NES

NES

This is a list of good games for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System, AKA Famicom)

The List

Title	Genre	Description	Title Screen	Screenshot
1943	Shoot 'Em Up	An excellent Capcom shmup that's fairly easy on beginners to the genre. WWII themed, obviously.
A Boy and His Blob	Platformer/Puzzle	One of the oft-forgot classics of the NES, A Boy and His Blob is a cute, imaginative tale about a boy who meets an alien blob. The boy is a very normal boy, but the Blob has the ability to change into many different objects with the simple act of feeding him a jelly bean. Each flavor of jelly bean turns the Blob into a different object, which solves many obstacles and puzzles in very fun and interesting ways. The game can be a bit hard, but it leaves a really good feeling when you finish. Definitely recommended. The sequel on Gameboy arguably imrpoves gameplay, and the reimagining on Wii is one of the current gen's best platformers.
Abadox	Shoot 'Em Up	Fuck year, Abadox! Natsume was really good at making NES action games, and Abadox is a great example.You're Second Lieutenant Nazal, a badass in a mech that has to defeat the entire planet of Abadox, a world that was infected by an alien species called Parasitis and became a living entity of evil. WAIT WAIT WAIT, before you say anything, yes the concept is ripped straight from Life Force, but you know what? Abadox did it better! Seriously! Good old shmuppin' action with awesome 8-bit graphics and sound, plus both horizontal scrolling levels as well as vertical levels that scroll DOWN, plus tighter controls and a more consistent theme.
Astérix	Platformer	A rather unknown PAL exclusive. One of those typical but good, short, rather easy and fun platformers like you would find many on the system. Not an extraordinary game but good for some short and simple fun. Don't forget to set your emulator to PAL!
Adventure Island	Platformer/Arcade	Control Master Higgins and kill some dinos. This is a classic platformer series, and pretty much every entry is good.
Adventure Island II	Platformer/Arcade	Even more Adventure Island goodness. There's no excuse not to have it.
Adventure Island III	Platformer/Adventure	This one lacks the arcade-ish quality of the first two, but it becomes better for it. The best one of the three.
Adventure of Lolo	Puzzle	A classic puzzle game.
Adventure of Lolo 2	Puzzle	Pretty much the same thing as its prequel, but with new levels.
Adventure of Lolo 3	Puzzle	Pretty much the same thing as its prequels, but with new levels.
Adventures of Rad Gravity, The	Action/Adventure Platformer	The Adventures of Rad Gravity in essence is a Zelda in space with some healthy amount of humour (such as Rad looks a lot like Bruce Campbell with his mighty chin). You roam the space and choose from several planets in different star systems to land on; all different planets have different enemy types (which react differently to different weapons and items) and treasures you can find to help you advance in the game, some planets may require several visits for you to find all the treasures. New powerups allow you to enter old blocked areas and there are even NPC creatures that help you along the way. There are also some limited item type puzzles in the game. Even though you can get health powerups and your trusty computer helps you along the way, the game provides a steady challenge, with decent controls. Be aware of the Castlevania-like damage system; get hit and you'll fly back a little, although it's not as unforgiving.
Battletoads	Beat 'Em Up	A great beat 'em up from a little studio called 'Rare'. It's one of the later NES titles, so not only does it look great, it's a pretty awesome game in its own right. Don't play with friends though, because friendly fire is most definitely on.
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team	Beat 'Em Up	Two awesome forces combine to succeed awesomeness. The three 'Toads are finally reunited and get help from the brothers Bimmy Billy and Jimmy Lee. Besides the inclusion of DD heroes and enemies, this is basically Battletoads 2. The sequel improves its visuals, controls, and co-op play without sacrificing any of the series' legendary difficulty. This game was later ported to the SNES, Mega Drive, and Game Boy.
Batman: The Video Game	Action/Platformer	A very challenging Sunsoft platformer based around the 1989 Batman movie. Excellent graphics and art direction especially for 1989. Includes a walljump that you WILL need to master. Feels Ninja Gaiden-ish, but make no mistake, it is one of the better games in that 'genre'.
Batman: Return of the Joker	Shooter/Platformer	Batman sheds his ninja skills from the first game in favor of FIREPOWER. The game is notably more frustrating due to many beginners' traps and seemingly-unavoidable hits. Minor gripes aside, this is one of the most visually and audibly impressive titles on the NES, and never stops being dark or full of action. This game was ported to the Sega Mega Drive and SNES (although canceled before release), but those games are considered inferior.
Bionic Commando	Platformer/Shooter	Fantastic platformer in which you are unable to jump and must instead rely on your TOTALLY AWESOME BIONIC ARM to navigate levels. It's like an entire game of using a really primitive Worms grappling hook. Basic level up system, multiple weapons, kill Nazis, etc. Has an infamous cutscene where Adolf Hitler's head fucking explodes. Bionic Commando Rearmed is a fucking epic remake for most modern consoles and PC, and totally channels the original in fantastic new HD graphics, great 3D models, and balls to the walls attitude. However, playing the original is always suggested before taking on the remake, just to see the evolution.
Blaster Master	Platformer/Shooter	Another Sunsoft game, Blaster Master has you drive a tank in search of your pet frog, fuck yeah. Very open-ended and difficult, combines driving stages with exploring on foot.
Blades of Steel	Sports	A Konami Ice-hockey game that isn't so much about the hockey as it is about FIGHTING and PUNCHING PEOPLE TO THE FACE. Endless fun.
Bubble Bobble	Platformer/Arcade/Puzzle	You're a dragon, you shoot bubbles out of your mouth, which makes no fucking sense, two player puzzlan is awesome. Preferred over Halo by 6/10 gamers.
Bucky O'Hare	Platformer	You look like Jazz Jackrabbit, you're probably going to turn into a furry playing this. A Mega Man clone by Konami, this game is surprisingly solid.
Castlevania	Platformer	The first in a line of many, many games has you, Simon Belmont, take on Dracula to fulfill your legacy. Whippan gaems. It is extremely difficult. The Japanese version has an easier difficulty that was removed from the American release. This game is cash; it is required playing if you own an NES/emulator.
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest	Platformer/Adventure	Often considered the "black sheep" of the series, Castlevania's sequel relates more to Zelda II's style of gameplay. Unexplained requirements to proceed through key areas and (intentionally) lying townsfolk often deter a player from progress. The game still carries the addictive action, music, and scenery of the Castlevania name and is worth a playthrough - even if it means opening a player's guide occasionally.
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse	Platformer	An overall improvement on the first game. Multiple paths and characters, as well as some seriously experimental music. It is also extremely difficult. The Japanese version had a special sound chip that enabled higher-quality audio, and was overall easier than the American version. If the thought of dealing with moon runes on a few screens scares you, there's even a fan translation of it that brings the best aspects of the Japanese game into English.
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers	Platformer	Fuck yeah, Chip 'n Dale, good little platformer. Great for co-op.
Clash at Demonhead	Action/Platformer	Vic Tokai, makers of this game, weren't really known for putting out great games. In fact, their gaming division was eventually shutdown. However, a few of these games remain real classics with great gameplay, and Clash at Demonhead is one of them. A solid action platformer with great gameplay, plenty of powers to get, and heavy anime influence, one of the system's 'unknown classics' for sure.
Contra (NTSC) / Probotector (PAL)	Platformer/Shooter	The ultimate in run 'n gun gaming, Contra is hard. Good hard. Use your twitch reflexes and spread gun to prevent that asshole Red Falcon from taking over the world. Great for co-op.
Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge	Sports	Track and Field: Hardass Edition. Involves marathon running and swimming, fight contests, building hopping, and hammer toss golf. Hope you've got fast fingers. Play with another person, because the CPU is a cheating asshole. Getting a DS spiritual sequel soon: River City Super Sports Challenge .
Crystalis	Adventure/RPG	This is basically SNK's attempt at a Zelda clone, and somehow, they did fucking better (SNK not making a fighter or run 'n gun?). A really fun game that plays like Zelda, except your hero levels up like in an RPG. Should last you a while, definitely one of the better games on the console. There's a GBC port, but it sucks dick.
