Nintendo is responsible for some of the greatest video games ever created. What’s more exciting is that with the announcement of titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Metroid Prime 4, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, us gamers have a lot to look forward to from the big N this year and next.
However, we’re focusing on their past today. With great franchises like Mario and Zelda, it’s extremely difficult to hate on this company. That being said, I would argue that some of their games get way more praise than they deserve. Don’t get me wrong. All of the games I am about to discuss are excellent games, but they’re nowhere near the levels of perfection that some people would have you believe.
I love Nintendo and their games, but I have to admit when there are a few that get a bit more hype than they should. That’s why we’re going to take a look at 15 Nintendo games that are painfully overrated.
15 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
As opposed to making you wait before upsetting you, I thought I’d just do it right out of the gate. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a great game. I have the remake on my 3DS and enjoyed the original on the N64. The problem is that it’s not the legendary masterpiece (in my opinion) that some people would make you think.
First of all, the overworld is painfully sparse. Hyrule Field is just there to make you think that there’s a massive world to travel when there’s really not. Second of all, when people praise the open-world Zelda games so much, why is Ocarina of Time still considered the best? It’s a very linear story. Then there’s that whole Water Temple fiasco.
14 Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing series is beloved by many and it’s not hard to see why it’s successful. It offers a game that can be enjoyed by people that don’t like playing games. I get that completely. What I don’t get is how many people lose their minds over hearing anything regarding the next Animal Crossing and can spend months playing the game.
I understand that everyone has their own cup of tea, but that’s precisely why Animal Crossing is on this list. This style of game isn’t for everyone. Many would consider it boring and wonder what they needed to do. It’s just a life simulator. It might be well done and all, but it’s not one of the greatest game series ever created.
13 Wii Sports
This is one that took no thought or hesitation from me. When the Wii came out, Wii Sports was really cool. You could play all kinds of sports by swinging your arms like a madman. Unfortunately, the game is all style and no substance. While you might have fun with it at parties, there isn’t enough depth or originality to put Wii Sports at the top of the pile for Wii games.
What makes this even more annoying is the fact that games like Wii Sports Resort and Nintendo Land took the formula and made it better. Yet people still regard this game as one of the best things since sliced bread. It’s a fun game, but again, it’s not worthy of all of the hype and praise it receives.
12 Super Mario Galaxy
Next we’re going to take out three different aspects of the Mario series. The first is the 3D platformer. Super Mario Galaxy is an excellent game, but I fail to see why it gets as much renown as it does. For example, Super Mario 3D World takes a similar format to Super Mario Galaxy (just set in the Mushroom Kingdom) but everyone hates on it for not being a more open adventure. If you’re going to knock a game off for doing one thing, you have to knock off the other if it does the same.
That’s not to say Super Mario Galaxy isn’t worth your time, because it is. The problem is that people take it and run all the way to the Internet to rave about how amazing the game is.
11 Mario Kart 64
As much as I love the N64 in general, I understand that it had its fair share of problems. The biggest one being that strange controller designed for someone on another planet. This peripheral led into a lot of blunders regarding the games for the console. Take Mario Kart 64 for example.
While the game had solid tracks and characters, the gameplay itself was very clunky (especially when trying to use that controller). It’s still tons of fun, but the drifting doesn’t respond as well as it should, and everything just feels slower. We still love to play it today, but with releases like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there’s almost no reason to go back to the 64 version unless you’re doing it for nostalgia.
10 Super Mario Bros. 3
The Super Mario Bros 2D platformers are a ton of fun and a lot of people debate over which one is the best. While I can’t say for sure (other than an opinion), I can tell you which ones get a bit more attention than they deserve. Case in point: Super Mario Bros 3.
This game is a solid platformer and refines a lot of the mechanics established in the series prior, but when you have other titles like Super Mario World, it’s difficult to see why this game is so beloved. Super Mario Bros 3 also doesn’t look as good as some of the other 2D platformers in the series and hasn’t aged AS well as a result (we still love it).
9 Donkey Kong 64
When Donkey Kong made the jump from 2D to 3D, Rare knew what they were doing when crafting Donkey Kong 64. Bringing more members of the Kong family into the mix was a brilliant idea that served as a fun and new way of looking at our favorite gorilla.
Unfortunately, the game isn’t as good as some people would have you believe. There are tons of collectibles in the game, but many of them can only be collected by certain Kongs. This would be fine if you didn’t have to constantly replay levels several times over in order to get everything. Couple that with some boss fights that are a bit recycled and you have a game that is fun, but not amazing.
