You'll Have To Go Full Nerd To Name 100% Of These Nintendo Characters!
- by Ricky Bambuto
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
Do you consider yourself a bit of a nerd? Or maybe you're a full nerd. Better yet - maybe you're a nerd and a half; one full nerd plus a half of another nerd. That would easily give you the clearest, most well-adjusted glasses on the block, along with a power level approaching 9000 - maybe even exceeding it.
It would also give you a great chance at being able to name all these Nintendo characters. Despite how generally well known these icons are, there's a whole lot of them down here, probably too much for even a full nerd to be able to identify.
No, even a full nerd won't have what it takes to ace this quiz - only a nerd and a half can name all these Nintendo characters. From series heroes to random baddies, if you can name each of them one by one, you can emerge from this quiz with a legit certification of "Nerd + .5".
If not, you might only be a full nerd. That's not so bad - doesn't mean you can't be great at math and physics. Those things count in the real world. But in the world of this quiz, knowledge of Nintendo characters is worth much more. Let's see how much of a nerd you are.
Who's this character?
This first character is a busy guy, so he can't just stick around this quiz for long. Aside from his own core series, he's involved in countless Nintendo projects and has been since the company's early stages. Even if you're not a Nintendo fan, your classification as a human being means you can't escape bumping into this guy at one point or another. If this is your first time seeing him, though, the rest of this quiz will probably be tough for you.
Who's this character?
The very virtual ground beneath us trembles with this character's every step, perhaps indicating it's time for him to go on a keto diet or something. But will he do anything like that? No, of course not. All this guy wants to do is take over the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach by his side (re: in his dungeon). He often gets close to making this happen, though a certain plumber tends to keep him at bay. What's this character's name?
Who's this character?
You can find this next character in the tall grasses of various Pokemon regions. Since he's a rare species, it may take sometime, but if you do bump into him, you can use your training expertise to catch him and add him to your party. If you've seen the Pokemon anime, you know full well the tremendous amounts of electric energy this little mouse is capable of generating. Maybe he won't use that power on you if you get his name wrong, but maybe he will.
Who's this character?
It's a certain special ape's birthday today, and someone got him his favorite cake. No worries if you didn't bring anything for this Nintendo character - he's strong but simple minded, and will be more than happy with a click of the right button below. Surely you won't stumble in offering this simple gesture, because a true Nintendo fan probably has a shirt with this guy's mug on it stashed somewhere in their closet. If you don't know this one, do you even know where you are right now?
Who's this character?
Another plumber makes an entrance into this quiz, but this one is green and lean. He's known to fly through the air like a human rocket, and he's also a master of the ghost vacuuming technique. Bit of a scaredy cat for sure, but how do you think you'd react in his shoes? This guy has faced far greater obstacles than a Nintendo character quiz, so cut him some slack. Go ahead and ace this if you're braver than he is.
Who's this character?
The glorious shield, the green garb - this can only be one Nintendo character, one of the most prized faces of the series. If you're a real Nintendo fan, then you've taken the wheel of his avatar in at least one of his numerous games. Even if you haven't played him in your own series, you might have noticed him as a playable character in all of the Super Smash Bros. titles. Either way, let's see if you can get his name right.
Who's this character?
When giant heads threaten to destroy chunks of galaxies, you can bet this furry guy and his animal buddies will show up to save the day. He's been zipping through cosmic rays for decades now, and all true Nintendo fans have piloted his Arwing, at least back in the Nintendo 64 days. On vacations, you can find him as part of the roster in any iteration of the Super Smash Bros. series. There's no way you're stumped by this one.
Who's this character?
This character does not come in peace - he comes in war. In fact, he's built his entire identity around it. This strange Nintendo character is a sort of bizarro version of Mario - what might happen to the plumber if he eats too many of a certain mushroom. He's been the star of several of his own games, though you'll also catch him in a Super Mario title from time to time. Come on now, what's this character's name?
Who's this character?
