Top 25 NES Games Ranked!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 เม.ย. 2022
- We discuss the top 25 NES games ranked, as compiled from journalist Seth Abramson. Do we agree with the list?
➡Support us and get goodies: shorturl.at/fswBU or on Patreon: / cupodcast
➡More info @retrostack.substack.com/
#retrogaming #gamecollecting - เกม
What do you think of the top 25 list? Are there games not on the list that deserved to make it? Are there games that should NOT have been in the top 25? Let me know!
Seth's Retro articles at retrostack.substack.com/
Ties are nonsense
I would say Tecmo Super Bowl over the first Tecmo Bowl, I would have that somewhere in the top 15 (ish). And Rygar somewhere in 15 thru 20th place.
Pat, I agreed with almost everything you guys said! SMB2 is my favorite of the trilogy; Duck Hunt is way overrated; River City Ransom is better than DDII; Excitebike is there because of the reasons you both said; Batman is brutal to play but a masterpiece; and so on. So many good observations! But don't forget, RETRO also published a Top 100 Underrated NES Games! (I did two versions, with the second one the definitive one.) And *there* you will find the deep cuts that are harder to get onto a list like this one (i.e. an Overall Top 100). I think you will be impressed by the "underrated" list! Hopefully at some point you'll share your thoughts on that one, as that is really the list I show to folks when I want them to see how damn *deep* the NES library is.
@@SweatpantsJoeGames Agreed! I had to do ties where the number of votes from experts led to a tie; I didn't have any ability to break those ties.
@@SethAbramson I guess I missed that part I skipped the first minute because i figured they were reading an ad
8:05 DuckTales is Capcom, not Konami.
I had a really difficult time getting anywhere on Metroid in the early 90s but I always popped it back in to to see what I could achieve. I didn’t beat it till sometime last year and after doing so it was obvious to me that my 7yr old self didn’t have a chance in hell. Some of the games I could finish were Kirby, Super Mario Bros 3, and Duck Tales. Great vid guys!
When they mentioned Metroid and its difficulty, I had to think about it. We beat it back in the day, but let’s face it, if the official NES cheat guide (Nintendo Power) didn’t exist to tell everyone how to beat these games, it likely never would’ve taken off. I can’t imagine mapping that thing out.
Metroid was a game I would always pop in as a kid and remember I could make no progress along with Kid Ic, Castlevania, and Goonies.
@@HighFiveGhost50 Goonies 2 absolutely. That game was so cryptic. I had no chance of figuring out where to go as a kid and honestly as an adult I don't either without a guide.
I’d argue that it’s an unplayable game today. Thank Nintendo God for releasing Zero Mission on the GBA.
Pat is correct about the controls in Super Mario 1 - it is my test game for input lag for emulators or monitors because even the slightest amount of input lag throws your whole rhythm off.
I use Contra for testing how accurate controls are. Mike Tyson's Punch Out would probably be the best test of lag for me.
I think Pat and Ian should do their own top 25 NES Games.
The infamous end of DD2 where you have to do that series of jumps onto disappearing platforms over a bed of spikes. That section ended many a DD2 attempt in my childhood -- it just ate your extra mans.
Bucky O Hare Has gotta be somewhere in the teens to low 20s. Def the 2nd best jump/shoot platformer after Mega Man 2-3.
Maybe Ninja Gaiden II as well... though the difficulty is insane by the end. Still the game is great and those cutscenes are just iconic.
I woulda also included Adventure Island 2. But the ones u mentioned deserve spots as well.
The scrolling lvls in world 8 (SMB3) are easily skipped with saved up P wings and warp whistles if i remember correctly. I never hear or see anyone mention that, even though it was common knowledge of the time.
Edit: pretty sure you could cheese the boat one by swimming under the lvl as well.
What's the fun in that though?
Ohh wow Pat! I was surprised to hear that Mario 2 is your fave of the original trilogy!
