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[Dad]

1. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ;

2. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver ;

3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest ;

4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ;

5. Fire Emblem: Fates ;

6. Pikmin 3 ;

7. Banjo-Kazooie ;

8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ;

9. Mario Kart 8 ;

10. Yoshi's Island ;

Honorable Mentions
x. Super Metroid
x. Pokemon Black 2/White 2
x. New Super Mario Bros. U
x. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
x. Donkey Kong Country 3
x. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
x. Xenoblade Chronicles

 

[AjNimajwalHansel]

This is very difficult. I'll just throw out what comes to mind

1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; I can't deny its greatness!
2. Super Mario World ; what a time to be a young lad when this came out
3. Metroid Prime ; atmosphere...
4. Super Mario 64 ; the game that took us to 3D nearly flawlessly
5. Super Smash Brothers Melee ; got on the bus to "go to school", walked from school to go get this game at Target and walked all the way back home.
6. Super Metroid ; Despite gaming with Nintendo since childhood, this masterpiece eluded me until 2014, mind still blown at its awesomeness
7. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ; I love this game, incomplete as it may be
8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; bought this before I even had a WiiU.
9. Mario Kart 64 ; there are better MKs technically, but local multi here was the best
10. Super Mario Maker ; endless fun, I just want more from this.

HM:
MK8
Smash 4
SMB3
SMG,SMG2
Pokemon Red/Blue
Majora's Mask
A Link to the Past

 

[Sadist]

But it is a third party title, like Devil's Third. You said only Nintendo titles.

Street Fighter V isn't a Sony title. Dead Rising 4 isn't a Microsoft title. They're third party titles.

But they're exclusives right and both Sony and MS probably own the publishing rights.

I know seeing Bayonetta 2 in a Nintendo list is weird, but at the end of the day Nintendo's own funds went into the project. Because of that the game is a Nintendo project, even if it's developed by Platinum. It's one of the rare exceptions in the long, looong list of Nintendo developed and published games.

 

[TH-Work]

1. Super Metroid
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Metroid Prime
4. Donkey Kong Country
5. Super Mario World
6. Killer Instinct Gold
7. Super Mario Maker
8. Super Mario 64
9. Mario Kart 8
10. Xenoblade Chronicles X

 

[Mael]

see below for updated version

 

[DeadDuck144]

1. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance ;
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze ;
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest ;
4. Animal Crossing (Gamecube) ;
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD ;
6. Earthbound ;
7. Metroid Prime ;
8. Xenoblade ;
9. WarioWare Mega Party Games Inc. ;
10. Mario Superstar Baseball ;


Honorable Mention:

Super Smash Bros Melee
Mario Kart: Double Dash‼

 

[Jamix012]

But they're exclusives right and both Sony and MS probably own the publishing rights.

I know seeing Bayonetta 2 in a Nintendo list is weird, but at the end of the day Nintendo's own funds went into the project. Because of that the game is a Nintendo project, even if it's developed by Platinum. It's one of the rare exceptions in the long, looong list of Nintendo developed and published games.

Does Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes count under the same rule?

 

[Seanlole]

1.- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2.- Super Mario Galaxy
3.- Super Mario World
4.- Super Metroid
5.- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
6.- Super Mario 64
7.- Earthbound
8.- Yoshi's Island
9.- Super Mario Bros. 3
10.- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

 

[Kaleo]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
2. Yoshi's Island
3. Pokémon Silver
4. Super Mario 64
5. Mario Kart 64
6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
7. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
9. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
10. Super Mario Bros. 3

 

[Mael]

Wait, does Jet Force Gemini count or not?
because if it does, it's in my top 10 as well!

 

[Kyzer]

1. Super Metroid
2. Pokemon Gold/Silver
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario World
5. Super Mario Bros. 3
6. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
8. Pokemon RGBY
9. Super Mario Sunshine
10. Pokemon Trading Card Game

That was hard as shit


Got kind of confused with SMW and Gold/Silver not sure if I should have done updated remakes I feel like the votes are gonna be split

 

[Bakkus]

Come on only 10 games? Why not 20? By only having 10, means that basically only like 20 of the most mainstream games will get a lot of points while the rest will get pretty much nothing at all.

Plus that it becomes easier to narrow it down and not having to choose between your favorite children...

 

[CrashPrime]

1. Super Mario 64 - My life was changed when I saw the water level in Blockbuster circa 1996. I had never seen 3D actually work like this on a game. I think I probably had my face melted by Quake first, but the brown on brown color pallet didn't touch my soul like Super Mario 64 did. I played this with friends for 5 years without it ever feeling like a "retro" game. It broke so much ground in the way a 3D platformer should be that even today the game holds up fantastically well.

2. F-Zero GX - Break neck speeds and high difficulty. Nothing has bested this game at what it does 13 years later. The colors are screen popping, the framerate, the gameplay, everything about it is what makes video games great for me.

3. Super Metriod - Innovation. This game perfected the ideas presented in earlier entries. The aesthetics were on point, and the replay ability factor was/is very high. Lovely game.

4. Super Mario Bros. 3 - My most hype NES game. Yes, I was one of the kids who went to The Wizard to get a glimpse. I could not even stand myself when this game was teased. It is everything a mario game should be and shockingly really good in the graphics dept. for an NES game.

5. The Legend of Zelda - Probably my most played NES game. It really was unlike anything I had ever played and set up one of the biggest non-mario franchises for Nintendo. Soundtrack was the best anything on NES had too.

 

[robrueda]

1.Punch Out!!
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. The legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. The legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5. The legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
6. Super Mario World
7. Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
8. Star Fox 64
9. Metrod Prime
10. Mario Kart 8

 

[Sadist]

Does Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes count under the same rule?

While Nintendo helped out (I believe Miyamoto is credited) in the end it was still a Konami published product. So no.

Wait, does Jet Force Gemini count or not?
because if it does, it's in my top 10 as well!

Rare pre-MS counts.

 

[notaskwid]

I'm keeping it real, don't kill me nintendo brothers

1. Fatal Frame V
2. Pokemon Heart Gold
3. Fatal Frame IV
4. Mario Kart DS
5. Eternal Drakness
6. The Last Story
7. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
8. Super Mario Bros.
9. Super Metroid
10. Splatoon

I'll give the one firstplace to Fatal Frame 5 :^)

 

[Iva Demilcol]

But they're exclusives right and both Sony and MS probably own the publishing rights.

I know seeing Bayonetta 2 in a Nintendo list is weird, but at the end of the day Nintendo's own funds went into the project. Because of that the game is a Nintendo project, even if it's developed by Platinum. It's one of the rare exceptions in the long, looong list of Nintendo developed and published games.

By this logic games where Nintendo helped with localization should be included in the list because Nintendo kind of funded them too. You know, those level 5 and S-E games.

