Top 50 Nintendo Series Project

[Koopaul]

So it should be no surprise to you that I am a madman. As a madman I have crazy ideas. And there's been one that's been scratching at my head. "What if there was a way to stack all the Nintendo franchises together and place them in order based on success and general appreciation by Nintendo? Basically which series are more significant than others?"

Well I came up with a plan to make a list of the Top 50 Nintendo Series I decided to do it by rewarding points to each series (or a single game) by accomplishing certain things. I had to decide what those things were and how many points to give for those certain things. I had been writing and rewriting the rules for distributing points.

Here are the rules I came up with:

SPOILER: Click to show

Retail Rule- A single game will get 1 point for every region it was released to as a full retail game.

Download Only Rule- A game will only get 0.5 points for every region it was released to as a downloadable game only.

Money Rule- For every million unit sold of a particular game (worldwide), 1 point will be rewarded.

Compilation Rule- Compilation games like Super Mario All-Stars count as their own game and not multiple ones.

Remake Rule- Remakes count as their own game and get points, but direct ports don't.

App Rule- A downloadable App will be worth 0.5 points no matter how many regions it was released in.

Themes Rule- An additional 0.25 points will be added if a series has a theme on the 3DS.

Art Style/Electroplankton/Pokemon Mini Rule- These games are so small and miniscule that they only get 0.5 points for retail release and 0.25 for download only.

Game & Watch Rule- Game & Watch devices count as 0.5 points each. Only Game & Watch devices without licensed characters count (no Mickey Mouse or Snoopy games). The Game & Watch Gallery games count as compilation titles and get normal points. Game & Watch devices based on other Nintendo franchises will give 0.5 to both Game & Watch series and the other series too.

Cross Over Rule- If a game is considered a part of two series, then both series receive points.

Versions Rule- If a game has two or more different versions that are released at the same time and on the same system, they don't get any additional points for each version. However, if a new version was released some time after the the first version or on a different console, then that version will get it's own points.

Exclusivity Rule- Any game the wasn't released to the general public and only released to a select few, do not get points.

Cameo Rule- A series gets 0.25 points for every game (outside said series) that has a cameo, guest appearance, and reference of it. For example Super Mario furniture and references are made in Animal Crossing, therefor the Mario series gets an additional 0.25 points. This only works with Nintendo owned franchises.

Smash Bros. Rule- If a series has a character in the game, that series will get 0.5 points per Smash game. Every series that gets and Stage, Item, Music, Trophy, or Sticker will get 0.25 points per game. These points go under Cameo Points.

Ownership Rule- A series is considered a Nintendo IP as long as the IP is partially owned by Nintendo. If Nintendo made a game and owns the game but not the IP within the game, then it is not a Nintendo series game and doesn't count.

Did you get that? Think these points are unfair? Have a problem with them? Let me know. I actually want your opinion. I'll explain why I came to these rules and if it still doesn't sound right challenge me on it and more than likely I will change it based on a better sounding suggestion.

Anyway. After I made the rules I spent 2 days researching every game and series Nintendo ever released!
I'm crazy I know. Tons of wasted time. But I lost my job a few months ago and I need to do something.

So doing all the research needed, applying the rules, and doing math work I made THE LIST. The Top 50 Nintendo Series! I separated them by tens and there are quite a few ties but please look.

NUMBER 1-10

SPOILER: Click to show

#1. Super Mario
Release Points: 418
Cameo Points: 29.5
Millions Sold: 518.25
Total = 965.75

#2. Pokemon
Release Points: 159.5
Cameo Points: 6.5
Millions Sold: 235
Total = 401

#3. The Legend of Zelda
Release Points: 84.5
Cameo Points: 16
Millions Sold: 83.25
Total = 183.75

#4. Donkey Kong
Release Points: 111
Cameo Points: 15
Millions Sold: 41.75
Total = 167.75

#5. Wii Sports
Release Points: 7.5
Cameo Points: 1.5
Millions Sold: 116
Total = 125

