The console wars have led to fans having to make some interesting decisions when it comes to their video games. Each console tends to have their own advantages and areas where they differentiate themselves from the competition. Nintendo is a company that’s skewed more towards innovation and creative gameplay over more advanced processing power.
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Another area in which Nintendo has stood out from the rest of the pack is that they have a more family-friendly image. This doesn’t mean that more mature games are impossible on Nintendo consoles, but they’re certainly more uncommon. Accordingly, here are the 10 most mature games that we can’t believe were released on Nintendo consoles.
Updated July 22, 2021 by Mark Sammut: Nintendo might not be typically associated with bloody and mature games, but that doesn't mean the company has never allowed such titles to appear on its consoles. In fact, the Switch seems to be quite willing to let a bit of gore onto its screen, even more than the Wii and Wii U. Nobody expects or even really wants the likes of Mario or The Legend of Zelda to suddenly throw out an "M" rated game, especially when third-party developers can be depended upon to scratch that itch. Along with a classic, this list has been updated to include a few recent releases.
14 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
- Release Date: October 15, 2019
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
In this case, the most impressive thing is that, somehow, CD Projekt Red got The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt running on the Nintendo Switch. One of the best RPGs of the eighth console generation, The Witcher 3 brings Geralt's story to a close in spectacular fashion.
Intelligent writing, great side quests, and an expansive world ripe for exploration, this game is considered a masterpiece for good reason. The Switch version is not the best way to experience The Witcher 3 but the fact it is a possibility is nothing short of amazing.
13 Doom
- Release Date: November 10, 2017
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
While this entry specifically calls out 2016's Doom, it can be considered a placeholder for any entry from the franchise. Doom Eternal and Doom 64 are also great picks. The Doom Slayer returned to prominence in a big way through id Software's soft reboot of the series.
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Gory kills, aggressive enemies, and satisfying combat define Doom. This is a first-person shooter that devotes itself entirely to its gameplay, offering wave after wave of demons for the player to mow through with stylish efficiency.
12 Mortal Kombat 11
- Release Date: April 23, 2019
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
Ever since its debut, Mortal Kombat has publicly represented "Mature" games. It is the first franchise that tends to pop into the minds of people when violent, bloody games are discussed. While Nintendo used to be quite welcoming of the franchise around the turn of the century, Mortal Kombat 11 was the first main entry to appear on one of the company's systems for over a decade.
Naturally, concessions had to be made to get Mortal Kombat 11 running on the Switch, with the visuals and effects being considerably worse than on other consoles. However, the combat is still fun and gory.
11 Narc
- Release Date: 1990
- Platform: NES
Quaint as it might seem nowadays, Narc was a huge deal back in the last '80s. An arcade title that eventually found its way onto the NES, Narc follows two agents as they work their way through a drug cartel, arresting and shooting enemies along the way.
Along with its mature themes, Narc was very violent for the era, even featuring blood. The NES version reduced quite a bit of the drug references but kept the rest of the game mostly intact.
10 Conker's Bad Fur Day
- Release Date: March 5, 2001
- Platform: Nintendo 64
Conker’s Bad Fur Day is a particularly unique case because it takes a cute and adorable character and then gives them a major attitude adjustment and throws them into a world that’s saturated in violence and sex. Not many Nintendo 64 games begin with a cinematic that references Saving Private Ryan and A Clockwork Orange.
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It’s a strange change of pace for Rare, but one of the best decisions that they made. The Nintendo 64 had very few M-rated games, so a title like Conker’s Bad Fur Day really stands out.
9 Chiller
- Release Date: 1990
- Platform: NES
Back in the late '80s, there was a strange lawlessness to video games, largely because the limitations of the hardware acted as a form of censorship in and of itself. Chiller started as an arcade game, but received an unlicensed port for the original Nintendo and even morbidly made use of the NES Zapper.
Chiller features bloody torture chambers, desecrated graveyards, and a shocking amount of dismemberments and deaths. Chiller is an offensive relic of its time that ruffled feathers back when it came out, but it's become an odd piece of history and easily the NES' most mature game.
