5 Great Nintendo Exclusive Games You Cannot Buy Anymore

While more recent consoles like the Switch or the supposedly upcoming Switch 2 have greatly broadened its variety of 3rd party games, there was a while where the Nintendo family of consoles had a sort of ecosystem of games and series completely separate from other mainstream consoles.

This is both a blessing and a curse. Nintendo and its family of consoles are iconic pieces of gaming hardware, with some truly iconic pieces of gaming media on them. But as time goes by and these consoles become less relevant, there are some titles that have been left to fall to the wayside.

8 Etrian Mystery Dungeon

A Unique Spin On A Well-Liked Franchise

• Platforms: 3DS
• Developer: Spike Chunsoft
• Publisher: Atlus, NIS America
• Release Date: 2015

Etrian Odyssey has never been Atlus’ flagship title. The Shin Megami Tensei or Persona lines of RPGs have typically done a better job grasping a mainstream audience, but this is in no way a remark on the quality of these games. While new titles are still far in the future, Etrian Odyssey games available today are some of the most unique and interesting exploration-based party builders one can find on Nintendo consoles.

Etrian Mystery Dungeon, then, takes this already unique series of titles and puts an even more niche spin on it, framing the game not as a first-person exploration title, but a roguelike mystery dungeon title, with all the features one can expect from this challenging subgenre. For those unfamiliar, these features include randomly generated dungeons, a pretty steep spike in difficulty early on, and losing all items on death. The game has some interesting base building mechanics to make exploration easier, but this challenging, compelling title, with its own style and flare, sadly did not do well enough to remain on the 3DS eShop.

7 The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

A Monolithic Title In The Zelda Series

• Platforms: Wii, Wii U
• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: 2006

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess made a colossal splash in the gaming world for Nintendo fans all over when it first released. The darker story that remained true to the classic Zelda titles drew people in, and the incredible polish was seen in just about every facet of the game which – by both modern and 2006 standards – is pretty huge. Before Breath of the Wild, this was the bestselling Zelda game to date, and it’s huge influence can be felt in the Zelda games that are still coming out today.

It’s a shame, then, that for a title so popular and engaging, it’s quite difficult to get a hold of today. There isn’t a port on the Switch, and no remaster seems to be in the works, while physical copies are no longer sold in any mainstream retailers. This is one title in particular that tends to cause a stir among Nintendo fans, as the demand for some sort of remaster to bring this title to a new generation of Nintendo consoles is incredibly high.

6 Super Mario Galaxy 2

Chasing Bowser Through Space – This Time It’s Personal

• Platforms: Wii, Wii U
• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: 2010

Another title of incredible popularity to come from Nintendo’s iconic Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 took the stage-based formula of classic Mario titles and – like its predecessor – blew up the proportions to the final frontier. This is one of those classic 3D platformers released by Nintendo, not among their most complex, but certainly one of their most memorable and engaging. Spin-jumping and somersaulting through the air as either Mario or Luigi has been one of the most iconic parts of gaming for decades, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 sticks the landing on that part.

But the title has gone dark along with the Wii, and no remake seems to be in sight for fans of this cosmic platformer. It definitely stands as one of Nintendo’s opus titles, and that is a hard list to become a part of, but unfortunately, Super Mario Galaxy 2 will have to remain in fond memories for anyone who didn’t grab a copy while it was still on the shelves.

5 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Sky

A Classic Roguelike Spin-Off To The Franchise

• Platforms: DS, Wii U
• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: 2009

There are few Pokemon games with the emotion, heart, and maturity of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. An incredible title that’s long overdue for a remake, Explorers of Sky takes the Pokemon series to an entirely new genre. Like the more obscure Etrian Mystery Dungeon, this title keeps all the staples of the challenging roguelike subgenre, losing all items and money on death, rooms filled with enemies (hostile Pokemon, of course) and the titular mystery dungeons for the protagonist and their partner to walk through.

The game actually received a Wii U port, but the under-performing console and its digital storefront have disappeared. The game’s age has essentially reduced any remaining DS chips to non-existent, and there’s no feasible way to lay hands on the title today. For an entire generation of Pokemon fans, however, the game remains vivid in hearts and minds as one of those special Pokemon games that put real thought and emotion into its story.

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3 Pokemon Rumble

An Addictive Beat ‘Em Up

• Platforms: Wii
• Developer: Ambrella
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: 2009

Another casualty among the many titles to disappear with the Wii’s shopfront, Pokemon Rumble was a spin off title to the Pokemon series utterly unlike anything else at the time, with the successors to the Wii title (while also being hard to grab today) losing some of the charm and addictive gameplay of this original title. There was nothing too complex about this title, but the easy-to-manage controls and interesting style for a Pokemon game won many players over.

An unfortunate loss for anyone looking for a light, charming Pokemon focused game, as this title has evaporated from any digital shopfronts, though a mobile successor does continue its legacy.

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