Nintendo is currently one of the primary players in the video game industry. Its console, the Nintendo Switch, holds a spot as the third-best-selling gaming console of all time. And the credit for that goes to all the masterpieces they have released. Three of its prime IPs have played a big part in this: Super Mario Bros., Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda.

These are three of the highest-selling video game IPs of all time that have spawned many games over the years, including sequels and spin-offs. Now that the latest generation of Nintendo’s console is slowly paving the way for a successor, let’s talk about these three franchises.

Super Mario Bros.

Mario first appeared as a primary game character in the 1981 platformer Donkey Kong. The game was an instant hit in arcades. So much so that a bunch of other console manufacturers paid Nintendo a good amount to develop their own version of that game.

Eventually, this character got his own game along with his taller brother which was named Super Mario Bros.; and it launched for the Nintendo Entertainment System. This game and that console put Nintendo on the map in the home console market. And it was not a one-shot thing either; to this day, Nintendo has only improved in quality when it comes to this series.

Pokemon

Everyone has their own USP when it comes to selling a game. For Sony, it’s well-made cinematic experiences, and for Nintendo, it’s innovation in gameplay experiences. Nintendo introduced the world to the Gameboy in 1989. A very innovative console that one could take just about anywhere.

And Nintendo topped its library with Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow in 1996. The games were an instant hit, featuring a kid on an adventure that involves capturing a bunch of Pokemon and becoming the ultimate trainer by defeating a number of gym leaders.

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The series has been going on ever since, and not much has changed. The latest installment, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which launched in November 2022, sold 10 million copies in its opening weekend. This series is keeping Nintendo in the game for sure!

The Legend of Zelda

The first game in this adventure series was developed by creator Shigeru Miyamoto. He created a game that blew everyone away during that period. No one even knew that kind of freedom was possible in a video game until then. This was back in 1987 when the game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Years later, in 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released for Wii U and Nintendo Switch. This once again came as a stunning change as no one had seen freedom of this kind and such endless possibilities in a game before.

This series has not always been about freedom and possibilities but provides players with a sense of adventure over which they are in complete control. That experience has been consistent with pretty much every game in this series, be it mainline or one of those overhead ones.

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