Top 50 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Games of All Time

Super Mario Bros. 3, the third entry in the Super Mario Bros. series and Super Mario franchise, sees Mario or Luigi navigate a nonlinear world map containing platforming levels and optional minigames and challenges. The game features more diverse movement options and new items alongside more complex level designs and boss battles.

Tetris is a puzzle video game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in the mid-1980s. Players arrange falling pieces made of four connected blocks, called tetrominoes, into complete horizontal lines within a rectangular playfield. Completed lines disappear and award points, while the speed of the falling pieces increases over time. The game ends when stacked pieces reach the top of the field. With over 520 million sales across approximately 220 versions and at least 70 platforms, it is the second-best-selling video game series.

A side scrolling 2D platformer and first entry in the Super Mario franchise, Super Mario Bros. follows Italian plumber Mario as he treks across many levels of platforming challenges featuring hostile enemies to rescue Princess Peach from the evil king Bowser.

In the year 200X, a super robot named Mega Man was created. Dr. Light created Mega Man to stop the evil desires of Dr. Wily. However, after his defeat, Dr. Wily created eight of his own robots to counter Mega Man.

The Legend of Zelda is the first title in the Zelda series, it has marked the history of video games particularly for it's game mechanics and universe. The player controls Link and must make his way through the forests, graveyards, plains and deserts of the Otherworld to find the secret entrances to the eight dungeons and try to restore the broken Triforce. Among the game's mechanics, it was the first time we saw a continuous world that could be freely explored, power-ups that permanently enhanced the main character's abilities and a battery save feature that allowed players to keep their progress instead of having to start over. The gameplay balanced action sequences with discovery, secrets and exploration.

Punch-Out!!, originally released in North America as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, is a boxing sports fighting video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) developed and published by Nintendo in 1987. Part of the Punch-Out!! series, it is a port of both the Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!! arcade games (particularly the latter) with some variations. Punch-Out!! features a boxer known as Little Mac working his way up the professional boxing circuits, facing a series of colorful, fictional boxers, leading to a final fight with real-life boxer, the then-World Heavyweight Champion, which is Mike Tyson in the original version and Mr. Dream in the later version. Little Mac has a limited repertoire compared to most of his opponents. His punches are limited to left and right jabs, left and right body blows, and a powerful uppercut. The uppercut can only be used once the player earns a star, which is typically accomplished by counter-punching the opponent directly before or after certain attacks are launched. The player can acquire up to three stars. To perform the uppercut, the player needs to press the start button once a star is earned. To defend, Mac can dodge left or right, duck, and block punches by putting up his guard. Little Mac also has a heart meter, which decreases by three upon being struck by an opponent and one upon blocking an attack or an opponent blocking/dodging the player's attack. When the heart meter decreases to zero, Little Mac temporarily turns pink and appears exhausted, leaving the player unable to attack but still able to dodge or block. At this point, Mac can regain some hearts (and his normal color palette) only by avoiding the opponent's punches. He immediately loses all of his hearts upon being knocked down, but can regain some by getting up. A bout can end by knockout (KO), if a fighter is unable to get up within ten seconds after being knocked down; by technical knockout (TKO), if a fighter is knocked down three times in one round; or by decision, if the bout lasts three full rounds without a clear winner. In order to win by decision, the player must accumulate higher than a certain point total by punching the opponent and/or knocking him down (different boxers require different point totals to win by decision). However, some bouts cannot be won in this manner and will automatically result in a loss for the player if the opponent is not knocked out. Mac can only get up three times during any one bout; if he is knocked down a fourth time, he will be unable to rise and thus lose by knockout. When Mac loses his first bout to a ranked opponent, he will have a chance to fight a rematch. However, if he loses a Title Bout, he will fall in the rankings - one place for the Minor or Major Circuits, two places for the World Circuit. Losing a rematch causes him to fall one place (unless he is already at the bottom of his circuit), forcing him to fight his way back up. A third loss (not necessarily a consecutive one) ends the game. The exception is the final fight against Mike Tyson/Mr. Dream; a loss to them automatically results in a game over.

Not everything is well in Dream Land. For some mysterious reason, the Dream Spring, a magical well that is the reservoir for all the dreams of the citizens of Dream Land, is no longer working. Everyone is being subjected to their worst nightmares every time they go to sleep. Upon reaching the Dream Spring, Kirby finds out that evil King Dedede has stolen the Star Rod, thus depriving Dream Land of the magical energy that feeds its spring. Using 20 unique tricks and your ability to steal your enemies' powers by swallowing them, you'll have to make your way through a horrific land filled with all kinds of nightmares. Recover the broken pieces of the Star Rod, and everyone in Dream Land will sleep peacefully once again. If you fail, the citizens of Dream Land will be subjected to a lifetime of terrible nightmares.

