Top 10 Best Nintendo Games of All Time

The Top Ten
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

This game is timeless, and with its 3DS remake, they improved some of the controls, making the game even more fun. It was the most revolutionary game at the time of its release. Just like the original Legend of Zelda, it added new ways to make games both difficult and fun.

It was a game that all other games looked up to and tried to surpass. Looking back, not many Nintendo games come close to it in terms of fun. That said, newer games like Super Mario Odyssey, which might come very close to its level, have introduced expansive worlds where you can explore wherever you want, similar to Ocarina of Time. Even The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which tries to build on the Ocarina of Time formula and improve it, pays homage to this timeless classic.

However, that doesn't make those newer games better. In my opinion, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the game that will reign supreme over all Nintendo games. It can proudly say, "You took that from me."

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

While I may not play this much anymore, when it came out, I was obsessed with this game. With well over 600 hours of total play time (not even counting Project M), I can safely say that this is the Nintendo game I have played the most.

The introduction of third-party characters Sonic and Solid Snake really opened up the possibilities for the future of the series, and the sheer amount of content was staggering for a Wii game. The Custom Stage Builder was rudimentary but serviceable enough to make some interesting maps for battles and couch-multiplayer "mini-games" my friends and I sometimes played, such as Tag and Spike Pit.

While Melee may be more competitively viable and SSB4 may have expanded on many of Brawl's aspects, Brawl will always have a special place in my heart as my most enjoyed Nintendo game.

Super Mario 64

This game was getting things right when other games had no clue. Movement was perfect, and this was months before Tomb Raider. The analog stick was revolutionary and is commonplace today, as well as the many ideas implemented within the game. It set a standard for all 3D games to live up to.

If you see this game and complain about the controls, I suggest you try again someday and spend as much time as possible in the very first area it drops you into. It's actually the tutorial zone. Once you have the controls down, proceed with the rest of the game, and good luck!

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Unlike the other Super Smash Bros games, Melee has the aspect of being both a party game and an extremely competitive multiplayer game. There is no other game that has such a unique community and history behind it. I suggest watching "The Smash Brothers" documentary on YouTube if you don't know much about Melee. It's the best documentary I have ever watched.

Sure, Wii U and Brawl have more characters, stages, etc., but that isn't what makes Melee so unique and enjoyable. The fact that it's so simplistic on the outside is what makes it so fun for anyone. The more you play, the more you realize how complex this game really is.

Melee is the best mistake Nintendo has ever made. I doubt they could ever recreate what Melee has become.

Super Mario Bros. 3

My favorite game of all time by a wide margin, and I only got to play it when I was 21. After I played Ocarina of Time as a kid, I was quite sure no game could provide me a more memorable experience, but this game proved me wrong.

SMB3 is a blast from start to finish, and you can beat it 100 times, and it'll still feel incredibly fresh.

Super Mario 3 is my favorite Mario game. I just love all the cool abilities you get and all of the bosses you fight. I can't really expect a lot of hate from it.

Fun game, happy music, hard but super nice gameplay, and cool bosses. The release of the Koopa Kids and some levels you can just fly over with the Super Leaf, like the Cape Feather in Super Mario World.

Best game ever!

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

This is by far THE best Smash Bros. In terms of gameplay, it is the most fair and probably has the most balanced character roster out of all the games in the series, as well as the largest. It should definitely be ranked above Brawl.

Why do people like Melee and Brawl more than this? Yes, I like them too, but this game combines everything good about the other games and makes them better.

This is also the most fair out of all the games.

It's my favorite game of the top 10, and I'm kind of surprised that SSBB is in second place. SSB Wii U is, for me, the greatest Smash game by far, thanks to its cool selection of characters and spectacular 8-player mode.

Also, none of the characters are really OP like Pikachu in the original, Fox in Melee, and Meta Knight in Brawl, making Smash Four well-balanced.

Super Mario Galaxy

Mario pretty much formed my childhood. I started off with the Wii and eventually moved on to improved consoles throughout the years, but never once have I forgotten about good old Mario. We mustn't forget about his Luma friends and Rosalina herself, right?

