Topic: The best Nintendo game of all Time! (Readers Poll Voting Going on Now!!)

game on!

@DerMeister I lack genre preference. I'll play anything if I find it fun. But the longer this poll goes on, the more games I see that I don't like due to design, features, haven't played or wouldn't touch anyway because it just does not interest me.

Which is ironic, as I get labelled as a Nintendo fanboy around here fairly often. I'm overly critical of Sony, yes. But I am outright scathing towards software. My opinion of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver makes people flat out angry.

Eternal Darkness (GC) - 4 points
Super Metroid (SNES) - 2 points
Super Smash Bros (Wii U) - 1 point

That was a close call on Conker getting through, pretty easy group for me this

Eternal Darkness (3)
Mario Kart 8 (3)
Super Metroid (1)

Super Smash Bros for Wii U - 5 points
Mario Kart 8 - 1 point
Fire Emblem GBA - 1 point

@carlos82 It was, well deserved Imo, Conker is a class character. Could it.go all the way? I'm not so sure but I'm glad its n the last 32.

Mario Kart 8 Wii U - 3pts
Super Metroid Snes - 2pts
Eternal Darkness GC - 2pts

@themcnoisy I don't knw that Conker will go all the way - too many young gamers who never played it despite it being one of the best platformers on the N64. It was Rares last game for the system too and not the easiest to get hold of because of the humour which is tame today. Then you have to remember there are games like SM64, Zelda OoT, Banjo Kazooie etc that often get more recognition - and that's just the N64 Nintendo games!

@BAMozzy That's always an issue with polls like these, too many people haven't played a lot of games. I wonder how many people even own a Wii U (or GameCube) here for example, I know some, but the majority probably don't. And even if they do, some people have never played all the games. I don't own a NES, I've played some game through the VC, but I definitely haven't played most of them.

I don't think Conker's Bad Fur Day is the best platformer on the N64, it's good, better than DK64 in my opinion, but I was never a huge fan of Rare's platformers to begin with. Mario 64 still trumps them all. When it's polled against so many other great games? I mean, ALTTP is the best top-down Zelda game IMO, and the same is true for the first two generations of Pokemon, great RPGs and way better than the current entries.

In the end I think these threads work better as recommendations, I'm definitely going to check out some of the top picks if I haven't played them yet.

@Octane Mario 64 was a revolution because it was the 'first' 3D platformer that felt truly 3D and the analogue control scheme was 'unique' and changed gaming forever. However it never had a 'story' and all levels were virtually the same thing over and over again. You had to keep replaying the same level over and over again to get Stars to open up the next new world. Not saying it wasn't great for what it was. Banjo Kazooie took everything that Mario 64 had, introduced a few new mechanics and much more of a Story behind it too. DK64 was another extension on the Mario 64 theme but had different characters with their own collectables and unique weapons/specials to make visiting the different areas 'more' interesting. Conker had more story, more humour, pop-culture references etc too. Visually it was much ahead of the rest of the 3d platformers too - "Critics noted that the game featured a number of technical effects that were uncommon at the time, especially for a Nintendo 64 game, such as dynamic shadowing, coloured lighting, large areas with a long draw distance, no distance fog, detailed facial animations, lip syncing, and individually rendered fingers on some characters." It also ended up with a Metacritic score of 92.

I can understand why Mario maybe seen as 'better' because it was the first. Games like Banjo and DK64 were technically superior but ultimately wasn't the first but Conker was the culmination of all these in essence. I guess it also depended on your age and time you played these too. Maybe if you were too young, you didn't get the writing or the references - assuming you played it at that time. If you played the watered down version on Xbox, it seemed old school and lost its 'edge'. I know the pop-culture references probably dates it more than Mario, Banjo or DK64 but 'kids' games don't tend to age as much but for me it had more charm and more uniqueness to it than the others. There was something really unique about seeing a game that looked designed for kids - like the others - but with a very adult dialogue and content. You would never get a game with Mario, Banjo or DK going out on the Binge or having to defeat an opera singing pile of 'poo'. The game also referenced Terminator, Alien and parodied other films of the time. For me its why its the best 3D platformer on the N64. Maybe because I was in my late 20's (28 I think) when it released, I appreciated the game more than other 3D Platformers aimed primarily at a younger audience.

