Nintendo, like all veterans of the gaming industry, have had their ups and downs. For example, the likes of the Wii U didn’t exactly set the world alight, while the Switch did. There is a similar level of varied quality when it comes to the games the company either published or developed.
The 90s was one of Nintendo’s hottest periods, as that is when it truly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the gaming world. As such, so many fantastic Nintendo games hit the shelves, and some have stood the test of time. The following ones deserve to be regarded as the best.
Updated May 23, 2023, By Ben Jessey: The 90s was a very strong time for the Nintendo brand. After all, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo 64 both came out in that decade.
With them came a significant number of wonderful games that the company either published or developed. We put only the best of them in this collection. Yet, a few fantastic ones still missed out. So, we’ve now updated the piece to add them, too.
13 Pokemon Red, Blue, And Yellow (1998 And 1999)
It takes a great game to spawn an entire media franchise, which is exactly what the trio of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow did. In Japan, the games were released in 1996 and were called Pocket Monsters Red and Green. But they were renamed Red and Blue for the North American release before Yellow came out the following year.
Despite technically being three games, they’re essentially all the same despite some minor differences. In each one, you receive a starting Pokemon, battle a rival, cause problems for Team Rocket, and attempt to beat all the best Pokemon Gym leaders.
12 Donkey Kong 64 (1999)
The 90s was perhaps the best decade for everyone’s favorite video game primate, Donkey Kong, and the rest of the iconic Kong family. During this period, the world was introduced to the Donkey Kong Country series and Diddy Kong Racing. Yet, the character’s best title from the 90s is his first 3D adventure, Donkey Kong N64.
3D Donkey Kong hasn’t caught on in the same way as 3D Mario or 3D Zelda. However, this platforming collect-a-thon is a ton of fun and feels different from everything Donkey Kong has done before and since.
11 Banjo-Kazooie (1998)
A Nintendo series that is sometimes forgotten – perhaps even by Nintendo themselves – is Banjo-Kazooie. The first instalment in the series arrived in 1998, and it is a 3D collect-a-thon starring a Bear named Banjo and his good friend Kazooie, who is a bird.
Together they traverse obstacles, solve puzzles, and fight bosses all over a bright and colorful world. It bares some resemblance to Donkey Kong 64, but Banjo’s adventure came first. In fact, it set the new standard for these types of games – Super Mario 64’s status as a collect-a-thon is debatable.
10 EarthBound (1995)
Better known in Japan as Mother 2, there’s just something about this quirky RPG and the associated franchise. It had little success on its initial launch in North America in 1995 but has since earned itself legions of dedicated fans.
Bizarre marketing campaigns, absurd dialogue, and battles with sentient pools of vomit? It sounds perfect. Without this game, the world wouldn’t have infuriating Ness players spamming PK Fire in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate today, and that would be a super sad loss for the gaming world. It’s really only EarthBound’s relative obscurity that keeps it from being considered among Nintendo’s best.
9 Star Fox (1993)
Back in 1993, 3D gaming was in its infancy and developers were just starting to explore this new concept. The space-tinged rail shooter Star Fox was Nintendo’s first title to use polygons, and… well, needless to say, it isn’t the prettiest thing you’ll ever see.
That’s not important, though. What matters is that this iconic title introduced so many classic Star Fox elements: Fox McCloud himself, his buddies Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, and the still-snarked-on Slippy Toad, Arwings… considering the primitive tools they had to work with at the time, Star Fox was quite an achievement. It’s just a shame that the franchise is so underappreciated today.
8 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars (1996)
Of course, these days, we’re used to seeing Mario popping up just about everywhere. His spin-offs and cameo appearances have covered just about every genre possible. There’s absolutely nothing the mustachioed maestro can’t turn his hand to.
In 1996, though, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was a revelation. Developed by Square (now Square-Enix), purveyors of the much-beloved Final Fantasy franchise, it’s a role-playing title with genuine RPG chops. Its sense of humor and solid, creative gameplay is fondly remembered, but its spotlight has been stolen since by spiritual successors like the Mario & Luigi games.
