You may be wondering if Nintendo developed games are available for purchase and play on other consoles, so I’m here to help answer that question for you.

Instead, Nintendo supports its own dedicated gaming hardware with releases from all of its best-selling and most popular beloved gaming series.

Xbox, PlayStation, and PC owners will need to get a Nintendo gaming system in order to play Nintendo developed and published titles.

Continue reading for more details about Nintendo games including specific series and games exclusive to Nintendo hardware along with additional informational resources.

Are Nintendo Games On Xbox, PlayStation, PC?

Overall, Nintendo develops games only for its owns consoles and smart devices. The gaming giant benefits from making their games exclusive to their systems to maximize console sales.

Thus Xbox, PlayStation, and PC do not get Nintendo games as they are competing platforms. Interested gamers must buy a Nintendo system to play Nintendo games.

Nintendo does NOT develop games for Xbox, PlayStation or PC

Nintendo fans also arguably benefit from Nintendo keeping games exclusive to their own systems: quality and consistent Nintendo releases.

This is due to Nintendo’s developers being more familiar with their own hardware than say Xbox or PlayStation.

The close connection between Nintendo’s hardware and software teams is crucial to Nintendo’s success as a company and the quality games they make.

Also, developing games for one hardware will always be much easier than developing games for more than one.

Each extra gaming platform creates additional workloads, issues, bugs, and so on.

iPhone and Android phones and tablets, however, do have access to Nintendo games.

Nintendo views mobile gaming as complementary to their home console as opposed to a competitor.

Nintendo games are available on iPhone and Android mobile devices

Therefore, the gaming giant has released mobile games based on its most popular series such as Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp among others over the years.

Nintendo created mobile-specific versions of its popular series instead of porting previously released games to fully take advantage of cell phones and tablets.

Can You Play Popular Nintendo Series On Xbox, PlayStation, Or PC?

Popular Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, and Pokémon are not available to play on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. These mega series–developed by or published in conjunction with Nintendo–are only available on Nintendo hardware.

The following is a list of Nintendo owned series that can NOT be played on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

12 Popular Nintendo Game Series Exclusive To Nintendo

In short, Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, Pokémon, Kirby, and Donkey Kong series are not available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

These series can only be played on Nintendo platforms.

The same can be applied to other Nintendo-owned series such as Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, Luigi’s Mansion, Pikmin, Star Fox, and Picross.

25 Popular Nintendo Games You Can Only Play On Nintendo

Million selling Nintendo games–from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Super Mario Bros. Wonder–can only be played on Nintendo’s consoles. The gaming company has released many popular and exclusives games only available for their primary console, the Nintendo Switch (2017-2025).

View the following list for some of the best-selling Nintendo Switch exclusive games.

The curated list is especially important to those wondering whether a certain popular game is only available on a Nintendo platform.

Reading this information can prove valuable if you’re intending to buy a gift for a family or friend but need a little help.

This list contains 25 Nintendo Switch exclusive million-sellers that are NOT available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

Top 25 Nintendo Switch Exclusive Games

Overall, many of the best selling games from 2017-2025 are only available on Nintendo Switch and can NOT be played on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

These Nintendo Switch exclusive games include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The Nintendo Switch is the only place where popular Nintendo games are available.

Can I Play Nintendo Games On Xbox, PlayStation, Or PC?

Officially, Nintendo games cannot be played on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC hardware. The company has never officially released a game for these platforms.

Nintendo games cannot officially be played on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC

Any Nintendo game played on non-Nintendo hardware is not legally supported or sponsored by Nintendo even though illicit ways to do so may exist.

Supporting Nintendo’s developer’s by playing Nintendo games on official Nintendo hardware will always be the ideal, painless way to experience and enjoy the gaming company’s assortment of fun games.

Will Nintendo Games Ever Come To Xbox, PlayStation, Or PC?

For the foreseeable future, Nintendo games will remain exclusive to Nintendo hardware and will not be available on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC. Nintendo’s strategy is to maximize its own gaming console sales by keeping their games exclusive to their own console.

Encouraging potential buyers to buy a Nintendo Switch or future Nintendo console with high quality games based upon popular franchises (such as Super Mario Bros., and Kirby) is a significant way to increase hardware sales.

