Nintendo is one of the oldest and most influential companies in the video game industry, withsome of the most beloved gaming franchises under its banner. Part of what makes Nintendo games so memorable are the unique and iconic characters that fans both young and old have grown to love.
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Many Nintendo characters haveheadlined their games for several decades, allowing generations of gamers to get to know them. Punchy video game dialogue and unforgettable catchphrases are all part of their charm. However, these lines weren’t always fundamental to the characters’ roots.
10Mario - “It’s A-Me!”
By far one of Nintendo’smost well-known characters, Mario first appeared in the 1981 gameDonkey Kong.Though fans wouldn’t hear the now-iconic voice until nearly 10 years later when Charles Martinet was hired by Nintendo for various trade show attractions. The very first in-game line uttered by Mario is widely believed to be fromMario Teaches Typing:“Welcome to Mario Teaches Typing!”.
However, in interviews, andin discussions with fans, Martinet has confirmed that he also voiced Mario in the 1992 GottliebSuper Mario Brospinball machine. This makes Mario’s first line of game-related dialogue:“My name is Mario, we have a good time, huh?”
9Princess Zelda - “Thank You, Link.”
One of Nintendo’s most successful franchises,The Legend of Zeldais another franchise with its roots in the 1980s golden age of gaming. Though the protagonist Linkis a man of very few words, it’s Princess Zelda who, at the end of the very first game in 1986, says:“Thanks Link, you’re the hero of Hyrule.”
Many subsequentZeldagames are well known for their restrained approach to character voices. In the more popular games within the series, such asWind WakerandTwilight Princess,characters either communicate entirely through text or short vocal noises. It isn’t until the 2017 gameThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildthat Zelda speaks her first fully voice-acted sentence:“Open your eyes.”
8Samus Aran - “You’re Mine.”
Samus first appeared in the 1986 NES gameMetroid, where players guide the intergalactic bounty hunter through the fortress planet of Zebes, fight space pirates, and hunt down the Mother Brain. But it isn’t until the third game in the series,Super Metroid, that Samus has her first line in text form:“I first battled the Metroids on Planet Zebes.”
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This opening monologue would come todefine the character’s personality, as many subsequent games included Samus’ long introspective thoughts on her missions, her enemies, and her past. Her very first voice acted line was in the 2010 Wii gameMetroid: Other M, where she opens the game with:“Why am I still alive?”
7Fox McCloud - “It’s Go Time.”
Nintendofirst introduced Fox McCloudin the 1993 gameStar Fox, which was originally released on the SNES but later remade for the N64. In the original game, players are thrown into the Arwing and tasked with protecting the city from attack.
Fox is joined by a team of animal fighters, known as Team Star Fox, who helps him to defeat the evil Andross. It is this debut game in which Fox McCloud speaks his first line:“All ships check in!!”
6Ness - “Okay!”
Released in 1994,EarthBoundhas come to be seen by many Nintendo fans as a cult classic. Despite its lackluster performance in the American market at the time of its release, the series went on to be regarded highly and had several other games released in Japan. In the original American release,Ness is a young boy with psionic powerswho is one of the Chosen Four tasked with defeating Giygas and preventing his takeover of the planet.
While Ness never directly speaks inEarthBound, his thoughts are projected onto the walls of Lumine Hall during the game:“I’m Ness…. It’s been a long road getting here…”Ness also plays a key role in theSuper Smash Brosfranchise.
5Marth - “The Day Is Mine!”
Marth is the star protagonist in the 1990 gameFire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light. This game was the first release within theFire Emblemseries and was developed for the NES.Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Lightwas one of the first turn-based strategy games made for home consoles and remains apopular franchise for fans of these games.
The game follows Marth’s quest to find the Divine Blade Falchion and restore peace to Arachnea. Marth’s first line in the game is:“Caeda, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
4Isabelle - “Hello, Mayor!”
Though she hascome to be a mascotfor the wholeAnimal Crossingfranchise, Isabelle only first appeared in the 2012 gameAnimal Crossing: New Leaf. The game allows players to build and develop their own town while interacting with various animal villagers. Isabelle one of the first characters you meet in the game and welcomes you into your role as mayor. Her very first line is:“Okay, everyone! Here we go…”
Isabelle is another of Nintendo’s iconic characters who feature in theSuper Smash Brosfranchise, which provides fans a hilarious contrast from her usual sweetness in theAnimal Crossingseries.
3Pit - “The Fight Is On!”
Another of Nintendo’searly franchises that modern gamers might not recognizeisKid Icarus. Originally released in America on the NES in 1987, the game is a classic platformer that follows Pit on his journey to liberate the goddess Palutena as the rightful ruler of Angel Land. Many hardcore Nintendo fans will know that the difficult gameplay ofKid Icarusshares many similarities withMetroid,as they both use the same engine.
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Though a sequel game was released, Pit wouldn’t speak until his appearance inSuper Smash Bros Brawlin 2008. Though many of his taunts in this game are recognizable, it’s difficult to define any one line as the first. Within theKid Icarusfranchise, Pit’s first line of dialogue occurs in the 2010 3DS gameKid Icarus: Uprisingwhere he says:“Sorry to keep you waiting!”
2Captain Falcon - “Falcon Punch!”
For fans of futuristic racing games, Nintendo’sF-Zero,released in 1990, isundoubtedly one of the greats. Though the game introduces players to several key characters, it is the iconic Captain Falcon that serves as the main promotional lead of the franchise.
Much like other early Nintendo characters, Captain Falcon first appears to speak in theSuper Smash Brosfranchise. Within his own series of games, his first line of dialogue appears as text in the 2004 gameF-Zero: GP Legend:“Ok. I’ll take the job.”
1Bowser - “ROAR!”
A list of iconic Nintendo characters wouldn’t be complete without including Bowser,Mario’s main adversary since his first appearanceinSuper Mario Brosin 1985. Bowser is almost always the one who kidnaps Princess Peach, sometimes sending his children in to do the work for him. InSuper Mario Bros 3,Bowser leaves Mario a letter that says:“Yo! I kidnaped the princess while you were running around.”In terms of voice acting, early versions of Bowser are portrayed as more animal than human, so he often communicates through a series of growls and roars.
Bowser’s original iconic booming laughis taken from a sound effect samplerecorded by Charles Martinet, the same actor who voices Mario. It wasn’t untilSuper Mario Sunshinethat players heard Bowser, voiced by Scott Burns, speak in full sentences for the first time:“Bwaaaa ha ha! The water’s great, eh, Jr.?”
