It is difficult to underestimate the importance of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, or the Famicom as it is known in Japan. After the video game industry crashed and burned following the Atari 2600's decline, the console reestablished the medium as a mainstay in the home, with a massive library of classic titles that set numerous precedents games still follow to this day.
While Nintendo dominated the console with its first-party titles, many other companies released games that became just as essential to the catalog as Super Mario or The Legend of Zelda. No hardcore gamer with an NES owner went without these games.
Updated on June 21st, 2022, by Jason Wojnar: As time marches forward, the NES continually accumulates an almost mythical status as a console. It is where so many legendary franchises got their start. These days, only significantly older gamers had the opportunity to experience these on the system when it was the hot new product on the market.
These gamers who played it remember far more than just what Nintendo gave to their console, however. To further prove this point, this list has been updated to include a couple of more games not developed by the teams who gave birth to Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid.
11 Kung Fu (1984)
- Developer: Irem
- Yet to be re-released on modern consoles
This legendary side-scrolling brawler certainly deserves a place on this list, but it does come with a small caveat. The original arcade game was developed by Irem and found success there. The NES port, however, was handled by Shigeru Miyamto himself with some extra help from Koji Kondo.
The game designer ported Kung Fu in order to help better understand how to develop a side-scrolling game, which became the foundation for Super Mario Bros.
10 Final Fantasy (1987)
- Developer: Square
- Also playable on PS1, PC, Mobile, PSP, and the NES Classic
RPGs have been a part of gaming since the late '70s. However, JRPGs as we know them today would not be around if the original Final Fantasy did not kickstart the trend. The 1987 debut entry was one of the first RPGs to show the battle from a third-person perspective.
The NES game has a host of glitches, so there are better ways to play it, like the twentieth anniversary PSP remake. The story and gameplay are simple, but it is just so joyful to exist in the world.
9 Blaster Master (1988)
- Developer: Sunsoft
- Also playable on Nintendo Switch
What makes Blaster Master so unique is the mixture of two distinct gameplay styles. One part of the game appears as a traditional side-scrolling action-platformer, while certain parts of the level change perspective to a top-down view.
This was novel for the time, and it helps that both of these portions play well. The series failed to live on into the 3D realm, but people still talk about the original release to this day.
8 Castlevania (1986)
- Developer: Konami
- Also playable on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC as a part of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection
While future games in this series, particularly Super Castlevania IV, significantly improved upon the formula established in the debut entry, Castlevania remains a classic on the NES.
Its mixture of platforming and combat mixed with the extremely high difficulty made it an instant hit. The sequel, Simon's Quest, was more ambitious, with puzzles and townspeople with whom the player could interact, but the third game returned to the more streamlined action.
7 Contra (1987)
- Developer: Konami
- Also playable on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC as a part of the Contra Anniversary Collection
Konami released a slew of classic titles, one of which was a console version of their arcade side-scrolling shooter, Contra.
The game is so synonymous with the NES that most players probably don't even realize the game was originally made for arcades. It is also notable for including one of the first cheat codes. The famous Konami code grants the player 30 extra lives to make the difficult campaign more manageable.
6 DuckTales (1989)
- Developer: Capcom
- Also playable on PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii as DuckTales: Remastered
While an elderly, rich, grumpy anthropomorphic duck may not seem like the ideal hero for a video game, this is exactly who players control in DuckTales.
Scrooge McDuck is on a quest for riches in this Capcom title, which features many of the same people who worked on the original Mega Man titles, including Tokuro Fujiwara and Keji Inafune. Fortunately, the title is not as difficult but is notable for having some of the best music on the NES.
5 Dragon Quest (1986)
- Developer: Chunsoft
- Playable on Nintendo Switch
While most western gamers encountered this RPG as Dragon Warrior, the 1986 game is indeed the debut title in the now legendary Dragon Quest series. The game contains a lot of what players have come to expect from the genre save for a few differences. For one, the battles are in first-person. Secondly, the first three games in the franchise take place in the same timeline.
Much like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest has been releasing games on a semi regular basis since the series' inception. Coming out a year before Final Fantasy, the title was important for how it simplified the complex mechanics present in most RPGs beforehand, making it more accessible and easier to play on a controller as opposed to a keyboard.
4 Bionic Commando (1988)
- Developer: Capcom
- Also playable on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC as Bionic Commando: Re-Armed
Before B.J. Blazkowicz was mowing down Nazis in Wolfenstein 3D, Nathan Rad Spencer was doing it in a futuristic science fiction world in Bionic Commando — though in the North American release they were not referred to as Nazis.
The game was also notably violent for its time, with a close-up shot of the last boss' head exploding. A remake came out in 2008 around the same time as the sequel. Unfortunately, this was not the rebirth of the series fans hoped it would be, though the games released during this time are still of decent quality.
3 Mega Man (1987)
- Developer: Capcom
- Also Playable on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo 3DS as Mega Man Legacy Collection
One should not chalk up Mega Man's legacy only to its extreme difficulty. The creative level design, unique and varied bosses, and the progression system is also a reason for its longevity.
Players tackle levels in whichever order they choose, returning to more difficult levels later once a certain weapon makes the stage easier. Six mainline entries came out for the NES, ensuring no shortage of content for fans of the blue bomber.
2 Ninja Gaiden (1988)
- Developer: Tecmo
- Also playable on Nintendo Switch
While many of the games on this list are difficult but fair, Ninja Gaiden is simply insulting. There is a notorious glitch that sends the player back several levels if they lose to any of the final bosses.
While an important entry in the NES' library, those wishing to experience Ninja Gaiden are better served playing the 2004 reboot and its sequel.
1 River City Ransom (1989)
- Developer: Technos Japan
- Also playable on Nintendo Switch
While the NES is filled with beat 'em ups, River City Ransom stands out from the crowd by including numerous RPG elements. Players can upgrade their stats, which is essential to defeating the harder gangs.
Additionally, it is an early example of an open-world action game, giving players the freedom to freely explore the environment. The game was unsuccessful upon release in America, but its innovative features for the time turned it into a cult classic.