Where would the video game industry be today without the Nintendo Entertainment System? Would most people still be trading sticks and rocks as a hobby? Would we be yapping about F-Zero every chance we got? Probably not. There is an alternate universe out there in which we’re all visiting Atari World though. But here in reality land, let’s look at 50 of the best NES games that changed everything well…forever.
50. Duck Hunt
The one Nintendo game you want to make sure you enunciate properly in front of your nan, Duck Hunt isn’t exactly a world conquering franchise these days. Maybe that’s because it required a specific peripheral to play, making it a bit less accessible than some of the other NES games out at the time. Still, that hasn’t stopped the NES classic from becoming one of Nintendo’s most recognisable games.
The version of One Man And His Dog that doesn’t involve herding sheep, Duck Hunt sees a man hunting for ducks with his big rifle, and his dog taunting him every time he misses. It’s as simple as games get, but it looked great for the NES and was always a lode of fin.
49. Lode Runner
Not every game needs to be some overly complicated mess of systems and controls in order to be considered great. Even games that are just simple and do the essentials well can be ranked among the best of the best and Lode Runner definitely fits that bill. Going back to playing Lode Runner now, it’d definitely be considered rudimentary by today’s standards, but Lode Runner deserves to be celebrated as a standard bearer for the platforming genre.
The premise is incredibly simple: collect all the gold while avoiding the guards, then make it to the exit. Sounds like a cakewalk, but naturally, as you progress through the over 100 levels, the challenge gets more and more complicated. Your mind and your reactions will be tested.
48. Wizards & Warriors
If you didn’t know any better, Wizards & Warriors sounds like the fake name that a sitcom writer would come up with for an episode based on a D&D knock-off. In reality, Wizards & Warriors is an early Rare release published by Acclaim, and offered a fantasy platforming experience that, admittedly, wasn’t all that difficult, but pushed the console in ways other games weren’t at the time.
Players control Kuros as he fights through the Kingdom of Elrond (no relation) in order to defeat the evil wizard Malkil. If that’s not enough motivation for you, he’s also holding a princess hostage. Booooooooo. You’re fighting your way through the game’s various levels, battering monsters and collecting items to be strong enough to save the kingdom. Simple but addictive fun nonetheless that’s a chip off the old blocl.
47. Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers
Back in the 80s and 90s, there wasn’t a stronger video game tie-in duo than Disney and Capcom. Somehow, Capcom were able to figure out how to make excellent platformers that still use Disney licenses, and while there’s certainly a more prominent example we’ll get to further down in this ranking, let’s not forget how great Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers is.
A platformer that offered support for two player co-op, Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers was based on the animated series of the same name, and saw the titular chipmunks running, jumping and throwing objects across various levels. With the other Rescue Rangers showing up to help out, Chip ‘N Dale is a great platformer for fans of the show and the genre.
46. Spy Hunter
If you grew up with these retro consoles, you probably thought that a series like Spy Hunter would become some sort of gaming dynasty that just wouldn’t stop. Playing as someone driving the most powerful car ever made, complete with gadgets and weapons, feels like it’s a formula that should never get old, but apparently you just need to add The Rock to the formula and the whole thing nosedives like a lead balloon.
Still, at least the early versions of Spy Hunter are timeless. A vertically scrolling mix of driving and shoot ‘em up gameplay, Spy Hunter tasks players with avoiding obstacles and staying on the road while dealing with hordes of enemies. Excellent stuff, and we’d love to see a return of something like this. You know, but good and with no The Rock.
45. Tecmo Super Bowl
Before the days of EA’s Madden series, the NFL were a bit more liberal with their licensing. NFL by LJN in 1989 might have had the full license, but Tecmo’s deal with the NFL Player’s Association meant they could use the majority of the NFL license too. It’s not quite as comprehensive as LJN in terms of authenticity, but when it comes to gameplay, Tecmo Super Bowl is unmatched on the NES.