I gotta go with Mario 3 since I got that as a Christmas present and never got board of it as a kid!!!
Contra of course is classic, but put me down among the people who think Super C is a better game overall (and Top 10 on the NES)
Compile not surprisingly but still getting the cold shoulder with one of these lists: both Gun-Nac and Guardian Legend are amazing and Top 10 games on the system for me.
I prefer the OG Contra, but I can see liking Super C better. They definitely took legacy into consideration for this list.
I love the original Contra. It is my favorite NES game. I remember being super disappointed when playing Contra in the arcade for the first time because the NES version controlled so much better.
Super C is my least favorite in the series. I wish I could get into it.
Guardian Legend is amazing. It definitely deserves more people playing it.
Definitely agree, Super C is one of my favorite Contra games, don't understand the hate it gets.
Super C gets hate? That’s crazy. Contra Force I understand….
I always preferred Mega man 6, using the rush jet to platform was always fun to me. Abusing metal blade in 2 would be second
Sitting here on a sick/snow day toking up and listening to pat. Great content guys
Really appreciated the shout-out to Tecmo Super Bowl - it is the one game missing I feel like HAS to be on this list.
Very tough choice, but I would have to swap it in for Kid Icarus.
Pretty much all the games I used to play regularly on my mates NES back in the day.
I'd include LifeForce and RC Pro Am.
I'm going to play some LifeForce in a bit now, been a little while since I have
I could agree with SMB 3 and Legend of Zelda being in the top 2. Those are the two games I would pick personally as the two best on the system. It's hard to argue with the top 10 in my opinion.
Smb3 was such a ground breaker either the way you pick the levels and thr warps and items menu was definitely a big step up from Mario secret levels aka real Mario 2
Smb3 was such a ground breaker either the way you pick the levels and thr warps and items menu was definitely a big step up from Mario secret levels aka real Mario 2
My list would include Rygar, Dragon Quest and Castlevania II
Haha, Rygar yeah!
Has pat and Ian made their own top 25. I haven't been here in a while, good to be back
Great show. Would like to see you discuss spinoffs that are your favorite in the franchise.
River City Ransom was my favorite nes game, Mario 3, Ice Hockey, and Dragon Warrior III are high on my list as well.
Loved this video subscribing keep up the good work brothers
Nice list! I love this console so much!
Adventure Island 3, Little Nemo The Dream Master, Little Samson, Metal Storm, Bomberman 2, Street Fighter 2010, Tiny Toon Adventures, Wizards & Warriors, Iron Sword, Gun Smoke, Jackal, Marble Madness, The Guardian Legend, Journey to Silius, Solar Jetman, A Boy And His Blob, BATTLETOADS!!!, Mighty Final Fight, Krusty's Funhouse, RC Pro Am, Super Off Road, Zanac, Gradious, Life Force, Section Z, Blades Of Steel, Double Dribble, Super Dodgeball...
I don't know, I could give a ton of honorable mentions
I never could understand the love for Bionic Commando... I just couldn't get the controls down, or something.
I always liked SMB3 more for feeling more challenging. World's features of course were still great.
Though while I recognize MM2 being important, I always liked 3 the most but it does seem like a starter kit top 25.
Mega Man 2 has the better weapons but Mega Man 3 has more levels so it feels more complete (though I wish you could get the MM2 boss weapons).
Smb3 better be number 1. As someone who has no nostalgic attachment to the NES, that’s the only game from the console that I would consider to be a top 20 all time game
In a library of over 700 games, there are much better games than SMB3. Most people just assume it should always be number 1 cause they feel it has to be due to "popular opinion" and the whole issue with people being unable to think independently for themselves.
@@Alucard24601 Yes it's true... Kirby's Adventure for one.
Super Mario bros 2 is better then 3
Why does rampart get no love. It’s my favorite 2 player game!
