Good picks! 1-4 were all games I loved as a kid. I'll be the first bloke to drop opinions and say The Guardian Legend would push all of these down a spot for me. Nice vid!
Not sure if Little Samson is underrated. Any time I've heard anyone talk about it or that knows about it rates it pretty highly. Same with the other games in this list. Anyone who knows these games rates them highly. It seems like the criteria here is games that not many people knew about when they came out? Not really the same as them being underrated, overrated, or just properly rated. Maybe Faxanadu is the one game that should be on here?
I have Crystalis on the SNK collection for ps4, I should play that. I've always heard good things about it and that's an unusual style of game for SNK to make
Oh Faxanadu... I loved that game but by fucking God did the password shit suck. Spent twenty minutes meticulously writing down those twelve paragraph passwords and they rarely ever worked. Had a whole notebook of passwords for that game and like only three of them even work.
@septixskeptix1107 XD I feel your struggle. I play it on emulation anymore for the save states. Only breaking out my NES to play it on actual hardware occasionally. :)
@TheRetroReload If you try Snow Bros. it's best to do emulation because a physical copy of the game goes for hundreds of dollars. And that's just the loose cartridge with the box and manual it's 1,000+. Lol
This is literally the same list of "underrated" NES games that ppl have been making videos about for over 10 years dude. If you want an underrated NES game go play Conquest of the Crystal Palace, Fire N Ice, Captain Skyhawk, The Krion Conquest, and Star Tropics 2 Zodas Revenge...there now you actually have 5 games that are actually underrated
One that gets overlooked a lot is Shatterhand. It's a bit expensive these days, but it is an amazing game. Kind of has a Contra aesthetic, a Megaman style level select and really good music.
I'm so grateful to see this video highlighting some of the most underrated NES gems out there. As someone who's had the chance to play 'Mr. Gimmick', I can confidently say it's one of the most unique and challenging experiences on the console. The way Sunsoft pushed the boundaries with its physics-based mechanics and level design is truly remarkable. The fact that it was limited to a Japan-and-Europe-only release only adds to its mystique, making it even more appealing to collectors and enthusiasts. What's your take on 'Mr. Gimmick'?
I just recently played Crystalis and Silius. I really liked Crystalis. Silius not so much. I didn't get far in Silius. Side scrolling shooters are OK; but taking 10-12 shots to kill basic enemies is a bit much. It's what I call a "sore thumb" game.
SNK made some cool arcade games before Metal Gear. Ikari Warriors was one of my favorites. POW was pretty good too, and Vanguard was a populsr one but not for me. Vic Tokai had always been a pretty ambitious company. Golgo 13 was a really cool game that at the time was mind blowing. Then there was psychofox, where you could change into different animals and they each had special abilities that they could do. There were secrets in the levels that you could only find by utilizing one of the animal's powers and stuff. Good times. Crystalis was cool, but i don't know about ahead of its time, considering the magic of shehezerade. Now, Ultima: Quest of the Avatar, was ahead of it's time. It was an early NES title that had open world exploration, passing of time cycles, and cool secrets.
I will prolly have more to say, but I never played Lil Sampson. It's a staple of my gaming experience, and I distinctly remember switching to each form for the different segments... I can also say I'm pretty sure I spent zero hours on this and I don't know which Nintendo power makes me think I played this game.
THANK YOU, FOR ALL IN THE WORLD THAT IS HOLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO! I used to have a copy of Clash At Demon Head when I was a kid, and could not for the life of me remember what the hell it was called!!! You just made my day, year, and earned my sub! 😁😁
If you want more then go check out Zombie Nation(weird but fun), Bashi Bazook Morphoid Master, Legendary Wings, King's Knight, and The Immortal. Theres 10 games that i bet most ppl havent heard of that are great...aka underrated
There’s only 2 or 3 games on this list that are even remotely playable. Guiltily I love King’s Knight, but that game is extremely poorly designed and the objective/completion isn't very clear
Cool! I've only played Little Samson out of these. I have the Japanese version on a multi cart and my buddy has the NA version on his multi cart, so I've played both versions. No significant differences to report. But, I'll give some of these others a try if I can. . .
I always liked Jaws for NES. There's not much to the game and it is repetitive, but i think it's a fun game you can beat in about 20 minutes. I don't ever hear people talking about it.
