Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,400 most recommended games across 920 critic lists from 146 publications.

Updated: October 16, 2026

Most Acclaimed Nintendo Entertainment System Games of All Time

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66 of 66

Tetris

#1 Tetris (1985) (#4)

Alexey Pajitnov | 8, DOS, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 103 lists

Super Mario Bros. 3

#2 Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) (#38)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES | Platform | ~5h | 63 lists

Super Mario Bros.

#3 Super Mario Bros. (1985) (#56)

Nintendo R&D4 | ARC, NES | Platform | ~2h | 48 lists

The Legend of Zelda

#4 The Legend of Zelda (1986) (#102)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~8h | 31 lists

Mega Man 2

#5 Mega Man 2 (1988) (#109)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 39 lists

Donkey Kong

#6 Donkey Kong (1981) (#123)

Ikegami Tsushinki, Nintendo | ARC, NES | Platform | ~18m | 36 lists

Pac-Man

#7 Pac-Man (1980) (#130)

Namco | ARC, 3, 5, DOS, NES | Maze | ~48m | 38 lists

Punch-Out!! / Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!

#8 Punch-Out!! / Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! (1987) (#187)

Nintendo R&D3 | NES | Sports | ~3h | 26 lists

Contra

#9 Contra (1987) (#201)

Konami | ARC, DOS, 3, NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 29 lists

Metroid

#10 Metroid (1986) (#227)

Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~6h | 22 lists

Sid Meier's Pirates!

#11 Sid Meier's Pirates! (1987) (#237)

MicroProse Software, Inc. | 6, DOS, MAC, NES | Strategy / Action-Adventure | ~8h | 19 lists

Double Dragon

#12 Double Dragon (1987) (#274)

Technos Japan | ARC, NES, SMS | Beat 'em Up | ~1h | 20 lists

Super Mario Bros. 2 / Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic

#13 Super Mario Bros. 2 / Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987) (#293)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 17 lists

#14 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) (#306)

Origin Systems | 10, DOS, NES | Role-Playing | ~21h | 19 lists

Ninja Gaiden

#15 Ninja Gaiden (1988) (#369)

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | NES | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

Castlevania

#16 Castlevania (1986) (#370)

Konami | DOS, C64, AMI, NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 15 lists

Bubble Bobble

#17 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#375)

Taito | ARC, 7, DOS, NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

Lode Runner

#18 Lode Runner (1983) (#395)

Brøderbund Software, Irem | ARC, 4, NES | Puzzle-Platformer | ~2h | 14 lists

Ghosts 'n Goblins

#19 Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985) (#415)

Capcom | ARC, 3, NES | Platform | ~3h | 13 lists

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

#20 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987) (#420)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Action RPG / Platform | ~10h | 13 lists

Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior

#21 Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior (1986) (#515)

Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~9h | 9 lists

Arkanoid

#22 Arkanoid (1986) (#516)

Taito | ARC, 11, DOS, MAC, NES | Puzzle | ~2h | 9 lists

Final Fantasy

#23 Final Fantasy (1987) (#522)

Square | MSX, NES | Role-Playing | ~15h | 10 lists

Micro Machines

#24 Micro Machines (1991) (#524)

Codemasters | NES | Racing | ~3h | 9 lists

Maniac Mansion

#25 Maniac Mansion (1987) (#526)

Lucasfilm Games | A2, C64, DOS, NES | Point-and-Click | ~3h | 11 lists

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

#26 Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) (#535)

Sir-tech Software | 7, NES, MAC | Role-Playing | ~26h | 11 lists

Bomberman

#27 Bomberman (1983) (#554)

Hudson Soft | 4, NES | Maze | ~2h | 8 lists

Mega Man 3

#28 Mega Man 3 (1990) (#574)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 10 lists

Tecmo Bowl

#29 Tecmo Bowl (1987) (#598)

Tecmo | ARC, NES | Sports | ~2h | 8 lists

Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse

#30 Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (1989) (#603)

Konami | NES | Platform | ~4h | 9 lists

Tecmo Super Bowl

#31 Tecmo Super Bowl (1991) (#604)

Tecmo | NES, SNES, GEN | Football (American) / Sports | ~10h | 10 lists

Bionic Commando

#32 Bionic Commando (1988) (#624)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~2h | 10 lists

Gradius / Nemesis

#33 Gradius / Nemesis (1985) (#660)

Konami | ARC, NES | Shooter | ~1h | 8 lists

Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2

#34 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987) (#672)

Taito | ARC, 5, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 8 lists

Kid Icarus

#35 Kid Icarus (1986) (#682)

Nintendo R&D1 | NES, FDS | Action / Platform | ~4h | 7 lists

Baseball Stars

#36 Baseball Stars (1989) (#683)

SNK | NES | Sports | ~9h | 8 lists

Shinobi

#37 Shinobi (1987) (#738)

Team Shinobi | ARC, DOS, 6, NES, SMS, TG16 | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 6 lists

Mario Bros.

