In the year 1985 in the US and 1986 in Europe, Nintendo created a brand new home console called the Nintendo Entertainment System, or simply the NES, which, as you know, became a huge success. Selling over 60 million units worldwide with over 700 different games available to play, the NES has become a quality benchmark in the video game industry. Some of your favorite series got their start on the NES and without it gaming wouldn’t be the same. In today’s article, we’re going to celebrate the NES and all of its efforts by sharing some of the best titles this VCR-looking system has to offer. Note that any NES classic game mentioned on today’s list is now available in the form of a ROM file which can be played with an emulator on a modern device.
- As for SNES fans, they can try out the new collection of super fun SNES classics with SNES ROMs.
Mega Man 2
Sometimes, the NES can be a bit hard to jump back to thanks to the limitations of the hardware or just for the simple fact that this was the early days. But then you have a game like Mega Man 2, the sequel that learned from the mistakes of its first predecessor and became a timeless classic. What most players liked was its responsive and tight gameplay and captivating missions. The soundtrack is still one of the best in gaming. And for many, this was the game that made us Mega Man fans for life. It’s hard to nail down which exactly is the best, but you can never go wrong with Mega Man 2.
Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble was a smash hit in the arcade scene back in 1986. So much so that recently, it made a cameo appearance in the San Junipero episode of Black Mirror. Then, a few years after its arcade release in 1988, a port of the arcade version made its way to the NES with the same platforming, same lovable dragons, and the same bubble spewing co-op action. Bubble Bobble on the NES is easy to pick up and play. But just like anything of the era, it’s quite tough to master. Navigating the rows of platforms and timing your jumps carefully can get quite tricky when you have enemies jumping around all over the screen. Not every arcade game managed to make a smooth jump to home consoles. But Bub and Bob floated on over just fine.
Kirby’s Adventure
Masahiro Sakurai may be best known for his role within the Super Smash Bros series, but back in the early 90s, he gave us a perfectly pink puffball called Kirby, whose first color adventure landed softly on the NES. The overall formula for Kirby hasn’t really changed much over the years. You dash through levels while eating enemies and trying out the new powers you gain from them. There are cute boss battles and fun mini-games to break up the action, too. And the overall game is just the treat to look at.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: the Manhattan Project
The NES may have had its fair share of beat-‘em-ups. But not all of them were equally good and popular with longstanding Nintendo fans. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: the Manhattan Project, on the other hand, is an excellent one. A smooth and solid competitor to the arcades, Turtles III could be played on the NES only. The Manhattan Project follows the same framework of the Turtles II arcade, and while not as many have played as it came out fairly late in the NES’ life, it’s become well-known in the community as one of the best titles on the system. Each of the four turtles is represented in full color. And while they all have only a few attacks, you can change up which one to play as whenever you lose your life. If you can manage to rope in a friend to play with, there’s no questioning the fact you’ll have a great time.
Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers
The NES features plenty of multiplayer titles, yet very few offer a full-on co-op campaign like Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers does. You and your buddy can team up as Chip and Dale themselves on a mission to find a lost cat. What a captivating story, right? Thankfully, though, the platforming box tossing gameplay picks up some of the narrative slack. This one is another tough game to master, especially by yourself. But it will be a lot better, if you can find another local chipmunk detective to team up with.
And there were much more cool classic games the NES was home to. Though they may not be impressive in terms of graphics, special effects, and sound, its inherent spirit of primordial fun and genuine amusement will help you go back to childhood and re-experience the best gaming moments.
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