There has been constant innovation in the video game industry and it has never felt like a more exciting and inviting time for the immersive art form. Every generation of gaming heralds groundbreaking technology when it comes to visuals, storytelling and the level of immersion the user experiences.
Nintendo has become one of the most trusted and respected developers in the game industry and they have been very lucky when it comes to establishing first-party intellectual properties that have lasted for generations. Certain Nintendo franchises, such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zeldaand Kirby were instant hits. However, some Nintendo series struggle to find audiences on their first releases, only to become celebrated cult classics over time.
10 EarthBound redefines RPG archetypes with a modern edge ahead of its time
The Super Nintendo was a pivotal console for the mainstream spread of the RPG genre and games like EarthBound helped prove that it didn’t always have to be steeped in high fantasy and magical worlds. The urban and modern setting that EarthBound embraces is a big part of the title’s charm and why it was such a breath of fresh air at the time. It’s hard to deny the effectiveness of EarthBound‘s polished gameplay, but it was too unique and ahead of its time when it made its debut in 1994.
9 Conker’s Bad Fur Day is a strangely mature pursuit for a Nintendo mascot
Rare has become a valuable developer for Microsoft during the most recent gaming generations, but their history in the industry goes back to an enviable relationship with Nintendo. Rare’s contributions to the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 helped redefine platform games for their respective eras, but their weirdest Nintendo title is easy Conker’s Bad Fur Day. The N64 game takes the cuddly squirrel character of Diddy Kong Racing and transports him to a Mature-Rated title that combines platforming elements with graphic violence and sexuality. Conker’s Bad Fur Day is such a strange mix of sensibilities that it’s easy to see why it didn’t catch on with the masses at first.
8 Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem continues to be a pinnacle of the survival horror genre
Nintendo doesn’t always have the best reputation when it comes to serving a more mature gaming audience, but the Gamecube has made a concentrated effort to appease this demographic through some inventive survival horror titles. Eternal darkness tells an ambitious story spanning multiple generations and time periods with a tone deeply influenced by the work of HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe.
Despite there being no sequels or remasters, Eternal darkness still pops up in survival horror conversations because of its groundbreaking “sanity effects” that effectively baffle the public’s minds. Unfortunately, horror games at the time still struggled to stand out on the Gamecube.
7 Kid Icarus failed to make his mark on Nintendo’s other flagship franchises
Kid Icarus and the playful reinvention of Greek mythology is one of Nintendo’s first franchises with early titles on both the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. There’s nothing wrong with it Child Icarus, but the series just doesn’t evoke the same excitement as its contemporaries like Metroid, Kirby, or Zelda. Oddly enough, the biggest factor in the modern relevance of Kid Icarus is due to the characters from the series appearing and making a strong impression in Nintendo’s crossover fighting series, Super Smash Bros. The long-awaited return of the franchise to Nintendo 3DS, Kid Icarus: Rebellion, faced similar struggles in terms of finding a large audience despite critical acclaim.
6 Okami is a moving tribute to folklore and the power of creation
Some of the most powerful video games are those that take inspiration from folklore and mythology as they embrace the medium as an expressive art form. okami is a mythical adventure steeped in ancient Japanese culture with a beautiful aesthetic that accentuates these ideals. The ambition and artistry of okami goes unparalleled, but it’s these unique factors that made it difficult to sell to the mainstream public. okami initially, it initially fell short of expectations on the PlayStation 2 in 2006, before introducing an intuitive Wii port in 2008 that took advantage of the console’s motion controls, but still had a similar reception.
5 MadWorld delivers non-stop action that is black and white and red everywhere
PlatinumGames have become reliable developers when it comes to bombastic beat ’em up action. Some of Nintendo’s most notable and violent endeavors over generations have been the PlatinumGames releases, but crazy world is a title that has come to mind over time.
crazy world makes its mark through an effective black and white stylized aesthetic where red blood destroys this duality when enemies are attacked. The game is set in a futuristic dystopia where mass murder has been commercialized into popular entertainment. crazy world takes advantage of the Wii’s specific control schemes, but it took too long for the title to find an audience.
4 Killer7 pushes a violent killer into psychologically challenging places
Killer7 is a stylized assassin action adventure that turns multiple personalities into an innovative opportunity for creativity. Exaggerated action, daring characters and an atypical control scheme all make Killer7 feels like a unique experience. While it’s not exclusively a Nintendo title, Killer7 is more of an anomaly on the Gamecube than on the PlayStation 2. It made it easier for the public to skip this title initially before learning about the elevated nature of Grasshopper Manufacture through their No more heroes games on the Wii.
3 Miitopia uses a growing Nintendo tradition to inspire an ambitious adventure
Nintendo is already embracing the idea of user-customized avatars known as Mii characters on their Wii console, and they remain as characters in Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart titles. Miitopia is a massive RPG adventure originally released for the Nintendo 3DS, but later remastered for the Switch, which uses the freedom of customization of the Mii characters to inspire a robust RPG adventure. There’s a surprisingly deep and satisfying gameplay hidden inside Miitopiabut the public has been so soured by the Mii concept that few people rushed to experience this adventure.
2 The Wonderful 101 tackles superhero theater with hundreds of characters
The Wii U is a frustrating miss from Nintendo, and it’s remarkable how so many of the console’s previously exclusive titles have made their way into a remaster on the Switch and other modern consoles. The beautiful 101 makes heavy use of the console’s Gamepad mechanics through its creative spin on the strategy, tactical, and action genres. The user can control up to 101 characters who work together to perform dizzying maneuvers. The beautiful 101 is a classic example where a game’s exciting innovation is the barrier that initially prevents audiences from watching it.
1 Bayonetta Becomes Nintendo’s New Face of Increased Action Mayhem
bayonetta is one of the most stylish action series of the past decade, and its frenetic franchise is arguably the pinnacle of PlatinumGames. bayonetta is an outrageous exercise on any occasion, but this exaggerated ode to the action genre somehow connects these chaotic dots into something special. The first bayonetta was critically acclaimed on the PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360, but it fell short of expectations and was eventually acquired by Nintendo to become one of their exclusive products. Nintendo’s Bayonetta 2 is an improvement over the original in every way, but it still took some time to find the right rating.
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