Tim Mcgrady
Since 1985, Nintendo has been a pillar of innovation, creativity, and sheer fun in the gaming world. From pioneering home consoles to revolutionizing portable play, Nintendo’s hardware has hosted some of the greatest games ever made. With franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Metroid, Smash Bros., and Pokémon spanning generations, it’s impossible to talk about the best video games of all time without celebrating the systems they launched on.
Ahead of the much-anticipated release of the Nintendo Switch 2, now is the perfect time to look back and rank the ten best Nintendo systems of all time. These rankings are based on a combination of impact, innovation, game library, and legacy.
Let’s dive in.
10. Nintendo Wii U (2012)
The Wii U was a commercial disappointment, but in hindsight, it’s clear that it was ahead of its time. Its touchscreen GamePad was clunky, but it laid the foundation for the hybrid nature of the Switch. More importantly, the Wii U had a stellar game library, including Super Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, Bayonetta 2, and the original version of Splatoon.
Critically underrated, the Wii U was Nintendo’s experimental bridge between the Wii and the Switch — and deserves more appreciation than it gets.
Notable Titles: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Xenoblade Chronicles X
9. Game Boy Advance (2001)
The Game Boy Advance (GBA) brought 32-bit power to handhelds, offering a SNES-like experience on the go. It had a massive library, including ports of classic games, RPGs, and Nintendo’s most imaginative work during the early 2000s.
Though the original model lacked a backlight, later versions like the GBA SP fixed that and became wildly popular. For many, the GBA was the golden era of handheld gaming.
Notable Titles: Advance Wars, Metroid Fusion, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Fire Emblem, Pokémon Emerald
8. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) (1985)
The system that started it all in North America. The NES single-handedly revived the gaming industry after the crash of 1983. With simple graphics but timeless gameplay, the NES was the birthplace of Nintendo’s most enduring franchises.
Its influence on the gaming landscape is hard to overstate. It brought video games back into homes and made Nintendo a household name.
Notable Titles: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Mega Man 2, Castlevania
7. Nintendo DS (2004)
The Nintendo DS was a strange-looking device at launch — two screens, one of them a touchscreen? But that experimentation paid off in spades. The DS became the best-selling handheld system of all time, with more than 154 million units sold.
Its dual-screen design allowed for unique gameplay, while its library spanned casual hits and deep RPGs alike. From Nintendogs to The World Ends with You, the DS was a phenomenon.
Notable Titles: Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Animal Crossing: Wild World, Brain Age, Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
6. Nintendo 3DS (2011)
Building on the DS’s success, the 3DS added glasses-free 3D visuals and deeper social integration via StreetPass and SpotPass. While the 3D feature wasn’t essential, the system’s game library was excellent, and its backwards compatibility gave it a head start.
It had an impressive lifespan, continuing to receive new games well into the Switch era. It also featured some of the best Zelda, Fire Emblem, and Pokémon entries of the decade.
Notable Titles: Fire Emblem: Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokémon X/Y, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
5. Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) (1991)
The SNES represents a high point in 16-bit gaming and arguably has the strongest library of any retro console. The graphics and sound capabilities were a leap above the NES, and it became home to masterpieces that defined entire genres.
The SNES is where Nintendo truly honed its world-building and storytelling. To this day, games like Chrono Trigger and Super Metroid are cited as all-time greats.
Notable Titles: Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, EarthBound, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy VI
4. Nintendo GameCube (2001)
Though the GameCube was outsold by the PS2 and Xbox, it was a fan favorite thanks to its quirky design and fantastic library. It ditched the cartridge in favor of mini-discs and brought Nintendo into the world of optical media.
The GameCube also marked a shift toward deeper, more complex games — and some series made their console debuts here, like Metroid Prime and Animal Crossing. Its controller remains a fan favorite, especially among Smash players.
Notable Titles: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Resident Evil 4, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
3. Nintendo Wii (2006)
The Wii was a massive cultural moment. With motion controls and casual-friendly titles, it attracted a wider demographic than any Nintendo console before it. It wasn’t the most powerful system, but it was undoubtedly the most accessible.
The Wii sold over 100 million units, introduced millions to gaming for the first time, and hosted some surprising hardcore gems. It also gave rise to the best-selling Mario Kart game until the Switch re-release.
Notable Titles: Wii Sports, Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Xenoblade Chronicles, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2. Nintendo Switch (2017)
Blending home and handheld gaming into one sleek package, the Nintendo Switch is one of the greatest success stories in video game history. With over 140 million units sold (and counting), the Switch revitalized Nintendo after the Wii U stumble.
Its hybrid design is now the industry standard, and its library includes both blockbuster exclusives and third-party hits. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom redefined open-world design, while Animal Crossing: New Horizons became a global sensation.
It’s the ultimate Nintendo system — portable, flexible, and filled with incredible games.
Notable Titles: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Splatoon 3, Metroid Dread
1. Game Boy (1989)
It may not have the power or graphical fidelity of other consoles on this list, but no Nintendo system changed the world quite like the original Game Boy.
Launching in 1989, the Game Boy brought gaming out of the living room and into everyone’s hands. It was affordable, durable, and came bundled with Tetris, one of the most addicting games ever made. And with the launch of Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996, it created a global gaming phenomenon.
The Game Boy made gaming personal. You weren’t just playing Nintendo’s characters — you were taking them with you.
Notable Titles: Tetris, Pokémon Red/Blue, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Super Mario Land 2, Kirby’s Dream Land
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings