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Discussion Favourite Story in a Nintendo Game

Lichtsang

Lichtsang

Goddess of Bravery
Pronouns
She/Her
I know Nintendo is not a developer that really focuses on deep and in-depth storytelling for most of their franchises, which - of course - is totally fine!
But there are exceptions in their catalogue and I was curious what your favourite story or your favourite story-focused game is.

For me, you can avatar-quote me on that one, it probably is Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
It's just a really special game for me. You have fascinating, well thought-out, realistic and sympathetic characters you can follow and support on their fight for what they think is right. There is no canon-route, all of them are flawed, like life simply is, and you can argue about the characters actions and motives for hours without anyone really coming out on top. It's also such a dark and tragic story about loss, trauma and the will for a better future and the actions one is willing to committ to reach that brighter tomorrow.

So, what are your thoughts and experiences? Do you have a clear favourite?
 
storres said:
Three Houses and BOTW
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Oh, to be honest, I also really enjoyed the narrative in BotW. It's sparse and not the focus of the game, but what is there I really enjoyed. The entire feeling of melancholy the game is drenched in worked very well with me.

Irene said:
Wind Waker. Such a stunningly beautiful yet melancholic tale, executed flawlessly.
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I hope we get a Wind Waker HD port on Switch. I always wanted to play that game!
 
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Mother 2/3 and Xenoblade 1/2.

Both storys get better when you played both games. It works better in the Mother games. The connection in Xenoblade is currently very small but could get more relevant with the next Xenoblade releases.
 
People play Nintendo games for the story? (/s)

I don't really play Nintendo games for the story. If I had to pick one, uh, Pokemon Black?

Maybe Xenoblade X or FE 3H
 
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Not especially my favorite, but Midna really made the story of Twilight Princess special.
 
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Let us sit together, I have a tale to share. Have you heard of it?

This is the Ballad of the Wind Fish...
 
Ahoy there, Famifriends. I understand you're discussing best nintendo stories, eh? Well, me and my fourth-form chums find Time Twist to be quite corking.
 
The Mother trilogy probably have the best stories out of any Nintendo game. Quirky, funny, and sometimes sad... very strong writing from Itoi. Some others I think are worth a mention are:

Famicom Detective Club Part II: The Girl Who Stands Behind, a game with a great mystery, wonderful cast and a really exciting climax! I'll never forget the reveal of the culprit... memorable in all three versions!

Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which has my favorite story out of any Fire Emblem title. Love all the differences between the paths (even though Edelgard has the greatest one of them all).

And both the original Xenoblade and Xenoblade 2, which are just fun fantasy stories.
 
Sheldon said:
Let us sit together, I have a tale to share. Have you heard of it?

This is the Ballad of the Wind Fish...
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Link’s Awakening is one of those surreal existentialist avant garde films in video game form and it is amazing.

I’ll pitch my vote for Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, or Bowser’s Inside Story. Those are legitimately hilarious.
 
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The Origami King has a wonderful story with compelling characters and consistently entertaining and hilarious dialogue. I also love the sparse story, mood and Polterpup of the two most recent Luigi's Mansion games.
 
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Xenoblade 2 for sure. One of the best stories in general.
Second place goes to Pokémon Sun and Moon, and third goes to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers
 
I just cannot choose among every Nintendo games, but the very first one that came to my mind is Xenoblade Chronicles. Had a blast playing it some years ago, it was so well told and so cool. I hope I can play it again sometimes, with Definitive Edition on Switch, but it's not a priority atm.
 
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I replayed Xenoblade 2 earlier in the year and was still really impressed how crazy and wild the story got while still being a really emotional story with a cast of characters that I really cared about.

Second place would have to be Mother 3, especially that ending which makes me cri everytiem.
 
That's gotta be Metroid Fusion for me. I got so immersed on it and it helped me get through some serious depression. Also Super Metroid. And Zelda Ocarina of Time.

Adam, Baby Metroid and Saria and Navi 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
 
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I can't believe no one's mentioned Skyward Sword - I don't think the story's all that remarkable, but it is beautifully executed; that final stretch gets me every time.
 
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Hotel Dusk, Mother 3, Wind Waker.

Majora's Mask, and Xenoblade X for the side stories.

Baten Kaitos Origins? That would be my favorite if it counts.
 
storres said:
Three Houses and BOTW
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Finally, someone said it (on the latter, never played the former). Aside from a few hokey elements (ahem ending) it is a wonderfully appropriate way to blend a meaningful story of being knocked down by an unfair burden and picking yourself back up to finally triumph over it with the open air gameplay.
 