A sequel to 1987’s Tecmo Bowl, Tecmo Super Bowl dropped four years later and massively improved on the American Football formula. If you want to know how influential this one game is, a dedicated team of modders are still releasing versions with updated rosters. Now, can we get something similar with Pro Evo 5 or 6? Cheers.
44. Rygar
The NES version of Rygar might be one of the most interesting ports of all time. Initially an arcade platformer, Rygar was ported to many different home consoles like the Commodore 64 and Master System with the only real changes being to the game’s plot. When it came to the NES version though, Tecmo decided on a full overhaul.
Instead of just being a basic platformer, Rygar for the NES introduced action RPG elements and non-linear exploration to the game, giving Rygar an early Metroidvania-like feel. It’s a fantastic game, but the only thing that stops Rygar from being further up in the rankings is the fact that the game doesn’t feature any kind of cartridge saving or even a basic password system. One-and-done only, folks.
43. Rad Racer
Unironically, can we bring back the word Rad? I think Rad is pretty Rad, to be honest, and do you know what is pretty Rad? Rad Racer. Essentially Nintendo’s version of Outrun, but developed by Square, Rad Racer puts you behind the wheel of either a Ferrari or a Formula 1 style car as you race across America from coast to coast.
As a racing game, Rad Racer felt like an early look into the future with its pseudo 3D scrolling graphics, but it also earns extra points for being one of a few games to actually use stereoscopic 3D as an additional mode. If you ever wanted to wear dorky cinema glasses and drive a car with a Power Glove, Rad Racer is everything you’ve ever wanted.
42. Ghosts ‘n Goblins
Capcom’s most notable example of an incredibly difficult platformer that’ll make you want to tear your hair out, Ghosts ‘n Goblins has been around for generations at this point, and every single version of it is ball-breakingly hard. Of course, that all starts with the original Ghosts ‘n Goblins, which started out life in arcades before being ported to platforms like the NES.
Players control the knight Arthur, who must battle his way through the demonic hordes to rescue a kidnapped princess. There’s a lot of kidnapped princesses in gaming at this time, but Arthur’s journey is more harrowing than most, largely because you have to play through the game again on a harder difficulty to get the true ending. At least he’s not in his undies… Oh wait.
41. Shadowgate
Point and click adventure games weren’t exactly the most plentiful games on the NES, but that doesn’t mean what was released for the console weren’t great. Perhaps the best example of the genre is Shadowgate, which offered fantasy exploration and plenty of intriguing puzzles, along with some pretty brutal deaths despite Nintendo’s infamous censorship.
Taking place within the titular castle, Shadowgate tasks players with beating the evil Warlock Lord who’s attempting to bring the demon Behemoth to this world. Players need to solve puzzles in order to survive, but death is hiding behind every corner, so make sure you save often. Sure, there’s plenty of trial and error here, which can get frustrating, but with humorous writing and fun puzzles, this is simply unskippable. We kid you not.
40. Kid Niki: Radical Ninja
Has the idea of playing as ninja sounded boring to you? Don’t you wish there was simply a more radical version? Of course you do, and fortunately for you, Kid Niki: Radical Ninja is here to show you what a ninja would be like if they were totally Rad. See, we told you, we’re bringing it back. Unfortunately, Kid Niki is also another example of a princess being kidnapped, so it’s not exactly the most different game in the world. Still, it’s incredibly fun.
With a Spinning Sword in hand, Kid Niki, the trainee Radical Ninja in question, embarks across seven different levels, each ending in their own boss fight, as you engage in excellent platforming combat action. Kid Niki; rad by name, rad by nature. We’re bringing rad back whether you like it or not.
39. Dr. Mario
Falling block puzzle games were pretty plentiful on the NES, and, yeah, we’ll get to the most famous one later, but let’s not downplay how important Dr Mario was to the NES library. Instead of falling blocks of different shapes, Dr Mario sees the Italian plumber become a pill pusher, throwing capsules down his patient’s gullet in the hope of curing the various viruses that are lying within.