#6. Kirby
Release Points: 79.5
Cameo Points: 7.25
Millions Sold: 24.5
Total = 111.25

#7. Game & Watch
Release Points: 77.5
Cameo Points: 6.75
Total = 84.25

#8. Wario
Release Points: 54
Cameo Points: 8.5
Millions Sold: 7.75
Total = 70

#9. Metroid
Release Points: 38
Cameo Points: 12.5
Millions Sold: 9.5
Total = 60

#10. Yoshi
Release Points: 36
Cameo Points: 7.25
Millions Sold: 12.25
Total = 55.5

NUMBER 11-20

SPOILER: Click to show

#11. Wii Fit
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 1.75
Millions Sold: 43.5
Total = 54.25

#12. Super Smash Bros.
Release Points: 15
Cameo Points: 2.25
Millions Sold: 30.5
Total = 47.75

#13. Brain Age
Release Points: 11.5
Cameo Points: 1.75
Millions Sold: 34
Total = 47

#14. Animal Crossing
Release Points: 19
Cameo Points: 4.75
Millions Sold: 20.5
Total = 44.25

#15. Fire Emblem
Release Points: 30.5
Cameo Points: 4.75
Millions Sold: 3.75
Total = 39

#16. Star Fox
Release Points: 21
Cameo Points: 7.5
Millions Sold: 10.25
Total = 38.75

#17. Nintendogs
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 1.5
Millions Sold: 28
Total = 38.5

#18. Duck Hunt
Release Points: 4
Cameo Points: 4
Millions Sold: 28
Total = 36

#18. Wii Play
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.75
Millions Sold: 29.25
Total = 36

#19. F-Zero
Release Points: 19.5
Cameo Points: 6.75
Millions Sold: 3
Total = 29.25

#20. Punch-Out!!
Release Points: 19.5
Cameo Points: 4.5
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 26

NUMBER 21-30

SPOILER: Click to show

#21. Golf
Release Points: 21.5
Cameo Points: 0.75
Millions Sold: 2.5
Total = 24.75

#22. Pikmin
Release Points: 15.5
Cameo Points: 6.75
Millions Sold: 2.5
Total = 24.25

#23. Excite(bike)
Release Points: 16.5
Cameo Points: 4.75
Millions Sold: 1.5
Total = 22.75

#24. Puzzle League
Release Points: 20
Cameo Points: 1.25
Total = 21.25

#25. Advance Wars
Release Points: 18
Cameo Points: 1.25
Total = 19.25

#26. Wii Party
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.25
Millions Sold: 11.25
Total = 17.5

#27. Art Academy
Release Points: 15
Cameo Points: 0.25
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 17.25

#28. Kid Icarus
Release Points: 10
Cameo Points: 5.25
Millions Sold: 1
Total = 16.25

#29. Tomodachi Life
Release Points: 4
Cameo Points: 1
Millions Sold: 9
Total = 14

#30. Picross
Release Points: 13.5
Total = 13.5

#30. Rhythm Heaven
Release Points: 10
Cameo Points: 1.5
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 13.5

#30. Tennis
Release Points: 11
Cameo Points: 1.25
Millions Sold: 1.25
Total = 13.5

NUMBER 31-40

SPOILER: Click to show

#31. Pilotwings
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 1.25
Millions Sold: 3
Total = 13.25

#32. Chibi-Robo
Release Ponts: 11.5
Cameo Points: 1.5
Total = 13

#33. Art Style
Release Points: 12.5
Cameo Points: 0.25
Total = 12.75

#33. Balloon Fight
Release Points: 7
Cameo Points: 5.75
Total = 12.75

#34. Style Savvy
Release Points: 10
Cameo Points: 0.5
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 12.5

#35. Mahjong
Release Points: 9.5
Cameo Points: 0.75
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 12.25

#36. Master of Illusion
Release Points: 12
Total = 12

#36. R.O.B.
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 6
Total = 12

#37. Wave Race
Release Points: 8
Cameo Points: 1
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 11

