Nintendo and nostalgia go hand in hand like like bread and butter. In fact, I’m willing to say at this point that getting nostalgic for Nintendo games is probably one of my favorite past times and is something almost all gamers can share. Whether it’s craving the iconic music and sounds of your favorite Zelda or Mario game, or just reminiscing about the times when you felt some of the greatest satisfaction after thrashing Bowser and getting rewarded with some (hopefully) delicious cake from Peach.

Any gamer who’s ever touched a Nintendo game growing up has to have some moment or some game that they just can’t help but remember fondly when thinking about it. For me, it’s always Animal Crossing—the times waking up early in the morning just so I could slave away and sell hundreds of sharks to Tom Nook to pay the rent are the times I honestly miss in life. Even as a little kid, I would bang shovels against rocks in my neighborhood just to see if money would come out of them just like in the game (might not have been the brightest kid back in my day).

But it goes to show the impact and influence that Nintendo has had on almost all of our lives. Granted, I loved my PlayStation and Xbox all the same, but it wasn’t until I got older that I realized the older games I was yearning for were usually my Nintendo ones. So get ready to take a trip down nostalgia road with me, destination Mario, Pokémon, Legend of Zelda, and many other Nintendo comics that are sure to make you nostalgic for your favorite games.

25 I Think They Might Have A Problem With That

Pokémon is a game series that I honestly forget is even Nintendo licensed at some points—it’s just mind-boggling that Nintendo has titles with gargantuan popularity like Mario and Zelda, yet still has room for a massively popular game like Pokémon. Sony and Microsoft just have to be kicking and screaming about how unfair that just has to be.

And with a premiere Pokémon game coming out this year for Switch (that will hopefully be better than what we’ve seen in the leaks), it’s a prime opportunity to remember the good times we’ve had in Pokémon.

Though I’m not sure about the rest of you, I’d definitely make a Magikarp my best bud over an Eevee any day.

In this comic, we see a trainer who I instantly respect for making the choice to take an Eevee over a Magikarp with them on their walk. While I’m not sure if the Magikarp is getting any enjoyment at all, as we see him flopping around, I’m just happy I can see the tears of jealousy on that Eevee’s face.

Eevees remind me of my pet cat, I feel like they’re probably devious and have some sort of hidden agenda but whenever they show off those big cute eyes I instantly fall under their spell. So while that Magikarp most definitely needs a cup of water, or probably a bucket of water, I applaud him for showing that Eevee up.

Art by risachantag.

24 Pretty Please?

You know, I kind of feel for the villains in the Nintendo discography—the Ganons and the Bowsers must really be tired of coming up with these devious, seemingly unbeatable plans only to be stopped by the same hero time after time. Obviously, you have to find your breaking point eventually, and it seems that the Ganondorf in this comic has finally found his.

It kind of reminds me of the villain group-therapy in Wreck-It Ralph, because these guys have to find a way to cope with all the constant whoopings and defeats that they’re served year in and year out. At some point, you just gotta splash some cold water on your face and ask yourself, “What am I doing with my life?” Capturing princesses might be fun, but it sure doesn’t pay the bills.

Still, I’m more surprised this comic was made for Ganon and not Bowser because at least Ganon gets to take a few breaks from being the villain in his series. I can only remember a few times when it wasn’t Bowser once again stealing a princess for who-knows-why, just to be stopped by Mario in the end. It’s basically become a 9-to-5 job for Bowser; punch in and steal a princess, get beat up by Mario again and punch out. So Ganon might be giving up as a villain to that adorable Link up there, but we think he still has a long way to go before he breaks.

Art by Omocat.

23 A Win For Wiggler

Speaking of feeling bad for villains—you just have to feel some sort of sympathy for the villains in the Mario series. I mean, for the most part, none of them do anything wrong! They’re just walking around minding their own business when some Italian dude in a plumber outfit jumps out of nowhere only to squash them and end their lives. Talk about dark!

