Tasha's Top 20 Best NES Games of All Time

15. Sweet Home

Ah, Sweet Home. Probably like the first survival horror type game I remember. I guess it's a bit more like a supernatural-themed RPG, really.

This game stands out to me because it plays like an RPG but does not have a fantasy setting like one would expect. You take control of 5 different survivors as they travel to a haunted mansion to search for priceless frescos done by a now-deceased artist. Each survivor has their own items and abilities that make them useful in different situations. You can also acquire more things to help you progress and escape the haunted house. Equip items and be careful to keep an eye on inventory as they can only carry so many items at a time. Your team will go up against ghosts, haunted dolls, skeletons, and all manner of things that go bump in the night. This was an excellent first introduction to a horror genre for me, and it's still an enjoyable RPG that's still quite entertaining. Can you make it out alive?

14. Batman: The Video Game

If you’ve ever wanted to put yourself in the shoes of the Dark Knight himself and save Gotham, this is the game to let you do it. Batman is one the best superhero games released for the NES, and while it’s not an exact recreation of the film, it still features many of the visuals. You will see familiar faces such as the beautiful Vicki Vale and Jack Nicholson’s Joker. It also keeps many of the Tim Burton touches like the style of the Batmobile. The game features similar gameplay to that of Ninja Gaiden in that Batman can use his acrobatic skills to wall jump to higher ground. Batman mostly uses his fits to take down the bad guys, but he can also use common Batman items such as a batarang, batdisk, and spear gun. This was one of my favorite games as I have always had a soft spot for Batman. This is one classic that is worthy of replaying.

13. Dragon Quest (aka Dragon Warrior)

Now, I am a huge fan of RPGs, so Dragon Quest has to be on this list for me. I love good old-fashioned games with an open world map, dungeons, and many monsters to battle. In this epic tale, you are tasked with saving a princess and the kingdom from which she hails.

One of the more exciting things about Dragon Quest is the fact that you don't have a party. You are pretty much out to save the world on your own. You do, however, have many magical items to help you get past obstacles and continue on your way. Dragon Quest went on to become a trilogy and was ported many times. It even got its own anime and manga series. This game has been well-loved throughout the years, and it's no wonder why.

12. Shadow Warriors (aka Ninja Gaiden)

"With whom did father have a duel and lose?.. For what reason did he fight and die?" These are the opening lines of Ninja Gaiden. You play as a young man who has recently lost his father but is given a task by him nonetheless to take the dragon sword to America. While this task may sound simple, you are also out to avenge your father and save the world from evil. That's a lot to place on a young man.

Ninja Gaiden is an action platformer that has a similar play style to Castlevania. But aside from the usual platformer type of movements, Ryu can also wall jump to ascend higher without needing ladders or stairs. Ryu uses his family dragon sword, but he can also acquire secondary weapons to dispatch his foes. What I always liked about Ninja Gaiden, as a series, really, is the deep storylines. I also enjoyed this original installment because you can move in ways most platformers don't allow for. Ninja Gaiden is one of those games that is still enjoyable to play regardless of how old it gets.

11. Final Fantasy

Now, this next one I know might catch me a little bit of flak, but Final Fantasy comes up next for me. I love this game, and I love this series in general, save for a few installments. Final Fantasy is one of the series that helped lead to my life-long love of fantasy RPGs. In all honesty, I got my start with 7, but I did backtrack and end up playing them all. I still particularly like the first one because it's cute and still a very epic tale regardless of the time.

You and your team of heroes are tasked with restoring shine to the orbs. To do this, you must fight many monsters and the forces of evil. Final Fantasy is an old-school RPG at its finest, with classes to choose from and the ability to name your own characters. As with any good RPG, there are many options as far as weapons and gear go; strategy is critical with turn-based combat. This is a classic RPG to be revisited again and again.