DuckTales is a platform game developed and published by Capcom and based on the Disney animated TV series of the same name. It was first released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989 and was later ported to the Game Boy in 1990. The story involves Scrooge McDuck traveling around the globe collecting treasure and outwitting his rival Flintheart Glomgold to become the world's richest duck. Produced by key personnel from the Mega Man series, DuckTales would go on to sell over a million copies worldwide on each system, becoming Capcom's best-selling title for both platforms. The game was praised for its tight control, unique and non-linear gameplay and bright presentation, and is often regarded as one of the best titles for the NES, appearing on numerous "Best of" lists.

Find out just how resourceful you can be in this classic game, with its mixture of adventure and RPG elements. Step into the shoes of Mike Jones, a teenage star pitcher from Seattle who has come to the tropics to visit his famous archeologist uncle, Dr. Jones. After being told that his uncle has been abducted, Mike begins a perilous quest in order to rescue him and figure out the mysterious plot behind his disappearance.

Scrooge McDuck is hot on the trail of the richest adventure ever. Pieces to the map of the Lost Treasure of McDuck have been scattered across the globe, and Scrooge must find them before the greedy Flintheart Glomgold grabs them. It's going to be a race to the finish as both of them try to find the treasure and become the richest duck in the world! Join Scrooge and his nephews as they explore the ancient pyramids of Egypt and do battle with swash-buckling pirates in the Bermuda Triangle. Help them search the haunted halls of an ancient Scottish castle and scale the watery heights of Niagara Falls. Aid Scrooge in his quest for the secret of the island of Mu and you'll gain the final clue to unravel the hidden location of the Lost Treasure of McDuck!

This version includes two new levels (the first part of Scene 3 and all of Scene 6), which feature new enemy characters, including two new bosses: Tora (a dog-like "blizzard beast") and Shogun (a robotic samurai), both characters created for the game. Most of the original stages from the arcade version were extended as well and the second half of Scene 3, the parking garage stage, replaces the arcade version's end battle with Bebop and Rocksteady with a battle against the mutated fly form of Baxter Stockman.

The alien Red Falcon is back, and planning on taking over the planet Earth.

Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on earth. You've arrived at Castlevania, and you're here on business: To destroy forever the Curse of the Evil Count. Unfortunately, everybody's home this evening. Bats, ghosts, every kind of creature you can imagine. You'll find 'em all over the place, if they don't find you first. Because you've got to get through six monstrous floors before you even meet up with the Master of the House. Your Magic Whip will help, and you'll probably find a weapons or two along the way. But once you make it to the tower, you can count on a Duel to the Death. The Count has waited 100 years for a rematch.

EarthBound Beginnings is the first installment in the EarthBound / Mother series. It was developed by Ape Inc., Nintendo Tokyo R&D Products, and Pax Softnica, and was published by Nintendo for the Famicom on July 27, 1989. Though officially translated into English under the name EarthBound in 1990 complete with a variety of updates and new content, the planned release of the North American localization was ultimately cancelled due to Nintendo of America ending support for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Despite this, the updates made to the game for the English localization was included in the Japanese Mother 1+2 rerelease for Game Boy Advance in 2003. The English version was finally released on the Wii U Virtual Console on June 14th, 2015, 25 years after its intended release date.

Thrust into the role of "The Seed of Prophecy," players travel deep into the living castle, in hopes of defeating the evil that dwells within – the dreaded Warlock Lord.

Chip and Dale, those tiny but daring detectives, have learned of some terrifying news: The notorious criminal cat has escaped from prison and he's stolen the Urn of the Pharaoh. The Rescue Rangers must once again assemble to help crack the case of the missing urn and return the feline felon, Fat Cat, back to the slammer. Join Chip and Dale and the rest of the Rangers in their wacky new adventure. Help them explore the dangerous levels of the downtown restaurant and meet the exploding personality of Water Rabbit. Aid them on their escape through the freezing floors of the giant refrigerator. Search the ghostly walls of the haunted warehouse and find the final clue to unravel the secret headquarters of Fat Cat.

Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers is a platformer video game developed and published by Capcom based on the Disney animated series of the same name. Originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan and North America in 1990, it came to Europe the next year, and was ported to the Nintendo PlayChoice-10 arcade system. It sold approximately 1.2 million copies worldwide.