Yeah, we do have exceptions here and there, as those Hammer Bros. are pretty negligent throwing those hammers everywhere in the air. But for the most part, every other average baddie is just some creature walking through the streets of the Mushroom Kingdom. You might want to get your tinfoil hat on for this one: It’s almost as if Mario is the bad guy in the series! Especially since in every game he takes out all these seemingly innocent creatures.

It’s all adding up; I mean, the number of times that Peach has been captured—no one willingly gets captured that many times! I won’t be surprised if I go missing in the next couple days as I’m on the cusp of unveiling Nintendo’s greatest secret! True or not, I think Mario should really pay attention to where he’s jumping in the future. Sure those Goombas have permanent scowls and the Koopas might be dangerous, but those Wigglers are innocent dudes just looking to make it to the next day.

22 Say Hi To Mr. Resetti For Me

Now, some of you might think I’m exaggerating here or being dramatic, but those who have experienced this will know I speak the truth when I say there is nothing worse than losing your power during a game of Animal Crossing. Losing the power sucks in any game, the panic that ensues trying to make sure your progress was saved and make sure you don’t have to once again fight a difficult boss or stumble upon some good loot. Well, in Animal Crossing you don’t have to waste your time panicking over if your progress was saved because if not, there’s no auto-save…

And to make matters worse you now have an all expenses paid date with one of the most hated characters in video games, Mr. Resetti.

If you’ve never played an Animal Crossing game, then you’re sure to know Mr. Resetti, and if not, how many rocks filled with bells are you living under? Either way, just look up the character online to see the pain that fans have to endure as they’re being slammed with 5-minute speeches that detail how players are careless for turning off the game without saving.

I’m seething now just thinking about how long he’d keep lecturing me after I lost all the progress in my game. So do the smart thing next time you’re in the middle of a rainstorm, save your progress mid-game to ensure you don’t lose everything. But still be ready to deal with Resetti.

21 A Few Too Many Second Helpings

Honestly, Mario isn’t that big of a guy. He’s most likely the size of the average gamer and gets a little too much flak for his size. Now, Wario on the other hand, that might be a guy I’d prefer not to sit on me, as I think my body would probably sound like uncooked pasta being snapped in half. But Mario, not so bad. But the owl from Super Mario 64 seems to think otherwise.

Granted, if I was a giant flying bird and some random mustached man grabbed onto me looking for a ride, I might act the same way. But I think the best part is the fact that Mario just keeps quiet as the owl continues to rant about Mario’s size as if this idea has been marinating in this owl’s mind for a while now. Like he’s thinking every time: “Man, this guy keeps getting free rides from me without saying thank you or asking me about my day; I think I’ve about had enough!”

The poor guy probably just wants some appreciation every once in awhile for how many times he has to transport Mario across the map for free. So while it might be time for Mario to sign up for a gym plan, we think he just needs better manners at this point.

Art by Nintendrawer.

20 The Master Of Disguise

You know, I’ve never played a Kirby game, but I can’t help but be in love with Kirby’s powers. I mean, the guy can be whoever he wants, whether it’s a fighter version or maybe an ice version or even a police officer version, like in this comic over here. Kirby’s powers are pretty simple, but honestly are pretty unique, as I don’t know many other characters in any form of entertainment who have powers like these.

Though there’s something to be said about great power and responsibility… Though I really can’t remember what it was, and it seems Kirby’s forgotten too. I mean, just look at this guy, robbing banks one second and then swallowing policemen the next. It’s almost as if Grand Theft Auto and Kirby made a crossover game (please, Nintendo make something like that happen).

We’re being exposed to a side of Kirby I just never knew existed, and I honestly love it. But this comic really does show how insanely crazy Kirby’s powers are, especially if he used them for anything he ever wanted. Just imagine Kirby becoming the President of The United States or even a Prince of England so that he could steal Meghan Markle from Prince Harry! The possibilities are so devious that I just can’t help but love them all. Still, I’m not sure if people would truly believe the identities of this pink-blob impersonator, but I like to imagine either way.

Art by Steve Napierski.

