As one of the largest and most successful companies in the gaming industry, Nintendo has earned its place through its ability to shape childhoods. From its earliest arcade games in the 80s, to its plethora of home consoles in the 00s, Nintendo has always held a special place in children’s hearts and minds. In a way, Nintendo has been a great parent to generations of gamers.
Within their many major franchises are even more great parents still, guiding their children through life’s tricky moments or modeling their best behavior. Some parents must make the most of tough situations, and some are taken away far too soon. Nintendo has many beloved parent characters within its line-up, so here are the best of the best.
10 Ness’ Father
Parental figures can be pretty complicated in the Mother franchise, but Ness’ Father certainly tries his best. He may not be around much – or ever actually – but he works hard to support his family wherever he can. Ness can call his father on the telephone as the game’s save mechanic, which is a sweet metaphor for Ness updating him on his adventures.
Ness’ Father also serves as an ode to Japan’s harsh working culture. Overtime and exhaustion are common among the Japanese workforce, and many workers are required to sacrifice their personal lives for the job. That Ness’ Father can still find time to come home for his son’s birthday and to deposit money into his account is a testament to his love.
9 5-Volt
Mother of 9-Volt from the WarioWare franchise, 5-Volt is a well-meaning mother who is desperate to make sure her child goes to bed on time. Her methods might seem to go a little overboard, but she undoubtedly has 9-Volt’s best interests at heart. After all, sleep is very important.
5-Volt is also incredibly supportive of her son’s interest in video games, so long as he’s finished his homework first. She herself is also an avid gamer and she even beats 9-Volt’s high score. Their shared interest in gaming makes them a sweet mother-son duo.
8 Greil
Also known by the name of Gawain, Greil is the father of Ike and Mist in the Fire Emblem franchise. He was a legendary swordsman in his own right and passed this skill on to his son Ike. Tragically, Greil unknowingly took the life of his own wife when taking hold of a cursed medallion.
What makes Greil a great father is the lengths he goes to in order to protect his children, especially Ike. In addition to making sure he never wields a sword again, he forbids Ike from touching it, knowing it would curse him with the same madness. On his deathbed, he begs Ike not to seek revenge and pleads with him to stay away from his killer.
7 Pokemon Mom
Though there have been many iterations and style changes over the years, the role of the player’s Mom in Pokemon has always remained constant. She supports the protagonist in their journey to becoming a successful Pokemon Trainer and helps in any way that she can.
In some games, Mom will save a quarter of all battle winnings that the player can withdraw from and deposit into whenever they wish. In others she can be seen in the Battle Hall, cheering on in support of her child. In nearly every game, returning home to visit Mom will heal the player and their Pokemon.
6 Samus
Samus Aran from the Metroid series of games is known for her brooding heroism and for being an iconic intergalactic bounty hunter. However, since Metroid II, she has also been considered by many to be a mother figure. In this game, Samus spares the life of a juvenile Metroid, and the two forge a unique relationship.
The baby Metroid, who is born as Samus watches on, instantly imprints on her. Despite her mission to kill all remaining Metroids, Samus cannot bring herself to eliminate the creature that now sees her as its mother. She often refers to it as "the baby," and the connection between the two is so strong that it later sacrifices itself to save her. This leaves Samus as heartbroken as if it were her own child.
5 Animal Crossing Mom
The Animal Crossing franchise has many cute and cozy characters, but none as generous as the player’s mother. Mom will regularly send the player letters, often detailing her life at home, retelling stories from childhood, and sending gifts for special occasions.
Mom never chastises her child for not responding, as she understands how busy life has become for them. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, she will send players sweet homemade gifts that they can’t get anywhere else. Though Dad might not reach out as much as he should, Mom’s unconditional and generous love more than makes up for it.
4 Bowser
Though he’s the major antagonist of the Super Mario franchise, there’s no doubt that Bowser is a genuinely good dad. In addition to his own biological son Bowser Jr, he has several adopted kids known as the Koopalings. He might be a dastardly foe, but he always makes sure his kids have all of the love and support that they need.
Not only do Bowser Jr and the Koopalings each have their own uniquely decorated castle, but they’re allowed to branch out and follow their own dreams too. Bowser’s canonical parenting philosophy is: “You have to let kids take chances.”
3 Rosalina
As the magical watcher of the Cosmos, Rosalina from the Super Mario franchise has a lot to keep her busy. But alongside this, she still prioritizes the safety of her adoptive children – the Lumas. Rosalina became their mother at a very young age and gave up her whole life on her home planet for them.
When Rosalina first encountered a lost Luma she was only a child herself, but she agreed to help it find its mother. The two traversed the cosmos on their search and slowly more Lumas began to join them. Though Rosalina began to miss her home planet and her own mother terribly, she comes to realize that her true home is with the Lumas.
2 Hinawa
Another loving parental figure from the Mother franchise is Lucas’ mother, Hinawa. She is the epitome of kindness and softness and loves her two sons fiercely. The home she makes for them is cozy, safe, and full of love. Though Hinawa is taken away from her boys far too soon, her vast impact lives on.
One of Lucas’ defining features is his softness, something his mother clearly cultivated in him. In the harsh reality of his world, this seems like a liability at first. But as the game goes on this softness becomes Lucas’ main strength. Moreover, when Lucas’ brother Claus is consumed by emptiness and violence, Hinawa’s spirit reaches out to him to guide him back to humanity.
1 King Rhoam
Many parents feel it’s their duty to shield their children from painful realities. However, the best parents know when they must take a step back and let their children lead. King Rhoam from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, accepts this concept with absolute grace. Not only does he support Princess Zelda’s involvement in the fight against Calamity Ganon, but he has no delusions of grandeur about his own position.
He waits for a hundred years in spirit form to help guide Link back into the world of Hyrule. He makes no complaints about his role and cares only that he can help Link save the realm and Zelda. Humble, kind, and willing to sacrifice everything he has to support his daughter, King Rhoam is the best parent Nintendo has ever created.