There's a party going on in the magical land of Smash 4, and a certain Nintendo trickster seems to be the first one on the dance floor. Too bad this particular scene only exists in his dreams, since he was never chosen as a member of the Smash Bros. roster - not yet at least. However, we've seen him in a number of fun titles, including Mario Tennis and Mario Party among others. If you get stuck here, you haven't prepared for this quiz.
Who's this character?
Waves of pure goodness follow this character wherever she goes, and her royal princess is always honorably accepted by those in her kingdom. Unfortunately though, she doesn't tend to get much of a break from being kidnapped by Bowser through a number of Nintendo games. Thankfully Mario is always there to bring her back home, and this is a story we think will keep playing out till the end of time. Since it's such a classic story, you should definitely know who this character is.
Who's this character?
Do you have what it takes to name this little chimp right here? The answer is obvious to a master Nintendo nerd, but amateurs might struggle with this one. If you've fallen out of touch with your Nintendo roots, his cartwheels and monkey shrugs might seem totally unfamiliar to you. Not knowing his name would make the little primate sad, so let's try to avoid a scene here. He has banana peels, and he usually isn't afraid to use them.
Who's this character?
A pink blob is flying across the sky on a shooting star - this is a Nintendo quiz alright. The character we're looking at is the hero of Dream Land, eternally saving it from the totalitarian King Dedede, a big penguin who wants nothing more than to see the dreams of the masses destroyed. Thankfully this puffball has ultimate power, and always makes his way to the final stage before Dreamland can be plundered in long term doom. Let's name him before he flies away.
Who's this character?
There is Nintendo magic in the air yet again, and we know exactly where it's coming from - this princess right here. Like her peachy counterpart, she tends to spend her time being kidnapped by a tyrant, though her captor tends to be a whole lot more sinister. Of course, the hero of Hyrule is always ready and willing to rescue her, and thank the gods for that. You might know the hero's name, but can you name this princess?
Who's this character?
This croc is a menace and a half, for sure. The world around him is a naturally peaceful place - at least, that's what it wants to be. Unfortunately, this tyrant and his cronies manage to mess the place up time and time again, and it seems they'll never stop doing this dance. Of course, wherever there's a terrible villain, you can bet there's a gorilla hero somewhere around the corner to knock him down. What's this classic villain's name?
Who's this character?
Now, that is a sleek space suit. Aside from its formidable aesthetic, this suit has a ton of utility if you happen to be the lead in an epic space adventure, which happens to be the case for the Nintendo character pictured here. She's been an icon of the company for a long time now. If you missed her in her original games, then you might have taken up her arms in one of the Super Smash Bros. titles. Let's see if you know her name.
Who's this character?
You knew this little mushroom topped character was coming up eventually, didn't you? After all, this wouldn't be much of a Nintendo characters quiz without him. He might not be featured as the lead character of a game very often - not at all, actually - but he's made appearances in a myriad of classic Nintendo games, so true fans have surely seen him numerous times. Although he's nondescript, you should definitely be able to pick his name out from the options below.
Who's this character?
There's a concert about to go down, but we're not sure if it's one you'd like to stick around for. When this creature pulls out her microphone, what happens next is usually shrouded in an impenetrable cloud of darkness. By that we mean that you'll fall asleep as soon as she starts singing. This would be great if you've been having trouble sleeping, but a big inconvenience in any other case. Let's see if you can name this classic character.
Who's this character?
There is evil to be wreaked somewhere in the horizon, and this little Nintendo villain is pointing right to it. With his devilish hover car, there isn't anywhere in the Mushroom Kingdom that this tiny tyrant can't get to. He's even known to travel between in-game universes, having made an appearance in Super Smash for the Wii U's roster. He's modeled quite closely after a certain, famous Nintendo character, so that alone should point you toward the right answer here.
Who's this character?
