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CLAY TRIBUNE.
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Every NES Game, Reviewed

Every NES game we have played and scored, best first. The list grows as the reviews land.

97 reviews, scored.

  1. 1Mega Man 5Mega Man 5 Polishes the Series Formula — and Adds Beat the…9.6
  2. 2Super Mario Bros. 3Tanooki Suits and a World Map Pushed Nintendo’s 8-Bit Hardware as Far…9.2
  3. 3Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros. Review: Simple Rules, Sharp Design8.9
  4. 4Base WarsBase Wars: Baseball That Settles Its Disputes With Fists8.7
  5. 5Dragon Warrior IIEnix’s First Sequel Tripled the Map and Trusted Players to Suffer for…8.7
  6. 6The Legend of ZeldaThe Legend of Zelda Endures Because It Never Explains Itself8.4
  7. 7Maniac MansionManiac Mansion Let You Fail, Split the Party, and Still Made Every…8.3
  8. 8TetrisOne Job, Done Perfectly: Tetris on the NES8.2
  9. 9Punch-Out!!Punch-Out!! Makes NES Boxing a Puzzle of Timing and Patience8.2
  10. 10Dragon Warrior IVHow a Chapter-Based NES RPG Let You Play the Heroes’ Companions Before…8.2
  11. 11Mega Man 2Mega Man 2 Still Sets the Standard for NES Action8.2
  12. 12MetroidMetroid hands players no map and makes discovery the reward — 8.1/108.1
  13. 13Tecmo Super BowlTecmo’s Full NFL Season on NES Still Plays Fast and Earns an…8
  14. 14Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! Review: Watching Beats Hitting, and the Champ Still Punishes…8
  15. 15CrystalisSNK’s post-apocalyptic NES action-RPG earned a place beside Zelda and never got…8
  16. 16Guardian LegendGuardian Legend Blends Shoot-‘Em-Up Speed With Exploratory Adventure on the NES —…7.9
  17. 17Duck TalesPogo-Caning Through Duck Tales on NES Still Feels Great — a 7.9/10…7.9
  18. 18Bubble BobbleHow One Bubble-Blowing Trick Carries an Entire NES Game7.9
  19. 19Little Nemo: The Dream MasterFeeding Candy to Monsters Still Charms: Little Nemo’s Dream Master Earns a…7.8
  20. 20Life ForceKonami’s Life Force Rewards Two Players Who Can Survive Its Noise and…7.8
  21. 21GradiusGradius Review: NES Shooter Scores 7.9, Demands Memory and Nerve7.8
  22. 22ExcitebikeExcitebike: Patience, Timing and an Engine Meter That Still Teach7.8
  23. 23Dragon Warrior IIIDragon Warrior III on NES: Job Swapping Rewards the Long Grind7.8
  24. 24Castlevania III: Dracula's CurseCastlevania III Review: Branching Paths and Three Companions Make a Harder Castle…7.8
  25. 25Adventure IslandOne Hit and You’re Back at the Start — Why Adventure Island’s…7.7
  26. 26Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan ProjectTurtles III on the NES: Fair Fights and a Two-Player Mode Earn…7.7
  27. 27Sweet HomeSweet Home at 35: Capcom’s NES Horror Still Earns Its 7.77.7
  28. 28Metal GearMetal Gear on NES: Stealth Still Rewards Patience Despite a Confusing Fortress…7.7
  29. 29Kirby's AdventureCuriosity Pays Off in Kirby’s Adventure, the NES Swan Song That Hid…7.7
  30. 30RygarRygar on NES: One Clever Chain Weapon Carries a Rough, Open Quest…7.6
  31. 31FaxanaduFaxanadu Rewards the Climb Up Its World Tree — 7.5/107.6
  32. 32ZanacZanac’s adaptive difficulty reads your play and pushes back — a 7.5…7.5
  33. 33Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade GameTurtles II on NES Trades Four Players for a Harder, Longer Fight…7.5
  34. 34ShadowgateShadowgate on the NES Kills Often and Rewards Slow Thinking7.5
  35. 35Kabuki Quantum FighterKabuki Quantum Fighter Whips the NES With Hair-Based Combat — 7.5/107.5
  36. 36DuckTales 2DuckTales 2 Proves a Worthy NES Sequel, Earning a Solid 7.5/107.5
  37. 37River City RansomRiver City Ransom Fights Above Its Weight on NES7.5
  38. 38Super Mario Bros. 2Super Mario Bros. 2 Trades Stomping for Throwing, and Four Heroes Make…7.5
  39. 39Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of ChaosRyu’s Return Sharpens the Action but Keeps the Cheap Deaths7.5
  40. 40Ghosts 'n GoblinsWhy Ghosts ‘n Goblins Keeps Killing You — and Why You Keep…7.4
  41. 41JackalJackal on NES Still Earns Its 7.4 as a Two-Player Jeep Rescue…7.4
  42. 42Batman: The Video GameSunsoft’s NES Batman Punishes You Every Step — and Earns Your Persistence…7.4
  43. 43Kickle CubicleKickle Cubicle: A Patient Puzzle Box on the NES7.4
  44. 44Chip 'n Dale Rescue RangersChip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers on NES: Boxes, Friendship, and a Fair…7.4
  45. 45Ninja GaidenNinja Gaiden Mixes Story Scenes With Harsh Levels on the NES —…7.4
  46. 46CastlevaniaKonami’s Original Whip-Cracker Earns Its Difficulty — Why the First Castlevania Remains…7.4
  47. 47Vice: Project DoomVice: Project Doom Review: Three Games in One Cartridge, and Most of…7.3
