Summary
The cult classic adventure gameHotel Dusk: Room 215may be returning soon, as indicated by a new trademark filing from Nintendo. With the upcoming release of the Switch 2, it’s possible that Nintendo has big plans forHotel Dusk: Room 215in the future.
The story ofHotel Duskfollows protagonist Kyle Hyde as he interrogates patrons of a mysterious hotel. It is an unusual title in the DS library because it requires the console to be held sideways, like a pamphlet. In addition to its emphasis on strong dialogue,Room 215is well-known asa game with a unique artstyle, depicting characters as sketchy rotoscopes.
As spotted byGameSpark, Nintendofiled a trademarkfor theHotel Dusk: Room 215name and logo on May 9. It was then approved ten days later on May 19. Notably, the trademark was issued in Japan, not the United States. Previously, the game was known asWish Roomin Japan, making this the first time that theHotel Duskbranding has been used in that country.
Nintendo Shows Renewed Interest in Hotel Dusk
Room 215was originally developed by the independent studio Cing, which has since gone out of business. It was followed up by a sequel titledLast Window: The Secret of Cape West, which was released in Europe and Japan but not North America. Back when Cing was still in operation, many of its titles were published by Nintendo itself, and it seems that Nintendo has maintained an interest in the company’s IPs to this day. This is only natural, as Cing helped fill a vital niche in the DS era with itsclassic point-and-click adventure games.
During the seventh generation of consoles, Nintendo targeted demographics that hadn’t previously been interested in video games. The ability to interest casual gamers with broadly accessible titles and intuitive controls wasone of the distinctive strengths of the DSand the Wii, and Cing was one of the studios that were able to best capitalize on this strategy.
Recently, another one of Cing’s titles was thrust back into the spotlight after a long hibernation.Another Code, formerly known asTrace Memoryin North America, was remade by Arc System Works for the Switch in January 2024. LikeHotel Dusk, it was initiallya visual novel for the Nintendo DSin which the player unravels a mystery in a small, self-contained setting. Arc System Works’ remake also included the sequelAnother Code: R,which had never been released in North America. Given Nintendo’s new trademark and the blatant similarities between theAnother CodeandHotel Duskfranchises, it’s not unlikely that we may see another two-game remake-slash-collection announced in the near future.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Check into mystery at Hotel DuskTake control of an interactive mystery novel and discover the secrets of Hotel Dusk. Who is Kyle Hyde - and what really happened in Room 215? Take stylus in hand and navigate a tangled web of lies, betrayal and murder to find the answers.Become Kyle Hyde, a disgraced New York detective on a quest for redemption and revenge. A surprising plot, clever dialogue, and intriguing cast of characters speed the story along.Hold the DS sideways like a book and use the touchscreen to solve puzzles as the mystery novel comes to life.