Damn, that is one formidable hammer. If this Nintendo villain gets us with one thwomp from that weapon, we'd probably have to take a break from weaving quizzes for a little while. Thankfully he's neatly constrained within the dimensions of this picture, so we won't have to worry about being put out of commission. Your situation isn't as worry free, however - it's up to you to click this character's name from the options below. It shouldn't be too hard.
Who are these characters?
There's an assortment of strange Nintendo characters here, and they all seems to be waving at us. Despite these little guys being happy to see us, there's something about them that throws us off. Maybe we've faced them in a certain saga of the first Paper Mario game, and they've been villainized in our minds ever since. We really shouldn't judge, though, because these guys seem quite alright. Have you seen them in a Nintendo title before, or are you a noob?
Who's this character?
There's only one Nintendo character who can wind up an egg like this one, and he's winding one up for us right now. Hopefully he's just serving us a hard boiled egg for breakfast, and he won't lob that thing like a cannon ball with perfect precision at your friendly neighborhood quiz blacksmith. If you've seen him do that in any of his games or his battles in Super Smash Bros., you'll know exactly how much percentage you'll be accumulating.
Who's this character?
This swordsman uses his range as his main advantage in battle. The connections he makes with the very tip of his sword are the most lethal - they'll launch you far and you may very well be next to your other half in flight. Fire Emblem fans will recognize this guy for sure, and if you're a Super Smash Bros. player, this one won't even be an issue. Let's name the character before he finds out we're talking about him.
Who's this character?
We've descended into a shrouded part of the quiz, and there's no turning back from here. We'll either have to face this villain head on, like Hyrule's brave hero, or fall to a thundering drop kick. Just look at this guy - pure evil is radiating from him like heat, and that dark aura is spreading through the internet from his mere inclusion in this quiz. We're not sure what sort of box we've opened, but it looks like Pandora's. Who is this character?
Who's this character?
There's an old man who lives out in the Nintendo jungle, in a tree house of all places. He usually keeps to himself and prefers when he's left undisturbed, though that doesn't stop his fellow apes from giving him a nudge every so often. If you're only an amateur dabbler in Nintendo culture, you might not know who this secondary DK character is. Though really, it should be obvious just by looking at his face - but is it? We don't know.
Who's this character?
There's a swift swordsman swooping through the air - a nightmare straight out of Dreamland. This character has been featured in a number of Kirby's titles, sometimes even as a playable character. His master swordsmanship makes for a nice additional kit when paired with Kirby's special inhalations. Of course, this character was the subject of some controversy when he was included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, having been given the "Broken" label after a few regionals. What's his name, again?
Who's this character?
Outside of the Mushroom Kingdom, way beyond it somewhere in the infinite cosmos, this character exists in a whole other plain, doing her own thing. Her world and Mario's would eventually end up colliding in Super Mario Galaxy, and the rest is history. Since her introduction to the Nintendo world, this character has been prized by fans - a new Nintendo princess worthy of standing with those who came before her. If you've kept up with your nerd lore, this one should be easy.
Who's this character?
No space bounty hunter is without a mortal enemy, and this one happens to be Samus's. If only her villain were of a more manageable size, she probably wouldn't have to stretch her space suit to its limits in order to get the job done. Even with her skills, experience and space suit, beating this bad guy tends to take everything that Samus has, and maybe a little extra, too. It'll take a real nerd to get this one right.
Who's this character?
Here is a man who likes to go fast, whether in hand to hand combat or in a supersonic race. He can drive a car at gut twisting speeds on impossible tracks you'd need to see to believe. In the Smash Bros. games, he's adept at delivering heavy, classic kicks and punches. His taunt game is of the highest ranking, too. If you were ever taunted by this character, then you'll definitely remember his name. If you don't, he might strike.
Who's this character?
Another swordsman from the Fire Emblem series has shown up in a burst of flame. This guy prefers close range combat, using a reverse grip on his sword to combo opponents straight to Hades. He's been featured in two Smash Bros. titles so far aside from the Fire Emblem saga, and something tells us we haven't come close to seeing the last of him yet. If you've seen him before, let's hope you managed to get his name, too. Did you?