  48. 48Adventures of LoloAdventures of Lolo: Quiet Rooms That Reward the Patient Thinker7.3
  49. 49Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of DoomWhy Ninja Gaiden III’s Brutal Difficulty Still Splits Its Defenders and Detractors7.3
  50. 50Dragon WarriorThe NES RPG That Rewards Patient Grinding With a Simple but Solid…7.3
  51. 51Mega ManBefore the sequels smoothed it out, Mega Man’s NES debut was already…7.3
  52. 52Wizards & WarriorsWizards & Warriors on NES Opens a Wide Kingdom but Never Teaches…7.2
  53. 53Zelda: The Adventure of LinkWhy Zelda’s Strangest Sequel Traded Exploration for Side-Scrolling Difficulty7.2
  54. 54WillowWillow on the NES: A Film Adaptation With Real Depth7.2
  55. 55Darkwing DuckPatience Pays Off in Darkwing Duck’s Punishing NES Platforming7.2
  56. 56StarTropicsStarTropics Earns a 7.2 as the NES Island Adventure Whose Packed-In Letter…7.2
  57. 57Final FantasyFinal Fantasy on NES: Four Fighters Against the Dark — 7.2/107.2
  58. 58Double Dragon II: The RevengeDouble Dragon II: The Revenge — A Darker, Rougher Fight on the…7.2
  59. 59Double DragonDouble Dragon on NES: A Solid Fight, Fought Alone7.2
  60. 60Bionic CommandoBionic Commando on NES: The Hook Replaces the Spring, and It Works7.2
  61. 61Mega Man 6Familiar to a Fault, the Blue Bomber’s Final NES Outing Plays It…7.2
  62. 62PaperboyPaperboy on NES: A Narrow Path Between Throwing and Surviving7.1
  63. 63MotherMother Trades Dragons for Telephones on the NES and Earns Its 7.17.1
  64. 64Tecmo BowlTwo Buttons and a Friend on the Couch Keep Tecmo Bowl’s Football…7.1
  65. 65Gargoyle's Quest IIGargoyle’s Quest II Brings the Demon Hero to NES with Sharp Stages…7.1
  66. 66Duck HuntWhy the Laughing Dog Keeps Duck Hunt Honest — a 7.1 for…7.1
  67. 67BattletoadsBattletoads at 7.1: Rare’s NES Brawler Shines Until the Vehicle Stage Hits7.1
  68. 68Zelda II: The Adventure of LinkZelda II Swapped the Overhead View for Side-Scrolling Combat and RPG Leveling,…7.1
  69. 69Skate or DieSkate or Die on NES: Five Events That Mostly Land7
  70. 70Section ZSection Z Review: Capcom’s Branching NES Shooter Earns Its 77
  71. 71Kid Niki: Radical NinjaKid Niki: Radical Ninja on NES — a Wide Sword, Slippery Bounds,…6.9
  72. 72The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid on NES: Sure in the Water, Doubtful on Land6.8
  73. 73Mega Man 3Rush Man and Proto Man Add Plenty, but the Blue Bomber’s Third…6.8
  74. 741943: The Battle of MidwayCapcom’s 1943 Keeps the Bullets Flying on NES, but Runs Short on…6.7
  75. 75Legendary WingsLegendary Wings on NES: Capcom’s Sky Shooter Flies Best With a Second…6.7
  76. 76Kid IcarusPit Battles Through the Underworld to Free Palutena, One Brutal Vertical Stage…6.7
  77. 77Castlevania II: Simon's QuestSimon’s Quest Trades Linear Stages for an Open Map, Then Buries Its…6.7
  78. 78Kung FuKung Fu on NES: Five Floors, a Few Moves, and Boss Battles…6.6
  79. 79Ice ClimberIce Climber on NES: Tight Controls, Thin Variety, and a 6.6 Verdict6.6
  80. 80ContraContra on NES: Hard, Fast, and Still Standing6.6
  81. 81Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors IIFree-Roaming Exploration Lifts Ironsword Past Its Predecessor, but Spotty Difficulty Keeps the…6.5
  82. 82Donkey KongThe NES Port of Donkey Kong Plays It Straight but Leaves an…6.5
  83. 83Ninja TurtlesNinja Turtles on the NES: Four Health Bars, One Brutal Dam Level,…6.5
  84. 84Dr. MarioDr. Mario on NES Keeps Its Puzzle Tight, Peaks With Two Players…6.4
  85. 85Power BladePower Blade Throws One Returning Boomerang Across Eight Uneven Stages6.2
  86. 86Marble MadnessMarble Madness Trades Its Rolling Ball for Buttons on NES, and Suffers…6.1
  87. 87Snake's RevengeSnake’s Revenge on NES Trades Quiet Play for Open Fighting — and…6.1
  88. 88Super CSuper C: More Contra, Little More6.1
  89. 89PinballSharp Flippers, One Thin Table: NES Pinball Lands a Middling 66
  90. 90Donkey Kong Jr.Vine-Swinging Fundamentals Carry Donkey Kong Jr., but the NES Port Runs Out…6
  91. 91Ikari WarriorsIkari Warriors on the NES Fights Its Own Controls and Lands at…5.9
  92. 92Pro WrestlingPro Wrestling on NES: Six Fighters, One Famous Line, and Not Much…5.8
  93. 93Balloon FightBalloon Fight Lifts Two Players, Drops the Lone Pilot5.6
  94. 94Clu Clu LandClu Clu Land Scores 5.4/10 as Bubbles’ Post-Swinging Charm Wears Thin Through…5.4
  95. 95Solar JetmanSolar Jetman: Clever Idea, Punishing Execution5
  96. 96Mario Bros.Mario Bros. on NES Makes Two-Player Cooperation and Sabotage the Same Move4.9
  97. 97Mega Man 4Mega Man 4 Adds a Charge Shot but Plays It Safe4.5
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