Darkwing Duck	Action/Platformer	Another classic Disney title made by Capcom. While not as famous as Duck Tales or Chip'n'Dales, it's still a fucking great game. It's also more challenging than those. It kinda plays like Mega Man except with slightly more platforming involved.
Defender Of The Crown	Strategy Other	Most of the game is based on a classic strategy game gameplay but you also have some knight tournament and such which are rather unique.
Déja Vu	Point and click Adventure	A point and click adventure game.
Double Dragon	Beat-em-up	Classic beat 'em up game, street punks have taken your girlfriend and it's up to you as either Billy or Jimmy Lee to teach them a lesson. If you like spin-kicking chicks with chains, sparring with giant bald men and arrows telling you when to Go!, this game is for you.
Double Dragon II: The Revenge	Beat-em-up	Superior to the first game because of the epic Co-Op play. Snatch up a buddy and rid the streets of crime, martial arts style.
Dr. Mario	Puzzle	(DISCLAIMER: Mario is not a real doctor. Do not let him touch you in a way or in a place that makes you feel uncomfortable). Mario Cures Cancer. Create combinations of pills to make viruses explode. Puzzle game similar to Puyo Puyo.
Dragon Warrior	RPG	The original JRPG (Close enough. The first is believed to be The Black Onyx). Still very fun, arguably better than Final Fantasy. Takes a lot from Ultima. No parties here, you're all alone. The series was called Dragon Quest in Japan, and it regained that name over here later. This got ported to a few other systems and a remake which got ports. If you aren't tough and patient enough for this bad boy, consider trying the GBC or SNES version, both of which come with Dragon Quest II.
Duck Tales	Platformer	A cartoon game that felt Capcom's love. They had a knack for producing good licensed titles, and this is one of them. You are Scrooge McDuck on a 2d platforming quest for more money. If it looks and feels like Mega Man, that's no coincidence, they were done by the same team.
Duck Tales 2	Platformer	Everybody knows Duck Tales, but few have played the sequel. Developed by a different team, and while sharing the same engine and basic gameplay, it is considered by most people to be a worse game than its prequel. I, for one, think the contrary. Musics aren't as catchy (I have to admit that nothing will ever beat the music from the Moon stage) but this time are moody, fit the theme of the stages and set a great atmosphere. Graphics are technically more detailed and I like the art direction better than in the first one. The level design is more convoluted and holds many more secrets, the placement of enemy is better thought and the hit detection, which was a bit clunky in the original, was fixed. Whether you agree with me or not on which title of the two is the best, chances are that if you like one of them, you'll also enjoy the other.
Excitebike	Racing	A true classic. Simple but awesome motorbike racing, really needs no introduction. You can even make your own tracks. Unfortunately there's no battery to save them.
Faria: A World of Mystery And Danger!	Action/Rpg	This plays like a cross between Zelda 1 and Dragon Quest 1. Like Zelda, there are dungeons with puzzles, secrets, and treasure, along with real time monster fighting. Like DQ, you level up, there's an overworld and you buy gear and items from towns. Random battles take place on the overworld, but they play out like Zelda's fighting system (so essentially it's like Crystalis, but they came out the same year, so no one copied anyone) No, I mean they actually are random. You take a step or five, the screen goes black, BAM, random battle in a mini-arena. Not bad if you've got the patience to get past the early difficulty spike; however, as a slight spoiler, be sure to name your character something gender ambiguous.
Felix The Cat	Platformer	One of those typical but good, short, rather easy and fun platformers like you would find many on the system. Not an extraordinary game but good for some short and simple fun.
Final Fantasy I	RPG	The classic JRPG by Square. Make a party of 4 characters from 6 different jobs. Mix and match these six choices, even choosing more than one of the same job. If that wasn't enough, at a certain story point, ALL of your 4 allies promote to better classes. This has a rather epic storyline that to this day, still requires a long window of time to beat. FF1 got remade and ported to a number of systems, said remakes added and altered a number of things to be more in line with later FF games.The GBA and PSP versions are the easiest. The GBA version may not look or sound as pretty as the PSP version, but the action flows faster and also comes with Final Fantasy II's remake.
Fire'n Ice	Puzzle/Platform	A great puzzle platformer based around... Fire and ice. It plays a lot like Solomon's Key. Difficulty is very progressive so you have time to learn step by step.
Gargoyle's Quest II	Platformer/RPG	A sequel to a Gameboy game on the NES. Amusing, right? Gargoyle's Quest II is a fantastic Platformer/RPG hybrid by Capcom starring Red Arremer/Firebrand, everyone's favorite red asshole from Ghosts 'N Goblins. The platforming gameplay is extremely solid, the RPG elements are well placed, the action is great, and this is easily one of the NES' best looking games. The biggest fault is that's it way too damn short! The first game is highly recommended, but it doesn't matter if you play them in order because the stories aren't connected. The third game in this trilogy is also unrelated story-wise, and is one of the SNES' best platformers (that game being Demon's Crest).
Ghosts 'n Goblins	Platformer	One of the hardest games ever made. You are Arthur, noble knight trying to save the princess Prin-Prin from Satan. You are very slow, all the enemies are very fast, and there's a timer. 2 hits and you die. You must complete the game twice to get the true ending. Ha ha ha, fuckers.
G.I. Joe	Action/Platformer	An action game based on the G.I Joe universe. You have several characters to choose from, with different abilities. Then, you can switch characters in game.
G.I. Joe The Atlantis Factor	Action/Platformer	Another action/platformer based on the G.I. Joe universe .This one is usually considered to be worse than the first one.
The Goonies II	Action/Platformer	Classic side-scrolling action based on the hit 80s movie The Goonies. Switch between side-scrolling and point-and-click mechanics to explore the Fratelli hideout to find your bros and items. Think Metroid but with yo-yos and spring shoes.
Gradius	Shoot 'Em Up	Gradius, one of the most classic and recognizable SHMUPs ever made. Shoot the core!
Gun Smoke	Shooter	A classic top down shooter with a western setting. The most casuals of you will need to activate the turbo button for this one.
Heavy Barrel	Shooter	See the top down stages in Super C? Well, this game is all about that. Even the weapons are reminiscent of Contra. A good game for fans of the genre. Great for co-op.
Jackal	Shooter	A top down shooter with a military settings. You control jeeps, you can shoot and throw grenades. Great for co-op.
Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu	Action/Platformer	YOU PLAY AS MOTHERFUCKING JACKIE CHAN. Great music, great controls, great everything. Did I mention you play as Jackie Chan? Can YOU name ten great things that aren't Jackie Chan? I didn't think so. Go play this shit right now.
Journey to Silius	Platformer/Shooter	This game pretty much plays like a mix between Mega Man and Contra. Excellent sound and visuals, this was originally a Terminator game, but the license was canceled. The game presents a decent amount of challenge, and is certainly one of of the better games of it's ilk.
Jurrasic Park	Action/Shooter	A top view action game. You go around levels collecting eggs and keycards, shooting dinos on your way. A bit challenging and repetitive, but with a really good graphic style and great tunes.
Kabuki Quantum Fighter	Action/Platformer	A fun action-platformer in which you fight with your hair. Some good platforming also involved.
Kid Icarus	Platformer/Arcade/Adventure	This plays similar to a vertical Metroid. In fact, it was made by the same guy, Gunpei Yokoi. You play as Pit, an angel-in-training, who must defeat Medusa to save the Angel Land mentioned in the title. Nintendo Power noted that this was like a blending of elements, as Pit can shoot like Samus from Metroid, jump like Mario from Super Mario Bros., and find items like Link from Zelda. You can also and upgrade his gear and find secret shops and passages. There are also fortresses and bosses to conquer. It's been noted for its difficulty, but after the first stage and an upgrade or two, it isn't as bad as some make it out to be. This is definitely worth a try, along with its Game Boy sequel, which improves a number of elements from this game, and has more challenges to face.
