My Top 20 Nintendo (NES) Games

Alex Miklas

4-22-25

October 18th, 2025 marks the 40th anniversary since the NES was first released in North America!

Growing up with the NES in the 1980s was the highlight of my youth. So many great memories with titles including Mach Rider, Popeye, Tennis, Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, and The Legend of Zelda, to name a few.

Below are my top 20 favorite NES games of all time. They are in no particular order. However, I did save my all-time favorite NES game for last!

Journey to Silius
Sunsoft games are known for their great soundtracks and Journey to Silius is no exception! The time is the year 0373. There are five levels with an array of weapons. This game is challenging and has limited continues. However, pressing the B button on the title screen 33 times will allow an option for additional continues. Journey to Silius was originally intended to be "The Terminator" until Sunsoft unfortunately lost the license. Check out this video to see Sunsoft's original 1989 "The Terminator" promo.

Jackal
Konami was spot on with this exciting run and gun action game. The mission? To rescue and extract POWs from hostile territory with one or two armed jeeps. Rescuing key hostages will increase firepower and extra lives can be obtained along the way. Jackal can be fun and enjoyable as it offers a great challenge, soundtrack, and ending.

Blaster Master
Recently, I played through Blaster Master three times in a row deathless! This game, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult for the NES due to limited continues, tough boss battles, and the amount of time it takes to complete. Most of the gameplay takes place traveling around in the armored titanium vehicle "SOFIA THE 3rd. NORA MA-01." There is a "Pause Glitch" (dropping a grenade on specific bosses, causing damage and immediately pausing the game) which can be helpful in destroying Crabullus (Area 2), Fred (Area 4), Frozen Crabullus (Area 6), and Solar Fred (Area 7). Even though there are limited lives and continues, playing through Blaster Master can be fun and is very rewarding.

Rygar
An early Tecmo release that was ahead of its time! Rygar has an amazing soundtrack with great controls and graphics. I've played through Rygar probably more times than any other NES game. Most of the game consists of leveling up and finding where to go next. The first boss battle with Eruga is one of the most challenging of the entire game. Check out the video below for the Invisible Platform Trick.

Mega Man
While Mega Man may not be as recognized as Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3, I feel the original is just as great! The soundtrack is excellent, and the ending is well worth the time. With the right weapon selection early on (Fire Storm is effective) and some patience, Mega Man is a very enjoyable game. The Rock Monster, or Yellow Devil, takes some practice, and the Mega Clone battle towards the end can be quite challenging.

Mega Man 2
Mega Man 2 is considered by many to have the greatest soundtrack of all NES games! The intro is awesome, as is each stage throughout. When first playing Mega Man 2, Flash Man was my favorite stage. The Boss order that I prefer are Flash Man, Air Man, Quick Man, Metal Man, Bubble Man, Crash Man (easily destroyed with Air Shooter), Heat Man, and Wood Man.

Metroid
Metroid and Kid Icarus were both developed by Nintendo Research and Development 1 (R&D1) and are part of the "Adventure Series." Both titles featured "Password Paks" and five possible endings. Whereas endings in Kid Icarus are based on overall completeness, Metroid's endings are dependent on the amount of time it takes to complete. Finishing the game in an hour or less will reveal the best ending. The game has two main bosses, Ridley and Kraid. After they are defeated, the path to Mother Brain can then be accessed. Metroid has one of my favorite NES intros, and one of the most awesome weapons for any NES game, the Screw Attack, which, when found, allows Samus to spin-jump, dealing more damage to enemies.

Life Force
Konami's sequel to Gradius, Life Force, is one of the earliest NES shooters. Player 1 takes control of the spacecraft "The Vic Viper" and player 2 can control the spacecraft "The RoadBritish Space Destroyer" through six horizontal and vertical stages. This game features a simple power-up system, an excellent soundtrack, and sinister bosses. Life Force is very challenging and the Konami code can be very helpful.

Bionic Commando
Capcom took the NES to a whole new level with the ability for the player to swing instead of jump. One of the main objectives is to rescue Super Joe (the main character from the NES title Commando). This game has great graphics and sound, challenging levels, and one of the most iconic and memorable endings of any NES game!

