What's the best (not favourite) Nintendo game ?

O

ourumov

Member
Today while talking with the master Pana about DS, I was thinking about where the pinnacle of Nintendo was and where it began their debacle [based on the quality/innovation of games, not sales] (pretty subjective the word debacle, just my opinion of course). Then all of a sudden I answered to myself that probably their best game was Mario 64.

It's not my favourite one for sure (I enjoyed much more SMW2, Super Mario Kart or Super Metroid...even Pikmin) but when I think in what it meant to the industry of videogames and how inspiring has been to other developers the answer seems pretty clear.
The concept was pretty interesting and innovative (sure Mr.NobodyGivesaFuckAbout released a similar game for the Atari2600 on the Jurassic but we are talking about masses) and the execution was brilliant. When I think in Mario 64, the first word that comes to my mind is polished.

I Want to hear your opinion. I am sure tons of you will claim their best game is Super Mario Bros. 3...Perhaps you are right ;)
 
If you're talking about impact on the industry, Mario 64 would indeed rank up there.

For sheer perfection, though (graphics, sound, difficulty, balance, gameplay, etc.) I would be deciding between SMB3, Mario 64, and Ocarina of Time. SMW would be in the running, but it's a little too easy/short for my tastes.

I don't think I'd be able to decide between those three nominations, though.

EDIT: Sweet zombie Jesus, I can't believe I forgot Majora's Mask (thanks to jarrod for reminding me). That would definitely be up there.
 
I think the so called decline of Nintendo quality is subjective, especially considering the fact that games like Pikmin and Advanced Wars are pretty damn polished. In fact, you could say all developers as of late have had decline in quality in order to keep up with the fast paced industry and the short attention spans of the masses.

I'd say the shinning star of Nintendo is Pikmin.
 
In terms of mechanics and design, I'd say it's a toss up bewteen Advance Wars 2, Majora's Mask, Yoshi's Island and Tetris. That last one's cheating a little though.

In terms of influence, either Pokemon or Super Mario Bros.
 
TO me, polish =! quality gaming. It's a bonus, but not the point.

Mario 64 was a huge innovator, and at the same time, I think it represented a losing of the way for Nintendo. The macro-gameplay-- which is to say, the overall game experience of going through levels and reaching goals and getting rewarded, as well as the level design-- was a serious, serious step down (IMHO) from their previous efforts.

Yoshi's Island is technically great, but missessomething.

SMB3 is an incredible mix of challenge and novelty.

But-- I think it's SUper Mario World. It lacks the challeng of those other two, but it's probably got more gameplying fun packied in it than any other mario game.

My experience ends with the N64, though. I cant speak to the Cube games.
 
I think SMB is both the best...and my favorite.

The Advance Wars games are staggering in their quality. I think one of the early Zelda games should be mentioned as well.

I can't even imagine Pikmin being in the same ballpark as these (yes, I've played it) though it's a good game. It's a hard question.
 
It’s not really a Nintendo game but it uses a Nintendo license… :p

Paper Mario: TTYD – The presentation, polish and overall composition is outrageous! Best game ever made!
 
I like Majora's Mask more, but Zelda: Ocarina of Time was definitely the best game Nintendo's ever produced. They pulled off the transition to 3D really well for Zelda, and it ended up being a classic. As evidence, just look at gamerankings.

Of course, it's not the "best ever", but I think it's Nintendo at it's best: not too overrated, and not too underrated. I've also never heard anybody complain about the length.
 
I've 2 best Nintendo games ;)

SMB : Lost Levels (jp. SMB2) : Pure fun. And there are many ways to play the levels. You can try too rush through as quick as possible, try to collect all coins, etc. It isn't too complicated, too.

Tetris : Pure handheld fun. It's so addictive to try to get higher scores than the oppenents (friends).
 
nubbe said:
It’s not really a Nintendo game but it uses a Nintendo license… :p

Paper Mario: TTYD – The presentation, polish and overall composition is outrageous! Best game ever made!
Click to expand...

How is this not a Nintendo game? Intelligent Systems is part of Nintendo, they have been since 1986!
 
nubbe said:
It’s not really a Nintendo game but it uses a Nintendo license… :p

Paper Mario: TTYD – The presentation, polish and overall composition is outrageous! Best game ever made!
Click to expand...

It doesn't get much more Nintendo than Intelligent Systems.

I think Nintendo's best game is either LttP or OOT.
 
The best Nintendo game would probably be SMB3, it's just perfect on so many levels.

My favourite varies between Tetris Attack, Majora's Mask, SMW2 and Fire Emblem.

Mario 64 was just the first game to do 3d properly.
Click to expand...

That's a bit vague, and very much wrong. If we're talking about it as a 3D platformer, then yes, Mario 64 nailed it and was the first to do so.
 
