18. Excitebike (NES)

The existence of VS. Excitebike on Famicom Disk System made the original Excitebike somewhat superfluous, but this was the base version of the game we got in the West. Providing a deceptively deep 8-bit ride that plays beautifully with acceleration and the pitch of your bike as you land, we'd say it's definitely worth a spin. We just like VS. and its expanded modes a bit better.

17. Metroid (NES)

While it set the template of the series and pioneered the delicate mix of exploration and gradual empowerment, the original Metroid can be tough to return to these days, even if you played it back in the day.

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The audio and atmosphere it conjures remain incredible, but control refinements and quality-of-life features we're used to are largely absent from the Famicom Disk System/NES original and going back without the right mindset and context can be jarring.

Its biggest issue is that the fantastic Game Boy Advance remake, Metroid: Zero Mission, exists — truly the best way to experience Samus' first adventure. The original has its charms, though. You just need to dig deeper to find them than you once did.

16. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

A radical departure from the original and arguably the most difficult game in the series, Zelda II has enjoyed something of a reappraisal in recent, post-Dark Souls years.

In a series that, in the past, risked becoming by-the-numbers by slavishly sticking to a formula, this first sequel was anything but a repetition. A deeper combat system with RPG levelling elements and side-on platforming villages and dungeons made this a very different take on the Zelda template.

You could argue that too much of its sense of adventure and 'wonder' is lost to frustration, but no more so than in other challenging 8-bit games. If you find the challenge too much to bear, the rewind function in the Nintendo Switch Online version comes in useful. Regardless, if you've bounced off The Adventure of Link in the past, we'd urge you to give it a second look.

15. EarthBound Beginnings (NES)

Much of the significance of EarthBound Beginnings (or Mother in Japan) lies in its spirit and its influence on subsequent games. It has to be said that EarthBound, its 16-bit sequel, is by far the overall better title, and those who have yet to play either should definitely start with that.

In fact, this 1989 series debut wasn't released in the West until a surprise localised version hit the Wii U eShop in 2015. Fortunately, it's easily accessible these days if you've got a Nintendo Switch Online sub.

If you really enjoy EarthBound, however, Beginnings is worth investigating. Sticking through its older style of play — with high difficulty and occasional fluctuations in balance — reveals a fine story and an almost transcendental sense of nostalgia for those who played and adored its sequel, but never had access to this. It's like an ode to an ancestor you never knew.

14. Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES)

This beat 'em up sequel came complete with the all-important two-player component missing from the first game on NES, and while Bimmy and Jimmy's brawling is unlikely to stick with you for long, the ability to get a friend involved in the fight makes Double Dragon II: The Revenge the pick of the pair.

13. StarTropics (NES)

A game which stands apart in Nintendo's back catalogue, StarTropics melds elements of Zelda, the Mother series, and classic RPGs to make something different.

It isn't entirely successful and is let down by its controls, but it's well worth making a trip to C-Island via Nintendo Switch Online, if only to see a rare game from Nintendo which didn’t get a dozen follow-ups (although it did get a single sequel).

12. Blaster Master (NES)

Blaster Master is yet another example to prove that Sunsoft was at the very top of its game on NES.

A satisfying mash-up of styles, each area is composed of side-scrolling (primarily) tank-based sections and top-down stages where protagonist Jason exits SOPHIA (said tank) to take down mutant bosses on foot.

With tight controls and eight varied levels, Blaster Master still manages to satisfy in the 21st century, so much so that Inti Creates have brought the series back with three excellent sequels in recent years. Check it out on NSO.

11. River City Ransom (NES)

River City Ransom, the localised version of Kunio-kun's third game, was known as Street Gangs in Europe and mixes basic brawling with comedy to great effect. Technōs Japan's cute visuals still exude tons of character all these years later.

Throw in a second player — plus a delicious frosty beverage or two — and you've got a great Saturday night ahead of you.

10. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES)

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos is a fine-looking sequel (which continued carrying the Shadow Warriors branding in Europe) with some fancy "Tecmo Theater" cutscenes and decent music.

Taking place a year after the original, Ryu Hayabusa returns with added wall-climbing (which makes wall-jumping easier this time) and a better-judged difficulty curve. Throw in a neat power-up which lets you duplicate yourself to distract and defeat enemies, and you've got a nice refinement to the first game's formula.

Being sent flying straight into a pit and respawning enemies are annoying at the best of times, but Ryu's second NES adventure is mostly fair, and its plus points combine to slice away any faults.

9. Dr. Mario (NES)

Mario's first outing as a healthcare professional, this block-falling puzzler might not have the following or cache of the mighty Tetris, but its colour-matching gameplay caught on with puzzle fans.

