Tier I:
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Willow
Crystalis
Kirby’s Adventure
Little Ninja Brothers
Adventures in the Magic Kingdom

Tier II:
Mega Man 3
Déjà Vu
Final Fantasy
Dragon Warrior IV
Maniac Mansion
DuckTales
Darkwing Duck
Mother (EarthBound Zero)
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt

Tier III:
Kid Kool
Rad Racer
Side Pocket
Bad News Baseball
Snow Brothers
Blades of Steel
Wario’s Woods
Adventure Island II
Super Dodge Ball
The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout

There are games I haven’t played yet that might make the list, like Cobra Triangle and Faxanadu. There are many gems for me to find for this console and I can’t really say the same for the later ones.

Nope! If you haven’t played it, it can’t go on the list. The idea is a list of games you actually do play. I’m sick of lists where people put up games because they saw a website put them up or a message forum thread rave about them. Aside from the Marios and Zeldas, I think people will have surprising answers as to what they find FUN. Usually the games that are actually FUN are very different from what game journalists and message forums tell us that are fun. For example, if I made a top list (I’m not ready to yet), two games that would make my Tier 1 would be Qix and Arkanoid. Qix is arcade perfect and insanely addictive and replayable. Arkanoid is also one of the best versions of that game. Timeless and even has its own unique controller. But no one ever lists games like those… except for hardcore NES collectors who have had their collections for a long time. I think there are many games out there that got overlooked by the 1980s media (!) of the time, of the childhood haze of the time, of the media today who keep making the same exact lists over and over again, that we don’t really have opportunity for gamers to speak out. Sure, the Mario and Zelda games are going to be on top. But I know there is more.

Only games you play, please!