19 Vegetarian Options

Poor Olimar, Peach just served all his friends as food. And now that I think of it, I think this could be one of the most low-key sadistic comics on this list. I mean, just think how different this comic would be if Mario was just served a bunch of Toads or if Link was served Zelda. My god.

But the horrors that Olimar are experiencing only make this comic that much funnier.

Still, I don’t get how Peach could mistake insect-like creatures for salad; sure, they do have tiny little leaves on their heads, but it’s the real-life equivalency to picking up ants that have leaves attached to their bodies and making a salad of them. And unless you like ant-salad, then I think many of us would be able to make this clear distinction. So I guess this comic does make the claim that Peach might not be the brightest in the Mushroom Kingdom, but I feel like many of us already knew that.

Still, you really got to feel for Olimar in this comic—what could possibly be his next move after being served a bowl of this? Is he going to ask for the check? Maybe go berzerk on Peach for serving him the dish, or maybe he’s just hungry enough to say “Welp, might as well try it.”

Art by Hotel Nintendo - Norix Wolf.

18 The Face Of Despair

Animal Crossing has some interesting characters, to say the least—there’s the sly and always mysterious K.K. Slider, the harshly critical fashion designer Gracie, and the delirious sailor Gulliver who someone always manages to become stranded at sea. But I think it’s Blanca who takes the strange cake. Blanca is weird for many, many reasons; for starters, not all fans even know of her existence. I was just talking to my sister who I thought to be the biggest Animal Crossing fan, next to me, of course, but she didn’t even remember Blanca (Fake fan alert! Sorry, Sis!).

But besides that, it’s Blanca’s aesthetic of having a completely blank face that really separates her from the rest of the characters. I mean it’s so weird just walking around enjoying your day only to run into a horrendous looking animal with no face at all. But upon further inquisition, you find that Blanca is tasking you with crafting her face into one everyone will admire, or run away from. Being a terrible artist myself, I usually created a face that fell into the latter category, but I still loved seeing my creation walk around.

Though, I love the point that this comic brings up: if you always make a smiling Blanca or an always sad one, she’ll never truly be able to express herself. It’s a bit sad, but if you want a good pick me up, just look at all the fan creations of Blanca’s face.

Art by Timecowboy.

17 The Time For Diplomacy Is Over

Sometimes you just have to bring matters into your own hands, and it looks like that’s what Donkey Kong is doing in this comic. I never played too much Donkey Kong Country growing up, but I always did wonder what Donkey Kong’s motivation was for going through all this trouble. Mario and Link’s motivation was obvious even to a younger me, but I never figured out why I was stomping on all these jungle-critters just for some bananas. Probably should’ve stopped overthinking all these games as a kid.

But now that I’ve seen this comic, I’ll forever believe this is the reason Donkey Kong decided to set out in Donkey Kong Country.

Now I know that Donkey Kong had to bear this cross for his people and not only save their “ekongomy,” but protect the well-being of his people. And you’re reading that right, the artist for this comic officially coined the word “ekongomy,” talk about thinking outside the banana. But from this point forward, I’m going to believe that Donkey Kong’s motivation is the reasons explained in this comic and I dare someone to prove otherwise. “What? All I have to do is play 5 minutes of the game to figure out why. Well dang, I thought I was on to something.”

Art by BentPinsComic.

16 Captain Falcon’s No. 1 Fan

I love Ganondorf; not only is he one of my favorite villains across any Nintendo game, but I can say that he is also one of my favorite characters in Super Smash Bros. I shouldn’t get the massive amounts of satisfaction from using a side-b on someone offstage or landing a down-air spike, yet every time I do it I pop off to gloat in my opponent’s face.

Also being a New England Patriots fan, I like to call my Ganon “Gronkendorf” as I absolutely wreck the competition.

But as I don’t want to pat myself on the back too much (Who am I kidding, I totally do), I still can’t deny the fact that Ganondorf is a Captain Falcon clone. And not only is he a Captain Falcon clone, but he’s more inferior than Falcon in every way. Their strength is almost equal, yet Falcon has the speed of a jet and Ganon’s really got to be ashamed for ripping off the iconic “Falcon Punch!”