 

[Mael]

Rare pre-MS counts.

Goddammit! I have to redo it then...
Please don't tell me the Layton games count!

That was harder to make than I thought
here are the very top 10 I can't imagine not having played so far

And yeah it's like have a huge number of children and having to tell which 10 you prefer

1 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island : I think it's that game that cemented my undying love of platformers, everything is incredible I wouldn't change it from the way it is
2 - Super Mario Maker : I can't believe this turned out to be my fav regular Mario game, nothing can top it BUT YI. It makes you think of the designs and makes you play the games in a new way.
3 - Xenoblade Chronicles : everything I ever wanted in RPG form, literally
4 - WiiSports Resort : it's really for the Sword mini game, yes I like it THAT much. I still wish there was a game that used everything from this game into a regular adventure game without puzzle BS and just fighting it out
5 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes : Best Metroid game, complex and devious
6 - The Legend of Zelda : Best zelda game, harsh and fair, real adventure (and I think if BotW keep its promise it will take this place)
7 - Jet Force Gemini : Probably my favorite n64 game, kinda the way I imagined how a Metroid game could work and control. The music is awesome, the level design is great, the bosses are fantastic and the atmosphere is something else.
8 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask : Zelda game centered around sidequest and adventuring, I think it's the best of its kind and the best use of the infamous Zelda formula
9 - F-Zero X : fantastic music and handling, with a sensation of speed unheard of
10 - Mario Kart 8 : the best Mario Kart yet, if the battle mode was more inline with SMK it would be higher, I think that's only complaint I can make on this one, I even like the amiibo implementation!

Honorable mentions I kinda wish I could include in the top 10 but the top 10 cannot be denied I guess (not in order) :

Metroid Prime
Super Mario RPG
GoldenEye 007
Wave Race: Blue Storm
Perfect Dark
1080° Avalanche
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Excite Truck
Super Mario Galaxy
Disaster: Day of Crisis
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Nintendo Land
New Play Control : Pikmin
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Kirby's Dream Land 2
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Animal Crossing: Wild World
Metroid Prime Hunters : First hunt
Picross 3D
Picross DS
Pokémon X and Y

 

[Yrael]

I might end up rearranging this...it was tricky.

1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Super Mario 64
6. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
7. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
8. Banjo Kazooie
9. Pokemon Gold
10. Metroid Prime

So many honourable mentions:

Super Mario Bros 3
Mario Kart 8
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Super Mario Galaxy (I actually like this about as much as the sequel, but chose to only include one)
Pokemon Yellow
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Yoshi's Story (I know it's not a great game compared to most of these, but it has a special spot in my heart!)
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Pikmin 3
Banjo Tooie
Donkey Kong Country 3
Paper Mario
Pokemon Snap
Mario Party

 

[Lynx_7]

1. Super Mario Galaxy - One of my top 5 games of all time. Even though Galaxy 2 is probably the superior entry as far as level design is concerned, the first one still had the biggest impact on me and the better atmosphere. The sheer sense of scale and grand adventure is this game's greatest advantage over its sequel. It just has this magical feeling that 2 unfortunately lacked, and for that I still consider it my favorite Nintendo game ever released.

2. Super Mario Bros. 3 - If Galaxy is my favorite 3D platformer of all time, SMB 3 is its 2D equivalent. The sheer variety and consistent quality of its level design is enough to put this entry just a bit above its SNES successor.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - While I know it isn't a popular opinion, I consider this to be the best 3D Zelda title released thus far. It has glaring pacing issues and suffers from trying to convey a dark, somber atmosphere while contradictingly being the easiest Zelda game ever released with some boss battles going as far as not presenting any sense of danger at all. It says a lot about how engrossing I still found the whole experience to be despite all of those problems. Sporting some of the best dungeon design in the franchise, and what is personally my favorite narrative in a Zelda game, TP is nonetheless worthy of a high spot in my list.

4. Fire Emblem: Fates - This one deserves a spot here if only because of Conquest's excellent gameplay and map design, which ranks among my favorite in the series, even if I don't much care for the other two campaigns. I guess, in a way, you could consider this a vote for Fire Emblem Conquest moreso than a vote for Fates. Now, if only the story could match the improvements in game design...

5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - If TP is my favorite 3D Zelda, then ALBW is my favorite 2D entry. While it doesn't feel quite as full-fledged and epic as ALTTP, it's just more fun to play and I had an absolute blast with it.

6. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - While I wish the game was a bit more combo-heavy like the first two entries in the series, this is still my favorite of the franchise to actually sit down and play by a fair margin. Pretty good balance, best character roster of the franchise by far (sorry, Snake), and despite not being as quick paced as Melee or 64 it's still pretty fun to watch as a competitive game. Just excellent on all fronts.

7. EarthBound - I always flipflop between Mother 2 and 3 whenever choosing which of the two is my favorite entry in the Mother series. Lately I've been getting the urge to replay this one more than its sequel, and for as much as I love the more curated, tight experience of Mother 3, there's something to be said about EarthBound's bigger world and setpieces. One of the most charming and adventurous games of its genre.

8. Mother 3 - One of the most emotional endings in a videogame and a final boss I'm not likely to forget. It just hits all the right notes and it's a damn shame Nintendo still hasn't released it in the West. More people need to experience this game.

9. Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - So, I haven't actually beaten this game yet, but from what I've played (which is a bit over half of it, so I already got past *that* moment) it absolutely deserves a spot here. I couldn't justify placing it above Conquest if only because I still haven't beaten it yet, but while the gameplay isn't quite as refined as, say, Fates, the whole package (characters, setting, story) makes it an overall more impactful experience. Another game Nintendo needs to release in the West so more people can experience it, in one way or another (remake or rerelease, I don't care, just do it).

10. Pokemon: HeartGold/SoulSilver - A remake which improves pretty much every single aspect from the best entry in the Pokemon series, what's not to love?

This was the hardest top 10 I've ever did in my life. There's a lot of games missing because, somehow, I still didn't get around to actually playing them all the way through (I've played Super Metroid, Zero Mission and Prime for example, but never got around to beating them. Likewise, Xenoblade Chronicles is a game that I could absolutely see cracking my top 10 but I still haven't played it. Maybe when we make another one of these 6 years from now I'll be able to include them)
Tried limiting my options to two per franchise, otherwise my top 10 would consist solely of Marios and Zeldas sprinkled with some Fire Emblem inbetween for good measure. Donkey Kong Country 2 barely missed the 10th spot, but I decided to include Pokemon instead.

Honorable Mentions: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario 64, Super Mario World, Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword, Pokemon Black/White, Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Paper Mario (N64), Mario & Luigi: SuperStar Saga, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.

