The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) remains one of the most iconic video game consoles ever. It ushered in many beloved franchises and cemented Nintendo’s place as an industry powerhouse. Let’s take a look at some of the best NES games to ever be released on this console.
Super Mario Bros.
The NES may be best known for its iconic Mario games, but its library contains numerous standout titles that deserve your consideration. From pioneering franchises like DuckTales or an ambitious RPG game there is something here for everyone here.
Kid Icarus, an innovative platformer that introduced the world to saving your progress at any time, remains one of the NES’s underrated gems. Although its imperfect controls and frustrating enemy encounters rob money from you prematurely keep it from becoming an all-time classic, Kid Icarus remains an engaging experience that should not be neglected.
Mother was one of Nintendo’s first successful second-tier franchises and stands as an intriguing and bizarre experience for RPG enthusiasts. Its extremely difficult nature quickly made Mother a fan-favorite.
River City Ransom
This gangster-themed beat ’em up was one of the NES’s premier beat ’em ups. With an open world to explore and numerous upgrades for Ryan and Alex that include reading books such as “Stone Hands” or purchasing new attacks – you can customize your characters to make them more powerful than ever!
Modern gamers might expect it to be shorter than most games today, yet its progression requires constant improvement of your skills to advance. While you can easily breeze through early stages with skill and limited funds, later stages with stronger enemies prove much harder.
Tengen (aka Chili) game this one offers something completely different; its side-scrolling run-and-jump gameplay provides a welcome respite from all of the adorable cartoon characters and heroic humans that dominated that era. Though relatively short at six levels, each stage featured unique scenarios not found elsewhere on NES.
Gremlins 2
Gremlins have returned, and this time around they’re meaner than ever! Joe Dante initially decided not to do a sequel due to technical challenges present in his original film; but nonetheless managed to produce this delightfully anarchic monster flick which has quickly become an instant classic in its own right.
The game offers an engaging blend of top down adventuring and side-scrolling action. As Gizmo from the film, you explore an iconic skyscraper while using weapons and gadgets (flashlights, tomatoes and Frisbees) against gremlins while avoiding hazards such as holes in floors, spiked sections and electrified wires.
Sunsoft created some of the greatest NES games, and Gremlins 2 stands out as an exceptional example. Notable for its spectacular soundtrack that takes advantage of all seven sound channels on console, including some really memorable tunes that use all your ears at once!
Ducktales
If you grew up watching Donald Duck and his three nephews embark on adventures together, you’re going to adore this DuckTales reboot. While it might not update its midcentury vision of prosperity and jet age fantasy as effectively, its clever writing and endearing characters make this game fun and compelling to play.
The NES was an influential console due to the games it produced. One such influential title was Metroid, which put players into an alien planet to explore freely – setting off Castlevania series titles and other genre-defining games as a result.
Bucky O’Hare stands as an iconic licensed NES game that has outlasted both its TV show and comic book source material. Boasting top-tier level design and original ability-based gameplay features that keep gameplay excitingly fresh throughout, its level design ensures that this experience never becomes mundane or repetitive.
Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck is a cartoon that perfectly marries classic Disney talent with 1990s pop culture. This show serves as an irreverent parody of comic book superheroes like Batman while also exploring topics such as modern family life and rebellion among youth. Characters are fully realized while stories unfold with charm and laugh-fit humor – rivaling even other notable pop culture heroes like Spider-Man or Batman!
The series follows Drake Mallard as he adopts orphan Gosalyn Waddlemeyer and takes up his superhero alter ego Darkwing Duck’s mantle in St. Canard, with Launchpad McQuack as his sidekick and pilot.
The television show takes place in the same universe as DuckTales comics; however, some fans wish to set it apart due to certain plot holes. Many characters from DuckTales such as F.O.W.L, Steelbeak, Ammonia Pine and Ample Grime appear as well as antagonists such as Body-Stealing Alien Hats Splatter Phoenix Tuskernini Jambalaya Jake Fluffy Anna Matronic and Magica De Spell.
Little Nemo
The original NES version of this iconic Soviet mind game was an absolute pleasure to play, not only as a platformer that celebrated protagonist Ryu Hayabusa’s extraordinary acrobatic abilities but also as an exercise in power fantasy that made you feel like an immortal when successfully completing each stage.
Little Nemo stands out among NES beat-em-ups because it manages to create 8-bit visuals and chiptune sounds with pure imagination, giving rise to something truly innovative and magical. Without weapons himself, Nemo must feed candy to various animals that take his form and grant him special abilities – finding these creatures at just the right moment is often quite challenging, adding another level of challenge while keeping each level fresh with different elements!
New Ghostbusters 2 stands out as one of the better licensed NES games based on movies and TV shows, being both engaging and innovative in equal measures. Although not the most immersive title on our list, New Ghostbusters 2 features run-and-gun shooter action with light exploration elements for added fun.