Favorites/Best:
1. Zelda
2. Mario 3
3. RC Pro Am
4. Contras
5. Tyson’s Punch Out
6. Tecmo Bowl
7. Sky Kid
8. Mega Mans
9. Arkanoid
10. Worldrunner
11. Solomon’s Key
@MY CATS COOL I love it. A lot of this list is nostalgia. I found out years later that my dad would come home from work (he worked nights) and play RC Pro Am before we woke up or after we went to school. I never saw him play and would have loved to have played with him.
I see it as a threeway... in hockey as in video games
Wayne Gretzky / Jaromir Jagr / Mario Lemieux for the NHL
Final Fantasy / The Legend of Zelda / Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES
I think Ian meant Capcom and not Konami while talking about Duck Tales.
I would ad Dream Master to this list. It's one of my favorite platformers and rarely gets talked about. I guess it's under most people's radars
Mario 3 should have had a save battery. It's a long game with inventory.
I'm in Europe, I actually had Little Samson as a kid. I got an NES in 1993 and Little Samson was a late release. I agree with the list but i'm suprised you didn't include it. It's a fantastic platformer up there with the rest. Even as a 7-8 year old could tell that it was a more detailed games than most others I had played. I was completely blown away by the jumping animation Little Samson did. I feel like it's overlooked today as an actual *game* , and only really thought of as one of a handful of really expensive and rare NES games. My favorites on the list is probably Mario 3 and Kirby.
it's not their list.
I agree with you about Little Samson. It's a fantastic game that is more thought and talk as a expensive game or an holy grail than the actual great game that it is. One of the overall best plateformer game on the NES. I had a great memorable gaming experience when I first played throught, but I did not played a lot.
I would definitely have Kung Fu in there. I would probably also have paper boy on the list. One other game I have never heard mentioned but love for the nes is "Felix the cat". I really miss my copy of that game.
as someone who only played and know just the popular NES games, I'd love to see your top lists.
I would love to see a top list limited to contributors that have played most of the library of nes games
R.B.I. Baseball. The first one. Best ever game for me.
I always felt Friday the 13th was ahead of it’s time and I feel they literally included everything to induce fear;and was actually quite good at doing so. The decapitated head of ms vorhees to the random notes directing you to go places your common senses tell you that it’s a bad idea to do. Plus randomly meeting Jason in the large cabins was always a treat. Jason’s shack hidden in the wilderness where if you’re lucky,you can steal one of his melee weapons. Game’s top notch 🔥
Definitely a good one, but I always liked Nightmare On Elm St more
I liked that game back in the day .But i never knew what to do.
Before I even watch I got to know if River city ransom is a a 5 or 10 that game was so amazing when you finally understood it and what items boost what stay plus 2 player co op the full game which nowadays is almost rare
I'm actually genuinely surprised to find out that Pat has the same Mario favorites as I do: Super Mario 2 is the best of the three NES Mario games and Super Mario World is the best overall. World is so amazing and perfect of a game and it's strange that there has never been another Mario game like it since. World had tons of secrets, perfect controls and the best gameplay mechanics out of all of them. The more recent 3D World is maybe the closest contender.
Off topic but seen the video for splatoon 3 and the PHYSICAL BOX very cool.. cant wait for that, September 9th....
@MY CATS COOL seen or saw the same thing...learn the english language, and yes it is.
@MY CATS COOL nope its the same thing .
@MY CATS COOL nope , seen it or saw it . Same thing...
Pirates was my favourite game as a kid, but it seems it wasn't so famous, on the NES at least.
i was more familiar with the Gold port on Genesis, which i played the hell out of, still boot it up on occasion, whenever the sea calls to me.
I just can't believe Shadowgate and Maniac Mansion never make these lists, but was glad Bionic Commando and Blaster Master made it.
it was too different to what fans were used to at the time, both Shadowgate and Maniac Mansion are Point and Click's, which were more of a thing on Gaming Computers back in the day.