 

[Hellshadow]

1. The Legend of Zelda ; I became a Nintendo fan for life because of this game.
2. Metroid Prime
3. Super Mario Bros.
4. Super Mario World
5. Super Mario Sunshine
6. Super Mario 64
7. Super Mario Bros. 3
8. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
9. Super Metroid
10. Metroid Zero Mission

 

[DashReindeer]

1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
5. Super Metroid
6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
7. The Legend of Zelda
8. Super Mario 64
9. Mother 3
10. Chibi Robo

 

[dragonbane]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
2. Super Mario 64
3. Pokemon Colosseum
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
7. Pokemon Gold/Silver
8. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
9. Diddy Kong Racing
10. Banjo-Kazooie

Yep. Guess that confirms I only really play Zelda and Pokemon from Nintendo with the occasional other game.

 

[CrazyArcadia]

1. Super Mario Bros 3 ; The quintessential NES game, one of the best 8bit games ever, it took everything about the Nintendo design philosophy of games and perfected it. So much fun, diversity and content on a single cartridge, married with gameplay that still feels fresh and relevant.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; One can argue that Ocarina of Time is the more important or more balanced game, but Majora's Mask is more than that. While OoT took the Zelda formula and translated it into 3D, Majora's Mask went on and from a story and gameplay point of view did fresh things and took lots of risks, making it one of the most remarkable games in the Zelda franchise.

3. Mario Kart 8 ; The best Mario Kart ever, this game is marvelous. Biggest and best track selection, best game balance, amazing graphics and soundtrack, local multiplayer dream, 200cc... Really, even without a good battle mode, this is easily one of my favorite games ever.

4. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; I don't like open world games that much, but I love Xenoblade Chronicles X. The sense of scope and the perfectly realized alien scifi world are enough to fall in love with and the first time you fly your robot up into the skies is a moment to behold. Add to that a really nice RPG system, lots of challenge in the endgame and high level of polish. Opinion: I even like the soundtrack, a lot.

5. Metroid Prime ; Exploration and atmosphere are ace, and the pacing is almost perfect. At its time, there was almost nothing like it in the console space and it holds up so well up to this day.

6. Bayonetta 2 ; This one is more SEGA/Platinum than Nintendo, but it's published by Nintendo and it's one of the tentpoles of the character action genre. While some of the boss fights might miss the grandeur of the first Bayonetta, it's more accessible and better paced overall. Style AND substance.

7. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This is to the Wii era what Super Mario Bros 3 was to the NES era. The Super Mario Galaxy games provide new standards for the dying genre of 3D platform games, sporting maybe the highest level of diversity and technical quality found in the genre. I only chose 2 over 1 because of Yoshi and higher challenge. I see them as one game, really.

8. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance ; Probably a case of "my first game in the franchise therefore still my favorite". While I came to love the series in general, this still - to me - had the best mix of interesting story, level of challenge and map design.

9. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; Zelda, in black & white, on the Gameboy. Being better than A Link to the Past and maybe the best and deepest game for gameplay and exploration on the system. The world of the windfish is a world I still love to revisit to this day, and as a kid, this was one of my absolute favorite games ever.

10. Yoshi's Wooly World ; This is more of a personal favorite because of the good times I had with this game last year together with a friend. Played through it twice. The well realized wool-style, amazing soundtrack, great level design, multiplayer and huge amount of secrets make this a game which IMO is a better game than Yoshi's Island. Also, Baby Mario annoyed the hell out of me back in the day and he's not in here

Honorable Mentions (really could be a lot of honorable mentions, so I try to make it short...):
Splatoon ; For being one of the best online multiplayer games ever and a really smart shooter at the same time.
Earthbound ; For being a game you just have to love.
Super Mario 3D World ; For the amazing multiplayer and being the Mario I envisioned as a kid when playing Super Mario Bros 3.
F-Zero GX ; For being the highlight of an amazing series.
Star Fox Zero ; For being a great Arcade shooting game with a precise and cool control layout (eff the haters!).
The Wonderful 101 ; For being so full of positive energy and clever gameplay ideas.
Wario Land 4 ; For being the most psychadelic and funny jump n'run by Nintendo and cementing Wario's character.
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze ; For being one of the best 2D platform games ever. And that soundtrack.
Kirby's Adventure ; Which stands next to Super Mario Bros 3 as one of the most impressive games on the NES.
Elite Beat Agents ; It was one of my favorite games for a long while, and I still remember it fondly.

This list changes all the time, as my tastes always change. But today, I would answer with these games and some of them I would've probably already put onto that list 10 or 20 years ago.

 

[Jarlaxle]

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
3. Super Mario World
4. Super Mario 64
5. Super Metroid
6. Super Mario Bros 3
7. The Legend of Zelda
9. Super Mario Galaxy 2
10. Metroid Prime

Honorable Mentions: TP, WW, SS, LoZII: AoL, SMG, Mario Kart 8, Super Mario Kart

 

[Kuga]

1. Super Metroid ; My definition of a perfect game. I still do a play through every year.

2. Super Mario Galaxy ; This and SMG2 are the peak of 3D platforming as far as I'm concerned.

3. Metroid Prime ; The best transition into 3D Samus could've asked for.

4. Super Mario RPG: LotSS ; I love the PM series and other Mario RPGs but there's something special about this first one.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; Link's Awakening resonated with me more than OoT or LttP for whatever reason.

6. Mario Kart 8 ; Nintendo took the strong points of Mario Kart and made an even better game. 64 has nostalgia and Wii has popularity, but this installment has the best overall quality.

7. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum ; I have a soft spot for RBY and GS but DPP is a better game.

8. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Couldn't have this list without a smash game. One of the few 'fighting' games I can stand to play.

9. Kirby's Super Star ; I still pick up the DS version and play a story once in a while. This and Kirby's Dream Course are the games that made me a Kirby fan.

10. Super Mario Bros. 3 ; We had to have SMB3 or SMW in the top 10. It's a really tough call.


...this list feels very incomplete. We need a top 50 or something to do it justice. There are too many honorable mentions to post.

 

[Sadist]

By this logic games where Nintendo helped with localization should be included in the list because Nintendo kind of funded them too. You know, those level 5 and S-E games.

But those don't count. It's not very hard. Again, Bayonetta 2 is the rare exception. Just roll with it.

 

[LunarKnite]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX; I'm pretty sure this is my first ever Zelda, at least the one I first owned. I don't think another Zelda has come close to beating this one in my eyes. Though when you boil it down, it really comes down to the weird cast and cameos, the amazing music (Ballad of the Windfish is still my favorite Zelda track), and that incredibly touching story.

