Nintendo has a long and storied history. It started in 1889 as a humble hanafuda production company, nearly a century before it became a dominant player in the video game industry. Since then, in its capacity as a first-party developer, Nintendo has produced thousands of video games.
From early classics like Super Mario Bros., to more experimental titles like Star Fox 64, to modern gems like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo has done it all. Old or new, these Nintendo games are, by far, the most universally beloved ever.
Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow Bring the Franchise Back to Basics
Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow are three versions of the same iconic Game Boy game that launched one of the biggest media franchises of all time. The premise is that the player strives to be the very best, like no one ever was. To do so, they need to catch ’em all, defeat every Gym Leader, and conquer the Elite Four.
Granted, the first Pokémon game shows its age where it counts, but it’s still easy to play, and it holds up where it matters. Battles are fun, catching creatures and making new friends is even better and, more than any other entry in the series, the world is a joy to explore.
Star Fox 64’s Remake Is Nothing Compared to the Original
Star Fox 64 served as the basis for the Star Fox reboot for Switch 2. As good as the remake is, it is nothing compared to the original. Here, the titular Star Fox team, consisting of Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare, works to stop Andross from executing his plans to destroy the Lylat System.
Especially compared to the first Star Fox game, Star Fox 64’s air-combat mechanics are intuitive, and allow players leeway regarding how they can take down targets. This isn’t to mention the many neat maneuvers players can make in their aircraft, including the iconic barrel rolls.
Wii Sports Is Nintendo’s Greatest Tech Demo
Wii Sports was made to demonstrate the Wii’s motion controls, and it absolutely succeeded. The game features a selection of five sports: boxing, bowling, golf, baseball, and tennis. All of these sports take advantage of the aforementioned motion controls in some manner, such as boxing with both the Wii remote and Nunchuk.
Later games in the Wii Sports or Switch Sports series may have even more sports and more intuitive controls, but none can compare to the sublime simplicity of the original. It’s still easy to pick up and play the game today, as players don’t need any time to learn anything or get right into things.
Super Metroid Is the SNES’ Most Intense Game
Super Metroid, along with predecessors Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus, are viewed as the genesis of the Metroidvania subgenre, and for good reason. The game sees Samus Aran infiltrating the home base of the Space Pirates in order to retrieve a Metroid sample, which Space Pirate leader Ridley seeks to use for nefarious deeds.
Super Metroid allows players to take multiple paths to get to the same destination. It opens up opportunities to find special items that can prove to be more powerful than whatever Samus has at any given moment.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is Nintendo’s Greatest RPG
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is not the latest game in Nintendo’s cherished Fire Emblem tactical RPG franchise but, after nearly ten years, it’s still the greatest installment. The game is set over a period of several years, and during that time, main protagonist Byleth can expect plenty of heartbreak.
The time mechanic is enough to help Fire Emblem: Three Houses stand out among other Fire Emblem games. However, there is more that goes on in the game, including the use of Persona-style social mechanics, a cast of characters who are impossible not to love, and a story that asks meaningful questions fans are still arguing about the answers to today.
Super Smash Bros. Melee Is the Greatest Crossover Fighting Game
Not even Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can top Super Smash Bros. Melee’s sheer ingenuity. Whereas its predecessor, Super Smash Bros. 64, was merely a half-baked hobby project, Super Smash Bros. Melee is a fully prepared crossover fighting masterpiece. The game added more characters and stages than the previous game, and improved every aspect of the overall experience.
There’s so much more to do, including event matches and a quasi-story mode, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Chances are, if players had a GameCube, they had this game.
The Legend of Zelda Marked the Start of Gaming’s Greatest Adventure
The Legend of Zelda sees a young Hylian warrior, Link, trying to save the kingdom of Hyrule from total extinction. Almost all of it has been invaded by Ganon and his forces, who are seeking to build a greater empire. In addition, they have kidnapped Zelda, whom Link must also rescue.
Whatever one’s thoughts are on any given Zelda game, the first Legend of Zelda is still a gem from beginning to end. The game’s world may not be as large as, say, Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, but it’s still filled with enough danger to keep players busy for hours on end.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is the Perfect Cozy Switch Game
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best Switch games, and it doesn’t take much to figure out why that is. The game sees players arriving on a deserted island, where they get to build what they want and make friends. Eventually, players are able to outright change their island’s terrain into something of their liking.
Featuring the largest cast of any Animal Crossing game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons leaves everything up to the player’s imagination. Whether it be crafting more powerful tools, decorating the island to make it more tropical, or gifting items to the animal islanders, the game gives players plenty to do.
Donkey Kong Country Is Still a Fun and Charming Faux-3D Platformer
Donkey Kong Country marked the return of the titular ape after over ten years. It sees him defending his eponymous island from the forces of King K. Rool. One of the more nefarious things his Crocodilian army has done is steal Donkey Kong’s treasured banana stash, which the latter must rebuild one fruit at a time.
Even considering the game’s age, Donkey Kong Country is still just as pleasing to look at as it is to play. The gameplay is as simple as a non-Kirby Nintendo platformer can get, which helps the experience. Payers can also alternate between Donkey Kong and his nephew, Diddy Kong, who each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Super Mario Bros. Started It All For Nintendo
The basic premise of Super Mario Bros. should be familiar to just about every gamer by now. Here, Mario has to traverse through the Mushroom Kingdom, taking on enemies like Goombas, Koopas, Hammer Bros., and Lakitus. This is all to rescue Princess Peach from the nefarious King Bowser, who has largely conquered the land.
Likewise, Super Mario Bros.’ gameplay has been passed down to virtually every succeeding installment. In this case, Mario is able to jump on enemies, grow using the Super Mushroom, and shoot fireballs with the Fire Flower. Basic as it may sound, Super Mario Bros. is beyond enjoyable on its own even today.
