It’s easy to take for granted just how influential the games of the past were. Even if they’re decades old, traces of their DNA can still be spotted in games today. 

In particular, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles are special, as it’s only due to Nintendo’s success that the video game industry is what it is today. While the video game crash in 1983 killed off many other independent consoles and publishers, Nintendo brought back customer confidence and proved that video games can still be fun.

Let’s look at some of them and remember the greats as they were.

Punch-Out

Punch Out is easily one of the NES’s most memorable games. Playing as the small but tough Little Mac, Punch Out is all about punching your way to success in the World Video Boxing Association. While it was originally an arcade game, Nintendo ported it to their console and, in some versions, even featured Mike Tyson as the final boss you face.

Punch Out | Courtesy of Reddit

While the game wasn’t complicated, it was addictive, and its simplistic premise and easy-to-learn controls made it a huge hit. Over two million copies were sold, and fans praised its gameplay and art style as some of the best of its time. After all, it’s hard to argue a game’s bad when you’re throwing hands with a legendary boxer! 

Speaking of boxing, if you're a fan of boxing games, World Championship Boxing Manager™ 2 might catch your eye. Although it's not on the NES platform, this retro-style boxing management simulation offers dynamic 2D fights and allows you to create and manage your dream fighter. It's a different take on the boxing genre that might pique your interest if you enjoy the strategic side of the sport.

Contra

Who can forget the run-and-gun game that set the golden standard for shoot-em-ups to come? Konami’s Contra started life as an arcade title but was eventually ported to the NES. The reason? It easily set the standard for arcade gaming of its time and became one of its era's most popular arcade cabinets.

Contra | Courtesy of gifer

Much of its quality remains the same on the NES. While the console version couldn’t perfectly replicate the arcade, Konami reworked its graphics and level design to compensate. The result? A home version of one of the best arcade games ever. What’s not to love?

Duck Hunt

Duck Hunt might not seem like much for the year it was developed, but this little light shooter was one of the NES’s release titles. Using a gun controller called the NES Zapper, players would shoot at ducks on screen and get points for doing so. Shoot enough, and you’ll advance to the next stage. Fail, and it’s game over.

Duck Hunt | Courtesy of gifer

While the premise is simplistic, what kept audiences coming back was how replayable the game was. With the NES cartridges being limited in space, a game with replayability like Duck Hunt was rare. Where other games would usually bank on extreme difficulty to increase game time, Duck Hunt instead thrived off of the random movements of the targets. That, combined with the cute little hunting dog you had, made it a charming and enjoyable game that original NES owners all around the world loved.

Duck Hunt | Courtesy of gifer

Castlevania

When we’re talking about the greats, who can forget Castlevania? This side-scrolling platformer was another Konami success story in the making. Players take control of the vampire hunter Simon Belmont and must defeat Dracula in his lair. To do so, they must survive the denizens of Dracula’s castle and beat down all the classic horror villains with nothing more than their wits and their whips.

Castlevania | Courtesy of gifer

From zombies and ghosts to Frankenstein’s Monster and Medusa heads, Castlevania was a veritable treat for horror fans and it was a great game too! While other platformers were just as good, Castlevania’s true claim to fame was how it combined its presentation with its gameplay. It had huge sprawling levels with recognizable enemies, and had an atmosphere that was hard to beat.

Castlevania | Courtesy of gifer

Its success is such that Castlevania’s a series that’s practically stood the test of time. With remasters to play on Steam and even a TV show to look forward to, there’s no lack for the franchise, and it remains as strong today as it was years ago.

Metroid

Metroid’s a game that spawned its own genre, and there’s a reason why. While it might look like just another platformer, its unique gimmick was that it thrived off of exploration and backtracking, and incentivized its players to be light on their feet, and quick with their wits. While other platformers tested for quick reactions, Metroid was asking for more. And people loved it.

Metroid | Courtesy of gifer

While its scope might pale in comparison to modern games nowadays, what the original Metroid did still showcases a good understanding of game design. It has players zooming around the map, fighting enemies, exploring new areas, and uncovering items that opened up new pathways. It balanced a good sense of adventure with some solid gameplay, and for people in 1987, who could ask for more?

The Legend of Zelda

It’s hard to imagine just how far The Legend of Zelda series has come. The first game, The Legend of Zelda, released in 1986 to critical success, and while it was almost 4 decades ago, it’s still as good now as it was back then.

Legend of Zelda | Courtesy of AminoApps

A large part of it comes from the fundamental understanding of how a good game works. Link controls smoothly, the game world is exciting and new, and the art-style, simplistic but understandable. What keeps it staying strong though, is the sense of adventure it brings.

Just like Metroid, The Legend of Zelda thrived in rewarding its players for searching around the map. Key items lay behind bosses you face, and these were gated off by items rewarded to you by exploring around the map.

Legend of Zelda | Courtesy of AminoApps

By taking your time to search around the map, you not only immersed yourself in the world, you also actively engaged with it. You fought off the enemies that lie in every corner, bought power-ups that made future fights easier, and eventually, were rewarded with memorable fights that powered up your arsenal. It had the soul of an adventure game, and it’s this same feeling that its sequels chase to this day. While its latest series release, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, holds the most complexity, few can deny the heart and soul that the original Legend of Zelda had.

Legend of Zelda | Courtesy of AminoApps

Super Mario Bros.

At last, we come to what is arguably the most influential NES game of all time. Super Mario Brothers..

Super Mario | Courtesy of gifer

While it might seem exaggerated, Mario is lauded as one of the best games of all time for a reason. It’s simple but addictive, and the gameplay is extremely responsive. While games like Contra thrived off of extreme difficulty, and Castlevania off its atmosphere, Mario is remembered for its simplicity. While it might seem strange, it also made perfect sense, because a good game didn’t need to be anything more than good - and that’s exactly what it was.

Super Mario | Courtesy of gifer

Playing Super Mario today is just like playing it as it was years ago. There’s a timeless quality to it that never fails to be entertaining. The secrets you can find, the coins you can collect, the goombas you can stomp, all of it lead up to an addictive, entertaining platformer that never feels old or overstays its welcome. While other games might feel frustrating eventually, Mario never does. Even as its levels get more complex, it never fails to keep its players entertained.

Here are a few NES games that have stood the test of time and continue to be enjoyed by us. Our catalog of games has been inspired by their timeless quality and the valuable lessons we can learn from them. You might find something that interests you among them, so make sure to visit our store at megacatstudios.com!

This article was written by Alexander Cuaycong.