Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Metroid: Nintendo is the home of the biggest franchises and a unique standard of play. RomWize re-ranks the publisher's best games by its re-evaluated scores, each with its current score, its versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"Wave Race 64 invents the jet-ski game with revolutionary wave physics. The swell literally lives under the floats, the Kawasaki riders each have their temperament and the eight waters offer remarkable variety. Still irresistible, and one of the prettiest Nintendo games on the platform."
"Direct sequel in a doubled world of light and darkness with deeper exploration mechanics. Tougher, denser and more oppressive in mood. Without quite matching the first one's clarity, it still hits an adventure peak and confirms Retro Studios as Nintendo royalty."
"The game that changed everything. Mario in the Mushroom Kingdom, from warp zones to Bowser's castles. Revolutionary level design, immediate and universal fun. The most important video game ever made."
"A Japan-exclusive Nintendo gem, the missing link between Zelda and SaGa. Prince Sablé turns into a frog to swim or a snake to crawl. Cutscene-style auto-combat, Metroidvania exploration, irresistible humor. A real little Game Boy wonder, absolutely worth discovering even in Japanese."
"For the first time Zelda is the hero, and her power to copy objects and foes as echoes reinvents puzzle solving. Bursting with ideas and freedom, this top-down Zelda stays playful and inventive right to the end."
"The action keeps its signature extravagance: sumptuous combos, Demon Slave summoning giant monsters and gleefully deranged staging. The pacing sometimes scatters and the story loses the plot, but the raw thrill of combat stays at the top of the genre."
"PlatinumGames delivers a frenetic action game where you steer a cop and a chained creature at once. Juggling both units is demanding yet exhilarating once it clicks, and the cyberpunk style still looks sharp on Switch."
"The most accessible entry in the series without renouncing its strategic nature: commanding your Pikmin stays a rewarding puzzle, and the companion Oatchi smooths the logistics. The new night mode and caves bring genuine variety."
"The color overhaul of the unforgettable Game Boy Zelda, with an exclusive color dungeon and a bonus photo grotto. The dreamlike Koholint story still ranks as top shelf writing, the dungeons still dazzle, the magic stays intact. An absolute essential of Nintendo's handheld."
"The peak of the F-Zero saga, designed by Sega and Amusement Vision under Nintendo's watch. Mind-bending speed, dizzying tracks and AI hardwired for combat. Brutal difficulty but unmatched arcade racing thrills. Still undethroned today."
"The best Smash Bros. before Ultimate. Generous roster, abundant modes, balanced gameplay. One of the best multiplayer party games ever made. Amiibo add a collector dimension. A complete and indispensable home version."
"The absolute console FPS benchmark from Rare. Twenty Bond-licensed missions with multiple objectives, AI behaviour that was revolutionary for its day and a four-player multiplayer that became outright myth. A genuine genre revolution that redefined what a first-person shooter could be in the living room."
"A darker and far more ambitious follow-up to Banjo-Kazooie. The ten interconnected worlds, the split abilities and the depth of its puzzles place it among the N64's true high points. Denser and at times labyrinthine, but generous and intelligent in ways the platform rarely matched."
