Nintendo didn't necessarily need to prove its relevancy during the past ten years, but it did need to restore faith after the failure of the Wii U. Thankfully, the long-beloved was able to go well above expectations with the release of the Nintendo Switch, which continues to see resounding success.
We continue our "Best of the Decade" coverage with TheGamer News Team's Nintendo Games of the Decade!
Sam Watanuki - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
As the winner of the first-ever Ultimate tournament that I ever took part in, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate clearly has a special place in my heart. But let's be real. Ultimate's ever-expanding roster alone makes it one of the most impressive Nintendo games to date. It is still the go-to game at any social gathering, and is accessible enough for anyone to pick up, while being difficult enough for the hardcore crowd.
Scott Baird - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is slowly becoming a monument to the history of video games. It’s like a living museum for fanservice, with the greatest heroes and villains of all time crossing company and generational lines to prove which one of them is the best. The game feels like a love letter to the Nintendo fans who have supported the company for so many years, from the most casual of Mario lovers to the Melee fans of yesteryear. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate manages to be both the perfect party game and an outlet for ruthless competitive matches.
Bella Blondeau - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
This decade, Nintendo solidified itself as my favorite publisher, as I feel it published its best work. It's hard to narrow it down to one title, really, and while I really want to be the wild card who throws out Super Mario 3D World or Bayonetta 2, there's no denying it - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild rebooted the aging series, redefined open-world gaming, and started the Switch firing off at all cylinders. Not only that, but it finally put Nintendo back on the AAA map after the unfortunate floundering of the Wii U. Link may have saved Hyrule, but Aonuma saved Nintendo.
Eric Switzer - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild swung for the fences and risked alienating fans of the series by complete reinventing Zelda into an open-world game which, even in 2017, was already starting to get pretty worn out. Nintendo breathed new life into the series, the genre, and the AAA space with the freedom and quality of engagement in Breath of the Wild. It's a remarkable game both technically and artistically, and the absolute pinnacle of Nintendo's many achievements.
Jamie Latour - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo could have easily coasted by on the success of Zelda and churned out more games that stuck to the same old formula. Instead, they completely rejuvenated the franchise by releasing a game that opened up the world of Hyrule, allowing you to travel anywhere at any time regardless of how ill-prepared you were. Breath of the Wild was a breath of fresh air for Zelda, and hopefully, Nintendo continues to innovate for years to come.
Patrick Sklar - Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker is a promise to Mario fans, or even to Nintendo fans. It's a promise that every subsequent game will be even more inventive, even more creative, than what you can create with the tools they provided. Super Mario Maker is a brave new baseline for the Mario series - it can only get better from here, and "here" is a heck of a place to start.