It would be an understatement to say that Nintendo has many iconic characters among their franchises. The company has been an industry staple since the arcade days, growing in popularity with consoles like the NES and N64. They even gathered their most iconic characters in the all-star fighting series Super Smash Bros.
Despite Nintendo's biggest mascots getting to battle it out in the Smash Bros arena, there's lots of debate over which Nintendo character is the strongest. Over the years, many of their most popular characters display new abilities, overcome greater foes, and become more heroic. These ten are some of Nintendo's strongest protagonists.
10 Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is the grandfather of Nintendo characters, making his debut in the arcade classic named after him. Subsequently, the character has become a mainstay of Super Mario spin-off titles such as Mario Party, Mario Kart, and Mario vs Donkey Kong. However, his own series allows DK to show his true power.
The Donkey Kong Country series is the best display of Donkey Kong's potential. Accompanied by sidekicks like Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong, DK leads a one-man army against the villainous King K. Rool on multiple occasions. Simply put, when DK's bananas are stolen, he does not let anybody get in his way.
9 Little Mac
In terms of size, it may be surprising to see Punch-Out!! star Little Mac ahead of Donkey Kong. However, in the Nintendo Wii installment of the franchise, Little Mac can challenge Donkey Kong as a secret opponent and win. As a result, the 5-foot-7 boxer is one of the most undefeated Nintendo champions of all time.
Donkey Kong is not the least of Little Mac's worries when it comes to his opponents. While defeating Glass Joe is not all that impressive, Little Mac is also able to best the speedy Piston Hondo and, in the NES version, he beats real-life boxing champion Mike Tyson. For his short stature, Little Mac knows how to put up a fight.
8 Mario
Part of Mario's appeal is how much of an Everyman he is. He's supposed to be a plumber, though he seems to spend more time rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser's army of Koopas. Normal Mario already possesses incredibly jumping and punching capabilities, though his true power comes from other sources.
Across the Super Mario franchise, Mario is able to equip dozens of power-ups. Some of these power-ups, like the Power Star or Fire Flower, make Mario a force to be reckoned with. Mario is not immune to a game over, though it can be pretty easy for him to farm infinite 1-Ups and get hundreds of second chances.
7 Pikachu
The Pokemon series, without a doubt, features some of Nintendo's most powerful creatures, from the god-like Arceus to the lab experiment Mewtwo. However, Pikachu stands out as the true mascot of the franchise. Pikachu is even playable in spin-off games like PokePark Wii and Hey You, Pikachu!
Additionally, Pikachu boasts a pretty powerful moveset. As an Electric-type Pokemon, Pikachu is only weak to Ground-type. This certainly gives Pikachu an edge on the battlefield against most Pokemon types. Even in Super Smash Bros, Pikachu has consistently been one of the strongest characters to play as.
6 Shulk
Shulk has received more attention from video game fans following his addition to the Super Smash Bros games on the 3DS and Wii U. However, those who know him from Xenoblade Chronicles know just how powerful Shulk can be. It's all thanks to the powerful blade he battles with known as the Monado.
Compared to others who have wielded the Monado, Shulk is capable of accessing some of the blade's hidden features. One of those is the ability to see into the future, which Shulk is able to utilize in combat. With these abilities, Shulk proves to be a true threat to the powerful Mechon forces, and to the rest of the Smash Bros roster.
5 Ness
Earthbound is one of the most beloved SNES games of all time. Its protagonist, Ness, has certainly joined his fellow Smash Bros brethren as one of Nintendo's most recognizable characters. However, fans who are unfamiliar with the Mother franchise may not know the full extent of Ness' powers as seen in Earthbound.
At the beginning of Earthbound, Ness is told that he is the chosen one who must defeat an entity called Giygas that threatens to destroy the universe. Thankfully, Ness was born with psychic abilities that only grow stronger throughout the game. His origins may be humble, but Ness ultimately saves the universe from destruction.
4 Samus Aran
Samus is quite an enigmatic character through many of the early Metroid games. However, her slowly-revealed backstory offers a lot of context as to just how powerful this bounty hunter is. As an orphan, Samus was raised by the Chozo, who infused her with their DNA, which made her an unparalleled fighter.
Often seen wearing her Power Suit, Samus now traverses the galaxy on the hunt for Space Pirates. She has many encounters with intimidating monsters like Ridley and Kraid, but makes killing them look easy. Her only weak spot is her susceptibility to parasitic infection, resulting in the creation of antagonists like Dark Samus or SA-X.
3 Pit
The Kid Icarus franchise was long dormant before Pit was reborn in Super Smash Bros Brawl. The character got even more attention when Smash Bros developer Masahiro Sakurai made Kid Icarus Uprising for the 3DS. This game finds Pit becoming stronger than he's ever been, all thanks to the goddess Palutena.
Though Pit does not possess the power of flight, Palutena grants him with it for five minutes at a time. Whether airborne or grounded, Pit handles most of the fighting, equipping some powerful weapons along the way. While he can be a bit of a klutz, there aren't many Nintendo characters who can boast an assist from a goddess...
2 Link
... Except for Link, the main protagonist of the Legend of Zelda series. Thanks to his connection to Ganondorf and Princess Zelda, Link is reincarnated every generation. In many of the games' stories, this new reincarnation learns of their destiny as the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, and must defeat the evil forces that invade Hyrule.
Additionally, Link has also been prone to transformations. Majora's Mask finds his equipping shape-shifting masks, while Twilight Princess allows him to assume a ravenous wolf form. All of that aside, once Link is able to wield the Master Sword, Ganondorf pretty much has no choice but to die fighting the chosen hero.
1 Kirby
Most would not expect Kirby to be Nintendo's most powerful protagonist. He's definitely their cutest, but don't be fooled by his charming smile. Kirby possesses powers unlike any other Nintendo character, as he's able to inhale and copy the abilities of any opponent. This is true both in his own series and Super Smash Bros.
Often, it's Kirby's mild manner that makes him so underestimated. However, he never hesitates to set off on adventure, no matter where it leads him. Even in Super Smash Bros Ultimate's Adventure Mode, World of Light, Kirby is the only one who escapes the wrath of Galeem with the help of his Warp Star.