A typical story in the olden NTSC/PAL days was that a game would be released in Europe a good year or two after coming to the US, or sometimes not at all. Sunsoft’s Gimmick, however, never launched in the US thanks to the arrival of the 16-bit era which meant distributors were less interested in niche games for the older systems. However, this did see limited European distribution in Scandinavian countries with the name Mr. Gimmick.
Tomomi Sakai’s inventive yet punishing platformer has gained a cult following over the years, enough to warrant a sequel that launched more than three decades after the original (although the original creator had no involvement with 2024’s Gimmick! 2).
37. Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers (NES)
A classic co-op romp that looked and sounded incredible, Capcom made a habit of surpassing expectations on the NES — not too difficult considering the general standard of licenced tie-ins (have you tried playing Bart vs. the Space Mutants recently?) — but Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers really is worthy of standing alongside the console’s finest platformers.
The chipmunks’ ability to pick up and throw items gave it a unique flavour and made for a great game to play with smaller siblings on the second pad. We personally rate it right up there with DuckTales.
36. Duck Hunt (NES)
A cheeky light gun shooter brimming with personality, many players experienced this as it came bundled with their NES and Zapper (on a dual cart with Super Mario Bros., no less – not a bad deal at all). Duck Hunt offers simple, wholesome light gun fun for the whole family; that is, as long as the wanton murder of countless digital waterfowl while a sniggering bloodhound watches doesn’t put you off.
An official Wii U Virtual Console release in 2014 reworked the game to function on modern non-CRT televisions with a Wii Remote and an on-screen cursor. As of the end of March 2023, that version is no longer available to buy.
35. StarTropics (NES)
A game which stands apart in Nintendo’s back catalogue, StarTropics melds elements of Zelda, the Mother series, and classic RPGs to make something different.
It isn’t entirely successful and is let down by its controls, but it’s well worth making a trip to C-Island via Nintendo Switch Online, if only to see a rare game from Nintendo which didn’t get a dozen follow-ups (although it did get a single sequel).
34. R.C. Pro-AM II (NES)
A great little racer from Rare, although perhaps a little too similar to the original. 1991’s Super R.C. Pro-AM for Game Boy beautifully replicated the NES experience on handheld, but the home-console gaming landscape had changed a lot between R.C. Pro-AM in 1988 and this sequel’s arrival in 1992 (’93 in Europe).
That’s not to say R.C. Pro-AM II is a bad game — far from it — just an iterative one that too few got to experience at its best (with a NES Four Score adaptor). Multiplayer and a new upgrade system were significant additions, but also felt like bare essentials for a sequel launching four years later into a post-16-bit, post-Super Mario Kart world.
Still, as an important stop on Rareware’s vehicular journey that would soon arrive at Diddy Kong Racing, it’s absolutely worth taking for a spin.
33. Blaster Master (NES)
Blaster Master is yet another example to prove that Sunsoft was at the very top of its game on NES.
A satisfying mash-up of styles, each area is composed of side-scrolling (primarily) tank-based sections and top-down stages where protagonist Jason exits SOPHIA (said tank) to take down mutant bosses on foot.
With tight controls and eight varied levels, Blaster Master still manages to satisfy in the 21st century, so much so that Inti Creates have brought the series back with three excellent sequels in recent years. Check it out on NSO.
32. Mega Man 6 (NES)
Probably the worst thing you can say about Mega Man 6 is that it plays it safe.
It follows the same basic idea of eight Robot Master stages followed by castle stages, and doesn’t really bring any big new gameplay features. The level design (save for Plant Man’s stage), music, and everything else are all pretty good, but if you’ve played all the previous entries, you can’t help feeling that the sixth game is a bit by-the-numbers.
Capcom didn’t really go out with a bang with this final NES Mega Man game, then, but it did create one final enjoyable entry on the console which birthed the series. And a ‘just good’ Mega Man is still better than most other video games, so mustn’t grumble.
31. Little Nemo: The Dream Master (NES)
A great, licensed Capcom platformer on a system with an abundance of great, licensed Capcom platformers, Little Nemo puts you in control of the titular boy as he heads to Slumberland on a journey through his dreams. Along the way, Nemo runs into a variety of animals who he befriends and recruits to help him rescue the ruler of said destination from the clutches of the Nightmare King. It’s all sleep-themed, see?
