As a longtime gamer, I think it’s safe to say Nintendo is *the* biggest name in the industry. It’s incredible to think they actually started way back in 1889! They really kicked off the whole home video game console thing, especially with the huge success of the Nintendo Entertainment System back in the 1980s. Since then, they’ve released *so* many games on all sorts of different systems, and they’ve always made the hardware themselves, which is pretty amazing.
It’s hard to list all the amazing Nintendo games that have been released in the last 40 years! Franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Metroid, Splatoon, and many more have appeared over time and really resonated with players. While there’s a huge selection of fantastic games, some definitely stand out as being better than others on their respective consoles.
Before we get to the list, keep in mind we’re only picking the top games that came out on Nintendo’s main console systems. We won’t be including games from handheld devices or smaller releases like the Virtual Boy. With that understood, here are the best Nintendo games from each console generation.
Super Mario Bros. – NES
It’s pretty clear, but nothing could have been a better launch title for the NES than Super Mario Bros.. This game not only made Nintendo a well-known brand, but it also turned Mario into a huge star. Every successful Mario game since then-like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., and all the Mario sports titles-owes its success to this original release.
Super Mario Bros. is significant far beyond Nintendo. It’s probably the most impactful game ever created, and it motivated numerous game developers worldwide. The gaming industry we have today likely wouldn’t be here without it.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – Super Nintendo
The Super Nintendo likely boasts Nintendo’s greatest collection of games ever, and that’s high praise. Super Mario World, Earthbound, Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Kart, and Super Metroid were just a few of the many amazing titles released for the SNES. It’s quite an accomplishment that The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is considered the very best game on the system.
What makes A Link to the Past special is that it was the first Zelda game to create the basic structure that Nintendo would use in many future games. The original The Legend of Zelda and its follow-up, Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, were more about trying out new ideas and showed Nintendo figuring things out. A Link to the Past brought together the concepts from those earlier games and became the model for all Zelda games until Breath of the Wild.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64 showed everyone the potential of 3D games, but The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time really made the most of the technology. With its huge world, unforgettable story, and easy-to-learn controls, Zelda’s first 3D adventure became the standard that all other games tried to beat in the following years.
What really stands out about Ocarina of Time is how enjoyable it still is to play today. Many Nintendo 64 games haven’t held up as well over time. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time isn’t just the greatest game on the N64; it might be the best video game of all time.
Super Smash Bros. Melee – GameCube
The GameCube has a remarkably extensive game collection, including many of Nintendo’s most beloved titles. Metroid Prime, Luigi’s Mansion, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door all debuted on the GameCube and were each excellent games. However, picking the very best game on the system isn’t too difficult.
Super Smash Bros. Melee is often considered the best game in Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. fighting series. It significantly improved upon the original game and solidified Super Smash Bros. as one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. Remarkably, it remains popular almost 25 years later, with a dedicated player base still enjoying it today.
Wii Sports – Wii
It feels strange to choose the game that came bundled with the Wii as the best one on the system, but Wii Sports is definitely my top pick. Although you could make a case for games like Super Mario Galaxy or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess being superior in certain ways, Wii Sports really captures the essence of what Nintendo envisioned for the Wii.
Wii Sports is a game primarily focused on using the Wii’s unique motion controls, and it’s best enjoyed when playing with friends and family. This social style of gameplay helped the Wii become incredibly popular with people of all ages. Wii Sports continues to be considered one of the greatest multiplayer games of all time, and it’s really what the Wii is most remembered for.
Mario Kart 8 – Wii U
The Wii U didn’t last as long as many other Nintendo consoles, but it still had a lot of great games. The very best of these was definitely Mario Kart 8. Nintendo’s eighth main installment in the Mario Kart series is considered the peak of the franchise, offering incredibly smooth handling, fantastic tracks, and a memorable soundtrack.
It’s clear why this is the right decision when you consider that Mario Kart 8 has remained incredibly popular since it first came out. The Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, has sold an amazing 68 million copies – the most of any Nintendo game ever. While Mario Kart is always a key title for Nintendo, MK8 represents the very best the series has to offer.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch
As a huge Nintendo fan, I think it’s amazing that the very first game on the Switch turned out to be one of the best the console has *ever* seen! And as the third Zelda game to make this list, Breath of the Wild really changed things up for gaming as a whole. What I loved most was how it focused on giving us total freedom – I found myself caring less about following the map and just wandering off to explore whatever looked cool. It really put the focus on experiencing the world!
It’s easy to argue that Breath of the Wild has been the most impactful game of the last ten years. We’ve already seen its influence in games like Elden Ring, Ghost of Yotei, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It’s difficult to imagine the Nintendo Switch achieving the same level of success without Breath of the Wild, even though it was also released on the Wii U.
Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is very new, so there aren’t many games available to choose from yet. Currently, the only two noteworthy options are Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Between these two, Bananza is the stronger title.
Taking inspiration from the gameplay and design of Super Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong’s first 3D adventure in a long time is definitely one of his best. The breakable, open-world areas in Bananza let you explore with a lot of freedom-there are almost unlimited ways to find everything you’re looking for. Bananza isn’t just the best game currently available on the Switch 2, it’s a platformer that could influence how similar games are made for years to come.
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2025-10-04 16:43