#38. Baseball
Release Points: 7
Cameo Points: 1.25
Millions Sold: 2.25
Total = 10.5

#38. Xenoblade
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 1.5
Total = 10.5

#39. Earthbound/Mother
Release Points: 6.75
Cameo Points: 3.25
Total = 10

#39. Ice Climbers
Release Points: 5
Cameo Points: 5
Total = 10

#40. Splatoon
Release Points: 3
Cameo Points: 1.75
Millions Sold: 5
Total = 9.75

NUMBER 41-50

SPOILER: Click to show

#41. Fatal Frame
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 0.5
Total = 9.5

#41. Pinball
Release Points: 8.5
Cameo Points: 1
Total = 9.5

#42. Electroplankton
Release Points: 9
Cameo Points: 0.25
Total = 9.25

#42. English Training
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.25
Millions Sold: 3
Total = 9.25

#43. Clu Clu Land
Release Points: 5
Cameo Points: 4
Total = 9

#44. Clubhouse Games
Release Points: 7.5
Millions Sold: 1.25
Total = 8.75

#44. Custom Robo
Release Points: 8
Cameo Points: 0.75
Total = 8.75

#44. Urban Champion
Release Points: 7.5
Cameo Points: 1.25
Total = 8.75

#45. Cooking Navi
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.5
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 8.5

#45. NES Remix
Release Points: 8.5
Total = 8.5

#46. Nintendo Land
Release Points: 3
Cameo Points: 0.25
Millions Sold: 5
Total = 8.25

#47. SimCity
Release Points: 4
Cameo Points: 2
Millions Sold: 2
Total = 8

#47. Wild Gunman
Release Points: 7
Cameo Points: 1
Total = 8

#48. 1080 Snowboarding
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.5
Millions Sold: 1.25
Total = 7.75

#48. Golden Sun
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.75
Millions Sold: 1
Total = 7.75

#49. Jam With The Band
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 1.5
Total = 7.5

#49. The Legendary Starfy
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 1.5
Total = 7.5

#50. Fossil Fighters
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.25
Total = 6.25

#50. Hogan's Alley
Release Points: 6
Cameo Points: 0.25
Total = 6.25

#50. Wii Music 3
Millions Sold: 3.25
Total = 6.25

Phew. Well I'm almost positive that there are errors. I'm sure there are plenty of cameos and references I missed. And I'm sure that I miscalculated a couple of times or even missed a game. But that's why I would like your help! Yes. I want you to help me shape the perfect list. Help me rewrite the rules and recalculate the series. This is just a base-work. I want something better and I can't do it myself.

What do you say?

[nocturnal YL]

I'm not a fan of quantifying games, since there are so many factors to consider. For example, if I look at the retail rule and ignore the rest (for the sake of simplicity), Donkey Kong Jr. Math plus Donkey Kong Circus would be worth more than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (just an example; I don't know if you even count future games at all), even though the development efforts differ hundredfold (perhaps more).

And I think raw data would be more interesting than compiled data. How many games are there in each series? Which ones? What cameos took place? Showing such data would also give us a chance to verify your aggregated data.

I won't say much about the distribution of points itself (your list, your rules), but here's one suggestion: maybe put development effort in consideration? (It may not be practical getting the staff lists of all games, though.)

[Koopaul]

Well how much development time and effort is a hard thing to factor in numerically. Let's not forget how games are made and how many people required to make a game is always changing. I would have no idea how to incorporate that. If I could find out how much money was put into developing each game then I would certainly factor that in.

As for how I got those numbers here, I used the site's (incomplete) list with Wikipedia to fill in the blanks and other wikis dedicated to certain series to fill in even more blanks.

I would just read what is there and then add it to the pile. I'm sure I've made some mistakes.

[Leon]

So how exactly are you even sourcing your data for the sold portion?

[Koopaul]

I used Wikipedia. I looked up all the games that sold in the millions for each Nintendo system.