If there's one video game company in the industry that knows its audience it would have to be Nintendo. Not only has the Japanese publisher been churning out hit after hit, they have been revolutionizing and leading the industry since 1983 when the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launched in 1983 in Japan and 1985 in North America. They have moved from console to console and not looked back even once as they continue to push forward with new entries in their popular series while also introducing titles to keep it fresh.
GameZone has gathered our staff to discuss the Top 25 Nintendo published games of all time. Over a month period of time, we deliberated, we debated, we even exchanged a few red turtle shells to knock each other out of the running to nominate our favorite games, but most importantly, we gave tender care to our personal list that we reveal to you today.
Top Nintendo Games: 21-25 25 – Punch-Out!! (NES) 24 – Super Smash Bros Melee (GameCube) 23 – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ( Wii / GameCube) 22 – Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) 21 – Paper Mario (N64)
Top Nintendo Games: 16-20 20 – Earthbound (NES) 19 – The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64) 18 – Super Mario Bros. (NES) 17 – Perfect Dark (N64) 16 – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
Top Nintendo Games: 11-15 15 – Super Mario Kart (SNES) 14 – Star Fox 64 (N64) 13 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) 12 – Super Mario RPG (SNES) 11 – Pokemon Red/Blue (Game Boy)
10. Super Mario Galaxy
"Nintendo set the bar so high with their first 3D Mario that, for a time, it looked doubtful that they would be able to recapture the same magic again – then along came Super Mario Galaxy. The designers possess a seemingly bottomless supply of inventive, playful scenarios – the centerpiece gravity gimmick is just the first treat in a layer cake of unbridled platforming creativity." – Stuart Young
"We were waiting for quite a while for Mario’s true debut in the current generation of games, as Super Mario Sunshine simply didn’t cut it. Fortunately, Super Mario Galaxy rose above the hype, thanks to its remarkable gameplay and its exploration-filled universe, with new planets around every corner and secrets galore. On top of that, the 60-frames-per-second animation redefined how a Mario game should look – absolutely amazing." – Robert Workman
"The gameplay was unlike any Mario adventure yet. Star collecting was still there, but now Mario hopped between planets, each with its own gravitational pull. The music and level design were some of the best the franchise had seen in years. Nothing was more beautiful than Galaxy as the player rocketed through space while the Gusty Garden Galaxy theme filled your ears–and heart–with delight." – Jacob Lopez
9. GoldenEye 007 "Before Halo made competitive split-screen multiplayer cool again, Goldeneye 007 was the first game to master it. Sure the single-player was an amazing experience that blended stealth action with intense gunplay, but mention Goldeneye to anyone and the first thing they will remember is the multiplayer. Its popularity sparked a remake on the Wii, but fans still occasionally dust off their N64's to wield the original Golden Gun." – Michael Splechta
"In a time when many developers erroneously believed console gamers didn't want first-person shooters, Rare had the gall to prove everyone wrong, and created a multiplayer experience that rivals some modern shooters." – Brian Rowe
"After GoldenEye 007, I became a Bond fan. Every Bond title that has released has the unfortunate circumstance of being compared to Rare’s classic, a measurement that often is never met due to the classic multiplayer of GoldenEye 007." – Dakota Grabowski
8. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker "Though Zelda has always been one of Nintendo’s most stable series, Wind Waker was proof that Nintendo wasn’t afraid to take big risks with a beloved property. Underneath its lush cel-shaded exterior, emphasis and sailing and stylized presentation, though, the classic Zelda formula is all there, further improving on Ocarina and Marjora’s deep, time-tested gameplay." – Steve Haske
"The ironic thing about Wind Waker is that its cel-shaded visual style, which caused unprecedented outrage upon its reveal, has in fact given it more lasting appeal than any other Zelda game ever. WW is all about atmosphere; its presentation makes it the most unique in the series. And while its haunting nation-lost-to-the-sea aesthetic effortlessly achieved epic perfection, it also introduced countless new elements, an area in which Twilight Princess faltered. In short, it's the best Zelda ever." – Michael Rougeau
"Switching out the ocarina for a baton that was able to command the wind, players would search an open sea filled with explorable islands, ultimately on a quest to find the Triforce and bring Ganon back to his knees once again. Link's new look spawned sequels on the DS, and made him one of the most likeable versions to date." – Michael Splechta
7. Metroid Prime
"It takes a degree of bravery for a Japanese firm to hand one of their beloved properties over to a Texan development studio, but that’s exactly what Nintendo did with Metroid Prime. Retro, the studio in question, delivered the goods. Despite being a (mostly) first person game in which you shoot things, Prime is less a Halo-style FPS and more about the engaging exploration that made the series famous." – Stuart Young
"This is arguably the best GameCube game ever made, which is amazing for action that is not driven by plot. Exploration and discovery are at the heart of Samus Aran's adventures. As players discover bits of story scattered throughout the gamescape, the cohesive writing holds a similar allure to the Mass Effect games. Part video game, part storybook, Metroid Prime looks good through all of Samus's fancy visors." – Shayna Gibson
"Why would Nintendo give some unproven Western studio one of their most beloved franchises? No idea, but we're glad they did. Whether the Shigs had a bit too much sake the day he decided Retro should handle the next Metroid, or just wanted to play a cruel joke, it’s one of Nintendo's best. The Prime series helped the Austin-based studio that developed it get the respect it deserved." – Jacob Lopez
6. Super Mario Bros. 3
"I sat in front of my TV for hours playing Super Mario Bros. 3 when I was four years old, but I never managed to beat the game. A couple of years ago I did just that thanks to the Virtual Console. If there’s something my 4-year old self and my current 23-old self agree on, it’s that Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the best 2D platformers ever." – David Sanchez
"The original Super Mario Bros. was pure platforming bliss, but Super Mario Bros. 3 took that and amplified it exponentially. With challenging worlds, more insane powerups like the frog suit and the Tanuki suit, and greatly improved graphics, Mario 3 was the perfect sequel to an already amazing game. You know a game is epic when its first gameplay debut took place in a feature film, no matter how cheesy The Wizard was." – Michael Splechta
"Truly a classic. This generation of Mario was by far the most stylish. Mario had the Frog Suit that helped him swim, the Raccoon Suit that helped him float through the air, and the Tanooki Suit which helped him fly and turn into a statue. Mario's stylishness seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent incarnations, but Mario fans will never forget." – Shayna Gibson
Tomorrow sparks the conclusion of the Top 25 Nintendo Games of All Time as we showcase the Top 5.
body {background: url(https://cdni.gamezone.com/images/nintendo_background.jpg) no-repeat top #000000; }