#38 Mario Bros. (1983) (#748)

Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, A26, A52, 5, NES | Platform | ~54m | 7 lists

Mega Man

#39 Mega Man (1987) (#754)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 7 lists

Kirby's Adventure

#40 Kirby's Adventure (1993) (#759)

HAL Laboratory | NES | Platform | ~4h | 4 lists

DuckTales

#41 DuckTales (1989) (#764)

Capcom | NES, GB | Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

Dr. Mario

#42 Dr. Mario (1990) (#785)

Nintendo | ARC, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 6 lists

Final Fantasy III

#43 Final Fantasy III (1990) (#807)

Square | NES | Role-Playing | ~16h | 6 lists

Spy Hunter

#44 Spy Hunter (1983) (#822)

Bally Midway | ARC, A26, CV, 6, DOS, NES | Vehicular Combat | ~24m | 9 lists

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos

#45 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (1990) (#869)

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | ARC, NES | Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

Smash TV

#46 Smash TV (1990) (#875)

Williams | ARC, 5, NES, SNES, SMS, GEN | Shooter | ~2h | 5 lists

River City Ransom / Street Gangs

#47 River City Ransom / Street Gangs (1989) (#886)

Technos Japan | NES | Action-Adventure / Beat 'em Up | ~2h | 5 lists

Excitebike

#48 Excitebike (1984) (#899)

Nintendo | ARC, PC88, NES | Racing | ~48m | 6 lists

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen / Dragon Warrior IV

#49 Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen / Dragon Warrior IV (1990) (#934)

Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~27h | 5 lists

Qix

#50 Qix (1981) (#989)

Taito | ARC, 3, A52, NES | Puzzle | ~42m | 6 lists

Paperboy

#51 Paperboy (1985) (#1051)

Atari Games, Vivid Games | ARC, 5, NES | Action | ~1h | 3 lists

Blades of Steel / Konamic Ice Hockey

#52 Blades of Steel / Konamic Ice Hockey (1987) (#1089)

Konami | ARC, DOS, C64, AMI, NES, FDS | Sports | ~2h | 3 lists

Ikari Warriors

#53 Ikari Warriors (1986) (#1096)

SNK | ARC, MSX, CPC, NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 4 lists

Salamander / Life Force

#54 Salamander / Life Force (1986) (#1107)

Konami | ARC, 4, NES | Shooter | ~48m | 5 lists

Super Sprint

#55 Super Sprint (1986) (#1115)

Atari Games | ARC, A26, 4, NES | Racing | ~24m | 3 lists

Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES)

#56 Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES) (1989) (#1140)

Technos Japan | NES | Beat 'em Up | 3 lists

R.C. Pro-Am

#57 R.C. Pro-Am (1988) (#1158)

Rare | NES | Racing / Vehicular Combat | ~2h | 6 lists

Spy vs. Spy

#58 Spy vs. Spy (1984) (#1174)

First Star Software, Vatical Entertainment | 7, NES, SMS | ~1h | 5 lists

Commando / Senjō no Ōkami

#59 Commando / Senjō no Ōkami (1985) (#1177)

Capcom | ARC, 4, DOS, NES | Run and Gun | 3 lists

Xevious

#60 Xevious (1983) (#1188)

Namco | ARC, 6, NES, A78 | Shooter | ~1h | 4 lists

Puyo Puyo

#61 Puyo Puyo (1991) (#1198)

Compile | ARC, 3, 3, GEN, GG | Puzzle | ~30m | 3 lists

Battletoads

#62 Battletoads (1991) (#1224)

Rare | NES, GEN | Beat 'em Up / Platform | ~4h | 3 lists

Donkey Kong Jr.

#63 Donkey Kong Jr. (1982) (#1261)

Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, A26, NES | Platform | ~18m | 4 lists

Metal Gear

#64 Metal Gear (1987) (#1273)

Konami | DOS, C64, MSX, NES | Action-Adventure / Stealth | ~4h | 4 lists

Ice Hockey

#65 Ice Hockey (1988) (#1287)

Nintendo R&D4, Pax Softonica | NES, FDS | Sports | ~36m | 5 lists

Solomon's Key

#66 Solomon's Key (1986) (#1351)

Tecmo | ARC, DOS, 4, NES, SMS, TG16 | Puzzle | ~4h | 3 lists

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