10 Darkest Nintendo Series Ever Made, Ranked

For many people, Nintendo is a company that primarily makes games for children or the whole family, so it is expected that most of their games are rather simple and have a more cheerful tone. However, there is a plethora of titles that are much darker and deeper than most gamers realize.

From psychological and Lovecraftian horror to more realistic themes, several series of Nintendo games integrate complicated themes or terrifying scenarios in a way that is quite impressive and tests what many think they know about the iconic Japanese company.

10 Kirby Constantly Faces Up Against Lovecraftian Horrors

A Simple Stroll in the Park Can End in a Cross-Dimensional Entity Trying to Destroy Reality

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With iconic franchises like Castlevania and Metroid, the SNES had a lineup of truly great horror games despite Nintendo’s family-friendly image.

A prevalent meme among fans of the Pink Ball is that Kirby is one of the most powerful and disturbing beings in video games. Aside from the humorous tone, these statements are based on the games themselves, as some of them feature scenes and situations that are more akin to cosmic horror stories than Saturday morning cartoons.

Among the enemies that Kirby has faced are powerful intergalactic beings that test your understanding of reality, secret cults of intergalactic destruction, and even deities of exponential size. But all of these pales in comparison to more complicated themes, such as the grief of a parent who has lost his mind and can’t remember his own daughter, or the remnants of what Earth once was before humanity’s overconsumption wiped it out.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

An adventure of deluxe proportions awaits!The tough puff Kirby is back for a 1-4 player* platforming adventure across Planet Popstar. Help Magolor rebuild his ship with newly added Mecha and Sand Copy Abilities!

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

February 24, 2023

Developer(s)

HAL Laboratory

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence

Number of Players

1-4

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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9 Metroid Showcases Action In an Otherwise Horror Franchise

Being Pursued By Aliens and Traumas Across the Galaxy Sounds Like a Downer

When it comes to space horror in video games, many people think of titles like Dead Space or Alien: Isolation, two very memorable experiences in the horror genre. However, Nintendo’s space adventure franchise could be perfectly placed in this type of game. While the first installment wasn’t as dark due to graphical limitations, all the sequels have been characterized by a dark and eerie tone.

Many will remember the terror of trying to escape SA-X with Samus’ body in Metroid Fusion, or the E.M.M.I.s in Metroid Dread. However, if players pay attention to the story, they can also find some very noteworthy elements. From the complicated story of Samus Aran, with the possibility that she has PTSD from the loss of her parents to the ruins of the Chozo who once took her in and the sad farewell to the baby Metroid she tried so hard to take care of.

Metroid Prime Remastered

Franchise

Metroid Prime

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch

Released

February 8, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo , Retro Studios

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

Retro’s in-house game engine

ESRB

T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Violence

How Long To Beat

14 Hours

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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8 Pikmin Presents One of the Best Survival Horror Settings

Almost Everything in the Environment is a Hazard About to be Discovered

Perhaps the most deceptive game series in Nintendo’s library is Pikmin. Anyone who has only seen the cover art or promotional material for this series will imagine a cute, Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley-esque experience, but they couldn’t be more wrong. This series of strategy, survival, and resource management games is darker than players might expect.

The Pikmin games deal with themes such as overconsumption, the dangers of nature, and the decline of society. As for its tone, this game presents a sense of danger quite similar to the 1970’s classic, Land of the Giants. The gameplay itself is quite anxiety-inducing, as players must manage their Pikmin well in the face of hundreds of dangers and limited time, as night is certain doom. From another perspective, it sounds more like a space horror story than a family adventure video game.

Pikmin 4

The player controls a minuscule character who takes command of squads of Pikmin to explore various areas, fight enemies, secure treasures, and solve puzzles.

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

July 21, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

e

How Long To Beat

17 Hours

Mode

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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7 Zelda Games Are Full of Sadness and Grief

The Flow of Time is Always Cruel, No Matter Which Timeline it Follows

While many players might immediately think of Majora’s Mask as the darkest game in the entire Legend of Zelda series, the truth is that all of them carry that darkness as part of their DNA. From A Link to the Past to Breath of the Wild, worlds on the brink of extinction have appeared, each with interesting messages in rather melancholy settings.

