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Discussion Best Nintendo developed game ever

Best Nintendo developed game ever?

  • Super Mario Galaxy

    Votes: 21 12.7%

  • Yoshi's Island

    Votes: 7 4.2%

  • Super Mario Odyssey

    Votes: 14 8.5%

  • Ocarina of Time

    Votes: 28 17.0%

  • Super Metroid

    Votes: 18 10.9%

  • A Link Between Worlds

    Votes: 2 1.2%

  • Tears of the Kingdom

    Votes: 29 17.6%

  • Breath of the Wild

    Votes: 24 14.5%

  • Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze

    Votes: 4 2.4%

  • Super Mario Sunshine

    Votes: 3 1.8%

  • Metroid Prime

    Votes: 15 9.1%
  • Total voters
    165
  • Poll closed .
curl-6

curl-6

Chain Chomp
Nintendo has made many great games over the years, but of all of them, which do you personally think is the single greatest game they have ever produced, and tell us what you love about it and why do you feel it deserves the top spot?
Let's find out what Famiboards thinks, shall we?
How this works:

  • One nomination per person
  • The nominations with the most yeahs will be picked as poll options
  • Must be developed by Nintendo, not just published.
  • Nintendo owned but non-EPD studios such as Retro and Monolith Soft are eligible
  • For the purpose of this thread, independent partners such as HAL and Intelligent Systems aren't included
  • Have fun!

Let the games (heh) begin! :)

what-game-do-you-replay-every-year.large.jpg
 
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Yoshi's Island

e: There's maybe a handful of games I'd call perfect, and Yoshi's Island is absolutely among them. I think they absolutely knocked it out of the park; it is the tough act to follow in Nintendo's library, with none of its follow-ups ever quite capturing the same kind of magic. Visually timeless, musically delightful, this is a game I come back to probably every year or two and always have a great time. I love the way the levels all have their own sense of identity and feel a bit more "this could be a real place that exists" whereas so many Mario levels are just contextless blocks that all run together. I'm a big fan of the more laid-back "take your time and explore levels at your own pace" design philosophy, further encouraged by all the secrets and collectibles hidden within them. The boss battles are imo some of Nintendo's very best, all being unique and memorable puzzles to solve. And I think this game genuinely has the best Bowser fight as well as the best Bowser theme. This game just flat-out rules from start to finish


To be completely honest there's maybe 3 or 4 games I considered nominating instead, but those are all sure to get picked up by someone else while I feel the original Yoshi's Island has (compared to a lot of Nintendo's heavy hitters) almost fallen into being something of a hidden gem imo that doesn't get the constant praise that the usual suspects do, and I wanted to make sure it got on the board
 
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Mario Odyssey. Did a big ol review of this game over on the completed games thread last year, but to summarize this game is the absolute culmination of everything Nintendo does well. The childlike whimsy, the constant innovation and surprises, the great soundtrack, how the game foreshadows the ending so well, said ending being jaw droopingly amazing. Not only is Odyssey an incredible love letter to everything that came before, but it’s also so different from all previous Nintendo games, and blazed a fresh new era with BOTW and Splatoon
 
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Super Metroid.
curl-6 said:
Sorry I should have mentioned this in the OP: tell us what you love about it and why you think it's #1! :)
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I consider it the definitive space adventure through an interconnected alien planet, with the right amount of intrigue and openness artfully integrated within its design. It expertly balances its pillars of combat, platforming, and discovery to create a meaningful sense of moment-to-moment fun and progression. The path forward can at times be unclear, but it's never too cryptic, and the game certainly doesn't hold the player's hand, instead trusting in them to figure things out on their own. The graphics, music, and atmosphere all work in tandem to immerse the player in the solitude and hostility of Zebes. Samus is the quintessential video game protagonist, with her evolving toolkit of cool and interesting abilities, and the skill ceiling for getting the most out of her is high.

If we take the original Metroid as an initial concept, Super Metroid is the perfection of that concept. I'll always admire its depth, and the unending influence it's had across generations of gaming.

And that's the short version. I'm exercising self-control in order to avoid writing an essay on Super Metroid...
 
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Edit: Feels like they finally got the creative juices flowing again for Zelda. The way the game feels, plays and finds ways to constantly surprise you while playing is so good. I believe the kids call this “the juice” these days.
 