@BAMozzy Yeah I understand why people like the game so much (heck, I still play the multiplayer modes with friends from time to time). I think that maybe the Rare games never really clicked with me. I do love DK Country though, those are by far my favourite games from Rare. DK64 was too much of a collectathon for me. I think what made Mario 64 special for me is seeing the franchise evolve from a 2D sidescroller to a 3D ''open world'' platformer. Still, I think the subsequent entries greatly improved on that game as well.

Wow! I can't believe the lack of love for Super Metroid. To be honest, I was more at a 4 - 2 - 1 because Smash Bros Wii U is my favorite Smash game by a mile, but when I saw super metroid not having a strong start, I had to throw everything in towards it.

Super Metroid - 5 points
Mario Kart 8 - 1 point
Skies of Arcadia Legends - 1 point

Super Metroid is absolutely incredible. I have the Brinstar jungle music in my head as I type this. Mario Kart 8 is delightful. I love the remastered tracks!

Super Metroid - 3 Points
Mario Kart 8 - 3 Points
Super Smash Bros. Wii U - 1 Point

This is getting pretty intense.

@Octane @BAMozzy The kinda of things you have to take them with a grain of salt. Mind you alot of these games deserve the best Nintendo game of all time award, but in the end it's all opinions that's it. While I might think SMB 3 is the greatest of all time someone who never played it won't see that and will say Mario Sunshine is. Then you have the rose tinted spectacle crowd (which I will admit aRe guilty off) and so on. In the end it's all fun.

Fresh page / fresh reminder

GROUP D

Super Metroid Snes
Super Smash Bros Wii U
Mario Kart 8 Wii U
Eternal Darkness GC
Fire Emblem GBA
Skies of Arcadia Legends GC

You know the drill pick 3 games, 7 points between them. The group stage is hotting up, your votes make all the difference!

@Tasuki Believe me, I am not being Serious or taking the whole thing seriously - ie that the result actually matters. I know that not everyone will have played every game and therefore voting based on set criteria and actually able to make an informed decision.

Nintendo have been at the forefront of gaming and pushed gaming forward. Almost every game today can find its roots or influence from a Nintendo game. Take 3rd person games (like AC, Uncharted etc), without Super Mario 64 and how that managed to do 3D with fine control with various different movement speeds - something we see in every game nowadays. I know those games have moved away from collecting as the main focus and most implement more refined attacks, more refined camera and more realistic platforming (again not the main focus) with more story and character development but SM64 paved the way for it. Maybe if Nintendo hadn't opted to implement the analogue controller or realise 3D as well as they did, someone else would have but because they did, its had a big influence on the direction gaming moved. Its why SM64 will always be remembered fondly because of the 'freedom' that suddenly gave us whether its technically better than another 3rd person game or not. Its similar to the 'Goldeneye vs Perfect Dark' argument. PD was technically superior in everyway but lacked the impact that Goldeneye had because at the time Goldeneye released, there really wasn't anything else like it. I know other FPS and online games existed - mostly on PC but for many that was still the game that had a 'big' impact on them first.

When you look at the 'best games of all time' lists, games like SM64 and Zelda OoT tend to be very near the top of the chart so I really don't expect Conker to do well if/when it comes up against them. It also didn't sell anywhere near the numbers that those sold so chances are, very few people here played it so expecting it to do well would only leave me disappointed. But that doesn't stop me thinking it was better than other 3D platformers that released on the N64 - knowing that it literally was built from Mario and using the experience of making Banjo and DK64 to make something more unique.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if it does get knocked out in the next round but by the same token, I won't lose sleep over it. These Polls are great though at opening up a discussion between gamers and as far as I am concerned, that was merely a discussion generated by this poll - not an argument or something to get upset by but merely an exchange in opinion - part of the 'fun'

Super Metroid - 5 points
Fire Emblem GBA - 1 point
Eternal Darkness - 1 point

Last 6-7 hours to get the last votes in!

Super Metroid -1
Mario Kart 8 - 1
Eternal Darkness - 5