Nintendo is one of the world’s most recognizable companies, famous for their video games. From Super Mario Bros to The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo has been a major influence on gaming for generations.
The company was founded in 1889 as a playing card company, but they soon expanded their business into manufacturing products. Unfortunately, they took a turn for the worse with some misguided ventures like a love hotel.
Mario
Mario is the mascot of Nintendo and the protagonist of its video game franchise. Each game has a different plot, but most have Mario rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser in various locations.
The series started with a 1981 arcade game called Donkey Kong. The character was not actually called Mario but Jumpman, and he had to jump over barrels in order to save the damsel who was later named Princess.
The series was a big hit with its release in the NES home-gaming console, and Mario quickly became a household name. Its success prompted Nintendo to start bundling it with its consoles, boosting sales even further.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world. It is known for its beautiful and inspiring settings, creative gameplay, interesting characters, stirring original music and high overall production values.
The main protagonist is Link, a hero of Hyrule who is tasked with defending the kingdom from various threats. These include Ganon, the warlock who rules Hyrule in his dark form.
The Legend of Zelda launched in 1986 and sparked a legacy of incredible fantasy adventures. It introduced many aspects that live on in today’s games, including the Triforce and in-game currency Rupees.
Donkey Kong
From the original arcade game to the newest port, Donkey Kong has been an important part of Nintendo’s success. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking to dip your toe into the Nintendo water, it’s easy to get caught up in the sheer wealth of games that bear his name.
The first Donkey Kong was created in 1981 and brought Nintendo into the North American arcade market. It also paved the way for Mario (originally Jumpman) and Pauline to be introduced.
Despite its sinister roots, Donkey Kong has become an important mascot for the platforming genre and the franchise continues to evolve over time. It’s even a recognizable character outside of Nintendo’s own properties, with Donkey and Diddy Kong appearing as amiibo in Activision’s Skylanders: SuperChargers.
Splatoon
Splatoon is a third-person shooter developed and published by Nintendo. It features battles between Inklings, who use weaponized ink to cover territory and “splat” opponents.
It is one of the company’s only e-sports titles alongside Super Smash Bros. Splatoon has received several updates since its launch, which added new weapons, gear, stages, and modes to the game’s multiplayer mode.
It also included community-hosted semi-regular events called Splatfests. These were a way to bring together players in a competitive setting and play Turf War against each other for prizes.
Pokémon
If you’re a Nintendo fan, chances are you’ve already played the lovable Pokémon franchise. It’s one of the most successful video game series of all time, despite being relatively new to the mainstream.
In the core series games, players capture and train Pokemon within fictional regions called Kanto and Johto. These are linked together in every core series game (except for the first and last ones), while other regions are accessible only in spin-off games.
In recent years, the series has attempted to mix things up a bit. However, the underlying aim – visit a town, beat its gym leader, visit another – hasn’t budged.