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The Essential NES List          

 

This list was created as a response to the eternal question: “I just bought a NES and I don’t know what games are the top dogs.”  Well, problem solved.  This list should get you started on your NES journey.  But do me a favor and buy a NES, emulation just isn’t the same!

 

We now have two essential NES Lists, one is a straight list of the top games and one is broken down into different genres.  For more information on each genre go to our rankings page and click on your desired genre.

 

You Must have these!!

  1. The Legend of Zelda
  2. Super Mario Bros.
  3. Super Mario Bros. 3
  4. Final Fantasy
  5. Tecmo Super Bowl

 

You have to have these as well.

  1. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
  2. Metroid
  3. Super Mario Bros. 2
  4. Mega Man 2
  5. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

 

Okay these are still a must for any NESer

  1. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
  2. Contra
  3. Kid Icarus
  4. Dr. Mario
  5. Tetris

 

This rounds out the Top 20 all still amazing.

  1. Dragon Warrior III
  2. Baseball Stars
  3. Castlevania
  4. Mega Man 3
  5. Kirby’s Adventure

 

Here’s the rest of our essential 50. They are all awesome and in no particular order.

  1. The Guardian Legend
  2. Ninja Gaiden
  3. Arkanoid
  4. Gun.Smoke
  5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II
  6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
  7. R.B.I. Baseball
  8. Double Dragon II: The Revenge
  9. Bionic Commando
  10. R. C. Pro Am
  11. Adventure Island
  12. Adventure Island II
  13. Adventure Island III
  14. Bomberman II
  15. Blaster Master
  16. Dragon Warrior  
  17. Dragon Warrior II
  18. Dragon Warrior IV
  19. Micro Machines
  20. River City Ransom
  21. Blades of Steel
  22. Ice Hockey
  23. Spiritual Warfare
  24. Pirates!
  25. Bubble Bobble
  26. StarTropics
  27. Tecmo Bowl
  28. Double Dragon
  29. Ninja Gaiden II
  30. Super Dodge Ball
  31. Crystalis
  32. Magic of Scheherazade

 

There are tons of other amazing NES games and here are our honorable mentions in no particular order.

  1. Battletoads
  2. The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak!
  3. Pro Wrestling
  4. Excitebike
  5. Star Wars
  6. Jackal
  7. Tetris 2
  8. Rescue Rangers
  9. Archon
  10. Rad Racer
  11. The Goonies II
  12. NES Tournament Open
  13. Tiny Toon Adventures
  14. Cabal
  15. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
  16. Gradius
  17. R. C. Pro Am II
  18. Monster in My Pocket
  19. Pinball
  20. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
  21. Smash T. V.
  22. TaleSpin
  23. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  24. Mega Man
  25. Mega Man 4
  26. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
  27. Metal Gear
  28. Duck Hunt
  29. Dusty Diamond’s All-Star Softball
  30. Maniac Mansion
  31. Wario’s Woods
  32. Ms. Pac-Man [Tengen Version]
  33. Donkey Kong Classics
  34. Super C
  35. Déjŕ Vu

 

Genre Specific List

 

Sports

  1. Baseball Stars
  2. R.B.I. Baseball
  3. Tecmo Bowl
  4. Tecmo Super Bowl
  5. Tecmo NBA Basketball
  6. Blades of Steel
  7. Ice Hockey
  8. Excitebike
  9. NES Open Tournament Golf
  10. R.C. Pro-Am
  11. R.C. Pro-Am II
  12. Micro Machines
  13. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
  14. Pro Wrestling

 

RPG

  1. Dragon Warrior
  2. Dragon Warrior II
  3. Dragon Warrior III
  4. Dragon Warrior IV
  5. Final Fantasy
  6. Ultima: Quest of the Avatar

 

Adventure

  1. Castlevania II – Simon’s Quest
  2. Crystalis
  3. Faxanadu
  4. The Goonies II
  5. Kid Icarus
  6. The Legend of Zelda
  7. Magic of Scheherazade
  8. Metroid
  9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
  10. Spiritual Warfare
  11. StarTropics
  12. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  13. Willow
  14. Zelda II – The Adventure of Link

 

Platform

  1. Adventure Island
  2. Adventure Island II
  3. Adventure Island III
  4. Battletoads
  5. Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers
  6. Darkwing Duck
  7. DuckTales
  8. The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak!
  9. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
  10. Kirby’s Adventure
  11. Mega Man
  12. Mega Man 2
  13. Mega Man 3
  14. Mega Man 4
  15. Mega Man 5
  16. Mega Man 6
  17. Monster in My Pocket
  18. Super Mario Bros.
  19. Super Mario Bros. 2
  20. Super Mario Bros. 3
  21. Tiny Toon Adventures

 

Action

  1. Bionic Commando
  2. Blaster Master
  3. Cabal
  4. Castlevania
  5. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
  6. Contra
  7. Double Dragon
  8. Double Dragon II: The Revenge
  9. Gradius
  10. Gun.Smoke
  11. Jackal
  12. Metal Gear
  13. Ninja Gaiden
  14. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
  15. River City Ransom
  16. Rygar
  17. Star Wars
  18. Super C
  19. TaleSpin
  20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game
  21. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project

 

Puzzle/Strategy

  1. The Adventures of Lolo
  2. Archon
  3. Bomberman II
  4. Bubble Bobble
  5. Déjŕ Vu
  6. Dr. Mario
  7. Maniac Mansion
  8. Pirates!
  9. Spy vs. Spy
  10. Tetris [Nintendo Version]
  11. Tetris 2
  12. Wario’s Woods

 

Arcade Classics

 

  1. Arkanoid
  2. Donkey Kong Classics
  3. Ms. Pac-Man [Tengen Version]

 

 

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