Discussion The top 5 essential Nintendo franchises. Mario and Zelda are 1 & 2. What are your personal 3-5?

[Aurc]

Metroid is video game heritage. Anybody claiming it's not top 5 is neither fit to be a Nintendo fan nor taken seriously.

The criteria for their top five could easily be different from ours, though. Metroid certainly isn't winning any popularity contests, for instance.

 

[Chaos Theory]

The criteria for their top five could easily be different from ours, though. Metroid certainly isn't winning any popularity contests, for instance.

If we’re only counting sales then Nintendo Sports should be ranked higher than most of the IP listed in this thread, yet I’ve not seen it mentioned once nor is it in the OP’s poll?

 

[MondoMega]

Clearly the perfect time to revisit and update my objective, flawless, 100% serious criteria for determining the top Nintendo properties.

Criteria #1) Comapny Profile. Remains unchaged over the past year; still references the same eight properties: Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and Splatoon. As they are listed in release order and given equal importance in this context, a full point is rewarded to the whole group; congratulations!

Criteria #2) Official Website. Splatoon now has a dedicated site too, joining Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Kirby and Fire Emblem in this section; definitely worth the full point. Pokemon continues to be the only franchise not listed here with a spotlight page elsewhere on the site; and given Pokemon of course has its own dedicated site, I think it is fair to award the point in this case.

Criteria #3) Nintendo Store. Pikmin has since been upgraded to having it's own statue and permanent section; and while it remains smaller than Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing and Splatoon, I think it is worthy enough for the full point. The stores continue to have a decently sized Kirby merch section as well, just without a massive statue to denote it (Kirby has their own pop-up stores and cafes regardless); and the Nintendo Tokyo Store continues to be located adjacent to a Pokemon Center store (no longer carrying the Mario x Pokemon promotional merch as far as I am aware, though).

Criteria #4) Super Nintendo World. Super Mario Land has of course been open in Japan for two years now, and opened in Hollywood just a few months ago. Donkey Kong Country remains scheduled for 2024 in Japan; and both Mario and DK will should open in Orlando alongside the rest of Epic Universe in 2025. Pokemon's partnership remains confirmed with a minimal presence in parades thus far; with rumors of a dedicated land / attraction strengthening after the announcement of Spider-Man's closure in Universal Japan (the long-rumored site for Pokemon). The rumors of Zelda have strengthened too; as The Lost Continent in Orlando's Islands of Adventure, the rumored site for Zelda, closed down it's final ride just last month. Less corroborated rumors point towards interest in an Animal Crossing expansion for Japan; and alongside the known inclusion of Kirby in an early pitch, an interview with Miyamoto confirmed Splatoon was considered too. This time i'll be a little fairer and say scrapped plans are only worth half a point, alongside the Pikmin cameos (which remain present in the Hollywood park) and Animal Crossing rumor (as there is not as much evidence to back it as Zelda and Pokemon).

Criteria #5) Sanei Plushes. Many of the top Nintendo scholars consider this the most crucial criteria of all. As acknowledged before they work with the majority of Nintendo's largest characters and properties: Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend Zelda, Fire Emblem, Kirby, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and Splatoon. No new series have joined the lineup since last time, but they remain just as cuddly and adorable.

So this brings us to our final, objective, irrefutable tallies:

• Super Mario: 5/5
• The Legend of Zelda: 5/5
• Pokemon: 5/5
• Animal Crossing: 4.5/5
• Splatoon: 4.5/5
• Kirby: 3.5/5
• Pikmin: 3.5/5
• Donkey Kong: 3/5
• Fire Emblem: 2/5
• Metroid: 1/5

 

[AtomicZach]

1. Mario
2. Zelda
3. Pokemon
4. Metroid
5. Animal Crossing

Metroid is Nintendo's most prestigious IP after Mario/Zelda in terms of critical acclaim, boasts multiple games of a generation, is the origin of its a genre, has one of (if not the) longest running stories in the industry, is a speedrunning icon, and is one of their few major IP that still has a genuine future in both 2D and 3D.

Metroid is video game heritage. Anybody claiming it's not top 5 is neither fit to be a Nintendo fan nor taken seriously.

Sorry, I think I rolled my eyes so hard I reached the back of my skull. What is it with Metroid fans and their insistence of having such an overinflated ego? I'm not fit to be a "Nintendo fan" if I don't think the game is in the top five? Like...seriously? And this is someone who does place Metroid high up, just puts other games like Ring Fit Adventure/Wii Fit, Star Fox, Earthbound, and Splatoon ahead of it.

 

[LitKai]

 

[Ozeiyo]

Metroid, Pokémon, Donkey Kong.

 

[Nathan Little]

These kind of threads depresses me lol

 

[higgsboson1997]

I think most people under 30 when they think of Nintendo think of Mario and Pokemon, those are the easy top 2 IMO.

I would go:

1. Mario (only because it's 100% Nintendo owned; if not, I would go with Pokemon)
2. Pokemon
3. Zelda
4. Animal Crossing
5. Splatoon

Smash too but I would hesitate to count it as it is an amalgamation of other franchises. If we did, it takes the #5 spot.

I think in certain demographics that may be less prone to discuss games on the internet, Animal Crossing has a bigger mindshare than Zelda. Overall still Zelda though.

Personal top 5: Splatoon > Pokemon > Smash > Mario > Zelda

 

[tender]

Rhythm Heaven, Wave Race, and Xenoblade.

