The Best NES Game From Every Year Of The Console's Life

While probably not the favorite system of too many people, the Nintendo Entertainment System is arguably the most important console of all time. Along with saving home gaming after the 1983 crash, the NES established so many genres that would go on to become staples of the industry. Masterpieces like Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Dragon Quest were all groundbreaking releases in their respective years, and they are nowadays hailed as some of the greatest and most influential games of all time.

In 1983, Nintendo launched the Famicom in Japan, which would eventually be rebranded as the NES in 1985 for North America. Over the next decade or so, hundreds of NES games were released across the world as the console became a roaring success. While it would eventually be replaced and surpassed by the SNES, the NES's achievements need to be celebrated. Let's pick out each year's top NES masterpiece.

We are going to use the year that a NES game launched in North America, so not their Japanese Famicom debuts. If you would like to see when a game was released in Japan, that information is typically listed in the specification box under the images.

1985: Super Mario Bros

Console Gaming's Savior

The game that cemented the NES upon its American arrival was a pack-in title, one which would go on to become synonymous with the medium on the whole. Super Mario Bros. proved the value of having a home video game console once again, and its simple yet addictive approach ensured that it could cater to the entire family. The success of Super Mario Bros. also affirmed that iconic developer Shigeru Miyamoto would be a name to be associated with high quality and innovation.

Even to this day, this masterpiece stands the test of time and still proves to be amazingly fun. It is no surprise that the core mechanics have endured for decades, whether it be jumping on Goombas or Koopa shells, eating mushrooms, or throwing fireballs from a flower power-up. The precision control, signature art, and whimsical music have lasted generations that date back all the way to the original. Wahoo!

To be honest, Super Mario Bros.' North American release is not 100% confirmed to have happened in 1985, as it might have released a year later. However, we are going to include it for this year.

Other Great Or Important 1985 NES Games

• Duck Hunt – Super Mario Bros' pack-in partner showcased the zapper light gun and was just an all-around fun time that the whole family could enjoy.
• Ice Climber – "Great" is an exaggeration, but Ice Climber is one of the more iconic NES games.
• Wrecking Crew – A slightly forgotten game by today's standards, this early Mario spin-off was a respectable attempt at a puzzle-platformer.

1986: Donkey Kong

Miyamoto's First Hit

Before Mario officially got his name in Super Mario Bros., he would have been seen by North American gamers through the arcade game Donkey Kong in 1981, where the player would take control of a character simply known originally as 'Jump Man'. The goal was simple: to rescue the damsel in distress kidnapped by a giant gorilla beast named Donkey Kong while traversing through various obstacles on each stage. This was the game that truly put Shigeru Miyamoto on the industry map with the initial arcade release.

An arcade port brought forward to the NES, gamers could finally have that addictive arcade experience right on their own television, with the same superb quality. While Donkey Kong eventually turned away from his villainy and became a star in his own right in future titles, the original Donkey Kong concept once again proved that a core gameplay mechanical loop was the key to sustaining interest from an audience.

Other Great Or Important 1986 NES Games

• Donkey Kong Jr. – Came out alongside the original Donkey Kong. Arguably superior, but we went with the original game due to its cultural significance.
• Ghosts 'n Goblins – The Dark Souls of the NES era. Memes aside, Ghosts 'n Goblins is a great action-platformer.
• Mach Rider – Impressive combat racing game with a track editor.
• Mario Bros. – While entirely overshadowed by Super Mario Bros., Mario Bros. debuted before that seminal platformer, although its NA NES release happened in 1986.

1987: The Legend Of Zelda

Birth Of The Wild

While the concept of an open-world game today can be seen in many mainstream releases, back during the time of the original Legend of Zelda, it was a truly novel idea. The prospect of the player having full access to a world to explore, using any tools discovered through the journey at their disposal, laid the foundation for the Zelda formula. This action-adventure became another flagship franchise for Nintendo, and whether now in 2D or 3D, many elements of the original can be seen in the DNA of modern action RPGs.

