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Hi to all vogue gamers out there! Here is a list of best NES games for you!
When you imagine a hardcore gamer in modern times, you visualize a person sitting on his Gaming chair, controller in hand, playing a game with stunning graphics on a wide monitor. But before all of these, there was a time when games were simple, evergreen and so impactful that they broke several barriers and Nintendo was perhaps the flag bearer of what we now call the Retro Games.
More than 700 games were produced under the license of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Some of them became iconic, some of them legendary. We have tried to rank the 10 top NES games out of the hundreds of gems that made our childhood awesome. Let’s have a look:
10. Castlevania– one of the top nes games
A simple, yet entertaining adventure game, Castlevania is one of the finest games in the NES library. It uses platform gameplay and the protagonist, Simon, has to overcome obstacles before finally reaching the 18th and final stage where he must defeat Dracula. If he does so, the castle dismantles and you can restart the game with a higher difficulty.
There are a lot of interesting weapons and bonuses in the way and like most other retro games, you start with multiple lives. Once you run out of them, Game Over!
Castlevania is an intriguing game. The element of horror and the 8-bit spooky music adds to the appeal. The game was way ahead of its time and set a path that was followed by many others in the future.
9. Duck Hunt
The controversial entry. Duck Hunt was the most peculiar, mindless, repetitive, and boring. But let’s be honest- All of us have played it at least once. And frankly, one of my most played, best NES games.
The objective is simple. You have to hunt the ducks. You get three attempts to hit them. If you successfully hunt the minimum required number of ducks, you go to the next round, otherwise, Game Over. As you move on, the difficulty increases. If you miss, a dog will appear and taunt you.
The game got more popular once it was packaged with the Super Mario Bros. But even without them, they had a lot of people playing it. It was also the first game in which you could use the NES Zapper light gun, which made this game way cooler than it should have been.
8. Kung Fu
Kung Fu was one of the first hand to hand combat games and the number 6 in our list of top NES games. The story was simple. The main hero, Thomas, has to fight his way against Mr.X, the evil guy who kidnapped his girlfriend, Sylvia. There are 5 stages with various difficulties and you had to punch and kick the bad guys to complete them. There are many ways by which one can get extra lives and several bonuses allowed you to increase your high score. As a result, this was a favorite among gamers who loved to chase high scores.
This was one of the most successful games of its time. Simple gameplay, third-person view, and the ‘beat ‘em up’ genre helped Kung Fu to become a sensation.
7. Mega Man– one of the top NES games
It was difficult to choose which one of the many Mega Man games is the best. Many consider Mega Man 3 to be the best. But it all started with this classic.
Mega Man is a humanoid robot and he has to complete various stages. Each boss battle gives him a unique weapon that he can finally use to combat the ‘Robot Master’ boss at the end. A player can choose whichever level he fancies and you must plan your strategy accordingly.
The game didn’t do well in the market but it was praised by the critics for its unique gameplay and innovative storyline. The subsequent sequels were quite a hit, establishing this as one of the most successful franchises.
6. DuckTales– the best NES games!
Ever heard the term- ‘Nailed It!’? Because that’s exactly what the developers did with this game. It’s never easy to create a game based on an already established franchise,(watch the best cartoons for free, here), and this one was an original NES game. Uncle Scrooge was a familiar face and they had to ensure that he retained his characteristics and still blend well in an adventure game.
Scrooge McDuck must complete certain levels by traveling around the globe and in space to collect money and increase his fortune. You can collect various gems and other valuable items, meet some old friends on the way and even fight the Dracula Duck in the end.
DuckTales was commercially successful and critically acclaimed. The music is one of the finest and this always gets a mention whenever we talk about the best games based on Disney Characters.
5. Contra
One of the best NES games that allowed two-player gameplay, Contra was a massive hit. The game has multiple perspectives, the main side view and in the second stage, a 3D view where it seems you are running into the screen. You can shoot in multiple directions and you can also claim upgraded rifles in the path. These elements increased the popularity of this game.
Contra was also positively received by the critics and in many ways, this became the benchmark of success for years to come.
4. Metroid
Metroid is an adventure game that occurs in outer space on a planet named Zebes. The game was revolutionary in many ways. You could go left and right and search for valuable items in areas you have already explored.
The main character of this game is Samus and she fights off some scary Space Pirates. As the game progresses, the difficulty increases, but Samus gets some enhanced powers as well.
The reviews were extremely positive for this game. The fact that it had a female protagonist in an adventure game was also quite a progressive and bold decision. The gameplay was superb and it is one of the best NES games.
3. Tetris
The beloved puzzle video game, Tetris, can be regarded as an evergreen and one of the most popular games ever made. The marketing strategies of NES made it a smash hit and one of the top NES games in its library.
Tetris is simple. You have to place the bricks falling from above to complete a row. Once completed, the row disappears, and the game continues as long as there is no space for a new brick to fall.
2. The Legend of Zelda
This one is a classic. An action-adventure game that was loved by both critics as well as the gaming community. This is widely regarded as the best adventure game ever made and can be considered as one of the best NES games!
The main objective of our hero, Link is to overcome obstacles like trees, waterfalls, some scary monsters, and collect items on the way to rescue Princess Zelda.
The concept wasn’t very unique but the gameplay was. This one is simply one of the top NES games ever made.
Special Mentions
Before we announce the Number 1 best NES game, here are a few original top NES games that were also equally amazing and ruled the gaming industry in the 80s and 90s.
- Kirby’s Adventure
- Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
- River City Ransom
- Dragon Warrior
1. Super Mario Bros– the best NES games ever made!
Was there ever any doubt? The game that started the phenomena, set up an iconic franchise, and gave us endless moments of joy, ‘Super Mario Bros.’ is perhaps the best video game ever made. No other game made such a huge impact on pop culture as this did.
In the game, Mario must overcome several hurdles, collect power-ups and rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser.
Everything about this game is perfect. The music, the controls, the enemies, everything. The game was, undoubtedly, a smash hit and at the same time, critically acclaimed.
SUMMARY
We have tried to rank the top NES games in the NES Library. These are the games that made a lot of childhood really amazing, spread happiness around the world, and became a part of many people’s lives. In a way, NES saved the console industry. They revived it and then took it to unprecedented heights.
