Nintendo seems to be trying to make Donkey Kong less prestigious, based on how poorly they're handling the Switch version of DKC Returns. -_-

I'm embarrassed now that I didn't mention it (Mother 2 and 3 are some of the GOAT) but EarthBound is so dead and buried that I felt it didn't meet my own criteria and the criteria of the thread.

I was thinking of franchise's that were active or worst case now on life support. EarthBound is clearly dead. 

Speaking of ranking favorite games, you could join the greatest games event.

Fzero. Just the best damn high speed racing series ever.

The original one is fairly mediocre these days, but Fzero 99 breathed new life into it by making it massively multiplayer. Fzero X was amazing on N64 and still shines today on NSO, not having lost any luster over the intervening quarter century. And of course Fzero GX was an incredible game.

Fzero really is the best thing in the whole gaming industry for what it does. And yet, due to Nintendo ignoring the series for the past two decades it is not a small nearly lost IP.

StarTropics, obviously. Nintendo...make it happen.

It's amazing but it's represented in every Smash Bros game in a big way. Even people who have not played them know about them.

Xenoblade and Earthbound are my two favourite lower selling franchises. And classic Fire Emblem (especially Genealogy and Advance/Blazing Blade). Kirby probably lands here too. But those all have prestige.

If we’re talking those that don’t have prestige or high sales, it might be WarioWare. I had ridiculous amounts of fun playing Smooth Moves back on the Wii. Especially getting large chaotic groups & alcohol. To me, it was an integral part of the Wii experience before that sort of game was replaced by Just Dance as the default party game. These sort of games were the party-makers - as opposed to party killer games like Rock Band/Guitar Hero; which, as soon as they got going, it was 10-20 minutes before 90% of the girls would leave, and by the 45 minute mark it was 4 or 5 dudes who won’t leave so you can go out! 😆

I hear ya! I'm probably a bit older, as I went from Atari to NES, so Starfox came a bit "later" in my personal timeline lol. But I fell in love with it instantly and advocated for everybody I knew to go and play it. So, yeah, I agree that the series is a great choice, even though I prefer F-Zero. I also had a bit of a beef with Starfox 64, not because of the game itself - which was amazing -, but the stark departure in the soundtrack design. As far as I remember that was a tad frustrating for me.

Yeah F-Zero was awesome too; it's one of those rare franchises where I don't think it has a single bad entry, while X and GX are two of the most wildly fun racing games I've ever played.

Rhythm Heaven, WarioWare, Disaster Day of Crisis anyone? Another Code probably being good of the originals, Switch version combining them and recreating/changing things is ok but I assume the originals are better.

Not played DDoC but I appreciate what it offers when seen in videos, very underated game.

Startropics was fair, tried it on Wii U eshop, same with Punchout, good games, just not a lot to say on them.

Never tried Murasame Castle at all.

Probably plenty of IPs not considered, some have potential if reworked, others are just what they are for the time of course.

Getting into Advance Wars Reboot Camp, getting into Fire Emblem, Endless Ocean no idea if I'll consider at all but I was interested in Emio/Famicom Detective Club games so why not buy that to have some support as not bought the digital games yet (not got a Famicom/Disk System either). I own Emio, just not started it yet so bought it to own it and play whenever. As I'm getting myself back into visual novels then just partial visual novel dialogue alongside JRPG tactics games.

If talking third parties hmm not sure I mean it varies what games are on Nintendo systems. Too many to list of N64 games I want to get over the 1st parties (I know how dare I, but I just find them more appealing),

Wii and DS is tough, some are on PSP anyways others not so hmm. Like I haven't played Exit on DS but I have PSP version.

I think some DS games are fair but I haven't played them enough to form an opinion. There is so many IPs I haven't even touched but know of or heard of yet probably.

I'd have to think about all the games I want from third parties on Nintendo systems. Too many.