Nintendo’s Not-So-Great Hits
Great franchises sometimes take strange turns. Nintendo has built its name on beloved characters and trusted gameplay, but that hasn’t stopped a few games from stumbling. Some choices baffled longtime fans. Others just feel like missed opportunities. Behind each one is a story of creative ambition that didn’t quite come to fruition. Let’s break down the Nintendo titles that struggled to win over players and left a stain on the gaming titan's legacy instead.
1. Urban Champion (NES)
Released in 1984, Urban Champion stood as Nintendo’s earliest attempt at a one-on-one fighting game. Unfortunately, it lacked depth or meaningful progression. With only two attack types and repetitive pacing, it was quickly outclassed. Oddly, it resurfaced as one of the first e-Reader test titles.
2. Mario Is Missing! (SNES)
What happens when Mario takes the day off? Mario Is Missing! handed the reins to Luigi, then left platforming behind. Instead of gameplay, players got geography quizzes in recycled Mario World environments. Critics and players alike slammed its dull pacing and weak educational ambition.
SNES Longplay [655] Mario is Missing (US) by World of Longplays
3. Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES)
In the mid-80s, Nintendo dipped into edutainment. Donkey Kong Jr. Math failed both as a learning tool and as a game. With just one underwhelming minigame, it couldn’t justify its existence. Sales tanked so badly that Nintendo wouldn’t revisit the genre for years.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES) Playthrough by NintendoComplete
4. Wii Music (Wii)
Wii Music was about pretending to hit the right notes. Marketed heavily by Shigeru Miyamoto himself, the game let players swing remotes as instruments without real control or rhythm. Critics found it shallow, and it quickly became one of the Wii’s most mocked releases.
Wii Music - Nintendo Wii - [Longplay 1, Jam] by Gaming Exhibit
5. Steel Diver (3DS)
Touted as a quiet launch-day experiment, Steel Diver was slow in both pacing and reception. Though the underwater combat offered novelty, sluggish mechanics made it feel like a tech demo. Miyamoto called it a passion project, but it soon morphed into a free-to-play title.
Steel Diver 3DS Video Review by IGN
6. Yoshi’s New Island (3DS)
Fans waited years for a new Yoshi’s Island. What they got was a watered-down rehash with inferior visuals. Recycled level designs lacked inspiration, and the soundtrack earned widespread ridicule. Exploding eggs were the new mechanic, oddly placed in a game remembered for disappointment.
Yoshi's New Island - Review by IGN
7. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival (Wii U)
Board games can be fun; this wasn’t one of them. Amiibo Festival traded Animal Crossing’s charm for an uninspired digital board game that demanded plastic figures just to begin. The gameplay was shallow, and it never came close to earning a second look from fans.
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival Review for Wii U - Nintendo Enthusiast by Nintendo Enthusiast
8. Hey You, Pikachu! (N64)
Voice control on the N64 sounded ambitious. But in Hey You, Pikachu!, the execution didn’t live up to the promise. The included mic accessory rarely worked well, which left Pikachu confused and players frustrated. It’s remembered mostly for shouting into the void.
Nintendo 64 Longplay: Hey You, Pikachu! by N64 Archive
9. Ultra Smash – Mario Tennis (Wii U)
The Mario Tennis series hit a low point with Ultra Smash. Featuring just one stadium and no story mode, it felt more like a tech demo than a full release. Reviewers criticized its lack of depth, and many skipped it entirely.
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash - Video Review (Wii U) by GameXplain
10. Metroid: Other M (Wii)
Few Nintendo games stirred as much backlash as Other M. The portrayal of Samus clashed sharply with her past and was sidelined by dialogue and hesitation. Combat was awkwardly divided between 2D and first-person views, and the inability to move while aiming only fueled frustration.
(Wii) Metroid: Other M - Longplay 100% by TanderXS
11. Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash (3DS)
The original Chibi-Robo! won hearts with its quirky 3D household charm. So when Zip Lash turned it into a side-scroller, critics found it devoid of personality, calling it “soulless”. Sales flopped so badly that this installment became the franchise’s reluctant curtain call.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash - Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 - 3DS 60FPS by XCageGame
12. Star Fox Zero (Wii U)
Rather than a fresh take, Star Fox Zero felt like a retread with clunky execution. Motion controls were forced and disorienting, dividing player focus between screens. Even PlatinumGames’ co-development couldn’t save it. The outdated visuals pushed away fans who hoped for something more current.
Star Fox Zero | Full Game Walkthrough | No Commentary by The Game Archivist
13. Sing Party (Wii U)
Promoted as a thrilling living-room game, Sing Party delivered the opposite. Players had to read lyrics off of the GamePad (not the TV), so group singing was awkward. There was no online feature, and the song list lacked excitement. Its karaoke revolution never showed up.
Alanis Morissette - Ironic | SiNG PARTY (Wii U) - Party Mode by Obscure Rhythm Games
14. Mario Party: Island Tour (3DS)
Timing and chaos are part of Mario Party, yet Island Tour leaned too hard on luck. Minigames lacked memorability, and some boards ended within minutes. Critics called it “boredom in a cartridge”. The handheld format offered portability and little substance.
Mario Party Island Tour Walkthrough Part 1 Perilous Palace Path (1080p 3DS) by BlackWhite Game
15. Pilotwings Resort (3DS)
Using Wuhu Island as its backdrop, Pilotwings Resort looked familiar but felt empty. It offered brief thrills with minimal content that resembled more of a tech demo than a full game. Quietly released without fanfare, it failed to take flight.
PilotWings Resort 3DS - Video Review by IGN
16. Pokémon Rumble U (Wii U)
Although Nintendo’s first attempt at NFC figure gameplay launched with Pokémon Rumble U, the magic didn’t land. The campaign was short, and the gameplay was repetitive. It drew unfavorable comparisons to Skylanders, which had already nailed the toys-to-life formula.
Longplay of Pokémon Rumble U by LongplayArchive
17. Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball (3DS)
Nintendo tried something different again: selling minigames with a haggling mechanic. However, Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball leaned on awkward charm instead of strong gameplay. Players negotiated prices with a sad, divorced dog to open the content. Microtransactions and uneven pacing made it an oddball experiment.
Longplay of Rusty's Real Deal Baseball by LongplayArchive
18. Endless Ocean: Blue World (Wii)
Unlike most Nintendo titles, Blue World wasn’t about action or challenge. Its quiet underwater exploration lacked clear goals, which made gameplay feel aimless. While it included accurate animal facts and soothing missions, the absence of structure left many unsure of what to do next.
Endless Ocean (Nintendo Wii) - Full Game Longplay HD (Dolphin) by Jack Alterlife
19. Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS)
Creative tools thrive on community, yet Flipnote Studio 3D missed its moment. After launching in Japan in 2013, global fans waited years. It finally arrived in 2020, when the online service was already shut down. Its promise of shared animation never got a fair chance.
FIRST LOOK: Flipnote Studio 3D by EmceeRad
20. Wii Play: Motion (Wii)
Bundled with a controller, Wii Play: Motion hoped to replicate the original’s success. However, forgettable minigames held it back. One involved chasing invisible ghosts, but few others stood out. Despite riding the Wii’s popularity, this follow-up lacked the magic that made its predecessor so enduring.
