Nintendo makes most of its games for all ages, but some of its rich catalog is easier to appreciate when a person is older.

Nintendo is generally known for its groundbreaking video game console designs, which encourage interaction, and lighthearted mainline game franchises. These characteristics combine to give Nintendo the reputation of being the most kids-friendly gaming company, which would generally be a fair assumption.

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With game franchises centering around cute and silly main characters such as Mario, Kirby, and Pikachu, most gamers have come to presume that most adult gaming experiences are reserved for Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox. However, this isn’t the whole picture. While there are certainly a lot of games with much darker, more mature themes on the latter two sets of systems, Nintendo has something for everyone.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most realistic of Zelda entries. Set in a sprawling open world that allows for non-linear gameplay, never-before-seen Zelda mechanics such as crafting, cooking, and stat customization make Breath of the Wild a must-play for Switch owners.

The newly introduced mechanics provide a much richer experience for older gamers looking for more out of the already beloved Zelda franchise. Zelda has always been one of the more adult-friendly franchises on the Nintendo roster. Adult gamers won’t as easily miss its deeper plot elements of loss, regret, and redemption.

Taking all the most popular main characters in Nintendo history and pitting them against each other in battle royale mayhem can only lead to fun for all ages. But while Super Smash Bros: Ultimate is a great time for kids, it's even better for adults.

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Though Super Smash has been known for its button-mashing mechanics, it's much more nuanced. When more sophisticated players get a hold of it, Super Smash Bros can become a calculated dance of well-placed jabs and special attacks, which require a knowledge of frame rates and hit-boxes that most kids don't have the patience for.

The dark atmosphere and almost Lovecraftian element of the aliens Samus must do battle with makes Metroid Prime perfect for adult gamers. Like most Nintendo games, Prime is playable by younger audiences, but there is a mature aspect of it that older players can fully enjoy.

Metroid Prime is also one of the last of the beloved Nintendo-only franchises, which has still not received a Nintendo Switch equivalent. While a new Prime entry has been announced for the Switch, it's suffered from many date push-backs. Fans hope to receive a more definitive update by the end of 2022.

Pokémon is the pinnacle of kid-friendly game franchises. Its cutesy characters and the game's pet collection aspect can appeal to the younger generation. In addition, the open-world exploration in all the Pokémon games gives them an added flare for the more exploratory gamer while remaining linear enough for younger audiences. However, there are many elements of Pokémon that kids likely won't appreciate due to their complexities.

The darker elements of the Pokémon storyline, such as the creation of Mewtwo and the mysterious origins of the ghost Pokémon are enough to intrigue adult gamers. Additionally, Pokémon's capture, training, and battle system are simple enough for anyone to pick up and complex enough for older players to dive into.

Cuphead tries to present itself as a silly, fun-for-all-ages side-scroller, and it is – but some dark humor and adult-friendly themes are lurking below the surface. The plot revolves around Cuphead and Mugman, who have made a deal with the Devil and ultimately lost their souls in the process: not exactly the most childish concepts.

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Cuphead is not exclusive to Nintendo platforms as it is also available for the Xbox and Playstation systems and even playable in Teslas. However, it is certainly a great fit for the portable Switch with its fast-paced and purposefully challenging gameplay.

Adult gamers will likely recognize the Fire Emblem franchise, which has been around for over 30 years. In that time, Fire Emblem gained a loyal following due to its revolutionary tactical RPG elements and deep story-telling. Both of those facts are taken even further than ever in Three Houses, bringing the series to a younger audience due to its wide critical acclaim.

Still, Fire Emblem is best enjoyed by adults: its tactical battle system is more intricate, and story line more developed than any other game in the franchise. The whole continent of Fódlan is full of a deep background lore that immerses gamers, and Three Houses provides a story that's ripe with twists and turns that will surprise even the most experienced of players.

Metroid Dread is exactly as its namesake claims – a Metroid game surrounded by a sense of dread that accompanies the alien monsters which make up its universe. Dread taps into the horror side of Metroid by making it more than just a shoot-em-up side-scroller. Instead, the game is all about staying alive in a place that is hostile to Samus' existence.

The sheer stress that Metroid Dread puts the player under when being chased by overpowered creatures may be too much for younger gamers. Additionally, the difficulty level is well suited for adults, as many bosses will inevitably require multiple attempts to defeat.

Animal Crossing is a franchise that has seen some incredible success through the years, and New Horizons really took that to a new level by fully embracing the next-gen Switch platform. Animal Crossing is a game intended for all ages, but does not take precedence for one or the other – it isn't specifically catering to kids or adults. Still, it adds aspects that can be enjoyed by both equally.

For adults, Animal Crossing really took on a new meaning during the Coronavirus pandemic. As people began to seek social interaction through the internet when going out was impossible, New Horizons accepted the challenge and provided a middle ground for players to meet and interact through their in-game avatars.

The Xenoblade Chronicles series has almost single-handedly revived the JRPG genre for the switch console. While younger players can certainly enjoy this game, Xenoblade has an interesting story that adults will appreciate.

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A good bit of background lore goes into the Xenoblade Chronicles series, and they are indeed the spiritual ancestors of the Xenogears games, which share a root in their name. Xenogears was known for the psychological and religious symbolism underlying its story, concepts that are undoubtedly better appreciated by adult audiences.

Since kids aren’t necessarily old enough to party, Mario Party is probably more for adults than anyone else. Though kids can find a lot to enjoy with friends in Mario Party, adults can really cut loose with this party game of the future.

While card games will likely never go out of style for adults, Mario Party brings a more lively element to the concept of the party game by providing all the competitive elements of the latter, with exciting action and board game elements. As a result, adults will always find a reason to party: Mario Party just gives them something more fun to do while they do it.

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