Much like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda also introduced an immediately recognizable main character, which the player could take joy in controlling. Whether battling through the overworld as Link or solving puzzles in various dungeons, the success of Legend of Zelda can be attributed to the amount of depth the game had for its era.

Other Great Or Important 1987 NES Games

• Castlevania – Tight platforming, Gothic horror atmosphere, and one of the best action-platformers of the '80s.
• Kid Icarus – Legendary run-and-gun shooter with tight controls.
• Metroid – An influential game that, similar to The Legend of Zelda, also emphasized non-linear exploration.
• Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! – Timeless gameplay and the best sports game on the NES.

1988: Super Mario Bros 2

Infamous Iconic Sequel

Though not the version released in Japan, the NA Super Mario Bros. 2 has also come to prove its merit. Due to the perceived difficulty of Japan’s Super Mario 2 (later ported to North America as The Lost Levels) potentially deterring American gamers, the Super Mario Bros. skin was applied to a game known in Japan as Doki Doki Panic.

Very much a different approach to the classic Super Mario Bros. formula, as most would identify, Super Mario Bros. 2 still introduced many mechanics that had their own value. From the option to choose between a set of characters, each having their own variation of ability attributes, and plucking vegetables from the ground to hurl at enemies, there was a lot of fun to be had in this unique Super Mario title. The game even eventually got ported to Japan as Super Mario USA, proving that it was not a simple throwaway for gamers not in Nintendo’s homeland.

Other Great Or Important 1988 NES Games

• Blaster Master – Not as remembered as other NES classics, but Blaster Master combines vehicle platforming and top-down exploration really well.
• Double Dragon – A seminal beat 'em up that pretty much shaped the genre.
• Gauntlet – The NES received a port of the arcade game. The latter was far better, but the former was a good enough home option.
• Metal Gear – Although difficult to revisit nowadays, Metal Gear got Hideo Kojima's genre-defining stealth franchise started on a positive note.

1989: Ninja Gaiden

The Coolest Ninja

Team Ninja may have revitalized the dormant franchise back in 2004 with its reboot of Ninja Gaiden, but the success of Tomonobu Itagaki’s reimagining in no way takes away from the superb value and quality of the original. Developed by Tecmo, the first of what became a trilogy on the NES was a challenging yet approachable side-scrolling action beat ‘em up.

Controlling Ryu Hayabusa, players got the chance to live out the fantasy of being a ninja, which in itself lends well to laying the groundwork for a great game. The art style still pops today for an 8-bit title, and the crisp audio creates an ambiance fit for a ninja experience. The responsive control also ensured that the experience, though difficult, always encouraged the gamer to hone their skill. Modern-day Ninja Gaiden fans owe it to themselves to go and check out the original (an unlockable in the reboot!) that spawned the franchise.

Other Great Or Important 1989 NES Games

• Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest) – The grandfather of the JRPG genre.
• DuckTales – Licensed games could be great on the NES, and 1989 really proved that.
• Mega Man 2 – The best early Mega Man game.
• Tecmo Bowl – Laid the groundwork for the later classic Tecmo Super Bowl.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Tough-as-nails action-platformer that had more to offer than just crushing difficulty.
• Tetris – I mean, it's Tetris​​​​​​.

1990: Super Mario Bros. 3

The Best NES Platformer

Going three for three, it may seem redundant to have yet another Super Mario title on the list, but Super Mario Bros.3 is simply undeniable. Arguably the greatest game of all on the NES, Super Mario Bros. 3 pushed the NES to its limit, showing exactly the full extent of what can be achieved with 8-bit technology.

Super Mario Bros. 3 also stands toe to toe with its 16-bit successor, Super Mario World, a testament to its design and legacy. Whether it's the theatrical art portrayal or the bevy of new items that enabled varying gameplay experiences and progression, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a classic that a gamer of every generation needs to play.

