Best Looking Game On Every Nintendo Handheld

Summary

• Nintendo‘s Game Boy lineup led to the company’s massive success in handhelds later on.
• Despite often not being as powerful, Nintendo’s handhelds were always successful due to their focus on innovation.
• From Monster Hunter to Xenoblade Chronicles, the graphical displays for these handhelds have been jaw-droppingly impressive over the years.

Over time, Nintendo has transformed from a compact game company into a much larger entity, and its thriving collection of handheld devices plays a significant role in this growth. In the ’90s, the original Game Boy line was unrivaled, dominating the market. As we moved into the 2000s, Nintendo’s DS models took over. Now, with the upcoming release of the successor to the 2017 Switch this summer, Nintendo’s portable console business has continued to flourish and grow.

Gamers have caught glimpses of upcoming titles for the Switch 2, and some of these previews have been quite striking. As we eagerly anticipate more details about the anticipated next-generation console, let’s take a moment to reminisce about some of the most breathtaking games that graced each of Nintendo’s iconic handheld devices in the past.

1. Game Boy – Faceball 2000

War Of The Floating Smiley Faces

Although Nintendo’s Game & Watch series was released earlier, it was the Game Boy that truly marked Nintendo’s debut in the realm of portable gaming consoles, and it caused quite a stir in 1989. Given its graphical constraints, determining the most visually appealing game can be challenging, but Faceball 2000 is nothing short of remarkable when considering the handheld’s technical limitations.

Faceball 2000, in simpler terms, was a mix of a maze and shooter game, where players moved through numerous passages, firing at other smiley-faced adversaries in a first-person, quasi-3D viewpoint. Essentially, it was an update of the MIDI Maze on the Atari ST. The astonishing part is that they managed to fit such a game onto the original Game Boy, which seems almost unbelievable considering its basic concept. Although the black-and-white graphics and uneven frame rate might not always be pleasing to look at, the technological advancements it represented for its time cannot be overlooked.

2. Game Boy Color – Shantae

A Charmingly Bright, Colorful & Vibrant Platformer

Initially, the first Game Boy was extremely popular because it offered an affordable price tag and excellent battery life. However, it lacked a crucial feature – color. Fortunately, this gap was filled with the introduction of the Game Boy Color in 1998. One standout example of the vibrant new color display on the Game Boy Color was the original ‘Shantae’ game released in 2002.

The story follows the titular half-genie character, Shantae, as she embarks on a journey across the fictional Sequin Land to thwart the evil pirate “Risky Boots.” Despite its conventional plot, it’s hard not to be charmed by it. However, what sets this game apart is its visual appeal, which was far from typical for a handheld game. The graphics in Shantae are exceptional, making use of the expanded color palette on the Game Boy Color effectively, giving the impression that it could easily pass as a Game Boy Advance title with its rich, vibrant colors and imaginative character designs.

3. Game Boy Advance – MOTHER 3

An Emotional Third & Final Installment

The latest version of Game Boy Advance boasted more significant advancements in technology, sporting a powerful 32-bit ARM processor and an improved display capable of showcasing a broader spectrum of colors compared to the Game Boy Color. Among the numerous games on GBA with stunning visuals, MOTHER 3 truly warrants recognition.

In the concluding chapter of the cherished series known as MOTHER 3, players embark on an exhilarating, endearing journey through a turn-based role-playing game. Filled with intriguing characters, locations, and adversaries, every aspect is beautifully rendered in its vividly colorful artwork. Maintaining a resemblance to the preceding game, this time MOTHER 3 skillfully utilized the handheld’s expanded color palette to breathe life into even the gloomiest parts of the game.

Even though the game was initially released only in Japanese, enthusiastic fans have painstakingly created an unofficial English translation over a number of years. This has enabled gamers worldwide to now enjoy this legendary RPG in all its splendor.

4. DS – Metroid Prime Hunters

A Downright Impressive FPS Display For The Handheld

In 2004, Nintendo DS introduced innovative features to the handheld gaming scene, such as a touch screen, compatibility with Game Boy Advance titles, and its distinctive dual-screen layout. It’s well-known that this innovative device attracted numerous games boasting both engaging gameplay and impressive graphics.

2006’s “Metroid Prime Hunters” stands out remarkably for its impressive performance on the Nintendo DS. You play as the legendary character Samus Aran, competing against six other space bounty hunters to investigate and explore a chain of space stations. Despite being a relatively short game, it successfully delivered first-person shooter gameplay on a device that wasn’t designed for this genre at all. Although there were other popular FPS games on the DS, none of them had the seamless look and feel that “Hunters” did, making it one of the most remarkable titles ever released for the handheld system.

5. 3DS – Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate

A Full-Scale MH Game On The 3DS

In the absence of significant competition within the handheld market during that time, Nintendo found itself in a favorable position when it introduced its innovative 3DS device in 2011. Just as its predecessor had demonstrated, the new handheld’s impressive lineup of visually appealing games served as evidence of its powerful capabilities.

In essence, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate truly showcased remarkable prowess on the 3DS platform. It wasn’t merely about its visual appeal, but also the vastness of its content. Capcom managed to bring nearly the entire experience of their beloved Action Role-Playing Game series to the 3DS, with minimal sacrifices noticeable. The game offers the same colossal monsters, epic battles, and stunning graphics as its PC and console counterparts. To this day, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate continues to astonish on the 3DS, earning widespread acclaim for its audacious and impressive nature.

6. Switch – Xenoblade Chronicles 3

A Stunning Balance Between Visual Styles

2017 saw Nintendo launching the Switch, an innovative device that combines handheld and home console functionalities, enhancing their standing in the handheld market even more. Compared to its predecessors, this new system boasted superior capabilities, and many of its new games were designed to maximize these resources. The third installment of the well-known Xenoblade Chronicles series was a notable demonstration of this potential.

In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you’ll encounter the series’ traditional open-world action role-playing gameplay, allowing you to fight against mechs, wildlife, and an array of creatures. The visuals are truly captivating due to the game’s clever blend of semi-realistic settings with highly stylized anime characters, resulting in graphics that are not only visually striking but also aesthetically pleasing. Given the series’ reputation for delivering enjoyable and well-crafted games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 stands out as a top-tier choice, and is one of the most visually impressive games on the Nintendo Switch so far.

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2025-06-04 09:34