Best Original Nintendo (NES) Games

Super Mario Bros 3

Even for an 8-bit system, there is a reason that the NES revitalized the gaming industry pretty much single-handedly. While I was born after the SNES had already been released, the NES is where I learned about video games due to both my grandparents owning them.
I fondly remember the games of my youth like Mega Man, Tetris, Dr. Mario, and Duck Hunt. However, there is one game that was the definitive game of my NES experience. Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda were close seconds, but neither of them managed to do what Super Mario Bros 3 did.
This game pushed the system to its limits and took what the original did and multiplied it by ten. Everything felt so polished and complete that even by today's standards, this is still a great game and has stood the test of time very well. While games were still made for the system until 1994, I still consider this the game that showed the world what Nintendo was capable of even back in 1990 and sent gamers across the world into the next generation with the SNES with high expectations.

The Legend of Zelda

Zelda is one of the best games I have ever played and should be number one, in my opinion. Its sandbox element is truly awesome. Honestly, I think its sandbox element is better than Grand Theft Auto, and that's very impressive for being one of the first sandbox games.

It isn't so much this game but the fact that it spawned a series full of masterpieces. Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword are all masterpieces. The fact that this game started it all is a good enough reason to vote for it.

Super Mario Bros.

I'm a big Mario fan, but I really didn't play many classic games until the NES Classic Edition was released. When I was not playing endless amounts of Kirby and StarTropics, I played the OG known as Mario.
I loved Super Mario Bros 1 and 3 (I liked SMB 2, but it will never be as great). They're some of my favorite classic games.

I vote this as the best Nintendo game. Kids today can thank this very game for a lot of the games that are out today. Atari started the video game craze when I was a youngster, but Nintendo made it take off like a rocket.

Mega Man 2

This is the most well-known Mega Man game and with good reason. It's a bit easier than its frustrating predecessor, and its success paved the way for a new game almost every year or so. One of the greatest video game sequels ever made.

Great platforming, smooth controls, fantastic music, amazing level design, simple (but appealing) graphics, and the right amount of challenge that gave you a decent challenge. Yet, unlike the other NES Mega Man games, a sane person could beat it.

Best music on any NES game, and it had great gameplay plus a variety of bosses with weaknesses to keep it interesting. Plus, it continued into two series: Mega Man X and Mega Man. Why is this not top 5?

Mike Tyson's Punch Out

Granted, this game was borne out of the original arcade version (Uppercut! Right hook!). At the time this game came out, Mike Tyson WAS THE MAN, and this game was just a TON of fun to play.

This is probably the first and last GREAT game that was based around a celebrity. The soundtrack is super great, the characters are funny (but hard), and so on.

I've wasted countless hours on the final boss. P.S. Who else thinks Sandman is tougher than Super Macho Man?

Metroid

Not only were the gameplay and plot outstanding for their time, but the music (BRINSTAR!) was extremely well composed. Years ahead of its time.

Yet another legendary game franchise that, to this day, still inspires millions of gamers with its numerous sequels. And to find out Samus was a GIRL!? Haha.

Everything in this game is 10. Play it and find out for yourself.

Contra

Fun game. Really good, hard, and a little bit short, but so much fun. Great music, nice graphics, very good controls and gameplay. The sounds are also very good. The cooperative two-player mode makes it even better. It's great when you play it with a friend.

Excellent NES game released in 1988. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone (Bill and Lance). They fight monsters in a clear spin-off of the films Aliens and Predator. Great game. I recommend it to any gamer and/or fan of the '80s action superstars!

Castlevania

Awesome music, great graphics, and really smart game design. This game is one of those jewels that took the basics of platformers and made them its own, shaping an entire experience based on design.
It is really hard to create such a horror/action/adventure ambiance within the limitations of the NES, but Castlevania nailed it. The whole experience indeed made you feel like a brave warrior challenged again and again by a relentless army of evil, but you want to keep going at it one more time. An all-time classic!

Castlevania is by far my most favourite game of all time. The story, characters, and villains are amazing. Literally the best franchise ever!

Tetris

Both the official Nintendo version and the rare Tengen version easily wasted countless hours of my life, and I loved every second of it. I can still school my kids at this game, despite their best efforts to beat their dad.

Best puzzle game in my opinion. The hilarious fact is that the unofficial version was better. 10/10 thinking of the time it was made in and if it was released today 9/10. If it was released today, that meant no puzzle games. AMAZING!

The classic. I hated the goofy sequel but still spend hours trying to get as far as I can before the blocks start falling too fast to set right.

Super Mario Bros 2

The first game I ever beat. I'll never forget the disappointment of it all being a dream. Yet somehow, Shyguys, Birdo, Bob-ombs, and other enemies Mario only dreamed of in this game somehow came to menace him again in real life.

Probably the most experimental game that changed the story mode of the Super Mario series. The graphics are good with unique level designs and characters with different traits.

Sure, it's not a true Mario game, but that doesn't mean it's not fun. It's so much fun. The best on the NES.

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Snake Rattle 'n' Roll

Waaaaaaayyy underrated!
The controls are funky, sure, but it's a fun, short little challenge with some frustrating and rewarding ice slopes.

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Wario's Woods

Kirby's Adventure

This should at least be in the top ten. I loved this game so much when I was a kid. I beat it over and over, and it's still better than most games today. The graphics were amazing for the console, and the movements were so smooth. I love this game!