It’s based on the film adaptation of the Little Nemo comic strip from the early 1900s, but despite the cute premise and the dreamy animals, Little Nemo is notoriously punishing, especially when compared to the developers’ Disney games. Kids who rented this back in the day weren’t going to breeze through it in 30 minutes, that’s for sure.
Despite the difficulty, affection for this one has only grown over the years. As with virtually all of Capcom’s 8-bit output, this is worth investigating.
30. Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II (NES)
Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II is a sequel that could have been absolutely great, and did almost everything right by improving on a clunky control scheme to improve the action sections.
Sadly, its overworld and characters are disappointingly unimaginative compared to the first game, leaving an adventure that’s mechanically improved but creatively lacking. It’s still worth checking out, but any entry in the StarTropics franchise has some rather big and charmingly silly shoes to fill and this sequel didn’t quite manage it.
If you missed out on the Wii (U) VC re-releases, you’ll need a NES cartridge to play it in an official capacity.
29. Mega Man 5 (NES)
When people ask about the best Mega Man game on the NES, Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 tend to get the lion’s share of love. However, Mega Man 5 deserves attention, too.
It doesn’t quite reach the stellar highs of the bombardier bleu‘s earlier outings, but with a host of novel additions to its levels — gravity switching, and even a vehicular section — it’s another fine entry in Capcom’s series.
Yes, it might be ‘just’ more Mega Man, but who doesn’t fancy a bit of that?
28. Darkwing Duck (NES)
Darkwing Duck owes a great deal to Capcom’s own Mega Man franchise, borrowing many core elements that make this a solid recommendation for NES fans. Released at the tail end of the console’s lifespan, this is particularly evident in the stunning visuals and high production value.
While it may not dethrone the Rockman as the quintessential platform shooter for the NES, Darkwing Duck is nevertheless well worth a look.
27. River City Ransom (NES)
River City Ransom, the localised version of Kunio-kun’s third game, was known as Street Gangs in Europe and mixes basic brawling with comedy to great effect. Technōs Japan’s cute visuals still exude tons of character all these years later.
Throw in a second player — plus a delicious frosty beverage or two — and you’ve got a great Saturday night ahead of you.
26. DuckTales 2 (NES)
Liked yourself some DuckTales, did you? Well, you’ll almost certainly like yourself from DuckTales 2, too, Desmond.
Cashing in on the popularity of the first game and the Disney property, Capcom turned in this sequel in 1993, around three-and-a-half years after the original when the Famicom/NES was well into its twilight. A lovely little retirement present for the console, for those who hadn’t yet moved on to 16-bit.
25. Bubble Bobble (NES)
With Bubble Bobble’s simultaneous two-player gameplay, a hundred stages of increasing difficulty, and manic platform gameplay, Taito’s arcade classic is one of the NES’ top-tier titles. The Bust-a-Move gameplay is fun to pick up and play for a quick session, and the password system lets you make steady progress with Bub and Bob.
Bubble Bobble has been released on many platforms over the years, and the NES version is still a fine one.
24. Tetris (Tengen) (NES)
While Henk Rogers and Nintendo’s Tetris success is often celebrated thanks to the overwhelming success of the Game Boy and NES entries, this NES entry was a victim of a labyrinthine network of licensing, sub-licensing, and confusion around exactly which companies held which rights – as agreed with Russian-state-owned ELORG, the sole handler of Tetris rights until the mid-1990s.
Atari Games’ 1989 version, published under the Tengen label, boasted a two-player mode that Nintendidn’t, yet legal issues led to it being pulled from store shelves after only a month. Thanks to its short shelf life, copies are worth a decent amount these days.
The story of Tetris’ convoluted journey to the West (deemed exciting enough for a movie adaptation, although we much prefer the BBC documentary Tetris: From Russia With Love) is a thrilling combination of guile, subterfuge, and blind luck that went on to shape Nintendo and the video game industry at large. Tengen Tetris was one of the casualties along the way.
