Essential Nintendo Games to Play Before You Die

19 December 2025

Let’s be real—if you haven’t spent at least one weekend accidentally falling into a five-hour "one more level" spiral on a Nintendo game, are you even living? Nintendo isn’t just a company; it’s a lifestyle. A legacy. A one-way ticket to childhood nostalgia and controller-throwing rage all wrapped in one pixelated package of joy.

Whether you're a lifelong fan or someone who's just realized there's more to gaming than Candy Crush (we forgive you), this list is your holy grail. So grab your Joy-Cons, adjust your nostalgia goggles, and get comfy, because we're diving head-first into the essential Nintendo games to play before you die. You know, just in case the afterlife doesn’t have a Switch.

🎩 1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – The G.O.A.T.

Let’s not sugarcoat it—this game didn’t just move the goalposts, it straight-up built a new stadium. "Breath of the Wild" is what happens when open-world gaming puts on a tuxedo, flexes its muscles, and serves up a 5-star meal of adventure.

Everything from shield-surfing down snowy mountains to cooking dubious meals with frogs and mushrooms screams freedom. You can fight bosses with nothing but a pot lid and a stick if you're bold enough. And the puzzles? Your brain will thank you, even if your patience won’t.

Why it’s essential: It's a masterpiece of design, exploration, and storytelling. It made us fall in love with Hyrule all over again—this time with climate-based survival and bananas.

🧱 2. Super Mario Odyssey – The Italian Plumber Gets Stylish

Remember when Mario only had three jobs: jump, stomp, and rescue? Yeah, those days are gone. In "Super Mario Odyssey", he’s throwing hats like a Vegas magician and body-snatching creatures like it's Sunday brunch.

You and Cappy (his sentient, freakishly loyal hat) explore one bizarre kingdom after another, collecting Power Moons like Pokémon cards. One minute you're bouncing in a city that suspiciously resembles New York, the next you're dancing with skeletons in a desert wearing a sombrero.

Why it’s essential: This game is Mario at his weirdest and most wonderful. It’s like if a Pixar film and a circus had a baby and that baby became a video game.

👻 3. Luigi’s Mansion 3 – Ghostbusters, But Make It Green

Luigi might live in his brother's shadow, but in this spooktacular (yeah, I said it) gem, he gets the spotlight—and promptly gets scared of it.

Armed with a vacuum cleaner and more anxiety than a caffeine-fueled raccoon, our favorite green bean wanders around a haunted hotel rescuing his friends from various ghostly shenanigans. It's spooky, funny, and filled with satisfying sucker-punch ghostbusting.

Why it’s essential: It gives Luigi his much-needed glow-up while blending slapstick humor, puzzle-solving, and horror-lite vibes into one adorable package.

🐚 4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Capitalism, But Cute

Animal Crossing turns you into an island real estate mogul with a crippling debt to a raccoon. And somehow, it’s still the coziest, most relaxing game of the century.

You fish, garden, decorate, and subtly judge your lazy villagers, all while ignoring the fact that you owe 500,000 Bells for a kitchen extension you didn’t really need. No pressure, though—it’s capitalism with background music.

Why it’s essential: It's the ultimate digital escape from reality. You can terraform entire islands, design dream homes, and still have time to catch bugs in your Sunday best.

🤖 5. Metroid Prime – When Samus Went First-Person

Ever played a game that made you feel tiny and powerful all at once? That’s "Metroid Prime" in a nutshell. You get to roll around in a ball, blast aliens, and explore ancient ruins full of secrets and tough-as-nails bosses.

The game’s atmosphere is lonelier than a group chat after someone suggests a 6 a.m. hike, and that’s the beauty of it. You’re isolated, exploring, mapping your way forward like a space archaeologist with a laser cannon.

Why it’s essential: It redefined first-person adventure games and proved that Nintendo could do dark and dramatic without losing its soul.

🌟 6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – The Ultimate Holiday Argument

This isn’t just a game. It’s a battlefield. A chaotic, item-flinging, sibling-slapping, couch-destroying arena where friendships go to be tested.

With every character from gaming history and their cousins showing up to throw punches, “Smash Ultimate” is the most ambitious crossover since your mom’s potluck dinner. Whether you’re a button-masher or a combo master, you’re gonna have a blast—and probably a minor meltdown.

