Hello Enthusiasts,
I love Nintendo. They're a great developer that have built a decent track record over the years. There have been highs and lows, but the one thing that they always seems to do is innovate. Whether their new product is amazing or lackluster, they generally seem to be very different from what had been tried last. So today, I would like to rank the main Nintendo consoles. I am going to do my best to avoid factoring my nostalgia for certain consoles here, but I can't say that won't trickle in at all. I'm also only going over the main consoles, so you won't see any of the gameboys or any of Nintendo's strange side projects. My criteria for these rankings will be as follows: how well they did commercially, how good was the game library, and how innovative the technology was for the console.
7. WiiU
So this one is kind of obvious based on sales alone, as it remains the worst selling Nintendo console to date. While they did try to innovate with the second screen on the controller, it was a bit too bulky and it wasn't very fluid to keep looking from the TV to your handheld while playing. The WiiU didn't have too many games due to very few third party developers being involved, but some of the games it had were outstanding. Here are just some of the highlights: Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros WiiU, Bayonetta 2, Super Mario Maker, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, Super Mario Bros U, and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. It was a console that didn't live up to its potential, and it remains one of Nintendo's biggest misses, but at least there were some great games to play.
6. Gamecube
So this system wasn't very innovative when compared with the others (Nintendo was playing catch up with Sony in regards to using disks for their games), but it may have been the most durable system on the market. I had a terrible set up for my Gamecube where it sat about four feet off the ground and we played on wired controllers, so that thing took some falls, but it did not break. It sold moderately well, and there were so many good games on this system. Here are just some of the highlights: Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Brothers: Melee, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Pikmin, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Metroid Prime, Super Mario Sunshine, and Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. While the Gamecube itself may not have been a huge success for Nintendo, it did have one of the best and most versatile libraries of any of their consoles
5. SNES
The Super Nintendo was the follow-up to the wildly successful NES, and while a lot of people are wildly nostalgic for this system, it doesn't get higher on this list based on my criteria. While the graphics were a huge step up, jumping from 8 bits to 16, the console itself didn't innovate too much from the NES. Also, the Sega Genesis was doing similar work, so Nintendo didn't do anything graphically that the Sega couldn't do. The SNES did sell very well though, and the library for this system was well stocked with timeless classics. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Wario's Woods, Super Mario Kart, Starfox, Super Bomberman, Earthbound, and Yoshi's Island. There was a lot of the word "Super" going around in case you missed it. For a lot of people that I've spoken with, this was their first system, and remains one of their favorites.
4. N64
So if you want to talk about trying to innovate video game hardware, look at the controller for the Nintendo 64. It did have a weird shape, but it also had the first analog stick to be used in a home console. The console itself revolutionized gaming with it's 3D graphics, and the system was a major financial success for Nintendo. While some of the games have not aged well since this was the very beginning of 3D gaming, the system still had some amazing games. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Goldeneye 007, Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Pokemon Snap, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Pokemon Stadium, and Doom 64. This is another system that is remembered more than fondly, with many people attributing their current love of video games to the time they spent with their N64.
3. NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System had to be high on this list, it checks off all of the boxes I have in quite a fashion. It sold very well, to the point of it being the staple of gaming at the time. Sure, there were other consoles, but none of them had that Nintendo Power! It was innovative in a number of ways, especially with the controller being so simple and intuitive. In a time where the competition was the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800, nobody could touch the NES. It's game library has also created long lasting characters and memorable experiences. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Contra, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, Excite Bike, Kirby's Adventure, Ghosts and Goblins, and Tetris. It is the definition of a classic video game console, and one that I still have hooked up to my TV.
2. Wii
The Nintendo Wii is still the best selling Nintendo console of all time, and that comes in no small part from it being insanely innovative. It was the first console to effectively use motion controls (debatably the only console to effectively use motion controls), and Nintendo did not waste any time capitalizing on this. The system released with a simple motion-controlled game called Wii Sports, which ended up being a massive hit with the fans. Nintendo also introduced the Mii, and cartoon avatar that a player could create that could play in some games, including Wii Sports. The controller was well thought out, with an additional attachment for games that needed an analog stick and additional buttons. Plus, this system didn't skip out on an outstanding library of games. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii, Rhythm Heaven Fever, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Wii Fit, Super Mario Bros Wii, Metroid: Other M, Animal Crossing: City Folk, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The Wii was the perfect system to get released when it did, and Nintendo obviously put a lot of time and effort into this console. There's only one console that I would put above this one...
1. Switch
The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo's current console, and it is a massive success. It is the fastest selling console Nintendo has ever released, and it was the best selling console on the market in both 2017 and 2018. It is wildly innovative, allowing the console to be played on a TV or on the go, with detachable "Joycon" controllers available in either mode. The system can be played without separating the Joycons so it's more like a single piece, or players can buy more standard controllers. While many of the games on the Switch are ports from other systems, the first party library is nothing to mock. Here are just some of the highlights: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Pokemon: Let's Go, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Mario Tennis Aces, Kirby: Star Allies, Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Super Mario Party. Plus, with this being the current console, there are plenty of other games that are queued up for release, such as Yoshi's Crafted World, a new Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Maker 2, and a new generation of Pokemon games (Sword and Shield). Nintendo has also opened up some of their classic NES library for those who pay for the online service, and they continue to add games to that library every month. The Nintendo Switch may be the newest console and one that I don't have any nostalgic ties to, but I consider the Switch to be the most exciting project Nintendo has ever taken on.
So that's my ranking of the major Nintendo consoles. What did you think? Would you change some things around? Let me know by leaving a comment or messaging me on my twitter @BoredEnthusiast.
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
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