I’d love to see Ganon get his own move-set, as he really has so many options that don’t directly rip off Captain Falcon. Yet, as a gamer who just has too much fun with Ganon’s current move-set, I do hope that they still rework his moves while keeping some of the fun ones. Because hitting someone with a “Warlock Punch” is just too much fun.

Art by finalsmashcomic.

15 Metal Mario Is So Metal

Although Metal Mario made his debut back in Super Smash Bros. 64, I never faced the character until Melee. To many, he probably came off as a gimmick character: “There’s nothing to him, it’s just a metallic version of Mario,” I bet some of you would claim. But not to 10-year-old me, who was terrified at facing this mid-level boss in the adventure mode of Melee. I was always reminded of the painter Mario from Super Mario Sunshine except that this guy is darker, almost like a cryptic and edgier version of our favorite mustached hero.

And it seems like Metal Mario did hit some mainstream success as he’s been featured in a slew of games since including one of my favorite games on the Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8. Even there I still duke it out with Metal Mario instigating PTSD-filled flashbacks of when he kicked my behind in Melee. But it would be so much cooler if Metal Mario was more concerned with Iron Maiden and angering your parents with his loud music.

I’d just love it if Metal Mario showed up in one game with a Megadeth shirt on ready to rock Mario’s world. It’s almost as if Beat from Jet Set Radio told Metal Mario he should start wearing his musical influences on his sleeve when he battles Mario. Though it’ll never happen, I’d like to see some Mario-type Guitar Hero game where Metal Mario shreds to some Iron Maiden or some Judas Priest. That’d be so metal.

Art by Cameron Davis.

14 Smash Bros. Tryouts

I feel like most fans of Super Smash Bros. like to imagine new characters trying out like this. As if series creator Masahiro Sakurai, Shigeru Miyamoto, and president of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aimé sit around a table giving characters an opportunity to show why they deserve to be in the game. That’d be so metal if they did do something like this! Oops, sorry, still in the same mindset of the last entry, but I digress.

Choosing characters just seems like the funniest process of making a new Smash game.

I bet so many characters get proposed, yet only a few make the final cut of the game. I wonder who’s been so close to making it each time only to be cut before the game. The funny part about this comic is that this is a character tryout for Brawl and the two characters who get turned down end up being the characters who were actually put into the latest installment of the game. Duck Hunt Dog was a pretty fun addition, with his retro-like attacks, and Little Mac was a great addition as well.

But I’d love to see what we could do with my man Tetris Piece over there. Just imagine it comes down from the sky only to land on its opponents crushing them for ultimate damage. Just like the last judge, I think this is one idea that might just work. Or end up terrible; either way, Tetris for Smash 2018!

Art by Tom Arnold.

13 I’ll Take A Raincheck On Revisiting My Childhood

You know, I never did finish Majora’s Mask as a kid. You know why? That game scared the “bejesus” out of me! My parents picked it up thinking, “Eh, it looks weird, but it says E for Everyone so it must be alright.” God, were they wrong, they were so wrong, because this game mentally scarred me as a kid. I remember quitting video games for a couple of weeks because I just didn’t want to have to think about Majora’s Mask.

To this day, I still don’t know how Nintendo made the jump from Ocarina of Time to Majora’s Mask. I mean, Ocarina was so peaceful, so quaint and so funny. While Majora’s Mask was a wasteland of insanity with a creepiness that would even make an adult quiver. It’s so weird, but looking back on it, it’s so masterful for the strange imagery and gameplay.

I watched a friend take on the final boss a few years ago and was floored that the game looked so rich and so unique for a game that released on the N64. And not to mention, the final boss, which looked like something pulled straight out of my worst nightmares. I’ve never played a game like Majora’s Mask and I don’t think I’ve played a game like it since, definitely revisiting this gem in the near future.