Each capsule has two different coloured halves, and the goal of the game is to match four of a certain colour to clear all of the viruses off the screen. It’s simple, it’s effective, and there’s a reason why they ported the game over to the GBA a decade and a half later: it’s just great and would even get your older relatives imagining pills like it’s the end of Requiem For A Dream.
38. Vice: Project Doom
If you ever want to look at box art that feels like it’s blended 17 different movie stars together to create its main character, just have a gander at the Vice: Project Doom cover. Developed by Aicom, Vice: Project Doom feels like the developer saw the gameplay of Ninja Gaiden and decided “what if we gave the protagonist a gun instead?” Turns out, the results are pretty sick, making for one of the best action platformers on the NES.
While there are a couple of driving and shooting stages thrown in to break up the action, the bulk of the game offers your classic side scrolling platforming fun, with multiple weapons to utilise and a pretty involved plot with plenty of cutscenes.
37. Metal Storm
Who doesn’t love games about mechs? Mechs are cool as hell, so clearly a game like Metal Storm is among the coolest NES games ever made. These are just the rules. Unlike games based on other mech properties like Gundam though, the big suit of armour and the weapons aren’t the main attraction in Metal Storm, it’s the ability to reverse gravity.
Throughout all of the game’s levels, you can flip the gravity and move from the floor to the ceiling, which you’ll need to do often in order to navigate what feels like a universe filled with obstacles. It’s a game that’ll test your reflexes, and that’s before you beat the game and unlock the Expert mode with remixed levels and upgraded boss attack patterns. Very scary.
36. Klax
Now we’ll be the very first to admit that the NES version of Klax isn’t the best looking version of the game ever made. That arcade release just looks way better, honestly. That doesn’t mean that the gameplay for the NES release of Klax has been compromised in any way though, as the core “match 3 tiles” gameplay is about as arcade perfect as it could be.
Klax is a sort of falling block puzzle game, but instead of the tiles just falling from the screen, they’re brought to you on a conveyor belt. Using a small paddle, you can catch the tiles and distribute them into the well below, hoping to match them in colours of three or more. Simple addictive fun, this.
35. Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll
You know which animals don’t get as much love as they should? Snakes. They’re just cute, slithery little guys, and they deserve to be given more in life. Yes, that includes starring roles in video games. With that, it’s not surprising that we’re big fans of games like Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll. A snake game, and it’s developed by Rare? Hell yeah brother.
An isometric platformer similar to Marble Madness, albeit with a long, thin boi instead of a big round ball, you control a snake as they navigate levels, and you gotta collect more segments for the snake and rush for the exit when you’re long enough. With lots of power-ups to collect and secrets to find like level warps, Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll is a charming addition to the NES’ amazing library.
34. Crystalis
Some might think that action RPGs are more of a modern genre than a retro one, but then you come across games like Crystalis and find that they’ve been around for decades. Even stranger, Crystalis in particular was developed by SNK, who are best known for either their fighting games or their shoot ‘em ups, but somehow between all of that, they managed to drop one of the NES’ best ever RPGs.
Set after the events of a Great War in 1997, Crystalis follows a young man waking up from cryogenic sleep to find a medieval fantasy world filled with magic, mutants and an empire bent on taking it all over. Time to learn a few magic spells and save the world, champ.
33. Battletoads
Arguably the most infamous non-licensed Rare game ever made, based purely on the fact that it was face-meltingly hard to beat, Battletoads was the child lock filter for the family console. There was simply no way your little brother was getting past Turbo Tunnel, put it that way. Still, at least there’s a co-op mode so you can experience the journey of Rash, Zitz and Pimple together.
It’s a tale as old as time, with the three protagonists here charged with escorting a princess only for them to be kidnapped. A lot of that going around, apparently. The difference here though is the heroes are human shaped toads with silly names and it was an evil queen doing the kidnapping. Equal rights win, I guess?
