Since 1985, Nintendo has been one of the most reliable companies in gaming. You can’t have a list of the best video games of all-time without including many that debuted on Nintendo hardware. From systems that were beloved on release, to those that took longer to appreciate, every fan has their favorite. Ahead of the release of Nintendo Switch 2, we ranked the seven best systems Nintendo has ever made, including both consoles and handhelds. There’s some tough competition overall, but the number one spot is pretty much impossible to deny.
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With just seven systems on the list, that leaves some Nintendo platforms unaccounted for. For example, you won’t find Virtual Boy listed anywhere below, but there are a few more missing. Some readers might debate the selections, but there’s a pretty strong case for every platform that made the final round.
In descending order, our top seven Nintendo platforms are as follows:
7. Nintendo 64
For those who were too young to experience it, it’s hard to convey what a massive leap Nintendo 64 represented, not only for Nintendo, but for the video game industry as a whole. Games like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and GoldenEye: 007 completely changed the industry. Nearly three decades after the system’s release, its games are still influencing developers. The system did have its negatives, though; most notably, a lack of third-party support resulted in a particularly barren first year. Still, the N64 library had many terrific games, some of which are only starting to gain more appreciation through Nintendo Switch Online.
6. Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo’s iterative systems often get a bad rap, but 3DS proved that good software can overcome just about anything. Nintendo 3DS was basically just a more powerful DS with a stereoscopic 3D gimmick, which many developers didn’t bother to use after a few years. However, the system played host to a lot of great games, from first-party favorites like Kirby: Planet Robobot, to unique third-party offerings built from the ground-up for the handheld, like Resident Evil Revelations. 3DS might not have been the most innovative system Nintendo ever made, but it’s still one of the best.
5. Nintendo DS
If 3DS didn’t seem all that innovative, it’s because the original DS was such an impressive piece of hardware. When Nintendo first unveiled the device, it seemed destined to fail to Sony’s PSP. However, the handheld’s touch screen led to an incredible amount of creativity from developers throughout the industry. Games like Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars showed how long-running hardcore franchises could take advantage of the system’s hardware innovations, while Nintendo catered to casuals with games like Brain Age and Nintendogs. Nintendo DS was a showpiece for the ingenuity of the industry, and we may never see another video game system quite like it.
4. GameCube
The best way to describe GameCube is “criminally underrated.” Nintendo’s follow-up to N64 fixed nearly every misstep the company had made in the previous console generation. After the N64’s use of cartridges turned off many third-party developers, GameCube’s optical discs drew them back in, resulting in a pretty hefty library. The system even got some high-profile M-rated games, including Resident Evil 4, Eternal Darkness, and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes. Nintendo’s top-tier franchises were also treated quite well in this era with classics like Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. The system even introduced audiences to some brand-new franchises, such as Animal Crossing and Pikmin.
It took nearly two decades for people to start appreciating GameCube, but the system is finally getting its due, largely in part to the fact that a lot of the best games have made the jump to Switch. There are still a lot of great games missing on modern platforms, but hopefully that gets rectified.
3. Game Boy
Nintendo’s first handheld remains one of the most impressive video game systems ever made. While a lot of the early games released on the system felt like weak year-one NES games, Game Boy’s unheard of 11 years on the market resulted in a library that gradually improved over time. Once developers realized they could start creating portable experiences that matched or exceeded those on consoles, the face of gaming changed forever. Titles like Tetris, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and Pokemon Red and Blue hooked players around the world, and the system was carried everywhere as a result.
2. Super Nintendo
When it comes to great video game systems, few rank as highly as the Super Nintendo. The SNES didn’t feature much in terms of bells and whistles; at the end of the day, it really was just a super version of the original Nintendo. But the Super Nintendo is notable in the fact that it hosted one of the most impressive libraries of video games ever made. Nintendo was firing on all cylinders in the SNES era, offering first-party favorites like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Donkey Kong Country, while third-parties were gifting the system with classics like Mega Man X, Final Fantasy VI, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time.
What remains so impressive about the Super Nintendo is just how enjoyable its best games remain. There’s a real timeless quality to its best titles, from the gorgeous pixel art, right down to the gameplay. In terms of Nintendo systems, there’s only been one that has a library on the same level.
1. Nintendo Switch
It’s hard to top the Super Nintendo, but Nintendo Switch really is the best video game platform Nintendo has ever made. The option to switch between handheld and console gaming had a monumental impact on the video game industry, leading to a resurgence of interest in handheld gaming. It’s easy to forget, but Nintendo Switch was not a guaranteed success story; many industry analysts at the time assumed mobile gaming would replace handheld gaming altogether. However, the Switch perfectly married the best qualities of Nintendo’s handheld and console systems.
The convenience of Switch as a gaming platform cannot be overstated, but it’s the library of games that really sets it apart from past Nintendo systems. Titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey set the tone early, while Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate took the world completely by storm. It also attracted strong third-party support, with companies like Capcom, Sega, Square Enix, and even Take-Two rushing to support it. With the Nintendo Switch 2 era swiftly approaching, Nintendo is going to have a tough hill to climb in terms of matching or even exceeding the strength of its current platform.
How do you feel about our list of the top 7 Nintendo systems? Do you think there’s a system that should have made the list? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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The main cast of Powerless looking up into the sky (2017)
