The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, was one of the most important and influential consoles of all time. Without it, some of the most fun gaming experiences would never have been had. It paved the way for much of the future, but it was also pretty incredible in its day as well. Modern consoles owe a lot to it, but that’s far from the only reason it was a good console.
A few of the greatest video games of all time were made for the NES. It was admittedly a limited console, but that’s to be expected in the early 1980s. No technology was that advanced, but somehow Nintendo was able to create masterpieces. Here are a few examples of them.
The Best Nintendo Entertainment System Games
5) Metroid
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Metroid spawned a pretty big and pretty popular franchise, so it deserves a lot of credit as one of the best Nintendo Entertainment System games. It was fairly revolutionary as well, being one of the earlier open-world games (within reason, since the NES was still very limited) and introducing a non-linear story. The characters drove a lot of popularity, which is extremely impressive for an eight-bit console.
4) Donkey Kong
While Donkey Kong was made for arcade systems before it made its way to NES, it is impossible to deny the impact this game had. It was loads of fun and introduced two of the most iconic characters in gaming. Technically, Mario is a bit of a spin-off from this, and Donkey Kong himself is beloved by many. The gameplay was extremely addicting, but it was challenging enough that players kept coming back to try and dodge those barrels.
3) Super Mario Bros.
The original Super Mario Bros. (not to be confused with Mario Bros., which is a different game that had players flipping enemies over on a single screen) is a classic. The franchise was catapulted to heights it has not left since thanks to this title. It introduced so many major features that have since become staples of the side-scrolling Mario games, and the gameplay and level design stands the test of time.
2) The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is truly a feat of game design. What the developers were able to make in the 1980s is extremely impressive, and it birthed arguably the greatest video game franchise of all time. The fact that players could only get to the next dungeon if they took the exact right path and so many other parts of the gameplay seem impossible for 1986 standards. This game was the start of great things, so a special shoutout is owed to the Nintendo Entertainment System.
1) Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES
The best game the Nintendo Entertainment System has to offer is Super Mario Bros. 3. It took everything that made the original so good and improved upon it. The levels are better. The power-ups are way better. The enemies are better, and the bosses are better, too. Even today, it is arguably the best side-scrolling Mario game out there. That’s saying something since they’ve been making them since 1985.
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