Hidden NES Gems

[BetaWolf47]

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but this thread suffers from a severe lack of the following games:

-The Battle of Olympus: Best 8-bit Metroid style game ever. Some people think that Super Metroid was the first exceptional title of this style but this game beat it to the punch.

-The Magic of Scheherazade: Very similar to Crystalis and every bit as good. It may very well be my favorite game on the system.

[ButtonMasher123]

G.I. Joe:A Real American Hero is a game I love to death for the NES. It has an amazing amount of variety for an old school game. I personally feel its the best run and gun game on the system.

[Ryaan1234]

Hmmmm.... Let me throw in Kiwi Kraze, Archon, Ninja Crusaders, Jackie Chan's Action Kung-Fu, and Panic Restaurant.

Kiwi Kraze is part of the Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands grouping of games by Taito. It's a solid, cute, fun platformer game.

Archon is a neat chess type games where you battle.

Ninja Crusaders, by Sammy, is obviously a Ninja Gaidan knockoff, but it gives you the ability to transform into different animals. Cool!

Jackie Chan's Action Kung-Fu is a pretty solid platformer, with nice graphics and pretty good gameplay.

Panic Restaurant is also by Taito. It's a quirky food based platformer. Too bad it's so expensive.

[BetaWolf47]

Kiwi Kraze is part of the Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands grouping of games by Taito. It's a solid, cute, fun platformer game.
Not to mention a pretty good home port of The New Zealand Story.

[StakeRaiser]

Try out The Guardian Legend by Broderbund.. I loved that game..

Best game EVA!!!

[Tron 2.0]

I'll recomend Solomon's key again i thought it was underrated in it's day.Sure it's a tough one,but it does a good job of mixing action and puzzle solveing.

[ShinobiMan]

I've got to say that Mendel Palace is one of my favorite obscure titles for the NES. Game Freak (yes THAT Game Freak) created quite a joyous action / puzzle game. It's as addictive as Bubble Bobble but just as unique as Kickle Cubicle! I say check it out! BTW, the bubbles on the games box art really has nothing to do with the gameplay. This title has you flipping the tiles out from under enemies in order to knock them into the walls.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/6/587446_66922_front.jpg

[pseudonym]

I've got to say that Mendel Palace is one of my favorite obscure titles for the NES. Game Freak (yes THAT Game Freak) created quite a joyous action / puzzle game. It's as addictive as Bubble Bobble but just as unique as Kickle Cubicle! I say check it out! BTW, the bubbles on the games box art really has nothing to do with the gameplay. This title has you flipping the tiles out from under enemies in order to knock them into the walls.

/snip

Agreed. I was really impressed with this game when I played it. The only problem is the lack of a save feature... it's a long game and some of the later levels are hard.

[Daft Punk]

It's already been said but , Cobra triangle!


Some of my other faves


Micro machines
Legend of kage
Quattro adventure
Dino riki (A damn hard shmup style game)

[old_skoolin_jim]

one vote for metal storm (http://www.mobygames.com/game/metal-storm) here. crisp visuals (for the nes), good controls and a great central mechanic; you pilot a mech that can flip gravity to pull up or down. it starts out as a fun little gimmick and quickly becomes the only thing that keeps you alive through increasingly hectic stages and boss fights.

Agreed. I used to own it as a kid (and it occasionally pissed my 8 year-old self off), but think it's pretty good now.
Also, apologies if they've been mentioned (I haven't read past the post I quoted and haven't seen the lists), but I would also recommend:
-Air Forteress for shmup/action/adventure
-Adventures of Lolo trilogy for puzzle/action
-Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and ESPECIALLY Uninvited for graphic/text adventure (Uninvited still can creep me out whem I play it alone... the only 8-bit game that can do that)
-Bucky O'hare for a quality tv-licensed megaman-style action game
-The Blue Marlin for probably the most fun fishing game ever
-Rockin' Kats for a fun (albeit pretty easy despite the hidden '2nd quest') platforming romp
-North & South for a fun turn-based strategy game (especially with 2 experienced players)
Hope this helps!

[andrew_77751]

i would recommend clash at demonhead. neat lil run and jump game like mario.