2. Pikmin 3; In all honesty, this game justified the Wii U purchase for me. The campaign was great, didn't overstay its welcome, challenging at times, and I really enjoyed the new captains. Only the last boss was kinda annoying. But where Pikmin 3 shines is with the other modes. Bingo Battle is just an amazing way to compete with another person and Mission Mode is where the true meat of the game lies. Trying to platinum medal those missions was an experience in efficiency, timing, and skill like no other game I've played. And the fact you could also play the missions co-operatively under different leaderboards? This is my favorite game of the Wii U generation, no doubt.

3. Fire Emblem; The game on this list that I've beaten the most. From the memorable cast of characters, to the punishing difficulty, this is the game that started it all in the west. The game was still using mechanics like constitution, but still felt much more modern that the DS remake. I still hold that Lyn and Hector are two of the best lords in Fire Emblem.

4. Pokemon SoulSilver/HeartGold; The second generation of Pokemon was the best. Meeting Mareep for the first time again(my favorite Pokemon family), to the exploration of a changed and stronger Kanto. This game had it all. Admittedly I miss the actual Game Corner, but Voltorb Flip was a fantastic replacement. A mix of minesweeper and Picross, and as you'll see below, I love me some puzzle games.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages; It was difficult to decide which of the two Oracle games would be higher on the list, so I just put the one I played most recently. Though perhaps it's also that Ages is the more puzzle-oriented one as well. But really, I just see these two games as extensions of Link's Awakening. The story is more your standard fare Zelda, it felt like, but I really liked the animal companions too. Zelda with a kangaroo, triceratops, and flying bear? Awesome.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons; See above.

7. Super Mario World; While I enjoy platformers, I don't often finish them. In fact, this game and Super Mario 3D World are the only home console ones of Nintendo's that I've beaten. It was great back when I first play and beaten it years ago. I still think it's one of the most beautiful games to this day. The art style, the music, the gameplay are all at its peak. The reason it's so low on my top 10 though, is because I could never will myself to play through it again.

8. Stretchmo; My favorite of the 'mo series, in truth, any of them would have sufficed for this spot. But the way that Stretchmo expanded on the core concept of Pushmo, added new tricks and gimmicks to them, makes it stand as the best one.

9. Splatoon; I'm not much for shooters, which is why I tend more towards Nintendo consoles and handhelds. But Splatoon was a breath of
fresh air. Not much I can say that hasn't been said, but Splatoon was definitely the biggest surprise for me in a long time.

10. Pokemon X/Y; I love Pokemon, at least the main series. But X and Y truly made some leaps and bounds over the DS entries. While the campaign wasn't as good as Black 2/White 2, in fact it was much easier with the new EXP Share, it was still the entry I poured the most of amount of hours into since Gen 2.


Honorable Mentions:
Picross 3D; With so many Picross games over the years, there really isn't one to choose as my favorite. But Picross 3D stands out a little bit more from the pack of puzzle greatness with the 3D puzzles. The logic and deduction required of this game and its brethren challenge my mind to the fullest. At times I wished to go back to the simpler 2D ones because the Picross 3D was just so difficult with that addded dimension. But nonetheless, this one is my favorite of all the Picross games, and I can only hope the sequel makes it to the West soon.

Pushmo/Crashmo/Pushmo World; I think Stretchmo was the best implementation of the initial idea started by Pushmo, but that doesn't mean I didn't absolutely love the other entries in the series. As you can tell from my list a bit, I love puzzle games and besides the Picross series, I believe the 'mo series of games are the best pure puzzle games.

BOXBOY!; Such a hidden gem, tells of a wonderful narrative without a word being said. The puzzles are inventive and challenging. It helps cement the 3DS as my favorite console for puzzle games.

Fire Emblem Fates; I suspect the only reason this hasn't supplanted the original GBA Fire Emblem on my list is because I simply haven't had the opportunity to really give it the time it deserves. I guess I could have put Awakening in it's place, but I adore the GBA game too much.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: A beautiful HD puzzle game? Sign me up. This is a game I really hope gets expanded into a series.

Pocket Card Jockey; The newest game on this list, this was the only game I played for a good two weeks, something that never happens anymore for that length of time. The concept and mechanics are simple, but the systems behind the game are deep and intricate. It was simply addicting to play.

 

[Bakkus]

Well, top 10 is evil against like 20+ of the ones below them, but here it goes:

1. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee
4. Kid Icarus: Uprising
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
8. Super Mario Galaxy
9. EarthBound
10. Chibi-Robo

To the likes of various Pokemon games, Diddy Kong Racing, Galaxy 2, Mario World 1, Minish Cap, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, Smash 4 & Mario Kart 8. I apologize so much.

Have yet to play the likes of Mother 3, Xenoblade, Super Metroid, plus more I can't think of atm which are often considered to be among the very best Nintendo games.

 

[Nottle]

1. Earthbound; my favorite game ever. Such a good sense of humor and I love the music.
2. Mother 3; a sequel I never thought would happen. Fantastic like earthbound, but also with actual story characters. Would be number 1 of I played it when i was 7.
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee; my favorite multiplayer game. The only bad thing about it is that you can't play as Snake or all the newcomers from 4.
4.Super Mario World; a childhood favorite. I jusf love how interesting it's levels are designed and the cape! The secret exits! Star road!
5. Kirby Super Star; 8GAMES IN 1? I love how the different game modes offer you just a little bit of variety and the way kirby's powers work is splendid, each power actually has a move list and you can play co-op.
6. Legend of Zelda Ocarina of time; maybe the game I have played through the most. A magical game. Still remember being excited that you could just steal epona, and that ending was amazing for 9 year old me.
7. Kid Icarus Uprising; Sakurai does it again. This weird loot rpg/ rail shooter/ third person shooter action game is probably the last time I cared about a Nintendo games story since Mother 3 (wait when did Xenoblade come out?)
8. Super Mario Rpg; I believe the game that introduced me to the genre. I love it's different take on the Mario world. Makes me want to revisit the other good Mario RPGs.
9. Wonderful 101; a fantastic blend of pretty much what made all of Kamiya's other games great!
10. The legend of Zelda a Link Between Worlds is maybe the smoothest Zelda game to play, the only knock is that it is too smooth. The game is too easy, but other than that I loved every dungeon, every collectible. I loved the changes they made to items. I hope the next 2d Zelda can be even better and perhaps a homage to Link's Awakening.