Despite not being able to compete on the level of Alexey Pajitnov's puzzling titan, there's a reason Dr. Mario has stuck around in some form for over 30 years: it's simple, addictive, and bloody good fun.

8. Ninja Gaiden (NES)

Known as Shadow Warriors in Europe (because the word 'ninja' was considered far too violent and controversial in 1991, two years after the US release), this is the game that inspired modern classics like The Messenger.

Ryu Hayabusa, Tecmo's titular ninja, feels as acrobatic and responsive as he ever did, and the punishing but fair difficulty still smarts (although today you can always fall back on reqinds and save states). If you're interested in finding out about the inspiration behind dozens of today's indie action platformers, you owe it to yourself to give Ninja Gaiden a try. Jump on NSO, pronto.

7. Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)

Super Mario Bros. 2 features platforming mechanics quite different from the original. It introduced the ability to lift and throw objects and a screen that scrolled left and right and up and down.

Retitled Super Mario USA when this famously reskinned form of Yume Kojo Doki Doki Panic made its way back to Japan, the verticality and inclusion of Peach and Toad as playable characters were profound changes from the first game. Yet despite being the odd one out in its homeland, Super Mario Bros. 2 ended up having an enormous influence on the iconography of the series.

SMB2 is definitely worth revisiting — Nintendo Switch Online is the easiest place to find it these days — if only to remind yourself just how different it is from what came before and after, and where stalwart series regulars like Shy Guys, Bob-ombs, and Birdo debuted.

6. Tetris (NES)

The Game Boy version of this video gaming titan might be the most iconic — and certainly more convenient to play when you're out and about — but the ability to relax with Tetris on your TV wasn't to be sniffed at, either. Some prefer the Tengen version, which disappeared from stores soon after release due to a licensing snafu, but this non-controversial port is also a winner.

It's Tetris, just on the NES. 'Nuff said, really. There's no shortage of ways to play, but this very first Nintendo-developed home console version was never re-released - until its NSO appearance in December 2024.

5. Kirby's Adventure (NES)

Kirby's Adventure is a vibrant masterclass of NES platforming, whether you've got the 3D slider set to max in the 3D Classics version on 3DS or you're enjoying it old-school-style with just two dimensions on NES. It's a high point in the pink puffball's illustrious career and its 8-bit visuals still look great all these years later.

Even if you don't consider yourself a Kirby fan, this adventure will win you over - and it's easy enough to find as part of the Nintendo Switch Online NES library. You might say...it sucks you in.

You don't have to, though.

4. Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream (NES)

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 time, brimming with colourful characters (read: outrageous comical stereotypes that wouldn't fly these days). The lag inherent to modern displays makes it more challenging to master these days versus the original game on a CRT, but challenging Mr. Dream — or Mike Tyson, as he was originally — to a duel should be on every NES fan’s bucket list. Fight!

3. Super Mario Bros. (NES)

So much of the foundation of the series — and the medium at large — was put down in Super Mario Bros. that it's tough to evaluate all these years later without considering its historical importance.

This game, perhaps more than any other, has passed into the popular cultural consciousness and influenced countless developers since 1985. Artefacts like this delineate epochs; when it comes to video games, there was 'Before SMB' and 'After SMB'.

Going back today, it has aged, naturally, and it doesn't control quite as tightly as the Super Mario Bros. theme in the Mario Maker games. But it's still the original and, some would say, the best. Not us, but some.

You've played this many, many times before, no doubt, and you'll play it many, many times again. Good game.

2. The Legend of Zelda (NES)

What is there left to say about The Legend of Zelda?

The game that started it all holds up well, although be prepared to explore and really work for the answers to puzzles here. A modern game would never ask you to try setting random bushes alight to reveal a hidden passageway without signalling it with a huge neon 'SECRET HERE!' sign. The Legend of Zelda trusted the player and had faith in its own strengths enough to let you miss things.

It was a very unique prospect back in 1987, offering an unparalleled sense of adventure, clever combat mechanics, and a world ripe for exploration. Decades later, developers of titles big and small are still borrowing from it.

A landmark game that still feels fresh. Definitely worth revisiting, although if you've never played the series, we wouldn't recommend playing this one first.

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

As toweringly important as the original Super Mario Bros. was, Super Mario Bros. 3 was a colossal leap forward in practically every way.

It refined the basics, switched up the visuals, and added more mechanical variety and one-and-done elements than any video game to that point — so many that even today there are certain suits, stages, and secrets that many fans never found.

So many ‘old’ games are best approached with historical context in mind, or come with caveats when playing them years after release. SMB3 needs none. It's just as boundingly inventive and fresh as the day it was released, and easily one of the very finest video games ever made. Play it, now.

Surprised by Numero Uno, or was it a foregone conclusion? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, and remember, if you haven't rated your favourite games from the list, you can still do so and influence the overall ranking yourself.

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