Ninja Gaiden
The Ninja Gaiden trilogy is one of my favorites on the NES. I remember playing Ninja Gaiden determined to see the next cut scene of the story as the game progressed. After completing the dreaded stage 6-2, I was able to move on and finish the game and appreciate one of the greatest endings on the NES. Since then, I have played through Ninja Gaiden numerous times, even deathless, and finished once in approximately 17 minutes. Also, I finished the game with 99 + lives with the 1-UP trick.

Double Dragon
In June 1988, I received the newly released Double Dragon for my 8th birthday. Although the NES version did not exactly match the arcade that I was playing at the time and the two-player co-op option was removed, Double Dragon will always remain one of my favorite games from my youth. Even though in the game there are only a few lives and no continues, the soundtrack is great, as well as the graphics and weapons. To easily level up, check out the trick here.

Super Mario Bros.
This game is timeless. Super Mario Bros. is really as much fun now as it was in the 80's! The "Turtle Tipping" at the end of stage 3-1 is a super-cool trick to learn, as well as "Small Fiery Mario." This trick allows Mario to have firepower after becoming small. To pull it off, power up Mario and then, at the end of a world, hit Bowser's head and the axe simultaneously. On the following level, collect a mushroom, followed by a Fire Flower.

Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 has always been a fun game to play through. Of the four characters, I prefer to play as Luigi since he has the highest and most advantageous jump! The game offers a good challenge and warp zones can be found in worlds 1-3, 3-1, 4-2, and 5-3.

Super Mario Bros. 3
My first recollection of Super Mario Bros. 3 growing up was on TV. I remember seeing the game featured in the movie, "The Wizard." This led to being on a long waiting list at a local video rental store. Super Mario Bros. 3 is always fun to play through with a lot of neat tricks, items, and bonus games.

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!/Punch-Out!!
Growing up with MTPO, I was determined to figure out the Pass Key to Mike Tyson aka Kid Dynamite. I don't recall exactly how I learned the code at age 7, but it hasn't been forgotten ever since! Everything about this game is excellent. MTPO brings back a lot of great memories, especially the moment when I knocked out Mike Tyson for the first time!

Castlevania
The Castlevania trilogy may be the second best (next to the Super Mario Bros. trilogy) on the NES. When I first started playing Castlevania, I was determined to defeat The Count. The game allows continues, which are really helpful in learning the stages and bosses. The Grim Reaper although is perhaps the most difficult enemy to defeat. Check out the video below for an easier way to defeat him.

Contra
My first time playing Contra was when I was 19 years old. I quickly became obsessed with playing this game to where I finished it deathless twice in a row. The Spread Gun (S) and Rapid Fire (R) combination is very powerful at destroying all enemies. Contra is such a great game, and was advertised in Konami's Blades of Steel.

The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda has one of the best NES intros and features two different quests. North West South West! The Magical Boomerang! The Whistle! The Magical Sword! The dungeon sound, the overworld sound, the map! From the title screen to the very end, The Legend of Zelda is a true masterpiece and a huge part of my childhood. Time and time again, I find myself on a mission to find the Silver Arrow and rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
After playing The Legend of Zelda, I was really excited to have received this game as a gift from an Uncle! Finding the Hammer in the beginning literally paves the way. I really enjoy exploring Hyrule, traveling through the towns, and finding the way through each Palace. Towards the end of the game, if needed, I prefer to finish leveling up near the hidden town of Kasuto.

Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus, ah, yes, my favorite Nintendo NES game! Growing up with this game, soon after it was released in July 1987, it really set the tone for my passion for the NES. My older sister and I, at the time, made a book with passwords to each stage and directions through each fortress as we played the game each day. Kid Icarus has five different endings which are dependent on the Heart Count, Health Meter, Arrow Power, and Enchanted Weapons. Kid Icarus also features a Credit Card which can be found only in the Treasure Rooms. Check out my YouTube channel for a complete Treasure Room Guide linked below!

Thanks for reading through My Top 20 Nintendo (NES) Games Article. Be sure to check out my Nintendo (NES) Memories Article if you haven't already!

https://www.retrojunk.com/a/8yzjkwMV5j/my-nintendo-nes-memories
https://www.youtube.com/@MacNDocTKO