The Definitive Ranking of All 30 Mini NES Games
Not all games are created equal.
It might be months away, but Nintendo’s already revealed the games that will be available on its miniature NES Class Edition that’s set to come out on November 11. The question is: which of those included on the little console should you play first? Thankfully, we’ve answered that question.
30. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Look, there are going to be people angry about this being at the bottom, and that’s okay. This is still where it belongs.
29. Balloon Fight
Yes, it’s true, Adventure of Link belongs below Balloon Fight.
28. Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble is cute and mostly forgettable, but it’s still a nice little game.
27. Ice Climber
Ice Climber is most notable for bringing the most annoying fighter to the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Second most notable aspect? Climbing ice.
26. Kid Icarus
The game’s a classic, but it’s basically just vertical Zelda and so it belongs all the way down here.
25. StarTropics
There is perhaps no single sentence in existence to best describe StarTropics, so hopefully the video above will suffice.
24. Super C
Super C is actually short for Super Contra and that’s what it is: more Contra.
23. Donkey Kong Jr.
Donkey Kong Jr. is basically just Donkey Kong with the roles reversed.
22. Pac-Man
I mean, it’s Pac-Man. He eats ghosts and little blips and people love him.
21. Mario Bros.
Why play this one when there’s several “super” versions available? And yet, here it is.
20. Gradius
Classic side-scrolling action as a fighter jet or sorts. Nothing to complain about, but also nothing to write home about.
19. Ghosts n Goblins
This game is basically Dark Souls before Dark Souls was Dark Souls. In short: it is hard.
18. Tecmo Bowl
The best football game on the NES.
17. Galaga
A favorite at arcades, Galaga’s simple formula of dodge and shoot has withstood the test of time.
16. Donkey Kong
Nothing like a little nostalgia to put a game firmly in the middle of the pack.
15. Dr. Mario
A fine little game that’s outclassed by nearly all the other Mario titles on the miniature NES.
14. Double Dragon II: The Revenge
A solid, straightforward beat ‘em up. Sold!
13. Castlevania II: Simons Quest
Castlevania II is basically just more Castlevania. Still good, though.
12. Ninja Gaiden
Never been a Ninja Gaiden fan, personally, but even I recognize greatness when I see it.
11. Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
Just don’t mention Mike Tyson.
10. Kirby’s Adventure
Nothing like a little early Kirby to get going in the morning. It’s certainly not the best game available, but it’s a far cry from the worst.
9. Super Mario Bros.
There’s a reason this game has survived all the years and remains in the public’s mind.
8. Castlevania
Video games like Bloodborne owe a debt to the original Castlevania that cannot be repaid.
7. Final Fantasy
There’s nothing terribly exciting about the original Final Fantasy, but it’s a staple for a reason. It’s like regular bread — nobody’s thrilled, but good bread is good bread.
6. Excitebike
Even now, years, later, bikes remain exciting.
5. Super Mario Bros. 2
The weird, cool cousin to all the other Mario games deserves a place in the top five.
4. Metroid
The original outing of Samus Aran is just as much fun now as it was then, and another excuse to play Metroid is most welcome.
3. Mega Man 2
Though I personally prefer Mega Man 3, Mega Man 2 is the people’s choice out of the NES iterations. They’re wrong, but, yeah. It’s popular for a reason.
2. The Legend of Zelda
Sure, fans could play this in a dozen different ways, but it’s always tempting when put right in front of you.
1. Super Mario Bros. 3
The last four or five here are pretty close together, but Super Mario Bros. 3 easily secures the top spot by virtue of being the best Super Mario Bros. on the NES. That’s just a fact.
Notable Snubs!
Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers
Really just for my own pleasure is this included.
Contra
Sure, there’s Super C, but where’s the plain old C?
Mega Man 3
The best Mega Man on the console.
Tetris
Because seriously, how could this not have Tetris?
