Top 10 Lists: The Top 10 Second-Party Nintendo Games

Nintendo has always kept us intertained with their games. But in most of our most beloved games, it wasn't just Nintendo who helped to bring these games to life. Nintendo has had help over the years from companies like Camelot, Hal Labs, and Rareware to bring some of the best games to life. But, as we all know, nintendo still fed life into the projects and left a distinct mark on the game and in our hearts. We can't give full credit to one team, so here is the list of the Top 10 Second-Party Nintendo games.

This game wasn't Mario's first time on the courts, but it was definatly his best. Developer camelot sure knew what they were doing when they got the Mario Crew out on the courts for the first installment into 3D. This game was fun by yourself, or playing co-op (doubles) with a friend. Event though I myself never owned the game, I would borrow it from weeks on end until he asked for it back. Not only was the fun factor way up high, it actually teaches you about tennis! Not that anybody really cares.

Camelot's Second RPG adventure on the GBA turned out to be great. Continuing the story of Golden Sun, continuing your quest to light all the lighthouses. The Game added many new things such as Four New Characters, 44 New Djinn, making 72 in total, 13 New Summons, New Psynergy and Psyenergy classes, and New Items. The game has a good feel, having a Final Fantasy type of gameplay, but turns it into it's own. The story is Brillient, and gameplay, smooth. This could easily be one of the greatest games on the Game Boy Advanced.

Now this was a fun game. And even though it began my least favorite thing in gaming, the run-around-the-level-collecting-every-little-item genre, it still had a good story and tons of humor. Rare took what was great about the Mario 64 engine and made it into there own new world. And the results looked good. With characters as memorable as Banjo: the honest protagonist, Kazooie: the loud-mouth sidekick who could be used to do tasks that banjo is too lazy too do, and then Mumbo-Jumbo: the skull-headed shaman who could transform banjo into anything (ok, not anything). It even spawned a sequel that was (in opinion) better than the original, and tons and tons of replay value. It keeps the same type of laughs that we loved from the first game and adds new moves with an even broader world. With colorful and amazing level designs and layouts, and a vast extensive world, whats not to love about this N64 Classic.

Over the years, Mario has sure thrown a lot of parties. A LOT of parties. And they never seem to get old. Mario's first party is one of his best, but that didn't stop him from going. Bring 4 friends over, and have a good time over in the Mushroom Kingdom. Playing the story is fun... for a while. The repetitive gameplay seemed to cease my intrest of playing unless someone else was there with me to tackle the game boards and try to get all the mini-games. Competing with one friend versus the computers was fun, but when it got down and dirty with on a two-on-two game like "handcar havoc", or "bobslead run", or even a four player game like "Face Lift", or "Mushroom Mix-Up". Some of the new games have been a little mediocre, but still keep the same formula that worked so well for the previous games.

Give thanks to Silicon Knights for making one of the freakiest games ever. Eternal Darkness is weird, very weird. Nintendo patented the Sanity Meter so no one could steal the idea. The reason the game was so freaky, is because it messed with you and your surroundings. The game did things like give you its own "Blue Screen of Death", or mess with the volume of the TV, or my favorite your head falls off and when you pick it up it quotes Shakespear. The game was originally supposed to be for the N64, but was pushed to be a Gamecube title, and you can tell by the visuals. The gameplay is nice, and so is the story. The game itself was accepted by critics, but didn't get much play, but those who have played it, love it.

Capcom did an amazing job in developing Link's adventure in the lands of Holodrum (OoS) and Labrynna (OoA). The thing that was interesting about these games is they both focused on a different elemnt of play. In Oracle of Seasons, The game was centered more on action and violence. While in Oracle of Ages, It was centered more on stratagy and puzzle solving. Both games still keep the zelda-esque style of play that every die-hard or casual gamer has come to know and love. Capcom also allowed the game to be linked together via the game boy connection cables. This allowed the player to unlock hidden secrets. The worlds were beautifully designed, the dungeons were craftly made, this is what a Zelda game should be like: difficult, unrepetitive, and most importently, fun.

