1. Contra
Contra is a run-and-gun action game released by Konami in 1987 for arcades and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The game is famous for its fast-paced gameplay, high difficulty level, and two-player cooperative mode.
Story
After a meteor crashes in New Zealand, an organization known as Red Falcon emerges with a plan to destroy humanity. Two elite commandos, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, are sent to eliminate the threat. As they infiltrate the enemy's stronghold, they discover that Red Falcon is actually being controlled by an alien life form. Their final mission is to destroy the creature's heart and save the world.
Gameplay
Players control Bill or Lance in single-player or two-player mode and battle through eight increasingly difficult stages, including jungles, military bases, waterfalls, snowy areas, energy facilities, hangars, and an alien lair. The game requires quick reflexes, precise dodging, and effective teamwork.
Weapons
Players start with a basic rifle that can be upgraded by collecting power-ups:
• M: Machine Gun (fast and powerful)
• S: Spread Gun (wide attack range and highly effective)
• F: Fireball Gun (high damage output)
• L: Laser Gun (powerful piercing shots)
• B: Barrier (temporary invincibility)
• R: Rapid Fire (increases firing speed)
Overall, Contra is considered a legendary video game thanks to its thrilling gameplay, challenging difficulty, and outstanding co-op experience.
2. Super Mario Bros
Super Mario Bros. is a video game released by Nintendo in 1985. It is one of the most famous and best-selling games in history, helping establish Mario as one of the most recognizable icons in the gaming industry.
Story
Players take on the role of Mario, a plumber who sets out to rescue Princess Peach in the Mushroom Kingdom after she is kidnapped by Bowser, the King of the Koopas. Along the way, Mario must overcome enemies such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas, as well as countless traps and obstacles.
Gameplay
Mario must travel through eight worlds consisting of a total of 32 levels, with the difficulty increasing as the game progresses. At the end of each world is a castle where Mario defeats a fake Bowser, only to find Toad, who informs him that the princess is in another castle. In the final castle of World 8, Mario defeats the real Bowser and successfully rescues Princess Peach.
Special Items
• Super Mushroom: Transforms Mario into Super Mario, making him larger and allowing him to survive one additional hit.
• Fire Flower: Transforms Mario into Fire Mario, allowing him to throw fireballs.
• 1-Up Mushroom: Grants an extra life.
• Starman: Provides temporary invincibility and allows Mario to defeat enemies by touching them.
Warp Zones (Secret Shortcuts)
The game features hidden areas that allow players to skip multiple levels:
• World 1-2: Warp to World 2, 3, or 4.
• World 4-2: Warp to World 5.
• World 4-2 (alternate route): Warp directly to World 6, 7, or 8.
Overall, Super Mario Bros. is a classic platformer known for its simple yet engaging gameplay, creative level design, hidden secrets, and the legendary quest to rescue the princess.
3. Rockman
Mega Man (known as Rockman in Japan) is a side-scrolling action game released by Capcom in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the first installment in the popular Mega Man series.
Story
In the future, Dr. Light creates six robots to assist humanity: Cut Man, Guts Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Fire Man, and Elec Man. However, they are reprogrammed by Dr. Wily as part of his plan for world domination. To stop him, Rock, Dr. Light’s assistant robot, volunteers to become the fighting robot Mega Man and sets out to battle the Robot Masters and Dr. Wily.
Gameplay
Players are free to choose the order in which they tackle the six stages, each controlled by a different Robot Master. Mega Man must fight through enemies, avoid hazards, and defeat the boss waiting at the end of each level.
Key Features
• Defeating a Robot Master rewards Mega Man with that boss’s special weapon.
• Each Robot Master is vulnerable to a specific weapon, adding a strategic element to stage selection and progression.
• After completing all six main stages, players enter Dr. Wily’s fortress to face the final series of battles.
Mega Man became famous for its challenging gameplay, unique boss-weapon system, and non-linear stage selection, laying the foundation for one of Capcom’s most iconic action game franchises.
4. Jackal
Jackal is an action game released by Konami in 1986 for arcades and later for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Players control a military Jeep on a mission to rescue prisoners of war.
Story
The Jackal unit consists of four elite special forces soldiers assigned to infiltrate enemy territory in an armed Jeep, rescue captured prisoners, and bring them back safely.
Gameplay
Players drive a Jeep through battlefields, destroy enemy forces, and rescue prisoners held in military camps. After rescuing enough prisoners, they must transport them to a helicopter extraction point for evacuation.
