Nintendo jumped into the mobile market with Miitomo, so when we heard that the next Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem would also be for mobile, we weren't surprised. But free-to-play? Color us intrigued.

DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu told the Wall Street Journal “Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing are both free-to-start apps." A Nintendo spokeswoman confirmed Moriyasu’s comment to the WSJ. DeNA partnered with Nintendo for Miitomo and is also working with them on Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing.

Moriyasu and Nintendo have both described the mobile titles as “pure game applications.”  As for how they will play, Nintendo plans mobile Fire Emblem to be more accessible that previous console versions, although it said the game would be full role-playing strategy. Animal Crossing on mobile will be able to connect to at least one other AC title from Nintendo's established platforms,but offered no other details.

How the "free-to-start" - translated: F2P - games might incorporate in-app pruchases is unclear, but Nintendo has said that the new mobile games will be designed to bring in more customers to the company's traditional games.

Could a Mario or Zelda mobile title be far behind?