The top Nintendo launch titles, listed in order.

      The distinctions between console generations have increasingly blurred due to numerous cross-generation games, remakes, and remasters. Nonetheless, a system's launch lineup remains crucial for providing early adopters a glimpse of its capabilities. Nintendo consoles, more than any other, have offered some of the finest launch titles, with many of the top NES, N64, and Switch games debuting alongside their systems. While launch games often get overshadowed by subsequent releases, which ones have stood the test of time? Here are the best launch games across all Nintendo platforms, ranked.

      9. Nintendogs + Cats – 3DS

      The Nintendo 3DS featured one of the most extensive launch lineups of any Nintendo console, but it was also the weakest. Major franchises were absent, so Nintendo leaned on titles like Pilot Wings Resort, Steel Diver, and Nintendogs + Cats to fill the gap until more notable games became available. Among these, Nintendogs + Cats appealed to a niche audience significantly. This pet simulation game, which gained popularity on the original DS, was updated with 3D and AR features but offered little new in terms of gameplay. While it wasn't bad, it was certainly a subdued title to showcase the 3DS and justify an upgrade from the DS.

      8. Luigi’s Mansion

      The GameCube was notable for not launching with a new Mario game, which would have been shocking on its own, but the fact that a Luigi game was available instead stirred considerable excitement. Upon playing, however, Luigi’s Mansion proved to be an excellent game. It wasn't a traditional platformer, and many likely waited for Sunshine before acquiring the system, but it served as a worthwhile experiment for Nintendo. This game marked the beginning of Luigi's journey into stardom, leading to two sequels that enhanced the ghost-catching mechanics. Viewed as it is, Luigi's Mansion offers a delightful, albeit brief, adventure that is distinctive to Nintendo.

      7. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

      The WiiU launch featured numerous ports that generally fell short compared to their Xbox 360 and PS3 counterparts. Nintendo aimed to capture the charm of Wii Sports with Nintendo Land, which held promise but ultimately felt more like a series of demos than a cohesive experience. In an unexpected twist that might have had Nintendo fans during the console wars upset, a Sonic game turned out to be the standout title worth obtaining the console for. While Mario Kart games are typically viewed as the absolute leaders in the kart racing genre, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed created stiff competition, at least until Mario Kart 8 arrived. It delivers precise controls essential for kart racers, balances power-ups effectively, and features dynamic tracks where karts transform into cars, boats, and planes. It faced a tough challenge to find its audience since it featured Sonic characters instead of Mario's, but those who took control were not let down.

      6. Super Mario Bros.

      Previously seen in arcades, Mario was further developed as Nintendo's mascot with the launch of Super Mario Bros. on the NES. This game has been discussed extensively as it set the foundation for all future 2D platformers. In retrospect, nothing else was comparable at that time. The imaginative worlds, smooth movement, hidden secrets, power-ups, and level design all feel remarkably modern, even after decades. Additionally, it played a significant role in revitalizing the gaming industry following the 1980s crash. The game's importance cannot be overstated, remaining just as enjoyable today as it was during its release, although it does show some signs of age.

      5. Super Mario World

      The launch lineup for the SNES in America offered only two notable titles, but Super Mario World undeniably eclipsed F-Zero. No offense to the latter, which is an excellent racing game, but this 16-bit platformer is still regarded as one of the greatest ever made. Not only is it visually stunning, but it introduced many classic power-ups, secret worlds, an iconic soundtrack, and Yoshi. Every 2D Mario game that followed has been measured against Super Mario World, and this comparison is unlikely to change.

      4. Wii Sports

      The Wii represented a bold move for Nintendo, punctuated by the pun in its name. The GameCube was a solid system but struggled to compete with other consoles in terms of sales. Rather than entering the more costly HD era, Nintendo took a chance on motion-controlled gaming with the Wii, needing a title to prove it was more than a gimmick. Wii Sports was included with every Wii, making it slightly unfair to label it solely as a launch title. However, it became a cultural phenomenon, engaging children, adults, and seniors in gaming for the first time. This single game propelled the Wii to become one of the hardest systems to purchase for years, with many people using it primarily as a Wii Sports machine. If that isn’t indicative of a powerful launch title, then what is?

      3. Tetris