Kick Master	Platformer/Action	Cool game by Taito. This game plays similar to Castlevania. You are a martial artist who has to rescue a princess and avenge the death of his brother. You don't have any weapons to fight the armies of monsters, you just kick 'em; you also learn new kicks along the way. The game also uses basic RPG elements, such as earning EXP from monsters, as well as the use of magic.
Kickle Cubicle	Puzzle/Action	This game is Irem's answer to Lolo. The puzzler stars an Eskimo named Kickle who is out to save the citizens of four childhood-themed lands from the Wizard King's winter chill. Kickle fights frost with frost, using his breath to crystallize foes and to solidify the watery gaps that surround the uncomfortably-bagged hostages. Controls are fluent and the difficulty ramps steadily - it is friendly to newcomers and develops into a ball-busting challenger towards even the most seasoned puzzle gamers.
Kirby's Adventure	Platformer	A game that gets the most out of the NES hardware, the pink blob's first console adventure is insanely charming. This is where Kirby's "copy" ability comes into play. Eating certain enemies gives him new abilities. You can only have one ability at a time, but you can get abilities from enemies scattered all over the place. Info on these and the Kirby series in general can be found here! Note: This game also had a GBA remake in the form of Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
The Legend of Zelda	Adventure/Puzzle	It's dangerous to go alone, take this. Collect all eight pieces of the shattered triforce, defeat Ganon, and save princess Zelda in a huge, open-ended world filled to the brim with dangerous dungeons. Bitches don't know 'bout my Magic Shield.
Life Force (NTSC)/Salamander (NTSC-J)	Shoot 'Em Up	You're thinking, "wait, didn't you already tell us Abadox was a better Life Force than... Life Force?" Well, yes, and no. They're both worth playing, and while Abadox has much better stage design and gameplay, Life Force also has some of it's own quirks, including multiplayer, so there's no reason just to skip out on one over the other. Grab a buddy and blast your way through space with this awesomely fun game. Konami NES quality stuff.
Little Nemo: The Dream Master	Platformer	See Duck Tales for the magic Capcom could do with licenses. While the cartoon movie is all but forgotten, this little gem of a game has a childlike atmosphere but the difficulty of a lunar landing. Feed candy to animals and WEAR THEIR SKIN to get new powers.
Little Samson	Platformer	An excellent platformer, completely forgotten because it went out really late for the NES in 1992. But still a beautiful one and different character to control with different ability. Be warned, if you're a collector Little Samson is BALLS TO THE WALLS EXPENSIVE, seriously regularly reaching prices over 100$, and while being a good game, is not worth that much. Emulate.
Lode Runner	Platformer/Puzzle/Arcade	The object of this game is to find all the treasure and escape while avoiding the goons out to get you. For an early title, this one's really classic, and became a short-lived phenomenon in Japan. This game even has a map/level editor so you can try and challenge your friends to your own maps. Great, great stuff. There's a version on the TG-16 that has multiplayer as well.
The Magic of Scheherazade	Adventure/RPG	Good adventure/RPG game from Culture Brain. Along with overworld battles there are also traditional turn-based battles like in a traditional RPG.
Maniac Mansion	Point 'n' Click/Adventure	Hilarious and somewhat spooky adventure game with a stellar reputation for all the right reasons. After playing through the game, you'll definitely feel rewarded, it's that good. Also available on the PC.
Mega Man	Action/Platformer	Yeah, you fucking heard me, MEGA MAN! Not quite as good as 2 or 3, less polished, but still great. It's so hard it will make you cry. For those not in the know, Mega Man starts off with a simple arm cannon with unlimited ammo, but after beating a "robot master", one of the bosses you select, he obtains that boss's weapon, which he always has from then on. Bosses are also weak against certain weapons from other bosses Unfortunately, these gained weapons DO run on ammo, but you can find weapon refill items in different places and enemies also drop them. Note that the first Mega Man does NOT have a password function, so you must beat it in one go. The PSP remake can make things harder or easier, depending on your difficulty settings.
Mega Man 2	Action/Platformer	The refinement of the first game, Mega Man 2 has it all. Great soundtrack, spot-on controls and, above all, just great fun. This entry is like the previous one in formula, except that it has passwords as well. In addition, this game introduced "E-tanks" which let you refill your energy from the weapon select menu, and Item-[#] "weapons", which are platforms that you can ride on top of with additional effects that depend on the number (such as jetting forward, floating up, and scaling walls). With the exception of a few rocky sections, this is one of the easier and more beloved games in the series. It is recommended that players new to the series start here. Hint: the Metal Blade is amazing.
Mega Man 3	Action/Platformer	The darker sequel to part 2 - and just what the series needed. Introduces Proto Man, a rival character with plot relevance and Rush, a transforming robot dog who replaces the Item-[#]s of MM2, while having similar functions to them. MM3 allows more E-tanks, but it is also one of the longest Mega Man classic games, as it has more stages and bosses. This also added the slide action, which lets Mega Man quickly move forward a brief distance at a lower height, which not only helps with traveling faster, but is handy for dodging attacks as well.
Mega Man 4	Action/Platformer	Yes, there are six Mega Man games. Mega Man 2 and 3 are really the ones people remember. Capcom, king of direct sequels, got started on the NES. Still, Mega Man 4 through 6 are all fantastic games that you should play if you like the series. Capcom perfected the formula with MM4, and only made minor adjustments from then on. These games are all very consistent in terms of difficulty, level design, and quality. Mega Man 4 gave Mega Man the ability to charge his Mega Buster. The other weapons are also fantastic and well-balanced. It introduced a new antagonist, the Russian roboticist Dr. Cossack, but of course Dr. Wily is behind it again. This was the first game to have two castles, a feature which would become the series standard until the end of the NES games.
Mega Man 5	Action/Platformer	In Mega Man 5, the charged Mega Buster is quite powerful and your main asset through the game. Unfortunately, the weapons aren't as awesome as in Mega Man 4. This time, Proto Man appears to be the main atagonist, kidnapping Dr. Light at the game's opening. This game has you collecting letters placed in tricky locations in the game's stages to get a robotic bird named Beat, who is quite helpful and powerful.
Mega Man 6	Action/Platformer	Ignore the haters, this game is great. By this time, Capcom had gotten quite good at making Mega Man games, and the swan song of NES Mega Man games is fantastic. It has one of the best soundtracks in the series. In this one, you fight robots from all over the world, and some of them are offensive stereotypes, but hey. This game has a unique mechanic where you can use a Rush adaptor to get a jetpack or rocket fist. The best thing is, they have unlimited ammo, so you can use them as much as you want. The stages fork often as well, and are full of secrets. Some of the stages have two different boss chambers, and only by going the more difficult path each time can you collect the letters you need to assemble Beat.
Metal Storm	Platformer/Shooter	Control a mech and fight through levels. You can change the direction of the gravitational pull to walk on ceilings and shit and the levels and bosses make good use of this feature. Pretty fun game overall and the controls are very tight. Be warned though, this game can have frustratingly punishing levels of difficulty!
Metroid	Platformer/Adventure	Samus is a girl! :O Space pirates and Metroid are out to ruin your shit while you explore the planet Zebes in your trusty powersuit. Said power suit can be upgraded with multiple enhancements scattered throughout the game. This game is synonymous with amazing gameplay and atmosphere, and would be a travesty to not have it in your collection.
Mickey Mousecapade	Platformer	In this NES romp you play as Mickey and Minnie, traversing through a Funhouse-world to save Alice (from Alice in Wonderland) who just so happens to have been captured by Pete (what a douche). Minnie follows you around and cannot be hurt (like Ice Climbers in Smash Bros.) and is invincible to physical attacks. However, if she falls off a ledge you lose a life, and if she gets kidnapped you have to rescue her, which makes for an interesting experience. Overall a great title.