32. Gradius
There’s plenty of shoot ‘em ups available on the NES, but if you want a horizontal shooter with legacy and staying power, you’ll pick Gradius, every time. Originally released as Nemesis in Western arcades before reverting to the Gradius name for home consoles, Gradius on the NES brought that hardcore, 1 vs all shoot ‘em up action of the arcades to home consoles beautifully.
Piloting a ship called Vic Viper, a name that would be significant to another Konami game years later, and you battle through waves of enemies before reaching bosses with massive glowing weak spots. It’s your standard shoot ‘em up stuff, but Gradius is one of the best examples at doing the fundamentals flawlessly. You want proof? There was a new one last year.
31. Star Tropics
Possibly the strangest game on the NES in terms of release and development, Star Tropics was an NES exclusive developed and published by Nintendo of Japan themselves, but only released in the West. You’d think they’d maybe want to sample some of their own hard work when it was all said and done, but apparently not.
A top down action adventure game with quite the ambitious story, players control the teenager Mike Jones as he explores various islands across the South Seas in the search for his missing uncle, Steven. With a yo-yo in hand as means of defending himself, because this is a game from the 90s after all, Mike quickly realises that Uncle Ste has been kidnapped by aliens. At least he isn’t a princess, I guess?
30. Adventure Island
Adventure Island didn’t begin its life on the NES, as it was originally Wonder Boy for other platforms, but Hudson Soft were able to port the game to the NES as Adventure Island, albeit with some major changes to the game’s formula. Gone are the action-RPG influences of the original Wonder Boy in favour of a more straight-laced platformer, but this is still one of the NES’ best.
Set on the fictional titular island in the South Pacific, the game follows Master Higgins as he journeys through 32 stages in a quest to confront the Evil Witch Doctor. That’s their name, apparently. Full government and everything. As for why the confrontation is happening, you can probably guess it has something to do with a misplaced royal family member.
29. Blades Of Steel
When considering the best sports games ever made, ice hockey usually isn’t considered among any of the contenders, which is a shame considering it’s the most gamer focused sport going. All the fun of a regular team sport, only with some actual fighting thrown in for good measure. Who doesn’t love a good dust-up?
Blades of Steel definitely didn’t shy away from that side of the sport, as while you’ve got a very competent take on ice hockey to play here, you can also have a scrap and turn the game into a 2D fighter. The main reason why Blades of Steel is actually better than regular ice hockey though is because you’re actually rewarded for winning a fight, with just the loser going to the penalty box.
28. Blaster Master
You know where you stand with a name like Blaster Master. Oh yeah, he’s a master of blasting, makes sense. And it’s blasting you’ll be doing a lot of in Blaster Master, as you control young lad Jason as he follows his frog down a mysterious hole and discovers an armoured tank named Sophia The 3rd, along with a bunch of mutants who want to bash his head in. It’s like Alice In Wonderland by way of Fury, kind of.
What makes Blaster Master so unique among the NES’ library is its fusion of genres. Instead of just being either a top-down shooter where you control Jason, or a side-scrolling action platformer for when you’re in tank mode, this game offers both, and they’re both excellent.
27. Bubble Bobble
Say what you want about Bubble Bobble, but at least it’s a little bit different from other games on this list. Sure, the game opens with two girls being kidnapped, but neither of those girls are princesses. Change is as good as a break, I suppose. Still, Taito’s 40 year long series is still responsible for two of the cutest character designs in all of gaming with dragons Bub and Bob, so it’s worth celebrating for that alone.
A two-player, combat focused platformer (sort of), Bubble Bobble has players face 100 levels of trying to trap monsters in bubbles in order to pop them and win. The formula doesn’t get more complicated than that, only the enemy placements and level geometry, but you’ll have fun throughout.
26. Kid Icarus
If you were introduced to the Kid Icarus series through the DS/3DS games, you’d probably be shocked to see that the series started out life as just another 2D platformer. Granted, a 2D platformer from Nintendo based very loosely on Greek mythology, so it had plenty of pedigree behind it alongside a very interesting premise, but it was a 2D platformer nonetheless. It was also quite bloody brilliant, and we’re still waiting on a new one.
