For many of us, Nintendo was the console that introduced us to the world of gaming. We spent many hours jumping blocks as Mario, fighting off monsters as Link, and shooting down ships as Fox McCloud. No matter if we were fighting enemies like Bowser, Ganandorf, or Andross, we loved playing as the heroes that never gave up and always fought to the end. Even today, we still love playing the games that Nintendo has to offer us.
Nintendo has brought many amazing heroes throughout the years. These characters are often impressive fighters and strong individuals who will stop at nothing to defeat evil and defend what is good. But not all of Nintendo’s heroes are created equal. Some proved to be very powerful and strong heroes who took down the greatest of evils, and yet others were rather lackluster in their heroics, showing to be pretty weak. But who are the strongest heroes throughout all of Nintendo? And who are the weakest heroes that Nintendo has created?
While you’ll recognize many of these names, there are some you may not be quite as familiar with, and a few entries may surprise you. Here’s the list (in no particular order) of the strongest and the weakest Nintendo heroes. Keep in mind that this is my personal opinion, so there will be some bias. If you disagree with my choice of characters, shoot me a comment below and let me know who you think are the strongest and weakest heroes of Nintendo.
20 Strong: Zelda
Zelda first appears in The Legend of Zelda. While she wasn’t particularly strong in her earlier games, this Hylian Princess has more than made up for it in later versions. Fighting as a trained ninja in the Sheikah clan, becoming a full-fledged general, and even being the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia, Zelda packs a lot of power. When it comes to different types of power, Zelda excels in combat, leadership, and magic.
Zelda knows how to fight. She’s shown in past games her impressive hand-to-hand combat skills as both Zelda and Sheik. Her fighting and leadership prowess is particularly showcased in the game Hyrule Warriors. Zelda also uses the divine powers given to her by the Goddess Hylia to create beams and arrows of pure light that obliterate all darkness. Don’t let her beautiful appearance fool you: this princess packs a punch.
19 Weak: Peach
Peach first appeared in the game Super Mario Bros. While she certainly has style as the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach is practically the poster child for damsel in distress. She’s been kidnapped by Bowser so many times, it’s a little ridiculous. Granted, some of the later games have her as more proactive, but she still doesn’t really have much to offer as far as power and strength goes.
I will admit that she does have a couple of good moves in the Super Smash Bros. games, but she still isn’t all that powerful. Overall, Peach is a really weak character. She’s often waiting in a castle for Mario or Luigi to save her, and when it comes down to it, she generally doesn’t show much initiative in fighting Bowser.
18 Strong: Kirby
Kirby first appears in the game Kirby’s Dreamland. Kirby is proof that appearances can be deceiving. A cute, pink puffball may not seem like a very strong character, but Kirby has taken on some insanely powerful enemies and won.
Through the many battles he’s fought, Kirby has proven to be a powerful hero. He can swallow enemies whole, take on their characteristics, shape shift, and is proficient in many weapons. Let’s also not forget that he can float in the air by expanding his body, which is pretty awesome. He’s also very courageous, not backing down in the face of danger. He has faced some very powerful enemies and has come out on top each time. It’s true that sometimes the smallest things can be the most dangerous.
17 Weak: Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff has appeared in a few Pokémon anime series, but he made his debut in gaming in the games Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. I feel that Jigglypuff attempted to be like Kirby (seemingly harmless but packs a wallop), but never really made it to the “packs a wallop” stage. Jigglypuff is just this useless, albeit adorable character. His moves aren’t all that impressive and while he does have a couple of interesting attacks, he just isn’t all that powerful.
Jigglypuff feels like that character that was created to look cute. He’s not that powerful in the Pokémon series, and while he does have a couple of moves in the Super Smash Bros. games, he’s not a very powerful character. When it comes to fighting, Jigglypuff doesn’t really have much to offer. But that’s okay, because his adorableness often makes up for it, and is likely what makes him popular. Just don’t expect him to fight any big battles soon.