Who's this character?
Yet again, a swordsman makes an appearance in this quiz. Except, this one doesn't seem as riled up for battle as the others. Maybe he's had his work cut out for him for a while now, and he's taking a well needed break. Or maybe he's just a lazy hero who should really be getting back to work. In any case, you have some work to do, too - naming Nintendo characters. It's not the worst job in the world.
Who's this character?
There's nothing this little apelette loves more than rolling down a hill on a barrel. As any true fan knows, Nintendo lore is filled with barrel rolls. The character we're looking at plays a key role in the DK games, being a counterpart character to a certain little chimp we all know and love. She hasn't been featured in a Smash Bros. game quite yet, but let's see what happens on the Switch. Adjust your glasses and name this character.
Who's this character?
Where would the hero of Hyrule be without his handy little navigational system here. Hyrule is a vast land, and it can be quite confusing. Thankfully though, this little sprite seems to know all there is to know about everything. If you want an answer, all you need to do is ask it politely. But don't go thinking it'll give you the answer to this question. This sprite answers only to us while it's here. Let's see if you know its name.
Who's this character?
The bells are ringing, and it's time for lunch. This classic Nintendo character loves eating bacon, and he's able to generate beautiful strips from his very own frying pan made with bits of his own pixels. The bacon is 2D and pure black, so we're not sure if it's good for human consumption, but what is anyway? Let's pick this guy's name from the options below so he can go make himself some food. He's been around for a while, so you've seen him for sure.
Who's this character?
A quiz about Nintendo characters is bound to be a quiz in part about Nintendo princesses, this classic lady being one of them. She doesn't see as much screen time as the character she's based off of, but that's probably a good thing. If you're a main princess in a Nintendo game, that usually means you'll be spending a lot of time being kidnapped. Abductions aside, let's see if you can guess this Princess' name. All real fans know it.
Who's this character?
This bird can dash at the speed of sound from one end of a Super Smash Bros. stage to the next. His hey day was in Smash Bros. Melee, where he remains one of the top tier threats in regional tournaments. Outside of the Smash series, this guy has also co-starred in a number of Starfox games, showing off his skills with space artillery. Casual fans might not have noticed this bird, but true Nintendo nerds know his name easily.
Who's this character?
There's an overwhelming amount of Psychic energy in this pocket of the quiz. We feel our thoughts being infiltrated, and in fact, our bodies seem to be floating up off the floor as we speak. We're not sure what's going on here, but we don't want to see what ends up happening. For the love of the gods, name this Pokemon so we can move on to a less intimidating character. If you really know Nintendo, then you know him for sure.
Who's this character?
That's one massive venus flytrap, and it looks like it's planning on impeding a certain super plumber's epic adventure. If you happen to be a plumber working in the Mushroom Kingdom, you can bet that you'll have to jump through a number of dangerous pipes if you're planning on saving the princess. Because that's in your job description, somewhere. You might have seen this character a number of times during your Nintendo experiences, but only a real fan will remember its name.
Who's this character?
There might be more than one boxer in the Nintendo universe, but there's only one guy who truly sticks to mind - this one, right here. Just look at him fly through the open air to deliver a one shot knock out through a devastating uppercut. In Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, this boxer is easily the strongest character on the ground, though he needs to pray to the gods every time he's knocked into the air. Let's see if you know his name.
Who's this character?
That is one huge tree, and it seems to be alive in a very real way. If you've played a certain Nintendo adventure game, then you've surely run into this hunk of flora at one point or another. This is true for sure, because meeting him is essential to the completion of your quest. He might not appear in a great number of Nintendo games, but he's a great character none the less. Can you figure out what his name is?
Who's this character?
This might look like just your average human, but he happens to be a classic character originating from Nintendo lore. On top of that, he's an accomplished intellectual, his research presumably published in a number of fictional, scientific Nintendo journals. Given his comprehensive body of work, you might have bumped into this old chap at one point or another. He's always happy to inform new Pokemon trainers just starting out on their big journeys. Let's pay him the respect of clicking the right name.