2:15 "by 1992 standards, little Samson was pushing the SNES to its limits" SNES??? I thought this was supposed to be about NES titles. If you're going to upload a top five about NES games in 2025, at least, make sure you're getting the platform name right in your video.
The problem with the Game Faxanadu back in the day was its name. I remembered the movie Xanadu starring Olivia Newton John. I wanted nothing to do with that. Nuff said.
These games (all of them) are trying their hardest to be 'Like Mike' - [] M.U.L.E. [] Jaws [] 3 Stooges [] Paperboy [] R.C. Pro am [] Bionic Commando [] Gauntlet [] Gunsmoke () Bomberman () North & South [] Star Wars \\ Joust // Black Bass [] Gemfire [] Total Recall [] MTV Remote control [] Caveman Games [] Rescue Embassy [] Blue Marlin // Motor City Patrol [] Star Force [] ...... are a few that are affordable, playable & made up their own version of gaming though some ideas may be shared with other games. These games if one takes the time to learn the basics are repayable infinity or until you get bored, replay BOTW. 😊
Faxanadu is underrated? Really? I can see Journey to Silius or Clash at Demonhead but Faxanadu? This list must be for people who are just getting into NES games, cuz Faxanadu has revieved a lot of attention and praise over the years.
"What the NES was realy capable of with third gen custom mapper chips in the cartridge". People always seem to gloss over that Super Mario Bros was the best graphics the NES hardware alone could produce.
Micro Mages is built on the same stock cartridge as SMB and looks exceptional.(Hardly like an NES game from that era; I've seen comparisons to TG-16 grafix..) The mapper chips pretty much just allow bank switching(same number of tiles on-screen, but allow larger selection overall...), not any advanced capabilities(MMC 5 only used it for file storage for music, not anything else, for example); it's hardly like SNES cart with a whole new processor!
Grew up with Faxanadu... epic game, epic music and later finding out how to properly pronounce the name... epic. Lolol. Fazzanadu 😮😅. Don't get that (-)damage ring!
@TheRetroReload Will be Faxanadu to me, and knowing it's Fazzanadu is just neat, like finding more secrets about the game even in the name itself hah. Also I believe it's a sequel to Legacy of the Wizard. Now that was a tough game, the moving blocks glove was brutal.
Good picks! 1-4 were all games I loved as a kid. I'll be the first bloke to drop opinions and say The Guardian Legend would push all of these down a spot for me. Nice vid!
Ooooo, great title. Thanks man, appreciate the watch
Not sure if Little Samson is underrated. Any time I've heard anyone talk about it or that knows about it rates it pretty highly. Same with the other games in this list. Anyone who knows these games rates them highly. It seems like the criteria here is games that not many people knew about when they came out? Not really the same as them being underrated, overrated, or just properly rated. Maybe Faxanadu is the one game that should be on here?
Yeah, it’s seems like you never really see them in the same convo as Mario, Link, or Mega Man.
I have Crystalis on the SNK collection for ps4, I should play that. I've always heard good things about it and that's an unusual style of game for SNK to make
Crystalis was an AWESOME game, I still like to watch the intro story from time to time.
Check it out for sure
There's a couple of fan favorites in this underrated list.
Yeah, def belong in the ranks of the Super Mario Bros and Links
I can vouch for Faxanadu and Crystalis. :) still have my originals.
Oh Faxanadu... I loved that game but by fucking God did the password shit suck. Spent twenty minutes meticulously writing down those twelve paragraph passwords and they rarely ever worked. Had a whole notebook of passwords for that game and like only three of them even work.
@septixskeptix1107 XD I feel your struggle. I play it on emulation anymore for the save states. Only breaking out my NES to play it on actual hardware occasionally. :)
Brooooo that’s so awesome
I too played Faxanadu, I remember it was a pretty cool game. The NES was a great system.
Kickmaster, Gun Nac, Snow Bros., Kickle Cubicle, Puzznic, and pretty much any Natsume game are other examples.
Wow, what a great list here! Thanks man, I’m going to dig into these titles.
@TheRetroReload If you try Snow Bros. it's best to do emulation because a physical copy of the game goes for hundreds of dollars. And that's just the loose cartridge with the box and manual it's 1,000+. Lol
Love the video, glad I found your channel! Looks like I got a whole new library of retro gaming videos to watch, yessss!
