To illustrate the number of Nintendo games which are no longer easily findable unless you've got original hardware and plenty of cash to splash on eBay, we've listed below a selection of vintage Nintendo games from the '80s and '90s which can't be purchased for or played on any system except the original.
Of course, although we've included games from the 20th century only, this could easily continue into the more recent past. Titles like Nintendo Land, Game & Wario, and other Wii U-exclusive games (yes, Switch hasn't gotten them all yet!) may be relatively easy to find at the time of writing, but given the smaller install base of that console in particular, it will quickly become more difficult to access those exclusive experiences.
And remember, these are in-house, first-party (co-)developed games only! If this selection represents the inaccessible games produced by perhaps the most venerable developer on the planet, just imagine the number of MIA video games from developers of less repute that didn't sell half as well as these.
Let's take a look at the Nintendo home console games you'll likely have trouble playing in an official capacity in 2023...
This NES port of Nintendo's Popeye arcade game released the year after Donkey Kong, saw Shigeru Miyamoto himself on design duties with Genyo Takeda and has a special connection to 1981's enormous ape-shaped arcade hit. Donkey Kong was originally meant to star Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto, but despite using the Popeye licensing in other Nintendo products, for some reason (which now escapes Miyamoto) the team wasn't able to use those characters for the game, which led to the birth of Nintendo's own Mario Jump Man, Pauline, and DK.
A single-screen platformer reminiscent of Donkey Kong, though lacking a jump button, Popeye charges you with collecting items Olive drops from the top of the screen while avoiding Bluto and other hazards. It's good, simple fun, and also notable as being one of the launch games for the Famicom in July 1983.
Essentially the progenitor of the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre, Kung Fu was a Nintendo-produced port of Irem's arcade Kung-Fu Master. Miyamoto oversaw the port, which helped increase his understanding and desire for a game which could scroll sideways for "long distances". His learnings from porting Kung Fu would thus inform his design work on the then-upcoming Super Mario Bros., so it's a key title in Nintendo's back catalogue in addition to its influence on belt-scrolling brawlers.
Having this on Virtual Console or playable via Nintendo Switch Online would be akin to making the Labo games available without giving you the required cardboard kit, so it's not surprising that Gyromite is only playable on OG NES and Famicom hardware, and then only if you've got a functioning R.O.B., the associated peripheral plastic, and a CRT TV.
Working in tandem with your friendly neighbourhood Robotic Operating Buddy, you control one Professor Hector and direct R.O.B. to raise and lower red and blue pillars around your vine-filled laboratory, enabling you to navigate the puzzling platforms and defuse bombs that have been placed throughout. Hitting 'Select' lets you operate the robot, pivoting and pressing coloured plates which activate the pillars, and there are various wandering baddies (Smicks) to be avoided or distracted with the tasty turnips you can pick up and place in their path.
The second and final 'Robot Series' game designed to be played in conjunction with R.O.B., Stack-Up sees you once again controlling Professor Hector and once again directing the robot, this time to stack up (geddit?) a bunch of plastic disc-shaped blocks in a certain order. And it's as exciting as that sounds.
Check out Jeremy Parish's excellent overview of the game as part of his NES Works series if you're eager to find out more and see R.O.B. in action stacking 'em up.
One of several light gun games lost to time thanks to the CRT TV-reliant tech employed by the NES Zapper, Gumshoe is an unusual prospect — a platformer you control with a gun.
The detective of the title, Mr. Stevenson, automatically walks through the levels and you shoot to make him jump while also protecting him by zapping any projectiles heading his way. Designed by Yoshio Sakamoto (he of, most prominently, Metroid series fame), this entry in the 'Light Gun Series' was never released in Japan and has never been re-released or reworked for another Nintendo console.
A cheeky light gun shooter brimming with personality, many players experienced this as it came bundled with their NES and Zapper (on a dual 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, as long as the wanton murder of countless digital waterfowl while a sniggering bloodhound watches doesn't put you off.
An official Wii U Virtual Console release in 2014 reworked the game to function on modern non-CRT televisions with a Wii Remote and an on-screen cursor. As of the end of March 2023, that version is no longer available to buy.
Update: On 31st October 2023 Nintendo went and surprised us all by adding this game to its Nintendo Switch Online lineup. So, pleasingly, you can now disregard this particular entry...
A game which fell foul of Nintendo of America's nervousness around depicting religious iconography, 1984's Devil World came to Europe in '87 but never launched in North America. Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka (and being the latter's first project after joining the company full-time in 1984), it’s easy to label it a Pac-Man clone given its obvious similarities, but this is a game that takes the basic formula of the arcade original and builds upon it in an inventive and unique way. It does become a bit repetitive over time due to the fact that the stages are very similar throughout and always presented in the same order. Despite this, the quirky theme and challenge will keep you coming back to this 8-bit curio.
Previously available on multiple Virtual Consoles, you'll need to have it on cartridge if you missed out on downloading and want to play it officially these days.
Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, Hogan's Alley really doesn't have a whole lot going for it beyond score-chasing. Its three modes offer little variation and unlike Duck Hunt, in which you could theoretically keep going forever if you're a good enough shot, it becomes essentially impossible to survive after a certain point as you would need inhuman reflexes to visually identify the targets and react quickly enough.
Hogan's Alley was certainly an interesting light gun game in its day, and hasn't aged particularly poorly, but it's simply far too shallow to hold your attention for long. A Wii U VC release with Wii Remote pointer functionality made it more widely available for the first time since the '80s, but that disappeared with the Wii U eShop in March 2023.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math isn’t remembered very fondly, but don’t count out this edutainment title entirely. While it’s certainly not for everyone, and you’ll absolutely need a second player to enjoy the experience, there’s still some fun to find among the figures. As a retro curio and a unique, surprisingly fun two-player experience, DK Jr.’s after-school special adds up sufficiently. Previously available via Virtual Console, it's technically playable on GameCube too, as it's one of the NES games included in the original Animal Crossing. An original cart will cost you a pretty penny these days.
Much like the other NES Zapper games, in terms of gameplay there's nothing particularly wrong with Wild Gunman, the NES version of one of Nintendo's oldest arcade games. Unfortunately, it gets repetitive quite fast, as all three modes are very, very simplistic and really don't have a whole lot to offer console gamers looking for something more involving than a quarter's worth of arcade diversion. It's still an important entry in Nintendo's back catalogue, though, and one you'll only find playable on original hardware — unless you grabbed the Wii U adaptation before the eShop closed.
A boxing game that's not really a boxing game, Punch-Out!! is all about reading your opponent's tells and timing your dodges and responses. So maybe it's the perfect boxing game, then? Regardless, it's a great game that's brimming with colourful characters — outrageous comical stereotypes that wouldn't fly these days — and challenging Mr. Dream (or Mike Tyson) to a duel should be on every NES fan’s bucket list.
Technically, this one is available to play via a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, although it's the Mr. Dream updated version. Nintendo's Tyson licence reportedly expired after three years and, rather than renegotiate the use of his likeness, the company simply updated and republished the game with the real-world boxer removed. So, if you want to play the NES game officially in its original form, you've got no choice but to track down an OG cart.