This game is a gem in the world of Nintendo. From the incredibly cliché but still amazing start to the character redemption-filled finish (come on, you can't tell me watching Bowser Jr. dancing on that airship wasn't fun), you just never want to stop playing. I'm pretty sure I nearly cried the first time the credits rolled.

The controls are impeccable, the challenge level is just right for its style, and the graphics are cutting-edge and crystal clear for a 2007 game. The soundtrack is also incredible. I still listen to the single Family from time to time to fall asleep. All in all, Galaxy is simply a perfect game. I fail to see why it's not #1.

Super Mario World

I love this game! It is my favorite Mario game of all time! I just love playing as Mario and jumping on my good pal Yoshi.

The game that defined my childhood. No game makes me happier to this day.

Amazing game with a variety of levels, plus Yoshi!

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Majora's Mask is the darkest and most complex Zelda game, if not any game by Nintendo that is "suitable for all ages." Though Majora's Mask lacked the number of dungeons that Ocarina of Time had, it made up for it with its amazing plot as a sequel to an equally great game.

It was sinister enough with the impending apocalypse of the nightmare fuel that is a grotesque moon. But the fact that, after every attempt to help someone from their pains and misfortunes, it all resets every three days, all to save the world from an equally emotionally strained kid wearing a cursed mask, adds to its depth. The game definitely made my childhood great and memorable.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Underrated. I wish people would give this game a chance. This game has some of the best items and dungeons in the series and a deep character roster. The game also has an excellent story.

It's the second best Zelda game.

Not my personal favorite. That is Super Mario 64. But this is the best Nintendo game and the best game ever. It feels like a sequel or updated version of Ocarina of Time. The true Zelda game, not Breath of the Wild.

Awesome gameplay, awesome atmosphere, awesome story, awesome ending. One of the best games ever.

The Newcomers

? Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This is the best Smash game, hands down. I'm really happy they brought in more music, all the themes, and more fighters. The Story Mode is also great. They even brought back one of my favorite characters, the Wii Balance Board, as a Dojo owner.

Thanks, Nintendo.

Definitely, this is the most complete and viable game of the Smash Bros. series, both casually and competitively. It should be in the top 10 as the representative of the series.

It should be higher, but I'm glad it's on the list.

? Super Mario Odyssey

This game is like a celebration of video games, especially nintendo. It's that good.

The best video game you never want to end. I never wanted Super Mario Odyssey to run out of power moons

I love this game

The Contenders
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

I'll be honest. I didn't like the game at first because it didn't tell you what to do or where to go most of the time. I hold true to that statement to this day, especially in the Forest Haven when you start. How the heck was I supposed to know to roll into the Great Deku Tree to get the Chuchus off?

But it does give you a huge sense of accomplishment when you figure out the puzzles. I also didn't like how Link can't jump, but this was my first Zelda game (except BotW), so I wasn't used to that occurring through all the Zelda games.

Overall, it's a great game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

This is an absolute masterpiece. If you own a Wii, get this now! While I enjoyed the original Galaxy, this one is much better. Why is it lower on the list?

The controls work well, and the level design is amazing. It is also much easier to navigate than the original game and has 242 stars. I have completed this game completely, and the amount of extra content is astounding. The graphics are good despite being on the not-very-powerful Wii.

It's a shame that the new 3D Mario games aren't as innovative as this gem. I really hope for Galaxy 3 soon!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This game is the best game Nintendo has created. Before this, I didn't play much Legend of Zelda. I played the original, and I also played a bit of Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, but other than that, I hadn't played it much.

However, my father got me this game and told me he loved the old Legend of Zelda and wanted to play this one to see if it was any good, and if I would like it.

Then I got that first opening shot - one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen. The graphics were absolutely beautiful, and the gameplay was awesome! I loved exploring Hyrule at my own pace and never having someone bug me to do the next quest. I adored collecting swords, shields, and armor of all kinds.

It was one of the best games I have ever played - no - the best game I've ever played. The story was amazing, character development was great, everything was awesome! 10/10

Super Mario Bros.