16 Strong: Samus Aran
Samus first appeared in the game Metroid. Samus shocked everyone in Metroid when it was revealed that the bounty hunter we’ve been playing the whole time was a woman. But that doesn’t diminish her strength. With her durable suit, impressive acrobatics, and an amazing weapon inventory, Samus knows how to bring the fight. This girl is strong, agile, and clever.
Samus’s biggest strength is her use of weapons. She can shoot a different variety of guns, use several types of grenades, and has faced down some of the toughest aliens, including space pirates, metroids, and even a dark version of herself. Those that say she’s nothing without her suit have not seen her in action as Zero-Suit Samus in the Super Smash Bros games. Her powerful attacks and incredible agility make her a formidable opponent.
15 Weak: Luigi
Luigi first appears in the game Super Mario Bros. Don’t get me wrong, I actually liked Luigi a lot in Luigi’s Mansion; I admired the fact that even though this guy is a complete scaredy cat, he went up against a lot of ghosts to save his brother. That being said, Luigi isn’t very strong. He gets freaked out easily, his moves are not that powerful, and he tends to rely on his brother a lot when it comes to fighting.
On his own, Luigi is a pretty weak character. He’s rarely seen without Mario and tends to rely on him a lot. And in the game where he is on his own, he only makes it through it with help from a crazy professor. He’s kind of that mild-mannered brother that somehow got dragged along on his brother’s crazy adventures. I definitely give him courage points for facing his fears to save Mario from King Boo, but that still doesn’t quite cut it for me.
14 Strong: Link
Link first appears in the game The Legend of Zelda. The wielder of the Triforce of Courage, Link has been through quite a bit to prove his strength. Through facing down giant monsters, overcoming trials set by the gods, and fighting the incarnation of darkness itself, Link has done well for a young man in green clothes and a sword. Also, keep in mind that in many games, Link faces down these dangerous enemies as a young kid. That’s pretty impressive!
While Link may not seem like much initially, he proves to be full of courage and strength. He’s adept at using several different types of weapons, his combat skills are impressive, and he’s shown that he can take a hit, several hits actually. Link is also the only one who has been able to face Ganondorf and his various incarnations and win. He’s tough, powerful, and he never knows when to give up, even if the odds seem overwhelming.
13 Weak: Toad
Toad first appears in Super Mario Bros. If Peach is the damsel in distress, Toad is, well, pretty much useless. When you’re not constantly rescuing Peach, you’re having to save Toad from Bowser's cronies. Often, the only thing Toad does in games is tell you when you’re at the wrong castle, and sometimes points you to the right way. While Toad may be Peach’s attendant, he’s kind of lousy at it, and he can’t do much to save her.
Admittedly, Toad does prove to be useful to Luigi in Luigi’s Mansion, where he helps save you progress in the game. Yet every time you meet him, he’s crying about something, so he’s still a very weak character. No matter what game he’s in, Toad never really does anything. He’s always looking to Mario or even Luigi to save the day. He’s not someone to rely on for anything.
12 Strong: Fox McCloud
Fox first appears in the game Star Fox. Being an ace pilot and an impressive shot, Fox McCloud has quite a bit to offer as a hero. While not necessarily packing as much power as these other entries, Fox does have a lot to offer as far as fighting goes. He has some impressive combat abilities, being very fast and packing quite the punch in the Super Smash Bros games. He also has some impressive skills as a pilot and as a marksman.
In his own games, Fox has proven to be the best pilot and takes down many the galaxy’s most notorious criminal. He’s fought off bounty hunters, saved planets, taken down several intergalactic criminals, and has faced insurmountable odds only to come flying back with a cocky grin on his face. This guy has got some impressive skills and power. He’s agile, strong, and very clever.
