Although there are several examples of great Nintendo dads, these fathers are some of the worst.
Many epic stories have been told about the bond between parent and child. Games like The Last of Us and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons have been critically acclaimed for their emotional management of familial relationships. Unfortunately, video games aren’t always home to the most exemplary parental relationships, and many characters have been less than good at raising children.
While Nintendo is home to a huge catalog of memorable characters, not all of these individuals are brilliant at managing their relationships. Although gameplay and design are massively important, a good story is what makes a player care about their characters – and some kids need their parents to cut them some slack. There are some infamously bad dads circulating on Nintendo console exclusives, and even if their children don’t realize it, they won’t be winning a parenting award any time soon.5 Ness’ Father – Earthbound
Ness’ Father is more of a tragic figure than a bad one, and unfortunately, he just doesn’t get the chance to be the dad he wants to be. In Earthbound, to save the game, players must locate a telephone where Ness can call his father, who will allow him to save. Ness’ father works away from home, and it’s implied that he works a lot and therefore can’t physically be there for Ness and Tracy.
Despite this, he likes to hear from Ness and will sometimes give him advice. His most heartfelt moment is at the end of the game: if players choose to call him one last time, instead of offering to record their progress, he will instead say he’s trying to come home for Ness’ birthday. It’s thought that Ness’ father is supposed to represent the overwhelming work culture of Japan, which is why he remains unseen – even his sprite in the credits appears as a telephone. It’s tough to call Ness’ Father a « bad » dad, but it’s a shame that he’s not able to be around for his kids.4 Pamela’s Father – Majora’s Mask
Zelda fans may remember this quest from Majora’s Mask, in which Link will come across a house in Ikana Canyon.