Set in Angel Land, the non-union equivalent of Greek mythology, Kid Icarus finds Pit caught in the middle of a feud between Palutena and Medusa. Using a bow and arrow, you’ll explore the Underworld, the surface and the Skyworld to find the sacred treasures and bring the fight to Medusa.
25. River City Ransom
The Kunio-Kun series is one of those franchises that people might not even know they’ve played, considering the games were ported to the West under completely different names. Developed by Technos Japan, though now under the stewardship of Arc System Works, the series follows Kunio’s exploits, which either involve sports or beating the piss out of everyone. No middle ground.
River City Ransom, the third game in the Kunio-kun series, is the most well known of the group though, offering beat ‘em up action similar to Double Dragon only with additional RPG elements. New moves to unlock and a school to explore make River City Ransom a beat ‘em up that’s truly stood the test of time. No wonder we’re still getting new versions like River City Girls.
24. Excitebike
It’s curious to think that, without Excitebike, the gaming industry would look completely different to what it does today. This is because Shigeru Miyamoto and the rest of the Excitebike development team would use the steady acceleration of riding a motorbike and apply it to the locomotion of their next platformer. It just so happened that the next platformer in question was Super Mario Bros. Again, Excitebike is literally a game changing game.
As for the game itself, Excitebike felt like the first attempt gaming had ever seen of trying to emulate the sport of stadium motocross. Big dirt bikes, bigger jumps and players had to use the d-pad to control their weight in midair so they landed wheels down. It’s a Trials predecessor, and it’s still fun.
23. RC Pro-Am
Rare just might be one of the most versatile developers who ever worked on the NES, as their developed games run the gamut across all genres. Wizards & Warriors, Battletoads and Snake Rattle ‘n Roll couldn’t be more different from each other, and all three of those couldn’t be further from a game like RC Pro-AM, which is just a remote control car racing game. Sounds like something that shouldn’t be among the best of the NES, but this was a true juggernaut for Nintendo and Rare.
An isometric racer, you’re racing across dozens of tracks, collecting power-ups and weapons to compete with computer racers that are steadily getting faster and faster. It’s tough, but incredibly fun, even if getting through all the tracks feels like it’s impossible.
22. Bionic Commando
Probably the most notable example of a Japanese NES game being censored when ported to the West, Bionic Commando was originally Wolfenstein with a grappling hook, to put it in a certain way. Of course, the Western release of the game toned down just where the game’s bad guys might have hailed from, but kept the fun and novel approach to platforming gameplay that made it such a classic.
A platforming game that curiously lacks a jump button, players instead make their progress by using their bionic grapple hook arm to progress through the levels and rescue Super Joe. It’s a difficult game, as the grappling requires precise movement, but its inclusion forced players to think differently about the genre instead of just jumping on heads. Top stuff.
21. Metal Gear
The game that both popularised stealth as a genre in gaming, while also launching the career of Hideo Kojima as a gaming auteur into the stratosphere, Metal Gear is nothing short of a remarkable achievement. Now granted, while Metal Gear might be more associated with platforms like the MSX 2, that doesn’t mean that the NES release is some massively inferior version.
We all know the deal by now, but for the sake of getting through it, Metal Gear casts players as Solid Snake as he tries to infiltrate the enemy base of Outer Heaven and stop the weapon of mass destruction being created within. Radio calls, alerts, procuring weapons on site; a lot of the key ingredients were here on day one, making Metal Gear quite the timeless NES hit.
20. Maniac Mansion
Even in the heavily censored form NES owners received Maniac Mansion, it still feels like a miracle the game made it to Nintendo’s juggernaut console in the first place. Originally developed for the PC in 1987, the point and click adventure, tasking you with saving your girlfriend from a mad scientist, stands out among the hundreds of titles that were released. It’s a strange blend of comedic storytelling with sincere tributes to 1950s B movie schlock.