7 Super Mario World (1991)
In Japan, Super Mario World only just squeaked into the 90s (November 1990). The North American release date, though, was 1991. Super Mario World is a game that needs no introduction and is still regarded by many fans to be Mario’s best 2D platforming adventure to date.
The crisp, colorful visuals, the infectious music, the multitude of tricky, secret sections waiting to be discovered… it’s a Mario masterclass, in short. All that really holds Super Mario World back is the fact that its reputation precedes it. It’s been trotted out just a little too often since its original release and has lost a bit of impact as a result.
6 Super Metroid (1994)
Super Metroid is, you could argue, the Super Mario World of the Metroid franchise. It represents the pinnacle of butt-kickin’, gum-chewin’ bounty hunter Samus Aran’s 2D adventures. The presentation is top-notch, still holding up very well today, and the atmosphere is second to none.
Samus’ lonely adventure on Zebes is just iconic. That heroic little Metroid taking a futile little chew of Mother Brain, to give Samus a fighting chance at destroying the menace? A weird little alien hasn’t tugged on our heartstrings so much since E.T. phoned home. An excellent, innovative title, though its thunder has been stolen a little since by the reams of Metroidvania imitators and the Metroid Prime series.
5 GoldenEye 007 (1997)
Ah, yes. GoldenEye 007. No Nintendo 64 catalog retrospective will ever be complete without looking back at this fantastic FPS, one of Rare’s finest achievements to date. Gamers worldwide lost countless hours of their lives trying to shoot at that darn Oddjob and his pain-in-the-cheeks hitbox.
Like so many games of the era, it feels super primitive to return to today, but it’s unfair to hold over two decades of technological advances against it. Despite its many foibles, GoldenEye pioneered so many of the single- and multiplayer elements of FPS titles that are still the standard today. The genre owes it a great debt of gratitude.
4 Super Smash Bros. (1999)
Just arriving before the new millennium (January 1999), Super Smash Bros. was another N64 title that would prove far more influential than anyone could really have expected. Everyone knows the Smash Bros. setup: a group of Nintendo legends – and friends – do battle on a series of wacky stages, trying to knock each other off of the screen with powerful smash attacks.
Is it a fighting game? Is it a party game? That depends on who you ask. It’s definitely a phenomenon, though. However, the original, with its total roster of twelve playable characters, seems laughably limited today. Still, it deserves praise for its continued influence, though.
3 Super Mario Kart (1992)
Mario Kart is one of the plumber’s most legendary spin-off series, and it all started in 1992 with Super Mario Kart. Now, as ropey as Mode 7 games may look today, there’s no denying that the effect was suitably impressive back in the 90s. The pseudo-3D effects it made possible really made racing games come alive and gave them a sense of speed.
Super Mario Kart implemented this super well and is still a lot of fun to noodle around with. The sheer success of the Mario Kart franchise today speaks volumes about Super Mario Kart’s own impact.
2 Super Mario 64 (1996)
In every discussion about 90s Nintendo games, you’re going to hear the name Super Mario 64. What can be said about this landmark title that hasn’t already been covered countless times? Mario’s first adventure in the brave new world of 3D was an essential N64 pick (not only because it was one of only two launch titles outside of Japan, the other being Pilotwings 64).
The likes of Super Mario Galaxy and the brilliant Super Mario Odyssey built on the almost-flawless foundation that this 1996 gem laid down. Yes, it has its foibles as all early 3D games do, but it’s a masterpiece. That is why it still ranks among Mario’s best 3D efforts.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (1998)
Simply being regarded as one of the best Legend Of Zelda games ever is an impressive feat considering the strength of the series. Yet, Ocarina Of Time goes one further as it’s known as one of the greatest games ever.
It was Nintendo’s first shot at a 3D entry in the series, and it has influenced many more. In fact, these days, it’s more common to see a 3D Zelda game than a 2D one. This is because Link’s quest to unite the Seven Sages and seal the mighty Ganondorf’s evil was (and remains) a stunning achievement. It might show its age now, but it’s still a lengthy, endlessly enjoyable, utterly unforgettable adventure.