Nintendo is most often associated with the platforming, adventure or RPG genres, since those are the types of games they tend to publish. But, to the surprise of most fans, they are also responsible for a good number of shooter games that are not only surprisingly good, but some of them even changed the industry forever.

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Whether it’s a first-person or a third-personshooter, these are some of the best exponents of the genre that Nintendo has published over its lifetime and throughout many consoles. It should be clarified that shoot 'em ups were not considered for this list, as they’re an entirely different category of their own.

10 Metroid Prime Hunters

A Solid Handheld FPS

While it’s considered the weakest in its series, Metroid Prime Hunters is still an impressive first-person shooter that was developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS. This was a fully 3D game at a time when most titles on the handheld system were 2D.

The shooting in this game feels quite good and precise because it’s done with the touch screen. And it even features a solid multiplayer mode that introduces a new group of bounty hunters that you can play with. This mode was really entertaining, and it’s the main reason Metroid Prime Hunters is still beloved to this day.

9 Link's Crossbow Training

Making Good Use Of The Wii Zapper

Nintendo is no stranger to making fun shooting galleries, so when it was time to create a video game that would show the capabilities of the Wii Zapper peripheral, Shigeru Miyamoto and his team took it as an opportunity to create something that would bridge the gap between scrolling shooters and regular shooters. And to make it even better, they decided to set it in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

As the title suggests, Link’s Crossbow Training is basically an excuse for players to try out the Wii Zapper, but it ended up being a surprisingly deep experience, with lots of enemies, modes and levels to enjoy. It would be awesome to see Nintendo revisit this idea someday and turn it into a full-fledged game.

8 Daemon X Machina

A Return To The Mech Genre

Developed by Marvelous and published on the Switch by Nintendo themselves, Daemon X Machina was a return to form for the once forgotten mech game genre. It turned out quite well, as this game was well received by fans of the genre.

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While there are swords and other melee weapons in this game, most of the combat in Daemon X Machina is done with guns, which all feels very dynamic thanks to the quick movement of the machines themselves. The best part is its vast customization of weapons, abilities, and items, which let each player pilot any type of mech they want.

7 Splatoon

Nintendo’s Multiplayer Shooter

While nowadays it may be cemented as one of Nintendo’s flagship IPs, Splatoon really broke new ground when it was released back in 2015. Not only was this a brand-new franchise that was developed and published by the company, but this was their attempt to break through the multiplayer shooter genre, which has always been extremely profitable in the industry.

Splatoon ended up being a huge success for the company, as its colorful art style, creative mechanics and addictive multiplayer element that got more content via free updates made Splatoon one of the biggest games on the Wii U, and led to the Splatoon morphing into an excellent franchise.

6 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

A Worthwhile Sequel

The Metroid Prime series is the best thing that ever happened to the Metroid franchise. All three home console entries are magnificent games, and the second one, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, is no exception. This is yet another excellent adventure, in which Samus Aran has to explore an alien planet, unlock new powers and defeat powerful enemies.

While the plot doesn’t feature many classic elements from the franchise, like Ridley or the Space Pirates, and the Dark Aether sections can be frustrating, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is an incredible game, with great shooting mechanics, a captivating atmosphere and some truly memorable bosses.

5 Splatoon 2

Improving The Formula

Splatoon became such a big IP that its sequel was part of the marketing of the Nintendo Switch during its first year. Meaning, Splatoon 2 was not only a treat for loyal fans of the first installment, but it was also an introduction to this franchise for many.

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Splatoon 2 didn’t need to do much to improve on its established formula, but what it did was enough to keep things fresh and interesting with fun new main and sub-weapons, a deeper single player mode, the new Salmon Run mode, and even the incredible Octo Expansion DLC a year later. All of these additions solidified this game as a worthwhile third-person shooter experience.

4 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Motion Controls That Work Perfectly

Retro Studios was fortunate enough to develop an entire trilogy of Metroid Prime games, with the third one being made for the Nintendo Wii. This meant that it had to make use of the console’s motion controls, and they managed to make them work extremely well.

Almost every mechanic in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is done with motion controls. The shooting is perfectly precise, and other interactions, like activating doors or using the Grappe Voltage, feel satisfying as well. Coupled with an engaging plot, an interesting new cast of characters and some of the best bosses in the franchise, this game was an excellent way to finish off the trilogy.

3 Splatoon 3

Perfecting The Formula

After many years of playing Splatoon 2, players were surprised to find out that a third installment would also be coming to the Nintendo Switch. And it did not disappoint, seeing as Splatoon 3’s multiplayer mode is still being played by millions of people worldwide, cementing itself as the most popular game of the franchise.

Splatoon 3 took everything that made the previous entries so good and improved on them to make a truly satisfying player experience. There’s the expansive Hub City of Splatsville, an even better story, the new and improved Salmon Run Next Wave, all the new main and sub weapons, the Three Way Splatfests and much more. Splatoon 3 is Nintendo's best multiplayer third-person shooter.

2 GoldenEye 007

Revolutionizing FPSs On Consoles

Who would’ve said that a licensed game based on a James Bond movie would end up changing the genre forever? That’s exactly what happened when GoldenEye 007 was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997.

Developed by Rare, it was made during a time in which first-person shooters were thriving on PC, so this was a groundbreaking title with a satisfying control scheme that worked really well with the Nintendo 64’s controller. With great level design, an arsenal of fun weapons to use and an addictive multiplayer component, GoldenEye 007 was the blueprint for every console FPSs that came after it.

1 Metroid Prime

When Going First-Person Saved A Franchise

As great as its sequels are, there’s no denying that the original Metroid Prime is the best game in the series. When Rare Studios were assigned the difficult task of bringing the Metroid series to the third dimension on the Nintendo GameCube, it seemed impossible. They managed to figured it out, however, by turning it into a first-person shooter.

Seeing everything through the eyes of Samus Aran was a breath of fresh air, as it led to a deeper level of exploration. Using all her weapons, gadgets and abilities to uncover new areas or face intimidating enemies never felt so satisfying. With a captivating atmosphere, incredible boss fights and intricate level design, Metroid Prime is one of the best video games Nintendo ever published. And it got even better thanks to the recent Metroid Prime Remastered.

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