Ahh, the NES! Recently I shared with you my top five PlayStation games and I had a lot of fun with that, so I thought I would go back to the NES and look at the five games that define the system for me. Growing up in the UK, I was one of the few kids who had an NES as most of the kids I knew had a Sega Master System!
I loved my NES and it is a console that I know a lot of people love too. Well, rather than get mad that your favorite game is not on my list, share your own top five NES games in the comments section.
Number 5
New Ghostbusters 2
Look, the Activision Ghostbusters 2 is not great, sure it is better than the first game, but that is not saying much! New Ghostbusters 2 is awesome! I still play this game to this day and it is one of the best 8-bit licensed games. Brought to us by Hal, New Ghostbusters 2 lets you pick two Ghostbusters, including Louis which is awesome. One shoots the proton beam and the other works the trap. It is a fun little adventure game that captures the spirit of the movie perfectly. It has awesome cute graphics and a rocking and catching soundtrack too.
Number 4
Ducktales
Just after I got my NES I bought two games with my Christmas money, one was Swords and Serpents which I hated and the other was Ducktales which is an absolute classic. Capcom and Disney were such a great combination back in the day. Ducktales captures all the charm of the hit TV show and the way you would pogo around as Scrooge McDuck felt great. It has one of the most epic soundtracks on the console and I like how it is not just a straight up platformer, there is a bit of exploration here too.
Number 3
Super Mario Bros 2
Wanna know something crazy? I never had the original Super Mario Bros for the NES! I got the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles NES set for Christmas in 1990 along with Super Mario Bros 2 and I loved this game. It is seen as the black sheep of the original Mario games, but I feel more people appreciate it now. I loved this game as it felt just like the Super Mario Bros Super Show. Even though he had no special abilities, I could never play as anyone other than Mario! I love the whimsy that this game has and the fact it is so different to the other NES Mario games makes it stand out more.
Number 2
Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers
Next up we have another Capcom classic, Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers. I played the hell out of this game during Christmas of 1991! Much like they did with Ducktales, Capcom perfectly captured the TV show here, but I think this one has more “personality” as it has a bit more story and more cut scenes. The platforming action is amazing, with tight and responsive controls and it also has multiplayer. I remember playing through the entire game with a friend of mine and it was even more epic than playing it on my own.
Number 1
Super Mario Bros 3
Okay, so I know I get no points of originality here, but what can I say, Super Mario Bros 3 is a masterpiece. The leap from the original to this is just staggering! This was the first video game I remember getting right around the time it came out, I had known about its existence for ages as we got it much later here in the UK so by the time, I did get my grubby hands on it my expectations were sky high! The game did not disappoint. It offers exciting platform action, but it has a ton of personality thanks to the varied worlds, the Koopalings, and the awesome power ups that Mario can use. It may be a cliché to have this on a top 5 NES games list, but I honestly could not image any list without it.
So those are my top five NES games what do you think? Be sure to leave your own favorite games and memories of the system in the comments section as I would love to read them.