23. Dr. Mario (NES)
Mario’s first outing as a healthcare professional, this block-falling puzzler might not have the following or cache of the mighty Tetris, but its colour-matching gameplay caught on with puzzle fans.
Despite not being able to compete on the level of Alexey Pajitnov’s puzzling titan, there’s a reason Dr. Mario has stuck around in some form for over 30 years: it’s simple, addictive, and bloody good fun.
22. Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 2 features platforming mechanics quite different from the original. It introduced the ability to lift and throw objects and a screen that scrolled left and right and up and down.
Retitled Super Mario USA when this famously reskinned form of Yume Kojo Doki Doki Panic made its way back to Japan, the verticality and inclusion of Peach and Toad as playable characters were profound changes from the first game. Yet despite being the odd one out in its homeland, Super Mario Bros. 2 ended up having an enormous influence on the iconography of the series.
SMB2 is definitely worth revisiting — Nintendo Switch Online is the easiest place to find it these days — if only to remind yourself just how different it is from what came before and after, and where stalwart series regulars like Shy Guys, Bob-ombs, and Birdo debuted.
21. Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Known as Shadow Warriors in Europe (because the word ‘ninja’ was considered far too violent and controversial in 1991, two years after the US release), this is the game that inspired modern classics like The Messenger.
Ryu Hayabusa, Tecmo’s titular ninja, feels as acrobatic and responsive as he ever did, and the punishing but fair difficulty still smarts (although today you can always fall back on reqinds and save states). If you’re interested in finding out about the inspiration behind dozens of today’s indie action platformers, you owe it to yourself to give Ninja Gaiden a try. Jump on NSO, pronto.
20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES)
As the name suggests, this was a NES port of the arcade TMNT game given sequel status on console thanks to Konami’s existing 8-bit Turtles title. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game was a fine 8-bit port with extra levels and new bosses thrown in for good measure, not to mention plenty of Pizza Hut product placement for that authentic early ’90s feel.
16-bits of processing power would enable the SNES to more closely replicate the look, feel and sound of the arcade experience, but this NES port was pretty remarkable in its day and sticks in the memory as one of Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo’s finest console brawlers.
19. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES)
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos is a fine-looking sequel (which continued carrying the Shadow Warriors branding in Europe) with some fancy “Tecmo Theater” cutscenes and decent music.
Taking place a year after the original, Ryu Hayabusa returns with added wall-climbing (which makes wall-jumping easier this time) and a better-judged difficulty curve. Throw in a neat power-up which lets Ryu duplicate himself to distract and defeat enemies, and you’ve got a nice refinement to the first game’s formula.
Respawning enemies and being sent flying straight into a pit are annoying at the best of times, but Ryu’s second NES adventure is mostly fair, and its plus points combine to overcome any faults.
18. Mega Man 4 (NES)
Following on from the classic one-two punch (or should that be two-three punch) of its direct predecessors, this fourth entry is still a very good game, even if it can’t quite live up to the two previous entries.
It vacillates between perfect refinement of the formula and a lack of care and inventiveness, and its soundtrack is another area where it doesn’t compare favourably to its forebears. That doesn’t make it bad at all, but you wouldn’t put ‘Not as good as 2 or 3‘ on the poster, would you?
Mega Man 4, then — ‘A very good Mega Man game.‘ Yep, print it.
17. Super C (NES)
If at times Super C (or Probotector II: Return of the Evil Forces in PAL places) feels a bit ‘standard’ from a modern perspective, it’s only because it was instrumental in shaping all future side-scrolling run ‘n’ gunners; it created a mould from which classics like Gunstar Heroes and Metal Slug would be cast.
It may lack the charm and personality of those later variations on the theme, but it’s still well worth playing both as a genre classic and a rewarding two-player game in its own right — any retro action fan will still have a great time with this run-and-gun rite of passage.
16. Tetris (NES)
The Game Boy version of this video gaming titan might be the most iconic — and certainly more convenient to play when you’re out and about — but the ability to relax with Tetris on your TV wasn’t to be sniffed at, either. Some prefer the Tengen version, which disappeared from stores soon after release due to a licensing snafu, but this non-controversial port is also a winner.