Mighty Final Fight	Beat-em-up	A chibi looking Final Fight game exclusive to the system. It is rather easy and short but it is a lot of fun. You are given the choice between three characters who all have their own style and moves. The art direction is very beautiful, the music style and soundchip used are reminiscent of Megaman 5 (except better). Shamefully, it does not have a co-op mode.
Mission Impossible	Action/Adventure	This game plays a lot like Metal Gear, except more action based. Contrary to the NES port of Metal Gear, Mission Impossible is actually great. Be warned though, this game is extremely difficult.
Monster In My Pocket	Action/Platformer	Yet another simple, short, easy but extremely fun action/platformer on the system. Great for co-op.
Monster Party	Platformer	Your name is Mark. You're on your way home from a little-league baseball game when you are convinced to save a planet of monster people by a creepy gargoyle alien named Bert. It's kind of a typical platformer. you can attack with your bat, or fuse(!?) with Bert by taking pills (!?), which then enables you to fly and shoot lazers for a limited period of time. This game is weird as fuck. This is seriously one of the best platformers on the system, and is often overlooked. Easy to come by and cheap, there's no reason not to own this game. Surprisingly never released in Japan.
Mr. Gimmick (PAL) / Gimmick! (NTSC-J)	Platformer	Mr. Gimmick is one of the most rare, expensive, overlooked and underrated game on the NES. Outside of Japan, it was only released in Scandinavia. You play as some kind of green Kirby-ish looking character using stars as weapons. Gameplay, music, level design and atmosphere are all excellent. The game is also rather challenging especially if you want the real ending. The AI of the enemies will blow your mind (for a NES game It also features one of the best bass sound on the NES, along side Journey To Silius and Gremlins 2 (all three games are some of Sunsoft's finest - go figure!) It is highly recommended to play the FAMICOM version over the PAL NES one for additional sounds which add a LOT to the music. The only other difference is that you have more lives in the PAL version.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out	Sports/Fighting	You are Little Mac, pint-sized Rocky wannabe boxing your way to the top. Fight a host of offensive stereotypes, ending with Mike Tyson himself to claim the World Title. Easily the best sports game on the system, in existence ever, and even people aren't fond of older games can still have a blast with this title. There is an alternate version simply titled Punch-Out. It is exactly the same except Mike Tyson is replaced with a white guy sprite swap (His contract with Nintendo expired, and they decided not to renew it as he had lost the belt, despite what people claim.) This is acceptable if you simply can't find Mike Tyson's version, but who doesn't wanna take on Iron Mike?
Ninja Gaiden (NTSC) / Shadow Warriors (PAL)	Action/Platformer	Very difficult and fun platformer in which you play as a ninja slicing fools up. Features amazing cutscenes for the NES. It was later ported to the Turbografx, and that port is superior in every way.
Ninja Gaiden II (NTSC)/Shadow Warriors II (PAL)	Action/Platformer	Similar to the first, but better, partly due to the fact you can climb up any wall.
Ninja Gaiden III (NTSC-U) Shadow Warriors III (PAL) Ninja Ryukenden III: Yomi no Hakobune (NTSC-J)	Action/Platformer	Similar to its prequels. The NTSC-U and PAL versions were made a LOT harder, which is why you might want to play the FAMICOM version. Quote from Wikipedia.org: "Most significantly, the amount of damage Ryu received from being hit by enemies was doubled in the North American version. Also, the Japanese version boasted a password save feature, unlimited continues, and would restart players within areas after losing lives, rather than returning them to the beginning of areas as in the North American version."
Nightshade	Point and Click Adventure Fighting	A rather unique adventure game with a lot of humour. Also involves some fighting. A rather difficult game.
Over Horizon	Shoot 'Em Up	Only released in Europe and in Japan, Over Horizon is a good sidecrolling shooter reminiscent of Life Force. Don't forget to set your emulator to PAL!
Power Blade	Action/Platformer	Power Blade is one of the best action platformers on the NES right up there in the leagues of Ninja Gaiden, Shatterhand, and Megaman. Originally a somewhat crap Japanese game known as Power Blazer, the translation team went and made it better by making the cutesy anime protagonist into an action hero badass, as well as expanding the levelsin size as well as with branching paths, overall better graphics, and seriously tightening up the controls. In Power Blade you can choose which level you wish to play in whatever order (like Megaman), and then you beat your way through the level with a robotic-boomerang thing. A must have NES title.
Power Blade 2	Action/Platformer	A sequel to the first game.
R.C. Pro-Am	Racing	Balls-to-the-wall awesome R.C. racing game. Collect upgrades on the tracks to improve your little racer and attack the other cars with rockets and oil spills. Also, it was made by a little company called Rare. (FUCKING YELLOW CAR)
Rampage	Platformer/Arcade	Go around punching buildings, tanks, helicopters, and whatnot as either a giant lizard or gorilla.
River City Ransom (NTSC) / Street Gangs(PAL)	Beat-em-up	Double Dragon meets an RPG. It hasn't aged particularly well, not enjoyable at all. Just look at that flat orange background, that's pretty much the whole game. DISREGARD THAT I SUCK COCKS. This game fucking rules. Think of it as the Grand Theft Auto of the NES. You increase your stats by eating food (some food doesn't boost your stats, but can be saved for a life-healing snack as you break from raging on the streets), learn skills by reading books, and you can use nearly anything you find as a weapon, even your enemies, or stick with your bare knuckles. You can even team up with a second player. This game had a few spin-offs and sequels. Some of which drop or change up the RPG formula, but are just as action packed and enjoyable.
Rockin' Kats	Platformer	In this game you play as a cat. You use a kind of hookshot/glove to hit your enemies and reach higher places in stages. There is a stage select screen.
Rygar	Adventure/Platformer	This game is interesting because it's like a mix of Zelda and Metroid. It's very fun and challenging to collect all the items you need to defeat certain enemies and solve certain puzzles in a platforming environment in a fantasy world. The only problem is there's no fucking saves or passwords which is just god-damn ridiculous, so kids back in the day would leave their NES on for days or even weeks to play this game, simply pausing and shutting their TVs off when they needed to go to school or sleep. Recommended in ROM format for savestates. The PS2 remake inspired God of War.
S.C.A.T. Special Cybernetic Attack Team	Shoot 'Em Up	A very good side-scroller shoot'em up which plays like Abadox and was made by the same developers. Great for co-op.
Section Z	Shoot 'Em Up	An oft-forgotten Capcom shmup. Section Z has you playing as a guy in a space/mech suit, going into a planet and destroying fucking everything. Again, the Life Force/Abadox premise, but in this one the planet isn't alive (besides, this was a year before Life Force came out). The gameplay itself is smooth shmuppin, and everything is of Capcom NES quality. Be on the look out, this game is cheap and easy to find, and EXTREMELY worth it.
Sky Kid	Shoot 'Em Up	Simple but good shmup from Namco...with a TWEEST. YOU FLY LEFT. Play as a badass bird in a biplane while you shoot down other planes and pick up bombs. Has some great music (just listen to the stage theme, shit's so cash) and features a co-op mode, which was very rare for the time. Oh yeah, if you get shot down, just mash that A button to stay alive and flying. The B button lets you avoid enemy fire by doing a loop in the air. Available on the Wii Virtual Console if you can't find a cart or don't want to emulate.
Shadow of the Ninja (NTSC) / Blue Shadow (PAL)	Action/Platformer	Natsume was really good at making NES action games, and Shadow of the Ninja is certainly no exception. As it stands, this one's a bit of a cult classic. Shadow of the Ninja does feel like a bit of a Ninja Gaiden clone, but it does play a bit differently as well as including multiplayer, so there's nothing wrong here. Amusingly, Tecmo bought the rights to this game and ported it to the Gameboy AS Ninja Gaiden Shadow! It lacked the multiplayer, however, which is for many the defining feature. Pick this up if you ever get the chance, it's a worthy addition next to your Ninja Gaiden games.
Shadowgate	Point 'n' Click Adventure	A classic point 'n' click game originally on Mac with tons of fucking tough puzzles, plenty of exploring, some great humor, great tunes, and fantastic atmosphere. You will DIE A LOT. Spawned two sequels (on TG16 and N64, respectively). There's also a Gameboy Color port, but this author has never played it.