This game resuscitated a dying industry and gave rise to the Nintendo empire. It deserves to be number one, or at least in the top five.

At least Mario World and Mario 3 are higher on the list.

It might not be as good as most games Nintendo made later on, but still, it is the one that started it all!

This should be number one as this game saved the video game industry.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

One of my favorite games of all time, in my opinion! I love it so much! I played it non-stop when I first got it.

Of all the Paper Mario games I have played (and I've played almost all of them), this one is the best. It should be in the top ten.

This is one of the best games of all time. It deserves a place in the top 10.

Super Smash Bros.

The combination of 3D models and 2D explosions just does it for me.

Face it, all four of the Smash Bros. games are perfection!

Oh, these bring back memories!

Super Metroid

This is my second favorite game of all time, right below Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga. I've been playing it over and over again. After a mere seven playthroughs, I was already beating it in way less than two hours and in one sitting. I enjoy every time because no playthrough is the same.

The amount of sequence breaking this game allows makes it timeless. The soundtrack is fantastic, the controls are fluid (the wall jump as well - if you can't do that, that's not the controller's fault, that's yours), and the replayability is out of the roof. Top that off with a simple yet incredible story, a heartbreaking ending, and beautiful graphics (even today), and you have, in my opinion, the best game of all time.

And no, I am not blinded by nostalgia. The first time I played this game was when I was 18, and I was blown away. I went in fresh, and I still agree that Super Metroid is, in fact, the best game ever made.

Paper Mario

If this one's referring to Super Paper Mario, or if it's just referring to whichever game the reader played, it deserves to be ranked higher. The Paper Mario series is criminally underrated. Sticker Star did nothing to fix that, but the first three games are simply mind-blowing with their creativity, music, and especially style.

Nintendo really needs to make a Paper Mario game that can survive the death of the Wii U and is more alluring than Color Splash, as a final note to the fans upset with Sticker Star.

Mario Kart: Double Dash

This is way better than Mario Kart 64. Every N64 game ever made is overrated because they were the first 3D games Nintendo ever made. The GameCube was a big step up.

I can't believe Smash Brothers Brawl got ahead of this when all you do is fight.

Star Fox 64

What?! 42nd?! This is the most amazing game I have ever played. It features unique levels, butt-kicking animals, easy-to-learn maneuvers, great graphics, challenging bosses, a versus mode, a training mode for beginners, different power-ups, and great critical reception.

Shame on those who think Mario Kart DS is better! That game has crappy graphics, impossible controls, a pathetic battle mode, and a shameful track selection. How does that piece of crap compare to this cartridge of glory on a phenomenal console?

How!

Pokemon Red

Perfect storyline. It doesn't try to be deep but is still very engaging and exciting to play through. The trainers you fight and the Pokémon you use are iconic.

Nothing beats the initial Pokémania!

Why isn't this number one? This is my childhood in a nutshell. So life-changing, fun, and revolutionary. Nintendo wouldn't be half as successful if it wasn't for the Pokémon and Mario series.

I like Blue more, but great game as I have both the American and Japanese versions!

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

No doubt this is one of Link's most memorable adventures.

This game justifies the purchase of a SNES. So epic!

This is Ocarina of Time, just a tad worse.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Wait... What? Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, the game that kept the SNES around for a whole year after its original US cancellation date, the game that revolutionized Mario games and platform games in general?

This isn't my favorite Nintendo game, but it gets my vote simply because it needs to be higher. MUCH HIGHER.

This game is so fun and cute! It has a fun storyline and adorable characters and enemies!

It's pretty good. An underrated game, but not worth the five rehashes of the same game.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

My favorite in the franchise so far.

I think it's better than the Wii U version.

It adds all the DLC to the main game, so you don't have to pay for it. It has better battle mode courses, more battle modes, and more characters to choose from.

Donkey Kong Country Returns

This game is extremely fun. The graphics are outstanding, and the gameplay is enjoyable. The controls could be less difficult, but overall, this is a fun game you can enjoy with your friends.

This is so good. If you don't like it, something is wrong with you.

I played this game about five times. It is awesome.

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