11 Weak: Slippy Toad
Slippy first appears in the game Star Fox. Fox McCloud’s crew all have some pretty interesting characteristics and show off their own strengths. Unfortunately, the exception is Slippy Toad. Slippy is kind of the useless character that seemed to be there to fill up space. He doesn’t really have any characteristics that stand out like the others. He isn’t aggressive like Falco, he’s not tactical like Peppy, and he definitely doesn’t pack a punch like Fox. As far as pilots go, Slippy just doesn’t have that much to offer.
While he may be decent enough as a pilot, that’s about all that he has going for him. When it comes to fighting, he’s not very good and he tends to get scared easily. He has shown to be rather kind though and cares deeply for his team. So, while he may not be the strongest team member, he is the kindest and most willing to give up everything to help.
10 Strong: Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong first appears in the game Donkey Kong. He’s the king of the jungle and the master of fists. Donkey Kong is packing in muscle and agility, showing his fighting prowess in pure strength and power. He can take out enemies with just one slap, his punches are brutal, and he can literally head-butt someone into the ground. He also displays some great agility as he leaps over obstacles.
Donkey Kong doesn't rely on his fists alone. He also has a coconut gun that delivers quite a bit of damage, and he’s pretty proficient at it. But he definitely excels at hand-to-hand combat by overpowering his enemies with pure strength. Whether it’s to save his family or his banana trove, no matter who he faces, Donkey Kong is sure to emerge victorious.
9 Weak: Yoshi
Yoshi first appears in the game Super Mario World. Now, before I get run over by people with pitchforks, let me explain. I know that Yoshi is a popular character among gamers. He has a cute appearance and is a likeable character in general. He's also helped out Mario a lot in many games. While Yoshi does have some pretty decent moves in the Super Smash Bros games, I feel like he's pretty weak in most other games that he’s in. Yes, he can swallow enemies and jump higher than Mario, but one hit and he runs away! At least Mario could generally take two hits.
In my opinion, Yoshi’s strengths just aren’t that impressive when he's on his own. His moves aren’t very strong, he can’t really take a hit, and he doesn’t have a lot of strength. While he is a very likeable and popular character, he doesn’t actually have a lot to offer in strength and skill. But we still love him!
8 Strong: Mario
Mario first appears in the platform game Donkey Kong. Our favorite plumber is someone you don’t want to mess with. While some scoff that in the original games, all it took was at the most three hits to take him out, Mario still has some impressive strengths. He’s faced down a number of creatures, including deadly piranha plants, spiky koopas, and Bowser in many shapes and forms. And while he does have the help of some power-ups, Mario often takes on these enemies with his bare hands. The fact that he comes out of those fights on top is pretty impressive.
His combat skills are nothing to sneeze at either; with variety of punches and kicks, he can take out pretty much anything that stands in his way. He’s also very courageous. He never backs down from a fight, isn’t afraid to go up against enemies several times larger than him, and he fearlessly goes into castle after castle to try and rescue Peach.
Also, he can break brick blocks with his fist. That’s pretty awesome!
7 Weak: Captain Olimar
Captain Olimar appears in the game Pikmin. While I give kudos to this guy for going to a new planet and discovering new life forms, I find Olimar to be pretty weak. Throughout his game, he relies on the Pikmin, the little alien life forms, to protect him and to fight off threats. Without the Pikmin, this guy likely would’ve died in the beginning of the game.
That’s pretty much the problem with him; he doesn’t really have any combat abilities, no strength, and he’s pretty much helpless without his little friends. I’ll admit, he’s resourceful in the way he has the Pikmin help him, but this guy is just plain weak. Even with the Pikmin, Olimar isn’t all that impressive as a character. He does build a few interesting things and he does fight off some predators, but in general, Olimar doesn’t have much to offer in strength.
6 Strong: Pit
Pit first appears in the game Kid Icarus. Some gamers could consider Pit to be weaker since he tends to rely on Palutena a lot and gets nervous on his own, but he does face Hades, one of the more powerful gods in the game, and manages to come out on top. That’s pretty impressive for a flightless angel. Yes, he does have help from Palutena, but he’s no weakling either. Pit is a capable leader, a strong fighter, and he can take a lot of damage. He’s also rather proficient with his bow and arrow, and he can summon some impressive magic.