Yip! This game made me play it over and over again, trying to use every power-up I could to beat a level. The animation is so lively, and let's face it, the graphics pushed the engine to the max. Simply love it!

Sorry, but 26 is unacceptable. This game is awesome. The gameplay and soundtrack are still phenomenal, and don't get me started on the remake. As far as NES games are concerned, this is one of the greats.

Mega Man 3

I haven't played NES in ages, but when I did play as a kid, Mega Man 3 was my favorite game. I wasn't a big fan of the revisited stages, but once you had completed them, Dr. Wily's castle seemed easy. Also, the music was outstanding!

Best one of the ENTIRE SERIES, so why is everyone playing Mega Man 2? This one is better, so play this one. 91% of the people in the world are playing this. Even I am, so play Mega Man 3. Please, come on, everyone listen!

My favorite of all the Mega Man games.

Ninja Gaiden

I used to hate this game until I realized how cool it is. Sure, jumps can be difficult to time, and enemies will more often than not respawn. However, I'm happy that they give you unlimited continues, and there are great graphics and music throughout the entire game.

Seriously, this game is a masterpiece. It was the first to include cut scenes, its music is highly memorable, and the smoothness of its gameplay, as well as its high level of difficulty, should be revisited by today's game makers.

This game is incredible and should be higher on the list.

Final Fantasy

Though Dragon Warrior 3 probably wins overall in pure game comparison, Final Fantasy was an awesome game with a great fold-out map with a monster list on the back. I probably played it more than any other game, especially since it allowed access to high-level monster grinding fairly early in the game.

I think there are about 125 Final Fantasy games now, but the original is the best, in my opinion. I remember going to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster to rent VHS movies before the digital age killed all the brick-and-mortar video stores. Ah, the good old days...

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

Castlevania III went back to the roots of the series with classic platforming action but also included more adventure elements to make the game more interesting. You could now gain allies (whom you had to defeat/save first) and choose alternate paths through the cursed land of Transylvania.
Just like the original, the game is shaped entirely by clever game design. However, the whole experience feels more immersive, as if you are part of the story in a movie, starting with the genius opening sequence. That was not something we were used to back then, and it blew my mind when I was a kid.
Of course, the music was even better than in the original, as were the graphics and overall graphic design. All this transported you into a gritty, dark, horror setting where every challenge just wouldn't let you catch a breath. The new allies' help was most welcome. The story was also given much more depth and significance, which was uncommon at the time.
This game was the crowning jewel of Castlevania on the NES, if not the entire series.

Tecmo Super Bowl

The best sports game ever. A timeless classic that plays as well today as the day it came out. One of the FEW NES games that can say that.

Duck Hunt

Great game with Super Mario Brothers on one cartridge. It's fun that you can use a gun and shoot ducks. The game was good for its time. It's good now if you have a new TV and a rereleased NES and rereleased Duck Hunt gun.

Really good, but I hate the dog. Although then again, who doesn't?

I know this didn't age too well, but I think it should be higher.

Donkey Kong

Great port of the arcade game to the NES. Only missing one level though. Kinda hard to find too, $30 or over on eBay during 2015 or longer.

Donkey Kong Country is my favorite video game of all time. It is hard but fun.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

As a kid, it took me forever to find Bagu and to figure out that you had to use Thunder to defeat Ganon near the end. But for reasons such as these, I loved the game. It was definitely one of my favorites. It should be ranked higher!

Other than SMB, SMB3, and the original LoZ, I would have to say this is my next favorite NES game. Never beat that last castle though, haha.

I like this game a lot, but it gets too hard near the end, I think. Not the best one but still really good.

Excitebike

One of the original cartridges that was available when the system came out in 1985. This game was not only fun for its various courses but especially fun because it was the first game I can recall that allowed you to design your own levels. Very cool!

Dr. Mario

This one still keeps me up late at night, trying to see how long I can last until that idiot starts giving me too many of the wrong colors.

Unique enough from Tetris to be worth buying. You should get it.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game

Mega Man

The original game, which spawned five sequels (all of which were equally as cool), was simply a fun yet frustrating game to play.
Twenty years later, I still love to get mad about having to start a level all over again when I die.

Battletoads

Those who don't like the game haven't gotten past the 3rd level. The game is stupidly difficult, but it is varied and aesthetically amazing. The first boss of the game is also a unique idea that is a blast to fight the hundreds of times it will take you to finally get to the end of this game.

Even though I consider this one of my top 10 favorite NES games (I know that can be debatable), I would always drop the F-bomb in various stages (i.e., Turbo Tunnel). It's an awesome game with an unforgiving difficulty.

Although it's hard as nails, it's such a fantastic game that I can't stop playing. Without a doubt, it is one of the best games for the console.

Ghosts 'n Goblins

Usually not a fan of games that are designed to frustrate you on purpose, but this game, in my opinion, was outstanding! The hardest game even today because even when you beat the game, you have to do the whole thing again to get the ending! Try it. It's almost impossible!

The only bad thing about this game, other than the difficulty, is the fact that you have to beat the game twice just to get a very cheap ending. It still has its charm. I don't consider it one of the best, but it's good to say the very least.

Pretty good game. I don't think I'd rank it this high, but still pretty good. The only real bad quality in this game is the fact that you have to beat the game twice, and the ending has horrible grammar.