Top 10 NES Games

#10- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game (1990)

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Kicking off our list is the spectacular arcade game port that may have cut the Co-op goodness down from 4 to 2, but made up for it big-time in other ways. Namely, it managed to keep all the fun foot soldier bashing gameplay intact, while adding new enemies and levels to the pizza-fueled quest to save April from the clutches of Shredder.

There’s no denying the appeal of the original, and the venom thrown at the sequel, but the prequel third installment stands up as the best vampire hunting experience on the console. As Simon Belmont’s ancestor Trevor, this adventure returned the series to its roots while adding a handful of key enhancements. These included the now famous non-linear gameplay with branching paths and multiple endings.

#8- Punch-Out!! (1987)

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This favorite was originally known as Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, before he was replaced with Mr. Dream, due to Nintendo’s license expiring. Regardless, this amusing, engaging and wildly imaginative boxing game was easily one of the best NES experiences. Solid gameplay was supported by tons of awesome details, like its Rocky inspired underdog theme songs, animated cut scenes, password saves and even a cameo appearance by Mario as the referee!

#7- Contra (1987)

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Known as Gryzor in Europe, this relentless two player run and gun action game had you take on an all out alien invasion in the American version, rather than terrorists. Relentless waves of enemies, awesome power-ups and smooth Co-op action made this a near instant classic. It should also be noted that Contra was notoriously famous for being punishingly difficult, which seemed to only add to its legendary status.

#6- Duck Tales (1989)

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This Capcom action platformer did what few games ever managed to do, make a licensed tie-in game that was not only playable, but good! The story here is that Scrooge McDuck’s must travel around the world to collect treasure and outwit his rival in order to become the richest duck ever. Selling over a million copies worldwide, gamers showed their appreciation for it’s fun non-linear gameplay, exciting look and spot on controls.

#5- Metroid (1986)

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While many games on this list succeed because of their distilled simplicity, Metroid went the other route and became a classic for its complexity. Like Castlevania, this game presented a large open-ended world to explore, in which your progress depended upon the various upgrades and power-ups you would find throughout. Of course, tying it all together was an awesome sci-fi tale about an intergalactic bounty hunter, parasitic aliens and space pirates.

#4- Mega Man 2 (1988)

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This is the Capcom action platformer classic made the robotic hero a major hit, improving upon the original in everyway, from gameplay to soundtrack. Adding a surprising layer of strategic depth, the game featured 8 levels, each with a boss at the end who’s power you could steal. Since certain bosses were weakest against the powers of others, the order in which you chose to attack each level was crucial to success. Often considered one of the best games of all time, it’s also the best selling installment in the franchise.

#3- Super Mario Bros./ Duck Hunt (1985)

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As the combo cartridge that first shipped with the NES, we couldn’t help but put both games down in the spot. Mario Bros. single-handedly made the platforming genre, and in the process gave the chubby plumber his first true outing and made him a household name. Meanwhile, Duck Hunt gave us simple, but addictive light gun action with a special magic that nothing else ever managed to touch. If only you could shoot that stupid dog…

#2- The Legend of Zelda (1986)

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Back in the day epic fantasy games were less show and more tell. That all changed with this gold cartridge wonder, which came complete with the first ever battery save. Mixing action, adventure and puzzle solving, Link’s quest to rescue the princess and reclaim the Triforce remains legendary for its deep world full of mystery and danger.

#1- Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)

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Taking the top spot is the incredible and innovative sequel that went on to become one of the best selling games of all time. While NES consoles all came packed with the first Mario adventure, this is the game no NES owner could go without. Adding eight distinct world maps, airtight gameplay and exciting power ups, most of the Mario features still alive to day were born with this game. Easy to pick up but surprisingly difficult to complete, Super Mario Bros 3 was the ultimate NES experience. Do you agree with our list? Which NES game is your all time favorite? For more entertaining top 10s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.