[calthaer]

I recently went through and played Wizards & Warriors and Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II, just for kicks. Used Game Genie cheat codes and save states - all that stuff. I didn't care about cheating; just cared about playing around.

Then I got to Wizards & Warriors III: Visions of Power this past weekend. Didn't use any cheat codes, although I used a save state once or twice just to be able to blow through it; I beat it back in the day for the NES, so I didn't have anything to prove.

This game is very solid. It's not perfect - I believe it's possible, for instance, to clog up your limited "inventory" (3 or 4 items) with things that you can't get rid of until you get and use other items (which you then can't get, because your inventory is full). But it's lots of fun.

It's very different from the first two...instead of a million enemies continually flying around you in completely random patterns (all but necessitating a Game Genie for unlimited continues - because it's luck, not skill, that will get you through), this game only really has enemies if you're wearing the "wrong" outfit...it's almost entirely a platformer, with only a bit of fighting injected into the recipe. It's a remix of the previous two - princesses return from the first one, but in the form of three princesses that give you gems...getting golden items to proceed from the second has returned, but you're getting statues to join guilds...new weapons and spells are obtained from guilds, not from random chests...there are caves and a castle to climb - it's missing forests and mountains and walking on the clouds, but I didn't mind that.

There are parts that are hard - and the end boss is almost impossible (the old difficulty returns for one fight) - but this definitely makes my list of good NES games that I don't think most people have played. I would have loved to see where they took the series from here.

[thahurricanegame]

Great thread thanks for the heads up

[thahurricanegame]

Great thread thanks for the heads up

[TmEE]

Kyattou Ninden Teyandee, Felix the Cat

[djshok]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a9/FelixNESBoxart.JPG

Felix the Cat is an excellent platformer that is often overlooked. Gameplay is similar to Super Mario but with more powerups. The graphics are nice (for NES) and the gameplay is solid. Also the difficulty level is just about right.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/FelixTheCatGame.jpg

[old man]

We need some love for Iron Tank in this thread.

[exit]

Digger T. Rock - It's kind of like Spelunker, only a lot more playable and a lot more fun. It easily became one of my favorite NES games in the recent years and I hardly ever see anyone mention it.

[Graham Mitchell]

We need some love for Iron Tank in this thread.

I'll second that. It's probably the best game SNK made for the NES, second only to Crystalis.

[MachineGex]

I toss out a few of my favorites.
Solar Jetman - I love how this game reminds me of Gravitar. Such a great game and worth the $3 it sales for.

Micro Machines - In my opinion, it is one of the best games for the system and still a blast to play today. Great one player game that only gets more exciting when you add a friend. I could play this game all day long and never get tired of it.

Snow Brothers - Great puzzle game that reminds me of Bubble Bobble. This game really grows on you and is a blast with a friend. The down side is the game is expensive. I really like it, but there are two games that are just as good, and are cheaper. I would rather own Rodland and Don Doki Don. Both are available as Famicom games and are almost completely in english. Rodland has a PAL cart release, but it goes for $200. The Famicom is almost exactly the same and almost completely in english. You can get the Famicom version for $30 and put it in a Gyromite cart. Just make a label and you have saved yourself $150. Don Doki Don is really cheap and every bit as fun. I got mine for $15 and put it in a Gyromite cart. Rodland, Don Doki Don, and Snow Brothers are the three games we play the most at my house.

[jdheins]

I have to agree with Micro Machines.

Also just started playing Solomons Key this past week, man is it fun and challenging!

[teh_L0ki]

I just skimmed the thread and didn't see it mentioned but one of the initial 18 launch titles was mach rider and I personally find it to be pretty fun, but it's really a game where you just see how high a score you can get so your mileage may vary.

[shoeshot]

I agree with Mendel Palace, Snow Brothers, and also Little Ninja Brothers. All three are excellent 2 player games.

[Guy Bramsworth]

I came to post Kyattou Ninden Teyandee, but TmEE already said it. Can't hurt to reccommend it some more though :)

[Nophix]

Shadowgate, Little Nemo Dream Master, Star Tropics.

Those were my favorites after Megaman.