Shatterhand	Platformer/Beat 'Em Up	Natsume was really good at making NES action games, and Shatterhand is the prime example. 2D action game that involves lots of punching. Punching enemies, punching gates down, punching bullets, and so on. You can also pick up Alpha and Beta icons that give you a robot helper with a weapon depending on a 3-icon combination. Great music and graphics. (Hint: Collect the same combination twice with your robot still functional to wreck shit like God Hand, NES edition.) A must play! The Famicom version of this game, called Tokkyū Shirei Soruburein, was based on a TV show, and is different in a few ways. It is a lot easier. The character and robot sprites are different. A stage and boss is exclusive to each version. The intro is different. But because it is easier, it is also a lot less fun. Therefore I recommend to play the Japenese equivalent after having completed Shatterhand.
The Smurfs	Platformer	A rather unknown PAL exclusive. One of those typical but good, short, rather easy and fun platformers like you would find many on the system. Not an extraordinary game but good for some short and simple fun. Don't forget to set your emulator to PAL!
Snake Rattle 'n' Roll	Platformer	A classic, fun and original platformer. Control snake heads in an isometric world where each level is a slice of the world map (you can see to the other levels near the edges of the play area). Eat your enemies to grow a longer tail for your snakes to allow the weight scale open the level exit. Pick power ups and find secret areas and level shortcuts. Provides a steady challenge for a long time. Great for co-op.
Solomon's Key	Puzzle/Platformer	VERY HARD puzzle platformer with plenty of arcade qualities. Always cited for being extremely fun but brutally tough, especially if you manage to get past stage three. Most people can't. If you really like the gameplay in this, try Fire'n Ice (it's also easier).
Solstice	Puzzle/Platformer	A classic but difficult puzzle platformer with a great atmosphere.
Spelunker	Platformer	An interesting platformer that only consists of one REALLY big level. Gather all the treasure you can and head to the exit! Starts off pretty easy, but gets increasingly more and more hard, eventually becoming tough for a NES game, which is saying a lot, since 8-bit generation is the definition of hard games. You'll either love this game or fucking hate this game, no exceptions.  Definitely an interesting game; hadhuge success in Japan and basically started their speed-run craze as Metroid did for us (some of them can beat this game in half a minute, it's gonna take you hours). Inspired Spelunky.
Sqoon	Shoot 'Em Up	One of the better 'undiscovered' games on the NES, Sqoon is a solid horizontal shmup with interesting ideas that other games of it's ilk don't offer, including hostage rescue and fuel refilling. It's also notable for being about a pink submarine in submerged earth, instantly making it more interesting than every other shmup which was a plane or a space-plane. If you have the option, go for the Famicom version because the cartridge has an LED on it that lights up when you play, which is really cool. Made by Irem (the R-Type guys)
StarTropics	Adventure/Puzzle	This game is an under-appreciated gem on all accounts. Made by the same Nintendo team who did Punch-Out, the game StarTropics was a love letter from Nintendo to the West. Not released in Japan, StarTropics is a funny, engaging, Zelda-style adventure played out through interesting puzzles and tropical locales. Combat is smooth and gameplay is like Zelda but with jumping. Possibly the best game on the system.
Super C / Probotector II: Return of the Evil Forces	Platformer/Run 'N Gun	The sequel to Contra. The indoor stages are now top-down stages, but otherwise a similar game. Expect to die a lot. Great for co-op.
Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt	Platformer/Light-gun	Probably doesn't need much introduction. The very first game for probably just about every gamer born on or after 1985.
Super Mario Bros. 2	Platformer	Herp derp, not the real Mario 2 (yes, it was Nintendo rehashing Doki Doki Panic -- a sign of things to come, perhaps)? Still an extremely fun platformer for what it is. Many of the elements found here, such as player characteristics and abilities, enemies, keys, and throwing of enemies later made their way into more traditional Mario games.
Super Mario Bros. 3	Platformer	Fuck year, the biggest, best platformer for the NES. The absolutely most loved game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, you must own this, and I DO mean a physical copy. GOTY ALL YEARS.
Tecmo Super Bowl	Sports	Don't dismiss this game just because it's a sports title, it's fun as hell and if you have a friend to play with, it's even better. Real NFL teams with real NFL players (in 1991), each rated "realistically." Play as San Francisco to rape with passing or Oakland/Detroit to run all over the place. This game is a classic.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Arcade	Beat-em-up	Konami finally got the Turtles right in this NES port of the arcade beat 'em up. This also features some stage alterations and additions as well, all of which make it worth playing even if you've played the original. Great for co-op.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project	Beat-em-up	Using the same engine as TMNT2, this one however is an exclusive to the console. If you like TMNT2, you should like this one as well and vice-versa. Great for co-op.
Tetris	Puzzle	It's fucking Tetris. There are two versions of Tetris on the NES, the Tengen label and Nintendo's version. The Tengen label has better gameplay and is arguably the better port, but more people still go for the Nintendo label to nostalgia in the recognizable music and fap to seeing the Nintendo characters on the win screen.
Tiny Toon Adventures	Platformer	Tiny Toon Adventures is a short but fun, well executed platformer like you would find many on the NES, and it is also one of the better ones. It does take some inspiration from Mario in the way running and jumping works, but goes farther by adding a slide-boost jump system which is not mandatory, but extremely fun once you've mastered it. Great for 30-60 minutes of classic NES platforming action once in a while.
Ufouria: The Saga (Eur) / Hebereke (Jap)	Platformer	Another overlooked game that was only released in Japan and in Europe. The art and sound direction is reminiscent of Mr. Gimmick (it was done by the same developer). Not as straightforward as most other platformers since the scrolling can move to the left as well, and it's up to the player to find out where to go. There are four different characters you can get after you beat them as bosses, each with their own abilities.
Uninvited	Point and Click Adventure	Another point and click adventure, in the same vein as Déja Vu and Shadowgate.
Vice: Project Doom	Run 'N Gun/Platformer/FPS	Often cited as a Ninja Gaiden clone, Vice: Project Doom in every way improves upon the formula and also throws in vertical shooter, racing, and first person shooter segments (that amazingly don't suck). It even packs in some nice cutscenes. If you're a fan of the Shatterhand and Ninja Gaiden formula, it's impossible to not instantly love this.
Wario's Woods	Puzzle	Wario has done something bad in what are presumably his woods, and it's up to Toad to sort him out by matching 3 of the same enemy(blocks) in a row and survive his opponent until he stops Wario. Gameplay is the typical match-3-while-trying-to-live-longer-than-your-opponent kind, but there are are tons of different enemies which makes sorting them out challenging, and the game is pretty fun. Found in Animal Crossing as an NES game, so check it out if you've got a copy of it.
Xevious	Shoot 'Em Up /Arcade	One of the first shmups stands as one of the best on the NES. This is, for it's time, really colorful and nice, and the gameplay is solid old school shmuppin'. The music is a tad irritating.
Zanac	Shoot 'Em Up	A shmup from the makers of the famed MUSHA, Compile. Utilizes an AI that gives you enemy varieties and patterns based on what weapon you have, rather than relying on the same wave pattern each time you play. The visuals can be annoyingly repetitive but is still worth playing.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link	Adventure/Platformer/RPG	While considered the black sheep of the Zelda series, Zelda II is actually a great game if you try not to compare it to the first and can be played through multiple times without getting stale. The only lame thing is the monster encounter system, otherwise, actual combat is pretty good. Has a more engaging storyline than Zelda I.
Zoda's Revenge: Startropics II	Adventure/Puzzle	Funny that this game falls under Zelda II, because it has the same problem that the Zelda series did: the second game ain't as good as the first. Startropics II was developed by an American team (under Nintendo's banner) who brought some interesting ideas to the table (including time travel), however, Startropics II is overall the weaker game due to less inspired graphics, enemies, puzzles and music. However, the control is improved. Don't let this shy you away from this game, it's still an above average NES title and worth your time, just not as good as it's predecessor.