 

[JeTmAn81]

1. Super Mario Galaxy
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5. Super Mario 64
6. Tetris (Gameboy)
7. Goldeneye 007
8. Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone
9. Picross 3D
10. Wii Sports

 

[Nocturnowl]

GAF pls, there's no voting threads all year long then 3 turn up at once and I'm obligated to take part in all of them.
(well there's the E3 one but shush)

 

[Zimmy64]

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
4. Paper Mario
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
6. Super Smash Bros for Wii U
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Metroid Prime
9. Bayonetta 2
10. Pokemon X and Y

 

[GusZamboni]

1. The Legend of Zelda Link to the Past
2. Super Metroid
3. Earthbound
4. Super Mario 3
5. Pikimin 3
6. Super Smash Bros.
7. Mario Kart Double Dash
8. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
9. Super Mario RPG
10. Paper Mario Thousand Year Door

 

[dreamlongdead]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - This is the best Zelda title that I've played. Majora's Mask was a solid follow-up, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as its predecessor. The 2D Zelda games are impressive, too, but the sheer scale and depth of OoT just blew me away. I have no problems naming it as my favorite Nintendo game.

2. Super Smash Bros. Melee - I never had a chance to play many GameCube titles, but I played this game for hours whenever I went to a friend's house and other social gatherings. This is just a brilliant game that is enjoyable in both casual and competitive settings.

3. Pokemon Gold/Silver - I believe that this is still the best generation that Pokemon ever had. Red/Blue was a good start, but G/S really took the series to the next level. Pokemon's mechanics have evolved ever since, but the single player experience never reached these heights again.

4. Super Metroid - Super Metroid is brilliantly designed and paced. The character progression is so satisfying. This game tests both your brain and reflexes, and is just an incredible gaming experience.

5. Goldeneye 007 - This game is simply unforgettable. This first-person shooter has a riveting campaign, and I would replay the levels over again to unlock the cheats. The addictive multiplayer added a lot to the game, and I had amazing times playing this with my siblings, cousins, and friends.

6. Earthbound - This RPG has a fantastic soundtrack, memorable story and characters, and is just simply fun. It is an incredible experience.

7. Super Mario 64 - This title was very groundbreaking when it was released. It set the template for future 3D Mario games, and basically every other 3D platformer. I imagine it doesn't hold up that well these days due to the refinements made to this formula. I had a lot of fun with it back in the day, and I still have some fond memories of the game. For those reasons, SM64 makes it on my list.

8. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - New Leaf is the first AC I played, and it was an amazing time to jump in. This is basically the definitive entry in the series.

9. Star Fox 64 - The best Star Fox game that I've played. The vehicles are fun and easy to control. I played the campaign countless times just to improve my scores. I primarily played solo, but the split screen multiplayer was also surprisingly fun. The game is a strong package, overall.

10. Kirby's Dream Land 2 - This is a big improvement over the first Dream Land. I did not play Kirby's Adventure which released between both GB titles, but Dream Land 2 builds off of Adventure's mechanics. I haven't played enough Kirby games to say which is the best, but this is a damn good game. I'm incredibly nostalgic for it.

EDIT: I had to change #10, because I had the wrong game listed in its place. I distinctly remember being able to copy abilities when I played Kirby on Gameboy and it seems that the original Dream Land lacked the mechanic.

This list is now set in stone. Might as well list random honorable mentions. These games were very close to being on the list.


HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Super Mario Bros 3 - Never finished it, but I appreciate how well designed the levels are. The boss stages are pretty epic. I would like it more if I was better at playing it.

Kid Icarus Uprising - This only could have been done on 3DS. I really started enjoying it once the controls clicked, and I have become quite good at it. The game has given me countless hours of fun.

Fire Emblem 7 - Even though I have spent massive hours playing the Fire Emblem series, every single title in the series has at a least a few major flaws preventing any of them from being the outright best. The support system in FE 7 is very lousy, and its general gameplay mechanics have been surpassed by later titles. However, the map design, difficulty, characters, and story are still solid today. Therefore, it is the most well-rounded Fire Emblem package.

Diddy Kong Racing - This is better than any Mario Kart that I've played. This game is very polished and has the wonderful Adventure mode in addition to the multiplayer. I still had fun with Mario Kart 64, but it's not as good as DKR.

Donkey Kong Country 2 & 3 - Fantastic platformers with great graphics, music, and the perfect level of difficulty.

Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie - Two of the greatest 3D platformers ever.

Wario Land 3 - Excellent GBC game that has stuck with me. I really wanted to put this on the list, but not enough slots.

That's it for me.

 

[Neoleo2143]

When I see "Of all time" I ask what games are going to age the best and balance that with games that I personally enjoy the most. Hopefully the List I make is sensible to that idea.

1. Super Mario Galaxy - One of the most refined and joy filled experiences I have ever played. A great deal of levels with fresh challenges, smooth pacing, gorgeous aesthetic and a supremely satisfying conclusion to it all. A classic among classics and the most reliable games I will ever play going into the future. If you have not played it, do so, it is worth your time even above other games you would like to play. That sounds definitely arrogant, but that is how strongly I feel about this game. I can't help but feel honest about my fanaticism.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - One of the most unique time systems in a videogame, blending elements of Groundhog Day, Ultima and a dark fairy tale storyline you would expect from the Brothers Grimm. Majora's Mask is bold and dark yet never forgets the joys of life and steeps into what I call "edginess" territory. It is the personal narrative to match the Epic of Ocarina of Time. The Character Driven Narrative that matched its Plot Driven Counterpart.

3. Splatoon - An Audiovisual spectacle with an extremely convincing world that evolves as the game recieves updates, lending a strong sense of temporal progession. It is brimming with character and fun gameplay systems with a dark yet somehow playful undercurrent to it all like many of the great Nintendo games.

4. Super Metroid: One of the most well balanced games ever made. It is so easy to "break" yet it remains challenging. The atmosphere is haunting and the music is unforgettable. It is the Exploration game.

5. Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 - A Brutal and relentless game that will put you into unfair situations but it is beatable. It is complex with system upon system but you can push through. Not as Satisfying an Ending as I would have liked though. There are a couple "Stuck" points. The Sprite based art helps it age rather well too.

6. Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest - I would consider this the modern successor of Thracia 776. It is complex and often throws a new mechanic or objective at the player at each level, giving a relentless challenge. The Higher Difficulties also change the scripting around to push the player to higher skill levels. This is compounded upon a certainly flawed narrative, but one that personally resonated with me, a large fan of works such as Don Quixote and has one of my favorite playable casts in the Series. The graphical Style likely won't age well but the CGI cutscenes are gorgeous with flair.

7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (HD) - The Legendary Artsyle of this game will never age, it is immortal, perhaps one of the only true immortal aesthetics that 3D Gaming has created. It is a joy to play tied with a melancholic storyline and great adventure on the high seas. Some distances between islands were flawed but I loved sailing around, it was a Zen like experience to me. The HD experience even smoothed out most of the bumps, resulting in the smoothest 3D zelda overall.

8. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - The Insane Situations that this game puts you in are primarily the reason I look forward to Color Splash which seems to go for a similar idea. This game built upon the flaws and successes of its predecessor and expanded to create something magical, brimming with some intrigue and variety in both gameplay and narrative. The Ending is a bit predictable but the journey was engrossing from beginning to end. This is of course matched with the wonderful aesthetic that Paper Mario is renowned for. Combat was simple yet filled with enough challenge and variety to carry the whole game.

9. Xenoblade Chronicles - An incredible masterpiece by the Team at Monolith Soft and Tetsuya Takahashi and the first project that was completed as he intended as a director. The inspired and awe inducing setting turn heads to this day. The Combat while not perfect was gifted with variety in its systems and builds and catering to fun challenges. The exploration was rewarding and the narrative while perhaps simple on the surface is also an interesting examination of the relationship between computer, administrator and data. The Monado is a brilliant symbol.

10. Earthbound - Earthbound is a coming of Age story but not the one that you would usually see. It depicts the world through the eyes of a child and like a child it is playful. It does not forget those dark realistic undercurrents though, and the balance between the two is nearly flawless. It is odd in all the right ways, inspiring childlike curiosity in even the eldest players and satisfying them. It is also paced rather well too and the Dragon Quest Style turn based combat makes it a good recommendation to those new to the genre or to Videogames in general. This masterpiece is topped off in its finale by one of the most touching and subtle fourth wall breaks in gaming.

Edit: Removed Star Successor on some Deliberation and replaced it with Super Metroid.

 

[Xbro]

1. Ocarina of Time
2. Metroid Prime
3. Majora's Mask
4. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door
5. Xenoblade Chronicles
6. Link to the Past
7. Super Mario World
8. Super Metorid
9. Wind Waker
10. Mother 3

 

[Star Falcon]

1. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
2. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. F-Zero GX
4. Banjo-Kazooie
5. F-Zero X
6. Perfect Dark
7. Starfox 64
8. Super Mario 64
9. Goldeneye 007
10. Super Smash Bros. Melee

 

[GustyGardner]

1. Xenoblade Chronicles ; Quite simply the best game I have ever played. It completely changed the way I look at new games and I don't see it being topped anytime soon. The story and characters help make the world of Bionis and Mechonis something special. The premise of a world blossoming on the remains of two fallen titans is such an amazing concept. And that OST, sublime.

2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl ; Oddly enough, my favourite part of Brawl for all of the new series it introduced me to in the first place. As a reletive newcomer to games in general at the time, Brawl was the stepping stone to many of my favourite series. The game will always be special to me because of this, even if I prefer Smash 4 as an overall package. Also, that OST, also sublime.

3. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance ; My favourite FE game including my favourite Lord and world. The story of Tellius is rich and the characters have (mostly) deep personalities and more so than any other FE game, feel like actual people in a world being ravaged by war. The gameplay is top notch here, if a bit on the easy side (fine by me) and the base feature in between missions is fantastic. Once again, the OST is brilliant (See a pattern here?)

4. Fire Emblem: Fates ; Sure it may be a bit soon to put this on here (considering the games only launched last month here in Europe) but from the 100+ hours I have already invested into the three routes, I can easily see this game becoming a classic for me. Although an unpopular opinion, I like the story and the cast of characters are probably my favourite in the series. The gameplay in Conquest and to a lesser extent Revelations is clearly superior to Birthright, yet I still find Birthright a fun little game in of itself. And Goddamn, that Gaelic inspired soundtrack in Conquest is something else. Birthright is no slouch either - Alight is one of my favourite pieces of video game music fullstop.

5. Hyrule Warriors ; I would never have imagined putting Hyrule Warriors above any 'proper' Zelda game before the games release, but 200+ hours of co-op fun later, the game really has become something special to me. I'm a sucker for fanservice and this game delivers that in spades. From the roster, locations and (of course) music, Hyrule Warriors truly does do the main series justice and while the gameplay isn't the most compelling, it can get very intense and downright euphoric once you get into the rhythm. Fuck the Imprisoned though. Fuck him soooo much.

6. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; Oh look another Fire Emblem game. Awakening was my first FE game and as such it has a special place in my heart. A very divisive Fire Emblem game, Awakening has become the cult favourite and I count myself as one of those who didn't give FE much of a second glance before it's release. However the colourful cast and general vibe of the story won me over and it's still a joy to play through time and again.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; Another controversial choice, but Skyward Sword comes out on top as my overall favourite mainline Zelda game. I can't really say the game excels in any one thing more than other Zeldas. I prefer Ocarina's world, Majora's Mask characters, Wind Waker's OST and Twilight Princess's story, but Skyward Sword strikes the right balance that comes together as my overall favourite product. The world is enjoyable to explore, the villains are fun and this version of Link and Zelda are my favourite renditions.

8. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; Smash 4 has so much content I didn't know how to stop myself from playing. The game is packed with so many characters, stages, modes and extras that playing for 300+ hours is almost not enough to experience it all. I also have never been more personally excited for a game than I was Smash 4. The pre release hype will remain one of my favourite gaming memories. Too bad I couldn't share it with GAF

9. Xenoblade Chronicles X ; The sequal to my favourite game didn't quite meet my expectations with a toned down story and set of characters, which is a shame. Regardless, the game really shines with it's massive overworld, packed to the brim with secrets and things to do. Sylvalum Field is one of my favourite game locations for it's surrealist landscape and fantastic music. On that note, while I am not the biggest fan of the vocal songs (That flight theme - why?), the overworld music is up there with the very best of the original Xenoblade's.

10. Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire ; Rounding off this list is a Pokémon game, a series that has been close to my heart for a long time now. Gen 3 was my first gen and Hoenn is my favourite Pokémon region. Being one of my childhood favourites, Ruby and Sapphire stands as possibly one of the strongest all round games in the series. While there very well may be too much water in Hoenn, Ruby and Sapphire gets my pick for favourite Pokémon game.

I realise I may have made this list more of 'Favourite Nintendo Games' rather than what I perceive as 'Best'. I mean, I would never say Brawl is a better game than let's say, Super Metroid, and to not put Mario on a top ten best Nintendo game list is pushing it a bit, but eh, it's my list.

Honourable mentions:
- Earthbound
- Advance Wars: Dual Strike
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

 

[JinjoUnchained]

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past ; this list could easily be all Zelda! I was a kid when the NES came out and really liked games, but ALTTP made me love them. It's dual world design still hasn't been topped.

2. Super Metroid ; essentially 1B to ALTTP. One of the most immersive adventures ever and still the champ of Metroidvania design and gameplay based storytelling.

3. Super Mario Brothers ; the original, baby! Later games refined and expanded the concept, but I find myself going back to this one the most. Pure 2D platforming bliss with no chaser.

4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; what else can I say, a direct sequel to my all time favorite game, 20 years in the making. And it more than lives up to it.

