Are you a certified old head and/or super into retro gaming?
Well, I’m old and into retro gaming, which makes me pretty qualified to throw down a list of the top 10 must-have NES games for every collector. These games were literally everywhere back in the day, so you’re bound to get a nod of approval from every OG gamer if you have them in your collection.
Plus, these games are just plain fun, even in 2024. If you have a working NES, you can shove that cartridge in the system and still squeeze hours of enjoyment out of ‘em. That’s right; no downloading and installing the latest patches required. Plug and play, baby!
So, without further ado, here’s our top 10 must-haves for your collection.
10. Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!!
The younger generation may wonder what’s so significant about a boxing game featuring the guy who talked funny and owned a tiger in The Hangover, but you didn’t have to be an avid boxing fan to know Iron Mike Tyson back in 1987 when this gem dropped.
Tyson was larger than life at the time. They called him the Baddest Man on the Planet for a reason. If you hadn’t heard of him, it was probably because he chomped off your ear to teach you a lesson about putting respect on his name.
So, when Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!! came out, people were clambering for their chance to take a shot at the champ. Let that be a reminder to be careful what you wish for!
Before going toe-to-toe with Iron Mike, players had to defeat a cast of colorful characters. That was a feat in and of itself, but Tyson was totally on another level. The champ floated like a butterfly and stung like a Mack truck, knocking out poor Little Mac with a single punch. You were going to execute those dodges and counterpunches with total technical precision or throw your controller across the room for the umpteenth time; there was no middle ground.
But, while brutal, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!! was a technical masterpiece that took the world by storm. It didn’t spawn a legacy like some of our other picks, but it was super fun and deserves its spot here on our list of must-haves for your collection.
See it in the Ghetto Shop
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I could’ve thrown this spot to a couple of worthy contenders—Ninja Gaiden and Battletoads get an honorable mention here—but ultimately I gave the spot to a different near-impossible game from the NES era: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Why did I pick the Heroes in a Half-Shell? Is it because they totally dominated TV screens and toy shelves back in the day? Is it because my parents hired a guy to dress up as Raphael and come to my 4th birthday party only to find out that my favorite ninja turtle was Donatello?
I mean, seriously, guys? Raphael? Do you even know me at all?
Well, I’m over that now (clearly), but the real reason I chose TMNT is because it’s 2024 and they’re having a moment all over again. Michael Bay gave us two turtle movies in the 2010s, we got a 5-season animated show on Nick, they released an animated film called TMNT: Mutant Mayhem last year with a sequel slated for 2026, there’s a reboot show set to premiere in August called Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a whole slew of games.
So, while these whippersnappers get their dose of turtle power, we get to fondly reminisce of those times we tried in vain to beat the second level of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. It was brutal, endlessly frustrating, and yet so representative of our favorite collective childhood memories.
There are better games to play in 2024, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an iconic game that more than deserves a spot in every collector’s collection.
8. Final Fantasy
Unforgettable characters, intricate plotlines, state-of-the-art graphics, an immersive engine tying it all together—Final Fantasy set the gold standard for JRPGs for including these things in each entry of the series.
But, before the talk of the town was who you’re taking on the Gold Saucer date in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, it was about four spritely sprites called the Warriors of Light and their plight to save the princess from the clutches of the evil Garland.
The first installment of the Final Fantasy series starts simple enough, but it unfolds into arguably the best RPG of its era. Between the engaging plot, the ability to customize your team using the class system (Red Mages all the way, baby!), an expansive map with iconic creatures lurking in every nook and cranny, it’s no surprise that Final Fantasy became a household name.
Retro gamers, collectors, and RPG enthusiasts alike consider the first Final Fantasy a must-have for their collection, and so do we!
7. Mega Man 2
I’m inclined to give bonus points to the first entry in any game series because, after all, they’re the original. You don’t get to have Final Fantasy VII if there wasn’t a Final Fantasy. In the case of Mega Man, however, I’m throwing down the sequel that saved the series’ skin: Mega Man 2.
The OG Mega Man wasn’t a bad game, by any means, but it was janky and it was brutally hard. They did a lot right, conceptually and in the execution, but cumbersome controls, arguably unfair enemy abilities and AI, the freakin’ Yellow Devil kinda killed the drive.
That’s where Mega Man 2 came in to save the day. The mechanics were smoothed out, the difficulty was curbed slightly, and there was a layer of polish over the whole thing that made it more of a delight.
Plus, that soundtrack! With more available space on the cartridge, the devs were able to cram banger after banger in there to keep you movin’ and groovin’ as you Metal Blade cheese your way through each level.
It’s very possible the series wouldn’t have survived without the major success of Mega Man 2, thus earning its spot on the list of must-haves.
6. Contra
The ‘80s were notorious for having loads of larger-than-life action heroes on the big screen. We’re talking muscle-bound hunks like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Bruce Willis mowing down crowds of bad guys with their massive guns, and we don’t mean those rippling biceps!
Konami capitalized on that trend and created the arcade classic Contra in 1986, which tasked you and your commando comrade to defeat the evil Red Falcon Organization and, as it would turn out, an alien entity that had taken control of it. It was one part Alien, one part Rambo, all parts multiplayer masterpiece.
Contra dominated in arcades everywhere, so Konami brought it to the NES in 1987, giving players a chance to run and gun sans quarters. To this day, it remains the definitive title for multiplayer mayhem on the NES. You really can’t do much better.
