It Could Work
Virtual Reality is becoming more streamlined and offering unique experiences, ranging from arena-based fighting games to first-person shooters, as well as calmer meditation games. Nintendo even dipped its toes into Virtual Reality with its Labo cardboard headset.
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Endless Ocean: Luminous may be an opportunity to revisit VR. While the Switch isn’t as graphically advanced as its competition, the bright colors and diverse wildlife of the game’s ocean environments may help to create an immersive, meditative experience. It doesn’t have to be mandatory for the main gameplay, but it could be a fun side activity.
3 Return To Nineball Island
A Private Home Base
The central base of activity in Endless Ocean: Blue World was Nine Ball Island, where the team of L & L Diving Services could rest and relax, as well as plan their next expeditions. Personal Islands for divers in Endless Ocean: Luminous would unlock customization options akin to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Divers could customize their island homes with multiple options for furniture and entertainment. With online connectivity, gatherings could also be hosted as a break from quests, which might involve playing music on the guitar or a round of volleyball on the beach.
4 Pointer Controls
Fewer Buttons Means More Players
Endless Ocean: Blue World on the Wii had two possible control options: the classic controller or the Wii Remote on its own. All one had to do was point in the direction they wanted to go, hold down a button, and the diver would swim in that direction. This was a fantastic way to make gameplay accessible to casual game players.
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Endless Ocean: Luminous should focus on inclusivity with pointer and gyro controls via the Joy-Cons. Modern controllers have multiple buttons for multiple functions, making venturing into games intimidating for those with little experience. Making the control scheme simple can open the door for both gamers and non-gamers alike.
5 Coral Garden
Build A Garden Under The Sea
Endless Ocean: Blue World has a side quest that involves building a coral garden to attract new marine life to the region. This would be a breathtaking addition to Endless Ocean: Luminous. Just like the Chao Gardens in Sonic Adventure 2, it would be a great way to include a pet-sim type of element.
Given that Endless Ocean: Luminous is focusing on a social, online experience, players could show off their coral gardens to fellow divers, as well as share pieces of coral found in their adventures. It would create a true collaborative element where Endless Ocean players create something new and beautiful.
6 Pet The Fish
Interacting With Aquatic Life Is Always A Plus
Everyone who plays video games asks two important questions. The first is “Does it run Doom?” The second is, “Can you pet the dog/cat?”
An immersive aspect of the Wii’s Endless Ocean games was the ability to interact with aquatic life, petting them and feeding them. Endless Ocean: Luminous would be remiss to not include this feature in the game. It would add another element of immersion, helping divers to connect with the ocean’s diverse species. The ability to befriend the creatures and be followed by them would be a huge plus as well.
7 Address The Reality Of Climate Change
It Could Open Players’ Hearts To A Changing World
The Endless Ocean franchise has alerted players to the beauty of the Earth’s submerged ecosystems. They have offered both educational and entertaining opportunities to discover life that they may not otherwise come face to face with in real life.
Endless Ocean must now address the reality of humanity’s current climate emergency. It should demonstrate how animals’ behaviors and habitats are impacted by rising water temperatures. It must also draw attention to coral reefs that are becoming bleached by exceedingly warm waters, killing whole communities within the oceans.
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