Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Editor's Choice: Best Of Club Nintendo's Final Games
The announcement that Club Nintendo is closing in July of this year was met with much chagrin. While the death of such a unique loyalty program is lamentable, Nintendo promised to make the Club go out with a bang.
With just a few months left in its life, Club Nintendo made the final reward offerings live this week, giving Nintendo fans plenty to spend their hard earned coins on. The final round of physical rewards includes a slew of Zelda-themed items including a Majora’s Mask messenger bag, a Fierce Deity Link jigsaw puzzle, and a Zelda 3DS XL pouch, plus a Retro Mario shirt, a desktop calendar, and several different sets of posters.
The most impressive section of the Club Nintendo rewards page, however, is the robust list of games offered. For as little as 150 coins, Club Nintendo members can choose from a list of over 100 nostalgic classics and recent hits to add to their collection.
With so many games to choose from – and the Club Nintendo website finally starting to stabilize – we went through the list of available games to tell you our favorites. Check out the games we think are most worth your coins and begin scrounging through your Nintendo collection to find any unused Club Nintendo codes.
On the second page, we dig into some of the biggest, most classic games of all-time.
Top 10 Classic Games
10. Star Fox 64 (Wii) – 250 Coins
Star Fox 64 remains a legendary entry into Nintendo’s library for a variety of reasons. The branching storyline, the spectacular flight mechanics, and the full suite of voice acting are all great even today. The graphics have also aged more gracefully than most other games from the era, even if the visual fidelity is nearly two decades old. If you’d prefer to have the experience on the go, Star Fox 64 3D for 3DS is also offered in the final round of Club Nintendo rewards for 700 coins.
9. Mario Kart 64 (Wii) – 250 Coins
Super Mario Kart on SNES made a splash by taking Nintendo’s star-studded cast and having the characters settle their difference on the racetrack. While Super Mario Kart is available through this final round of Club Nintendo rewards, Mario Kart 64 is a more well-rounded game that features a better roster, better tracks, and better power-ups. Splitscreen multiplayer support for up to four players also plays in this entry’s favor, as Super Mario Kart only allowed for two players at a time.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (3DS) – 200 Coins
Though the graphics are a bit rough for those who haven’t seen a Game Boy game in a while, Link’s Awakening is such an engrossing adventure that any visual transgressions are quickly forgiven. Every part of the Zelda handheld debut proved the series could make the jump from consoles to become just as viable on the go. Link’s Awakening remains one of the most beloved Game Boy titles ever released.
7. Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (Wii U) – 200 Coins
Yoshi’s Island is one of the most cherished games to come out of the lauded Super NES library, so it’s no surprise the game’s rerelease on the Game Boy Advance under the Super Mario Advance 3 moniker was a hit. Although the SNES version is slightly more appealing to the eyes, the Game Boy Advance release features updated voice samples from the N64 game Yoshi’s Story, as well as extra levels not found on the SNES version.
6. EarthBound (Wii U) – 250 Coins
Nintendo made headlines back in 2013 when it announced that the hard-to-find EarthBound was coming to its Virtual Console service for Wii U. Now, less than two years following its rerelease, you can pick up the beloved RPG that made Ness known enough to include in the Super Smash Bros. roster. Though several of the RPG mechanics found in EarthBound have greatly matured since its launch, you’ll be sure to get your coins’ worth with this selection, as the game is heavy on both exploration and story.
5. Super Mario 64 (Wii) – 250 Coins
The graphics might not hold up today, but back in the ‘90s, nothing beat seeing our favorite portly plumber in 3D. Despite the aged look, the level design is still among the best seen in the Mario franchise, even if the analog controls aged a bit. Those who missed out on Mario’s Nintendo 64 adventure shouldn’t hesitate to grab Super Mario 64 at a mere 250 Club Nintendo coins.
4. Super Mario World (Wii U) – 200 Coins
As iconic as games come, Super Mario World introduced fans of the series to a host of new characters and mechanics. Super Mario World is the first appearance of Yoshi in the Mario series, and Bowser’s infamous Koopa Clown Car also debuts. The package is tied together with some of the best music the series has ever delivered, as well as some of the best level design the genre has seen to this point.
3. Super Metroid (Wii U) – 200 Coins
Few games on the SNES match the atmosphere conveyed by Super Metroid. Players can expect to pour tons of time into the exploration-based gameplay. With Metroid Prime Trilogy being made available via the Wii U eShop, now is the perfect time to add to your Metroid collection with one of the most influential games of all time.
2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (Wii U) – 200 Coins
After Super Mario Bros. revolutionized video games, the U.S. version of Super Mario Bros. 2 was a deviation from the formula thanks to its roots in the Japanese game Doki Doki Panic. Super Mario Bros. 3 not only returned to the original SMB formula with a vengeance, it introduced several well-known characters and power-ups that are still used in the franchise to this day.
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Wii) – 250 Coins
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past headlines our list of classic titles available in final round of Club Nintendo rewards. A Link to the Past was another iconic Nintendo series’ return to its roots after Zelda II: The Adventure of Link digressed from the formula that made the original so successful. This is also the perfect opportunity for new fans of the series to catch up on one of the reasons the franchise is as popular as it is today, as this Super NES title is considered by many to be Link’s greatest adventure.
Looking for something a bit newer? Head on to the next page and see some of the modern games we recommend!
Top 5 Modern Games
5. The Wonderful 101 (Wii U) – 600 Coins
The Wii U isn’t exactly known for its massive library of third-party games, but The Wonderful 101 is an underappreciated title worthy of your attention. Developed by Platinum Games, the team behind the Bayonetta franchise, Wonderful 101 is a shining example of a developer producing a strong release on the Wii U without having to rely on an established Nintendo property. Though the touchscreen controls can be a bit finicky at times, the game implements them in special ways to provide an experience only the Wii U can deliver.
4. Game & Wario (Wii U) – 600 Coins
WarioWare holds a special place in the hearts of many Nintendo fans, and Game & Wario carries that torch in a similar manner. Though the quirky cast of characters from WarioWare is missing, this diverse compilation of minigames brings with it several unique uses for the Wii U GamePad. Because of this, Game & Wario is one of the best ways to show off the technology for those who aren’t familiar with its uses. On top of that, nearly every game included is a lot of fun, making for a great choice to play alone or with friends.
3. Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS) – 700 Coins
The most recent entry in the Paper Mario RPG series returns to the franchise’s turn-based combat roots and adds several new features. The prominent collectible sticker mechanic gives players something to scour the world for, while rewarding Mario with new abilities to use. Sticker Star also brings a fun story surrounding a festival celebrating the arrival of the Sticker Comet.
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (3DS) – 600 Coins
Following a long absence from the 2D platforming circles, Donkey Kong jumped back in with both feet in Donkey Kong Country Returns for Wii. The 3D edition serves as a portable rerelease that fixes the control issues many critics and players had with the Wii release. Fans who missed out on Donkey Kong Country Returns, but have found themselves enamored by the excellent Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Wii U can now get their DK fix for just 600 coins.
1. Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) – 600 Coins
Not only is Super Mario 3D Land one of Mario’s best outings in years, it’s one of the best releases on the 3DS to date. The superb design and platforming mechanics made us call it a “must-have” in our review – a notion we still stand by. The game even uses the 3D capabilities of the 3DS to its advantage by including puzzles that are made better with the effect. With the New 3DS XL and its improved 3D and head-tracking technology on the horizon, there hasn’t been a better excuse to pick this title since it launched in 2011.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