Wow, thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me. 🫶
Just the video I needed, working on loading up my new Analogue Pocket. Definitely going to get these added
Let’s goooooo
These games are all new to me, thanks for making this list
🙌
guardian legend was always a favorite of mine
✊
This is literally the same list of "underrated" NES games that ppl have been making videos about for over 10 years dude. If you want an underrated NES game go play Conquest of the Crystal Palace, Fire N Ice, Captain Skyhawk, The Krion Conquest, and Star Tropics 2 Zodas Revenge...there now you actually have 5 games that are actually underrated
Wow great list man, definitely some great titles I may be able to turn into stand alone videos. Thanks!
One that gets overlooked a lot is Shatterhand. It's a bit expensive these days, but it is an amazing game. Kind of has a Contra aesthetic, a Megaman style level select and really good music.
You are 100% right.
Cool I never heard of any of these growing up. Thanks!
Solid list. I knew of most, but didnt know jack about lil samson. It looks impressive as hell!
I'm so grateful to see this video highlighting some of the most underrated NES gems out there. As someone who's had the chance to play 'Mr. Gimmick', I can confidently say it's one of the most unique and challenging experiences on the console. The way Sunsoft pushed the boundaries with its physics-based mechanics and level design is truly remarkable. The fact that it was limited to a Japan-and-Europe-only release only adds to its mystique, making it even more appealing to collectors and enthusiasts. What's your take on 'Mr. Gimmick'?
Gotta be honest, I’ve never actually played it.
Journey to Silius is in my top 5. Period. My dad got me it on a business trip brand new. I still have it.❤
I just stick to emulators. I got bills to pay! 😅
I just recently played Crystalis and Silius. I really liked Crystalis. Silius not so much. I didn't get far in Silius. Side scrolling shooters are OK; but taking 10-12 shots to kill basic enemies is a bit much. It's what I call a "sore thumb" game.
“Sore thumb game,” lol I love that! Thanks for watching
I can't wait to see these games in DLSS 4
SNK made some cool arcade games before Metal Gear. Ikari Warriors was one of my favorites. POW was pretty good too, and Vanguard was a populsr one but not for me. Vic Tokai had always been a pretty ambitious company. Golgo 13 was a really cool game that at the time was mind blowing. Then there was psychofox, where you could change into different animals and they each had special abilities that they could do. There were secrets in the levels that you could only find by utilizing one of the animal's powers and stuff. Good times. Crystalis was cool, but i don't know about ahead of its time, considering the magic of shehezerade. Now, Ultima: Quest of the Avatar, was ahead of it's time. It was an early NES title that had open world exploration, passing of time cycles, and cool secrets.
Wow you dropped a lot of titles I completely forgot about 🤯 awesome man, thanks for sharing. Appreciate you watching
I will prolly have more to say, but I never played Lil Sampson. It's a staple of my gaming experience, and I distinctly remember switching to each form for the different segments... I can also say I'm pretty sure I spent zero hours on this and I don't know which Nintendo power makes me think I played this game.
I need to go back to lil Samson I was playing snes and sega at that time so I missed out great vid 👍🏿
Broooo lil Sampson was so epic. Thanks homie!
THANK YOU, FOR ALL IN THE WORLD THAT IS HOLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO! I used to have a copy of Clash At Demon Head when I was a kid, and could not for the life of me remember what the hell it was called!!! You just made my day, year, and earned my sub! 😁😁
Holy crap man thank you so much. You have know idea how much that means to me 🫶
All 5 of these games are well-known and quite popular in the 2020s.
If you want more then go check out Zombie Nation(weird but fun), Bashi Bazook Morphoid Master, Legendary Wings, King's Knight, and The Immortal. Theres 10 games that i bet most ppl havent heard of that are great...aka underrated
Wow thanks for the list! I may research these to see if we can make a good vid out of them. Thanks for watching!
There’s only 2 or 3 games on this list that are even remotely playable. Guiltily I love King’s Knight, but that game is extremely poorly designed and the objective/completion isn't very clear
Cool! I've only played Little Samson out of these. I have the Japanese version on a multi cart and my buddy has the NA version on his multi cart, so I've played both versions. No significant differences to report.
But, I'll give some of these others a try if I can. . .
Great picks ! Those 3rd party games that felt like 1st.
Thanks!!!!