[Baloo]

Mighty Final Fight is an EXCELLENT beat-em-up that seems to get no attention when it comes to great NES games.

[variable114]

glad to see someone mentioned Adventures of Lolo. absolutely loved those growing up.

Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle was another puzzle game I remember, not one I ever really hear about (although I'm brand new here) but I'm a big fan.

and finally who framed roger rabbit. great game from that era that I spent more time with than probably any other game.

[chrisballer]

Kid nikki radical ninja
Galaxy 5000
Lunar pool
Nes open

[Collector_Gaming]

Wow i must be the only one who absolutely loved the game "Thundercade"

http://www.theoldcomputer.com/game-box-art-covers/Nintendo/NES/t/Thundercade.jpg

its basically a top down view arcade shooter where your riding a motor cycle shooting up bad guys and you can get upgrades and other assorted stuff. With some pretty cool vehicle bosses! Very fun game if this is your kinda thing

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SJComLL3q24/0.jpg

[NostalgiaHunter]

Has anybody played "Swordmaster"?

That game rocks. Try it if you haven't. You won't regret it.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Wow i must be the only one who absolutely loved the game "Thundercade"

http://www.theoldcomputer.com/game-box-art-covers/Nintendo/NES/t/Thundercade.jpg

its basically a top down view arcade shooter where your riding a motor cycle shooting up bad guys and you can get upgrades and other assorted stuff. With some pretty cool vehicle bosses! Very fun game if this is your kinda thing

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SJComLL3q24/0.jpg

The arcade version? maybe. The NES version? Yeesh..... posting a picture of the arcade version is really false advertising as it looks nothing like that.


Has anybody played "Swordmaster"?

That game rocks. Try it if you haven't. You won't regret it.

Sword Master looks great, but damn is it near-impossible. I think the clause of "if you have a GameGenie, check out Sword Master" should be added to your statement.

[NostalgiaHunter]

You have a point there. Yes, Swordmaster was a ass to play but it was so fun. I love challenging games because it makes you want to play more and more.

[Ackman]

Shatterhand (awesome game)
Shadow of the Ninja
Little Nemo
Mr Gimmick
Code Name Viper
Vice Project Doom
Batman Return of the Joker (it's not as good as the first but it is quite a cool shooter.)
Daiku no Gen San 2 and 1 aka Hammering Harry
Saiyuuki World 2
Little Samson
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 2/3 aka Kid Niki 2/3
Saiyuuki World 2
Demon Sword
Don Doko Don 1 and 2
Tiny Toon Adventures 2
Contra Force(depspite what people say I think is pretty good of course it isn't as good as Contra 2 but what games are?)
Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa aka Baby Mario Bootleg

[Techno-Hat]

Maniac Mansion - Best game on the NES in my opinion. Lots of fun and lots of replay value.

Crystalis - A really fun zelda type game.

Startropics 1 & 2 - More zelda type games. I wish Nintendo would make more games in this series.

A Boy and His Blob - A fun game but it requires a bit of patience to get through.

Tombs and Treasure - This is a really fun game hampered by a crappy password system. Oh and don't combine the small rod with the bowl until after you've used the small rod to get another item otherwise you will be stuck and won't be able to continue. Once you combine them you can't un-combine them.

[Graham Mitchell]

Tombs and Treasure - This is a really fun game hampered by a crappy password system. Oh and don't combine the small rod with the bowl until after you've used the small rod to get another item otherwise you will be stuck and won't be able to continue. Once you combine them you can't un-combine them.

I totally agree. For all it's problems, it's a pretty solid game. Playing it on an emulator with save states makes it more enjoyable.

One thing I think people don't realize is that the Famicom/NES version was developed by Compile, and has many of their trademark elements that made their NES games great. The moody visuals and music really give the game a melancholy and tense atmosphere, not unlike the Guardian Legend. It's worth trying for that alone, even if the interface is cumbersome.

[Tony Lama]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but Arkista's Ring is a great little action maze type game. There's something about the music that makes it so charming!! Definitely a hidden gem in the NES library!