No ones really familiar with those Rick
TMNT 2Arcade or even TMNT 3 The Manhattan Project shoutl be on this list. Conquest of The Crystal Palace would been awesome to see on here as well!
Funny list as there is a good few more than 25 mentioned ...
I love Arcade Games and the NES did them well, it's a shane they rarely get mentioned in these retrospective lists ...
PAC-MAN, Kung Fu and DK are all cool.
Original Mario is my number 1 NES game - a good deal down to Nostalgia but it's still a great game to this day.
🍒
I agree with Ian that a shooter should be included on any top NES list. While I may prefer Gun-nac, Zanac, or even The Guardian Legend, this kind of mainstream list should at least have either Gradius or Life Force on it.
Thanks for this guys. Just a reminder duck tales is capcom not Konami.
Lovely Friday afternoon surprise!
Gun Smoke, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and maybe The Battle Of Olympus (it's a Zelda 2 clone like game, but it's a great adventure RPG game). Defender Of The Crown is to me also a pretty good game.
Excitebike was the 1st game i ever got in my life! My dad bought Excitebike and showed it to me. He told me: "you see this? this is a nintendo game, if you do good in school ill buy you a NES and you can play this" The rest is history!
Is the bonus podcast video or audio only?
Actually, while he was definitely on the rise, Tyson wasn’t the champion yet when they signed the deal. Norm covered it in his documentary. I think that’s part of the reason they didn’t renew the contract and we ended up with Mr. Dream. Yes, the rape trial was the main reason, but Nintendo probably would have been hesitant to renew it anyway because he could have demanded a lot more money now that he was the champion.
Some placement interesting choices, haven't taken a look at the article to see all 25, however. But I don't really disagree with the top ones. Even as a non sports guy, omissions of sports games is odd.
I think Excitebike and Mike Tyson’s Punch Out do count as sports games though.
But yeah…Tecmo Super Bowl didn’t make the list. I woulda put it in there.
My favorite sports games on the NES were Super Dodgeball and Baseball Stars. When it comes to making a list like this the problem with Baseball Stars is that is was not unknown, but it gets lost in a sea of other baseball games on the system.
A unique fact about Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is it's the only MMC2 mapper game.
On my list SMB3 would be the undisputed #1, but I totally get how it wouldn't be for someone else. I truly think it's the most close to perfect NES game. Nintendo was really intense during its development. See Norms amazing video!
I agree with Pat about Tecmo Super Bowl and about Zelda being better than SMB3 (now that I'm an adult, that is. Nothing was beating SMB3 when I was a kid.)
Other games I'd put in my top 25: Metal Storm, TMNT 3 Manhattan Project, Mega Man 4, and maybe Darkwing Duck and Shatterhand.
We're also far enough past the NES era that homebrews and hacks are easily and widely available, and I think we should be considering them when we make these lists. The best games that you can play on an NES in 2022 are hacks. Metroid Rogue Dawn, Rockman 4 Minus Infinity, Mega Man 4 Voyage, Super Mario 3 Mix, Zelda Outlands, etc.
kung fu was amazing. i played that game at the arcade. super fun!
Agreed with almost everything said...my fav NES Mario game is 2.....and my favorite NES game is Zelda 2 -The Adventure Of Link. I prefer Ninja Gaiden 2 instead of 1....love Contra and Super C.
1-Mega Man 2
2-Bucky O Haré
3-Gun Nac
4-Metal Storm
5-Súper Mario 3
6-Ninja Gaiden 1
7-Whomp Em
8-Kirby
9-little Samson
10-Darkwing Duck
11-Castlevania 3
12-Contra
My top 😃👍
Great video
Tbh I felt like excite bike inspired trials on the Xbox360 ps3 gen, alot kids my age when it came out sucked at landing
Pat, check out Blaster Master Zero on Switch. It's the original but with improvements, i.e there's actual save points.
Hated the OG Blaster Master, but highly enjoyed Zero.
