Nintendo is a company that has made a name for itself as one of the greatest developers and publishers in the gaming landscape, single-handedly saving home consoles from the brink of extinction and turning gaming into a mainstream hobby once again. The sheer amount of quality in their first-party releases is simply astounding, and this has led to many of their characters becoming extremely iconic in their own right.
There are many Nintendo characters who are instantly recognizable from their silhouettes alone, which is a testament to how iconic they really are. These fictional personalities are either the lead characters in their respective games or play a major role in the proceedings, making them household names in many ways.
8 Luigi
Many people wrote off Luigi as nothing more than a palette-swapped Mario, but it didn't take too long for this iconic plumber to make a name for himself whenever he was featured in any Mario game. He's noticeably taller and moves slightly faster too, even if some people find him more difficult to control.
Of course, Luigi became more of an iconic name with the release of the Luigi's Mansion series, which allowed this plumber to play a central role in a video game for the first time. Despite appearing cowardly, his zeal to save his friends despite having to deal with untold horrors is still quite heartwarming in its own right.
7 Peach
Peach is the quintessential damsel in distress whom Mario has to save over and over again in the Super Mario series. Fans were glad to see that she played a more central role in the movie where she didn't need to be saved from Mario for the umpteenth time. Instead, she aided him on his quest to save Luigi and prevent Bowser from achieving his nefarious goals.
She's a great character whom Mario loves for reasons that are pretty clear for anyone to see. Players love controlling her in the many games where she's featured as a playable character.
6 Samus
Players of the original Metroid game had their minds blown when the armored warrior took off her helmet to reveal that she was a girl all along. This set the stage for Samus to become one of the most iconic Nintendo characters of all time.
Even with Metroid: Other M trying its best to squander this character's personality, most players have simply forgotten about that disaster altogether. For them, Samus is a badass heroine who will not let anyone stop her in her quest to prevent nefarious aliens from achieving their dastardly goals.
5 Princess Zelda
Zelda is another popular heroine from the appropriately-titled Legend of Zelda series. Her power and role in the story varies with each game, but she definitely plays a major role in the narrative of each game as Link is either guided by her or compelled to rescue her.
Players love her presence in games like Ocarina of Time where she hides her true identity while helping Link out at every step of the way. It's a better way to portray her character than the usual damsel-in-distress trope that Nintendo relies on a bit too much.
4 Bowser
An antagonist that has served as a thorn in Mario's side every step of the way, Bowser just doesn't learn despite losing to the plumber numerous times across multiple games. His plans to kidnap Peach always end up poorly for him, which is quite poetic indeed.
His battles against Mario make for a highlight in each game, with players having to deal with him multiple times before he eventually bites the dust. Bowser's villainous actions should make him unlikable in every way... but players can't help but love this spiky nefarious turtle, no matter how evil he is.
3 Link
The hero of Hyrule has played a major role across most Legend of Zelda games as he tries his hardest to save Peach, defeat Ganon, or anything else along the same lines. He's a quintessential hero who prefers to let his actions speak for himself.
Despite barely saying a word in his games, Link is easily the most iconic aspect of these adventure titles and never fails to wow players with his presence. Watching him wield the Master Sword to take out his enemies makes for a great time no matter what game players may be checking out.
2 Pikachu
Pokemon is a series that has gone through its fair share of hurdles in modern times, with fans not loving the low-effort games that are churned out just to earn a quick buck. However, despite all the negative press this franchise has garnered, Pokemon continues to be one of the most popular video game franchises to this day.
It helps that the Pokemon themselves are very recognizable, with Pikachu's allure increasing considerably after the show placed him front and center as the mascot. This cute rodent-type Pokemon uses electric attacks and finally helped Ash win the Pokemon League after struggling for years.
1 Mario
Mario may be a plumber, but most people know him for his platforming hijinks that have helped him save Peach and beat Bowser time and time again. This character is easily Nintendo's most recognizable character, interacting with many allies in his adventures and carrying out some scintillating acrobatic moves in the process.
Mario is a simple yet wonderful character with an iconic voice of its own. With the news that Charles Martinet is stepping down from the role of voicing Mario, fans can only hope that anyone who takes over his legacy does a splendid job too.