As I’m sure you’re aware, the Nintendo Switch 2 is upon us. So, with a brand new console on the horizon, what better time to look back at some of the legendary publisher’s greatest games?
For decades, Nintendo has given us some of the most famous and best-selling game series ever made, but here, I’ve picked out 18 of the most well-known ones to sort through. Yes, this list could stretch into the 100s, but we don’t want to be here all day, do we? From Super Mario to Zelda, we all have our favourites, and some (sorry Kirby) that we’ve just never quite clicked with. I’ve had a go at ranking them via one of our IGN Tier Lists, purely taking into account my personal enjoyment of each series over the years. Take a look at my tier list here:
I’m sure it’s no surprise to see both Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda in my S-tier category. Two of the most influential and, crucially, very fun video game series to ever do it, it’s a no-brainer really. On the other end of the scale… I’m sure a few eyebrows will be raised at my placing of Super Smash Bros. in the C tier. Please let me explain myself before battering me in the comments, please. Smash Bros. has just never been my thing, I’m afraid. Not only am I not a fighting game fan, but in a time when lots of people grew up playing it with friends, I was simply enjoying other multiplayer and party games, whether those be TimeSplitters, Guitar Hero, or Call of Duty. I just don’t have the connection to Smash Bros. that so many do, and for that, I can only ask for your complete forgiveness.
Don’t agree with me? Think that Pikmin is better than Pokémon? Well, why not have a go at ranking some of Nintendo’s biggest series yourself in a tier list below, where you can compare your own S, A, B, C, and D tiers with the whole of the IGN community.
What’s your favourite Nintendo series that hasn’t made it onto this list? Let us know in the comments, as well as why you’ve ranked the games in the order you’ve chosen.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
