
Here it comes, GAF’s own Top 50 of Nintendo titles! Many thanks towards Cheesemeister for processing the votes and all the stats! And everyone who voted!
About the voting:
- Voting ran from Jan. 2nd, 2012 through Feb. 3rd, 2012.
- Number of ballots: 335 ballots counted
- Number of games: 214
- Famitsu Top 50 Nintendo games of all Time.
- Voting Thread here
- Cheesemeister’s stat download, get it here!

01. [N64] The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Adventure) = 427 points, 2 honorable mentions
bluehat9 said:Can't really put my finger on why I think its the best Zelda game...maybe it was the 3D and whole sense of exploration when I first played it.
Sho_Nuff82 said:Combined the sense of awe of Mario 64 with the quasi-open world freedom of LoZ. Time travel mechanics and dungeon items were well implemented. Introduced the horse. Hook shot and bow/arrows were boss. Introduced Z targeting. Really only marred by the Water Temple. Epic final encounter. To date, the only 3D Zelda game where the intro isn't a fucking chore.
elektrixx said:Just like Super Mario 64 this was such a good transition to 3D for the series. So vast and immersive.

02. [SNES] Super Metroid (Adventure) = 354 points, 1 honorable mention
leroidys said:The only Metroid game on my list, but boy does it deserve it. It blended the satisfying platforming and intelligent game design nintendo is known for with an unmatched atmosphere not typical of the company.
rjfs said:Easily the best 2d Metroid
Amir0x said:I can beat this game with my hands tied behind my back, and I still cannot stop getting over how brilliant this game is. Designed with a sense of almost mechanical genius, there's a list of clearly intentional time saving shortcuts that make time running some of the most rewarding of any series on Earth. Everything about it is dripping with passionately designed segments of exploration/platforming/action, secrets behind every hole and slip.

03. [SNES][GBA] The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (Adventure) = 347 points, 1 honorable mention
gamergirly said:A classic in the way the game presents itself and set up the dungeon/puzzle design for future titles
Lionheart1827 said:The first videogame I ever saved up my own money to buy. I still remember I would save up change I found, any holiday money I'd get from relatives to finally afford the 70 dollar price tag at Nobody Beats the Wiz. Back then we only had Toys R Us and The Wiz. There were no Best Buys or Targets around here. I finally bought it on a Sunday afternoon. Still remember being irked at the beginning for not having a sword, but I was excited as hell nonetheless.
Nightstick11 said:This game is perfect. There's nothing for me to really say about this one. This is one of four Nintendo games that are mandatory for any real gamer to play.

04. [NES][GBA] Super Mario Bros. 3 (Platform) = 346 points
goldenenergy said:Do I even have to explain?
Thores said:This was just 2D Mario platforming at its peak for me. The whimsical style and having some of the best powerups in the franchise didn't hurt either.
Javier said:The ultimate platformer, brilliant level design, great controls and physics, and incredibly large as far as a NES game goes. Fun even up to this day and it never gets old to replay it. Best video game ever without a doubt.

05. [SNES][GBA] Super Mario World (Platform) = 346 points, 2 honorable mentions
ScOULaris said:What can I say? It's the peak of 2D Mario's perfection. The levels were plentiful with secret exits and multiple paths, the world was colorful and imaginative, the controls are PERFECT and unsurpassed to this day, all of the power-ups were useful, and the challenge was just right. It's really a shame that Nintendo has never revisited Dino Island as the setting for a new Mario game. So many great baddies and locales lost to time. SMB3 was more robust for its time, but Super Mario World is the most flawless Mario game I've ever played, and I say that only slightly influenced by nostalgia.![]()
alazz said:I think World is a more grounded refinement of the gimmick-centric levels of SMB3. It really did a good job of blending the simple level styles of SMB1/2 with the more crazy and unique styles of SMB3. SMW is just such a fun game. From the very first time I popped it in the SNES to playing it for three days straight on the VC. It never gets old, it never ceases to be fun.

06. [NGC] Metroid Prime (Adventure) = 328 points, 1 honorable mention
tha_devil said:Retro did the impossible, and reinvented metroid as nintendo did with Oot.
Oxymoron said:This, to me, is the single best video game world I've played, bar none, and one of the only ones I can navigate entirely without using the map because I know it so well and every room and area is distinct and unique.
Amir0x said:This is what I thought about Metroid Prime when announced: 'What the fuck, FPS Metroid by some unknown dev? Fuck yourself.' This is what I thought about it after I played it: 'holy god everything I know about life has been wrong.' Nevermind the logistics of getting the classic Metroid exploration system working functionally in first person mode, the goddamn timeless innovations of the Metroid visor and the jump look make this almost a class study in how to take old school games and make them relevant to modern audiences. The soundtrack? God fuck. The graphics for the time? *mind mind* The level design? Retro proved me wrong.

07. [WII] Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Platform) = 292 points, 1 honorable mention
duxstar said:As a fan of platformers I honestly wonder if there will ever be one that will top this. I don't really remember any particular world sticking out, but I do know that I was obsessed with getting every single star in this game, and actually borrowed a wii to play this game. In my opinion the wii would be almost un-remarkable as a system if it wasn't for the 2 Mario galaxy games. Not to say that it doesn't have good games, its just the galaxy games were the only ones that actually made me dust off the wii and use it.
fisheyes said:I feel this is the closest modern equivalent to Yoshi's Island, as it successfully manages to pull off that constantly new feeling that YI had.
Javier said:Took everything from its predecessor, polished it, and made it a thousand times better. Some of the most addictive gameplay ever, amazing level design, and an artistically beautiful game.

08. [N64] Super Mario 64 (Platform) = 280 points, 2 honorable mentions
Chittagong said:truly revolutionary game that established gaming in three dimensions
Nightstick11 said:The second most important game of all time . This blew my mind when it first released, as it did everyone's, and it's pretty amazing how fun this game still is.
Jeeves said:Nostalgia colors my opinion of this game probably more than any other, but I do believe it's still a great game that stands up today, to the point where I'd say it's still one of the best platformers around. Very imaginative game full of ideas, and superbly playable thanks to Mario controlling like a dream.

09. [WII] Super Mario Galaxy (Platform) = 257 points, 1 honorable mention
Michan said:My jaw dropped when I first played this absolutely brilliant take on the platforming genre. There is no argument: at time of its release, this immediately became the perfect game.
Piano said:A great evolution of the SM64 formula. Sunshine was good but felt more like a sideways step than a clear forward progression.
RedShift said:Causes way too much smiling.

10. [SNES] Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (Platform) = 237 points, 2 honorable mentions
ecierif said:This spinoff outshines the series that inspired it due to its unique shooting mechanic, charming artwork and creative level design. The secret levels are a challenge to both unlock and complete.
giant_frying_pan said:My favourite game of all time, the closest game to perfection I've ever come across and the one game I will never tire of. In the past couple of years it is getting more recognition as the classic that it is, but it is still tragically under-rated especially in comparison to the still-astoundingly-great-but-not-quite-as-great Super Mario Bros. 3 and World.
Murrah said:Not much to say about this one except it's platforming perfection. Touch fuzzy get dizzy ya'll

11. [N64] The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Adventure) = 193 points, 3 honorable mentions
Reticent Rhino said:A perfect complement to OoT. This also boasts two of the best Zelda dungeons in the series . The boss fights aren't nearly as good as in OoT, but it's the living, breathing world outside of the temples that puts this game so high on my list.
Carlov said:Everything from a great diversity in the terrain of different areas to the darker storytelling and craploads of side-content made this an unforgettable Zelda title, and my second favorite behind TWW. I felt it was also the most emotional, as I found myself empathizing with Link and Termina's residents as the apocalypse approached within 3 days time and the town music became consistently more frantic with each passing sunrise. Undoubtedly one of the most unique Zelda games. NPCs have never been so characterized.