It’s Tetris, just on the NES. ‘Nuff said, really. There’s no shortage of ways to play, but this very first Nintendo-developed home console version was never re-released – until its NSO appearance in December 2024.
15. Castlevania (NES)
The original and the best? Perhaps not, but Castlevania put down an enduring template that mixed Universal monster movie shlock with brilliant tunes and tight, satisfying whip-based combat.
Very much like Super Mario Bros., the original Castlevania is a game that laid the foundations of an entire series. Sure, subsequent titles have refined and evolved the core concept, but Castlevania — just like Mario’s first ‘Super’ adventure — remains playable and enjoyable.
It’s certainly not perfect; the difficulty is maddening at times and the controls feel incredibly stiff by modern standards. But the tightness, foreboding atmosphere, and amazing soundtrack all pull together to create a formative classic.
13. Dragon Warrior III (NES)
Dragon Warrior III, or Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation, put the cap on a trilogy (at the time) of influential RPGs which would shape the genre. Set prior to the original game, often called the Erdrick Trilogy, it added a plethora of refinements to the turn-based gameplay and open-world adventuring, including a day/night cycle.
It got a Super Famicom remake which never came to the West, although an excellent Game Boy Color version did arrive in 2001, and you can also play it on Switch, both via the mobile port and the extremely good HD-2D Remake, which is our preference.
12. Batman: The Video Game (NES)
A classic 2D platformer from a time when that was the go-to genre for any licensed game (much like 3D open-world action games these days). The reassuring subtitle ‘The Video Game’ promises an experience recounting the beats of Tim Burton’s 1989 film, a movie ‘event’ that arguably birthed the modern, cross-media comic book blockbuster.
Well, Sunsoft might not have turned in the most faithful of tie-ins, but it’s a tight little game with excellent music which sees an acrobatic, purple-clad Caped Crusader wall-jumping and punching his way through an 8-bit Gotham in search of his arch nemesis.
So, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
11. DuckTales (NES)
If you need to scratch your NES nostalgia itch and/or you loved DuckTales as a kid, this game is for you. The platforming, with its pogo-cane action, is unique and extremely fun, the presentation is excellent, and the characters you know and love are intact.
Non-linear exploration and an alternate ending had us coming back for more back in the last months of the ’80s, and Uncle Scrooge is just as cranky and lovable now as he was decades ago. One of the best licensed games ever made.
10. Dragon Warrior IV (NES)
The final NES/Famicom entry in Chunsoft’s seminal RPG series, 1992’s Dragon Warrior IV (or Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen as it’s more commonly known these days) would be the last series entry to arrive in the West for some time.
Comprising five chapters, each of which concentrates on an aforementioned ‘chosen’ character, it was also the first of the mainline DQ series to get its own spin-off titles: Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon featured this game’s merchant, Taloon, and was the very first game in Chunsoft’s Mystery Dungeon series, no less.
The Nintendo DS is arguably the best way to enjoy the game these days if you can find it for a reasonable price. But the fantastic character- and chapter-based structure means this RPG feels extremely fresh, wherever you play.
9. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (NES)
After the deviation that was Simon’s Quest, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse returns to the level-by-level approach seen in the 1986 original, but evolves the concept in every conceivable way.
There are now four characters to control: Simon Belmont’s ancestor Trevor; magic-user Sypha Belnades; pirate Grant Danasty; and Alucard, the half-vampire, half-human son of the Prince of Darkness himself (read his name backwards, Castlevania noobs…okay, you can lower that eyebrow now).
Trevor can switch to one of these companions during a level and benefit from their unique powers. This adds to the variety considerably, as does the fact that your path through the game branches in places, offering plenty of replay value and hinting at the route the series would take.
Add in some of the best visuals and music ever seen in a NES game, and it’s easy to see why so many consider Dracula’s Curse the pinnacle of the series, at least in terms of the more ‘traditional’ entries before Symphony of the Night shook things up in 1997.
8. Kirby’s Adventure (NES)
Kirby’s Adventure is a vibrant masterclass of NES platforming, whether you’ve got the 3D slider set to max in the 3D Classics version on 3DS or you’re enjoying it old-school-style with just two dimensions on NES. It’s a high point in the pink puffball’s illustrious career and its 8-bit visuals still look great all these years later.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a Kirby fan, this adventure will win you over – and it’s easy enough to find as part of the Nintendo Switch Online NES library. You might say…it sucks you in.