And Mendel Palace needs a sequel!!! Come on Game Freak! Enough with the Pokemon and revive the classic that put you on the map!!!!:)

[Parodius Duh!]

Milan's Secret Castle's a good game, also Super Pitfall.

uhhhhhh.....what?????????

[Drixxel]

GI Joe was an excellent sidescroller you should check out. (The one made by Taxan not Capcom). Isolated warrior is a very good isometric shooter thats worth a purchase.


Low G Man has always been one of my favorites that doesn't get much attention.


Kickmaster


Burai Fighter. Acutally I kinda hate this game because I suck in it. I guess it's a hidden gem though.

All cool games deserving of love and all developed by KID. I didn't realize the connection between them at first, as the developer info is nowhere to be found during the titles of any of them, but there's a shared art style and other similarities that turned out to be more that coincidence. Awesome unsung NES developer.

Lots of great mentions in this thread, it's always nice to see games that popularly get bagged on being spoken of in a brighter light. I, for one, really dig 8 Eyes but I understand the disdain for it. There's something about that ultra-clunky oldschool Castlevania formula which holds appeal and I've always been a sucker for selectable stage order.

[savageone]

New Ghostbusters 2
Holy Diver
Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti
Summer Carnival '92 Recca
Sweet Home
Getsu Fuuma Den
Wai Wai World

Just a few great NES games that never made it to the US that come to mind. These days you can easily get them in US form via repros.

[Ackman]

uhhhhhh.....what?????????

Milon's Secret Castle, awesome game.

[Matt-El]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but Arkista's Ring is a great little action maze type game. There's something about the music that makes it so charming!! Definitely a hidden gem in the NES library!

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

[kainemaxwell]

Maniac Mansion - Best game on the NES in my opinion. Lots of fun and lots of replay value.

Crystalis - A really fun zelda type game.

Startropics 1 & 2 - More zelda type games. I wish Nintendo would make more games in this series.
Seconding all 3 of these, Maniac Mansion especially. Kinda want to play the pc deluxe version now...

[kafa111]

i never hear about it much, but super mario bros was a pretty good game that i enjoy

[Parodius Duh!]

Milon's Secret Castle, awesome game.

not if you have never played it. Someone new to this game will be repeating WTF over and over..



Batman Return of the Joker (it's not as good as the first but it is quite a cool shooter.)

Its an Action/Platformer...def not a shooter.


Saiyuuki World 2

This was released in the US with edited main character graphics as Whomp 'Em

[dap9984]

Even though the controls are a little stiff at times, I always thought Solstice was a lot of fun. Basically just one big giant maze. And the music is phenomenal.

[cmislin]

Indeed it is btw it is the follow up to solomon's key another favorite of mine.2nd solomon's key very fun indeed

[Tony Lama]

Oh, I wanted to mention THUNDER & LIGHTNING for those of you who loved Arkanoid! I honestly think this game gets overshadowed by Arkanoid all the time. I know it doesn't use the vaus controller, but man does this game have style and great gameplay nonetheless!! And it has Mr. Chin from the Gameboy title Mr. Chin's Gourmet Paradise (another awesome game)!!!:)

[Ackman]

not if you have never played it. Someone new to this game will be repeating WTF over and over..

I beat it when I was 12 pre-internet, It definitely does help a lot if your controller has turbo buttons though. And I'm a very average gamer. It's slightly tricky in parts but very beatable. You can mine powerups and life power ups the whole time without any repercussions.

[thom_m]

If you have a Famicom adapter, Gradius II and Hi No Tori are great games!! I don't know how obscure is B-Wings, but is a simple, fun shooter.

Also, people already mentioned Rockin' Kats and the Don Doko Don series... and I gladly second them!

[Drixxel]

If you have a Famicom adapter, Gradius II and Hi No Tori are great games!! I don't know how obscure is B-Wings, but is a simple, fun shooter.

B-Wings is rad. It's also a pretty common sight on multicarts, in my experience.

[Bloodreign]

Kickle Cubicle, game starts out easy enough, but the puzzles can get mind bending pretty quickly. Also has a hidden harder mode.

Famicom side, Arkanoid II, better with it's pad, more levels that the first game due to being able to choose left and right stages.