Best Nintendo Games: 9 Picks From NES to Switch

Nintendo has shipped more generation-defining hardware than anyone, and the library that goes with it is deep enough to argue about forever. This list takes one game per major console era so it reads like a tour rather than a fan vote.

One defining pick per generation

Where the list is trying to be fair

The Wii U gets skipped, on purpose

Its best games (Mario Kart 8, Breath of the Wild) ended up on Switch anyway. Choosing by console era, the Wii U era is better represented by the Switch versions.

Pokémon is a separate argument

The series deserves its own list — the "which generation is best" fight never ends, and cramming one entry here wouldn't do it justice.

Why Wii Sports over the obvious Mario Kart pick

Mario Kart is the safer answer, but Wii Sports did something no other Nintendo game did: it sold the hardware to people who don't play games. That earns the spot.

See how the community ranks Nintendo titles on the Nintendo leaderboard at 9GameGrid.

Why no Donkey Kong?
Donkey Kong Country is great, but it doesn't define a console era the way the picks above do. It lives in the "honorable mention" camp.

Can I play these without a Switch?
Emulation covers NES through GameCube well. For the Switch picks, you need the hardware or a friend's.

What's the best first pick for a newcomer?
Super Mario Odyssey. It's forgiving, inventive, and shows off what modern Nintendo does best.

Are these ordered by rank?
No. They're ordered by console generation so the list reads chronologically. Ranking Mario against Zelda is a pointless fight.