Bomberman II follows the popular Famicom/NES game Bomberman, incorporating a number of new features to the series. The game maintained the classic Bomberman game-type, requiring the player to navigate a maze of blocks using bombs to make a path. It added a two-player and three-player mode, and had a more developed storyline. The game was developed by Hudson Soft and released on the Family Computer and the NES. It was marketed as Dynablaster in Europe.

Shadow of the Ninja, originally released in Japan as Yami no Shigotonin Kage, and later released in Europe as Blue Shadow, is a 1990 futuristic ninja-themed side-scrolling action game by Natsume for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

You are Little Mac, a 17 year-old rookie fighter straight out of the Bronx. What you lack in size you more than make up for in determination. Spurred on by your trainer, Doc Louis, it's time to take on the world's boxing best! Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! was re-branded simply as Punch-Out!!, and re-released in the US and Europe in 1990. When Nintendo's license had expired with Mike Tyson, his likeness was replaced by a fictional character named Mr. Dream, whose visual likeness and undefeated record are based on Rocky Marciano. This version of the game is used in all Virtual Console releases, Animal Crossing, the NES Classic Edition, and on Nintendo Switch Online (which Mike Tyson contested).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up. The game features play mechanics similar to the previous game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game, but it is an original title for the NES without any preceding arcade version.

Contra is the NES port of the homonymous 1987 arcade game. It is a run and gun action game developed and published by Konami. The NES port was originally released in North America, and it lacks the cutscenes and other details present in the Japanese version which was released a week later.

Faxandu is for the Famicom and NES. The name was licensed by Falcom and was developed and released in Japan in 1987. Nintendo also released the game to the world market in 1990. It can be considered a side-story of Xanadu, which is the second installment of Falcom's long-running RPG series, Dragon Slayer. The title is a combination of "Famicom" and "Xanadu"

Darkwing Duck is a platformer video game based on the Disney television series, Darkwing Duck. The game was developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 and was ported to the Game Boy in 1993. The Game Boy version is essentially a slightly stripped-down version of the game. The game was re-released in 2017 as part of the Disney Afternoon Collection.

Adventures of Lolo is a puzzle game released in 1989 by HAL Corporation for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is based on the Japanese Eggerland video game series.

You've fallen down a hidden manhole into a world of creatures so terrifying they'd scare the rats away. You can panic and perish, or blast your way through an endless maze of tunnels, searching for the secret passages to your escape. And that's the easy part. Because the Masters of the Caverns lay waiting - prehistoric creatures so powerful, so gigantic, they literally fill your screen! So load your arsenal and get ready for Blaster Master.

Journey to Silius, known in Japan as RAF World, is a side-scrolling run and gun video game developed by Tokai Engineering and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. Journey to Silius was originally based on the 1984 film The Terminator, but the licensing rights to the film were lost during development. As a result, the graphics and storyline were altered to accommodate this change, but remnants of the earlier version still remain in the game. For example, the final boss has a striking resemblance to the titular terminator in the film.

The Mad Gear Gang has spread crime and violence throughout the streets of Metro City. Only one man has enough guts to take the streets back from them, Mayor Mike Haggar. Now the Mad Gear Gang has kidnapped his daughter Jessica to bring him under their control. But they've made one mistake: Haggar's furious and he wants someone's head! Guy and Jessica's boyfriend, Cody, are joining Haggar to clean up the slime-filled streets and rescue Jessica. Along the way you'll find food to replenish your health, or better yet, search for weapons to knock the living daylights out of your enemies. So join Haggar and his friends as they try to free the city from the evil clutches of the Mad Gear Gang!

Located on the northern shore of the Moonsea in the Forgotten Realms, the fabled city of Phlan had been overrun by monsters led by a mysterious leader. Your quest: discover the identity of this evil force and rid Phlan of its scourge. Pool of Radiance represents the first in a line of software created by SSI in collaboration with TSR - the producer of the legendary Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing system.

Battle City, also known as Tank 1990 or Tank in some pirate multicart releases, is a multi-directional shooter video game for the Family Computer produced and published in 1985 by Namco. The game was later released for the Game Boy and was included in the Japanese version of Star Fox: Assault. It is a port of the arcade game Tank Battalion with additional features (including two player simultaneous play and a level edit feature). There was also a rendition for Nintendo's Vs. System arcade cabinets. The player, controlling a tank, must destroy enemy tanks in each level, which enter the playfield from the top of the screen. The enemy tanks attempt to destroy the player's base (represented on the map as a bird, eagle or Phoenix), as well as the human tank itself. A level is completed when the player destroys all 20 enemy tanks, but the game ends if the player's base is destroyed or the player loses all available lives.

