A 2001 Title Has Been Named the Most Overrated Nintendo Game of All Time

Back in 2001, Nintendo released a popular video game that achieved massive success and built a passionate fan following of people who continue to love it today. However, one notable outlet crowned Super Smash Bros. Melee as the most overrated Nintendo game ever by ranking it at the top of a surprising list.

Why ‘Super Smash Bros. Melee’ Was Named the Most Overrated Nintendo Game Ever Released

In 2017, The Gamer ranked "15 Nintendo Games That Are Painfully Overrated." While the list's title didn't explicitly state that it was naming the company's most overrated games ever, the No. 1 entry called Super Smash Bros. Melee Nintendo's most "overhyped" release. "Of all of the Nintendo games that are overhyped, Super Smash Bros. Melee takes the cake."

The article detailed Super Smash Bros. Melee's flaws that, in their view, made it undeserving of so much praise. It called the game too inaccessible for new players due to its breakneck speed, and veterans relying on exploits to dominate. The outlet also called the title out for having stages that don't work properly and too many "cheap" clone characters. For those reasons, they argued that it didn't deserve to be called the best game in the franchise.

Released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2001, Super Smash Bros. Melee would be followed by several sequels, like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The Gamer's list argued that later games in the franchise fixed those flaws and struck a better balance between being fun and competitive.

Despite the List, ‘Super Smash Bros. Melee’ Has Received Consistent Praise Since Its Release

Since Super Smash Bros. Melee was first released, it has earned steady acclaim. For example, a January 2024 Medium article was penned by a writer who named it their "favorite game of all time," and IGN ranked it the third-best GameCube game. Additionally, Game Informer labeled it the second-best fighting game of all time in 2019, and Nintendo Life called it the second-best Super Smash Bros. game ever released.

Those accolades and others like them make a strong case that the title isn't overrated since it clearly is beloved and respected. On the other hand, critics who believe the game doesn't deserve that much praise could see those articles as proof that it is overhyped. Either way, it is important to note that despite the negative connotation of the word overrated, The Gamer didn't argue that Super Smash Bros. Melee is a bad game. Instead, the outlet argued that it gets too much respect for the level of flaws it has

The Gamer's Full List: "15 Nintendo Games That Are Painfully Overrated"

• 15: The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
• 14: Animal Crossing
• 13: Wii Sports
• 12: Super Mario Galaxy
• 11: Mario Kart 64
• 10: Super Mario Bros. 3
• 9: Donkey Kong 64
• 8: Pokémon Black And White
• 7: Kirby Super Star
• 6: Kid Icarus: Uprising
• 5: Metroid Fusion
• 4: F-Zero Series
• 3: Fire Emblem Fates
• 2: The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• 1: Super Smash Bros. Melee