July 15, 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Famicom, the Japanese console that would transform into the NES in the West. To mark the occasion, we’re republishing this list of the best games on the system, as ranked by our readers.
Remember, this is a dynamic list that is updated in real time according to the user rating of each game in our database. If you haven’t rated the ones you’ve played, feel free to rate any of the games below and potentially change the order. To enjoy!
Nintendo Entertainment System or NES (ness? nezz? enn-eee-ess?), is the archetypal home video game console. Of course, earlier machines like the mighty Atari 2600 pioneered the basic concept of an under-the-TV console with interchangeable software and controller add-ons, but the utilitarian design and hardware innovations of Nintendo’s 8-bit system set the stage for modern console gaming.
After the video game ‘crash’ of 1983, the NES (or Famicom in Japan) defied the skeptics and single-handedly brought the industry back stronger than ever thanks to shrewd marketing and — more importantly — an excellent software library. In the early days, solid ports of hits like Donkey Kong it gave gamers a taste of the arcade in their homes, and innovations in game design (and the introduction of on-chip chips) further enhanced and expanded the potential for developers making games on the humble NES. Compare the 1983 port of Donkey Kong with the 1988 port Super Mario Bros. 3 and it is hard to believe that they work on the same system.
Below you will find a list of the 50 best NES games ever made. As with many of our other Top 50 system lists, the order below is governed by user ratings submitted by Nintendo Life readers, so this list is not set in stone. The order will continue to evolve automatic
If there’s a game below the top 50 that you’d like to rate, feel free to find it using the search tool below and rate it out of 10. Otherwise, scroll down and enjoy our roundup of the best NES games ever…
Note. In order for games to become eligible, they need a total of at least 25 user ratings.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Nintendo EAD
Existence vs. Excitebike on the Famicom Disk System made the original Excitebike somewhat redundant, but this was the basic version of the game we got in the west. Providing a deceptively deep 8-bit ride that plays nicely with your bike’s acceleration and lean as you land, we’d say it’s definitely worth a spin. We just love VS. and his extended modes somewhat better.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Nintendo R&D1
While it set the template for the series and introduced a delicate mix of exploration and gradual empowerment, we have to be honest here: the original Metroid can be hard to get back into, even if you’ve played it before. The sound and atmosphere it evokes is still incredible, but the control improvements and quality-of-life features we’re used to today are largely absent from the Famicom Disk System/NES original, and going back without the right mindset and context can be jarring.
Its biggest problem is that there’s a fantastic Game Boy Advance remake of Metroid: Zero Mission — truly the best way to experience Samus’ first adventure. The original still has its charms. You just have to dig deeper to find them these days.
Publisher: Konami / Programmer: Konami
Konami Steel blades it’s better than Nintendo’s less imaginative name Hockeyand it held up pretty well compared to Double dribble, the same. If you liked the game at the time, or like ice hockey games in general, this is still worth a look. Even if you’re not a hockey fan, there’s about a 50% chance during the second break that you’ll play a minigame based on Step by step, which is quite convenient. You don’t get it that in ice hockey.
Publisher: Let’s compete / Programmer: Let’s compete
Enjoyment in Fire and ice it depends a lot on how much you enjoy logic puzzles, but even though the game lacks a hint function, it does its best to ease you into the basic concepts, before finally introducing new mechanics, like jars that can be set on fire. The framework around all of this is well done – there’s a cute story about an old woman telling her grandchildren the story of Dana like a fairy tale, and while the visuals are simple, they’re extremely well animated. There are also an additional fifty levels beyond the initial hundred, plus the option to make your own levels.
Publisher: Hudson / Programmer: Hudson
No, not that 70s movie with Sean Connery in a red mankini (that’s Zardoz). Fakhanad is a spin-off of Nihon Falcom’s Dragon Slayer series, and the title combines the words ‘Famicom’ and ‘Xanadu’ (that’s Dragon Slayer II) into the kind of fun portmanteau we like 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 we often have reason to say its name. Developed by Hudson Soft under license from Falcom, other medieval side scrollers might get all the attention, but Faxanadu is quietly one of the best games on the console.
Publisher: Capcom / Programmer: Capcom
Don’t let it A mighty last fightChildren’s art and style fool you. This is a challenging Beat ’em up game that has a surprising amount of combat complexity, and the story and visuals are refreshing and funny, especially compared to the gritty realism that many games are going for today. Gamers looking for old-school fun are encouraged to check out Mighty Final Fight — they sure don’t make them like this anymore.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Nintendo EAD
A radical departure from the template of the first game, Zelda II has seen something of a reappraisal in the final years after Dark Souls. It’s an inscrutable game, and one we wouldn’t feel at all bad about with a rewind function if you’re playing through Nintendo Switch Online or saving states elsewhere, but it’s worth persevering with. In a series that has in the past risked turning into a by-the-numbers adventure by slavishly sticking to the formula, this first installment was anything but a repeat – a deeper combat system with RPG leveling elements and side platforming villages and dungeons made this a very different experience from the original.
You could argue that too much of the sense of adventure and ‘wonder’ is lost to frustration, but no more so than in other challenging 8-bit games. If you have bounced from The Adventure of Link in the past, we advise you to give it another try.
Publisher: Tradewest / Programmer: Rarely
This Rareware/Technos crossover was developed by the Battletoads team and adds Billy and Jimmy to a series of frog-y brawlers. As you might expect, Battletoads & Double Dragon is far more Battletoads from Double dragonbut it’s a fun little 8-bit beat ’em up experience and we have very fond memories of it.
Publisher: Aksys games / Programmer: Technos Japan
This Beat ’em up sequel came complete with the important two-player component missing from the first NES game, and while Bimmy and Jimmy’s feud probably won’t stick with you for long, the ability to drag a friend into the fray makes Double Dragon II: Revenge pair selection.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Nintendo R&D1
A sassy light-gun shooter packed with personality, many gamers experienced it as it came bundled with their NES and Zapper (on a double cart with Super Mario Bros., no less – not a bad deal at all). Duck Hunt offers simple, wholesome light-gun fun for the whole family; that is, until you’re disheartened by the wanton slaughter of countless digital waterfowl while a grinning bloodhound looks on.
The official 2014 release of the Wii U Virtual Console remastered the game to work on modern non-CRT televisions with the Wii Remote and on-screen pointer. As of the end of March 2023, that version is no longer available for purchase.