Unique Top Ten NES Games List

[Nintendork]

Thought about making a Top Ten NES games list for my blog but decided to try and exclude the big names on the list. So no Mario, Zelda, Mega Man or Metroid. I am currently drafting my post but thought it would be an interesting thread here.

So those are the rules; Your Top Ten NES games EXCLUDING Mario, Zelda, Mega Man and Metroid franchises. Go!

[OatBob]

Gyruss, StarTropics, and Double Dribble

[miaandjohnrule]

Gunsmoke
1942
Gun*Nac
Baseball Stars
Tecmo Super Bowl
Kid Icarus
Adventure Island(1-3)
Castlevania(1-3)
Dragon Warrior(1-4)
North and South
Honorable Mention:
Snow Bros.
Bubble Bobble

[namzep]

1942
Tecmo Bowl
Castlevania III
Dragon Warrior
Bases Loaded 3
Bubble Bobble
Top Gun
Kid Icarus
Hogan's Alley
DuckTales

[FlufflePuff]

Dragon Warrior
Bubble Bobble
Metal Gear
Kid Icarus
Tecmo Super Bowl
Faxanadu
Final Fantasy
Snake Rattle N' Roll
Shadowgate
Uninvited

[vintagegamecrazy]

Take Dragon Warrior Castlevania and Ninja Gaiden out and go from there.

[spoon]

Sorry, I couldn't think of just a top 10. But, here are a lot of overlooked/ unappreciated games for the NES IMHO

Nightshade
Super Tecmo Bowl
Metal Storm
Yo Noid!
River City Ransom
TMNT II
Ducktales
Journey to Silus
Batman
Iron Tank
Conquest of the Crystal Palace
Bionic Commando
Ice Hockey
Tiny Toons
Crash N the Boys Street Challenge
Built to Win Formula 1
Dusty Diamonds All Star Softball
Heavy Barrel
The Karate Kid II
Mighty Final Fight
Ninja Crusaders
Wrath of the Black Manta
Pinball Quest
Power Blade Series
Power Punch II
The Punisher
Rescue the embassy Mission
Golgo 13
Mafat Conspiracy
Skat or Die
Silver Surfer
Contra
Super C
RC Pro am Series
Yoshi
Zen Intergalactic Ninja

[le geek]

I'm also excluding Contra and Castlevania

Arkanoid
Dr. Mario
Excitebike
High Speed
Mike Tyson's Punchout
Pinbot
R.C. Pro Am
Rygar
Super Spy Hunter
Track and Field

Cheers,
Ben

[Oobgarm]

I'm also excluding Castelvania, Contra, and Ninja Gaiden.

In no particular order:

Shadowgate
R.C. Pro Am
Gunsmoke
Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!
Strider
Cobra Triangle
Rad Racer
Little Nemo the Dream Master
Batman
Excitebike

[misfits859]

Based on games I played, Tetris, Tecmo Bowl, Dragon Warrior, Gun.Smoke, Tyson and Baseball Stars would be among my favorites. I am a bit amazed at the lack of mention Tetris has received in the posts so far...

[Damon Plus]

River City Ransom is all you need. It's a shame this game will be underrated forever.

[PresidentLeever]

I initally thought you meant games exclusive to the NES, so I'm going for that:

Clash at Demonhead
Guardian Legend
Gargoyle's Quest 2 (well there was a GB port as well but jap only)
Life Force
Magic of Sheherazade
RC Pro-Am 2
River City Ransom/Street Gangs
TMNT 3
Ultimate Stuntman
Willow

[Barbarianoutkast85]

Shadowgate
Yo Noid
Duck Hunt
TMNT 2
TMNT 3
Startropics
Journey to Silius
River City Ransom

[Kevincal]

In no order:

Pinball
Mike Tyson's Punchout
TMNT II
Excitebike
Ice Hockey
Tetris
Duck Hunt
Bases Loaded 2
Target Renegade
Duck Tales

:)

[jwm2]

River City Ransom is all you need. It's a shame this game will be underrated forever.

Agreed, its one of the best games of all time if you ask me. Definately cream of the NES crop.