12. [NGC] The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Adventure) = 167 points
Frankenstrat said:man did it suck me in. I can still play through it today and have fun. Oddly enough the sailing never bored me!
Carlov said:Believe it or not, this just so happens to be my #1 Nintendo game of all-time. The sense of freedom, life, adventure and exploration it manages to convey is simply unparalleled among all Zelda installments. Even the little things, from treasure-hunting on the high seas to escaping from intimidating sea-hats during a storm to stumbling upon the haunting Ghost Ship out of nowhere just contributed even further in making this an excellent title. Also lots of side-content, a graphical style that even today looks fantastic, wonderfully written characters and THE most captivating story of any Zelda. It's really the only single-player game I can delve into again and again without ever getting tired of the experience.

13. [NGC] Super Smash Bros. Melee (Fighting) = 166 points
Billychu said:I have put more hours into this game than most other games combined. It is the greatest video game of all time
Snakeyes said:the definitive fighting game, arcade sticks be damned. There is no other fighter that gives players the same amount of options and freedom while retaining competitive balance and being newcomer-friendly at the same time. The engine is so flexible that you can often tell who is playing just by looking at their movement if you've watched them enough. The dynamics of a match are always changing based on the stage, damage percentage, positioning and edge-guarding adds a whole new dimension to the old-school concept of cornering the opponent.

14. [GB] Pokémon Red/Blue/Green (RPG) = 115 points
D-Pad said:This is a game that started the whole pokemon pokemon craze. The whole collect-em-all catchphrase tells why this game is so addicting for me. If it weren't for this game we wouldn't have the other amazing follow-ups, which it why I chose it as number 1.
SYNTAX182 said:Ask anyone in the whole world what Pokemon is, and they will describe it to you in detail. That's all that needs to be said. Pika!

15. [SNS] EarthBound (RPG) = 113 points
Amir0x said:To me just the classiest jRPG ever. An amazing translation with a supremely simple yet extremely well told theme. Ness' mother proclamation about her hopes and desires for her son after the eighth sound stone are some of the most poignant and believable declarations of the purity of a mother's love that exists in gaming yet. The instant kill on easy enemies was a feature modern jRPGs STILL could stand to use all the time. On screen enemies. Amazing variety of battle tracks. One of the best game soundtracks of all time. Seriously. WHY haven't many more jRPGs adopted some of these features? All jRPGs should have like fifteen battle themes.
anotherVegan said:The game with the most heart out of any game ever.

16. [NES][GBC][GBA] Super Mario Bros. (Platform) = 99 points, 2 honorable mentions
inner-G said:The title that started it all for many gamers around the world.

17. [NGC] F-Zero GX (Racing) = 91 points, 2 honorable mentions
Neon_Icarus said:Sega really outdid themselves here. They took F-Zero X, improved the graphics to amazing levels and included just about everything one could have imagined from an F-Zero game. It’s one and only flaw is that it was perhaps too good. How do you make a worthy sequel to this?
Snakeyes said:Best racing game ever made. What's even more impressive is that it earns this title through very basic, but perfectly tuned gameplay. There are no obnoxious power-ups or random stage hazards, only you zipping through the tracks at supersonic speeds with pinpoint precision.

18. [GB][GBC] The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Adventure) = 90 points, 2 honorable mentions
djtiesto said:the Game Boy could do epic adventures with console-like scope. Brought a heapload of character and quirkiness to the Zelda series, along with some great large-scope puzzles Very influential in terms of how the series progressed.
D-Pad said:The best Zelda game ever released. It's charming, challenging, and has the best overworld and dungeons, music, and characters of any Zelda game. The only thing it was missing was Princess Zelda herself .

19. [N64] GoldenEye 007 (FPS) = 85 points
ScOULaris said:This has to make my list by virtue of the countless hours of multiplayer antics that it provided me and my friends. The four-player splitscreen, the cast of characters, and all of the options that allowed you to customize each session to your liking made Goldeneye an absolute classic. The singleplayer was also an enjoyable recreation of the movie, thanks in large part to the enemy reactions to being shot.
Sho_Nuff82 said:my nostalgia vote goes here, played more multiplayer from this title than I care to admit. Great weapons, location based hit detection and stealth systems were a breath of fresh air for the genre, the objectives livened the game up beyond the usual "run from A to B while clearing monster closets" that permeated FPS at the time. Amazing multiplayer maps.

