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One of the most sure-fire ways to create an iconic hero is to have them fit the "unlikely hero" archetype. Nintendo is one of the best at this, with protagonists that have cute and simple lives before getting flung into a world of despair and danger to overcome.
That comes in all different forms, though, but one of the most prevalent is making as Nintendo protagonist a child. They're someone who often starts with a very simple view of their world, and a huge part of their journey can be learning about that world and growing into a person, with some grand heroics along the way.
8 Shulk - Xenoblade Chronicles
Whilst, at 18 years old, Shulk could technically be considered an adult, he is presented as someone with a fairly naive view of the world. He believes that the world is kind and just to everyone, and is very happy with his simple life as an engineer.
That worldview quickly gets smashed, however, what makes Shulk such a brilliant hero is how he refuses to waver in the face of the unjustness of the world. He reaches lows, and is deeply affected by the tragedy he sees all around him, but simply uses that to fuel his desire for a fair and peaceful world for everyone he meets.
7 Tressa - Octopath Traveler
Much like Shulk, Tressa is 18, and thus technically an adult, but her attitude is quite childish. That childishness is part of what makes her so endearing. Her story involves her traveling out to see the world for the first time, and quickly learns that being a merchant is as much about being crafty as it is about being able to sniff out a good deal.
She goes through a great maturing process throughout her journey but retains her excitable nature throughout, remaining pure of heart until the very end. It's a welcome change of pace compared to the downbeat nature of most other stories in Octopath Traveler. It's not all innocence, though, as she learns her craft and becomes a very savvy merchant too, being able to see past the monetary value of an item and see what emotional weight it holds to someone.
6 Inklings - Splatoon
Although the Inklings' heroic journeys are more fun romps than grand emotional adventures, they have become a key piece of Nintendo iconography. Despite not being around for very long in the grand scheme of things, the Inklings have successfully joined the pantheon of iconic first-party Nintendo characters.
As they were originally described, the Inklings are indeed Squid Kids, with most coming in at age 14, which is when Inklings gain full control over their abilities. In fact, it is speculated that the vast majority of characters in the franchise are teenagers.
5 Ness - EarthBound
One of JRPGs' more well-known protagonists, from the classic, EarthBound, Ness' age changes depending on which version of the game is being played. In the Japanese version, Ness is 12, however, in the American version, Ness is 13, it's not entirely clear why this change exists, but it does.
Ness' characterization isn't as complex as many other Nintendo heroes, as he's a silent protagonist, but his simple design is enough for him to earn a place in people's hearts. He ticks all the boxes for being a pure hero, always doing the right thing, and being there for his friends.
4 Baby Mario - Yoshi's Island
Admittedly, calling Baby Mario the protagonist of Yoshi's Island might be a bit of stretch, but he has most certainly become an iconic Nintendo character in the years since. After debuting as Yoshi's main objective in his first full game, Baby Mario has become a playable character in many other Mario franchise games.
He's most famously playable in several Mario Kart games, but he has also featured in Mario Golf and Mario Tennis over the years. His most notable appearance, though, is alongside Baby Luigi and their future selves in the Mario & Luigi RPG games.
3 Sonic the Hedgehog - Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic is not a character one would consider to be a child, but his canonical age has been listed at 15 since his very first game. Similarly, his allies are all young too. Knuckles is 16, Amy Rose is 12, and Tails is just 8 years old in his first appearance.
Sonic certainly fits the stereotypes of a teenager in the 90s, he's got a quick whit and sharp attitude, he's always moving at full speed and doesn't stop for anyone. As Sonic has become a gaming iconic, he will likely never see any canonical aging, and the franchise is yet to go the Mario route of creating a younger version of the character, which may be the for the best. However, who knows what the upcoming Sonic Frontiers has in store.
2 Red - Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow
While his anime protagonist, Ash Ketchum has super-seeded him as the human face of the Pokemon franchise, Red still deserves a place among Nintendo's pantheon of iconic characters. The player-character of the very first games in the Pokemon franchise, Red had very little character but became the template for cool Pokemon trainers the world over.
His status as a major character was solidified in the Generation 2 games, Pokemon Gold & Silver, where Red served as the game's final boss atop Mount Silver. He has sporadically appeared in the franchise in the years since, most notably in Pokemon Sun & Moon where he is much older, and serves as the final battle in the Battle Tree facility.
1 Link - The Legend of Zelda
The idea of Link as a character is one of Nintendo's most complex, as there isn't just one. The Legend of Zelda's timeline is always a topic of hot debate, but it is clear that many games in the franchise use completely different iterations of Link, he is like a constant of the world of Hyrule, when one hero passes, a new one is born. For some reason, they're always called Link and look very similar.
There is great debate over which iterations of Link are what age, but almost every single one is estimated to be 18 years old or younger. Even in Ocarina of Time, the so-called "adult Link" is estimated to be 16-17 years old. The oldest Link is estimated to have been 20 in Tri Force Heroes, and the youngest is his child-self in Ocarina of Time, who is 9-10 years old.