Nintendo has been in the console game since the mid-80s. In that time, they’ve developed a number of different products and have become a force to be reckoned with in the gaming industry. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t or hasn’t, at one point in their lives, owned a Nintendo console. Gamers of every generation have been exposed to Nintendo and their games, and, for a lot of them, the publisher has left a lasting impression.
It hasn’t all been good, though. Every Nintendo console has seen its fair share of bad games; that’s just inevitable. While we mostly remember the great ones, the bad ones are memorable in their own right. Every Nintendo console has a game that’s just awful, so here’s a look at each of them.
13 Switch: 1-2 Switch
A lot of people will remember how 1-2 Switch hyped up the console's features. But really, no one cared all that much about this launch day release.
The game was decently reviewed, but really won’t be remembered in the near or distant future. It’s something that many have been prevalent early on in its release due to the small library of the Switch following its release, but will certainly be forgotten by time.
12 Game Boy: Castlevania: The Adventure
The Castlevania series is one of the most well regarded in gaming, but not this Game Boy entry. The Adventure launched a few months after the Game Boy came out in 1989. It wasn’t exactly a memorable title.
The graphics and music were considered alright, but in terms of gameplay nothing really stood out. For a Castlevania title, you’d expect more and this just didn’t deliver.
11 Virtual Boy: Golf
Ok, so the Virtual Boy was a complete failure. While a lot of the games on it weren’t up to par, some were actually pretty decent for what they were. Golf, however, wasn’t one of those.
It’s exactly what it sounds like; a vanilla, no-nonsense golfing game for the Virtual Boy. That’s one of the most boring concepts you could think of. This thing is certainly no pleasure to play and is best avoided alongside the console itself.
10 Game Boy Color: Star Wars: Yoda Stories
As if the prequels weren’t divisive enough, there was a ton of cash grabby Star Wars games released during that era that really just seemed like no-effort titles. Yoda Stories is certainly one of those.
The game was first released in March 1999 on PC, with a Game Boy Color port released in December of that year. The game just didn’t perform well with the lack of a mouse, and so the Game Boy Color version was just unplayable.
9 Game Boy Advance: Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu
There have been plenty of Dragon Ball games released over the years. But if you look at every single one, Taiketsu has to be one of the worst ports out there.
Taiketsu is just an awful, unplayable game. While it sold well, it benefited highly on its brand name. The game is considered to be one of the most un-enjoyable and unplayable Dragon Ball games out there. With all the bad games we’ve seen based on the series, that’s a pretty impressive feat.
8 Nintendo DS: Elf Bowling
The only possible you’d have heard of this next game is due to how bad it is. Elf Bowling may not be that well known of a title, and that’s probably for the best.
The only people who know about this game are the ones who were unfortunate to have played it. There’s not all that much to say about this game other than it was hated by pretty much everyone who had the displeasure of playing it. Do yourself a favor and stay away.
7 Nintendo 3DS: Harvest Moon 3D: The Lost Valley
The Harvest Moon series is one that carries a good deal of trust and reliability. But, with a series as long and storied as this one, there are bound to be some bad apples here and there.
The Lost Valley is just a boring game. It really feels like a tried-out product that doesn’t offer all that much in terms of innovation or consistency. There are other games in the series which are far better than this.
6 Wii: Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga
The Wii was a pretty polarizing console. In the midst of all of that, gamers saw a number of great releases. They also experienced some pretty awful games as well.
Elder Saga is as niche and unremarkable a game as you’ll find in the console. It just isn’t up to snuff compared to other games in the console’s library. Its boring, unresponsive gameplay is just one of the reasons you should stay away.
5 SNES: Shaq-Fu
Oh man, Shaq-Fu. What’s there to say about this gamer that already hasn’t been said? When you think of terrible cash-grabs in games, Shaq-Fu should top the list. Despite the games negative reception, it’s still a cult classic and retains a dedicated fan base to this day.
The biggest issue critics took with the games was its controls—that will pretty much make or break a fighting game. And, while the game isn’t without its charms, it just isn’t fun to play.
4 GameCube: Charlie's Angels
Why is it that so many tie in games end up being absolutely awful? Why do people keep buying them? These are questions you’ll be asking yourself while you’re going through Charlie’s Angels on the GameCube.
The game is regarded by many as the worst thing to happen to the GameCube. There’s nothing fun about it. It’s as blatant a cash grab as you’ll see out there.
3 N64: Superman 64
Known as one of the worst games out there, choosing Superman 64 for the N64 slot was a no brainer, as anyone who’s had the misfortune of actually playing the game will tell you.
It takes a lot to actually be called one of the worst games ever made. But Superman 64 easily takes up that slot. The gameplay for this title is an absolute mess. It’s incredibly unresponsive, and the game just isn’t functional half of the time. There’s just no joy in playing it.
2 Wii U: The Letter
What else can you say about The Letter other than it was a complete disappointment? The eShop game certainly wasn’t worth whatever players paid for it, full price or otherwise.
A Kickstarter game which failed to reach its funding goals, The Letter is one of the worst received games ever released. It really seems like a game that just wasn’t up to snuff with what people expected.
1 NES: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Based on the story Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, no one would blame you if you said you didn’t know that this NES game even existed. Rather, it’s better that you never hear about this game ever again after scrolling down.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is notorious for its terrible graphics, bad controls, and absolutely awful gameplay that seems purposefully counterintuitive. There’s no reason to play this game other than to see just how bad it is.