[Snapple]

Castlevania 3
Dragon Warrior 3
Dragon Warrior 4
Punch Out!
The Guardian Legend
Tecmo Super Bowl
Duck Tales
Gemfire

Just to name a few. I'm too lazy to think of more, but there are a lot more.

[boatofcar]

Maybe you should change it to games that don't have sequels...that will eliminate any of the big franchises....

Anyway, my list is

River City Ransom
Tecmo Super Bowl
Little League Baseball
Bad News Baseball
City Connection
Golgo 13
Shadowgate
Blaster Master
Monopoly (love the music in this port)
Skate or Die

Aside from the big boys of the NES, I could get by playing these 10 games forever.

[Cryomancer]

Startropics, Ufouria, Bad News Baseball

[theshizzle3000]

Let see some of my favorite underrated NES games:

1. River City Ransom
2. Trog!
3. Nintendo World Cup
4. North and South
5. Shadowgate

[ryborg]

North & South
Tecmo Super Bowl
RBI Baseball
Duck Tales
Bubble Bobble
MT Punch Out
Marble Madness
Tengen Tetris
Blades of Steel
Dr. Mario

RCR was underrated in like 1995. Now it appears on literally everyone's "most underrated" list. I nominate that we stop calling this game underrated from now on since it clearly isn't.

[savageone]

Avoiding all well known series I come up with:
Metal Storm
Maniac Mansion
Shadowgate/Deja Vu/Uninvited (since they're all so similar..)
Jackal
Spelunker
Little Samson
Journey to Silius
Solomon's Key
Power Blade 1/2
Shadow of the Ninja

Solomon's Key isn't the GREATEST, but damn it I like it.


RCR was underrated in like 1995. Now it appears on literally everyone's "most underrated" list. I nominate that we stop calling this game underrated from now on since it clearly isn't.

I honestly don't remember RCR ever being underrated or unknown. I recall it being a big deal around the time of it's release because it was "like Double Dragon", and I'm still not a huge fan of the game. Great sprite work, so-so game. Blasphemy I know. :)

[boatofcar]

I'll second North and South and Maniac Mansion, if you're unable to play the PC port.

[thetoxicone]

I'll second dusty diamond's all-star softball since its only been mentioned once

[jerkov]

Very tough, but off the top of my head, and excluding the "big" franchises:

Pirates!
Micro Machines
Rygar
Maniac Mansion
Little Samson
Dusty Diamond's All Star Softball
Shadowgate (and the other ICOM Simulation titles)
Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics 2
Nightshade
Felix the Cat

I have to admit that I don't feel very confident in this list......I feel like I'm forgetting some huge title, plus there's a huge number of classics that just missed: Guardian Legend, Blaster Master, Robin Hood, Lone Ranger, RC Pro Am 2, Strider, Crystalis, New Ghostbusters 2, Ufouria, Marble Madness, North & South, Indy Heat and Crash & The Boys if you have 4 players plugged in.......but I guess I'm just cheating now.

[NinjaJoey23]

Ducktales
Contra
Jackal
Guerilla War
Archon (best 2 player NES game ever)
Gun*Nac (FTW!!!)
Dusty Diamond's All-star Softball
The Punisher
Maniac Mansion
Zombie Nation
Metal Storm

edit: North and South as well

[sidnotcrazy]

Some of my favorites:

S.C.A.T.
Shadow of the Ninja
Ghost Busters
Rygar
Metal Storm
Micro Machines
Bee 52
Strider
Bionic Commando
Gargoyle Quest 2

There are just many. I know I am leaving out a bunch, but these are the ones that just popped into my mind. Good Times!

[starsoldier1]

Ghostbusters? wtf!

Here are some of mine:

Guardian Legend
Wario's Woods
Bionic Commando
Castlevania III
Life Force
Dragon Warrior IV
Gun Nac
Conquest of the Crystal Castle
Duck Tales
Blaster Master

[sidnotcrazy]

Ghostbusters? wtf!


Hey, I said it was one of my favorites. I didn't say it was a good game.

[Daria]

Some of my favorites. It's mostly RPGs... because hey that's what I like. But I'll leave out the Dragon Warriors, Zeldas, and naturally Tetris.