Glom said:
Finally, someone said it (on the latter, never played the former). Aside from a few hokey elements (ahem ending) it is a wonderfully appropriate way to blend a meaningful story of being knocked down by an unfair burden and picking yourself back up to finally triumph over it with the open air gameplay.
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Yeah, BOTW's story is one that you have to build for yourself. Read every diary, talk to every npc to get it all... and when you do, uff boy. It hits hard. People blaming you, hoping that you return, waiting for answers. All while you try to fix a mistake you didn’t know you made.
 
Twilight said:
Majora's Mask, and Xenoblade X for the side stories.
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Majora's Mask is more than just the side stories. The main story is the deepest of any Zelda story. It is the ultimate fulfillment of coming of age story Ocarina of Time started because Link's journey is not just a metaphor for growing up, but he himself learns what it means grow up (beyond turning into a total hunk). After leaving the literal kindergarten in OOT, he learns the meaning of transience and what it means to leave things behind. It is the only game in the series to give Link and true want vs need conflict. At the beginning Link wants to find Navi, but what he needs is to understand that nothing lasts forever and to find a new future for himself. (Such themes are echoed in Link's Awakening, The Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild.) When you understand this, it turns the scene where the giant tells Link to forgive his friend into a total wham as you understand he's talking about Navi and Link must forgive her for going away and accept the need to move on. And with that the uncontrollable crying begins.
 
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I really like Fire Emblem Three Houses, Xenoblade 2, and Zelda Skyward Sword.

One of these three!
 
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Offhand I'd personally give mention to Xenoblade, Xenoblade 2 + Torna, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Pokemon Black/White, Pokemon Sun/Moon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2, Link's Awakening, Majora's Mask, and Skyward Sword.

EDIT: I'm a bit surprised nobody else mentioned Kid Icarus: Uprising yet.
 
Mother 3 is one of the few rare games that made me cry (several times too), so probably that one.

Paper Mario and M&L games make me laugh quite often, and I think Zelda games are generally well written even if they don't actually have that much dialogue.
 
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TheGreatLugia said:
EDIT: I'm a bit surprised nobody else mentioned Kid Icarus: Uprising yet.
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I thought about it, but the good writing in Uprising is in the moment-to-moment banter between the characters. The story itself is a series of good enough but only loosely consequential justifications for the next fun-packed ride.
 
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Super Metroid or Ocarina of Time.

For Super Metroid, there is really no other game I can think of that perfectly integrates the emotion of the story beat with the gameplay. Tearing into Mother Brain after that scene with the hyper beam is so incredibly satisfying. You and Samus' emotions are basically the same, and that's a powerful thing only a video game can really do.

That said, I still get a little emotional when Link is sent back to relive his lost childhood at the end of OoT. The dark reality of the situation really hits like a ton of bricks.
 
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Dread. Made me fall in love with Samus' story and makes me want more from the franchise. The ending was absolutely mental!!!

Honorable mentions: OoT, Majora's Mask, Super Mario RPG, Pokemon (1st and 2nd Gen), Odyssey, NMH3
 
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I echo most of you in here with some of my favorites:

Fire Emblem Three Houses: managed to take everything good about Awakening and Fates as well as the concepts that had potential, and managed to create a really engaging story with 3 very strong main character arcs and a great supporting cast all around. It wasn't my first FE game but it was the first one that clicked and that I managed to finish, more than once at that. Very attached to that cast.

Xenoblade: Both 1 and 2 are extremely well written. 1 has the added benefit of having a superb dub. Overall a simple story on paper but do they nail it with the characters and twists & turns. 2 is more ambitious and quite crazy at times, not afraid to get goofier, and wow does that ending hit hard because of yet another amazing cast.

Paper Mario: Specifically The Thousand Year Door and Super. Rougeport is such an interesting world, and Peach & Tec's side story will always get me misty with how it plays out. Same with the main story of Super, none of Paper Mario's helpers managed to stir in me what Tippi's arc did until recently with Olivia.

Famicom Detective Club: Getting to experience these for the first time a few months ago was a moment, and is a testament to how good the writing is that a script so old can still be so tense and engaging and even surprising.
 
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Rosalina's Storybook. I liked that approach (optional story).
 
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It's Mother 3. A powerful, tragic, funny and incredibly heartfelt story that has only gotten better with time for me.

Honorable mentions Super Paper Mario, Chibi Robo, Xenoblade 1/2 and Kid Icarus Uprising (this one wins best characters at least). I'm probably forgetting something obvious...
 
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