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[Pilgrimzero]

Megaman 2s ending made me cry. I was a kid and I thought it was showing he aged and died.

 

[Cuningas de Häme]

What if you saw it, but still didn't like it lol

Then you are one of those who prefer Transformers instead of You've Got Mail, Forrest Gump or any of the Kaurismäki films. You know, flash instead of heart and occasionally bitter. darkest of humour.

Or you are a bad person, that works too. Like, literally the evilililest person in the world. Like that one guy who kicked a puppy.

I'm sure this sentiment has been shared in the thread more than once before, but I'm sharing it again.

Nintendo stories are wacky, silly, and fun, and they're generally just a great pleasure to enjoy and be a part of. There's a sincere joy when traipsing around the Mushroom Kingdom, a dark curiosity when exploring the dark and dank alien ruins in Metroid games, and an amazing sense of adventure when exploring Hyrule. Then they go off and do some out of left field wacky shit like Smash Bros, Mario + Rabids, or Mario Kart and you just have to sit back and laugh your ass off at how crazy it is.

That is easily and every bit as valid as any emotion elicited by a Naughty Dog game or sense of awe inspired by a Kojima production. Nintendo stories focus on the player and player agency, not overt narrative. It's the same reason why S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was such an emotionally affecting game for me- the story of Strelok is irrelevant, but that world and those factions are fucking brilliant.

This. I understand that some people need "handholding" to guide their feelings, but Nintendo excels at more subtle schemes and emotions through game mechanics.

...the hell would I play a game for if it invoked no emotional response?

Like I'm struggling not to say "literally every game I ever played for more than a few minutes," but I'm not sure what other answer there is.

This is true of course too. Emotion =/= sadness or misery.

 

[ScientificPizza]

Like *most* big Nintendo games make me feel something. Even Splatoon which is far from narrative driven is so joyful and light hearted and fun it's difficult not to feel something from them

Weird thread tbh

 

[jugann]

Pandora Tower story really move me here.

I second this. A beautiful game that made me feel quite emotional throughout my playthrough.

 

[NHarmonic.]

They are 'leagues behind' if you limit yourself to a narrow definition of what 'emotional' means.

We all know Nintendo doesn't really care about storylines, they are only focused on gameplay. Even then there are good ones like the Mother saga, but besides from that i can't think of any other one that's so well thought and interesting as those games.

 

[Shig]

I really like Super Mario World and Link to the Past's "curtain call" endings, a good cap of wistful remembrances of the adventure you've just been on.

 

[Ouroboros]

OoT and WW. But I was like 10 and 15 respectively.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I was playing an animal crossing once and I went to delete my save file and one of my villagers was on the delete save screen really sad stuff, I still feel bad for deleting that save

 

[rezn0r]

I felt like a bad person killing all of Bowser's kids in Super Mario Bros. 3

 

[MikeyB]

I hate it when one of the villagers I like moves out.

And the hill climb in Excitebike 64 used to make me rage.

But that is the extent of my emotional engagement with Nintendo games. Storyline or otherwise.

 

[pwnzernator]

Love how you guys are trying to act like a Zelda game moved you to tears. C'mon now.

 

[Usobuko]

I don't think I'm in the target audience for their humor style.

 

[Spirited]

Love how you guys are trying to act like a Zelda game moved you to tears. C'mon now.

I love how condescending you are.

 

[ffdgh]

Sure.

Paper Mario TTYD
Super Paper Mario
Mother 3
Kid Icarus Uprising
Majora's Mask
Mario Galaxy
Wind Waker
Fire Emblem Awakening
Splatoon 1's final splatfest with that music change for the last few hours.

And others.

 

[Kinhow]

The mother series made me feel emotional

 

[Nosgotham]

zelda, absolutely. earthbound, mother 3 for sure.

xenoblade count? cuz definitely on that one

 

[Triforce141]

If we're talking about emotional feels, then Mother 3 and Xenoblade

 

[Spotty Ren]

Any Mother game.

No crying until the end? Hah, nice one.

 

[entremet]

Paper Mario 2
Mother 2/3
Majora's Mask
BOTW - Yep! Not a popular opinion I know.
KIU

 

[Monkeyball]

I tear up everytime Bowser kidnaps Peach.

 

[GiantBreadbug]

Love how you guys are trying to act like a Zelda game moved you to tears. C'mon now.

Can you list some games that moved you so I can ridicule them pls

 

[sknygy]

Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild.

Other M.

 

[Astral Dog]

Some of them disgust like Other M and Xenoblade X

 

[Business]

BOTW had a great feeling of nostalgia, the ruins, the memories, the encounters with the champions...

 

[Astral Dog]

OoT and WW. But I was like 10 and 15 respectively.

Wind Waker had a great ending 😢

 

[Romars202129]

Ocarina, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Link's Awakening, Days of Ruin, most of the Mario rpgs and that first Ike fire emblem. Not sure but maybe the Metroid series counts?
Breath of the Wild had me a lil bit in Zora land, but I lost interest story wise soon after. I was thinking that area felt exactly like an Ocarina sequel would, but the feeling was born and died there.

 

[djtiesto]

Mother 3 is one of the all-time greatest game stories, if you ask me.