Weapon System
• The Jeep starts with only a grenade launcher.
• Rescuing certain special prisoners upgrades the weapon into a more powerful missile launcher.
• Additional upgrades allow the missiles to fire in multiple directions, up to four at once, greatly increasing firepower.
Key Features
• If the Jeep is hit by enemy fire, the rescued prisoners being transported may be killed or escape, reducing the player's score and combat effectiveness.
• The game features six increasingly difficult areas filled with tanks, defensive cannons, machine guns, and challenging boss battles.
Jackal became famous for its fast-paced action, unique prisoner rescue mechanics, rewarding weapon upgrade system, and exciting cooperative multiplayer gameplay.
5. Battle City
Battle City is a tank shooter game released by Namco in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is one of the most iconic tank games and remains a memorable part of many gamers' childhoods.
Objective
Players control a tank and must protect the main base, represented by an eagle symbol, while destroying all 20 enemy tanks in each stage. The game ends if the base is destroyed or the player runs out of lives.
Gameplay
The game features 35 stages with increasing difficulty. Enemies include several types of tanks, such as standard tanks, fast tanks, and heavily armored tanks. Each stage contains different types of terrain:
• Brick walls: Can be destroyed.
• Concrete walls: Can only be destroyed by stronger shots.
• Water: Cannot be crossed.
• Ice: Causes tanks to slide and become harder to control.
• Bushes: Block visibility.
Power-Ups
Power-ups appear when flashing enemy tanks are destroyed:
• Tank: Grants an extra life.
• Bomb: Destroys all enemies currently on the screen.
• Armor: Provides temporary invincibility.
• Shovel: Turns the walls around the base into concrete for a short time.
• Clock: Freezes all enemy tanks temporarily.
Tank Upgrades
Collecting stars increases the tank's power:
• 1 Star: Increases movement and firing speed.
• 2 Stars: Improves bullet speed and firepower.
• 3 Stars: Grants stronger shots capable of destroying additional obstacles.
Some unofficial expanded versions feature even higher upgrade levels with extremely powerful weapons.
Key Features
• Supports single-player and two-player cooperative gameplay.
• Some versions allow players to create their own maps.
• After completing all 35 stages, the game repeats with increased difficulty.
Battle City became famous for its simple yet addictive gameplay, strategic base-defense mechanics, and enjoyable co-op mode, earning its place as one of the legendary tank games of the NES era.
6. Bomberman
Bomberman is an action-puzzle game first released by Hudson Soft in 1983. It is one of the classic 8-bit titles and later developed into many sequels and versions.
Story
Bomberman is a robot designed to manufacture bombs, working in an underground factory. Unwilling to live under control, he escapes in search of freedom. During his escape, Bomberman is chased by monsters and traps, with the ultimate goal of becoming human if he can survive all challenges.
Gameplay
Players control Bomberman through a maze made of bricks and walls:
• Place bombs to break bricks, defeat enemies, or clear paths.
• Bombs explode after a few seconds in both horizontal and vertical directions.
• Each stage requires eliminating all enemies and finding the exit hidden under a brick.
Power-Ups
When breaking bricks, players can obtain various upgrades:
• Increase bomb explosion range.
• Increase the number of bombs that can be placed at once.
• Walk through walls or bombs.
• Increase movement speed.
• Control bomb detonation timing.
Key Features
• Simple gameplay but deep strategic elements that are highly addictive.
• Difficulty increases with more enemies and more complex maze layouts.
• Later versions introduce competitive multiplayer modes.
Bomberman remains one of the defining 8-bit classics, known for its simple yet highly engaging strategic bomb-placing gameplay.
7. Adventure Island
Adventure Island is a platform action game developed and published by Hudson Soft in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The main character is Master Higgins, a well-known adventurer in the series.
Story
Master Higgins sets out across dangerous islands to rescue a princess who has been kidnapped by an evil wizard doctor. Players must travel through different lands and defeat the mastermind at the end of the journey.
Gameplay
Players control Master Higgins through various stages using a unique health system:
• Health decreases over time or when hitting obstacles.
• Eating fruit (bananas, apples) restores health.
• Losing all health or triggering traps causes a life loss, with respawn at checkpoints if extra lives remain.
• Extra lives are gained at score milestones (50,000, 100,000, 200,000).
Weapons and Items
During gameplay, players break eggs to obtain items:
• Axe: basic long-range weapon.
• Fireball: upgraded axe that can break rocks.
• Fairy: temporary invincibility.
