There are many different types of Nintendo characters, and while the company is known for delivering family-friendly adventures, they’re also responsible for introducing some of the most powerful fighters in all of fiction. These gaming icons are cartoonishly strong, and they should never be underestimated just because of their unassuming designs.
Some of these characters have immense physical strength, while others have abilities that warp the fabric of reality. The very strongest Nintendo characters are actual gods who hardly any video game characters could home to stand against.
Donkey Kong Smashes the Competition
A heavyweight in the gaming world since his arcade days, Donkey Kong has always shown off his impressive strength. His ability to effortlessly throw barrels at enemies cannot be matched, especially since they don’t mess with his agility and jump height.
His most recent solo outing, Donkey Kong Bananza, took the ape’s strength to a whole new level. DK swings his fists and the entire environment bends to his will, creating a plethora of platforming and exploration opportunities for the player. Doing it all with a smile on his face is one of the reasons why DK is one of Nintendo’s greatest, and strongest, characters.
Bowser is Always Trying to Take Over the Mushroom Kingdom
Bowser’s legacy within the Mario series is marked by how many times he fails at the hands of the Red Plumber. Still, he is not a foe to be underestimated, which is why he nearly succeeds at taking over the Mushroom Kingdom on so many occasions.
He is usually a large figure that is constantly breathing fire and destroying everything in his path. And since he’s also adept at using magic, he can transform himself to increase his strength as either Giga Bowser or Wonder Bowser.
Ridley Haunts the Metroid Universe
Ridley is one of the most intimidating and terrifying villains within the Metroid universe. For several installments, he has terrorized Samus Aran, even in games set after his canonical death.
This dragon-like creature can fly, stab people with his tail or claws, and shoot plasma out of its mouth. This makes Ridley a tough opponent to fight in any Metroid game, and one of the strongest Nintendo characters ever.
Mewtwo Will Never Stop Striking Back
As one of the first Legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo is a creature that has always boasted immense power. Artificially created by scientists, this clone of Mew usually boasts an impressive series of stats, ones made even stronger when it undergoes Mega Evolution.
Mewtwo has mastery of several psychic and telekinetic abilities, with moves such as Confusion and Psystrike among others. These abilities are also present in the various Pokémon anime and manga, making it one of the most popular characters in the franchise.
Ganondorf’s Darkness Never Goes Away
Ganondorf is the most persistent enemy in The Legend of Zelda, usually embodying the darkness that Link and Zelda must defeat in order to bring light back to Hyrule. Since each Zelda game is set in a different era, this means that the king of the Gerudo has taken on many forms.
There is his human form that can perform magic and wield a giant sword, as well as his monstrous Ganon form that towers over Link. Boss battles against Ganondorf are usually long and require hitting specific weak points, and he can never be killed for good.
Tabuu Defeated Nearly the Entire Super Smash Bros Brawl Roster
The Adventure Mode for Super Smash Bros. Brawl brought all the characters together to defeat Tabuu, a being residing within the Subspace who planned to take over the world by drawing it and the fighters into his grasp. The entire mode culminates in a final battle where Tabuu holds nothing back.
Tabuu can teleport, shoot lasers, discharge electricity, and shoot multiple projectiles at the player to cause massive damage. He even has a move that can kill any character in one hit.
Palutena Watches Over All the Angels
In the Kid Icarus universe, Medusa is the Goddess of Darkness while Palutena is the Goddess of Light. And with Pit by Palutena’s side, the two work together to save Angel Land and the rest of humanity from the wrath of Hades.
Pit might be the playable character, but Palutena is the real powerhouse. She grants other angels the power of flight, can fire massive energy blasts, and can transform other characters into various creatures.
Naga Ensured Humanity’s Survival
In the early Fire Emblem games, the divine dragons were some of the most powerful creatures to ever exist. The leader of the divine dragons was Naga, whose actions shaped the worlds that protagonists Marth and Chrom live in.
During her reign, Naga protected humanity in their war against the other dragon clans. In addition to her battle skills, she is also the creator of several legendary weapons, including the Binging Shield and the Falchion Sword.
Kirby is an Unstoppable God-Like Hero
Being the pink puff ball that he is, Kirby’s strength is not derived by any physical attributes. Instead, it comes from his ability to suck up his enemies and copy their powers for his own. This makes Kirby one of the most versatile characters ever.
One minute Kirby is shooting fireballs out of his mouth, and the next he is wielding a sword and fighting it out against Meta Knight. Kirby’s flexibility when it comes to any situation he finds himself in, which is what’s allowed the pink puffball to slay so many gods and cosmic entities.
Arceus is the God of All Pokémon
There are a lot of extremely powerful Pokémon, but there is one that towers over all others: Arceus. First discovered in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, this Normal-type Pokémon is said to be the creator of the entire Pokémon universe, as well as of the legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia.
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it is possible to catch an avatar of the god of all Pokémon and put them into your Pokédex. Doing so requires players to catch every other Pokémon in the game, complete a certain number of missions, and defeat an Arceus avatar themselves. It’s a hefty set of requirements just to obtain a small piece of this god.