The Top 20 Underrated NES Games You Need to Play
The Top 20 Underrated NES Games You Need to Play
1. **Crystalis: A Forgotten RPG Masterpiece**
- Crystalis blends action and RPG elements in a post-apocalyptic world, delivering a compelling narrative and innovative gameplay mechanics.
2. **Little Samson: Platforming Brilliance**
- Little Samson is a platformer that stands out with its impressive graphics and diverse gameplay, letting players control different characters with distinct abilities.
3. **StarTropics: Island Adventures**
- This action-adventure game offers a mix of exploration and dungeon crawling, providing players with challenging puzzles and an engaging storyline.
4. **Shatterhand: Robotic Action**
- Shatterhand is a side-scrolling action game featuring tight controls and a cool robotic theme, often overshadowed by other platformers of its era.
5. **Shadow of the Ninja: Stealthy Excellence**
- Shadow of the Ninja is a ninja-themed action platformer with excellent controls and a cooperative multiplayer mode, offering a unique experience.
6. **Monster Party: Quirky Horror Fun**
- Experience a surreal and humorous action game that blends horror elements with quirky gameplay in Monster Party.
7. **Metal Storm: Gravity-Defying Adventure**
- Metal Storm stands out with its unique gravity-flipping mechanics, offering a challenging mecha-themed platforming experience.
8. **Faxanadu: Mystical Exploration**
- Faxanadu is an action RPG that combines platforming and exploration, immersing players in a mystical world with a captivating storyline.
9. **Dragon Warrior IV: Epic RPG Finale**
- The final entry in the Dragon Warrior series on NES, Dragon Warrior IV, tells an epic tale with multiple protagonists and a chapter-based narrative.
10. **Blaster Master: Vehicular Combat Extravaganza**
- Blaster Master combines side-scrolling and top-down perspectives, offering vehicular combat, exploration, and a memorable gaming experience.
11. **Deja Vu: Noir Detective Adventure**
- Immerse yourself in the film noir atmosphere of Deja Vu, a point-and-click adventure with a gripping detective story.
12. **North & South: Civil War Strategy**
- North & South blends turn-based strategy with real-time battles, providing a unique and enjoyable gaming experience set during the American Civil War.
13. **Shadowgate: Atmospheric Point-and-Click Adventure**
- Explore the dark and mysterious world of Shadowgate, a classic point-and-click adventure game renowned for its challenging puzzles and atmospheric design.
14. **P.O.W.: Military Beat 'em Up**
- P.O.W.: Prisoners of War delivers solid beat 'em up action with a military theme and cooperative gameplay.
15. **The Guardian Legend: Hybrid Action-Adventure**
- The Guardian Legend blends action-adventure and shoot 'em up elements, delivering a unique mix of exploration and intense combat.
16. **Little Nemo: Dream Master**
- Based on the animated film, Little Nemo: Dream Master is a platformer with imaginative levels and a variety of power-ups.
17. **Fire 'n Ice: Cool Puzzle Challenges**
- Fire 'n Ice is a puzzle game that challenges players to manipulate blocks of ice to extinguish flames, providing a unique and enjoyable puzzle-solving experience.
18. **Kickle Cubicle: Charming Puzzle Adventure**
- Kickle Cubicle is a puzzle game where players freeze enemies and overcome obstacles, offering charming visuals and engaging gameplay.
19. **Krion Conquest: Action-Packed Fantasy Adventure**
- Krion Conquest is a platformer with tight controls and a fantasy setting, often overlooked but praised for its challenging gameplay.
20. **Conquest of the Crystal Palace: Fantasy Platformer**
- Conquest of the Crystal Palace is a platformer with tight controls and a fantasy setting, often overlooked but praised for its challenging gameplay.
These underrated NES games may not have achieved the same level of fame as their more well-known counterparts, but each one offers a unique and memorable gaming experience. Whether you're a seasoned retro gamer or a newcomer to the world of classic video games, these hidden gems are sure to provide hours of enjoyment and a fresh perspective on the NES library. Some of these titles are rare and expensive, so they might not be available to most people out there. However if you get the chance to play them, the opportunity to give them a go, you should do it, because they are a blast! So, dust off your NES console, grab your controller, and get ready to embark on a journey into the often overlooked but incredibly rewarding realm of underrated NES games.