I love all of the Blaster Master Zero games. Lots of fun
Here’s my top 25
25 - Tetris Tengen
24 - Lickle Cubicle
23 - Ninja Gaiden
22 - Dragon Warrior IV
21 - Excitebike
20 - Dragon Fighter
19 - Kid Klown In Night-Mayor World
18 - Super Mario Bros 2
17 - Fire N Ice
16 - TMNT The Arcade Game
15 - Gun.Smoke
14 - River City Ransom
13 - Cowboy Kid
12 - Journey to Silius
11 - Mighty Final Fight
10 - The Legend Of Zelda
9 - DuckTales
8 - Kirby’s Adventure
7 - Super Mario Bros 3
6 - Mega Man 2
5 - Contra
4 - Super C
3 - Castlevania III Dracula’s Curse
2 - MetalStorm
1 - Little Samson
Also honorable mentions to Mr Gimmick, Gun-Nac and Bubble Bobble!
Any top 25 list for NES without Tecmo Super Bowl is a joke. Just like Punch Out it had thousands of fans with no interest in the sport. It still has thousands of players today playing with current rosters. No doubt a top 25 game. And I agree Pat , Baseball Stars deserves a spot.
Excite Bike had an editor. That is why I liked it.
My top 3, in no particular order, would've been Mario 1, Zelda 1, and Dragon Quest/Warrior 3.
Love Kirby, Ducktales, Megaman 2 and the Super Mario games
This is the most "MAINSTREAM" gamer list I have ever seen.
I like how Konami’s engine is a 4 banger. That thing a VTec?
both Nintendo Tetris and Tengen Tetris are great, though I gravitate back to Tengen as it's closest to the arcade. The NES does have a better color scheme and music choices, though!
One of my all time favorite nes games is bucky o hare. I understand it didnt make the list because it's obscure.
im actually doing a top 10 nes game list for me on my crappy channel. #10 is the hardest one for me
9-pinball
8-ballon fight
7-shatterhand
6-metroid
5-rygar
4-this is a hard one too
3-megaman 6
2-mario 2
1-zelda 244
I'm surprised Final Fantasy, a game with so many broken mechanics and bugs, is remembered so fondly (probably because we didn't know how broken everything was until the code was ripped apart years later haha). I might put the original Dragon Warrior on the list in its place for an RPG because of how broad its reach was given the Nintendo Power giveaway. Even though the sequels were technically superior and more fleshed out and complex, the original was just so iconic to bringing the genre to consoles.
That's because Final Fantasy is the popular, hipster RPG. I can guarantee that if this list was made in Japan, one of the Dragon Quest games (most likely 3) would be close to, if not _the,_ number 1 entry.
Dragon Quest takes a giant dump all over final fantasy. FF doesn't get good until 4
I'd 2nd your inclusion of Dragon Warrior (Quest) over Final Fantasy. If you are just comparing them game to game, Dragon Warrior (Quest) was much more enjoyable.
Dragon Warrior IV woulda been a better pick honestly
@@shenloken2 The 4 on the NES were all good. Yes the grinding at the end of 2 was a bit much but it, like the other 3, still were a lot of fun. 3 and 4 were amazing but a bit longer than I would have liked. The first one gets bonus points from myself for obviously being first but also for the music, being the introduction into RPGs for myself and the fun ways you can challenge yourself within the game. I would try to beat it at a lower level. Try doing dungeons without lighting a path, etc. Even trying out different spells on the enemies was cool to see what worked and what didn't. Out of the 4 of them 1 is the one in play the most followed by 4 then 3 and finally 2.
I would have Startropics in my top 5. For it not to be in the top 25 is a crime imo. But maybe most people never played it
If I were to make a top games list, I would probably replace Duck Hunt with something like Ufouria.
I think I'm the only person on the planet that prefers Tecmo Bowl to Tecmo Super Bowl. I even bought the Famicom version for a very slight roster update to the original.