Elite is a space trading video game, written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell and originally published by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in September 1984. Elite's open-ended game model, and revolutionary 3D graphics led to it being ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite". Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics with hidden line removal. It added graphics and twitch gameplay aspects to the genre established by the 1974 game Star Trader. Another novelty was the inclusion of The Dark Wheel, a novella by Robert Holdstock which gave players insight into the moral and legal codes to which they might aspire.

The game involves the player controlling Felix the Cat as he sets out to defeat the evil mad Professor who has kidnapped Felix's lovely girlfriend, Kitty. The Game Boy version plays virtually the same as the NES version, but features fewer levels.

Experience the original adventure of Ryu Hayabusa, the shadow warrior, in this acclaimed and challenging action-platformer from the NES era!

All is darkness. The Dragonlord has captured the Princess and stolen Erdrick's powerful ball of light. You are Erdrick's heir. To you has fallen the most dangerous task— to rescue the King's daughter and recover the mystical ball of light. Your mission is deadly, but it is your fate. Prophets have foretold your coming. Three keepers await your journey, each ready to aid you with a mystic item of great power. Gather the three objects. Scribes will record your deeds. Use cunning and wisdom to choose your commands. Gain experience, weapons and armor as you battle your way through the world. Rest if you must. Search out the Dragonlord's lair and face your destiny. In this role-playing adventure, you are the Dragon Warrior!

You'll criss-cross your way along the 17th century Spanish Main in search of all-new adventures. You'll lead a crew of hot-blooded buccaneers into rollicking harbour towns. And risk your booty and your life plundering enemy ships! Hunt for magnificent treasures! Unravel the mysteries and clues of your adventure! Even battle your way through enemy waters on grueling rescue missions! Will you win your rightful place in history? Or will you end up shipwrecked on a distant island? The answer can only be found in the swashbuckling Pirates! Gold.

Tennis is a sports game developed and released by Nintendo for the NES. In North America and Europe, Tennis was one of 18 launch games for the NES. A Game Boy version was also released. The game features single-player and two-player modes for singles and doubles matches, with either competitive or cooperative gameplay. A computerized opponent's artificial intelligence can be set to one of five difficulty levels. Mario referees the matches.

Super Mario Bros. 2, 2D platformer and sequel to Super Mario Bros. (1985), features 4 selectable characters (Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad) as they navigate the dream world of Subcon to defeat the evil toad king Wart. Super Mario Bros. 2 features different ways interacting with enemies and the world, including an object carrying mechanic and more intricate level designs.

Tiny Toon Adventures is a platform video game for the NES. It was published and developed by Konami and released in 1991. It is the first Tiny Toon Adventures video game to be released for a video game console.

Yoshi's Cookie is a puzzle game similar to Tetris, in which the player is given a playing field populated with cookies of five various types arranged in a rectangular grid. The player moves randomly placed cookies into rows and columns of cookies with similar patterns. When a row or column of the same cookies is successfully assembled, the line will disappear, and the player can begin to work on a new row or column. The main objective of each level is to clear the playing field of all the cookies.

An open-world action-adventure game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that features a barbarian warrior with a distinctive "diskarmor" weapon. It is distinct from the original 1986 Arcade game Rygar, which saw numerous home console ports.

Ice Hockey is a sports game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It presents simplified team-based ice hockey, with players controlling skaters, passing the puck, checking opponents, and attempting to score against the opposing goalkeeper. The game allows players to build a team using three skater types, each with different speed, strength, and shooting ability. Matches can be played against the computer or another player, with selectable national teams and adjustable game speed.

The eyes of the world are upon you. National pride is at stake. Only seconds left and the crowd rises in anticipation of the greatest upset in soccer history. The horn sounds and you've won it all! The coveted world cup trophy is yours! Pick your team and plan your game strategy. Use advanced super moves like the Bicycle Kick or the Super Header. Choose from 13 teams, representing countries from around the world. Defeat your opponents and you're on your way to the prestigious world cup final. Bring the excitement of international soccer home with Nintendo World Cup!

