Unfortunately, the President of Nintendo has passed away. Satoru Iwata has passed away far too young after a silent battle against his body. And with him disappearing from our lives he leaves behind a delightful legacy with the Nintendo company----a company that has given us a healthy blend of spectacular memories, beautiful games, and unfortunately some frustrating decisions. He wasn’t just a boss, he was a gamer that was in love with the industry and the company that he helped rise to the top. Before becoming the president he was also a producer, a developer, and a major contributor. Lastly, he did all this with a great smile, plenty of optimism, and nothing but love for his fans. He will be sorely missed, and Nintendo will definitely not be the same after his untimely departure.
What Nintendo has to do should be saved for another day, for today and for the next several days we should be honoring his legacy and the legacy of the company he called home for decades. In his honor, I have created my personal list of the 20 greatest Nintendo games ever developed. Third-party games will be exempt from this list as my 20 games will be those graced with the hands of Nintendo (and their partners), and the minds of the creative staff behind it. Take care Iwata, see you someday.
Honorable Mentions:
1) Earthbound
This game was deeper than anybody could have imagined, funnier than expected, and a lot more clever and unique than the average RPG when released back in the 90s. Even though it never resonated with an American audience and the franchise ultimately remained in Japan, the cult following has remained intense, and transformed Ness and his friends from forgotten characters into cult heroes---of course with Smash Brothers helping their legacy.
2) Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow
This game jump-started the second biggest franchise in all of gaming (trailing only Super Mario of course). This RPG was an advanced version of rock/paper/scissors that was easy to learn, easy to pick up, and a task to master. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before, similar to when the original Super Mario Bros. hit the NES. It would unite the handheld gaming community closer than ever, and it would give the Nintendo Game Boy even more years in game stores everywhere. Although the formula has been improved upon there is no denying the power of the original.
3) Donkey Kong Country
1994 was the year that killed the Sega Genesis, as the SNES saw Super Metroid, Mega Man X, Final Fantasy VI, Super Punch Out, and this gem. Donkey Kong Country’s mammoth sales would propel Super Nintendo to new financial heights and would separate itself from the Genesis once and for all. The graphics were the best the 16-bit era had ever seen (and hold up quite well today), the levels were creative, the music was groundbreaking, and you just can’t beat the killer multi-player that would allow a second person to join in on the fun.
4) Perfect Dark
The first major mature title made at least partially by Nintendo, Perfect Dark is a gritty, intense, groundbreaking, and spellbinding gem that would change the FPS genre and would alter the attitude Nintendo had towards mature games in general. Although it was released at a bad time and could never quite reach the success it deserved, Perfect Dark remains more than just a simple memory in the N64 days, it’s one of the best games we’ve seen this millennium and there have been very, very few FPS that has been able to match it. Laptop gun defeats all.
5) New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Although it has the Wii branding in it, which has dipped a bit in reputation in the past few years, this game would revolutionize the 2-D Mario franchise by allowing 4 people to contribute to the mayhem. It would be a great mix of platforming fun and friendship-destroying gameplay. The game was vibrant and colorful, and was mainsteam-appealing enough to sell over 30 million copies—a plateau that has been matched by very few games---and those games needed to be released on multiple systems to hit that number. It won’t be on many all-time greatest lists, but deserves major points for being a game with very, very few flaws.
#20: Goldeneye 007
System: Nintendo 64
One of the best reasons why even though the N64 got handedly defeated by the Playstation it was the superior system, especially on the multi-player front. Under limited marketing exposure, Goldeneye emerged to become a surprise smash hit that went beyond the delays and slipping reputation of Nintendo. The graphics may not have been the best but it was such a massive game with so many levels, surprises, secrets, and multi-player options this Rareware gem would keep you entertained for months. This was the perfect Friday Night game of the 90s, allowing you to engage in tight shootouts with your friends, leading to the mayhem we wouldn’t witness until Halo 2 became online-friendly. The N64’s Z-trigger remains the best button in the history of the FPS genre as it closest resembles the trigger of a gun because of its handle-placement. Throw in the James Bond license, great soundtrack, and great scope and you have yourself one heck of a game.
