Highlights
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! brought classic Nintendo characters to life in wild and wacky scenarios that became infamous.
- Donkey Kong Country featured groundbreaking 3D animation, absurd premises, and catchy songs that audiences loved.
- F-Zero: GP Legend expanded the fascinating world of the game with thrilling racing and a mix of 2D and 3D animation.
Nintendo is the company behind some of the most magical and creative fictional worlds ever created. From the vast fields of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda to the colorful levels of the Mushroom Kingdom in Super Mario Bros. and many more, it is no wonder why all of these universes are so beloved by a huge number of people.
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While most of these fictional worlds have obviously thrived in video game form, some of them have also been adapted into the world of animation. Ever since the 80s, Nintendo has partnered with different companies in order to turn some of their most popular games into cartoon shows, with varying amounts of success. Nevertheless, there are some really solid animated series based on Nintendo properties, but some are arguably better than others.
5 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
Adapting Nintendo’s Most Famous Character
- Released: 1989-09-04
- Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
- Studio: DIC Entertainment, Sei Young Animation
There’s no question that Mario is the most recognizable Nintendo character, and his franchise is pretty much responsible for putting the company on the map. So it is no surprise that they greenlit an animated show based on the first few games in the series in collaboration with DIC Entertainment. And the final result was absolutely wild.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! takes the early iterations of all the classic Super Mario Bros. characters, like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad, and puts them in a bunch of wacky situations as they have to deal with King Koopa and his minions. While it’s a fun experience that managed to remain relatively faithful to its source material, this is a show that became infamous for its bizarre scenarios and animation errors. Ironically, the most memorable parts were the live-action segments, where Lou Albano played Mario and Danny Wells played Luigi.
4 Donkey Kong Country (TV Series)
A Groundbreaking 3D Show Based On A Groundbreaking 3D Game
- Released: 1997-08-15
- Genre: Comedy
- Studio: Nelvana, Medialab Studio L.A. (Season 1), Hong Guang Animation (Season 2)
During the 90s, the Donkey Kong Country games made a huge impact on the video game industry, thanks to their innovative sprites that were made with 3D graphics. Because of this factor, when it was time to adapt the series into an animated show, Canadian studio Nelvana was clever enough to animate it in 3D, which was not as common back then as it is today.
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For 1997, the Donkey Kong Country series looks excellent, and its visual identity is almost identical to the original games. The contents of the show itself are quite surreal, with a lot of absurd yet hilarious premises, and it even featured two different songs in every episode. Audiences grew to love this show with time; nowadays, it has an unmovable legacy on the internet due to the various memes that were made about it.
3 F-Zero: GP Legend
Taking Advantage Of Animation To Expand The World
- Released: 2003-10-07
- Genre: Action, Racing
- Studio: Ashi Productions
When it comes to animated adaptations of Nintendo properties, the truth is that Western studios leave a lot to be desired. That said, there have been some really solid anime based on their games that were made in Japan. And one of the best and most obscure ones is definitely F-Zero: GP Legend, which was produced by TV Tokyo and animated by Ashi Productions.
The F-Zero series is set in a really fascinating world, but since these are mostly racing games, players rarely get to see more about the characters when they’re outside their vehicles. Thankfully, the F-Zero: GP Legend anime did exactly that, creating a thrilling story that mixes an intriguing mystery with fast-paced racing. This is an action-packed series that seamlessly blends 2D and 3D animation, and it even includes the only appearance of the legendary Falcon Punch from the Super Smash Bros. games in the entire F-Zero franchise.
2 Kirby: Right Back At Ya!
Nintendo’s Most Adorable Character Gets The Show He Always Deserved
- Released: 2001-10-06
- Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
- Studio: Studio Sign
With its adorable protagonist, likable characters, and colorful worlds, the Kirby series was always perfect for its own animated adaptation. And that’s exactly what the franchise got when Kirby: Right Back at Ya! was created by A-UN Entertainment and Studio Sign. This was a significant production since it was overseen by some prominent figures from HAL Laboratory, including Satoru Iwata himself.
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The final product was one of the most funny, adorable, and charming anime ever created. Kirby is an endearing protagonist, and the side characters like Meta Knight and King Dedede have some really fun chemistry with him. Because of Kirby’s classic copy ability, Right Back at Ya! ended up having a “monster of the week” dynamic that worked quite well, and it led to many different fun ideas for episodes. This is yet another case of an anime that blends 2D and 3D animation, and it looks great, especially during action sequences. This is a perfect adaptation that every Kirby fan will not want to miss.
1 Pokemon (Anime)
An Anime That Changed Not Only Its Franchise But The Entire World
Whenever people discuss animated series based on games owned by Nintendo, it’s most likely that the long-running Pokemon anime is the first thing they will think of. This show has left a huge mark on the entire world, as it’s partially responsible for the enormous success of the Pokemon multimedia franchise. A lot of people didn’t even know this was based off of a video game when it first came out.
The core concept of the Pokemon games is so unique that it works perfectly when adapted to the world of animation. It follows the adventures of Ash Ketchum and his loyal friend Pikachu, as they meet countless creatures, befriend other trainers, and even engage in battles against Gym Leaders and Team Rocket, making for a truly fun and engaging time. Thanks to the many generations of Pokemon games, this show managed to keep itself fresh by introducing brand-new regions, characters, and Pokemon every few years.
The journey of Ash Ketchum came to an end in 2023, and it was a satisfying conclusion for an inspiring protagonist that people followed for more than 20 years. But this anime continues on in the form of the new series, Pokemon Horizons, which was also positively received and keeps demonstrating how this fascinating franchise can be brought to life in the world of animation.
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