7:59 both y’all was tryna say ASS with your eyes 😂😂😂
I agree about Gun-nac and Kung fu being great experiences worthy of top 25.
oh geez, forgot this weekend is Tetris 99 Kirby Forget Realm theme.
I would have to add Adventures of Lolo and Faxanadu to the list
Double Dragon II my all time favorite game! Number one! Ninja Turtles II Arcade number 2. Sports: Tecmo World Wrestling (we don’t play superbowl in europe😀)
Contra, Ninja Gaiden tied at 1 for me.
Mario 2 is my Mario. Rygar should be on here.
Surprised a Tecmo Bowl didn’t get on.
Mike Tyson punch out will always be my favorite.
Super tecmo bowl should be on here for sure.
I get that Tetris as a single player game is good, but dr. Mario has superior multiplayer. That’s a big deal. Kinda shocked there’s no turtles games on there. Turtles 3 should go in where double dragon 2 is.
For turtles 3 to not be on here is because the second one is more iconic but wasn’t as good as 3
Mega Man 2 is definitely the best one in the original series! The music, graphics, and control were all spot on!
MM2 is great but it just feels like a patch for 1, and still has a lot of problems. 2 is iconic but 4 is the best one
The best is subjective, MM2 is the most popular but it isn't the best since any of them can be considered the best.
Not a bad list, probably would have swapped out Duck Hunt and Excitebike for Battletoads and R.C. ProAm.
while I agree with most of this list, my personal list would include Solar Jet Man and Jackal in the 11th and 12th spots.
'Top 25 edibles' next por favor. Metroid not making the list tho.... Its number 1 in my heart but I know its 25 material
The Nintendo cereal was split between Super Mario Bros. and Zelda for a reason. Duck Hunt was just unique for its time with the gun, drop it and put on The Black Bass for shits and giggles.
mmmm No Dragon Quest, well then you might as well not have Pokemon from the timeline. Pokemon's success is basically "hey, remember that game you loved as a kid? well, now kids love it too!" A lot of RPG have more complicated mechanics, but Dragon Quest found a way to simplify it, plus those Akira Toriyama designs are timeless.
One of my earliest memories is of my dad getting pissed off after he paid for a pay per view Tyson fight. Tyson won in 30 seconds and he paid $40 in 1988 money
Solid list, but let’s be real if smb2 was titled doki doki panic or whatever it prob wouldn’t of made the list
Would've had Dragon Warrior over Final Fantasy and Life Force in there somewhere.
Ninja Gaiden 1 absolutely snubbed. That game is one of the greatest side- scrollers of all time, snappy controls, incredible story, cinematic and soundtrack.
i personally enjoy double dragon better game. it only lacks multiplayer but the combat and challenge is great. I think teenage mutant ninja turtles 2 or 3 should be on the list. I also think both star tropics games are great. i always hated the double dragon controls for the timed knee and uppercut attacks unless you had a nes max controller then the turbo buttons helped with that.
Final Fantasy I for the NES has far too many bugs and glitches for me to consider it as one of the best.
If those bugs were patched out with the myriad of improvement patches floating around the internet then I might reconsider.
There has to be at least a dozen remakes (I doubt I'm even exaggerating) you could play over the NES version as well. Should have been dragon warrior 3 or 4.
@@devilmikey00 True. I'm actually impressed there's a lot of romhacks that fixes the problems with the original, but the sheer number of them really shows how poorly FF1 was bug tested.
The original NES version should never have been redistributed until these bugs were addressed.
Wishing Faxanadu or star tropics would make that list :/
wasn't ductktales a Capcom game? not Konami?
Mario 3 is my all time favorite in the early mario bros games
I have a sneaking suspicion that, because it’s a sports game, Super Tecmo Bowl, a top 5 NES game, will be overlooked.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that likes Super Mario Bros 2 the best out of the 3 on the NES!