I say that nintendo's greatest games are:

SMB3, Yoshi's Island, ZLTTP,Super Metroid, SMario Kart, Mario 64, Ocarina, Starfox 64, Super Smash Bros Melee and Pikmin 2.

I think nintendo still HAS it according to this list. GC's lifecycle ain't over, and Im sure in the next year some other game may creep in there. BTW, this list alone probably reflects 80% of why I love videogames.
 
While SMB3 is my favorite game, SM64 is probably the "best" one simply because they got the 3D platformer almost exactly right with no similar games in the market to learn from and build upon. (And no, I don't think Jumping Flash! is the same type of game)
 
nubbe said:
I don't acknowledge that, they are their own entity
Click to expand...

Well, that's pretty fucking stupid.

It sounds like you're just creating an excuse because you enjoy a Nintendo game. A Nintendo game mother fucker!

:lol
 
People keep putting Zelda OOT before Mario 64 but I think it was easier the transition from 2D to 3D for two reasons:

-Mario 64 precedent.
-Zelda is in fact always 3D (even in 2D games).
 
ourumov said:
People keep putting Zelda OOT before Mario 64 but I think it was easier the transition from 2D to 3D for two reasons:

-Mario 64 precedent.
-Zelda is in fact always 3D (even in 2D games).
Click to expand...


The old Zelda's are not 3D.




-SB
 
lockii said:
That's a bit vague, and very much wrong. If we're talking about it as a 3D platformer, then yes, Mario 64 nailed it and was the first to do so.
Click to expand...

I think think mario 64 pretty much defined most free roaming 3d games today action/adventure/platformers with the exception being 1st person shooters.

There was no game before Mario 64 that allowed you complete freedom of movement in a 3D enviroment. The game pretty much also defined the relationship between the camera and the player.

B4 64, 3d games were still in the experimental stages, earlier 3d games like jumping flash (one of the 1st 3d platformers) were played from 1st person perspective and all the others played on rails.
 
Well, Tomb Raider also define a relationship between player and camera (a different one) that's pretty common today as well.

Not to take away from Mario 64's achievement. It's the template for all relative-to-camera 3rd person games where the camera can float.
 
ourumov said:
-Zelda is in fact always 3D (even in 2D games).
Click to expand...
Not to mention the gameplay really didn't change that much. 3D Zelda's gameplay is more or less the same as 2d Zelda's.

And the best game is Fire Emblem.
 
As for as years and years of lasting appeal and overall ground breaking quality.

Super Mario Brothers+Mario 64+OoT= Triple tie
 
Super Metroid is the greatest. The downfall is more based on the lives of videogamers and less about the quality of Nintendo's titles.
 
Super Metroid and Yoshi's Island were both perfect. Plasma or eggs? I can't decide.

Super Mario Brothers/Super Mario World/Mario 64 sold the systems, rightfully so. Luigi's Mansion = FAILED!

I've got no complaints with Advance Wars either but the genre is too niche to nab the best.
 
Of the N games I've played, I like Paper Mario TTYD the best by far. I thought it would be just another disappointment like Mario Kart DD, Pikmin 2 and SMS were to me, but instead it exceeded my expectations. I just wish there was some replay value, because now that I'm done, I'm pretty damn well done. Well, on the other hand, I do still have to do the Trouble Center, the Pianta minigames, the cooking, and the Pit of Trials...

...Damn. I've got some work to do.
 
ourumov said:
(sure Mr.NobodyGivesaFuckAbout released a similar game for the Atari2600 on the Jurassic but we are talking about masses) and the execution was brilliant.
Click to expand...
Can someone explain this bit to me.
 
I don't exactly understand the question.

If you're asking which game represents the height of Nintendo's dominace in the industry or their "peak" point that would be Super Mario Bros. 3 releasing in North America in 1990.

Not only is it still the best selling (non-bundled) video game of all time (worldwide), but it also I think would represent Nintendo's absolute peak.

At that time they had 90% of the console market, 95% of the handheld market, and Super Mario Bros. was actually also one of the most popular marketing properties, right up there with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and what Pokemon/Harry Potter are today. Mario was far more popular with kids than Mickey Mouse. At the beginning of the 1990s, an Apple executive was asked which computer company he feared the most heading into the new decade, and he said "Nintendo".


That also coincided with the McDonalds Super Mario 3 cross promotion and the release of the movie "The Wizard".

Other notable "big years" for Nintendo would be 1983 (launch of Famicom), 1985 (launch of NES, Super Mario Bros.), 1987 (game industry revived, Zelda created), 1996 (launch of the N64 w/Mario 64 and creation of Pokemon), 1998 (release of Zelda: OoT).

But I don't think you can top 1990 with the release of Super Mario 3 in the West and the launch of the Super Famicom in Japan, which caused riots after angry customers went crazy when they realized the system they had waited in line for was sold out.

1990 was the peak. They could only go down from there.
 
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