Nintendo’s history of home consoles is filled with some of the most beloved games ever made. For 40 years, they’ve consistently introduced new and exciting features with each new console, and they continue to do so today.
These consoles became popular thanks to the memorable characters featured in their best games. With each new generation of Nintendo consoles, certain characters became incredibly well-known. But who were the most popular characters in each generation?
Mario Was the Beginning of Nintendo’s Dominance With the NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo’s very first home console, launched the original Super Mario Bros. This groundbreaking platformer is considered a classic, and it set the standard for many Mario games and future titles on Nintendo consoles.
Alongside other beloved NES games like Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3, the original Mario games captivated players with fresh power-ups and enemies, all while keeping the familiar music and level design fans enjoyed. Mario first became a gaming and cultural icon on the NES, quickly becoming Nintendo’s main character and leading to a huge number of spin-off titles.
Donkey Kong Was a Platforming Legend on the SNES
Mario remained Nintendo’s most popular character as the Super Nintendo became popular, but he faced a strong new challenger with Donkey Kong Country. This game was a huge hit when it came out, largely because of its amazing graphics and the ability to play with a friend. It quickly became a successful series, both alongside and in competition with Super Mario.
The Donkey Kong series really took off on the SNES, and two sequels proved it. After Donkey Kong Country, the spotlight shifted to other characters: Diddy Kong starred in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, and Diddy’s girlfriend, Dixie Kong, led Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble. These three games breathed new life into the series and boosted Donkey Kong’s overall popularity.
Fox McCloud Starred in a Groundbreaking Title For the Nintendo 64
The first Star Fox game was groundbreaking for the Super Nintendo, showcasing impressive 3D graphics for the console. Four years later, Star Fox 64 reimagined the original for the Nintendo 64. This new version not only updated the graphics but also expanded the gameplay with a branching storyline and the addition of multiplayer.
Star Fox 64 was a beloved action game, and it’s been updated and re-released multiple times, most recently in 2026. These remakes, along with Fox McCloud’s appearances in the Super Smash Bros. games, have kept him a consistently popular character. The original game’s success truly makes him one of the standout stars of its time.
Samus Aran Was the GameCube’s Crown Jewel
After the Nintendo 64 skipped over her, bounty hunter Samus Aran returned in the popular Metroid Prime on the Nintendo GameCube. This game brilliantly brought the feeling of exploring a mysterious and dangerous alien world to life in 3D.
Metroid Prime revitalized Samus Aran’s position as a top Nintendo character. The series continued to thrive on both the Wii and Nintendo Switch consoles.
Miis Were the Defining Stars of the Wii Era
The Nintendo Wii let players create personalized characters called Miis. These Miis could be used within games, and were central to the gameplay of titles like Wii Sports and Wii Fit. They also appeared in other popular Nintendo games, including Mario Kart Wii and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.
Though not characters themselves, Miis were a key part of what made the Nintendo Wii special. They became so popular that Nintendo started using them as the standard avatars on all their later consoles, and they even appeared in many other games.
Inklings Were The Best Things to Come Out of the Wii U
While the Wii U didn’t perform as well as the original Wii, one game stood out: Splatoon. This unique third-person shooter features Inkings – characters that are both human and squid – who battle it out in colorful turf wars. The first Splatoon was a moderate hit on consoles, but it paved the way for even more popular sequels on the Nintendo Switch.
The Inklings, originally from Splatoon, have become popular Nintendo characters, even appearing in games like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Their success shows that great characters can emerge even on consoles that weren’t huge hits.
Link’s Greatest Adventure Set the Stage for Nintendo Switch’s Cultural Reset
The Legend of Zelda series has consistently delivered excellent games since its start on the NES. However, Breath of the Wild was a particularly significant release, marking the end of the Wii U and the beginning of the Nintendo Switch’s success. It was a fantastic launch title for the new console and stands out as one of the best Zelda games ever made.
Link was the star of a huge adventure, letting players try out different ways to play within a massive, open world. The game really encouraged players to forge their own paths and explore. While it’s too soon to say who the best Nintendo character of the next generation will be, Link was definitely the hero Nintendo needed to stay on top during the Switch era.
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2026-05-26 06:40