The humor of Maniac Mansion and its visual charm made the game an early hit for Lucasfilm Games. So unique and memorable are these elements, combined with the relatively straightforward gameplay, that they persevere on the NES to make an all-time classic for the system that’s still a laugh today.
19. Final Fantasy
The usual jokes aside about Final Fantasy being anything but the “final” entry in this series, it’s almost surreal to see where the most dominant RPG franchise in history began. The appeal of Final Fantasy is apparent even today. Borrowing some of the best parts of Dragon Warrior, while simultaneously popularizing other RPG elements that would become standard for the genre as the years went on, Final Fantasy was successful upon release.
Final Fantasy is a story of four classical elements, three continents, and a variety of characters, classes, and races. It was an impressive level of depth in 1990, and it’s still an enjoyable turn-based RPG however many decades I don’t want to think about later. 3? Seems about right.
18. Mega Man 3
By 1990, Capcom had a pretty clear understanding of what was needed to make Mega Man 3 another hit for the company. In the prime of Mega Man’s NES run, we have some of the best graphics, stages, and robot bosses of the series. Mega Man 3 is really just a continuation of the stunning Mega Man 2. While it arguably doesn’t reach the same heights as that game, this third entry is nonetheless one of the best NES games ever made.
Mega Man 3 features our little blue hero waging another war against Dr. Wily and his relentless robot army. Boss fights will pit you against the likes of Snake Man, Shadow Man, Gemini Man, and others. Some of the most memorable foes highlight this classic sequel.
17. Dragon Warrior
Final Fantasy improved on Dragon Warrior’s (otherwise known as the very first Dragon Quest game) qualities in a variety of ways. However, in the battle of NES RPG classics, nothing hits quite as nice as Dragon Warrior’s evidence that games and players alike could enjoy a deeper, richer narrative experience that doesn’t sacrifice engaging gameplay. Dragon Warrior was in fact the first RPG of its kind to make its way onto a home console.
Even if you don’t care about the game’s achievement of being the first (for both the series and RPGs on home consoles), Dragon Warrior is still a fun title with plenty to offer, as you are tasked with the annihilation of the evil Dragonlord. Just keep in mind you’re in for a pretty stiff challenge.
16. Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!!
Taking on the role of young underdog boxer Mac, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! challenges you to rise up in the rankings, challenge Tyson for the championship, and walk away a champion. Easier said than done, as the game features a wide range of difficult and varied opponents. The secret to the game of course is to study your opponents, figuring out their weak points for the optimal time to unleash those lefts and rights. However, as you may have already guessed, this is also easier said than actually done.
With Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, we have one of the most impressive and creative puzzle games ever made. You’re also probably not going to get this game’s soundtrack out of your head anytime soon.
15. DuckTales
The relationship between Capcom and Disney yielded some truly great platformers for the NES and SNES. The list includes Aladdin, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, and the all-time classic DuckTales. Combining the mechanics of their Mega Man games with a bright, vivid, and above all else challenging world, DuckTales has you playing as Scrooge McDuck on a quest to get even richer. That’s the game, but the plot doesn’t particularly matter does it?
DuckTales features six stages, a special ending that can be unlocked by collecting a certain amount of wealth and other treasures, and gameplay that has you hopping across the world. It’s pure fun.
14. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
Although Super Castlevania IV would be released just one year later for the SNES, Konami and their flagship Dracula-smacking series had one more classic to release for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Playing as the ancestor of Simon Belmont, our hero from the first game, Konami returned the series to the formula of the first game, giving us a fantastic conclusion to the saga on the NES.
Castlevania III remains an impressive achievement all these years later. Offering multiple paths and some of the stiffest challenges in the series, the game retains that potent replay value, combined with visuals and controls that are still as engaging as ever.
13. Super Mario Bros 2
Regardless of why the west received a considerably different Super Mario Bros 2 than what Japan got, the game we’re talking about here remains one of Mario’s most memorable adventures. Offering considerably different gameplay, such as the ability to pick up and throw items and certain enemies, Super Mario Bros 2 was also the first time players could choose characters other than Mario or Luigi. Toad and Princess Peach each brought different abilities and qualities to a story that also curiously does not involve Bowser in any way.
