JadenHoughton
1984
Arguably the first great pinball game on consoles, even though I like Video Pinball as well. While this game is mostly known now for its cameo appearances of Mario and Pauline, it really is an excellent representation of pinball. It features two different sections to make one giant table, giving the game some nice variety. There's lots of charming characters on display, including penguins, seals, and chicks who hatch out of eggs. There's also quite a few objectives to fulfill to get more points, such as collecting a row of Pac-Man like dots, a set of five cards, and even a little slot machine where you have to hit a paddle to stop it. The sound effects can be a little grating at times, but serve their purpose well. And the game has a nice little jingle on the title screen, like a lot of early NES games do. While not the most perfect pinball game ever, Nintendo's own Pinball is still a great way to get your pinball fix at home.
1982
Classic arcade action at its finest, and the genesis of the twinstick genre. The graphics are flashy, but there's still enough distinction between the enemies and the humans for the player to quickly identify them. The sounds are basic, but memorable and have that iconic Williams sci-fi phaser sound to them. However, what really makes this game stand out is its brutal difficulty. This is quite possibly the hardest old school arcade game of all time. However, not a single death is cheap because of how incredibly quick and responsive the controls are. You are in total control the entire time and the only person you can blame for your failures is yourself. This is the twinstick genre stripped down to its bare essentials. And in this case, less is truly more.
1985
An all time classic platformer, and one that has aged flawlessly. The precise controls, the memorable level design, and the many secrets to discover make this game just as fun to play now as it was back then. What also made this game stand out was its colorful cartoon world, which was pretty much unseen previously in console games. This game is as much of a masterpiece as it was 35 years ago.
Like many people, I grew up watching and loving Spongebob Squarepants. And thankfully, this isn't some cheap licensed game like so many titles end up becoming. Not only is there a ton of references for fans to get a kick out of, but the environments, music, and characters are also spot on and really make you feel like you're exploring Bikini Bottom. This is all packed into a pretty great 3D platform, with super responsive controls and creative level designs. This is a must play for any Spongebob fan or just anyone looking for a good 3D platformer.
1981
An absolute arcade classic that's unfortunately a little spoiled by its sloppy collision detection. But even with its flaws, Frogger is still an excellent game and it's one that I come back to again and again.
1990
It's a shame this game is so rare and expensive these days, because it genuinely deserves to be played by everyone. This is classic Compile shooting at its finest. Tons of personality and charm in the graphics, great memorable soundtrack, lots of weapons and bombs to choose from, and gameplay that's tough but forgiving. This game also has plenty of different options to mess around with, along with a shop to purchase items from in between levels. In short, this is an excellent shooter and probably the best shooter on NES.
I've spent countless hours on this game, and it's probably my favorite Animal Crossing game. The music is fantastic and super relaxing, the characters are great and always have something entertaining to say, and there's so much content that it can keep you occupied for a long time. I would often spend nights just fishing and bug hunting, without even doing much of the main objectives. Perfect game all the way through.
1988
Surprisingly fun and challenging little sports game. Gameplay is simple enough to pick up and play, but it controls great and has just enough customization to give it a ton of replay value. If you're looking for a cheap NES game that's actually good, go for this one.