#19: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
System: Super Nintendo
The best aspect of this game isn’t just the fun and engaging quest, but the hundreds of fun tiny secrets sprinkled throughout. From the very beginning right down to the final boss (well, one of the two “final” bosses) Super Mario RPG takes us on an extremely wild ride through all types of different terrain, different environments, and encounters with all types of characters that we hadn’t seen in the franchise before. In one of the rare partnerships Nintendo agreed to, Square Soft at its peak gave us a beautiful adventure and gave Super Mario and its universe a full personality. Criminally underrated (doesn’t help that Europe didn’t experience this game until a decade after), this is easily one of Square’s finest efforts. And then there’s Geno…
#18: F-Zero GX
System: Nintendo Gamecube
The greatest futuristic racing game of all-time (and the competition is not even close), this was another rare example of a Nintendo partnership that worked, and didn’t result in disaster (unless you want to discuss sales). The game was fast, furious, intense, extremely difficult, and overall just a pure joy in every technical aspect. The Gamecube was secretly more powerful than the Xbox and PS2 and although we didn’t see many examples of it, F-Zero GX was one of those cases in which you weren’t sure if it could survive on other hardware. This game was pushing the franchise in the right direction, and it’s a pure shame that we haven’t seen more from this series in recent years----or a darn remake on the WiiU.
#17: Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgames
System: Game Boy Advance
Predating the mobile gaming market, Wario Ware was a fast-paced, addicting game with literally hundreds of tiny games to complete in mere seconds and the farther you progress the tougher it becomes. Picture the endless addiction of Tetris and combine it with the bizarre and hilarious stylings of the Wario franchise (also dormant in recent times). The game was not only fun, it was very innovative and would provide dozens of unique ideas that would be used by other Nintendo games and other games that you see in phones and tablets everywhere. It’s the quintessential pick-up-and-play game of the Game Boy Advance.
#16: Wario Land II
System: Nintendo Game Boy
I’ve always marveled at the creativity of the Nintendo squad as they cranked out incredible games and managed to fit them into the tiny Game Boy cartridges. This is what made the Game Boy survive the better-looking Game Gear, the sheer entourage and quality of games. Wario Land II is one of the defining examples, as it had over 50 levels, dozens of secret passages, secret levels, mini-games, and also had the very innovative technique of providing a challenge even though you couldn’t actually die in the entire game. It was sheer platforming perfection, and a fun game to witness as well.
#15: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
System: Nintendo Game Boy
Continuing the Game Boy tangent, we have what we thought was an impossibility back in the early 90s---a great handheld Zelda adventure that managed to preserve the mystique, character, and absolute fun of the console variations. It’s not a remake or a re-imagining either, it’s a totally new adventure that added to the mystery if the Zelda timeline. The dungeons are here, the arsenal of weapons is here, and best of all Link doesn’t lose an ounce of edge on the Game Boy. Link’s Awakening is one of the best adventure games out there---console or handheld.
#14: Tetris
System: Nintendo Game Boy
There are dozens of different versions of Tetris on all types of platforms, phones, tablets, computers, etc. The Game Boy version is the best one, hands-down. All the Tetris games are addicting, but this one is the most difficult, the least forgiving, and the most rewarding. It only displays one upcoming block as the other one is falling, it wastes no time in picking up speed when you are proven, and best of all it doesn’t complicate the simple recipe in puzzle gaming. There is no flaw in Tetris, it was the perfect launch title to coincide with the Game Boy and prove that gaming can survive when the television is turned off. Very odd that the sheer fun of this Tetris has not been duplicated.
#13: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
System: Super Nintendo
Donkey Kong Country may have been the one to put Rareware on the map, but this game was the beginning of Peak Rareware taking form. Virtually improving upon every facet of the original, Diddy’s Kong Quest was bigger, badder, more intense, more entertaining, more secret-laden, and just the cooler game from start to finish. The soundtrack was perfect, the graphics were astounding, and the level design was absolutely spellbinding. Whether battling pirates or riding roller coasters, or encountering haunted houses, this game never felt stale, never felt repetitive, and remains a joy long after you beat it.
#12: Mario Kart 64
System: Nintendo 64
The greatest arcade racing game you’ll ever play, bar none. The greatest Mario Kart game ever, bar none. Sure the single-player aspects may have been improved upon in the years following this 1996 masterpiece, but the course design was perfect here. The variety of tracks was in full force here, from the item-friendly Moo Moo Farm to the stamina-testing Wario Stadium. And then, there’s the friendship-destroying multi-player mode which is the greatest example of simplicity equaling perfection. Battle Mode: four levels, full items, three balloons. Friday Night: Complete. Mario Kart 64 may not be tops in quantity (Mario Kart 8 definitely offers a lot), but it doesn’t get much better than this in terms of quality.
#11: Super Mario Galaxy
System: Nintendo Wii
Twilight Princess was a great game overall, but the fans were extremely upset that Nintendo had not done enough to take the franchise to the next level in terms of overall presentation. Nintendo’s reply was sending Super Mario to the next major upgrade. The game literally sent Mario out of this world as it provided a spectacular display of graphics, unparalleled platform gameplay, and a beautiful soundtrack that ranks up there with the best of John Williams and Hans Zimmer. Whatever limitations the Wii provided the production team was able to overcome by stretching the hardware to the absolute limit and gave us an experience that no platformer from the competing systems could come close to providing. Although the sequel was equally as impressive, it didn’t utilize the outer space feel and atmosphere of the original quite as much.
#10: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
System: Nintendo 64
Starting out the top 10 is a game that provides a shade of darkness that shook the gaming industry, especially amongst the Nintendo fans that aren’t used to seeing such mature and gothic content from the company. Despite the shade that hounds this game, Majora’s Mask is by far the most compelling storyline in the Zelda franchise and is one of the most challenging and engaging games you’ll ever play. With an intriguing 3-day premise (that results in the end of the world, of course) that makes every second crucial, this Zelda game has you roaming around on a mission, limiting the time you spend exploring, leading to buzzer-beater boss battles, dozens of secrets and side-quests, and a dreary sense of gloom and doom that you don’t get from the typical game. The eternal helpless feeling you get while playing makes for a jarring yet entertaining experience that remains unmatched by any game out there. Its daring, it’s slightly controversial, and overall beautifully dark.
#9: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
System: Super Nintendo
From the darkness to the light, Yoshi’s Island is a joyous package of cheery graphics that mask over some hardcore platforming gameplay that tests your skills many, many times. Super Mario World 2 is the first of the (actual) Mario games (a.k.a. Mario Bros. 2 US doesn’t qualify) to buck the normal trend of Mario being the hero as he instead has to play second-banana to the hyper, agile, and hungry Yoshi. Taking a page from the forgotten Super Mario Land, Yoshi’s Island doesn’t just have you rely on two feet and jumping; you’ll become a submarine, an airplane, a professional skier among other things. The atmosphere and music is very breezy and easy-going, yet the gameplay is anything but. Very challenging but very rewarding, Yoshi’s Island is hands-down among the best games of the 90s.
#8: Metroid Prime
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Recently I had announced that the last time Nintendo had the biggest and baddest game in the market was in 2002 with the release of this shockingly incredible experience. One of the bright spots in Gamecube’s muddled life, Metroid Prime was a flawless transition for the Metroid saga as it went from 2-D adventure to 3-D action/adventure/horror that maintains the feel, isolation, and exploration habits of the classics that preceded it. From top to bottom the game was perfect: graphics, presentation, challenge, musical score, nods to previous games, and the immersive storyline that dwells deeper depending on how far you personally want to pursue it. This game is how to tell a story without taking your hand and guiding you through it. Very few modern games have yet to match the intensity of Prime.
#7: Super Smash Brothers Melee
System: Nintendo Gamecube
The best Gamecube game of all-time, and also the greatest fighting game of all-time. Melee is the perfect sequel, improving upon the original in literally every single category, and then stepping up the gameplay to the next level by offering a hypersensitive complex physics system within the fighting that hardcore gamers to this day are still mastering (and to an extent manipulating). Unlike any other fighter out there, this game is perfect as a single-player campaign, as a multi-player partyfest, and lastly as a legit serious brawler amongst competitive gamers. And unlike any other fighter, your strategy in winning the fight alters heavily depending on who you fight (character-wise), where you fight, and what items are on the field. The latter sequels are all impressive (the horrifically-titled Smash for WiiU is a step in the right direction) but Melee’s addicting blend of hardcore and casual gameplay remains unmatched.