8 Pokémon Black And White
I love the Pokémon series. What I didn’t love is when they made the jump to Generation V with Pokémon Black and White. When the game came out, many people were quick to rave about how is was a return to form and featured a stellar story for the series.
After messing around with the game, I never saw the fantastic game that people were talking about. Many of the Pokémon were downright ugly. The story was fine but not stellar, and it still featured the same tropes and cliches that previous entries in the series had dealt with. Game Freak later rectified this with Black 2 and White 2, but Black and White don’t deserve a lot of the praise they get.
7 Kirby Super Star
If you ask any Kirby fan what the best game in the series is, most of them will point you to Kirby Super Star. After all, a lot of people say that it’s a perfection of the tried and true formula. However, I as a Kirby fan, wouldn’t tell you that for numerous reasons.
The first reason is that the “buddy” system is extremely clunky to deal with. This would be fine if it wasn’t something that remained consistent throughout each of the sub-games. The second is that a lot of the modes weren’t fully realized. There was no way of keeping track of progress in The Great Cave Offensive, Spring Breeze was just a shorter version of Kirby’s Dream Land, and Gourmet Race was painfully short. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great game, but it’s not the best the pink puffball has to offer.
6 Kid Icarus: Uprising
After having only two games on the NES and GameBoy, Kid Icarus finally returned to the forefront with Kid Icarus: Uprising on the 3DS (which was due to Pit’s inclusion in Smash Bros. Brawl). Many people were quick to praise this game on its visuals, mechanics, and story. Some said it was one of the 3DS’s best games.
The problem with Kid Icarus: Uprising is that the controls were sloppy. By only having the circle pad, players were likely to get hand cramps while playing this game. It was overall a nice reimagining of the series, but it’s far from the best the 3DS can give you. I’d suggest looking to the Zelda, Kirby, and RPGs on the system.
5 Metroid Fusion
Remember when Nintendo did a simultaneous release for two Metroid games? There was Metroid Prime on the GameCube and Metroid Fusion on the Game Boy Advance. Both games were heavily praised and have been recognized as some of Nintendo’s greatest titles. In the case of Metroid Prime, I agree. In regards to Metroid Fusion, I have a bit more to say.
First of all, Metroid Fusion is horribly short. You could beat it in just a few hours. Furthermore, the game forces you to slog through a lot of cutscenes and dialogue, which isn’t fun for anyone who just wants to play the game. On the bright side, if you had both games, you could get the Fusion suit in Metroid Prime.
4 F-Zero Series
Ever since the Wii U started hitting store shelves, fans have been clamoring for a new F-Zero game. The series’ fast-paced racing environments, complete with tons of boost pads and backgrounds that fly past your vision, make for the perfect game for adrenaline junkies. But it’s far from one of Nintendo’s best properties.
The problem here is that Nintendo has been creating better racing games with the Mario Kart series. To make F-Zero would just be a rehash of the genre and the game would likely only sell because there hasn’t been an entry in a long time. It’s hard to control a car when it’s moving at the speed of light and most players wouldn’t be able to keep up.
3 Fire Emblem Fates
The fact that Fire Emblem has become so popular in the West is a phenomenon in and of itself. I understand why fans wanted it brought to the states, but not all of the games are worthy of the praise that they get. The standout for this list is Fire Emblem Fates.
The issue here is that Nintendo releases two Fire Emblem Fates games. In order to grasp the full story, one would have to buy both of these games, then get the Revelations DLC. That comes to $100 in total. Furthermore, the graphical style and fairly convoluted story would be enough to turn a lot of people away. Fire Emblem Fates is a great game, but it’s painfully overrated.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
When each Zelda game comes out, there are always those people who regard it as the best in the series, and very seldom are the games worthy of that moniker. However, that hasn’t stopped people from heavily praising the adventure of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Unfortunately, the game isn’t as good as many people say. The opening sequence is agonizingly long. The Wolf Link segments are long and drawn out. The art style is muddled and not as beautiful as other games in the series. I could go on, but the point is that this game has been overrated for a long time. Even the HD remake on the Wii U doesn’t do much to improve the quality of the game.
1 Super Smash Bros. Melee
Of all of the Nintendo games that are overhyped, Super Smash Bros. Melee takes the cake (and that’s coming from a Super Smash Bros. fan). While the game was a significant improvement over the 64 title, many people regard it as the greatest game in the series: a title that it doesn’t deserve.
The entire premise of Melee functions on exploits and glitches that people are able to use to win matches. This makes the game inaccessible to most people (that and how fast-paced the game is). Furthermore, there are a lot of stages that simply don’t work, as well as a host of cheap clone characters. Future games in the series improve on this formula and make it accessible to all people, both competitive and casual.