1. Crystalis
2. Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
3. Magic of Scherherazade
4. Star Tropics
5. Solstice
6. Snake Rattle & Roll
7. Bubble Bobble
8. Genghis Khan
9. Willow
10. CastleQuest (although in all honesty I know it's not that good of a game)

[MachineGex]

Micro Machines
RC Pro Am 2
Metal Storm
Baseball Stars (one player)
RBI Baseball 1&3(two player)
Little Samson
Thunder & Lightning
Tecmo S. Bowl
Solomon's Key

[Barbarianoutkast85]

I need to add Kirbys Adventure.

[8bitgamer]

Ghosts N Goblins (difficult, but fun) and Arkanoid (love the paddle controller) have got to be in there somewhere.

Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984 (http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/)

[Carey85]

In no particular order:

1) Solar Jetman
2) Time Lord
3) Formula One: Built to Win
4) Section Z
5) Mafat Conspiracy
6) Maniac Mansion
7) Jackal
8) GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor
9) A Boy and His Blob
10) Gyruss

That's about the best top 10 "obscure" list I can muster up. Also, Time Lord is God's gift to man. Take that as you will...

[Tron 2.0]

Solomon's Key
Tecmo World Wrestling
Jackal
Rygar
Blaster Master
The Goonies II
The Legend of Kage
Arkanoid
TMNT (Given how much the game is hated)
Guardian Legend

[Ruudos]

1. StarTropics
2. Adventures of Rad Gravity
3. Batman
4. Faxanadu
5. The Battle of Olympus
6. Boulder Dash
7. Darkwing Duck
8.Shadow of the Ninja (Blue Shadow)
9. Low G Man
10. Ufouria

[RASK1904]

So these are Nes games that I think are underated/ not famous but fun. I hope I helped someone. Also I only chose games I have. So I know there fun.

10. Balloon Fight
9. Mighty Bomb Jack
8. Stinger
7. Rolling Thunder
6. Karnov
5. Chiller
4. Milon's Secret Castle
3. Double Dribble
2. Boulder Dash
1. Thunder & Lightning

Thanx RASK1904:rockets:

[Nesmaster]

Little Samson
Metal Storm
Panic Restaurant
Fire N Ice
Shatterhand
Danny Sulivan's Indy Heat
Rockin' Kats
Power Blade 2
Dusty Diamond's Allstar Softball
Kickle Cubicle

Bonus:
Journey to Silius

[StakeRaiser]

Guardian Legend
River City Ransom
Legacy of the Wizard
Duck Tales
Gun Nac
Shadow of the Ninja
Shatterhand
Kickmaster
Kickle Cubicle
Code Name Viper

[jondrewfoo]

gold medal challenge '92
star tropics 1 and 2
fantastic adventures of dizzy
ultimate stunt man
ducktales
tmnt 2 + 3
jackal

cant think of any more...

[motley6]

Earthbound Zero
Deja Vu
Mighty Final Fight

[Zoe F]

Tiny Toon Adventures
Journey to Silius
Dizzy the Adventurer
Wario's Woods (Does this count as a Mario franchise game?)
Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle
Fire N' Ice
Kickle Cubicle
Batman: Return of the Joker
Arkanoid
Ghosts N' Goblins

[allyourbase]

No order:

NES Open
Conquest of the Crystal Palace
Clash at Demonhead
Ultima: Exodus
River City Ransom
Double Dragon (any, 3 is a favorite)
Star Tropics II Zoda's Revenge
Little League Baseball
Adventure Island 2
Ninja Gaiden's

Runner Up: Bubble Bobble (couldn't add it, not obscure enough, nor under-rated)

I'm sure I've forgotten too many to ever remember. oh well...

[j1e]

Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers
Crystalis
Maniac Mansion
Metal Storm
Nightshade
Ninja Crusaders
Power Blade
Princess Tomato
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Willow

[MissingNo_1231]

something like...

Abadox
Guerrilla War
3-D World Runner
Seicross
Cobra Triangle
Hogan's Alley
Rush 'N Attack
Burger Time
Alpha Mission
Robo Warrior