With new games releasing all year round, some of Nintendo's older games have remained ever popular among various gaming communities.

Starting its life as a playing card maker in 1899, Nintendo moved into the digital gaming market shortly after releasing Japan’s first electronic toy. As Nintendo has repeatedly proven, older things can still be massive hits, and their games are no exception.

RELATED: 10 Rare Nintendo Games You'll Never Play (Because They're Too Expensive)

While it began with humble beginnings, Nintendo would become one of the most popular brands in the world, creating several of the most successful video game franchises. Franchises like Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and more don't base their popularity on their new releases but the willingness to replay and enjoy past releases as well.

Despite having an incredibly short life-span, only existing as a franchise for 5 years with 2 major titles, Nintendogs has claimed a spot in people’s hearts. The game is a simple pet simulator where the player can play, teach, and clean their puppies.

Nintendogs ended its reign as the 2nd best-selling DS Game in history, claiming an avid fan base to this day. While the games were sparse, the Nintendogs franchise found a new life within other games including WarioWare: Smooth Moves for the Wii and every Super Smash Bros from Brawl to Ultimate, where the puppies appear as a stage hazard, licking the screen as they did in their own games.

Mario Kart 8 originally released for the Wii U nearly a decade ago in 2014. Claiming the spot of best-selling Wii U title, Mario Kart 8 was re-released for the Nintendo Switch three years later in 2017.

Not content with being the best-selling game on one system, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe held the number one best-seller position on the Switch as well. Its continued updates, including the recently released massive DLC, kept the game relevant and made it more popular than its competitors like Garfield Kart.

Originally released in 1986 as Metroid, the franchise would gain several sequels released at lengthy intervals. The success of the Metroid franchise was felt in video games that followed, inspiring one-half of the Metroidvania hype alongside Castlevania.

RELATED: 15 Best JRPGs for Nintendo Switch Fans (According to Metacritic)

While the 3D games were hit or miss with fans, the 2D games that launched the franchise kept it thriving. Following the story of Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter, the Metroid games let the player explore levels in a non-linear fashion, unlocking new areas with power-ups as the game progressed.

The Mother franchise released games internationally under the name Earthbound, the name of the second game in the franchise. However, only the first two games received official translations, including their re-release for Nintendo Switch Online in 2022. Despite never receiving an international release, Mother 3 became an influential entry in the series.

Mother 3 only had fan translations thanks to its loyal following. The JRPG game centered on a psychically powered Lucas, who's been part of Super Smash Bros since Brawl, and his party of adventurers as they attempted to stop the destruction of their world.

The single best-selling Nintendo title in the world, Wii Sports was the game released alongside the Wii at its launch. Wii Sports featured several mini-games based on different sports that used the Wii’s motion controls. The sports included in the first game were bowling, boxing, golf, tennis, and baseball.

Adding to the game's fun were two major selling factors: the use of Miis and the game's soundtrack. Miis were custom-made player characters that can be designed and used as the PC and NPCs in the game. The Wii Sports soundtrack would take on a life of its own, receiving popular remixes for its themes that frequently trended on TikTok and YouTube.

Released in 1996 as Mario’s first 3D game and first foray into an open world, Super Mario 64 followed Mario as he attempted to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser in her castle. The title became one of the most influential games of its generation, shaping how games after it would look and play.

Super Mario 64 holds popularity to this day thanks to its innovative designs and fan following. Besides being a solid game overall, the speedrunning community champions the game and still features submitted runs for its gameplay. Gaming circles also enjoy discussing Super Mario 64thanks to the various theories, new glitches being found, and scientific studies that have included the game.

While the current Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a well-received game and has a plethora of fans, the fanbase still holds Super Smash Bros. Melee close. With ongoing tournaments happening around the world, the refined gameplay and specific character play styles have maintained the game's legacy as a major title.

Boasting a roster of 26, Melee set the standard for multiplayer combat games. While new contenders like Multiversus and Nintendo All-Star Brawl have attempted to come for the best mascot fighting game title, Super Smash Bros. solidified its position at the top thanks to Melee.

Another major video game that's been a focus in the speedrunning community, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the fifth game and first 3D entry of the Zelda franchise. The story followed Link as he traveled between two time periods to set things right in Hyrule and stop Ganondorf from taking power.

RELATED: 10 Nintendo Games Everyone Should Play At Least Once

Developed alongside Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time is still a highly popular game credited with influencing every major 3D title after it, including Grand Theft Auto, The Witcher, and Dark Souls. Many even cite Ocarina of Time as one of the best video games ever made.

Despite each generation of Pokémon games having its detractors, each game has continued to be in high demand decades after its initial release. With major speedrunning records and a wildly popular Nuzlocke community, all the mainline Pokémon games released are still being played.

As each game follows a protagonist in a JRPG with turn-based battles, a new generation means new Pokémon, new gameplay mechanics, and a new or updated region to explore. With the hype for Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet, increasing as the game releases, fans know that they’ll still be playing a decade later.

The only Nintendo video game deemed important enough to be included in the Library of Congress as one of the 10 most important games of all time, many gamers actively play Super Mario Bros. 3 to this day. Following Mario and Luigi as they attempt to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser and the Koopalings, the game introduced several major innovations to the gameplay that stuck around for its sequels.

Featuring the introduction of the gamed Tanuki suit and Mario’s ground pound, as well as the Hammer suit and Frog suit, Super Mario Bros. 3 also featured the first use of an overworld map. The game remained a mainstay in the public playing area thanks to speedrunners, digital re-releases, and its cultural impact.

NEXT: 10 Canceled Nintendo Games We Wish Came Out

Nicholas is a freelance journalist who spends his time reading comics, playing video games on Twitch, and watching television, then writing about them in the hopes that he can work in those industries later in life. He can be found on Twitter and Instagram. When he is not working with start-ups or performing improv around the country, he hosts the How Will I Die Podcast, which explores the multiverse of himself through many deaths and goofs.

Subscribe to the CBR newsletter for exclusive comics, TV & movie news, reviews, interviews & much more!