5. Mario Kart 8 ; tough call between this and the original. Although I admire the pure action of Super Mario Kart, MK8 is the best kart racer ever.

6. Super Mario 3D World ; this is what I always envisioned 3D Mario should be. The fast, infectious action of 2D Mario with the freedom of 3D space/movement. GTFO with that "not a proper 3D Mario" stuff. You can have your "proper" 3D Mario, I'll have more fun playing this.

7. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time ; a masterful recreation of Zelda in 3D space and one of gaming's most iconic experiences. I'd include Majora's Mask here if allowed as I'd consider OOT/MM as one game.

8. Pikmin 3 ; so darn charming, beautiful, and fun to play. A perfect sequel as it combined the best of the previous two while also doing its' own thing.

9. The Legend of Zelda ; the original open world adventure. I'm still waiting for another open world game this good to throw you straight into the action, leave you completely alone to explore, and tackle the quest in any order without restrictions. Looking at you Breath of the Wind!

10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; my favorite game in terms of aesthetics and play control. And, like most other Zelda games, it features a brilliant soundtrack, immersive world, and emotional story.

Honorable mentions to both Xenoblade games, the first two Paper Mario games, any Zelda not listed, Super Mario Kart, any mainline Mario not mentioned, Punch Out, Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Wooly World, Donkey Kong Country 2, Tropical Freeze, both Banjo games, Golden Eye, and Metroid Prime.

 

[Bass260]

This is a tough list to make.

1. Super Mario Galaxy ; Pure Joy.

2. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; It's Nintendo's groundhog day and they fit the role quite well with Majora's Mask. There's something certainly uncanny about playing the 3 day system over and over - you've completed side quests and than they're undone. You can save the monkey but you can't ever really save the monkey. As well, the game has a dark appeal unlike any other entry in the Zelda franchise. Some of the mask transformations are terrifying and are certain to stick with the player.

3. Earthbound ; The second childhood we all deserve. Mother 2 encompasses everything fuzzy & warm about childhood and a wee bit extra too. Such a quirky delightful adventure.

4. Super Metroid ; Greatest level design.
5. Super Mario Bros 3 ;
6. Pokemon Red & Blue ;
7. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ;
8. Metroid Prime ;
9. Super Mario 3D World ;
10. Super Smash Bros Melee ;

Honorable mentions

Mother 3
Xenoblade Chronicles
Super Mario 64
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Bayonetta 2
Banjo Kazooie
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Mario Kart 8

 

[Kindekuma]

1. Metroid Prime
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Pokémon Emerald
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
6. Super Metroid
7. Super Mario 3D World
8. Super Smash Bros Melee
9. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
10. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Honorable Mentions:
- Bayonetta 2
- Pokémon Platinum
- Pikmin 2
- Earthbound

 

[Anth0ny]

1. Majora's Mask ; Bar none the greatest game of all time, and I doubt it will ever be topped.

2. Ocarina of Time ; The greatest game of all time until they topped it with the sequel. The N64 Zeldas are the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back of video games. The Thriller and Bad, if you will. Both absolute classics that stand the test of time and you will be hard pressed to find a game more influential and ground breaking than Ocarina of Time.

3. Super Smash Bros Melee ; My most played game of all time... by a lot. There is nothing else like it. 15 years old and arguably more popular than ever before. There's only one way a game can have such a long, rich life... and that's by being fucking incredible. I still play it every day.

4. Super Mario 64 ; Like Melee, a dedicated community keeps this game alive and continues to push it to its limits. Mario's ninja-like movement in this game has yet to be topped by any other 3D Mario. The greatest Mario game of all time!

5. Banjo Kazooie ; Rare made a game so good that it's about as good as the greatest Mario game of all time. That's pretty impressive. The soundtrack also ranks up there with the greatest of all time. BK never fails to bring me back to my childhood and, like Mario 64, remains infinitely replayable and fun.

6. Pokemon GSC ; Depending on the day, I will rank gen 2 above gen 1, or vice versa. There are certain things that RBY does better than GSC, but my GOD that post game in GSC. The greatest final boss and final boss theme in the history of video games. When I think of that, I tend to give GSC the nod. Thank you Mr. Iwata.

7. Pokemon RBY ; Absolute classic and infinitely replayable. Not much more to say, it's easily one of the most important, influencial and beloved games ever made. I feel like the Pokemon franchise as a whole stopped impressing me after gen 2, unfortunately. These two games absolutely killed it, especially in the music department.

8. Super Mario World ; The greatest 2D Mario of all time. Sorry Mario 3, you don't quite make the top 10. The perfect 2D sidescrolling physics, awesome music... what a fucking game.

9. Super Metroid ; I first played Super Metroid in 2012. I was sure that my top 10 of all time list was set. Nostalgia, games that molded me as a person, and all that... Super Metroid proved all of that wrong. This game is damn near fucking perfect. The atmosphere, pacing, storytelling, MUSIC... all some of the best I've ever seen in a game. I know now why so many call it the GOAT.

10. Wind Waker ; Although Wind Waker has clear flaws, especially compared to the two perfect Zeldas at the top of the list, it is in my opinion the best looking game ever made. I couldn't leave it off the top 10.

There you have it. 10 perfect games. 10 games that I will play and replay for the rest of my life.

Here are my runner ups that barely didn't make the cut:

Galaxy 2
Galaxy
Metroid Prime
Link's Awakening
Donkey Kong Country 2
Donkey Kong Country
Diddy Kong Racing (the greatest Nintendo kart racing game of all time)
Link Between Worlds
Link to the Past
Zelda 2
Super Mario Bros 3
Paper Mario
Paper Mario TTYD
Smash 64
Star Fox 64
Diddy Kong Racing
Goldeneye 007

SO MANY GOOD GAMES AHHHHH

 

[Goldenroad]

1. Super Mario Kart
2. Super Mario Brothers 3
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
4. Super Mario World
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker
8. Animal Crossing
9. Metroid Prime
10. Super Mario RPG

 

[Sadist]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; The king. That first time in ’98 when you enter Hyrule Field for the first time. It was mindblowing. Fantastic dungeons, going to the future, Ganondorf, epic bossfights and for the first time ever classic Zelda gameplay in three dimensions. It couldn’t get any better than this.

2. Metroid Prime ; the first time playing Prime is something I’ll never forget. My nephew got a Gamecube with this game and he already played through the beginning. So I was already on Talon IV and when I looked up I saw rain gently dropping on my visor. And vaguely I saw Samus face reflecting in the visor. And the world itself was so amazing to see… the only thing on my mind was that I needed a Gamecube of my own, right there. Months later I finally got my Cube and I enjoyed every single moment. Visiting Phendrana Drifts for the first time, fighting off menacing bosses, getting lost because you forget where that lone locked door was: Metroid Prime has it all.