The NES version of Metal Gear. It differs from the original MSX2 release in level layout and enemy differences, including an alternative final boss. The game revolves around Solid Snake, an operative of the special forces unit FOXHOUND, who goes on a solo infiltration mission into the fortified state of Outer Heaven to destroy "Metal Gear", a bipedal walking tank capable of launching nuclear missiles from anywhere in the world, as well as rescue a number of fellow agents who have been captured by the enemy. This version was later released inside the Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes - Special Disc, along with other extras.

Contra Force is an action shooting game released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 in North America. It is a spinoff of the Contra series, being the third game in the series released for the NES following the original Contra and Super Contra, although the game's plot and setting are unrelated to previous entries, as the villains in the game are human terrorists instead of an alien menace

Led by the immortal Count Dracula, the greatest army of evil ever assembled is poised to bury mankind in a Tomb of Terror. Destroying this legion of Swamp Dragons, Slasher Skeletons and Forces of the Undead will be the supreme challenge for the mightiest of warriors. Your place in history is 100 years before Simon Belmont's birth. Dracula is young at heart, and it will take more than a stake to penetrate his evil. Luckily, you command the role of Trevor - Simon's forefather and the origin of the Belmont Warlord Chromosomes. Trevor has a power never before seen by human eyes - the power to transform into three different spirits: Grant DaNasty, the ferocious Ghost Pirate. Sypha, the Mystic Warlord. And Alucard, Dracula's forgotten son. You must perfectly time Trevor's body transformations to match up his different fighting spirits against Ultimate Evils. Trevor also has the strength and wisdom to command the Battle Axe, Invisibility Potion and Mystic Whip. But the most important weapon Trevor has is your cunning to choose the correct Paths of Fate and your bravery to lead him past 17 possible levels of never-ending doom, including the Haunted Ship of Fools, the Sunken City of Poltergeists, the Clock Tower of Untimely Death and Curse Castle. Never before have so many dangers confronted you at one time. And if by some miracle you triumph, you'll no longer be a mere mortal. You'll be a legend who'll live forever!

Adventure Island II is a side-scrolling platform game developed by Now Production and published by Hudson Soft that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. It is the sequel to Adventure Island and the second game in the series for the NES. While the first game was an adaptation of Westone's Wonder Boy arcade game, Adventure Island II is an entirely original work, as were all the subsequent Adventure Island games.

Hudson's Adventure Island, also known simply as Adventure Island and released in Japan as Takahashi Meijin no Bouken-jima, is a side-scrolling platform game produced by Hudson Soft that was first released in Japan for the Famicom and MSX on September 12, 1986. It was later released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System on September 1988 and in the PAL region in 1992 under the title of Adventure Island Classic. Adventure Island is an adaptation of the arcade game Wonder Boy, originally published by Sega for developer Escape (now known as Westone Bit Entertainment). Adventure Island was followed by a series of sequels that were independently developed by Hudson Soft.

Bomberman is a robot engaged in the production of bombs. Like his fellow robots, he had been put to work in an underground compound by evil forces. Bomberman found it to be an unbearably dreary existence. One day, he heard an encouraging rumor. According to the rumor, any robot that could escape the underground compound and make it to the surface could become human. Bomberman leaped at the opportunity, but escape proved to be no small task. Alerted to Bomberman's betrayal, large numbers of the enemy set out in pursuit. Bomberman can rely only on bombs of his own production for his defense. Will he ever make it up to the surface? Once there, will he really become human?

Dr. Mario is a falling block tile-matching video game, in which Mario assumes the role of a doctor, dropping two-colored medical capsules into a medicine bottle representing the playing field. This area is populated by viruses of three colors: red, yellow, and blue. In a manner and style considered similar to Tetris, the player manipulates each capsule as it falls, moving it left or right and rotating it such that it is positioned alongside the viruses and any existing capsules. When four or more capsule halves or viruses of matching color are aligned in vertical or horizontal configurations, they are removed from play. The main objective is to complete levels, which is accomplished by eliminating all viruses from the playing field. A game over occurs if capsules fill up the playing field in a way that obstructs the bottle's narrow neck.

It’s duck season, and your trusty hunting dog is ready to scour the open fields. Test your sharpshooting skills as your targets take flight. Be quick to knock them out of the skies, or your canine companion won’t hesitate to make you the laughingstock of hunters! Need a change in scenery? Best your score against clay-pigeon targets instead! With three fun modes to choose from, get your trigger finger ready for some fast-paced action! You only have three shots to hit your target before it zooms offscreen. Things might get a bit hairy when you advance to the next round, because those ducks and clay pigeons are going to fly faster and faster! Play solo, or challenge a friend as you test your dogged determination and feathered speed in this NES classic!