My Favorite Nintendo Game from Each Generation

At this point, I have talked about my favorite game from each PlayStation generation. I also talked about my favorite games from each Xbox generation. So, to finish off the trifecta of the big three, I will talk about my favorite Nintendo game from each generation. So, let’s get right into it.

Nintendo Entertainment System – Super Mario Bro. 3

When I got introduced to gaming it was through an uncle playing the NES. I was born in 1989, so it had already been out for some time. My introduction was through the game Excitebike. I was pretty young, so it’s hard to say what made me want to keep playing games. I will say the games I have to pick from as the first to kind of pull me in are Excitebike, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros. 3. I think they might be interchangeable, but I’m going to choose Super Mario Bros. 3. I played other games, but at such a young age many were a little complicated.

I haven’t been super big into platformers for a long time, but back then it was a different story. I remember the world being so colorful as a kid and welcoming. Being able to play co-op with another person was great, as an older relative helped me learn the game. One of the coolest moments for me was when I accidentally found the secret way to get the flute. To me, that secret was awesome, and thought I was on top of the world. Seeing all the different power-ups compared to the other games was another factor that pulled me. My favorite power-up in the game was the frog suit. This is just a small reason why Super Mario Bros. 3 was my favorite Nintendo game from the NES generation.

Game Boy – Pokémon Crystal

My Game Boy era began when I used all my birthday money one year to buy a “Berry” Game Boy Color. I remember young Chris arguing with people who said it was pink because it was red. This is when I started to get intrigued, but not quite all in on gaming. Since I bought my own Game Boy one of my moms bought me any game I wanted, and I picked Pokémon Yellow. While I loved that game it doesn’t top my love for my favorite Game Boy game, Pokémon Crystal. Up until this point, I played multiple Pokémon games such as Yellow, Red, Blue, and even Gold.

Pokémon Crystal is when I started to see myself playing for hours upon hours. The game was an enhanced version of Gold and Silver. I was able to notice the additional story content. A focus on Suicune was cool to me as I was never able to catch any of the legendary dogs in the previous version. We also got Battle Tower for the first time to test our mettle and skills. Some Pokémon availability was changed making some more available. Then there was also the “odd egg” that could hath into multiple Pokémon with a chance of being shiny. It is still my favorite Pokémon game to this day. So, you can see why it’s my favorite Nintendo game from the Game Boy generation.

Super Nintendo – The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past

I spent a lot of time utilizing to “Super Game Boy” to play my Pokémon games on the Super Nintendo. Being able to play Game Boy games on a TV was great. However, I did play my fair share of Super Nintendo games as well. Everything from Earthworm Jim, Mortal Kombat 3, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, to of course Mario Kart. There was one game that stood out from the rest in my memories though. That game is none other than The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I did try the original Zelda was fun on NES, but it was leagues better on Super Nintendo.

From the moment I started the game I was thrust into the middle of action and exploration. I’m not sure why, but I found a lot of enjoyment in picking things up and randomly throwing them around. Plants, Pots, whatever it didn’t matter. Maybe it was the occasional special find under them. The way the game looked much better than the predecessor was a big factor too. Plus, the soundtrack for this game was phenomenal and had me hyped throughout the game. While not my favorite, it is one of the great soundtracks of gaming. This game is one of the greatest adventure games of all time. So, with that said this is my favorite Nintendo game from the Super Nintendo generation.

Game Boy Advance – Pokémon Ruby

Anyone that knows me will think isn’t there a Suikoden game on Game Boy Advance? It would definitely have to be that. However, I didn’t discover Suikoden Card Stories until much later in life. There is one game that stands out above the rest for me and that is Pokémon Ruby. Many of you can see a trend as I am a fan of the Pokémon series. I have so many fond memories of playing this game, with one of them being my cousin Tyler who I was inseparable with played Pokémon Sapphire the counterpart. He and I were always at war and battle trying to progress the quickest and be the best trainer we could.

I remember spending countless hours at my great grandma’s house laying on the couch with my Game Boy Advance SP trying to be the very best. As crazy as it sounds being generation 3 in the series I think I filled my Pokédex the fastest out of any of the games. The legendary focus for Ruby was Groudon and I just remember him looking so cool. My cousin got the whale-looking Pokémon, but I got the cool ancient dinosaur-looking one. If I had to rank it, it’s definitely in my top 5 for the series. This plays a big factor in why it is my favorite Nintendo game for the Game Boy Advance generation.

Nintendo 64 – Pokémon Stadium 2

When it comes to the Nintendo 64 you of course had Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and Super Mario 64. However, these weren’t the games that drew me to this console. I played those and many others, but I was into wrestling games such as WWF No Mercy and I really liked Paper Mario. But my favorite game I played here was none other than Pokémon Stadium 2. To me, you aren’t really playing the game either unless you had the N64 Transfer pack. This allowed you to transfer Pokémon back and forth between your Game Boy games and the Pokémon Stadium games.

Not only that, but you could play some of the Pokémon games via this transfer pack on your TV too. When I say I enjoy playing Pokémon on my TV, I mean it. Pokémon Stadium 2 to me was vastly superior in every way to the first one, even though I enjoyed that one too. The only thing was the soundtrack didn’t seem as good as the first. But it has my favorite Pokémon generation, and the models in this game looked so cool to kid Chris. You can also access special features, such as moving items between games or unlocking extra in-game content. For many reasons, Pokémon Stadium 2 is my favorite Nintendo game of the N64 generation.