I always liked Jaws for NES. There's not much to the game and it is repetitive, but i think it's a fun game you can beat in about 20 minutes. I don't ever hear people talking about it.
The street fighter 2000 whatever game that had nothing to do with the fighting genre. Was a big fave of mine. Was more of a platform/shooter.
Great game though
Omg an actual recent video regarding a top 5 on an 8bit system in 2025 lol
😎
Great list let's not forget about destiny of the emperor
Ooohhhh my gosh! What a hidden gem. Thanks for reminding me and thanks watching!
2:15 "by 1992 standards, little Samson was pushing the SNES to its limits"
SNES??? I thought this was supposed to be about NES titles.
If you're going to upload a top five about NES games in 2025, at least, make sure you're getting the platform name right in your video.
Yeah, I dropped the ball there. 🤦♂️ thanks for the feedback!
Good, Interesting video!!🙂👍
Heyyyy thank you so much!
5. Little Sampson
4. Clash at Demon Head
3. Crystalis
2. Journey to Silius
1. Faxanadu
The problem with the Game Faxanadu back in the day was its name.
I remembered the movie Xanadu starring Olivia Newton John. I wanted nothing to do with that.
Nuff said.
Crystalis was an awesome game!
💯
These games (all of them) are trying their hardest to be 'Like Mike' - [] M.U.L.E. [] Jaws [] 3 Stooges [] Paperboy [] R.C. Pro am [] Bionic Commando [] Gauntlet [] Gunsmoke () Bomberman () North & South [] Star Wars \\ Joust // Black Bass [] Gemfire [] Total Recall [] MTV Remote control [] Caveman Games [] Rescue Embassy [] Blue Marlin // Motor City Patrol [] Star Force [] ...... are a few that are affordable, playable & made up their own version of gaming though some ideas may be shared with other games. These games if one takes the time to learn the basics are repayable infinity or until you get bored, replay BOTW. 😊
Yeah man, the modern gaming industry hates retro
Vice Project Doom goes on the list for me
Oooooo, great entry
Time lord is a good underrated one.
Starting the list off with Little Samson...
🤜🤛
Faxanadu is underrated? Really? I can see Journey to Silius or Clash at Demonhead but Faxanadu?
This list must be for people who are just getting into NES games, cuz Faxanadu has revieved a lot of attention and praise over the years.
Yeah, I definitely see that
“Brothers”. It’s pronounced “brothers”.
Brooders?? Did you say you had brooder that was older?? Come on brooder, make momma happy you luv yur brooder!!
🙌
Ahhhh, the band from Scott Pilgrim....i knew Clash sounded familiar!!!!
"What the NES was realy capable of with third gen custom mapper chips in the cartridge". People always seem to gloss over that Super Mario Bros was the best graphics the NES hardware alone could produce.
Truth
Micro Mages is built on the same stock cartridge as SMB and looks exceptional.(Hardly like an NES game from that era; I've seen comparisons to TG-16 grafix..) The mapper chips pretty much just allow bank switching(same number of tiles on-screen, but allow larger selection overall...), not any advanced capabilities(MMC 5 only used it for file storage for music, not anything else, for example); it's hardly like SNES cart with a whole new processor!
so glad for emulators and cheat codes. not my sort of games. apart from 1
💯
Grew up with Faxanadu... epic game, epic music and later finding out how to properly pronounce the name... epic. Lolol. Fazzanadu 😮😅. Don't get that (-)damage ring!
Lmao! I’m sure I’m butchering the pronouncement 🤦♂️ My uncle had this game and I always had a blast playing it at his house
@TheRetroReload Will be Faxanadu to me, and knowing it's Fazzanadu is just neat, like finding more secrets about the game even in the name itself hah.
Also I believe it's a sequel to Legacy of the Wizard. Now that was a tough game, the moving blocks glove was brutal.
Crystalis is better than OG Zelda...truly the most underrated game of all...
This is Ai generated, isn't it? Never again.
Thanks for the feedback
Faxanadu is actually pronounced "fah-zah-nah-doo"...
Tiny Toons 2
Fa. Zan. A. Do. It's 2025. Jfc
🤦♂️ 😂
all these recommendations stink
Sorry man, can’t win em all 🤷♂️
Little Sampson is a cheap ripoff of segas wonder boy games but doesn't look sound or play as good.
First
Second