FrankSerpico, I'm flattered and obviously I agree! FrankieSaysRelax, you're killing me because SMB3 and Castlevania 3 are both on my "short list", games I just can't leave behind. However, the rules are for three and as epic as some games are, someone has to get cut. So my three are:
1. Crystalis= Serpico nailed it. No other NES game is like this. I feel this game would have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with ANY 16-bit RPG had it been given the opportunity. As it is, it just has to settle for looking nearly as good as (to the point of being nearly indestinguishable from) it's younger siblings while only having "half the bits". Also, is there any other game on the planet that has "Psycho Armor" in it?
2. Kirby's Adventure= Can't get enough of the pink guy, and this one holds up well even today. I would pick plenty of games to give you an huge open-world feel, but Kirby's levels packet up a bunch of different themes without ever feeling restricting, so I give it the edge. That also brings me to...
3. Super Mario Bros. 3= This freakin' kills me. I WANT to put Metroid, or Final Fantasy, or Castlevania 3, or Bubble Bobble, or Mega Man 3, or so many others it hurts. I'm obligated to put this here however because it's a masterpiece! You can't comprehend just how awesome this game is if you weren't there in the middle of growing up when it came out. It was the centerpiece of the movie "The Wizard". It was the biggest Mario with the most secrets and most precise controls, and is honestly more impressive to me than Super Mario World. It was the best-selling title in history for YEARS (I believe it was finally unthroned by HALO of all things)! McDonalds hooked me up with cool back-flipping Goombas for my entertainment system. And the memories... Kuribo's Shoe, NEEDING to save a cloud gem to get past the mini-fortress in World 8, trying to beat the Koopa Kids in a frog suit so the mushroom retainer would give me an alternate thank you message, hidden ships full of coins and an Anchor item, Giant World, de-flaming Bowser with a P-Wing... You can't put this much EPICNESS aside. Metroid would be in this spot if it weren't for all the Tanooki-wearing, Troopa-stomping, Pipe Maze-navigating, Big Boss Bass-avoiding, Sledge-hammer tossing, Warp Whistle-blowing fun that I had and continue to have with this game of games. A top ten would be easier, but if it has to be three then it has to be three, Super Mario Bros. 3!