Don’t let his smaller appearance and boyish face fool you, this kid is a force to be reckoned with. He’s one of those characters that never gives up despite his own insecurities, and he is willing to give his all to save the world from darkness. That’s an admirable kind of strength.
5 Weak: Lanky Kong
Lanky Kong appears in the game Donkey Kong 64. While I don’t think that the members of Donkey Kong’s crew are as strong as Donkey Kong himself, out of all of the members, Lanky Kong is the weakest and the most useless. He doesn’t have much to offer: he’s not strong, fast, or all that powerful. The only thing he has going for him would be his crazy long arms that give him some impressive range. Even then, those abilities aren't that useful.
Lanky was also pretty forgettable. He didn’t have Donkey’s or Diddy’s fame, Tiny's acrobatics, or Chunky’s mass. He was just kind of there and known for being a little funny looking. Even his gun was pretty lame, since it used grapes for ammo. Yes, because grapes are so deadly. Even Diddy’s peanut guns would hurt more than grapes. In all, Lanky is just a weak character.
4 Strong: Shulk
Shulk first appears in the game Xenoblade Chronicles. While Shulk may have started out as not much, he eventually goes on to become a very powerful character. By the end of his story, he essentially attains godhood. Throughout his game, he also showcases impressive abilities, including seeing the future. He’s proficient with the large sword Monado, and he can do significant damage with it to his enemies. He’s also a tough guy, as he was the only one to survive the expedition to retrieve the Monado.
In the Super Smash Bros games, Shulk is a very strong character, dealing a lot of damage with his blade and having the ability to increase his power, speed, or defense. Whether in his own game, or as a Smash character, Shulk is an impressively strong character.
3 Weak: Ice Climbers
For those not familiar with these characters, the Ice Climbers first appeared in a platform game, Ice Climber in 1985. They then got more popular as they showed up in the Super Smash Bros. games. What makes these two fairly weak is that they rely on each other all the time. Particularly in Super Smash Bros., if you lose one, the other essentially becomes useless. They don’t have any useful powers other than some interesting freezing abilities. Even in their original games, these two aren’t really that impressive. Other than their abilities to jump, they don’t have much to offer.
These guys are honestly both forgettable and a little annoying. They don’t have any impressive abilities, their fighting skills are not that great, and they don’t really have any kind of power.
2 Strong: Chrono
Chrono first appears in the game Chrono Trigger. Those not familiar with Chrono may not know the scope of his abilities, but this guy took on the Lavos, a being who brought about Armageddon itself, and he won. Chrono is an incredibly skilled and powerful warrior and an adept magic wielder. He’s faced down several formidable enemies including powerful mages, giant monsters, and the end of the world.
Chrono has both impressive combat abilities as well as powerful magic capabilities. His specialty is lightning attacks, but he’s fairly versatile in different types of magic. What’s also impressive is he can pull off joint attacks with his companions. He’s not only powerful on his own, but he also works well with his companions to produce even stronger attacks. This is one guy you definitely don’t want to mess with.
1 Weak: Dr Mario
Dr. Mario comes from the action puzzle game Dr. Mario, where he fights diseases. Unfortunately, it's pretty obvious that this character is just a weaker version of Mario. This guy is so completely useless and there isn’t any point to him. He’s basically Mario, but a doctor. In the games, he’s not that strong or impressive, since he only fights diseases. While it’s admirable, it doesn’t really showcase any strength or abilities.
The problem is that Dr. Mario doesn’t seem to have the strengths that Mario has. He’s not strong, and he doesn’t take on huge villains like Bowser. He’s just there to fight germs and helps to eradicate diseases. Overall, Dr. Mario is a much weaker version of Mario, a cheap imitation of an established character.