Nintendo's relevance in the gaming space cannot be overstated. We see their legacy today and it's one that continues to grow. Of all the hardware the company has released, Nintendo has seven mainline consoles from the NES up until the Nintendo Switch.
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The following list reveals the best launch title for each of them. It should be no surprise that most of them come from heavy hitters like Mario or Zelda, but younger gamers might see a few surprises. Remember, not all of the system's greatest titles came out on the same day as the console, so gamers had to hold themselves over with some less conventional games in the meantime.
NES – Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Sadly, record keeping and game preservation were not high priorities back in the mid-1980s. As a result, it is hard to say exactly when the original Super Mario Bros. came out. Many sources point to it launching alongside the console, while others contradict this claim.
The console itself only came out in test markets in 1985 before seeing wider release later. Regardless, Super Mario Bros. was the first game to really show why the NES was so special. It revolutionized game design, made Mario a household name, and started a legacy that continues to this day. Fortunately, there are many other ways to play this game today other than buying an almost forty-year-old console.
SNES – Super Mario World (1991)
In North America, Super Mario World came bundled with the purchase of the console. It's nothing new to get a game with the console, but imagine how sweet it is to get one of the best 2D platformers ever made.
As impressive as Super Mario Bros. 3 was as the NES's swan song, Super Mario World was simply astonishing to behold, truly showing the advantage the console had over its predecessor. In a close second is F-Zero, which similarly showcased the SNES's impressive Mode 7 capabilities.
Nintendo 64 – Super Mario 64 (1993)
While not the first console with 3D capabilities, the Nintendo 64 revolutionized the space with its analog stick. Coming out alongside the console to show other games how to do 3D right was Super Mario 64. Not only was it gorgeous to behold, but the gameplay was absolutely flawless.
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It would take other games years to catch up when it came to moving around in a 3D space. The game was later re-released on the Nintendo DS, but the lack of an analog stick brings down the game. It was satisfying to see a re-release on the Nintendo Switch, but the limited release was criticized.
GameCube – Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader (2001)
The GameCube had a curious launch lineup. Many were puzzled by the lack of a proper Mario game coming out with the system, a first for the company's history. While Luigi's Mansion is fine, Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader was a far more impressive technical showcase for the system.
The graphics were realistic and far beyond what could be done on a PS2. Even though the sequel is a worse game – bogged down by clunky on-foot segments – it includes the entirety of Rogue Squadron 2 as a local cooperative experience. The graphics are also improved in this version.
Nintendo Wii – Wii Sports (2006)
The Nintendo Wii was a huge gamble that ultimately paid off for the company. The pack-in game, Wii Sports had to prove the viability of a console mostly based around motion controls.
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The intuitive controls helped people who never touched a game get in on the fun. Most importantly, it worked well and felt good to control. Third-party games had trouble adapting to the unique controller, but the Wii had some incredible first-party masterpieces like Super Mario Galaxy and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Wii U – New Super Mario Bros U. (2012)
Nintendo went from a massively successful console to one of the most notable clunkers of the decade. The Wii U's poor marketing and weak lineup led to its early demise. It had 23 launch titles, but most of them were ports of older third-party games.
New Super Mario Bros. U is a fine 2D platformer, but it also does not do anything revolutionary with the series. A more interesting Mario game would come out a year later on the console with Super Mario 3D World.
Nintendo Switch – Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (2017)
The Nintendo Switch brought Nintendo back into the game strong with a hybrid console capable of playing the same games in both the living room and on the go. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild proved the system's capabilities by being by far the most gorgeous game on a portable console at the time.
It is more than just a technical marvel; Breath of the Wild is often considered one of the best games of the decade, if not all time. It takes well over one hundred hours to truly see everything there is to see in this game, which should keep you plenty occupied until the sequel's release.
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