Who's this character?
This turtle has a cool pose for any feature, and this is his special pose concocted just for this quiz. Just look at how sleek and cool this guy is. Too bad he keeps getting knocked on his back by Mario over a wide array of Nintendo game. If only he could fix that one weakness - being helpless on his own shell - then maybe he can be a serious contender as a Mushroom King villain. But we think he is anyway.
Who's this character?
Since we're nearing the last round of this quiz, it's time for a certain psychedelic squirrel to make his fateful appearance. This character isn't seen often in Nintendo culture - he's more of a cult figure if anything - but true fans always welcome him when he makes an appearance. Another thing about true Nintendo fans is that they remember this little guy's name despite him being a lesser known character and all. Do you know his name, or are you a noob?
Who's this character?
If you're noob enough to let that last Nintendo character slip by your radar, then you definitely don't recognize this one. However, if you look acutely, you might notice that she's of the same species as a certain other, prehistorically based Nintendo figure, one we all now and love. Despite the popularity of her counterpart, this little she-dino has been in enough Nintendo titles for her to be deemed recognizable. You might have to de-fog your glasses to get this one right.
Who's this character?
This anthropomorphic frog belongs to the Starfox series, and no other animal - anthropomorphic or otherwise - can ever take his place in that world. He forms a valuable quadrant of fauna-based warriors who defend space from sure doom. If you don't think much of frogs, just wait till you see how this guy pilots an Arwing. He can even do a barrel roll, though only when it's absolutely necessary. If you've ever caught him mid flight, then you definitely know his name.
Who's this character?
Leave it to Nintendo to base a serious villain off an actual brain. This brain is not only smart - it's pure evil down to its every neuron, and it's capable of producing such devastating power that only Nintendo's greatest bounty hunter can stop it. Shutting this brain down is a serious task, for sure, but Samus manages to get the job done each and every time. Whether you've played its feature game or not, let's see if you know this brain's name.
Who's this character?
If this quiz seems to contain multiple frogs, that's because it does! You have to expect to run into at least more than one frog in a Nintendo quiz, after all. This isn't some Playstation or X-Box test, you know. Given this water ninja's popularity, we're sure that even amateur fans will have a chance here despite its relatively recent introduction to the company. If you're having trouble with this one, then you might want to get your Pokedex out.
Who's this character?
We had a feeling that this quiz was being haunted, but we didn't think the culprit would be such a classic Nintendo baddie. You might have seen this villain in a number of Nintendo titles, most notable Luigi's Mansion, where he served as the big boss. Unfortunately we don't have a ghost vacuum on us, and Luigi seems nowhere to be found - that little scaredy cat. Let's just name this Nintendo character and hope that he disappears into thin air.
Who's this character?
This Nintendo character looks a lot like a certain familiar plumber, but just why is he going around dressed as a doctor, throwing pills instead of fireballs? Well, the wonderful world of Nintendo is a vast, colorful, complicated place, and things aren't always as they seem. For instance, a certain plumber tends to spend more of his time saving lives and engaging his pharmaceutical hobby than doing any actual plumbing. With that in mind, let's see if you can name this character.
Who are these characters?
It looks like the road ahead of us is being blocked - right when we thought we could have progressed to the end of the quiz without any serious obstacles. Unfortunately, we'll need to use our Nintendo wit once more in order to get this one right. Though really, if you're the type of fan to pay attention to goons' names, then you probably learned what this little monster is called a long time ago. If that's the case, you can smoothly proceed to the last question.
Who are these characters?
If you're a real Nintendo fan, you were waiting for these guys to pop up in the quiz this whole time. Come on now - you didn't think we'd really forget them, did you? The world might have left them behind for the most part, but we certainly have not, and the same can be said for all bona fide Nintendo nerds. If you're among that honorable class, you'll definitely be able to end this quiz on the right note.