10 Most Graphically Impressive Nintendo Games...

Despite the fact that Nintendo’s modern consoles aren’t known for being graphics powerhouses, Nintendo has still delivered some impressive-looking games throughout its history.

A good-looking game isn’t solely about pushing hardware to its limits. Some of the most beautiful games nail their aesthetic to transcend the medium and become a work of art.

Of course, pushing a console to its limits doesn’t hurt, and it’s something Nintendo is really good at. I’d argue that part of the reason why Nintendo consoles aren’t necessarily known for their impressive graphics is that no other developer can unlock the hardware’s true potential like Nintendo itself. We’ve seen it time and time again, and these are the games that prove it.

10

Super Mario Bros. 3

How Was This An NES Game?

I still cannot believe the technological jump we saw from the first Super Mario Bros. game to the third. Going from the first Super Mario to Super Mario Bros. 3 feels like you’re moving forward in time. I’m willing to bet that I wasn’t alone in this regard.

The first time I ever saw Super Mario Bros. 3, I thought it was a Super Nintendo game. Mind you, I didn’t grow up with an NES in my house as a kid. My parents busted out the Ataris from the attic and, when they stopped working, surprised my sister and me with a Sega Genesis.

Super Mario 3’s graphics offer so much detail, color, and charm on display that you just have to tip your cap in acknowledgement.

From the level of detail in the overworld to the varied biomes of each world, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a treat for the senses.

9

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Celda Is Beautiful

Wind Waker got a lot of flak for its cel-shaded art style leading up to release. It’s not like the GameCube was lacking in horsepower, either. But the decision was an artistic choice and one that ultimately pays off.

Sailing the high seas in Wind Waker is a joy because of how gorgeous this game is, with the cel-shaded visuals letting the colors shine through, popping off the screen, and capturing our imagination.

Best of all, the game benefits extremely well from the aesthetic. Like many of you, I was concerned that we weren’t getting a realistic-looking Zelda experience on the GameCube, especially after seeing how good Link and company looked in Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, a few minutes spent playing Wind Waker alleviates all of those issues.

It’s funny that I still consider Wind Waker to be a better-looking game than Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, two Zelda titles that you’d assume would have better graphics. That’s because Eiji Aonuma and his team did a perfect job of making everything work together in perfect harmony, like a symphony.

Wind Waker is a testament to the fact that “better visuals” aren’t always more impressive. We were wrong to judge the game’s cel shading back in the day. It’s an absolute treat to take in, whether you’re playing in HD or on the Switch 2.

8

Metroid Prime Remastered

Perfection Perfected

Speaking of the Nintendo GameCube, one of its best-looking games came out early in its life cycle. It lacked that HD polish, yes, but it was still a gorgeous game. Plus, we didn’t know what HD was in 2002, so no one knew what they were missing.

It’s ironic because as I was playing through Metroid Prime Remastered after its shadow drop, I remember thinking to myself, “I can’t believe how well a GameCube game has held up.” Yes, it got a very nice facelift, but the art direction, aesthetic, and colors were all the same.

Then I looked at a screenshot from the GameCube version, and I nearly spat my drink out in surprise. I’m not saying Metroid Prime aged poorly, but I am saying that the HD TLC from the remaster did a lot of work here.

It’s also worth noting that the remaster was released for the Nintendo Switch, not the Switch 2, and it appears comparable to games you’d find on a PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Is it going to match some of the hyper-realistic graphics seen in games like Hellblade 2 and Ghosts of Yotei? No, but that would honestly detract from how gorgeous this game is. Experiencing Phendrana Drifts for the first time in HD is a sight to behold and a feeling I’ll never forget.

7

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

A Majestic Work of Art

I have no idea how this game runs as smoothly as it does. Yes, it benefits from the Switch 2 hardware, but even at its original release on the Nintendo Switch, it was truly an impressive game.

Visually, the game features some more clarity over its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. That’s not why this is such an impressive feat by Nintendo, though.

The world of Hyrule is massive and bigger than ever. You still have the gigantic open world to explore, along with the addition of the floating islands. Oh, and there’s a massive underground cavern, too. Best of all, this is a seamless experience without loading screens.

Tears of the Kingdom is the modern-day Wind Waker, a truly massive graphical accomplishment that’s a work of art, enhancing the in-game experience tenfold.

6

Luigi’s Mansion 3

A Spooky Atmospheric Experience

I mentioned it earlier, but Nintendo isn’t exactly known for hyper-realistic graphics. That’s especially true when the Mario characters are involved. Don’t think for a second, though, that Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a bad-looking game.

I’m sure that we’ll start seeing more polished versions of the iconic Mario characters that come close to matching the visual quality of the Super Mario Bros. movie, but for now, I’ll gladly take the visual design of Luigi’s Mansion 3.