Some of the darkest and saddest moments in the series include the destruction of Koholint Island, Midna’s farewell, and the appearance of the Shadow of the Hero and its implications. Most Zelda stories contain details of existentialism, loneliness, and regret. But it is this bittersweet tone that has captured the hearts of more than a few players, who get excited every time a new installment is announced.

Save Hyrule—this time with the wisdom of Princess Zelda!
The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts—and with a certain swordsman among the missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save her kingdom in the latest adventure in The Legend of Zelda™ series!

Team up with the ethereal creature Tri and use the Tri Rod to create “echoes,” which are imitations of things you find in the environment—then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes like water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes, or find your own combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch

Released

September 26, 2024

Developer(s)

Nintendo , Grezzo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

Havok

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+

How Long To Beat

20 Hours

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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6 Splatoon Hides a Cautionary Tale Under the Surface

Everyone is a Squid Now, Whether They Like It or Not

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Another rather puzzling series of games is also one of the latest exclusive franchises from the Big N. Splatoon also has a very colorful look that many consider childish, but the lore of these games would suggest otherwise. The narrative also hints at a plot twist similar to Adventure Time, as this world was also the result of a cataclysmic event that wiped out humanity.

Like the other aforementioned games, Splatoon is a direct critique of the climate crisis. In this world, humans do not exist due to a mixture of wars and a series of natural disasters. The existence of the Inklings, Octolings, and Octarians is the result of evolution after humanity’s disappearance, and everything seems to point to history repeating itself once again. It is now up to these new races to resolve their conflicts peacefully or to meet their demise as they have before.

Splatoon 3

Enter 4-on-4* ink-slinging battles in this colorful action shooter packed with style and attitude. As a squid-like Inkling, quickly cover your surroundings (and opponents) in ink with wild weaponry and swim through your own color to sneak and splat. Dive into the fresh fun with family and friends and make waves as a team. Get splatted by an opponent? No sweat! The goal in Turf War is to cover the most ground, so respawn and jump back into the inky action.

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

September 9, 2022

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

phive

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+: Cartoon Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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Being a Detective is Not All Smiles and Giggles

It’s normal to feel a certain distance from the disturbing or dark situations presented in various Nintendo games when you see them as taking place in fantastic and unbelievable worlds. That’s why it’s a little more surprising when the adventures and events take place in settings that are much closer to real life. That’s why it’s remarkable to find a murder investigation series among Nintendo’s first-party games.

The Famicom Detective Club games know how to combine elements of comedy, slice-of-life, and mystery. Despite being relatively little known in the West, they excel at presenting complex and realistic stories. The latest installment, Emio – The Smiling Man, stands out as one of the company’s few mature games. While not a traditional horror game, it presents situations and themes that would make anyone’s hair stand on end.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Who is Emio – The Smiling Man?Solve the tragic death of a student, where a creepy clue recalls cold cases from the past and an urban legend about a killer with a disturbing modus operandi.

Franchise

Famicom Detective Club

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch

Released

August 29, 2024

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

game engine

ESRB

M (Mature) for Blood, Language, and Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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4 Drawn to Life Slowly Builds Up Towards a Shocking Revelation

It All Adds Up in the End, Although Not Quite as Expected

While other games have made no attempt to hide their dark and profound themes, Drawn to Life stands out for presenting one of the most impressive and unexpected twists in a children’s game series. The original Nintendo DS duology was promoted by showcasing the capabilities of the touch screen as one of the main selling points for children to customize their gaming experience. That’s why it was so unexpected that the story would end with an ending worthy of an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

The surprise of the ending was so intense that many parents complained, and new versions of the game included a similar, but toned-down, ending. Still, the adventure itself contains heavy themes for a children’s audience, though well-developed, such as the perception of reality, the duties of a leader, and the possible existence of a higher being. Undoubtedly an underrated gem from Nintendo’s classic handheld.