• Eggplant: harmful item that rapidly drains health.
Stages and Bosses
• The game features 8 worlds, each containing 4 stages.
• Each world ends with a boss fight.
• The final boss is the evil wizard doctor who kidnapped the princess.
• After defeating him, the princess is rescued and the game is completed.
Key Features
• Fast-paced gameplay requiring quick reflexes and good memorization.
• Egg-based item system that adds unpredictability.
• Fun and lighthearted style suitable for all ages.
Adventure Island is one of the classic NES platformers, known for its simple but addictive gameplay and challenging design.
8. The Legend of Kage
The Legend of Kage is an action game developed and published by Taito for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Players control a young ninja named Kage on a mission to rescue Princess Kirihime.
Story
Kage must rescue Princess Kirihime, the daughter of the Shogun, from the evil warlord Yoshi and the samurai Yukinosuke Riko. Along the journey, he fights through forests, hidden tunnels, and castles. Each time the princess is rescued, the seasons in the game change (summer, autumn, winter), while the difficulty steadily increases.
Gameplay
Players control Kage using:
• A kodachi sword for close-range combat.
• Shuriken (throwing stars) for long-range attacks with unlimited use.
The objective is to defeat enemy ninjas, fire-breathing monks, and survive dangerous areas in vertically scrolling stages, where Kage can jump onto trees, walls, and structures.
Game Structure
• The game consists of 5 loops.
• Each loop ends with the rescue of the princess.
• Rescuing her five times completes the game.
Characters
• Kage: The main ninja controlled by the player.
• Kirihime: The princess to be rescued.
• Yoshi & Yukinosuke Riko: The main antagonists.
• Shinobi & Yobo: Various ninja enemies and sorcerers.
Key Features
• Fast-paced ninja action gameplay.
• Vertical movement with climbing mechanics.
• Seasonal changes throughout progression.
• High difficulty requiring strong reflexes and memorization.
The Legend of Kage is a classic NES ninja title, known for its fast pace, distinctive combat style, and unique looping stage structure.
9. Rush'n Attack
Rush’n Attack (original title: Green Beret) is a side-scrolling action game developed and published by Konami in 1985 for arcades and later released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The game is set during the Cold War era, focusing on infiltration missions into enemy bases to rescue prisoners of war.
Story and Objective
Players take on the role of an elite special forces soldier from the Green Beret unit, infiltrating enemy military installations to rescue captured prisoners before they are executed. The mission takes place against the tense backdrop of the Cold War.
Gameplay
Players primarily use a knife for close combat. Defeating certain special enemies allows temporary access to additional weapons such as:
• Flamethrower
• Bazooka
• Grenades
Stages
The game consists of four main areas:
• Training camp
• Harbor dock
• Airbase
• Prison camp in Siberia
Each stage features its own boss and ends with the rescue of prisoners. After completing all stages, the game loops with increased difficulty, including faster and more numerous enemies.
Key Features
Fast-paced gameplay that requires quick reflexes and precise timing.
An extra-life system based on score, awarded at 30,000 points and every 70,000 points thereafter.
A strong focus on knife-based close combat, creating constant tension throughout gameplay.
Rush’n Attack stands out as a simple yet challenging action game, known for its fast pace and iconic Cold War setting in classic arcade gaming.
10. Road Fighter
Road Fighter is an arcade racing game developed and published by Konami in 1984. It was Konami’s first racing title, known for its simple gameplay, high speed, and iconic presence in the arcade era.
Objective
Players control a racing car, with the goal of reaching the finish line safely before running out of fuel. Finishing first is not required.
Gameplay
Players can choose between two speed settings:
• 196 km/h: easier to control
• 400 km/h: higher speed with greater risk
During the race:
• Colliding with other cars or side walls causes explosions and fuel loss.
• Running out of fuel before reaching the finish line forces a restart of the stage.
Fuel and Support
• Special rainbow-colored cars help restore fuel when collected.
• Other vehicles act as obstacles that can cause crashes.
Stages
The game features four racing stages:
• Plains
• Sea bridge
• Mountain pass
• Jungle
Each stage has different terrain and difficulty, requiring players to adjust speed and improve their avoidance skills.
Road Fighter is a classic arcade racing game, remembered for its fast-paced gameplay, unique fuel mechanic, and constant challenge throughout every race.
Conclusion
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) has a vast and diverse game library. In addition to the games listed above, there are many other Nintendo titles that are also fun and exciting for players to choose from.