Famicom

These are the games that didn't quite make it out West, but are still worth checking out. Whether you own a clone system, an actual Famicom, a converter for your NES, or maybe just looking for ROMs, here's the list for you.

[* Denotes the game only came out on the Famicom Disk System]

Title	Genre	Description	Title Screen	Screenshot
Adventure Island IV Takahashi Meijin no Bōken Jima IV	Platformer/Adventure	This is not only the last NES/Famicom Adventure Island game, but in fact, was the last official game released for the Famicom. This one is the most different game in the series since the first, as it adds adventure elements reminiscent of the route the games went, which makes it similar to Metroid. This is probably tied for best game in the Famicom/NES series with the third one.
Almana no Kiseki*	Platformer/Adventure	An Indiana Jones clone game by Konami that has some of the best gameplay on the Famicom. Very Castlevania-ish. It's a real shame this wasn't ported over here (probably because of Jones) because it's such a damn fine game. Available only on the Famicom Disk System,  unfortunately, but there is little to no Japanese knowledge required really so give this gem a try!
Ai Senshi Nicol*	Action/Adventure	A Zelda-esque game by Konami that only came out in Japan on the Famicom Disk System. Another damn fine example of an excellent Konami game lost in the past. This one's entirely in English, including the cut-scenes and dialogue, so there's absolutely no barrier for the English crowd. Excellent graphics for 1987.
Akumajou Special: Boku Dracula-kun	Platformer	Did you ever want to play Alucard, from Castlevania, as a bratty, snotty little toddler? Well now you can! An extremely fun platformer goofing off on the Castlevania franchise, you play as Dracula-kun aka Alucard in a classic platforming romp. Feels sort of Megaman-ish.
Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa	Platformer	This is a great platformer game by Konami where you play as a baby. So much fun it hurts sometimes. This was actually slated for a US release in 1989, but didn't make it over here because Howard Lincoln is a dick. Released on the Wii's virtual console for 600 points, if you'd rather go that route.
Captain Tsubasa II: Super Striker	RPG/Sports	This game mixes soccer with an RPG. You run around the field as you would in a normal soccer game, but when you want to pass or shoot you have to call a menu with commands (such as shoot, pass, dribble, super shots, etc). You also have MP (Guts), something you have to watch carefully seeing as every action consumes MP (even running) The game starts pretty easy but gets incredibly difficult incredibly fast. You start with only one player who has super shots, but eventually more super players join your team (that's when the game gets really fun). You don't really have to know moonspeak to play this game, after playing for 10 minutes you'll have it figured out (or you could just look for a faq in gamefaqs), OR you could download the translation from here: http://www.freewebs.com/okonogi/
Chaos World	RPG	Chaos World is one of the better and most underrated RPG on the system. Made by Natsume. There is a translated ROM available. Although complete, it has notable errors. Mostly in the menu, along with a weird one that has a girl NPC become a powerful enemy force for no reason.
Choujin Sentai Jetman	Action/Platformer	Yet another short, easy, but fun action platformer for the system. Some characters have a sword, some others a gun. This game seems to share the same engine as Shatterhand, but don't be fooled, it's far from being as great. Still a good game though.
Crisis Force	Shmup	Simply said, one of the better shmups on the system. You can change the shape of your ship at any moment (3 shapes different) to shoot different types of missiles. Great for co-op.
Devil World	Arcade	This is Shigeru Miyamoto's take on Pac Man, basically. You're a dragon who has to kill the Devil by collecting bibles in hell. Awesome. It doesn't really differ too much from Pac Man other than the screen moving whenever the Devil points his fingers. It's definitely a challenge. The best part is that there is no moonspeak, even the main menu is English.
Dig Dug	Arcade	Sadly, the most faithful port of the original Dig Dug never even made it out west! Definitely worth picking up by any means, it shouldn't even cost a lot.
Final Fantasy III	RPG	This game needs not be introduced. One of the best RPGs on the system, and the first to bring the Job System full swing vs FF1, where you just chose a party to stick with until the end credits. Different in many ways from its remake on DS. If you're like me, you'll even like the original better. There is a translated ROM available.
Fire Emblem Gaiden	Tactics RPG	The "black sheep" of the FE series. It plays rather differently than all other entries. It feels like a tradtional RPG, but with a tactics control-system. Despite that, it still has the series spirit, remains an entertaining game, and is one of the few Japanese-only FEs with a full fan-translation. This is NOT the game to get into the series with (most prefer 7 on the GBA), but it is still worth playing whether or not you've beaten any of the others.
Fuzzical Fighter	Shooter RPG	A shmup with many RPG elements. There is experience, etc but also a small overworld in top down view where you control your character and where you get to go to an INN, a shop, etc. All of this happening in a medieval fantasy setting. There is a translated ROM available.
Getsufuu Maden	Action/Adventure	A good action/adventure game. The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game was based on the engine of this game.
Herakles no Eikou 2 - Titan no Metsubou Glory of Heracles II: Titans' Downfall	RPG	The first Glory of Heracles game to see a translation and the first to resemble its later sequels. You're a mortal Greek soldier who must find the hero, Heracles, so he can prevent the Titans from resurrecting. Plays like a Greek cross between Dragon Quest 2 and 3, but without the annoying OPEN DOOR and CLIMB STAIRS of the NES era. Pretty hard early on, but there's a few neat elements to this that make it worth finishing. There is a translated ROM available.
Kyattou Ninden Teyandē / Samurai Pizza Cats	Platformer	A platformer based on the Samurai Pizza Cats anime. Another one of those typical good, short, rather easy, and simply fun platformer on the console. You have to switch different characters who all have their own abitilies.
Holy Diver	Platformer/Adventure	A total Castlevania rip-off/clone that is inspired and sponsored by 80's heavy metal act Dio, based on his hit song 'Holy Diver'. What a fucking priceless game. While hilarious in concept, the game is actually really good, and is definitely a must-own. The only problem is, finding it proves to be extremely hard. Even if you're just looking for the rom you'll find yourself googling for quite a while. So imagine how hard it is to come by the cart. Made by irem, the guys behind R-Type.
Joy Mech Fight	Fighting	This game is weird. Imagine Vectorman-like characters fighting on the Famicom. Yup, a fighting game with robots on Famicom. I guess that says everything. A lot of fun, just strange. Made by Nintendo themselves.