Art by Jayden.

12 Tabuu Don’t Play No Games

Tabuu might be one of the best new Nintendo villains in recent memory. For those of you who don’t remember or just don’t know who this baddie is, allow me to educate you. Tabuu made his debut in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and yes, that’s the game with the random tripping, the unbalanced characters, and the one you probably hate the most in the series. To be honest though, I never was a Brawl hater. I thought the game was pretty fun to play casually with a bunch of friends and I think it delivered the best story mode for any Smash game.

In the story-mode, named The Subspace Emissary, you played several hero-like characters to seemingly stop all the well known bad guys from turning people into trophies. At least, it seemed like you were up against the likes of Bowser, Ganondorf, King Dedede, and Master Hand, but the real foe you were facing was Tabuu. And I still don’t think Nintendo realized how good a job they did crafting this terrifyingly-awesome villain.

Tabuu was easily one of the hardest bosses I faced in any game, especially on tougher difficulties it seemed like he was almost impossible to beat. He boasted some of the strongest moves and could take a life with just a few moves. Hopefully, Nintendo doesn’t forget this guy with their newest entry of Smash this year and shows Tabuu some much-needed love.

11 No Smiles For Giratina

Probably one of my favorite “mini-games” to play in Pokémon is thinking up creative, and (hopefully) funny nicknames for my Pokémon. I say hopefully because most of the time they are terrible to everyone but me, but it’s the effort that counts right. Right? Well, either way, I’m addicted to coming up with nicknames for my Pokémon. I’ve named my Zubat “Batthew Broderick” and my Camerupt “Fergie” because of his and her humps. Told you they’d be cheesy and lame, but thankfully the internet is there to save me with some way better nicknames.

My favorite is “Bread” for Slaking, so that when it says he’s loafing around it says your “Bread” is loafing around.

And I’m sure there are so many great ones out there that trump mine but that’s another list for another day. What I wonder is if our Pokémon actually like the new nicknames that we have given them. Obviously, this Giratina is upset with his new nickname, as it makes him seem like the king of all-that-is friendly instead of the menacing prince of all darkness. I’m sure if our Pokémon could talk to us, they’d let us know how lame our nicknames are, thankfully they don’t or I’d have a lot of aggravated Pokémon on my team.

Art by MDBRUINART.

10 Luigi Won Again!

Wow! Good for Luigi, he’s apparently won big time, again. Another mansion, well, let’s hope this one isn’t terrifyingly haunted by ghosts, but I seriously seem to doubt it. And it seems as if Mario and Bowser are behind it all this time, tricking Luigi for who-knows-why. Maybe just because he’s easily tricked and they get some sick kick out of it, which adds to my theory that Mario is the villain in his series (I’m on to you, Nintendo). Still, I can’t help but see that they’re kind of right about Luigi being a bit foolish.

I mean, just look at the first Luigi’s mansion; for some reason, Luigi still goes into that horrifying mansion thinking that there’s still a party going on. Come on, Luigi! You should’ve sent an exorcist into that place before even thinking of setting foot on that property. Though that game did prove that while Luigi might be a little more foolish than most, he still has guts.

Luigi stormed into the building full of fear and still cleaned it up from ghosts and even saved his brother from the horrid clutches of King Boo. So shame on you, Mario, for tricking your brother. He might not be as popular as you, might not be as smart as you, but he’s just as good if not better in a lot of ways.

Art by Javi Rodriguez & Ryan DeLaRosa.

9 Hmph, On Second Thought

You know I’ve kind of had this similar sentiment expressed in this comic when I’ve played other games. What if the hero of our story was told all the terrible stuff they were going to have to go through before they took off on their adventure.

“So, Mario, you’re going to have to fight a fire-breathing dragon that’s three times your size and in the end, all you’ll get is a lousy kiss on the nose and some cake.” I mean, would he still do it? Probably, they are heroes after all, but I feel like any other rational-thinking being would have to turn around and go on about their day.

