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