Nintendo GameCube – Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

It’s funny as we get into the GameCube era because I didn’t own one. However, my parents bought one for my younger brother. So that means big brother Chris had one. My parents attempted to see if my brother would enjoy gaming as much as I did, and he enjoyed it some. He just wasn’t into gaming like I was, but he played some. I was really finding my identity through this era and enjoyed a plethora of games. I played games like BMX XXX, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and Super Mario Sunshine. The game that was my favorite though was Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

There was a plethora of reasons from the darker style of story to everything about the shadow Pokémon. Having to purify the shadow Pokémon felt different than just running around and catching them all. It was the best way at the time to experience 3D Pokémon battles on console. It featured Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen, making it a valuable game for completing a Gen 3 Pokédex. Plus, it features Gen 1-3 Pokémon, which was exciting for fans at the time. There were memorable characters. Also, some moves and Pokémon were exclusive to XD at that time. It was my favorite Nintendo game from the GameCube generation by far!

Nintendo DS – Pokémon Omega Ruby

Like earlier in the Game Boy era you might think since Suikoden Tierkreis is on the DS it has to be my favorite. Well, like with Suikoden Card Stories you would be wrong once again. The Nintendo DS, mainly 3DS, was once again all about Pokémon for me for a couple of reasons. Since my earliest days, I’ve always enjoyed the franchise for different reasons. Pokémon Heart Gold was a game that’s really close to my favorite, being that it’s my favorite generation among other things the 3DS adds. However, the game I picked from this era is Pokémon Omega Ruby. I had kind of taken a break from “portable consoles.” I didn’t own a DS, but I did play a roommate’s Pokémon Pearl.

I was just largely console-focused till Omega Ruby was released. Twitch introduced me to many friends and a few of them were big into competitive Pokémon battles. While I never streamed it when I streamed, they helped draw me back into the franchise. Then a big factor in why I picked this game is my daughter. Anytime she would visit she would sit next to me for hours just wanting to watch me play my Nintendo 3DS. Then the day I came and told a “white lie” to her about when she turns 10, she gets to venture into the Pokémon world. From the moment I mentioned that she was hooked for a long time with her first game being Pokémon Moon. So, because of her and my enjoyment of the franchise I pick Pokémon Omega Ruby as my favorite Nintendo game from the DS era.

Nintendo Wii – Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

We all know how difficult Nintendo Wiis were to get and it was no different when I wanted one. A parent ended up renting to own one from Rent-A-Center for me. Pokémon Battle Revolution, Wii Sports, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, and Rap Star were some of the games I played. There were only a couple of games I tried on the Wii I didn’t. But the game that was my favorite and helped cement my enjoyment of turn-based strategy games was Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. To this day it is the only Nintendo Wii game I still own, so I can go back and play it every once in a blue moon. One of the things that pulled me in was the multi-perspective storytelling.

Starting as Micaiah then switching to Queen Elincia, and then Ike was kind of unique to me. Seemed kind of like Suikoden 3-like. Then everyone united under the same banner. Something I found out later is there was no easy mode in the Western version. Easy was Japan’s normal mode. Enemies provided a challenge that tested my mental capabilities. The story was bold and complex and it featured a huge roster of playable characters. Just like many other games, the soundtrack was phenomenal. The maps were huge in this game so no battle was just a quick battle. Then there was always permadeath to worry about with your strategy. One of the games I’ll never get rid of. These reasons are why Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is my favorite Nintendo game of the Wii generation.

Wii U – Pokkén Tournament

Now I want to start this section with the fact I never had a Wii U. I came close a few times, but I was just so entrenched in the other consoles I never got one. My experiences came from games played with friends at their houses. Fighting games and Mario Maker was my Wii U experience. If I pick my favorite it would have to be Pokkén Tournament. The fact I had been a fan of the franchise plays a small factor. But honestly, what’s better than just fighting it out with Pokémon? The game had a lot of replayability and was very polished. Not only that controls seemed too easy to pick for almost anyone interested. So, if I pick a game, my favorite Nintendo game from this era is Pokkén Tournament.

Nintendo Switch – Pokémon Sword

Last but not least is the current generation Nintendo Switch. I played a few different games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Octopath Traveler, Mario Kart 8, and Super Mario Party. Mario Kart and Super Mario Party held a special place as they were games I played with my daughter and on Christmas day would play with my church family when I went to their house for breakfast. But like many other generations, a Pokémon game has taken the crown once again, so far. It could change as the generation continues. Pokémon Sword takes the cake for me as my favorite though. This was when I started diving head-first into competitive double battles and even writing about teams for Lords of Gaming.

The addition of Dynamax and Gigantamax made gym battles feel like massive stadium events, adding to the excitement. We got the introduction of “Max Raid Battles” which allowed players to team up (online or with AI) to fight giant wild Pokémon together. This added a fun, multiplayer strategy element that was new to the series. Instead of traditional elite four battles, Sword & Shield introduced a tournament-style Pokémon League, making the journey feel like a real sports championship. Gym Leaders have unique personalities, and some, like Raihan, even strategize with weather-based teams, making fights more engaging. These reasons and many others are why Pokémon Sword is my favorite Nintendo game of the Switch era, so far.

Wrap-Up

While the Nintendo consoles have usually been a third choice for me, their impact can’t be understated. Early Pokémon games kind of planted the seeds for future interests in RPGs and JRPGs. NES was my very first introduction to gaming. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn played a huge factor in pulling me into the world of turn-based strategy games. I can honestly say that without Nintendo some of my gaming interests might not exist. Who knows without seeing my uncle play Excitebike I might not even be a gamer. Nintendo will always hold a special place for me for many reasons and I will continue to play in the future. We are on the cusp of a Switch 2 release, so I look forward to seeing what they have in store for us. What are some of your favorite games from each generation, let me know!