The OG Contra featured some of the most addictive gameplay anyone had ever seen at that time. This winning formula would ultimately pave the way for the undisputed SNES masterpiece Contra III: The Alien Wars, a title that remains firmly embedded in the Top 10 lists of old-school gamers everywhere.
So, whether you’re looking for an NES game with tons of replay value or a piece of run-and-gun history, you can’t do better than the original Contra, making it a must-have for every collector.
Milo wanted to take a shot at Castlevania. It went about like you'd expect.
— The Gelatinous Gamer (@longie_long) July 9, 2020
Please watch till the bitter end. pic.twitter.com/VJku0UHrKw
5. Castlevania
We may catch some flak here for putting Castlevania over Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, but you also may recall that I like giving bonus points to games that started something.
Well, Castlevania started something, alright—a whole freakin’ subgenre. Without this NES gem, we’re missing half of the formula of the popular Metroidvania format that all started when Samus Aran and Richter Belmont suited up to tackle their respective foes.
Castlevania had it all: style, atmosphere, a bangin’ soundtrack, and iconic enemies like Death and Count Dracula himself. If you had the skill—and you’d probably need a little bit of luck too, if we’re being honest—you could whip your way through all six stages and take that bloodsucker down! It was an arduous feat, but somehow much more doable than Dracula’s Curse.
So, you know what? Make your collection extra complete and grab yourself Castlevania and Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. We give you permission to skip Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest though.
Editor’s Note: The editor of this site loves Castlevania II. The comments here are the author’s alone and in no way reflect the opinions of The Ghetto Gamer.
4. Metroid
Before Samus was your Super Smash main, she was blasting aliens and space pirates on the planet Zebes in the original Metroid, aka the other half of the previously mentioned Metroidvania subgenre. To say that Metroid was a revolutionary release is an understatement.
Metroid was one of the biggest, most ambitious titles to grace the NES, featuring innovative concepts like open world exploration, weapons and abilities that upgrade through progression, and a “play at your own pace” approach to the rich environment.
Without Metroid, you wouldn’t have the acclaimed series and newer classics like Super Metroid or Metroid Prime, you wouldn’t have Samus in Super Smash, and you potentially wouldn’t have any of the more recent Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight or Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
Metroid stands shoulder to shoulder with the best NES titles, began a wildly successful series, introduced us to one of the strongest female figures in modern gaming, and invented an entire subgenre. Needless to say, we’re calling it a must-have for your NES collection.
3. The Legend of Zelda
Is the list getting more and more predictable as we approach the end?
Obviously, we couldn’t lay down a list of the top 10 must-haves without The Legend of Zelda, aka the greatest adventure game the NES has to offer. Without this masterpiece, there’s no Tears of the Kingdom, no Ocarina of Time, no A Link to the Past, no Link in Super Smash— none of it!
The Legend of Zelda introduced us to Hyrule, a world rich in lore, shrouded in mystery, and inhabited by some of Ninentdo’s most recognizable characters to date. It left an indelible mark on modern gaming, offering a non-linear gaming experience, open-world exploration, and a slew of inventive items and weapons.
And it had that theme song. You know which one; you’re singing it in your head right now because I brought it up. You’ll probably sing it to yourself all day now. You’re welcome!
So, it’s no surprise that The Legend of Zelda sits high and mighty in the spot number three. It’s a masterpiece that arguably holds up better than many modern Zelda titles, making it an obvious must-have for every retro gamer’s collection.
2. Tetris
There’s beauty in simplicity. That must be how Tetris, a puzzle game that involves making neat little rows out of falling blocks, has sold more than 500 million copies to date, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.
For many of us, the NES version was our introduction to this instantly recognizable classic. We spent hours sitting in front of the TV grooving to the catchy 8-bit chiptunes and praying for one of those long skinny blue pieces to come so we could clean up our mess and start anew.
You really can’t understate the impact Tetris has had on the world. Gamers and nongamers alike revel in the experience of fitting blocks together in the endless pursuit of completely clearing the playing area and prolonging your life as your score climbs ever higher.
It’s objectively one of the best games ever created, so Tetris is another no-brainer inclusion for your NES collection.
BTW we always have Tetris in stock. Check it out!
1. Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt
When it comes to Super Mario titles on the NES, you’ll always have the two warring camps of Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3. Don’t get me wrong; I love Raccoon Mario as much as the next gamer, but the original Super Mario Bros. edges out its threequel for a few reasons.
First off, you may recall me mentioning—say it with me this time—that I give bonus points for titles that started something. Sure, we saw Mario doing his darndest to dodge Donkey Kong’s barrels in the classic Donkey Kong, but Super Mario Bros. was the first time we really stepped into the plumber’s shoes to traipse turtles in the Mushroom Kingdom.
The original Super Mario Bros. introduced us to the platforming that laid the groundwork for many future platforming games, including the beloved Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, as well as iconic items like the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Super Star. We got our first glimpses of Goombas, Koopas, Piranha Plants—the list goes on. And we got one of gaming’s most iconic phrases, “Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!”
All of this is enough, in my humble opinion, to edge out the equally excellent Super Mario Bros. 3, but I’m about to lay the whole thing to rest in one move: Duck Hunt. While both games were originally released in 1985, Nintendo created a combo cartridge in 1988 and sold both games as a package deal.
Now, you get the undisputed NES GOAT Super Mario Bros. as well as Duck Hunt, a simple but super addictive game that lets you point the Nintendo Zapper at your TV screen and blast birds out of the sky or get laughed at by a cartoon dog. It was a match made in heaven.
So, for all the marbles, the number one must-have for your NES collection is the 1988 combo cartridge of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.