In other words, Super Mario Bros 2 remains a bizarre outlier in the NES run of everyone’s favorite mustachioed plumber hero, but it’s also an absolute classic on the console.
12. Tetris
Well, it’s Tetris. Not sure what you’re expecting here. Coming to the NES in 1989, and getting immersed in some controversy when the company Tengen released their own version of the game, Tetris brought to players the opportunity to play the iconic puzzle game on their home consoles. The version released by Nintendo is still one of the most addictive and engaging game experiences in video game history. It’s still remarkably easy to pick up the controller, start playing, and wonder just what happened to the last four hours of your life.
Tetris is like that sometimes, even decades after its conception. Is this NES version the best edition of Tetris ever released? You can decide that for yourself (we have a lot of time for Effect), but there’s no question that this is one of the NES’ best ever games.
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game is one of the best arcade-to-console ports of the era. No one imagined that the relatively aging Nintendo Entertainment System would be able to emulate the 1989 arcade smash Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to perfection. Nonetheless, what we do have in this game, in which you and a friend play as any of the four turtles in a battle against Shredder and Krang, is pretty impressive.
Not only is the core appeal of this side-scrolling beat-em-up largely intact, but the game also featured an entire extra stage — you can’t do much better for straightforward brawling on the NES. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game is the best kind of button masher.
10. Batman: The Video Game
There aren’t a ton of great movie licensed games for the NES, so that makes Batman: The Video Game all the more remarkable. You also can’t mention Batman: The Video Game without touching on the soundtrack, which remains a certified bopper. Release the vinyl cut.
An immensely difficult action platformer that actually does feel like something associated with Tim Burton’s 1989 film, Batman: The Video Game was quite possibly the best Batman game ever made until the 2000s. You’re Batman, and it’s up to you to stop the Joker in a surprisingly immersive version of Burton’s Gotham City. That’s the premise, but the game provides a degree of challenge that made it a hit upon release with Batman fans and even those looking for something fresh to play on the NES.
9. Castlevania
It’s incredible to look back and see how many of the best video game franchises of all time got their start on the NES. Castlevania begat dozens of sequels and prequels, and this first entry is a great reminder of why this series has been such a juggernaut influence on platformers, horror games, and more. Taking control of Simon Belmont, you’re treated to undead enemies, large 2D worlds to conquer, and one of the best soundtracks on the NES.
Castlevania isn’t just fun to play, it’s also infuriatingly difficult at times while still being absolutely compelling. The series would emphasize that part with future titles, but this game sets a high bar for challenge that can still make you question your sanity. Hey, speaking of.
8. Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden would quite possibly be the best NES game ever if degree of challenge was the most important metric. It’s not, as nobody would ever go to work and we’d all be in weird dungeons every day, but Ninja Gaiden combines that extreme difficulty with other perks like great graphics and deceptively simple gameplay to create a masterpiece. You may even get through stage 2.
But when it comes to actually finishing Ninja Gaiden, which even some of the most seasoned NES players simply cannot do, you’re in for the fight of your life. Whether it’s Update Day – Nirvana The Band The Show, the NES games are a blast, but check your blood pressure sporadically while playing.
7. Metroid
It’s not quite FIFA 95, but it is alright.
Metroid on the NES represents yet another franchise that got its start on this remarkable little machine. The game was a decidedly unique destination on the 1987 video game landscape. It presented a true non-linear experience for NES players, while also offering a singular visual punch, a sci-fi horror story evocative of movies like Alien, and one of the most interesting protagonists of this time.
Metroid, for all its uniqueness, doesn’t forget to be enjoyable, with the challenging action platformer gameplay keeping you enthralled from start to finish. You can get into Metroid quickly, compelled by a strange game that rewards curiosity and fast reflexes. While its sequel pretty much perfected the formula, the original still has a lot to hook you.