3 Xenoblade Chronicles Asks the Player What It Means To Be Alive

In a World of Strife, There’s Still a Reason to Keep Walking On

The Nintendo-exclusive Xenoblade franchise has become one of the most impressive RPG series of recent years. While it may seem like a generic anime-style adventure, it is a masterclass in storytelling. Each entry defies expectations by challenging what players would hope to find. One of the biggest surprises is the change in tone when someone very close to the protagonist is killed in the first few hours of the first game.

The entire series is full of references and allegories to various philosophical themes, such as existentialism, nihilism, and preordained fate. Despite these different tones, each installment offers an impressive story with endearing characters that surprisingly touch on complex and deep themes very well. These are the kinds of games that stay with players long after they have seen the game-over screen.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

During an attack from the mechanical invaders known as the Mechon, Shulk discovers that he can tap into the full power of a mysterious blade known as the Monado. With the mighty Monado in hand, Shulk sets out to defeat the Mechon once and for all.

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

May 29, 2020

Developer(s)

Monolith Soft

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

XC2/Torna

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

How Long To Beat

58 Hours

Metascore

89

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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2 Fire Emblem Puts Mature Themes On the Forefront

War Always Scars Those Involved, No Matter How It Is Presented

At over 20 years old, Fire Emblem is one of Nintendo’s longest-running franchises and one that continues to grow in popularity. While the style and tone of the games can change quite a bit from one release to the next, it is no secret that most of them are characterized by their focus on rather dark stories; despite having some fantastical elements, the stories of these games focus on very real issues such as the sense of duty, the consequences of war, and the dangers of unchecked power.

This dark touch can even be felt in the gameplay, as it was traditional in the early games that once a character died in combat, they were completely lost from that point on. While more recent games like Three Houses and Awakening are quite mature, perhaps the games that best exemplify this dark tone of the series would be Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776. The player experiences not only from the perspective of war commanders, but also those affected by the war.

War is coming to the continent of Fódlan. Here, order is maintained by the Church of Seiros, which hosts the prestigious Officer’s Academy within its headquarters. You are invited to teach one of its three mighty houses, each comprised of students brimming with personality and represented by a royal from one of three territories. As their professor, you must lead your students in their academic lives and in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic, new twists to overcome. Which house, and which path, will you choose?

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch

Released

July 26, 2019

Developer

Intelligent Systems, Koei, Koei Tecmo, Koei Tecmo Games

Publisher

Intelligent Systems, Koei, Koei Tecmo, Koei Tecmo Games

Engine

Cocos2d

ESRB

t

How Long To Beat

Metascore

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1 Mother/Earthbound Mixes Perfectly a Familiar Tone With a Dark Story

On Days Like These, Kids Should Be Playing Video Games Instead of Saving the Planet

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The JRPG genre has plenty of light-hearted adventures, but its darkest games make for some of the best experiences in gaming.

Without a doubt, the most obscure Nintendo-exclusive game series is Earthbound. This iconic RPG revolutionized the industry by abandoning fantasy settings for a modern Western-based environment. Throughout the trilogy, there is a distinct tone of dark humor and sarcasm. The dangers the children face range from rabid dogs to strangers on the street who belong to cults. While everything is shown with a rather tender appearance, the subtext is quite the opposite.

Each episode contains details of social commentary mixed with visual gags that work perfectly for both adults and children. Some of the most disturbing elements are the fight against Giygas or certain scenes that take place in Magicant. However, Mother 3‘s entire adventure is perhaps the darkest thing Nintendo has ever done in its games. From start to finish, it is a story that deals with themes of revenge, guilt, redemption, and death, in a way that makes this series one of the company’s darkest and also one of its most memorable.

Mother 3

Mother 3, also known as Earthbound 2, comes from Brownie Brwn, HAL Laboratory, and Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The game follows Lucas, a young boy with psychic abilities, and a party of characters as they attempt to prevent a mysterious invading army from corrupting and destroying the world.

Platform(s)

Game Boy Advance

Released

April 20, 2006

Developer

Brownie Brown, HAL Laboratory

Engine

M4A sound/music engine

ESRB

e

How Long To Beat

25 Hours

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