4 Awesome Series Featured on Every Nintendo Console (So Far)
With the debut of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo has released eight generations of consoles. Throughout the last forty years, new game series have risen, while others have all but vanished (Nintendo fans are still waiting for a new mainline F-Zero game). However, these four series have been constant ever since the NES, with at least one game on every Nintendo console so far.
1. Super Mario
We begin with the most obvious series. While Super Mario Bros. on the NES wasn’t Mario’s first game, it was the game that cemented him as Nintendo’s main mascot. Every Nintendo console has been chock-full of Mario jumping over platforms, kart racing, playing tennis, or adventuring in RPGs. It’s no wonder why Nintendo made Mario Kart World the flagship launch title for the Switch 2. However, we’re still waiting for a new mainline Mario game to be announced for the system.
2. The Legend of Zelda
The first Legend of Zelda game on the NES dropped you in the wilderness, gave you a sword, and told you to go find pieces of the Triforce. Ever since then, Link has been going on at least one adventure on every Nintendo console, and nearly all his adventures bring further innovation to the series. Ocarina of Time on the N64 took the series into 3D, Skyward Sword on the Wii utilized motion controls, and Breath of the Wild on the Wii U and Switch introduced a vast open world. The Switch 2 will have Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the third title in the popular spin-off action series Hyrule Warriors.
3. Donkey Kong
I debated whether or not to put this one on the list since the Switch’s entry, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, was a rerelease of a Wii U game. However, since the Switch release contains a new mode where you can play as Funky Kong, I decided it still counts. The NES gave players ports of Donkey Kong’s arcade outings, then the SNES revolutionized the series with the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, and the iconic ape has been unstoppable ever since. The Switch 2 will give us Donkey Kong Bananza, which appears to be a massive love letter to all things Donkey Kong.
4. Kirby
While Kirby made his debut on the Game Boy, he had an NES game, Kirby’s Adventure, late in the system’s life, and it is generally considered one of the most ambitious games on the console. Since then, every console has featured at least one game starring the loveable pink fluffball who swallows enemies whole. The Switch 2 will continue that tradition with Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to the GameCube racing game Kirby Air Ride.
Conclusion
Nintendo knows how to use familiar characters to draw consumers in, but they also know how to utilize innovation within their iconic series, which makes for some of the most creative, most fun games on the market. As the Switch 2 continues to prove itself (and some of us reach the point when we can actually purchase one), Nintendo will undoubtedly make use of their flagship series to deliver high-quality, memorable experiences.