#6: Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal
System: Nintendo Game Boy
Yes, we have seen many installments since this 2000 fireball of RPG mayhem, but none have matched the extensive leap forward that this game took to push the franchise into unbelievable heights. The truth is, you couldn’t fit anything else into this game---it took every ounce of memory imaginable to inhabit the dozens of locales, the 16 badges, the extensive story mode, and the sheer limitless replay value involving gambling, breeding, collecting, and just fighting your way to the top. Gold/Silver is Pokemon Red/Blue on steroids, no other way to accurately describe it. No Pokemon game since has offered 16 badges, which is confusing and rather inexcusable. The presentation and art design of the monsters is at its peak here, as you get all the originals and a new slew of them that aren’t pushovers either. One of the best RPGs you’ll ever play, this is Pokemon at its finest, and despite the continuing success they have yet to make a game as ballsy, as tough, and as gigantic as this one.
#5: Super Mario World
System: Super Nintendo
Super Mario is the star of many, many amazing platform games. They range from fun, to groundbreaking, to just plain perfect. Super Mario World however is the pinnacle of 2-D platforming, and remains the blueprint for which nearly platform game since has followed. Some may prefer the innovative and creative stylings o0f Super Mario Bros. 3, but in my eyes Mario World has the better level-design, much more freedom and space to roam, better secrets, better soundtrack, and a far superior presentation of how the Mario world looks and feels. It has the perfect speed of a platformer, the perfect mix of challenge and accessibility that you need in simple-concept games like this, and Mario World is practically the edited, completed, and improved version of the original Mario Bros. game.
The art of Mario World is what has allowed this game to age quite gracefully, even looking fine when compared to the crisper-yet-blander New Super Mario Bros. franchise. It would take 3 years before we saw a game look as good as Mario World, it would take even longer before we see a platformer outperform this game. Super Mario World is perfect, and will remain the perfect introduction for anyone that wants to experience the magic and majestic wonder of video games.
#4: Super Metroid
System: Super Nintendo
The best way to enjoy this game is with all the lights off, and the sound turned to the maximum. Super Metroid is more than just a superb action/adventure/exploration hybrid, its more than just a gritty sequel to a forgotten Game Boy game, it is an experience that gamers just had not faced from any title up to that point. The game has a thin story, an unforgiving scheme which forces you to maneuver around to progress further, and basically a gigantic level that gets larger and larger as you become more and more powerful. Super Metroid is a perfectly executed exercise in telling a great story through a different technique—and one of the purest forms of the gamer receiving full control as to how the game is going to pace and play out.
No Genesis game came even close to matching the quality of this dark masterpiece. From the action-packed introduction to the subtle horror that resonates throughout, right down to the shocking finale, Super Metroid is just as engaging and heart-pounding as your best of science fiction movies. Sadly though it fell underneath an avalanche of beloved 1994 games like Donkey Kong Country and it wasn’t able to reach the success it deserves. Although there aren’t as many gamers that got to experience this first-hand, it’s nearly an impossibility to find someone that wasn’t blown away by Samus’ best adventure.
#3: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
System: Super Nintendo
Zelda has an incredible appeal that has gamers and even non-gamers hooked to the storyline and the myths that are associated with the legacy. However the franchise really didn’t go off the rails in success, mystery, intrigue, and lasting impact until Link to the Past arrived in stores and changed absolutely everything. Link to the Past catapulted the Zelda franchise into the heights of Nintendo fandom as it delivered the best experience you could find in early 90s gaming.
Boasting a memorable soundtrack, incredible art design, tons of action, even more exploration and secrets, and finally a storyline that started to intertwine all the previous games together (which back in 1990 was something you really didn’t see often in gaming), Link to the Past is one of those games that could not be improved upon at all, they fired on all cylinders and succeeded in all fronts. You can spend hours just roaming the overworld without actually accomplishing anything. And then when you think the game is about over, there is an entire second half of the game to go through. The dark/light world concept might be a cliché now, but Link to the Past was the first major game to pull this off, especially impressive considering the limited memory space. Link to the Past would be the biggest game in the gaming world, and this honor would remain until Chrono Trigger years later.