You don’t have to, though.
7. Super Mario Bros. (NES)
So much of the foundation of the series — and the medium at large — was put down in Super Mario Bros. that it’s tough to evaluate all these years later without considering its historical importance.
This game, perhaps more than any other, has passed into the popular cultural consciousness and influenced countless developers since 1985. Artefacts like this delineate epochs; when it comes to video games, there was ‘Before SMB’ and ‘After SMB’.
Going back today, it has aged, naturally, and it doesn’t control quite as tightly as the Super Mario Bros. theme in the Mario Maker games. But it’s still the original and, some would say, the best. Not us, but some.
You’ve played this many, many times before, no doubt, and you’ll play it many, many times again. Good game.
6. Contra (NES)
Known as Probotector in Europe — where it launched two years after its release in North America and Japan with Bill and Lance replaced by robot duo RD008 and RC011 — Contra is run-and-gun royalty from Konami.
Arriving just one year after the arcade original’s debut, it brought all the shirt-ripping ’80s action of the coin-op to Nintendo’s console and gave gamers a cracking two-player game to blast through at home. Classic stuff and no mistake, whether you’re rocking metal or muscle.
5. Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream (NES)
A boxing game that’s not really a boxing game, Punch-Out!! is all about reading your opponent’s tells and timing your dodges and responses. So maybe it’s the perfect boxing game, then?
Regardless, it’s a great time, brimming with colourful characters (read: outrageous comical stereotypes that wouldn’t fly these days). The lag inherent to modern displays makes it more challenging to master these days versus the original game on a CRT, but challenging Mr. Dream — or Mike Tyson, as he was originally — to a duel should be on every NES fan’s bucket list. Fight!
4. Mega Man 3 (NES)
Mega Man 3 was one of the shining jewels in the NES library — a catalogue that’s certainly not wanting for sparklers.
If we’re really searching for imperfections, a touch of slowdown, a glitchy weapon, and some careless level design arguably take the shine off this when compared directly to its predecessor. Then again, MM3 added the slide move and Rush, the titular character’s robo-Good Boi.
For our money, arguing whether Mega Man 2 or Mega Man 3 is best is much like debating between Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World — they’re two sides of the same coin and both utterly essential.
3. The Legend of Zelda (NES)
What is there left to say about The Legend of Zelda?
The game that started it all holds up well, although be prepared to explore and really work for the answers to puzzles here. A modern game would never ask you to try setting random bushes alight to reveal a hidden passageway without signalling it with a huge neon ‘SECRET HERE!’ sign. The Legend of Zelda trusted the player and had faith in its own strengths enough to let you miss things.
It was a very unique prospect back in 1987, offering an unparalleled sense of adventure, clever combat mechanics, and a world ripe for exploration. Decades later, developers of titles big and small are still borrowing from it.
A landmark game that still feels fresh. Definitely worth revisiting, although if you’ve never played the series, we wouldn’t recommend playing this one first.
2. Mega Man 2 (NES)
Mega Man 2 is a textbook example of a sequel done right; perfectly, in fact. It retains the best features of the first game, tightens up the physics, retools the enemy AI, and adds a slew of new features and challenges. Its front-to-back brilliant soundtrack doesn’t hurt, either.
It’s an absolute all-time classic — one of the finest 8-bit games ever made — and if you only play one Mega Man game (er, why would you do that?)… you should probably toss a coin to decide between this or its sequel.
1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
As toweringly important as the original Super Mario Bros. was, Super Mario Bros. 3 was a colossal leap forward in practically every way.
It refined the basics, switched up the visuals, and added more mechanical variety and one-and-done elements than any video game to that point — so many that even today there are certain suits, stages, and secrets that many fans never found.
So many ‘old’ games are best approached with historical context in mind, or come with caveats when playing them years after release. SMB3 needs none. It’s just as boundingly inventive and fresh as the day it was released, and easily one of the very finest video games ever made. Play it, now.