Lagrange Point	RPG	Konami's sci-fi adventure puts you in the shoes of Jean, an upstart pilot that investigates the reason behind a space-station assault. The fighting system is comparable to Dragon Quest's first-person view. This game utilizes the unique VRC7 co-processor which grants the Famicom soundboard 6 FM-synth channels - making the audio comparable to the Sega Mega Drive! The translation is currently underway by Aeon Genesis, with progress at 60% as of March '10. While the project continues, feel free to play around with the game to enjoy its intoxicating soundtrack and chop through some battles.
Magical Doropie	Platformer	Feels like... holy shit you're playing Megaman. Vic Tokai, makers of Clash at Demonhead and Decap Attack made this for anyone who wanted to play classic Megaman with a witch-girl (who can actually shoot upward!). This game was released stateside as The Krion Conquest, but stay fucking far away from it. The US game's difficulty is punishing due to weird gimps, the story is nonexistent, and there are other unnecessary changes to be found. This version is going to be hard to find physically, but the ROM has been dumped AND translated, so no worries there.
Moon Crystal	Platformer	Moon Crystal is a gem that was only released in Japan. No I mean, seriously. Take the level of quality of animations of Prince Persia, but add better graphics, good action, a fantastic and moody soundtrack, a challenging yet never unfair gameplay, a great storyline told during Ninja Gaiden like cutscenes, finally mix all of that together and the result is this masterpiece. The action is a bit slow but you'll get used to it. An overlooked gem that you must play. NOW.
Mother	RPG	It's funny this game never got ported, because they finished the English localization, just never released it. Anyways, if you can read moonspeak, you really owe it to yourself to play the game that started Earthbound/Mother. It's not as good as it's two sequels, but it's still quite amazing. (If you're only looking for a rom, there is a dump of the English one that was never released. It's usually labeled Earthbound Zero; if you want an authentic experience,this website sells reproduction copies).
Nazo no Murasamejō*	Action/Adventure	Nazo no Murasamejō is the black sheep little brother of Zelda and Startropics. The second game released for the Disk System, you play as Takamaru, a samurai who must save his ancient Japanese land from an alien demon that has corrupted all the local daimyo. He must traverse the land to the castle Muramase and annihilate the evil force once and for all. It plays like Zelda, but is totally linear and fast paced, entirely based on action instead of exploring. You have a limited number of powerups, and enemies come from all sides, making the game's difficulty soar the fucking roof. A real gem though, shame we didn't see anymore, it had great series potential. (Tip: if you somehow, god help you, acquire more than 99 lives, you become permanently invincible, good luck with that though).
Otocky*	Shoot 'Em Up/Rhythm	Otocky can be described as a musical side-scrolling shoot 'em up. The player's spaceship has a ball for a weapon, which can be fired in eight directions; each direction corresponds to a different musical note. The note plays when the player presses the fire button, and is also quantized in time so that it matches the beat playing in the background. By using the weapon selectively the player can improvise music while playing. The ball is used to destroy enemies by touching them, and also to catch various types of objects: Musical Notes which must be collected to finish the level, letter 'A's which change the musical instrument sound produced by the ball, and letter 'B's which provide a secondary weapon. The ball gets smaller when the player is touched by an enemy, until the player loses a life. Finishing the game unlocks a music editor which makes it possible for the player to freely compose their own melodies.
Radia Senki: Reimeihen	Action/RPG	This game is most comparable to an early Secret of Mana. You can have a party of up to 5 members, but only 1 is controlled by the player and the rest are computer-controlled.(You can give 'em commands and tactics via menus) The music is pretty good too. There is a translated ROM available.
Summer Carnival '92: RECCA	Shoot 'Em Up	If you thought you knew ANYTHING about shmups before playing this masterpiece, then you're clearly mistaken. Recca is not only one of the best Famicom shmups, but probably makes the list of top five shmups ever. This game is hard, and fast, and has little to no slowdown or clipping. It's a fucking technical achievement for a famicom game, and an achievement in game-design. The game is easily the best space shooter on the NES/Famicom, however, it's extremely hard to come by in cart form, and is thus, expensive. Rom is easy to find. Perhaps the first bullet hell shooter. A must play!
Son Son	Arcade/Platformer/Run 'N Gun	If you ever wondered where the monkey girl from MVC2 came from this... isn't it. Actually, this game stars her grandfather, the eponymous Son Son. A fun Run 'N Gun-esque sort of cute game (so instead of a Cute 'Em Up, would that make it a Fun 'N Gun?). Gets surprisingly addicting, especially with two players.
Spartan X 2	Beat'em up	A simple but fun beat'em up. The game is basically a straight line, you can only go forward or backward (you can jump, but you can't go up or down). Most enemies only take one hit to die but there are WAVES of them. Difficulty is very progressive. Some good tunes.
Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti	Beat 'Em Up/Arcade	A chibi style Splatterhouse game exclusive to the Famicom. I shit you not. This spin-off is just as fun as the other games while being three times more fucking hilarious (because it's still violent/gory despite the cute look). It is however a lot less difficult than the other games in the series and was the first Splatterhouse game to make it to home consoles. This game is a must-own.
Super Mario Bros. 2*	Platformer	The real Super Mario Bros. 2. Was later released here as part of the Super Mario All-Stars SNES cart (as Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels), this game is balls hard compared to the other three SMB games on the system. This game is kinda lazy in that it looks way too much like the original, but it's great if you like a challenge and have already mastered SMB1.
Sweet Home	RPG	Sweet Home for the Famicom is easily one of the best RPGs for the system. Actually a game tie-in for a low-budget horror film, Sweet Home is one of those rare examples where the game is better than the movie. Follows many typical RPG formula standards, but has many of it's own interesting elements as well (each member of your party only has ONE ITEM, and you cant take everybody at once, so have to decide which items you'll need at one point). Horror themed obviously, the atmosphere in this game is stellar. This game was the inspiration for Resident Evil. There is a translated ROM available.

