The NES has a vast library but you’re probably not familiar with everything the system has to offer.
We’re all familiar with the Mario titles and the games from Nintendo, but there are some more obscure titles out there lurking under the radar that are just as good and just as deserving of the public’s love and attention.
Coming to the video game industry during a time of immense change, the NES was the first system since the Atari 2600 to become a bona fide commercial hit – and it couldn’t have come any sooner. The crash of the video game industry in 1983 nearly doomed the whole segment to the dustbin of history. If not for Nintendo’s attention to quality and consistent ability to produce triple-A titles even then it is hard to imagine where the industry would be now.
One of the biggest reasons that the industry declined and collapsed is because the software released for gaming consoles were a step above shovelware. The gold rush to make money off of the new video games’ industry led to the production of a lot of unfortunate software but those games aren’t on this list.
Instead we’ve gathered ten games here that you may or may not have heard of before but which represents the best underrated games on the NES.
10. Crystalis
From SNK, the makers of the Neo Geo, Crystalis is an action role playing game that takes a little bit of inspiration from Square’s Final Fantasy and Nintendo’s own The Legend of Zelda. Sporting bright, colorful graphics and a fully-realized score, Crystalis also has a great story and engaging gameplay that makes it unique and charming while also remaining challenging and fun. Released in 1990 towards the end of the NES’ life, Crystalis truly pushes the hardware to the limits and looks good