Other Great Or Important 1990 NES Games

• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers �� Not quite on DuckTales' level, but still a great platformer.
• Double Dragon II: The Revenge – Improves on the original in nearly every way, at least on the NES.
• Dragon Warrior 2 (aka Dragon Quest 2) – One of the best JRPGs on the NES that eclipses its predecessor in most areas.
• Dr. Mario – Basically just Tetris with a Mario skin, which is a winning formula.
• Final Fantasy – Took a while to release in North America, but the franchise never looked back.
• Mega Man 3 – While overshadowed by its predecessor, Mega Man 3 was influential in writing the blueprint for the rest of the franchise's run.

1991: Battletoads

The Adolescent Reptiles' Worthy Amphibious Rivals

Ninja Turtles was a hot commodity in the early 90s (more on that later), so it is no surprise to see other companies wanting to cash in on their success. British developer Rare took their swing at an anthropomorphic action title with Battletoads, a title today that attributes much of its notoriety to its excruciating difficulty.

The challenge aside, however, Battletoads’ edgier design elements and bombastic action made it a worthy competitor to its reptilian counterpart. A classic action game containing all the tropes one would look for in the genre, Battletoads was one of Rare’s best titles for the NES, paving the way for them to be a major contributor to Nintendo’s home success in future generations. It is with good reason that Battletoads resonates with gamers to this day.

Other Great Or Important 1991 NES Games

• Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom – Arguably went too over-the-top in the difficulty department, but it is still a top-notch NES action-platformer.
• Sid Meier's Pirates! – Strategy adventure games were hard to come by on the NES, and this is probably the best.
• Smash TV – While best in arcades, Smash TV's decent NES port delivers awesomely chaotic arena shooting.
• Tecmo Super Bowl – Maybe the first truly amazing football game.

1992: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project

The Other Coolest Ninjas

Not to be overshadowed by Battletoads, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get their spot for 1992. The third TMNT title for the NES, The Manhattan Project, is easily the franchise’s best game on the console.

By the NES’s final few years, developers knew how to take full advantage of its capabilities, thereby producing even better results. The Manhattan Project is still a blast to play today, especially with a friend cooperatively on the couch. This title can’t help but put a smile on the face of a gamer of any age and will have players saying “Cowabanga dude!” or “It’s Pizza Time” in no time at all!

Other Great Or Important 1992 NES Games

• Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat – Fast gameplay and surprisingly good split-screen multiplayer.
• Lemmings – A respectable adaptation of the hugely popular computer game.

1993: Kirby’s Adventure

The Greatest Cuteness

The Kirby franchise made its home console debut in 1993, once again demonstrating Nintendo’s ability to produce incredibly iconic and long-lasting mascot characters. This 2D platformer was another game that could be enjoyed by an entire family, and its bright color palette really allowed the art to pop and have an everlasting appeal.

Kirby’s Adventure also expanded on the gameplay found in Kirby’s Dreamland for the Game Boy by introducing the franchise-defining copy mechanic. Now being able to swallow enemies whole and absorb their abilities made for new innovative gameplay loops and addictive experimentation, adding to replay value as well. The little pink roundball character would not be as beloved as it is today without the success of its NES debut.

Other Great Or Important 1993 NES Games

• Batman: Return of the Joker – Not an all-time great Batman game, but technically impressive for the NES.
• Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble in Wackyland – Mostly included as pickings are slim for 1993; that said, a perfectly enjoyable platformer.

1994: Mega Man 6

NES Swan Song

A franchise that imprinted a strong legacy on the NES was Keiji Inafune’s Mega Man (Rockman in Japan) series, so much so that we received six titles across the console’s lifespan. While most of the titles all share the same loveable Mega Man gaming identity, it only seems fitting that as the console wound down in 1994, this slot should belong to the 'Blue Bomber'.

As Capcom was transitioning to the SNES and Sony PlayStation, their confidence in Mega Man as their own mascot character was garnered much from his popularity on the NES. Mega Man 6 continued the tried-and-true formula of being able to play any level of the player’s choosing, to attain a boss’s ability by defeating them, and facilitating further progress. Mega Man 6 is a fitting swan song for both the series on the system and the system itself.

Other Great Or Important 1994 NES Games

• Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II – One of the final first-party games on the NES. Pretty good and quirky adventure.
• Wario's Woods – The last first-party game on the NES.