 

[Zeal543]

Your poll and thread title ask for personal favorites but your post sounds like a more objective take on the situation

My personal top 5 are, in no order, mario, zelda, metroid, xenoblade and I guess donkey Kong, not too sure on #5

Objectively it's mario, zelda, pokemon, animal crossing, smash bros

 

[Christo750]

For me, it's Donkey Kong, Smash Bros, and Star Fox.

 

[Buried In Time]

Metroid and Donkey Kong are locked in place for me at three and four, but the fifth spot is a toss up between Animal Crossing and Kirby.

 

[VegiHam]

Personal faves answer: Pokémon Xenoblade Animal Crossing

Real answer: Pokémon Animal Crossing and Mario Kart

Spicy Elaboration: I think the general public sees Jumping Mario and Driving Mario as different games that each make the top five, and Splatoon misses the cutoff.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

More like popular. Not necessarily in sales though. As in tell me the first 5 franchises you think of when I say Nintendo.

I answered the question from the perspective "if you could only play these 5 Nintendo series, which would it be". Like, in popularity it's unequivocally Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Smash Bros and animal crossing, and there's not that much room for debate.

But for games I wouldn't want to go a Nintendo console without? Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Splatoon and Xenoblade are my personal choices. Pokemon has spent too long making mediocre games for me to be excited for another game which has blatant corners sawn off

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Metroid is video game heritage. Anybody claiming it's not top 1 is neither fit to be a Nintendo fan nor taken seriously.

Ftfy.

 

[Aurc]

Friend of mine just referred to the American fast food "big three". McDonald's and Burger King were obvious enough, but I had no idea what the third could be. He said Wendy's. I'm thinking to myself "Dude, I know of a single Wendy's location out here by me, how in god's name are they in the big three?", and suddenly reached enlightenment: Mario is McDonald's, Zelda is Burger King, Metroid is Wendy's. The NES boomer fast food consoomer big three.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Friend of mine just referred to the American fast food "big three". McDonald's and Burger King were obvious enough, but I had no idea what the third could be. He said Wendy's. I'm thinking to myself "Dude, I know of a single Wendy's location out here by me, how in god's name are they in the big three?", and suddenly reached enlightenment: Mario is McDonald's, Zelda is Burger King, Wendy's is Metroid. The NES boomer fast food consoomer big three.

But out of those 3, Wendy's is the best even though it's the least popular.

 

[Aurc]

But out of those 3, Wendy's is the best even though it's the least popular.

I do enjoy me some Wendy's, but I eat there very rarely. I wish they had more locations in my area. I live right by a McDonald's, and though it's convenient, I think they're just alright. When it comes to your typical fast food options, everyone else beats their burgers, imo. Burger King, Carl's Jr., Wendy's, and Jack in the Box all clear MidDonald's. They all have more diverse menus, too. I can't get jalapeño poppers or mozz sticks at McD's. That's a problem!

 

[Deleted member 1896]

What most Nintendo fans aren't aware of is that a lot of the company's franchises take place in the same universe and therefore can be grouped together:

In the near future, global wars will become much more common as resources are increasingly scarse (Advance Wars and Battalion Wars). Conflict will become so deeply engrained in our identity that even off the battlefields, men engage in deadly sports to appease their blood lust (F-Zero, Wii Sports, Wave Race, Excite). In an effort to change the fate of humanity, some nations will experiment with genetic engineering on humans with weird and unexpected results (ARMS), however their attempts are ultimately futile.

On other parts of the globe, the remains of humanity choose instead to genetically engineer superior animals and this results in a period of relative stability where humans and animals coexist in isolated pockets of civilization (Pokemon Legends). However, humanity's inherent thirst for conquest is not easily extinguished, and in short time these too are enslaved and used as instruments of battle (Pokemon). Over time the engineered animals go insane and destroy each other, and with them most humans too (Gen X and beyond).

The remaining animals evolve further sentience and vow to return to a more natural biological form and to live out a peaceful and more quaint existence, in balance with nature. However the earth is dying and no longer capable of supporting even this simple lifestyle.
Having advanced to a further technological stage than modern humans ever did, the animals reach for the stars in great generation ships, where they live humbly in tiny villages over millennia (Animal Crossing), as their ancestors commanded. In due time they will settle in a remote systems of planets orbiting a distant star. They will call their new home the Lylat system.

On earth, only the oceans remain habitable, and sea life gradually dominates and tames the biosphere. Their descendants rule the world for generations (Splatoon), but they too will succumb to a deadly war between vertebrates and invertebrates (Salmon Run).
As the planet lays dormant and mostly lifeless, continents drift and strange aberrations evolve, hybrids of flesh and plant and plastic and mechanical waste, a terrifying sight to behold.
Aliens will visit the earth at this time, documenting its many horrors, wondering how it got to be in this sorry state (Pikmin).
They will pass these tales down to their children - as a warning for all sentient life and for every civilization - conflict must be balanced with harmony, or extinction is inevitable.

Meanwhile, in the Lylat System, the lesson has not been learned. War begins anew. The circle of death continues.

So, as you see, there are really only 3 Nintendo franchises*.

*It seems pretty straightforward to fit Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, Metroid and Kirby into the canon.
Fire Emblem is humanity's bloody past, Xenoblade is a last ditch effort by a rogue group of scientists to preserve our legacy in pocket universes, Metroid is possibly an offshoot of surviving humans in space, and Kirby is the galactic elder god raining down Armageddon as punishment for our collective sins.

Thank you for reading.

 

[Tailzo]

Pikmin
Fire Emblem
Xenoblade