Acclaimed Video Games
The top 1,000 most recommended games across 904 critic lists from 141 publications.
Updated: February 3, 2026
Most Acclaimed Nintendo Entertainment System Games of All Time
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#1 Tetris (1985) (#2)
Alexey Pajitnov | 8, DOS, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 97 lists
#2 Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) (#26)
Nintendo R&D4 | NES | Platform | ~5h | 60 lists
#3 Super Mario Bros. (1985) (#56)
Nintendo R&D4 | ARC, NES | Platform | ~2h | 43 lists
#4 The Legend of Zelda (1986) (#86)
Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~8h | 30 lists
#5 Mega Man 2 (1988) (#98)
Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 39 lists
#6 Donkey Kong (1981) (#124)
Ikegami Tsushinki, Nintendo | ARC, NES | Platform | ~18m | 34 lists
#7 Pac-Man (1980) (#152)
Namco | ARC, 3, 5, DOS, NES | Maze | ~48m | 33 lists
#8 Punch-Out!! / Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! (1987) (#169)
Nintendo R&D3 | NES | Sports | ~3h | 26 lists
#9 Contra (1987) (#200)
Konami | ARC, DOS, 3, NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 27 lists
#10 Metroid (1986) (#226)
Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~6h | 20 lists
#11 Sid Meier's Pirates! (1987) (#264)
MicroProse Software, Inc. | 6, DOS, MAC, NES | Strategy / Action-Adventure | ~8h | 16 lists
#12 Double Dragon (1987) (#268)
Technos Japan | ARC, NES, SMS | Beat 'em Up | ~1h | 20 lists
#13 Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) (#277)
Nintendo R&D4 | NES | Platform | ~3h | 16 lists
#14 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) (#284)
Origin Systems | 10, DOS, NES | Role-Playing | ~21h | 18 lists
#15 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#354)
Taito | ARC, 7, DOS, NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists
#16 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987) (#384)
Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Action RPG / Platform | ~10h | 13 lists
#17 Ninja Gaiden (1988) (#386)
Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | NES | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~3h | 13 lists
#18 Lode Runner (1983) (#387)
Brøderbund Software, Irem | ARC, 4, NES | Puzzle-Platformer | ~2h | 13 lists
#19 Castlevania (1986) (#390)
Konami | DOS, C64, AMI, NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists
#20 Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985) (#456)
Capcom | ARC, 3, NES | Platform | ~3h | 12 lists
#21 Arkanoid (1986) (#494)
Taito | ARC, 11, DOS, MAC, NES | Puzzle | ~2h | 9 lists
#22 Final Fantasy (1987) (#506)
Square | MSX, NES | Role-Playing | ~15h | 10 lists
#23 Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior (1986) (#511)
Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~9h | 9 lists
#24 Maniac Mansion (1987) (#516)
Lucasfilm Games | A2, C64, DOS, NES | Point-and-Click | ~3h | 11 lists
#25 Micro Machines (1991) (#519)
Codemasters | NES | Racing | ~3h | 9 lists
#26 Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) (#534)
Sir-tech Software | 7, NES, MAC | Role-Playing | ~25h | 10 lists
#27 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986) (#543)
Nintendo R&D4 | NES, SNES | Platform | ~3h | 8 lists
#28 Mega Man 3 (1990) (#547)
Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 10 lists
#29 Tecmo Bowl (1987) (#586)
Tecmo | ARC, NES | Sports | ~2h | 8 lists
#30 Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (1989) (#587)
Konami | NES | Platform | ~4h | 9 lists
#31 Bionic Commando (1988) (#616)
Capcom | NES | Platform | ~2h | 10 lists
#32 Bomberman (1983) (#617)
Hudson Soft | 4, NES | Strategy / Maze / Puzzle | ~2h | 7 lists
#33 Tecmo Super Bowl (1991) (#625)
Tecmo | NES, SNES, GEN | Football (American) / Sports | ~10h | 9 lists
#34 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987) (#653)
Taito | ARC, 5, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 8 lists
#35 Gradius / Nemesis (1985) (#667)
Konami | ARC, NES | Shooter | ~1h | 7 lists
#36 Baseball Stars (1989) (#675)
SNK | NES | Sports | ~9h | 8 lists
#37 Kid Icarus (1986) (#680)
Nintendo R&D1 | NES, FDS | Action / Platform | ~4h | 7 lists
#38 Shinobi (1987) (#725)
Team Shinobi | ARC, DOS, 6, NES, SMS, TG16 | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 6 lists
#39 Mario Bros. (1983) (#744)
Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, A26, A52, 5, NES | Platform | ~54m | 6 lists
#40 Kirby's Adventure (1993) (#758)
HAL Laboratory | NES | Platform | ~4h | 4 lists
#41 Dr. Mario (1990) (#762)
Nintendo | ARC, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~2h | 6 lists
#42 Mega Man (1987) (#764)
Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 7 lists
#43 DuckTales (1989) (#768)
Capcom | NES, GB | Platform | ~1h | 6 lists
#44 Spy Hunter (1983) (#827)
Bally Midway | ARC, A26, CV, 6, DOS, NES | Vehicular Combat | ~24m | 9 lists
#45 Final Fantasy III (1990) (#833)
Square | NES | Role-Playing | ~16h | 5 lists
#46 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (1990) (#851)
Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | ARC, NES | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~2h | 6 lists
#47 Smash TV (1990) (#852)
Williams | ARC, 5, NES, SNES, SMS, GEN | Shooter | ~2h | 5 lists
#48 Excitebike (1984) (#900)
Nintendo | ARC, PC88, NES | Racing | ~54m | 6 lists
#49 River City Ransom / Street Gangs (1989) (#915)
Technos Japan | NES | Action-Adventure / Beat 'em Up | ~2h | 5 lists
#50 Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen / Dragon Warrior IV (1990) (#920)
Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~27h | 5 lists
#51 Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (1992) (#924)
ArtePiazza, Square Enix Product Development Division 9 | NES | Role-Playing | ~31h | 3 lists
Tetris
1985
Super Mario Bros. 3
1988
Super Mario Bros.
1985
The Legend of Zelda
1986
Mega Man 2
1988
Donkey Kong
1981
Pac-Man
1980
Contra
1987
Metroid
1986
Sid Meier's Pirates!
1987
Double Dragon
1987
Super Mario Bros. 2
1988
Bubble Bobble
1986
Ninja Gaiden
1988
Lode Runner
1983
Castlevania
1986
Ghosts 'n Goblins
1985
Arkanoid
1986
Final Fantasy
1987
Maniac Mansion
1987
Micro Machines
1991
Mega Man 3
1990
Tecmo Bowl
1987
Bionic Commando
1988
Bomberman
1983
Tecmo Super Bowl
1991
Gradius / Nemesis
1985
Baseball Stars
1989
Kid Icarus
1986
Shinobi
1987
Mario Bros.
1983
Kirby's Adventure
1993
Dr. Mario
1990
Mega Man
1987
DuckTales
1989
Spy Hunter
1983
Final Fantasy III
1990
Smash TV
1990
Excitebike
1984
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