Nintendo has a clean reputation in the gaming industry, known for being family-friendly with pretty much every offering they develop. They aim to appeal to the broadest market, and it's unheard of for Nintendo to even think about developing a mature video game. However, when it comes to publishing, Nintendo has shown that they can relax their stringent views on this subject sometimes, even if the list of mature games they've published is pretty rare.

So, most people would assume that this studio would only make an effort to publish games for adults that boast an extreme level of quality. While this statement may not be completely accurate, these non-PG games still boast a high level of quality, with some of Nintendo's best mature offerings standing strong as some of the best video games ever made.

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5 Geist

Metascore: 66

• Platform: Nintendo GameCube
• Release: August 15, 2005
• Developer: n-Space
• Genre: FPS

Possessing enemies in video games is always a blast, so it's a shame that not many people remember Geist. The game should've been a genre-defining title, but a healthy amount of jank and less-than-stellar presentation led to Geist being a forgotten title that is one of GameCube's more unknown titles that failed to live up to its hype.

Even then, it's fun to possess creatures and unleash hellfire on opponents. Geist could've used a bit more time in the oven, but players who look past some of its serious faults will enjoy a relatively decent game that's a blast to play through in its own right.

4 Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge

Metascore: 69

The Ninja Gaiden games are some of the toughest titles fans can try out, with the hack-and-slash gameplay requiring a ton of precision for players to not be mobbed by their enemies. After the Soulslike craze took over, fans were less than happy to see Team Ninja shift towards this style of gameplay instead of trying to perfect the formula of the celebrated Ninja Gaiden series.

After all, the mere fact that the third Ninja Gaiden game impressed Nintendo enough to warrant a publishing deal for the enhanced version should've been a sign that Team Ninja had something special on their hands. A lack of innovation prevented this series from becoming truly mainstream, but players can still have a great time enjoying everything Ninja Gaiden 3 has to offer as long as they don't get too frustrated by its tough-as-nails gameplay.

3 Bayonetta 3

Metascore: 86

Bayonetta 3 is the much-awaited entry in a trilogy of beloved hack-and-slash games that faced its fair share of controversy moments before its release. The drama surrounding Bayonetta's voice actor overshadowed the release of this game in the eyes of many, which is a shame since Bayonetta 3 deserves all the time in the limelight for being an excellent game in its own right without any asterisks.

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Jennifer Hale does a great job voicing Bayonetta, and it helps that the game's wacky story means that players won't be bored no matter how many hours they spend in this absolute rollercoaster of a video game. While the Switch struggled to run Bayonetta 3 at points, there's no denying that this title's crazy action gameplay has never been better, and fans can only hope that an updated release of this title graces a new Nintendo console further down the line so that players can enjoy this game without any performance hiccups standing in its way.

2 Bayonetta 2

Metascore: 91

The news that Nintendo would publish Bayonetta 2 and turn it into a Wii U exclusive was news that no fan could've expected. While fans appreciated the idea of Platinum Games being able to achieve their true vision with the game instead of abandoning the series, most people wondered if the family-friendly perception of Nintendo would be a good fit for Bayonetta's edginess.

It took a single display of what Bayonetta 2 was all about for players to be more than enthused about Bayonetta's future on the console. People who played the first game on a different console may have found it annoying to own a Nintendo platform just to enjoy what this franchise has to offer, but having the opportunity to play one of the greatest action games of all time is well worth the effort.

1 Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Metascore: 92

It's a shame that Eternal Darknessnever sold the units it deserved. The game is considered by many to be one of the best survival horror games ever made, blowing many people's minds with the unique way it broke the fourth wall to show the effects of the main character's depleting sanity. It's a move that many people still talk about fondly to this day, which is a testament to how effective these effects were.

Sure, the combat of this title was as janky as they come, but players forgave this title for its faults once they were immersed in a well-told main story and the title's many effective horror set-pieces. It's easy to see why this game is considered to be the best Nintendo-published game that received an M rating.

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