Every Nintendo Launch Lineup From the N64 to the Switch

NINTENDO 64 – 2 GAMES

NOTE: All launch lineups in this article are from the American releases of the respective consoles. 

• Super Mario 64
• Pilotwings 64

The Nintendo64 launched Nintendo into the third dimension and further cemented their permanent spot in the games industry. But its launch lineup wasn’t exactly a broad showcase of the system’s potential. Super Mario 64 was a massive title for the company, moving the nimble plumber into the third dimension, and giving players a bright, colorful sandbox to explore. Leaping through paintings and discovering new worlds never got old, especially when each new stage presented new challenges and variations on gameplay to explore.

The only other game offered was Pilotwings 64. It was another title that showcased the system’s impressive new 3D capabilities. Much like the first game, you could explore a large world using a variety of vehicles, from a plane to a jetpack. There were a lot of areas to explore, but it was less immersive and groundbreaking than Super Mario 64.

The new analog stick provided players with a new way to control games, but if you weren’t enticed by either of these titles, you would have to wait several months to pick up anything else. Nintendo certainly banked on the success of Super Mario 64, and while their gamble did pay off, launching a system with only two games doesn’t fly anymore.

GAMECUBE – 12 GAMES

• All-Star Baseball 2002
• Batman: Vengeance
• Crazy Taxi
• Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
• Disney’s Tarzan Untamed
• Luigi’s Mansion
• Madden NFL 2002
• NHL Hitz 20-02
• Star Wars Rogue Squadron II Rogue Leader
• Super Monkey Ball
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
• Wave Race: Blue Storm

The GameCube certainly had a larger launch library than the N64, but it wasn’t the best catalog. Out of the 12 games on offer, Luigi’s Mansion, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II Rogue Leader, Super Monkey Ball, Wave Race: Blue Storm, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 are the only ones that truly stand out.

Luigi’s Mansion took the place of a more traditional Mario title. Sure, it didn’t have any jumps or goombas, but it was still a fun, goofy adventure starring the less famous of the Mario Bros. The only other first party release was Wave Race — a fun title, but one that doesn’t have the clout that Nintendo’s other big sports title, Mario Kart, carries.

The majority of the games available were third party releases that offered experiences that Nintendo titles often didn’t. Tony Hawk and Star Wars Rogue Squadron were new entries in already established franchises, and were also fantastic titles to boot. At this time, Nintendo was still busy working on heavy hitters like The Wind Waker and Super Mario Sunshine, so these games helped ensure that players who picked up a GameCube on day one had plenty to play.

WII – 21 games

• Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Call of Duty 3
• Cars
• Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
• Excite Truck
• The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
• GT Pro Series
• Happy Feet
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• Madden NFL 07
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance
• Monster 4×4: World Circuit
• Need for Speed: Carbon
• Rampage: Total Destruction
• Rayman Raving Rabbids
• Red Steel
• SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
• Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
• Trauma Center: Second Opinion
• Wii Sports (bundled with the Wii console)

The Wii launched motion controls to the masses in 2006, and the unique feature had a lot to prove in a short amount of time. The new method of control clearly lent itself to casual gaming experiences, but many were not sold on its ability to appease the mainstream market. The game that ultimately proved the Wii’s potential more than any other was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess; swinging the remote to make Link swing his sword was a simple yet effective use of the Wii remote.

The other massive release was Wii Sports. The system pack-in took the world by storm, offering a handful of minigames that taught newcomers how to love motion controls. The rest of the launch lineup was decidedly lackluster. Red Steel looked cool at the time but ended up being a boring and unresponsive shooter, especially when you were asked to draw your sword. Excite Truck, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, and Call of Duty 3 helped pad out the system’s initial library, but other than Zelda, no truly impressive titles were released until months later.

With the Wii, Nintendo had the difficult job of illustrating the wide array of playstyles and genres that could work on the new console. It banked on Zelda as a killer app, and everything else served as additional experiences. It wasn’t a bad lineup by any means, it just wasn’t particularly remarkable.

WII U – 34 GAMES

• Assassin’s Creed III
• Batman: Arkham City – Armored Edition
• Ben 10: Omniverse
• Call of Duty Black Ops II
• Chasing Aurora
• Darksiders II
• Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
• ESPN Sports Connection
• FIFA Soccer 13
• Funky Barn
• Game Party Champions
• Just Dance 4
• Little Inferno
• Madden NFL 13
• Mass Effect 3: Special Edition
• Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition
• Nano Assault Neo
• NBA 2K13
• New Super Mario Bros. U
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
• Nintendo Land
• Rabbids Land
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Sing Party
• Skylanders: Giants
• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Tank! Tank! Tank!
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition
• Transformers: Prime – The Game
• Trine 2 Director’s Cut
• Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper
• Wipeout 3
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
• ZombiU

The Wii U was the closest Nintendo had come to traditional console gaming since the GameCube. Its launch lineup had a lot of variety with 34 games on offer, but the majority of these were ports of games that had been released years earlier on Xbox 360 and PS3. New Super Mario Bros. U was a fresh new take on the rebooted side-scrolling series, but it didn’t satiate those waiting for the next 3D Mario title.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed proved to be an incredibly fun alternative to a new Mario Kart, which wouldn’t be released for nearly two years. And while it was fun to play Call of Duty Black Ops 2 and have it actually look like the other versions on the market, no game took full advantage of the Wii U gamepad.

The large number of games on day one drew attention away from what was one of Nintendo’s most lackluster launches in years. The name of the Wii U already confused consumers, and that they didn’t have anything of note to play when the system hit store shelves didn’t help the console’s marketing. It also marks the most number of games available on any Nintendo home console at launch, though this lineup also has the least number of Nintendo exclusives.

NINTENDO SWITCH – 5 GAMES

• 1-2-Switch
• Just Dance 2017
• Skylanders: Imaginators
• Super Bomberman R
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

The Nintendo Switch will launch on March 3, 2017, with only 5 games. More will be available before the month is over, but those wanting to put the innovative new console through its paces won’t have much to get their hands on day one. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is going to be the biggest draw for early adopters. The title was originally revealed at E3 2014, and fans have been eagerly anticipating its release for the past three years.

The game is a departure for the series, featuring a massive open world, crafting, voice acting, and dozens of smaller dungeons in addition to the large, puzzle-filled labyrinths that the series is known for. It will not only show the capabilities of the Switch in TV mode but in portable mode as well.

Super Bomberman R is a great multiplayer showcase and 1-2-Switch looks to utilize the improved rumble implemented in the Joy-Con controllers in big ways. Other than these two titles, Skylanders: Imaginators and Just Dance 2017 are simply new entries in established, annualized titles.

Zelda is certainly the biggest title and will likely draw in the most players, but the system’s small launch lineup isn’t necessarily dooming. Nintendo has already confirmed at least five other big titles for the Switch that will release before the end of 2017. Zelda will draw players in initially, and then other titles like Splatoon 2 and Arms will pick up the momentum down the line.