Just like Super Metroid, it’s impossible to find someone that is against this cartridge of pure joy. And just like Super Metroid, this game is considered to be the best ever made by a nice legion of gamers. Although it’s not #1 in my book, I am more than willing to accept its placement as the absolute best in other lists. I will not oppose it at all. If you are a lover of video games and have not played this, then you really haven’t truly lived yet. The Zelda franchise has survived years of inactivity, curious decisions, and ho-hum recent games (Skyward Sword, I’m looking at you. Link Between Worlds, why couldn’t you be a WiiU game??!!?) because when the franchise hits the high notes, everybody wins.
#2: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
System: Nintendo 64
My list changes constantly, switching between Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time. Today, Ocarina gets the nod because of its seismic impact on the gaming industry, the massive impact on the way we view Zelda, and because it would alter Nintendo, Zelda, and the way games are released for generations to come. Ocarina of Time was THE game back in 1998, you remember where you were when you bought the game, first read about the game in Nintendo Power, and the first time you stepped into Hyrule. Even though its delays hampered the N64 and prevented it from overcoming the Playstation, for several months Nintendo had THE game to buy, THE game to play, and THE game that would shape the rest of the 90s.
Few games create such an impression immediately upon release. The transition from 2-D to 3-D was absolutely perfect, as they managed to re-create the art style and unique look of Zelda without sacrificing anything. Besides Navi, I really have no reason to criticize this game. While the industry has indeed progressed much further from Ocarina, there is no denying that without this game we wouldn’t have most of the tropes and gamplay elements we see today. The game gives you so much: dungeons, secrets, dozens of characters to interact with, dozens of bosses to fight, a great story, a menacing villain, an overworld that takes an eternity to fully explore, several surprises, and just so much to do.
7 million copies were sold back in the N64 days, which doesn’t even make it the best-selling game of the fifth generation. However, nearly every person that was a gamer around the time period can claim they owned or played this game in its entirety. It shows the strength of Ocarina, it brought gamers together, it was passed on from person to person thanks to sheer word-of-mouth. Like baseball’s 27 Yankees, football’s 85 Bears, or basketball’s Michael Jordan Bulls, Ocarina of Time is synonymous with excellence in its field. Say what you will about how dated it might be today, back then this game was something truly magical. The franchise owes its current success because of Ocarina.
#1: Super Mario 64
System: Nintendo 64
I still have a glaring soft spot for this game. Super Mario 64 is the pinnacle, the peak, the ultimate example of Nintendo magic. It was revolutionary and extremely fun at the same time. It has dozens of gameplay elements still being used today. It manages to take the platform genre and intertwine elements of action, adventure, and even some exploration (100 coins son!) and childish horror (That haunted house delivered some chills) to create a wholesome experience that we had never seen before 1996 and haven’t seen often since.
Super Mario 64 is perfection in every category out there. The graphics were top-notch, with a colorful art design to compliment the vast array of worlds. There is still no better-controlling game than Mario 64, as Super Mario himself had over 30 different moves that you can perform from the very beginning----no Mario game since has been able to diversify his moveset so nicely. The soundtrack is flawless and very diverse; from the upbeat opening level theme to the soothing sounds of the ocean levels. Although Super Mario 64 isn’t extremely challenging, there is plenty to explore and find, including entire levels you might skip if you don’t look hard enough.
Overall, Super Mario 64 shaped gaming, improved it, and set the bar very high for others to try to match. Up to this day, in 2015, I can only name a handful of games as wholesome as Mario 64. Even the current 3-D Mario games don’t quite have the exploration and amount of space contained in this N64 masterpiece. Whether the controls became more restrictive (Sunshine, Galaxy) or the amount of room to search was condensed (Galaxy 2, New Mario Bros. series), no platformer can quite match the agility of this game. Even later N64 games like Goldeneye, Mario Kart, and Ocarina of Time are influenced by the freedom of Mario’s first 3-D adventure.
I still stand by the fact that this is Mario’s best adventure, and Nintendo’s all-time greatest game. Not saying this can’t be topped, but what I am saying is that it hasn’t happened yet, for whatever reason. No list is complete without Mario 64, and I am more than happy to make it #1.
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R.I.P. Iwata. You will be missed.
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