Especially in Link’s case; I mean, half the world still calls him Zelda! That’s gotta be a blow to the ego.

I mean, Link’s rewards are generally a lot better than Mario’s, but I still feel for the dude at the end of the day. He was just a kid who just wanted to explore around, maybe find a few cool things along the way, but he’s suddenly thrown into this fabled quest where he has to take on supernatural-like creatures and gigantic men. I honestly wouldn’t blame him for turning around at the start of Ocarina, but something tells me the game would’ve sold far fewer copies if Nintendo wrote that in.

Art by Extra Fabulous Comics.

8 Wario’s Getting A Little Greedy (Not Surprised)

For a long time, Wario was just the evil counterpart to Mario. He sported the backward “M” and seemed to be a direct clone to our favorite mustached plumber. Though I never played Wario Land, I really saw Wario come into his own in the WarioWare series. I stopped seeing Wario as some two-bit Mario clone and really saw him as his own uniquely created character. That’s a testament to the quality of his character development and the quality of his games, because WarioWare games were freaking amazing.

If you haven’t played them, then I honestly have to ask you “What the heck are you doing with your life?” Stop what you’re doing, and go bring some Wario into your life. WarioWare offered some of the most outrageous, off-the-wall mini-games I’ve ever played—I still remember having to stick my finger up someone’s nose or avoid a shark on wheels for a few seconds. WarioWare brought a type of fun that I’ve only experienced in that game, pure adrenaline-fueled fun.

So it made sense for Nintendo to start producing some very, very similar feeling mini-games on the DS e-shop. They retailed for only a couple of bucks, but it just didn’t make sense to pick up these games when you could just get the best package that WarioWare was bringing. Honestly, my nostalgia for WarioWare is hitting so hard this entry that I might go play the game after I’m done. Good job, Wario.

Art by Tom Arnold & Andre Segers.

7 You Need A License To Carry Those Around

Metroid is one of Nintendo’s best series, and I’ve got to say that Samus is one of their best characters. Her only drawback being that she suffers the same fate as Link from Zelda as a lot of people mistakenly call her Metroid instead. But besides that, she’s one dynamite gal in every way and I love that this comic shows that off.

I still remember as a little boy finding out that Samus was a girl, it was so freaking cool knowing that behind all that machinery was a gal packing a lot of heat. And I mean that metaphorically and physically, because Samus was one lean, mean, fighting machine. Even as a little kid, I thought it was pretty cool and progressive that one of Nintendo’s greatest heroes was a woman and showed that all the girls didn’t have to be damsels in distress like Peach or Daisy.

It was honestly a pretty good twist that Nintendo implemented by subverting our expectations especially when they did it in an era of over-the-top male protagonists. I loved it, and to this day, Samus is still one of my favorite Nintendo characters. So while I’m not sure that she can shoot her cannons based on pure arm strength, I’m glad this comic illustrated that Samus is a gal not to be messed with.

Art by Katie Tiedrich.

6 Metroid Game When?

Speaking of Metroid, it seemed like Nintendo almost forgot about the insanely popular series or at the very least was extremely tone-deaf towards fans’ outcries for the series to return. It seemed that every time the series might return that Nintendo either completely forgot about the series or neglected fans by giving us poor renditions of the franchise.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force was laughably bad, and Metroid: Samus Returns was a remake of the second Metroid.

So if we forget about those two games we haven’t had a real Metroid game since 2010, yup, it’s been 8, long, grueling years since a proper Metroid game. Come on, Nintendo, what’s going on over there? I know you have plenty of other games to care for, but neglecting one of your best games is never a smart thing to do. Thank the good heavens that MetroidPrime4 is releasing soon, or I think I’d be right there with Samus crying in some corner.

So I like to think that Nintendo didn’t forget about Samus and hopefully it was just Master Chief kicking too much behind to notice that he was ending off all of Samus’s future enemies. I just hope this is the case and not whatever terrible excuse that Nintendo is sure to never tell us. Either way, Metroid Prime 4 Hype!

Art by NerdRageComic.