Most modern-day players consider Nintendo games to be only childish and simple. After all, the Japanese video game company has become popular from fun & friendly titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Monster Hunter Rise, Bayonetta 3, and more.
That said, Nintendo’s simple and fun-loving approach doesn’t mean their games lack depth. In fact, their latest console, Switch, supports dozens of titles that are simple to play but filled with deep lore, myths, legends, side stories, environmental chronicles, and in-depth history. Let’s look at a few such games that truly give players a lot to explore.
10 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing is a social simulation game series that’s widely popular for being a Nintendo exclusive. The latest title in the series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, is an evolved version of the classics that truly expands on the social genre by allowing players to experience real-time life simulation.
Nintendo has made Animal Crossing: New Horizons a tremendous experience where players can explore a huge world and discover new things. Hence, the entire basis of the game revolves around the idea of communicating tales through lore.
9 Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey is the last major 3D Mario game that came out exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2017. The title features everyone’s beloved plumber on a mission to save Princess Peach from Bowser while traveling across the globe through different locations.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the most massive games in the hit Nintendo series. Hence, it offers a lot of things for players to explore and learn all kinds of new things about Mario’s lore. Reddit user u/Ymcan64 did an amazing job at explaining it in their post.
8 Luigi's Mansion 3
Luigi's Mansion is an action-adventure game series that was mildly popular from 2001 to 2018. However, things changed in 2019 when Nintendo released Luigi's Mansion 3 and took the series to another level by giving players an AAA-quality experience from visuals to design and story to gameplay.
In Luigi's Mansion 3, players control Luigi, who’s visiting a mansion named The Last Resort alongside his brother Mario and other iconic characters. However, things go south when everybody goes missing, and Luigi realizes the place is creeping with ghosts. The third game in the series offers extremely detailed environmental storytelling and lore that goes back to the 2D Mario games.
7 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game by Nintendo that came out in 2017 on Switch and Wii U. Similar to other Zelda games, the latest entry in the series offers a memorable story, creative gameplay design, and complete freedom to the players.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild mostly revolves around giving players the iconic Zelda-like gameplay but adds central elements of role-playing genres such as exploration. The game also offers special NPCs and locations full of deep lore and myths.
6 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
On the surface, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fun fighting game by Nintendo that offers dozens of unique characters. These iconic names include Banjo & Kazooie, Bayonetta, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Dark Samus, Kirby, Link, Mario, Luigi, Mega Man, Princess Peach, Jigglypuff, Pac-Man, and many others.
However, the Super Smash Bros. series is more than an amalgamation of different characters and an extravaganza. It’s a game loaded with complex and deep lore that still has players talking about it on social media. Here are a few posts that showcase that.
5 Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is one of Nintendo's latest titles in the legendary action role-playing series. The game recently came out on Nintendo Switch in 2022 and instantly became a bestseller for good reasons. Soon after, it won the Game of the Year award at the Golden Joystick Awards.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is part of the Pokemon series, known for its mind-blowing RPG gameplay. Hence, it offers massively detailed worlds, nostalgic environments, and dozens of NPCs, each with its own stories. Moreover, the deep lore is an integral part of this game, unlike any other title on this list.
4 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Super Mario 3D World and Bowser's Fury are two games announced during Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary. Both these titles play similarly and hence were part of the same package during 2021. In the game, players control Mario and other iconic characters from the franchise as they make their way through platforming challenges.
That said, despite the fairly simple nature of these games, they are full of Mario lore that players can only explore once they start exploring the games to their fullest. Moreover, Bowser’s Fury is a favorite among players for its brilliant design and unique cat-themed worlds.
3 Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a brilliant Metroidvania title that went from being a Kickstarter project to a full-fledged game. The Team Cherry title came out in 2017 and soon made it to Nintendo Switch a few months after. Five years later, players still praise the brilliant tune, tone, environments, surroundings, and combat online.
Hollow Knight is a simple game with easy controls. However, it still requires players to master the map, combat, and locations to progress. The game also does most of its storytelling through NPCs' word-of-mouth and world building, which is full of lore.
2 Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby is an interesting Nintendo character that debuted in 1992 and quickly became known for its cute looks and deadly powers. However, as time passed, the adorable pink character was overshadowed by other Nintendo games and characters such as Jigglypuff.
Fortunately, Kirby managed to go a massive comeback with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, a Mario Odyssey-like game with a truly fascinating story. Not only that, but the latest game is also full of deep lore that goes back 30 years and takes bits from over thirty-five games in the series.
1 Hades
Last but not least, there’s Hades, an action rogue-like game from 2020 that impressed everyone with its addictive gameplay design and stunning visuals. The game is currently one of the highest-rated Indie action role-playing titles on Nintendo Switch and remains a must-experience in portable mode.
As the name suggests, Hades is a game about a Greek god by the same name and his son Zagreus who’s trying to escape the realm. Hence, the game masterfully encompasses true deep lore inspired by Greek mythology, unlike any game on the list.