Nintendo is one of the pioneers of the gaming industry, breaking records with unique titles that have the most loyal fan bases and their development of superb consoles (all of which were bestsellers in every market) is a testament to their supremacy
Not everything is perfect, however. Nintendo has its fair share of flops and hits during the Golden Age of gaming (1983 onward) and this list will cover each of them. From boring scripts, to mediocre voice acting, to possibly the greatest video game adaptation yet, presenting the worst and best Nintendo cartoons of all time.
8 The Legend Of Zelda
According to IMDb, the Legend of Zelda TV Show in 1989 was a failure, only lasting for three months before getting scrapped. Link is unlike the video games and is more of an edgy boy trying to get attention from Princess Zelda, looking unrecognizable from head to toe: fans know that he has light hair but they totally butchered him in the series, and something just sounds off about his voice (like someone pinching his nose while speaking). The story is corny at best and they turned this epic into a sitcom.
The adaptation is a cluster-mess and one can find very cheap copies online. It's gotten so bad that die-hard Zelda fans pretend that the 1989 series never existed.
7 Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong may have had successful spin offs but Country is not part of the list. The show was known for its weird, stiff animations which some reviewers on IMDb called "horrendous." The series is bombarded with bad reviews but once again, it gets praised for its nostalgia factor, only which the 90s' fans can agree on. Outside of that generation, however, DKC is nonexistent.
Aside from the slapstick comedy, colorful characters and outrageous soundtrack (Banana Slamma!), the episodes are a bit dull. In the end, it's just your average children's show. Again, it's the nostalgia factor that saves the ratings.
6 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show
The Super Show was way ahead of its time and the live-action segments gave it even more flavor. Popular celebrities would be featured in the skits and parodies. The actor, Lou Albano, is the perfect, more humanized version of Mario giving the cartoon a more intimate feel. The mushroom-eating, Koopa-tossing superhero was replaced with a loud, pasta-eating plumber from Brooklyn and it catered well to fans at the time.
The series stayed true to its roots and was patterned after Super Mario Bros. 2. It's one of the few gems that can never be replicated.
5 Mega Man
Even though the Mega Man TV show had a few flaws, it still was a commercial success in Japan and America (topped the Nielsen Ratings for Weekly Children's Show at one point). The series shattered records and a third season was planned but got scrapped due to budget constraints. Had Mega Man continued and revamped in the next season, it would have possibly rivaled Pokémon's fan base.
Fans pointed out differences in character design like Mega Man looking like a too-muscled teen or how Proto Man was the bad guy, but overall, it was a decent anime at the time.
4 Super Mario World
The difference between The Super Show and this series is that Super Mario World had plots and morals. It became a platform for awareness of social issues at the time and used subtle references for more mature viewers while retaining entertainment value, something cartoons should emulate these days.
The series featured the complete cast. Even though it was a success, the show ended after 13 episodes when NBC phased out all Saturday cartoons.
3 Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N's adventure into different games in the Nintendo Universe was unlike any other. The show was one big advertisement and the plot was refreshing: a kid armed with a Zapper gun sucked into the world of Mega Man, Castlevania and Donkey Kong and 20 other games. A Super Mario collaboration would have been perfect but it never happened for an unknown reason.
The show had a good two-year run and was met with generally positive reception even though it had a few inconsistencies. Nevertheless, nothing could come close to this anthology.
2 Pokémon
The series that shaped everyone's childhoods and defined pop culture with over hundreds of millions of fans, Pokémon, has evolved while staying true to its roots. Countless adaptations have been spawned and each of them are blockbusters, even spin-offs like Detective Pikachu had good ratings.
The TCG community ranks it as the best card game, only equal to MTG. Pokémon Red and Blue set the standards for RPGs back then. Pokémon is a timeless classic and one of Nintendo's biggest pillars.
1 Saturday Supercade
The holy grail of Nintendo cartoons, Saturday Supercade, premiered in 1983 and lasted for two seasons. The show was divided into segments, shorts that featured Nintendo's most beloved characters such as Mario, Q*bert, Donkey Kong, and Frogger. Looking back, it may be the greatest video game TV series of all time.
Fans are eager for a full release and there are incomplete, hazy versions circulating the net. As such, a remaster would be the perfect option for Nintendo so fans could get a taste of the Golden Era of gaming.