The Best Nintendo Games on Every Handheld

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Handheld gaming is incredibly popular right now, possibly more so than ever before. Devices like the Steam Deck, PlayStation Portal, ROG Ally, and the Nintendo Switch family have driven a huge increase in on-the-go gaming over the last few years. However, Nintendo has been a key player in making handheld gaming possible for decades, more than any other company.

Nintendo has a long history with handheld gaming, starting with devices like the Game & Watch. More recently, they combined handheld and home console gaming with the Switch, which has significantly impacted the industry. Before the Switch, Nintendo created many dedicated handheld systems, including the Game Boy, Nintendo DS, and 3DS. Nintendo consistently supported these devices with games, and some titles truly stood out. Now, let’s explore the best games ever released on Nintendo’s handheld systems.

Just a quick note before we start: this list doesn’t include the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. While you can play them on the go, they’re designed more like traditional home consoles. If you’re interested in our ranking of the best Nintendo console games overall, you can find it here.

Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow – Game Boy

Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow aren’t just the greatest games on the Game Boy—they’re among the most influential video games ever created. Although the Game Boy had been popular for about seven years before Pokémon arrived, these games made it an absolute essential. Pokémon quickly became a cultural sensation, and Red, Blue, and Yellow introduced iconic characters like Pikachu and Charizard to people around the world.

Not only were *Pokemon Red*, *Blue*, and *Yellow* incredibly creative and fun RPGs, they brilliantly used the Game Boy’s portability. The ability to trade and battle Pokemon between two Game Boys was groundbreaking when it launched and continues to be a key part of the *Pokemon* series. These games were remarkably innovative for their time and are arguably Nintendo’s most influential portable titles ever.

Pokemon Gold and Silver – Game Boy Color

It’s unusual to feature two Pokémon games so close together on this list, but *Pokémon Gold* and *Silver* deserve the recognition. While *Pokémon Red*, *Blue*, and *Yellow* started the Pokémon phenomenon on the original Game Boy, *Gold* and *Silver* on the Game Boy Color were a significant step forward. They introduced new Pokémon and gameplay features, and importantly, continued the story from the previous games. This is notable because most Pokémon games since then have told standalone stories, unconnected to what came before.

What truly set *Pokémon Gold* and *Silver* apart was the inclusion of the entire Kanto region from the original *Red*, *Blue*, and *Yellow* games, alongside the new Johto region. This was an incredible feat in 2000, especially considering all that content fit onto a Game Boy Color cartridge. Even now, *Pokémon Gold* and *Silver* are often seen as the peak of the series – a standard no later game has managed to surpass.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga – Game Boy Advance

The Game Boy Advance has a huge number of games, but few are truly exceptional. While titles like *Advance Wars*, *Metroid Fusion*, *WarioWare Inc.*, and *The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap* were all well-received, they didn’t really revolutionize their genres. *Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga*, though, I believe it absolutely did.

Although Mario had appeared in role-playing games like *Paper Mario* and *Super Mario RPG* before, *Superstar Saga* is often considered his best adventure in the genre. It features a surprisingly compelling story and controls that were easy to pick up and play, especially for the Game Boy Advance. *Superstar Saga* isn’t just a top-tier Mario RPG; it also started the popular *Mario & Luigi* series, which has remained successful for over 20 years on many different gaming systems.

Mario Kart DS – Nintendo DS

When the Nintendo DS first came out, *Mario Kart DS* quickly became the game everyone needed to have. Released about a year after the handheld’s launch, it was the first *Mario Kart* title that felt as full-featured as the versions on home consoles like *Mario Kart 64* and *Mario Kart: Double Dash*. Although it wasn’t perfect, *Mario Kart DS* demonstrated how quickly handheld gaming was catching up to the console experience.

What makes *Mario Kart DS* special to me is how easy it was to play with others. Unlike many multiplayer games, you didn’t need everyone to own a copy. Nintendo’s download play feature let anyone with a DS join in, and *Mario Kart DS* used it more than most games. Because of this, even if you didn’t own the game yourself, you probably still spent a lot of time playing it with friends and family.

Fire Emblem: Awakening – Nintendo 3DS

Over the last ten years, Fire Emblem has become a major series for Nintendo. While recent games like *Fire Emblem: Three Houses* (2019) have been incredibly successful, and *Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave* is highly anticipated for the Switch 2, the series’ current popularity began with *Fire Emblem: Awakening*. Without that game, Fire Emblem wouldn’t have reached this level of excitement.

Honestly, *Awakening* was the game that finally got *Fire Emblem* popular over here in the West. I was completely hooked by the story, and I really connected with the characters. The gameplay was super strategic, and it just felt like a huge step up for the series. I genuinely think it saved *Fire Emblem* – without *Awakening*, we might not have gotten any of the newer games, spin-offs, or even seen those characters in *Super Smash Bros.*! It’s not just the best *Fire Emblem* game, in my opinion, but one of the very best games the 3DS ever had.

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2025-10-12 05:11