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Another modern classic. While Mario 64 revolutionized, Sunshine experimented and the original Galaxy clowned around with more compact design, Galaxy 2 is where the Tokyo EAD team went all out. Brilliant levels that build upon the foundation of the original and just good old fashioned fun. The best Wii game all around. Hands down.

4. Yoshi’s Island ; You know I could make up a whole story about this wonderful platformer, but I won’t. I’ll just have two words ready for this game: A classic. That is all.

5. Xenoblade Chronicles ; In short: one of the best modern RPG’s released in the last five years. Even with the Wii’s modest power Monolith Soft squeezed every ounce of power the system had to give us the Bionis and the Mechonis. And the areas you could discover on these giants… these gods are absolutely breathtaking. Everybody playing the game smiled when they finally hear the Gaur Plains theme when they start running in to that grassy area… which was only the leg of the Bionis! An engaging story, a plethora of quests, vengeance, surprise, suspense and a bunch of jokah’s, it’s all there in Xenoblade!

6. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; the ultimate fun fighter. Even to this day when people ask if you want to play Smash and a Cube appears, you bet people will want to play. Even to this day Melee remains one of the best fighting games. Speed, fantastic stages and epic fights always happen when Melee disappears in the Cube’s disc cover. Melee for life yo.

7. The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening ; the game which pulled me into videogames in general. Being a kid with a Gameboy it was mindblowing to see that Koholint Island would fit on such a tiny cartridge. And it took me ages to figure out puzzles. Bottle Grotto made me grind my teeth (where is that crack which I can blow up with a bomb!?) and I was trapped for months in Turtle’s Rock. But I finally got to that place. And man, do you remember the legendary shop owner who would zap you if you stole an item from his shop? He would zap you and everybody would refer to you as THIEF for the rest of the game. It was a pretty funny Zelda too because of the comments of NPC’s and signs.

8. Fire Emblem Path of Radiance ; If Fire Emblem gets mentioned, I imagine many wil cite the seventh instalment as their favourite, but my love for Fire Emblem started with Path of Radiance. With lots of Nintendo fans citing how great the games are and that we need as many of them in the west I decided to dive in… and Path of Radiance succeeded in quickly making Fire Emblem one of my favourite franchises in Nintendo’s portfolio. There might be more difficult FE games around or even more popular, but those first fights in this game, that was intense. As a noob you’ll use Titania “because she mows down units!” but after a while you’ll realize you made a huge mistake. You learn how to skilfully train your units, learn that mistakes will be punished and you’ll punch in the reset buttons many times. But in the end, Fire Emblem as a strategy RPG is amazing.

9. Pokémon Gold and Silver ; The original started the craze, but the follow-up to Red/Blue/Yellow was the one that really sold me on the series. Johto wasn’t that big, but man did it bring so great features with it! Breeding Pokémon became a thing, it had a day and night cycle (catch Hoothoot at night!) and well… it’s Pokémon Superior Silver with the legendary Lugia.

10. Mario Kart 8 ; I’ll be frank, I didn’t care that much for the Mario Kart games. Sure I played them on the SNES, N64, GBA, Gamecube and whatnot, but to buy a Nintendo console for that particular game? Nah. Better yet the first MK game I actually got for myself was MK 7 on the 3DS. But the eighth instalment changed everything for me. Fun online, awesome tracks, solid looks… and possibly the best value regarding the DLC tracks. Many hours were spent on this game.

Honourable mentions
xx. Super Metroid ; it’s on the 11th place on my list. Great design that shows that even twenty years later Super Metroid aged like fine wine.
xx. The Wind Waker ; On artstyle alone the best Zelda.
xx. Sin & Punishment Successor to the Skies; Crazy stuff. Just insane.
xx. Splatoon ; most fun I had with a shooter since L4D 2.
xx. Wii Sports ; proved the fun of Wii.

 

[Chris R]

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
2. Super Smash Bros. Melee
3. EarthBound
4. Pokémon Blue
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
6. Super Mario Kart
7. The Legend of Zelda
8. Kirby's Dream Course
9. Uniracers
10. Donkey Kong Country

This was easily the hardest list I've ever had to make on this site. I don't buy many new games so a GOTY list is more often than not me putting a game on a list that I've spent half an hour with to fill it out. After the first round of cuts I had 28 games to pick from from the NES to the Wii. Cuts had to be made though, so I ended up with this. Not surprised to see my list so heavily focused on the SNES, I still think it was the best system with the best games. Hoping the NX recaptures a bit of that magic and erases the painful memories I've had of Nintendo these past 5 or so years

 

[Linkark07]

1. Metroid Prime
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Super Mario 64
6. Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
8. Pokemon Gold/Silver
9. Super Smash Bros Melee
10. Super Metroid

 

[Arnie7]

1. Super Mario Galaxy ; One of the funnest games ever made. Brought a smile back to my face that I had not felt since as a kid. Game design perfection.
2. Super Mario 64 ; Classic that ushered 3D era.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Just a tad below the great game of the first one but still as good. Another level design masterpiece.
4. Super Metroid ;
5. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ;
6. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze ;
7. Super Mario 3D World ;
8. The Wonderful 101 ;
9. Legend of Zelda: A link to the Past ;
10. Super Mario Bros ;


Special mentions that didn't quite make top 10:
Pikmin 3, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Gold, Smash Bros 64, Mario Kart 64, Starfox 64 (and Bayonetta 2?)

 

[Servbot24]

1. Metroid Prime - This is the closest thing I have ever played to a perfect game. The marriage of gameplay, environment design, aesthetic, story and theme is exquisite on a level that has never been matched. The only thing that isn't blow-your-mind incredibly good is the artifcat hunt, and even that is completely enjoyable.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
4. Donkey Kong Country 2
5. Super Mario World
6. Super Smash Bros Melee
7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. Meteos
9. F-Zero GX
10. Pikmin 2

HM:

11. Super Metroid
12. Super Mario Bros 3
13. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
14. Mario Galaxy
15. Mario Kart DS
16. Fire Emblem: Awakening
17. Star Fox
18. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
19. Super Mario 3D World
20. Advance Wars: Dual Strike
21. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
22. Animal Crossing: New Leaf
23. Donkey Kong Country
24. Metroid Fusion
25. Pikmin 3


Best publisher ever and it's not even up for debate.

 

[elshoelace]

1. Super Metroid - A masterpiece that has great atmosphere, level design and storytelling
2. The Legend of Zelda: A link to the past
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Probably my favorite game
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Favorite 2D Zelda game
5. The legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
6. The legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. Super Mario Bros 3
8. Metroid Prime
9. Super Mario Galaxy 2
10. Metroid Zero Mission - Great remake of the original

Very hard list to put together with so many great games and I feel like many games could shift around easily.