Having been at the top for such a long time now, it’s no surprise thatNintendois responsible for some of the biggest and most successful franchises in all of gaming. However, being in possession of so many popular series arguably has its downsides, with the Japanese giant often struggling to give all of its IPs their fair share of time in the spotlight.
Some Nintendo franchises seem to be treated to new games on an annual basis, while others have gone entire console generations without seeing a new installment. As such, trying to figure out the best Nintendo franchises can be a little tricky, as both the quality and quantity of games that each one possesses will need to be taken into account.
The Best of the Best
Mario
Even without the seemingly endless supply of sports and racing-themed spin-off games, few would disputeMario’s status as Nintendo’s best franchise. The Italian plumber has starred in some ofthe greatest video games of all timeand continues to deliver hit after hit more than four decades on from his arcade debut. It’s not just the same game every time either, with each newMariogame bringing something different to the table.
The Legend of Zelda
Aside from the god-awful CD-i titles, it’s difficult to think of a badZeldagame. In fact, the vast majority of them are viewed as masterpieces, withTears of the KingdomandBreath of the Wildjust the latest in a long line ofinnovativeZeldagamesthat have helped to reinvigorate the industry; entertaining millions of players along the way. It’s a series that spans multiple genres and has left its mark on many, particularly when it comes to open-world and action-adventure games.
Some of Gaming’s All-Time Greats
Pokemon
If a franchise’s quality and value were determined solely by its sales potential,Pokemonwould be firmly in the S-tier of any Nintendo franchise tier list. However, technical issues and an overall lack of innovation have been holding the series back a little as of late, particularly when it comes to themainlinePokemongames. They’re far from bad, but fall just a little short of greatness.
Smash Bros.
Masahiro Sakurai’sSmash Bros.continues to go from strength to strength, with each new game being better than the last. LikePokemon, though, the formula hasn’t changed all that much since the series made its debut back in the late nineties, making it difficult to place it alongside the likes ofMarioandThe Legend of Zelda.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossingmay not be to everybody’s tastes, but for most cozy game aficionados, it’s right up there withthe genre’s very best. It would have been nice to have seen the team over at Nintendo EPD supportNew Horizonsfor a little longer than they ultimately did, but theHappy Home Paradiseexpansion made up for this somewhat.
Metroid
There’s perhaps an argument to be made that Nintendo has too many fantastic franchises, which can in turn lead to some of them being neglected over time. This definitely seems to be the case when it comes toMetroid, withSamus' outingsbeing severely limited over the past decade or so. Whenever she does resurface for a new adventure though, it generally ends up being a good one, which is why people are so excited forMetroid Prime 4.
Mother (EarthBound)
As much as some would love to see a newMothergame, a lot of people feel as though the series is perfect as it is. At the time of its initial release, it offered players a welcome alternative to the games being churned out by the likes of Square and Enix and it remains one of the most unique RPG franchises even to this day.A Western release ofMother 3would be nice, but there are at least fan translations available for those eager to experience the series' final game for themselves.
Nice but Niche
Fire Emblem
It took a while for theFire Emblemfranchise to finally make its way West. Once it did though, it proved to be every bit as popular as it was in Japan, helping to bring the tactical RPG genre to a brand-new audience with a plethora ofhugely popularFire Emblemgames. It sits in a relatively niche genre though, which arguably holds it back just a little.
Pikmin
Pikminis one of Shigeru Miyamoto’s favorite Nintendo franchises and it’s easy to see why. It’s one of the most unique series in the Japanese giant’s repertoire and continues to reinvent itself with each new release. It may not rank amongNintendo’s most profitable franchises, but it’s definitely one of the company’s most innovative and unique.
Splatoon
Only Nintendo could take a genre that’s traditionally associated with bloodshed and violence and turn it into something so remarkably wholesome and refreshing. Granted, there are better third-person shooters out there, but few are anywhere near as charming asSplatoon, nor are there many that fit so perfectly withNintendo’s family-friendly focus.
Xenoblade Chronicles
TheXenoseries started life on the PlayStation before eventually being snapped up by Nintendo in early 2007. These days,Xenoblade Chroniclesis seen as one ofthe best modern-day JRPG franchises around, often going toe-to-toe with the likes ofFinal Fantasy,Dragon Quest, andPersonawhen it comes to both sales and critical acclaim.
Kirby
Kirbywas born through a desire to make a game that was accessible to everyone. More than three decades on from the pink puffball’s video game debut, the franchise still adheres to this simple principle, though has also found ways to incorporate more complex gameplay mechanics for those who crave a challenge.
Left to Decay
Donkey Kong
The originalDonkey Kong Countrygames were three ofthe best 2D platformers ever created, andDonkey Kong 64wasn’t half bad either. Sadly, however, the franchise has been left out in the cold since Microsoft’s acquisition of Rare, with only a handful of meaningful releases over the past few decades. Both the character and the series deserve better and fans will be hoping to see Nintendo do right by the great ape in the years to come.
Star Fox
If Donkey Kong has been hard done by, then so too has Fox McCloud. It’s been more than 35 years since the last goodStar Foxgame, with the handful that have been released in the years since having struggled to live up to the greatness of their predecessors. Part of this is down to a sharp decline in the popularity of rail shooters, but it also feels as though the Star Fox team has been cast aside to a certain degree.
Game & Watch
Game & Watchplayed an important role in the initial success of Nintendo and will always be remembered in that regard. However, the industry has come a long way in the decades since then, and - aside from a few special releases to commemorate anniversaries - Nintendo has opted to leaveGame & Watchwhere it arguably belongs: in the past. It’s actually somewhat refreshing to see this, particularly when so many other classic franchises are being dragged into the 21st century despite there being no real need or desire to see them revived.
F-Zero
F-Zerois arguably one of the best racing franchises of all time, yet many people have never experienced it for themselves. This is because Nintendo failed to put out a singleF-Zerogame for almost two decades, and when one did finally arrive, it was abattle royale raceravailable exclusively through Nintendo Switch Online. Games likeF-ZeroandF-Zero GXstill hold up surprisingly well though and thus are well worth checking out.
