The Nintendo Entertainment System reached its peak in the 1980s, but its successor’s arrival did not end the older console’s run. A number of notable NES games were released in the 1990s, spanning platformers, role-playing games, sports and action titles. The ranking places Super Mario Bros. 3 at the top, with Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos and Final Fantasy among the other highlights.
Battletoads earns a place for its graphics, soundtrack and demanding levels. The article recommends playing solo: its multiplayer mode is prone to friendly fire and accidental deaths, while the single-player campaign follows Rash and Zitz as they try to rescue Pimple and Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen.
Tecmo Super Bowl, released in 1991, is highlighted as the NES’s standout third-party sports game. It features NFL players such as Jim Kelly, Randall Cunningham and Bernie Kosar, and lets players guide their chosen team to victory. The game’s use of the NFL license also helped lay groundwork for later football titles, including the John Madden series.
Capcom’s Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers is praised for its cooperative play, which lets players help one another defeat enemies. The game, based on the animated series, begins with the Rescue Rangers searching for a missing kitten, though the apparent rescue may be a distraction for the real villains. The ranking puts it ahead of Capcom’s DuckTales.
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is described as both one of the franchise’s best entries and one of its most difficult. Trevor Belmont joins Alucard, Sypha Belnades and Grant Danasty in confronting Dracula. Hidden death traps make the game especially punishing, while its varied level designs and soundtrack help sustain the experience.
Dragon Warrior IV, released in the United States under that title and known elsewhere as Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, tells its story across five chapters. Each introduces a new character before their parties unite against a threat to the world. Its battle tactics system lets players set how party members behave, and its world is presented as expansive for an NES role-playing game.
The original Final Fantasy follows the Warriors of Light as they take on the Elemental Fiends, who have dimmed the world’s crystals. Its boss battles, with enemies and the party facing off on opposite sides of the screen, are singled out as a strength of the game, which the ranking calls one of the NES’s best RPGs.
Kirby’s Adventure expands on the Game Boy’s Kirby’s Dream Land with a larger platforming adventure. Kirby travels across Dream Land to repair the Star Rod after King Dedede steals and breaks it. The game also introduced copy abilities, allowing Kirby to absorb certain enemies and gain their powers—a feature that became central to the character.
Mega Man 3 is presented as the middle ground among the NES series’ later entries. Dr. Wily claims to have reformed but builds new robots as part of another bid for world domination. The game’s challenging stages and boss fights make it a standout, even if it is less expansive than later NES Mega Man titles.
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos takes place a year after the first game. Ryu Hayabusa must stop Ashtar, emperor of the Realm of Darkness, who seeks revenge for Jaquio’s defeat. The sequel’s difficulty demands the player’s full attention, according to the ranking.
Super Mario Bros. 3 tops the list. Released in North America in 1990, it takes Mario through eight worlds with distinct terrain and hazards as he sets out to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. Its platforming, power-ups and level design are credited with setting a template for future 2D platformers.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.