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Ocarina of Time

Edit: looking at it through the frame of the time it released, the world and gameplay Nintendo managed to build with relatively fresh 3D tech was just incredible. It has scale, atmosphere, a friggin day/night cycle (on the N64!!) and is so well-designed that the world feels seamless even though it obviously isn't. It may not seem too technically impressive now but at the time there was relatively little foundation in 3D games and Nintendo built the foundation during that generation, with OoT (and Mario64) helping lead the way.
 
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Sorry I should have mentioned this in the OP: tell us what you love about it and why you think it's #1! :)
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
 
This isn't my favorite (it won't even hit top 50), but I think I'll vote in Wii Sports.

It just perfectly shows why motion controls are fun and has such universal appeal. I remember when I was young when the Wii came around and it immediately captivated me. The overall game experience was so next-gen and novel at the time.

As time passes, as an experience you can get better with Wii Sports Resort and Nintendo Switch Sports. But just as Super Mario Bros. remains iconic even after its sequels come out, same for Wii Sports.
 
Super Mario Bros. 3!

This is my first ever played video game and have a special place for me. I know how it stacks against other mario 2D platformers but for me it's nothing short of perfect.
 
slide's said:
I see Kirby and a pokemon in the banner, are HAL- and Game Freak-developed games fine to include?
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Sorry if that was confusing! I just can't manage to find a good Nintendo characters banner without Kirby or Pikachu in it haha.

For the purposes of this thread, I think HAL and Gamefreak probably won't count as they're technically independent external studios.
Nintendo owned ones like Monolith and Retro are fair game though.
 
Man, this is actually hard, because the amount of masterpieces their are.

But I’m gonna go with Links awakening, since it’s probably the most unique Zelda game and also has my favourite meta commentary of escapism and also a fantastic message of accepting the hard truth of reality.

Also the ending (especially the Switch version) is ingrained in me.
 
Super Mario Galaxy 2

removes the dogshit Comet Observatory from the first game for a compact hub world with course picker, postgame is better, level design is much better. Gameplay-wise it is perfection to me and I believe Nintendo can't top it.

Honorable mention:
Metroid Prime 2 Echoes
Kid Icarus Uprising
Super Mario 3D World
 
It's clearly Super Metroid. No other game in the history of video games so perfectly encapsulates exploration through player expression in a non-open world game. When you have an entire genre that fails to live up to its namesake, that's when you know you've built one of the greatest games ever. There are things Super Metroid doesn't do as well as its modern contemporaries but the things that it actually focuses on it has been pretty much untouched in since its release, and I can't say that about most video games.
 
the time has come Urban Champion fans.
4102171-urban-champion-nes-front-cover.jpg

the finest work to come from the “Black Box” era of the Nintendo Entertainment System, it’s such an iconic game. That it got a full remaster on the Nintendo 3DS..
 
3memk7yy.jpg


Mother 3, developed by the now fully owned 1-Up Studio, is the greatest RPG ever made and overcomes the limitations of its Game Boy Advance release platform to tell one of the most prescient and empathetically told critiques of capitalism and the singularity in regards to human nature to grace any medium of storytelling, interactive or passive.

It utilizes the video game medium to ensure you care about every bit of the world you interact with, and makes every hard hitting moment that much more poignant. The story beats are masterfully paced and presented, and the lush spritework makes everything feel that much more alive.
Chapter_1.png

The battle system is still unique and ahead of most RPGs out there, with the musical timing inspiring collegiate level dissection and analysis that is still debated on to this day.


Its soundtrack is timeless and eclectic, standing as Shogo Sakai’s masterwork.




The game’s popularity transcends its official Japanese exclusivity, as the passion it commanded has driven for multiple fan translations across the world’s most spoken languages. This level of passion and drive can only be derived from the quality of the work being adapted.

Across storytelling, gameplay, theming, visuals, and music, I cannot think of a better game that Nintendo’s released outside of Mother 3.
 
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JB2448 said:
image0.jpg

Mother 3, developed by the now fully owned 1-Up Studio, is the greatest RPG ever made and overcomes the limitations of its Game Boy Advance release platform to tell one of the most prescient and empathetically told critiques of capitalism and the singularity in regards to human nature to grace any medium of storytelling, interactive or passive.

It utilizes the video game medium to ensure you care about every bit of the world you interact with, and makes every hard hitting moment that much more poignant. The story beats are masterfully paced and presented, and the lush spritework makes everything feel that much more alive.
Chapter_1.png

The battle system is still unique and ahead of most RPGs out there, with the musical timing inspiring collegiate level dissection and analysis that is still debated on to this day.


