Nintendo is one of the most influential companies in the history of video games and remains among the most beloved today. This is for a variety of reasons, one of the main being how many great franchises they introduced to the world and how they have developed some of the best games ever made using these properties.
But even with the reputation that Nintendo has, it is hard for franchises with a lot of entries to have great reception, no matter the release. On Metacritic, a majority of Nintendo franchises have had games that dipped below 80. However, that has not been the case for a select few.
7 Clubhouse Games
Nintendo has been known for making great party experiences for people who like to play with others. One franchise that has seen some sporadic releases is Clubhouse Games, with only two games actually getting a proper score on Metacritic.
The first release was on Nintendo DS, which came with 42 different mini-games and has a Metacritic score of 83. After a couple of DSi releases, the proper sequel to the original Clubhouse Games came on the Nintendo Switch with Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, which has a Metascore of 82.
6 Wave Race
Racing games are also no stranger to Nintendo systems. Back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, one of the best-racing franchises from the company was Wave Race. There were three releases from this franchise, but only two have Metacritic scores. This is because the first entry was released in 1992 before Metacritic scores were handed out.
Wave Race 64 has the better score of the two entries, currently sitting at 92. It was considered a huge feat for graphical fidelity at the time and is considered influential for later arcade racing titles. The other entry, Wave Race: Blue Storm for the GameCube, is right on the line at a score of 80.
5 Rhythm Heaven
After its first entry was released exclusively in Japan, Rhythm Heaven made its debut in the United States in 2009 on the Nintendo DS. This title was received well by critics, which led to two other titles across the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. The wildest part is that all three games earned the exact same Metacritic score of 83.
The original title had players holding the Nintendo DS vertically and playing primarily with the stylus. Rhythm Heaven Fever on the Wii would take advantage of the Wii Remote's capabilities, while Rhythm Heaven Megamix used more traditional controls to put players in silly rhythmic situations.
4 Pushmo
People may think that a franchise that has only been published digitally may not have been received well, but Intelligent Systems' Pushmo series is a reminder that even games exclusively on the Nintendo eShop can be a lot of fun.
The first two entries in this puzzle experience were among the best-reviewed, with Pushmo sitting at 90 and its sequel Crashmo not far behind at 86. Both of these games were exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS. Another 3DS exclusive, Stretchmo, got only an 83, while the franchise's only Wii U title, Pushmo World, got an 80.
3 Splatoon
Of the newer franchises to get love from the critical audience, Splatoon has consistently put up solid Metacritic scores since its original release in 2015. The third-person shooter has been a massive sales success for Nintendo as well, with the latest entry having already sold 3.45 million copies in Japan only three days after launch.
The original Splatoon made its debut on the Wii U and received an 81 Metacritic score. Splatoon 2 only came out two years later, a few months after the Nintendo Switch's launch, getting an 83 score on Metacritic. Finally, Splatoon 3 came out five years later on the Switch and also received an 83.
2 Advance Wars
While the series is a spin-off of a larger franchise, Advance Wars has consistently shown to be a critical hit. Across four games rated on Metacritic, the average score is 89. The turn-based strategy collection began with Advance Wars on the Game Boy Advance, receiving a 92.
Its sequel came out two years later called Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, which earned an 89. Following a similar pattern, Advance Wars: Dual Strike was the first Nintendo DS entry and got a 90, while its sequel, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, got an 86.
1 Xenoblade Chronicles
While it may not be as big of a deal in the west, Xenoblade Chronicles has become of the most beloved JRPG franchises that Nintendo has created. All six games, which include four mainline titles and two expansion titles, have received over an 80 on Metacritic since the series launched on the Nintendo Wii in 2010.
The original Xenoblade Chronicles game got a 92 on Metacritic, with its definitive edition on Nintendo Switch getting an 89. The lowest mainline score goes to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which had an 83, and an expansion title that got an 80. The latest entry, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, got an 89 on Metacritic.