Readers vote on top 10 NES games

by Blake Snow on Jun 18th 2006 10:05AM

GameSpot has posted their top 10 NES games as voted by readers. Here are the titles making the list from over 12,000 votes, so add another list to your... um... list:

10. Ninja Gaiden
9. Duck Hunt
8. Metroid
7. Mega Man 2
6. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
5. Contra
4. Final Fantasy
3. Super Mario Bros.
2. The Legend of Zelda
1. Super Mario Bros. 3

Honorable mentions included Bionic Commando, Blaster Master, Crystalis, Life Force, and Bad Dudes.

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Reader Comments (181)

No River City Ransom?

For SHAME.

It's not only the best NES game, probably my favourite game ever. Really.

I remember me and my friends used to have speed-runs together on different consoles / TV screens to see who could finish the worlds the fastest.

I just loved using all the secrets to gain a heap of 1UPs, playing around with that killer sun that chased you and I just loved the giant worlds.

SMB3 is by far the coolest game I've ever played.

>> Kritz

What? No love for Kid Icarus?

What is with all the bra adds on joystiq?

No love for Caveman Games... :(

Where is River City Ransom? That game was downright cool.

(insert generic "BARF" joke)

okay, another games list update? Let's see...

10)Rygar
9) Strider
8) Metal Gear
7) Bionic Commando
6) Ninja Gaiden 2
5) Metroid
4) Final Fantasy
3) Tetris
2) The Legend of Zelda
1) Super Mario Bros 3

Honorable Mentions would be Blaster Master, Code-Named Viper, Ghost and Goblins, Mega Man 2, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Faxanadu, Astynax, Batman, Dragon Warrior and Double Dragon 2.

No love for Blades of Steal, or Tecmo Bowl.

Never played any of these games as never had a NES.

Hopefully I'll be getting a Wii though and can play them on that

I still maintain that Digger T Rock is one of the best NES games ever... but then what do I know?

The more I play Mega Man 3, the more I think it can compete with Mega Man 2 in every way (and that's saying a lot).

The Legend of Zelda: The Adventures of Link is also better than the original I think.

I agree with the list but i have bad memories of duckhunt.

/Stupid dog..

Where is Jackal at? It is/was the best Coop game one the NES (yes even better then Contra.)

Note that 5 of the games on the top list are now available for GBA in some form or another.

River City Ransom has to be included.

Excitebike and River City Ransom belong there.

I never played Crystalis, I think Bionic Commando was overrated (in retrospect, at the time it was one of my favorites), and Bad Dudes is a terrible, terrible port, but aside from that I'm cool with all the games mentioned. They're all top 30 games, at least.

Nice to see Life Force get some love. I didn't realize there were others out there that adored it.

Im glad I didnt see Zelda on there. It was not a fun game back in the day. Megaman 6 was good!!!

Anyone else here using this list as their guide to titles to get with their Wii virtual console? I'm preparing now :-D.

hopefully they all see release.

No Balloon Fight? No NES list is complete without it.

Definitely missing Bionic Commando, Code Name Viper, Baster laster (epic!), Rygar and Strider!

Guerilla War for the 8-bit win.

Duck Hunt? Really? It was much better in the arcades, where you could actually shoot the %#$^$! dog.

I have to agree - River City Ransom needs to be on this list. I still play my copy of the original, which I got when it was first released, today. That game had staying power to spare.

I would have put Super Mario Bros 2 in that list. Although it was very different, it wasn't a bore by any means.

I would have also put Zelda II: Adventures of Link in the #2 spot and not the nearly forgotten 1st Legend of Zelda.

SMB3 a really good game indeedly deserves #1

Now that were at the subject of old NES games.
Wasn't there a Super Mario Bros: Lost Levels game for NES. I am not talking about the one that came with All Stars for Super Nintendo.

But I faintly remember as kid being at Montgomery Wards to purchase Super Mario Bros. 3 and seeing another NES game in a all yellow package that had the title "Lost Levels" on it, am I insane on this. Cause recently I tried searching the web to confirm what I saw and there's only like a hint of info mainly from Google Groups that there was a possible Lost Level's game for NES in japan. WTF.

If wasn't so poor as a kid, I would have both games I saw.

^^
-
I must be tired, my typing errors.

I would have bought both games as a kid.

Here's my list:

10. Metroid
9. Blaster Master
8. Baseball Stars
7. Double Dragon
6. Contra
5. Punch Out
4. Legend of Zelda
3. SMB 1
2. SMB 3
1. SMB 2

SMB 2 to me was by far the best Mario on NES. Luigi was awesome on that game! Notables are Ninja Gaiden, BattleToads, Jackal, Metal Gear, Excite Bike, Kid Icarus. Too many to mention. Can't wait to relive those good 'ol times on the Wii!

10. Tetris
9. Zelda II
8. Metroid
7. Mega Man 2
6. Punch-Out!!
5. Final Fantasy
4. Kirby's Adventure
3. Super Mario Bros.
2. The Legend of Zelda
1. Super Mario Bros. 3

Bad Dudes gets an honorable mention?