Many fans were upset at Nintendo for turning one of it's most beloved series into a first-person shooter game. But the way I see it, it was the most logical way for Metroid to make the jump into 3-Demensions. Retro studios, a company from Texas was entrusted with the task of turning a great side-scroller into a beautiful, FPS. And the outcomes were amazing. This was the first game that actually showed the true power of the Gamecube. The visuals make it seem like you actually are Samus Aran on the planet of Tallon IV, trying to unlock the mystery behind the mysterious Chozo. Even with a grand arsenal of futuristic weaponry at your side, it's not easy to bring the space pirated down. Retro did a good job also of bringing some of our favorite enemies to the modern world, such as the space pirates, metroids, and Ridley. The boss battles are challenging, and the cut-scenes are amazing. Nintendo made the right choice in trusting this series to Retro.

The first Paper Mario for the N64 was amazing. The sequal was able to top it by a mile. Intelligent studios took the Mario RPG formula, and created something completely knew with the Paper Mario Series. The Thousand-Year Door blew me away when I first started playing it. It took what was magnificent about the first game, and was able to build on it. What was really original about the game is that it took the idea that Mario was ACTUALLY as thin as a sheet of paper, and gave him special abilities to use because of his size. From turning into a paper airplane with the ability to glide in the air for a while, to rolling into a cyllinder and able to roll under small areas. The game keeps the same random nonsense that made the first game so funny, like Luigi's Adventures that he is going on during Mario's. The levels were very clever and the visuals were very sharp. I have a feeling that this is the start of a new series we will see many more adventures of.

What can I say about Goldeneye that hasn't been said. Rare made one of the greatest FPS around and completly revolutionzed the genre for consoles. It basically is one of the top ten reasons you bought an N64 to begin with. With a very in-depth story line that folows the plot of the movie, and stunning visuals for its day, it was an instant classic. But that's not the reason this game was so fun, no it's not. The reason this game was so fun, and the reason you bought it was because of the multiplayer. The multiplayer in the game is amazing, with great level design and an easy to use setup, it's no wonder you would always be wanting friends to come over and to bring an extra controller so you could pop in Goldeneye 007 and play for hours at a time. Pop it on a Gameshark to unlock all weapons and whatever other cheat you may have wanted, and you are ready to go.

"SUPER-SMAAAASH-BROTHERS!" My number one pick for the best second-party Nintendo game ever (or that has come out to this point in time) is Super Smash Bros. Melee. My friend bought a Gamecube specifically for this game, so you know that it was definatly a good game. Any one who has played any of these games knows that they are very simple, very linear, and VERY fun. Hal Labs did a major overhaul for the sequal, adding 12 new characters, three new single player modes: Mission Mode, Adventure and All-Star, A TON of new levels, new mini games, and more new things to keep us intertained for months. I mean literally, months. Possible years. The new items are extreamly cool, like the new Pokemon, and Home-Run Bat, and characters like Mr. Game-and-Watch and Mewtwo are interesting to tamper with. It still has that same great formula that kept the first so entertaining. The multiplayer is amazing and can keep you and your friends going for hours at a time. The lottery is also another neat thing inserted into the game. Hopefully We can see more great SSB fun on the Wii (intended pun). Thank you Hal for making a great game.

Well There you have it. Some of Nintendo's finest pieces of work were created not only by Nintendo, but also by development companies. The combination of the two make for marvolous results. These companies sometimes don't get the credit that they deserve and it goes strait to Nintendo, Sony, etc. We have to remember that Moses couldn't part the Red Sea without the help of God, and great games can't be made possible without the help of a development team; in Nintendo's case, Camelot, Silicon Knights, Rare (not anymore), Hal. These companies make it so we can enjoy the finer things in gaming. For this, we thank you.

List by MasterLink01 (11/06/2006)