8 Bully: Scholarship Edition
- Release Date: March 4, 2008
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
Rockstar has become notable for its violent open sandbox games that push boundaries and make headlines. Most of Rockstar’s efforts are set in aggressive environments that justify their violence, but Bully is a controversial detour because it centers around teenagers at a boarding school.
Bully features a lot of the same tricks and ideas that are found in Grand Theft Auto and Rockstar's other big series. However, since Bully puts that aggression behind a young protagonist, it’s particularly risky. Bully didn’t debut on the Wii, but it definitely turned some heads when it got ported to the console.
7 Manhunt 2
- Release Date: October 29, 2007
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
There are certain video games that feel like they’re intentionally trying to incite controversy and offend people by going over the line as much as possible. Manhunt 2 is such a title and it was one of the few video games to intentionally receive an AO (Adults Only) rating.
There are many companies that simply won’t release AO-rated titles on their consoles, so Manhunt 2 had to apply minor edits. That being said, it’s still a game that revolves around serial killers and vicious murder, so it’s still an intense experience.
6 Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry
- Release Date: June 13, 2019
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
The Leisure Suit Larry franchise has been around since the ‘80s and used to be a mature point-and-click adventure series from the early days of PC gaming. The Leisure Suit Larry franchise definitely feels like an ornery relic of the past, but it’s strangely seen revivals over the years.
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A recent title, Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry actually got released on the Switch. It’s the only time an entry in the chauvinistic and oversexed series will likely appear on a Nintendo console. It almost feels like the cartoon design helped it slip through the cracks.
5 Catherine: Full Body
- Release Date: July 7, 2020
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
There are some mature games that are of little substance other than their exploitative aspects and how they indulge in their baser instincts. They’re more novelty than games. However, some titles can apply mature themes in a justified way and deliver something powerful and provocative in the process.
Catherine: Full Body is the expanded version of Atlus’ controversial puzzle game. The dark, psychological game mixes together a lot of genres and is absolutely memorable. The recent Switch port brought the sexualized insanity to Nintendo fans.
4 Agony
- Release Date: October 31, 2019
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
Agony is a hopelessly nihilistic survival horror game from Madmind Studio that deals with a lost soul who’s been turned into a disturbing monster as they find themselves trapped in Hell. Agony digs into Faustian themes and questions about consent in ways that are powerful but feel gratuitous and unearned.
The art designs and monsters in the title are really upsetting, too. Agony is another game that initially saw an AO-rating but then toned itself down to meet standards. The studio has teased an AO patch, but it seems unlikely. All the same, the game somehow got ported over to the Switch.
3 Bayonetta 2
- Release Date: October 24, 2014 (Wii U); February 16, 2018 (Switch)
- Platform: Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch
PlatinumGames has built a reputation for being one of the best names in exaggerated action titles, and for many, the Bayonetta series is their crown jewel. The games take everything that Platinum does well and injects it with insanity. The gameplay and controls are a dream, but Bayonetta’s brash character is the real highlight.
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Bayonetta uses her looks in a creative manner and makes sure that her combat is constantly breaking the limits of reality. Bayonetta 2 is even more bonkers than its predecessor and hopefully means that the upcoming Bayonetta 3 will continue the trend.
2 Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
- Release Date: June 24, 2002
- Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is a survival horror title that’s exclusive to the GameCube. Eternal Darkness didn’t go on to have a lengthy franchise like Resident Evil or Silent Hill, but it’s made such an impression that people are still asking about a sequel.
The survival horror game draws inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe as it spans many disparate time periods in bleak ways. In addition to the death and violence, the game psychologically attacks the player and tackles topics, like suicide, that are intense for a Nintendo title.
1 MadWorld
- Release Date: March 10, 2009
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
PlatinumGames has gone on to make a lot of amazing titles for different consoles, but MadWorld was one of their earliest and most stylized hits that showed that these guys weren’t to be underestimated. The Wii title is an action beat-‘em-up style game that’s become par for the course for Platinum.
MadWorld is presented in gorgeous black-and-white that contrasts with the red buckets of blood that are spilled. It’s an amazing game that conjures the feeling of intense graphic novels and the works of Frank Miller. MadWorld embraces its over-the-top violence and is better off for it.