No offense, just because it has a really cool opening, the gameplay was way below mediocre.

Guardian Legends deserves an honorable mention!

If anyone's curious about what 32_Footsteps is talking about:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/Duck_hunt_arcade.png

Anyways, I have a proposition for Joystiq: How about you start telling us about these polls _after_ the results are in, so the Joystiqers can contribute?

the_game_master, the "Lost Levels" on Super Mario All-Stars was the actual Super Mario Bros. 2 that ended up only getting released on the Famicom in Japan because Nintendo thought it was too difficult for American gamers. It only became available in the states when SM All-Stars was released for the SNES.

Shame on all of you; not one of you has said Bubble Bobble. How is it possible that this game could be forgetten and given no love by everyone. Also, Jackel should be on there... I dont think many people have played or know about it, but that game was fun as hell, and I highly recommend that you pick it up if youve never played it

I agree with the list, and I have been a big fan of lots of the games people are giving mention to. I still remember the day when I beat Contra without the most famous cheat code in all of existance. I will say something to those who admire SMB 2. It is not really a MArio game. That is not even it's real name (the actual name eludes me) but it was just because the US was condsidered to not like hard games so instead of the real mario bros 2 (lost lvls) we got the very trippy set up with wart as a boss.
I thought the game was fun but it definately didn't flow with the progression the Mario games went in.

DUCK HUNT? What the hell? Methinks people voting for that one didn't even own an NES (or weren't old enough to own one) and just voted for it because it was on the SMB cart.

10. Ninja Gaiden
9. Pro Wrestling
8. Zelda II
7. Metroid
6. Super Mario 2
5. Mega Man II
4. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
3. Super Mario 3
2. Ninja Gaiden II
1. Metal Gear - yes, even though it was a neutered version of the MSX game.

Hmm Castlevania 3 maybe?

i agree with the River City Ransom. that game was freaking awesome.

and no Super Dodge Ball???

joystiq, you guys are gaming noobs

Duck Hunt? What?

I definitely think Mega Man 3 should be on there, if not for its theme music alone.

Contra
Ninja Gaiden 2
River City Ransom
Megan Man 3
Super Mario 1-2-3
River City Ransom

There was another 4 person fighting game developed by Technos based on RCR characters, it was Japan only, but's a top 10 game.

I don't have a definitely top 10, but Duck Hunt makes me cringe.

#29 its the game doki doki panic with new sprites

Kung Fu is the greatest game ever, its challenging too I still play it!

"joystiq, you guys are gaming noobs"
You do realise, that this is not Joystiq's list?
It's Gamespot's list, chosen by it's readers.

Good list, me thinks, but I would have had Kirby and River City Ransom on there.

guess i'm the only one that thinks Mega Man 3 was better (barely) than 2.. better music, more memorable bad guys...

Double Dribble FTW!

no puzzle games anywhere? at least get tetris on there for good merit. other titles definitely missing too...

10. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
9. Kirby's Adventure
8. Super C
7. The Legend of Zelda
6. River City Ransom
5. Final Fantasy
4. Ninja Gaiden 2
3. Castlevania 3
2. Tetris
1. SMB3

Dragon Quest 3 and 4 are both many times superior to Final Fantasy 1. Crysalis should have made the list too, it is on the level of Zelda.

"1. Metal Gear - yes, even though it was a neutered version of the MSX game."

I thought it was the NES Version of Metal Gear 2 that was the bastardized version of the true original MG2 from the MSX?

My personal Top10

10.Contra
9. Double Dragon II
8. Ninja Gaiden
7. Mega Man II
6. Tecmo Super Bowl
5. Blaster Master
4. SMB II
3. Metroid
2. Legend Of Zelda
1. SMB III

Honrable mention: Duck Hunt, Final Fantasy, Life Force, Batman, Punch Out, Double Dribble, Kid Icarus, Pro Wrestling

Anyone else grow up with a Sega Master System instead of an NES? If so, list your top 10 Sega Master System games. Here is mine:

10. Choplifter
9. Safari Hunt
8. Astro Warrior
7. Hang On
6. Out-Run
5. Aztec Adventure
4. Space Harrier
3. Blade Eagle 3D
2. Shinobi
1. Alex Kidd in Miracle World

#29, thanks, but I already knew about Lost Levels being the jap version of SMB2, I want to know what happened to the Lost Levels game that was made for NES in the early 90s, not the bundle that came with All Stars for SNES. This was an actual NES version.

Generally agree with GameSpot's list, although I'd work in Kirby's Adventure somewhere on there. The NES game is still the best in the series, IMHO. Really fun, unfortunately it came out so late in the system's life that a lot of people probably missed it.

It needs Kirby's Adventure. =(

10. Tecmo Bowl
9. Metroid
8. Duck Hunt
7. Tetris
6. The Legend of Zelda
5. Excitebike
4. Kirby's Adventure
3. River City Ransom
2. Super Mario Bros.
1. Super Mario Bros. 3

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Readers vote on top 10 NES games

Reader Comments (181)

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