Its soundtrack is timeless and eclectic, standing as Shogo Sakai’s masterwork.




The game’s popularity transcends its official Japanese exclusivity, as the passion it commanded has driven for multiple fan translations across the world’s most spoken languages. This level of passion and drive can only be derived from the quality of the work being adapted.

Across storytelling, gameplay, theming, visuals, and music, I cannot think of a better game that Nintendo’s released outside of Mother 3.
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This was gonna be my pick but I didn't know if I should count Brownie Brown even though they're entirely owned now, they weren't when it released.
 
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time


There are other Nintendo games I love (some already listed here, like Super Mario 64 and Urban Champion), but Ocarina of Time is the defacto best game of all time period, let alone best Nintendo game. That reputation has lasted for almost three decades now to the point where it is unlikely to change and is earned. Saying otherwise is like saying there’s a better Pokémon than Charizard.
 
Super Mario World

Edit: first game I played and the game I finished most times. I can play infinite times and never get bored.
 
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OF THE GAMES I’VE PLAYED(!)

Most impactful: Zelda Breath of the Wild
Most nostalgic: Super Paper Mario
Best overall: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
 
JazzyFuture said:
This was gonna be my pick but I didn't know if I should count Brownie Brown even though they're entirely owned now, they weren't when it released.
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Yeah, I wouldn't count Mother 3. Xenosaga isn't a Nintendo game just because Monolith and later Xeno games are now owned by Nintendo. I wouldn't count Tropical Freeze either personally, but that one at least has technicality on its side and had more direct involvement of Nintendo staff even if it's hard to say what makes it a meaningfully different creative situation from say, Metroid Dread.
 
Stilt Village said:
Yeah, I wouldn't count Mother 3. Xenosaga isn't a Nintendo game just because Monolith and later Xeno games are now owned by Nintendo. I wouldn't count Tropical Freeze either personally, but that one at least has technicality on its side and had more direct involvement of Nintendo staff even if it's hard to say what makes it a meaningfully different creative situation from say, Metroid Dread.
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For one, Nintendo has owned Retro since 2002, while they do not own Mercury Steam at all.
 
It's close between:
  • Super Metroid
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  • Paper Mario: A Thousand-Year Door
  • Super Mario Galaxy
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Kirby Super Star
  • Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
  • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
... I'll think about it and edit my post when I've decided.

Edit: It has to be Breath of the Wild.

My heart was screaming TTYD, but I recognize its flaws and scope pales in comparison. Ocarina of Time was very close to being my selection, but I think Breath of the Wild accomplishes the spirit of the Zelda franchise best, even if I disagree with much of its design philosophy and mechanics. Super Mario Galaxy is basically a perfect game and one I hold in extremely high regard, but it didn't do much—in my opinion—to push the genre forward quite like BotW did.
 
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Stilt Village said:
Yeah, I wouldn't count Mother 3. Xenosaga isn't a Nintendo game just because Monolith and later Xeno games are now owned by Nintendo. I wouldn't count Tropical Freeze either personally, but that one at least has technicality on its side and had more direct involvement of Nintendo staff even if it's hard to say what makes it a meaningfully different creative situation from say, Metroid Dread.
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I thought when OP said made by Nintendo, they meant EPD or the internal equivalent. So even Retro wouldn't count.

@curl-6 what did you mean?
 
0
switchum said:
Genuine question as someone who’s not super into Splatoon:

What makes 2 better than 3? I would think 3 would be better since it has enhanced features that build on its predecessor
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I'm not an expert, but hearing various people, including my very Splatoon obsessed partner, rant, here's a quick list of bullet points from what I've gathered.
  • Dumbed down specials from the previous game
  • Simplified maps that make them all play effectively the exact same in 3 (turning more complex maps into the same symmetrical S shape)
  • Wildly uneven splatfests in 3
  • Worse netcode in 3
  • Octo Expansion is seen as the best campaign in the series still
 
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For reference, if we’re strictly going for Nintendo Research & Development, Analysis & Development, and Planning & Development, and completely ignoring other internal Nintendo productions from Software Planning & Development, Software Technology Corporation, Retro Studios Monolith, 1-Up Studio, SRD, NDcube, and collaborative projects, I suppose I’d have to go with The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask as a confluence of its short turn around time and ingenious yet hellish development pipeline birthing one of the most unique and haunting game to come out of any publisher, let alone Nintendo.

Let us know OP.
 
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