ROM Hacks

In this section, we recommend ROM Hacks that we consider worth checking out.

Links to the patches -and NOT to patched ROMs- should be provided in the description whenever possible.

How to play

You will need ROMs of the original games. Sometimes you need a specific version of the said ROM but it's usually told in the readme file. For example you may need to use "awesomegame (U).nes" while it may not work with "awesomegame (U) [!] [b1].nes".

You will also need a ROM patcher such as Lunar IPS, which you can download here http://fusoya.eludevisibility.org/lips/

Of course, you will need the patches that turn the original ROMs into the hacked ones. Links should be provided in the descriptions. Most of them should be avalaible at www.romhacking.net and/or at http://www.zophar.net/

Finally, run the patched ROMs in your emulator of choice (or put them on your expensive Powerpak to play them on a real console, but that's only if you're a rich bastard). If nothing happens, or if something odd happens, then you probably applied the patch on a wrong version of the ROM of the game.

The List

Original Game	Name of the Hack	Description	Title Screen	Screenshot
Adventure Island III	The Lost Isles	All the levels were changed, except for 4-4. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/387/
Adventure Of Lolo	Challenging Lolo	You've beat Lolo 1,2 and 3 and you're still asking for more ? .... REALLY ?! Well, your wish has been fullfilled. 50 new levels. It gets really hard. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/201/
Adventure Of Lolo 2	Challenging Lolo 2	If you've beat the 3 original games and the first hack, and are still begging for more, try this one. 54 new levels. Like the first one, it's HARD. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/202/
Castlevania	Blood Moon	A hack which changes all the levels, and also gives some good looking art (especially for the monsters). It gets rather difficult past some point.http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/79/
Castlevania	Remix	The best thing about this hack is its art direction. Most it is was made using a grey/black tone that fits really well. The layout of most levels have also been changed. Some of the musics were changed, sometimes it's good but it's sometimes it's a bit ridiculous. Worth checking for the art alone. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/8/
Mega Man IV	Gadget Master	The layout of all the stages were changed to give a whole new MMIV. A lot palette colors were changed, but there are no new graphics except at the end, no new bosses and no new weapons. This is exactly why I love this hack: as a consequence it feels new and classic at the same time and it focuses on level design instead of on useless fancy tricks. It was made by Schwa who also made Chaos Control for SMB3. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/567/
Mega Man IV	Maverick Revenge	Changes some levels but not all of them (because it freezes against a boss in the Wily stages and the game "ends" there) Some art was changed, replaced by art from other NES Mega Man games. Not as good as Gadget Master but still worth at least a play through. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/562/
Rockman 2	Rockman No Constancy	A Rockman hack with the typical somewhat bumped up difficulty. However, MANY elements of the game were changed. New graphics, altered bosses +weapons, and all new levels.Most of all, THE SOUNDTRACK OH GOD. It's 8bit audio bliss featuring many songs from other games and series. YOU SHOULD PLAY IT AT LEAST ONCE.
Rockman V	Endless	Like the Endless mode in Mega Man 9, except in Mega Man 5. It mixes already existing rooms with new ones. Some new rooms are unfair (especially those with the lasers) but most of them have a very good design. Requires a ROM of Rockman V and will not work with a NTSC-U or PAL version. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/460/
Rush'n Attack	G	All the levels were changed. Rather difficult. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/135/
Super Mario Bros.	Extra Mario Bros.	Mario meets Super Metroid. It's as good as it sounds. The look adds pseudo SNES-sprites and the soundtrack is cool too. Just remember that it runs on SMB1 physics, so jumping and bouncing work kind of weird here. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/369/
Super Mario Bros 3	Legend Of The Blob Bros 2	This hack offers completely new levels, a new story and a lotof new graphics. It succeeds in offering new cool stuffs (the new sprites for characters and monsters are some of the bests I've seen in Hacks of NES games) while having a smart level design taking into consideration all the things that make the gameplay of SMB2 unique. It's more difficult than the original game at least in the sense that the number of coins is more limited. http://www.zophar.net/hacks/nes/super-mario-bros-23/Legend-of-the-Blob-Bros-2-306.html
Super Mario Bros 3	Chaos Control	This one is my favourite SMB3 hack. Like many others it replaces all the levels by new ones, but this one succeeds in retaining a classic feel, a classic level design, while being just challenging enough and while never being unfair. As a consequence, it sure is more difficult than the original game, but it's never too fancy and it's just how it should be: it feels like rediscovering SMB3 again and the replay value is high. It was made by Schwa who also made Gadget Master for Mega Man IV. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/128/
Super Mario Bros 3	Mario Adventure	Considered to be one of the bests hack of SMB3. All the levels were changed. You can even choose in which world you want to go. A lot of new features, such as a random weather. http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/70/