20. [GBA] Mother 3 (RPG) = 80 points
Starwolf_UK said:I'm so sorry Earthbound, you may have better music but the plot of Mother 3 is better
eXistor said:Earthbound has that important nostalgia factor that I just can't seem to ignore and I do like that game's environments more, but Mother 3 is better in all other aspects. It's got a great emotional, yet always funny and heartwarming story, some great characters and the battlesystem has gotten a cool new feature . It's one of Nintendo's brightst and darkest hours at the same time. The game speaks for itself, but I consider it a crime against humanity that Nintendo has never given the game an official release outside of Japan.

21. [SNES] Donkey Kong Country (Platform) = 78 points, 2 honorable mentions
Carlov said:The worlds and music of this were especially memorable, as was the platforming.
windfish said:Can't decide between this and Jungle Beat, just love that special Rare Magic and Humor the SNES Versions had. Good Times =)

22. [GBC] Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal (RPG) = 77 points
PKrockin said:GameFreak nearly perfected Pokemon on their first try, but they really went far above and beyond what they had to do for a sequel. A day/night cycle. Breeding. Held items. Battling Trainers multiple times. REVISITING KANTO AND CHALLENGING ALL THE TRAINERS THERE! That this could fit on a GBC cart blew my mind. Pokemon became more than a really awesome game, it became an obsession for months and months.
Murrah said:I love the DS remakes and played them to death, but the original GSC are the most nostalgic games of my childhood; whenever I think of Pokemon, I think of desperately waiting for school to be over so we could bust out our GameBoys and trade on the jungle gym while trading tips and rumors about new Pokemon. Best soundtrack of the series doesn't hurt either

23. [N64] Star Fox 64 (Shooter) = 69 points, 3 honorable mentions
Yaceka said:My first N64 game. I blew it off at first because it was a shooter . It wasn't until a year later that I realized it wasn't an fps, but rather a rail shooter. I thought I'd try it, and I ended up staying up all night playing it. I played the 3DS version, and it's still one of my favourite games of all time.
Sir_Crocodile said:superb dogfighting, choices & variety. and of course brain + eyes.

24. [WII] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Adventure) = 59 points, 1 honorable mention
RandomVince said:This game defines motion controls just as Mario 64 defined 3D gameplay. The final act really demonstrated how well motion controls can and do work. The final battle was the most cathartic, satisfying, engaging and atmospheric one Ive ever encountered in a game. Even better was the empowering feeling of beating the boss when my shield broke mid fight. Several of the temples/dungeons were incredibly well thought out with some amazing mechanics. One moment in particular late in the game was just incredibly beautiful. Edge magazine's review mused over whether Nintendo had figured out the secret to infinite level design. I suspect they did; I could have played through the 3 main areas several times more and not gotten sick of them.
Salih said:The best 3D Zelda. no doubt about it. Not only it is the most beautiful Zelda game i have ever seen but also the one with the most satisfying and unique combat-system in a Zelda-series. It also has the best Zelda-soundtrack since Ocarina of Time. A game with no competitors in this age.

25. [NGC][WII] The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Adventure) = 55 points, 1 honorable mention
Neon_Icarus said:Choosing the best in the series wasn´t easy. I´ve played Ocarina of Time so many times that I´m really fed up with it now, while Skyward Sword is a bit too recent to be fully put into perspective. Twilight Princess is a good choice though. After the bitterly disappointing Wind Waker, it was return to form, with the best dungeons in the series, a great helper character and an art style that could communicate the full spectrum of the The Legend of Zelda experience: from goofy comedy to whimsical adventure to the dark, foreboding and creepy.
irriadin said:It took me a while to realize it, but Twilight Princess is one of the best Zelda games there is. Midna is a superb character, the dungeons are all elaborate, and there are just enough moments of pure gaming bliss to put this one over Majora's Mask.