Simply speaking, fans must buy Nintendo if they want to play Mario, Zelda, Kirby, Pokémon, and the list goes on.

Nintendo games will remain exclusive to Nintendo hardware

Will Nintendo’s strategy shift overtime to allow their popular series to release on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC? Perhaps.

Nintendo once maintained they wouldn’t develop mobile games until they did.

Nintendo games being brought to personal computers is more likely than any other console outcome due to a computer being less of a direct competitor to a dedicated Nintendo console.

And even then, a hypothetical Nintendo slate of PC released games would probably be limited.

For example, the probability of Nintendo releasing older titles (think Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and Super Nintendo games) on PCs sometime in the far off future is more probable than the company releasing new entries in its most beloved franchise on competing consoles from Microsoft and Sony.

After all, Microsoft and Sony currently release games on PC as well as their own hardware. Sony, in particular, has brought previously released older titles to PC as to avoid competing with itself and current PlayStation game releases.

Sell old games elsewhere to promote the release of new games on the current hardware is a working sales strategy.

Overall, Nintendo may do the same in the far future and release games on PC or other platforms. But for now, there are no signs Nintendo games will release on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC.

How You Can Play Awesome Nintendo Games Today

Nintendo games may not be available on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC, but they can be played on Nintendo’s handheld, home console hybrid Nintendo Switch family of gaming consoles.

Nintendo Switch is the ideal gaming console that can be played anywhere at any time with over 19,000 titles available

The Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite (handheld only), and Nintendo Switch OLED (improved OLED screen) can be played on-the-go thanks to its built-in screen and controls or at home.

The system has over 19,000 titles available on its digital store and a large amount of the best games are available physically at a store or digitally as a direct download.

The Nintendo Switch system is home to:

• family-friendly games
• party games perfect for game night
• single player experiences
• online multiplayer games
• mature oriented titles for adults
• retro and classic gems
• and so much more

The Nintendo Switch is by far my favorite Nintendo console.

What’s more, I have enjoyed thousands of hours collectively playing games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons with my spouse, the farming simulator Stardew Valley with my best friend, the action oriented Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate and Rise with my buddies, and a host of single player experiences by myself.

Enjoy the fun along with me and over 140 million other Nintendo Switch owners. View the current price of the Nintendo Switch today by using my Amazon affiliate links below.

LINK: View Nintendo Switch’s Current Price

Nintendo Switch can be played handheld or connected to a television

LINK: View Nintendo Switch OLED Current Price

Nintendo Switch OLED has a premium screen and can be played handheld or connected to a television

LINK: View Nintendo Switch Lite’s Current Price

Nintendo Switch Lite is a budget-friendly device that can only be played in handheld mode

Also enjoy a quick list of essential Nintendo Switch accessories I highly recommend all new users should get.

Then, read the very detailed article I created on TendoSource about Awesome Nintendo Switch Accessories To Upgrade Your Gaming Experience to help you further.

Nintendo Switch Screen Protectors

• Nintendo Switch Glass Screen Protector
• Nintendo Switch OLED Glass Screen Protector
• Nintendo Switch Lite Glass Screen Protector

Nintendo Switch Memory Cards

• Nintendo Switch Compatible 256GB microSD Memory Card
• Nintendo Switch Compatible 512GB microSD Memory Card
• Nintendo Switch Compatible 1TB microSD Memory Card

Nintendo Switch Controllers

• Extra Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controller
• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Listings
• Generic Budget Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

These products are the same Nintendo Switch accessories I and my spouse both use with our Nintendo Switch consoles.

Helpful Nintendo Game Resources

Check out all of the other articles and guides on TendoSource for even more helpful information.

Or view our Nintendo Resources page for links and information directories that will help you learn the most about Nintendo.

You may also want to join the Nintendo Reddit and Nintendo Switch Reddit communities to meet like minded Nintendo fans.

More Helpful Nintendo Resources To Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed learning about if Nintendo games can be played on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC hardware.

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Now, enjoy even more great Nintendo related articles on TendoSource.

Images credited. All others owned by Nintendo or respective owners. Screenshots taken by me.