 

[casiopao]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26i8Qkj4BSc

This one still makes me sad till now.T_T

I second this. A beautiful game that made me feel quite emotional throughout my playthrough.

So happy that there are fellow Pandora's Tower fan.^_^

 

[takriel]

Metroid, dread.

 

[Chezzymann]

The middle of Skyward Sword when you realize there are only three areas and an empty overworld and the worst companion ever and the worst items in a Zelda game and the most unresponsive controls and the most repetitive bosses.

I wept. Only Nintendo game that affected me like that, but I did tear up a bit from Brawl's tripping mechanic and Other M's characterization.

Thats precisely when I quit the game lol. I was like, "fuck this"

 

[Camper Van Beethoven]

Does laughing at the awful voice acting in Mario count?

If not, no. Video games are an awful narrative tool.

 

[casiopao]

Does laughing at the awful voice acting in Mario count?

If not, no. Video games are an awful narrative tool.

Mario......awful voice acting?O_O It is not even focused on that lol. And Mario sounds is soo cute.^^

And i don't agree Video Games is an awful narrative tool as Mario and Luigi series had always makes me cry due to laughing thanks to how much comedy they cramped into the text lol.^^

 

[Pámpano]

Yes, Another Code is a nice example. I don't know how quite describe it, nostalgia maybe.

 

[casiopao]

Yes, Another Code is a nice example. I don't know how quite describe it, nostalgia maybe.

Hotel Dusk too.^^ Ninty for how much they hated story, when they wanted to do one, they actually come out with an interesting one there.^^

 

[Dekutulla]

Wind Waker.

 

[Rodolfo Brito]

The end of Skyward Sword when you learn something about a character and say goodbye.

Teared up.

The book in Super Mario Galaxy.

TTYD's humor, also felt for the computer that liked Peach. Actually TTYD in general has stuck with me more than most games I've played. Several of the endings for Zelda games, namely Wind Waker. Pokemon Sun & Moon if that counts.

I dunno, they have their moments.

These three.

 

[freethoughtbubble]

I like how Nintendo games don't hit me over the head with their narratives and themes. By comparison, few RPGs or cinematic games have really done anything for me because their stories feel overwrought and melodramatic (and derivative of their inspirations). The games that usually resonate with me are, interestingly enough, on opposite ends of the spectrum: Nintendo-like games, which generally trend towards joy and wonder, and disturbing games that explore violence (games are uniquely suited for this, I think), like Silent Hill 2, Spec Ops: The Line, and Manhunt.

In general, I prefer less explicit narrative and more emotionally resonant gameplay. For example, Shadow of the Colossus uses cutscenes to set up the context of the game, but it's in the open world wandering and giant-slaying combat where the true conflicts of the game are played out and the emotions experienced. Nintendo games follow a similar design philosophy.

 

[Mariolee]

Super Mario Galaxy's Rosalina story had me in tears by the end, especially because during that time I was suffering from anxiety problems about separation at the time so it hit me extra hard.

 

[13ruce]

Most Zelda games.
And Mario Galaxy.

 

[Bakercat]

Majora's Mask, Super Paper Mario, Mother 2 and 3. These are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head. There is probably more than this for me though.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Ocarina brought the feels, but our standards of stories in games was a lot different back in 98!

 

[Taliban Stan]

It will seem weird, but Conker's Bad Fur Day moved me some.

 

[Javier]

I love how they don't show what's going on and instead let you imagine it. The effect is a lot stronger that way.

 

[Wandering Robot]

Yes...I mean, most games we play make us feel something. I'm partial to Zelda games, myself.

 

[Evil's Bane]

As far as games with emotional resonance go:
Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask
Wind Waker
Skyward Sword
Breath of the Wild
Metroid Prime
Metroid Fusion
Super Mario Galaxy
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Pikmin
Mother 3

All had moments that made me feel things aside from the usual satisfaction from completing a challenge. The list was bigger than I thought it would be when looking at this topic.

The Zelda series in particular tries for these big emotional moments fairly often, but rarely do I think they stick the landing. Glad they're always trying, regardless, though.

 

[Camper Van Beethoven]

Mario......awful voice acting?O_O It is not even focused on that lol. And Mario sounds is soo cute.^^

And i don't agree Video Games is an awful narrative tool as Mario and Luigi series had always makes me cry due to laughing thanks to how much comedy they cramped into the text lol.^^

I remember Mario sunshine having some amazing bad voice acting

 

[WonderzL]

I cry every single time at the ending of Super Mario Galaxy.

 

[LoneTraveler]

I don't know if they've been mentioned but Link saying goodbye to his Grandma in Wind Waker really hit me, though that mostly had to do with me losing my grandma who I was really close to, a couple months before I played it.

A Christmas Gift in Elite Beat Agents was also hella sad.

 

[LotusHD]

Then you are one of those who prefer Transformers instead of You've Got Mail, Forrest Gump or any of the Kaurismäki films. You know, flash instead of heart and occasionally bitter. darkest of humour.

Or you are a bad person, that works too. Like, literally the evilililest person in the world. Like that one guy who kicked a puppy.

Wow, you went there.

 

[Worldshaker]

Link's Awakening and Earthbound are the two that come to mind. Both brought the feels.