Why it’s essential: It’s the most fun you can have while screaming “NO ITEMS, FINAL DESTINATION, ONE STOCK” at your best friend.

🕹️ 7. Pokémon Red/Blue (or Any Gen, Honestly) – Gotta Catch the Fever

Who among us hasn’t daydreamed about leaving real life behind and wandering the world with a team of cute but deadly creatures? "Pokémon Red and Blue" kicked off that dream—and it still hits harder than a Thunderbolt from Pikachu.

Whether it’s your first playthrough or your 50th, battling gym leaders, evolving your squad, and wasting hours trying to catch a dang Abra never gets old.

Why it’s essential: It sparked a global phenomenon and gave us a universe that somehow balances childlike wonder with intense turn-based combat.

🏹 8. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Before Link Was Cool

Before "Breath of the Wild" was a twinkle in a game dev’s eye, there was "Ocarina of Time"—the granddaddy of 3D adventure games.

You get time travel, temples galore, a horse named Epona, and more plot twists than a soap opera. Plus, the Water Temple. Love it or hate it, it made you stronger (and slightly dead inside).

Why it’s essential: This was the blueprint for every Zelda game that came after. Without it, Link would still be a 2D sprite in a green onesie.

👊 9. Donkey Kong Country – Side-Scrolling with Swagger

Before the Kongs were swinging on vines in high definition, they brought the noise (and the bananas) in "Donkey Kong Country." With its banging soundtrack, slick visuals, and wild minecart levels that made you question your reflexes, it was a side-scrolling classic.

And let's not forget Cranky Kong—the original grumpy gamer.

Why it’s essential: It pushed the SNES hardware to its limit and delivered platforming that still stands up today. Monkeys with neckties? Sign us up.

🚗 10. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Rubber-Banding Mayhem on Wheels

Who knew driving around throwing banana peels and yelling at Bowser could be this much fun? "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" is the peak of party racing chaos. The tracks are wild, the items are unfair, and the blue shell is the ultimate friendship destroyer.

But it's all part of the magic. Whether you're playing solo or screaming at your friends in split-screen, this game never gets old.

Why it’s essential: It's the fast-and-furious family-friendly game that turns your living room into a pit stop of pandemonium.

🧠 11. Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Cutscenes, Combat, and Crushing On Anime Characters

So, you like strategy games and also want to date your students-turned-knights-turned-paladins? "Fire Emblem: Three Houses" will scratch that oddly specific itch.

It’s part chess, part visual novel, and all kinds of dramatic. One moment you’re prepping for battle, the next you’re exchanging awkward eye contact at the monastery during breakfast. Classic.

Why it’s essential: It’s a deep, sprawling tactical RPG with enough storylines to make your head spin—and enough emotional damage to last through multiple playthroughs.

🌄 12. EarthBound – The Quirky Cult Classic

Imagine playing a game where your weapons include frying pans and your final boss might give you an existential crisis. That’s "EarthBound" in a nutshell.

This RPG is bizarre, heartfelt, and ahead of its time. You battle hippies, runaway dogs, and aliens in a suburban setting that feels both hilarious and haunting.

Why it’s essential: It’s like if “Stranger Things” and "The Simpsons" had a SNES baby. Everyone who plays it becomes that person who won’t shut up about how underrated it is—and for good reason.

👑 13. Super Mario 64 – Polygonal Perfection

Sure, it looks like a bunch of triangles mashed together nowadays, but back in the day, this was revolutionary. "Super Mario 64" took 3D gaming from awkward to awe-inspiring, with Mario triple-jumping his way through castles and bombs like a pro.

The control, the camera (well, most of the time), and the beefy plumber’s sheer athleticism made this a game-changer.

Why it’s essential: It laid the groundwork for every 3D platformer you love. Plus, it has that weird piano that still haunts everyone’s dreams.

🎮 Final Thoughts: Nintendo Is a Feeling

Nintendo doesn’t just make games—they make experiences. Experiences that stick to your memory like glue on a kindergarten art project. Whether it’s crying over pixelated farewells or rage-quitting after falling off Rainbow Road for the 12th time, these games aren’t just essential—they're unforgettable.

So dust off that Switch, charge up your Game Boy, or fire up the Virtual Console. Because life’s too short not to toss a red shell at your best friend.