The place where it truly impresses is the lighting and atmospheric presentation. Don’t forget that Luigi’s Mansion is a horror game, or at least as close to horror as Nintendo will ever get.

The enemies may not be as scary as what you’d see in something like Resident Evil or Silent Hill, but the graphics here do an excellent job of properly setting the mood. We’ve come a long way from the original Luigi’s Mansion on the Nintendo GameCube, and it shows through and through.

5

Super Mario Galaxy

A Platforming Paradise

I’m giving the nod to the original Mario Galaxy over the sequel due to the wow factor it possessed.

Like many, I was disappointed that the Nintendo Wii was just a “souped-up Xbox.” The GameCube was an underrated graphical powerhouse, and I was excited to see where Nintendo could go next with HD graphics. Turns out that they didn’t need that extra horsepower to deliver an impressive-looking game.

Super Mario Galaxy reminds me of how impressive Super Mario Bros. 3 was for the NES. The game is able to squeeze every ounce of juice from the Wii hardware and deliver a visually stunning experience.

Now, if you go back and look at Mario Galaxy under a microscope, yes, there’s a lack of HD polish here. Who cares, though? You’re just being nitpicky. Watching Mario move effortlessly in an expanded 3D space is a sight to behold and is one of the best visual showcases for the unheralded Nintendo Wii console.

4

Super Mario 64

Nintendo’s Iconic Innovator

Speaking of 3D Mario, there’s no way we can’t give props to Super Mario 64. It may not have been the first ever 3D platformer, but it’s the one that set the standard for the genre, and gaming as a whole.

For the younger crowd, let me paint you a picture. For years, we as gamers were told we could only move from side to side. Sure, sometimes we could move up and down, but we were limited to a 2D space. Then, in 1996, Super Mario 64 came along and said, “Go wild, kid. Sky’s the limit.”

Everyone remembers that first feeling playing around in the castle courtyard, but I remember my first steps onto Bob-Omb Battlefield more fondly. I was blown away not just by how the game looked, but also by what the 3D environment made possible, and it all looked so incredible! The colors, the art direction, the character designs! All of it would surely never be topped!

It’s a feeling that continued throughout the rest of the game’s worlds. Each offers something new, unique, and never done before. The controls may have aged like milk, but the feeling of childlike wonder I get from the graphics has persisted as I age further into adulthood.

3

Yoshi’s Woolly World

It’s Just So Cute!

Have you seen Yoshi’s Woolly World? Just look at it. Look at how adorable the aesthetic is. Look at how well Nintendo pulls it off.

Woolly World isn’t the first Nintendo game to utilize a yarn-like visual style. That would be Kirby’s Epic Yarn. Yoshi’s Woolly World, however, is the more impressive title for several reasons.

First is the fact that these Yoshi’s look like the most gentlest little yarn-spun dolls. The level of detail on display here for a Wii U game is incredibly impressive. It blows nearly everything else on the system out of the water.

For me, though, it’s the animation that takes things over the top. It’s so smooth, sleek, and stylish. This game is a joy to look at, even if the actual gameplay feels a little shallow.

2

Donkey Kong Country

One Of The Best Looking SNES Games

Look, I love Super Mario World and its graphics. They’re vibrant, colorful, and charming. But don’t you dare tell me they’re as impressive as Donkey Kong Country.

As a kid, I thought it couldn’t get better for video games: this was the highest level of realism we’d ever see. As an adult, I have no idea how they managed to pull this off on the Super Nintendo hardware.

You’d figure that back in the 16-bit era, the move to a more 3D visual aesthetic would result in a loss of character, resulting in the visuals feeling a little blocky (e.g., Tomb Raider). That’s not the case here, though.

There is so much life and character on display in Donkey Kong Country. Combined with the franchise’s ability to deliver great variety in level and environmental design, you have the makings of an all-time visual feast.

1

F-Zero GX

Welcome Back, King

I am so glad that F-Zero GX was available day one for the GameCube collection on Nintendo Switch Online. You better believe it’s the first thing I played when I got my Switch 2 at midnight.

The F-Zero franchise has been sorely missed, and GX serves as a reminder not just of how incredible this game is, but also of how amazing it looks.

Obviously, it was never going to look as good as we remembered; the GameCube wasn’t an HD console, so F-Zero GX is lacking the HD polish that something like Metroid Prime Remastered was able to benefit from. Even without the HD shine, F-Zero GX still looks impressive.

I wanted to double-check that fact and quickly booted up a race in Big Blue. I am blown away by how the base GameCube version looks. It’s never looked better, whether it’s on my Switch 2 screen or my 65-inch TV.