The only franchises that validate the overrated Nintendo

Something about Nintendo's games just don't "grab" me. I always feel there's something missing in them, something in their design philosophy that is continuously off-putting. They just don't strike a chord with me the same way Sega and SNK games do. There's this distinct lack of finesse, depth, personality, risk, and payoff in Nintendo games. Sorry fanboys, it has to be said.

In the NES era, I wasn't a big fan of Mario. Nor did I care much for Duck Hunt, Ice Climbers, Excitebike, Donkey Kong, Punch-Out.. pretty much any of the flagship Nintendo titles that everybody had. Nintendo was fortunate to have Square, Konami, Capcom, Taito, Namco, and Tecmo on board to make up for it. Even on the SNES, which games were the ones worth noting? Again, the games made by the developers mentioned above. I realized the main reason why I own Nintendo's consoles in the first place is because of the other companies' games.

I was a fan of Zelda for a long time, until 2002's Wind Waker (the last Zelda game worth its attention). I've sworn off the series since then. I could never get into Metroid, and while Super Metroid is a classic, I still felt it lacked the atmosphere achieved by Dracula X and the smooth platforming mechanics of Shinobi. Then there's Pokemon. Well I gotta admit I enjoyed the cartoon as a kid. But that's all I have to say about Pokemon.

So which series of games DO I like from Nintendo? Well here's a short list of what I think are good Nintendo franchises that they should be investing more into:

1. Pikmin

Now here's a franchise that is fresh, charming, and distinct. Terrific design. You really feel for the Pikmin. You can't really put Pikmin into a specific genre, but that's why it's good: it defies conventional design.

2. Pilotwings

A very fun simulator series. I've always loved the different tasks and situations and all the uniquely designed maps; the replay value seemed endless. That's the sign of a good game.

3. Mario Paint

No, this is not a Mario game, more like a brilliant game slapped with Mario's face on it. Its sequel, Mario Artist, was released for the 64DD and some features were carried into the WarioWare series.

4. Advance Wars

This is actually a sub-series in the Nintendo Wars lineup of games, but it's the most known and well-loved. A very fun, addictive turn-based war game. Quite a handheld achievement.

Now, I'm actually fond of F-Zero and Star Fox, but the way Nintendo has handled those two franchises has been suspicious for a while. I guess I can't ask for too much considering they peaked at their N64 incarnations, in my opinion. It's safe to say I can swear off those franchises the same way I did Zelda.

So there you have it. Let the flaming commence.