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Experts Tell Us the Best NES Games

This article showcases our top picks for the Best NES Games. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below). We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.

Kirby’s Adventure

This product was recommended by Scott Hasting from BetWorthy LLC

Kirby is a very popular character today. But his start was actually a NES game. What I love about this game is that it involves the adventures of Kirby in fighting his enemies using his ever-powerful power, swallowing his enemies, and absorbing their abilities as their own. I also love Kirby’s microphone attacks, but what kept me in continuing to play this game was the variety of powerups Kirby can have. I love this game so much that my kids have come to love it too.

Super Mario Bros.

This product was recommended by Sam Campbell from Reddiquette

A lot of memories and nostalgia is invested in this game and it has a near perfect level design that makes for an amazingly fun experience. Every time I play, I find myself lost in thought thinking about how difficult things were back when I first played this game years ago. The very premise of the game, to jump your way out of trouble, is such a simple concept but done so well that you never get tired of the gameplay; also the addition of many different levels with unique levels make sure there’s always something new to explore too! Furthermore, each level feels like its own mini-adventure trying to figure out just where Mario needs you to go before he can be rescued from certain death. All these factors combined make for a game that has earned its spot in many peoples hearts. Every time I play Super Mario World, it brings back memories of my childhood and makes me want to go out for the NES right away!

Sky Shark – Nintendo NES

This product was recommended by Melanie Allen from PartnersinFire

Another, less celebrated NES game that is amazing in its own right is Sky Shark. This is a top-down flying game that supports both one and two players. As the blue plane flying your mission, you had to maneuver around the screen to avoid enemy fire. Your plane started out with two lasers, but as you killed enemies, you could collect double and triple firepower that would last until you lost a life. Your plane also started out with three bombs that you could drop on the most difficult enemies. There were opportunities to collect more bombs as you progressed. It was smart to be strategic with the bombs. When yougot to the ocean levels, you encounter massive destroyers loaded with guns that were nearly impossible to avoid. It would take 2-3 bombs to knock them out! Although I never beat the game, my brother was a master at it, and he could get to the second ocean without dying one time! That’s important because, with the harder enemies, you need all the firepower you could muster! When we played together, I’d often die at the first ocean, and he would continue on and try to make it all the way through. Overall, the game is rather short. It can take a pro as little as 20 minutes to beat it. However, it’s not as easy as professional gamers make it seem. I spend hours playing the game, dying, starting over, and trying again. This game is, and will always be, one of my childhood favorites.

Faxanadu

This product was recommended by Olivia Tan from CocoFax

Faxanadu is a spin-off of Nihon Falcom’s Dragon Slayer series and the title melds the words’Famicom’ and’Xanadu’ (that’s Dragon Slayer II) into the sort of fun portmanteau I love to say out loud. Fortunately, the game itself is a thoroughly enjoyable 2D action-RPG and something of an underappreciated gem in the NES library, so I often have cause to speak its name. Developed by Hudson Soft under licence from Falcom, other medieval-feeling side-scrollers might grab all the attention, but Faxanadu is quietly one of the console’s best games.

Metroid Dread

This product was recommended by Olivia Tan from CocoFax

While it set the template of the series and pioneered the delicate mix of exploration and gradual empowerment, I have to be honest here: the original Metroid can be tough to return to, even if you played it back in the day. The audio and atmosphere it conjures remains incredible, but control refinements and quality-of-life features I am used to these days are largely absent from the Famicom Disk System/NES original and going back without the right mindset and context can be jarring.

My Arcade Contra

This product was recommended by Matt Perry from BuyMoldavite

This run-and-shoot game was my favorite when I was younger. I love that it has a two-player mode where I can collaborate with my teammate in order to defeat the enemies and the big boss. I have always loved this game because it has enhanced my ability to coordinate with my teammate well as well as have eye-muscle coordination. This is the reason why I can multi-task well.

Contra

This product was recommended by Jack Miller from How I Get Rid Of

Contra is the godfather of all shooter games. And of course, who could forget the ultimate 100 lives cheat code: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A

Cenxaki-Game-Cartridge

This product was recommended by Harriet Chan from CocoFinder

Nearly 852 games are available as a single pack in this cartridge game. It is highly compatible and contains switching area instructions to guide you in completing the game successfully. All the games are unique, and you will not find any duplicate issues. It is highly reliable and uses chip memory and non-battery memory.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD-Nintendo Switch

This product was recommended by Katherine Brown from Spyic

This is by far the best nes game I have come across out of all the nes games I have played. It was tough to play it on the nes because the tank only had one button, so it was hard to use items or attack. I love this game because it is easy to control with the Wii remote and Nunchuk attachment. My favorite part about this game is that there are tons of different things for you to explore, talk about, complete quests, collect items, and fight enemies.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out

This product was recommended by Shaun Savage from Try Hard Guides

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out is one of the best games for NES that I ever played when I was younger. It had a very scalable difficulty that would start you off slow and move you through to more difficult fights. The controls were fast and responsive, and it never really felt unfair. Either you did the correct technique at the right time, or you missed and were punished for it. On top of the great gameplay, there were also memorable characters like King Hippo, Bald Bull, and Soda Popinski. If you weren’t good enough and lost, they would taunt you pretty badly which would make you want to play it all over again!

Pokemon Soul Silver Version Game Card

This product was recommended by Daniela Sawyer from FindPeopleFast

This is a game card chip with a durable PVC high-quality one that can be inserted onto the disk and have your favorite pokemon games at your comfort place. It’s beautiful and smooth to play with once you start with the game. The product will be packed safe and get to your home in a hard plastic case.

Mega Man 2 – Nintendo NES

This product was recommended by Daniela Sawyer from FindPeopleFast

The game is about DR. Wily, who had got specific evil desires to be accomplished. So you have to make the game go interesting by creating humanity win over his evil desires. And the game is can you make it happen possible. So, you have to defeat rono enemies first by building up your weapons and army, and then you can reach the final destination.

Excitebike

This product was recommended by Daniela Sawyer from FindPeopleFast

Among those Nintendo programmable games, it will help you find different obstacles and move those hurdles in more straightforward and quicker ways. You have fun with your favorite parts in your comfort zones for hours.

Bubble Bobble

This product was recommended by Jeff Ward from Coder Kids

Bubble Bobble is a challenging multiplayer game. The levels get progressively harder and add new characters and trapping the enemies in bubbles is unique and super fun.

Mega Man

This product was recommended by Jeff Ward from Coder Kids

Mega man is a classic side scroller shooter that spawned Mega Man, MegaMan X, Mega Man Legends, Mega Man zx and more. It’s a classic for a reason: super fun, challenging and we can’t get enough!

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Written by Zak Parker

Journalist, writer, musician, professional procrastinator. I'll add more here later.

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