6. Kirby’s Adventure
Kirby’s Adventure was released in the twilight of the NES’ stunning lifespan, with the pink blob originating the year prior in 1992 on the Game Boy. 50 best Game Boy games? Let us know down below. Kirby’s Adventure takes the basic side-scrolling premise of guiding Kirby in his quest to defeat the heinous King Dedede and restore the Star Rod, and takes advantage of everything the NES can do. That means a richer and deeper platforming experience that never ceases to be a good time.
Much of what makes the Kirby games work can be found in Kirby’s Adventure, the first Kirby game to show the pink hero in glorious color. However, the most notable addition to this series would be Kirby’s copy ability. It’s essential to the games (and Kirby as an icon) now, but this was the first time it was ever included. A huge moment in game history.
5. Contra
There aren’t a lot of NES games that feel more relentless in their attack on our reflexes than Contra. Based on an arcade hit for Konami, this run-and-gun title pits you and maybe a friend against alien invaders in the Congo. Hmmmm I wonder where they got that froooooom. Wait a minute…dad? Simple enemies become increasingly alien and elaborate as you go on, until you find yourself dealing with a seemingly endless horde of truly bizarre and destructive creatures. Contra doesn’t let up for even a second.
The timing and reflexes required to be exceptional at even this first entry in the long-running Contra series is something that must be experienced firsthand. Few NES games push you like Contra, and few modern games match its difficulty and subsequent sense of reward. Apart from unlocking Darth Vader maybe.
4. Super Mario Bros
The game that put Nintendo on the map in the west, Super Mario Bros wasn’t the first appearance of Mario by a longshot. But it was the game that proved that when it came to the Nintendo Entertainment System, a new era had truly and definitively arrived. It’s difficult almost 40 years later to stress just how massively successful this game was, creating not only a mascot who continues to be in brilliant games to this day, but also proving Nintendo was something quite different from past giants like Atari.
Super Mario Bros was the game that introduced many to the NES in the first place and gaming in general. It’s notable for that, but don’t forget this is still a really simple, engaging, and enjoyable classic to pick up and play even today. Chris Pratt should really voice this guy in a movie.
3. Mega Man 2
With Mega Man 2, Capcom proved you could make a good thing even better. Doing away with the most unforgiving elements of the first game (no continues, imagine that for a moment), the company did not skimp on ensuring players would still get a tremendously challenging whipper. The game brings back Dr. Wily with a new robot army and designs on taking over the world, and it’s up to you as Mega Man to defeat the robots, gain their weaponry, and take down Wily for good.
Mega Man 2 has some of the best robot bosses in the series, including Metal Man, Crash Man, and Quick Man. It provides the best of all things in an NES Mega Man release and has grown quite the legend for a very good reason.
2. The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo continued their dominance of the 80s with The Legend of Zelda. This is the title that started it all for one of the most beloved series in the Nintendo canon. The Legend of Zelda tells the story of a young hero named Link and his quest to restore the Triforce, rescue Princess Zelda, and destroy the monstrous Ganon. The game drops you in the vast world of Hyrule, and expects you to adapt and survive to everything your enemies are going to throw at you.
Combining puzzle elements with strategy and action, and then putting all of that into a lush, dangerous world, the likes of which we’d barely seen before, The Legend of Zelda was a winning formula in 1986. Very little has changed in that regard since and this banger can still steal a lot of your time, but the best NES game of all time is, of course.
1. Super Mario Bros 3
I mean it’s not FIFA 97 but…
The NES arguably reached its zenith in 1990, with the release of Super Mario Bros 3. For the third entry directors Shigeru Miyamoto (the man responsible or partially responsible for many of the best NES games we’ve covered here) and Takashi Tezuka expanded on Mario and his universe in a way that can only be described as profound. Everything was literally bigger, with varied worlds, distinctive world bosses, and even more of that Nintendo magic being defined in real time.
Everything in Super Mario Bros 3 was also literally better, as well. The game solidified Mario as a global brand, but above all else it was also at that point quite possibly the best video game ever made and is still well up there today.
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