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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays and today we're going back in time to remember the best of the best
00:10for the generation of gaming that popularised the entire industry. These are the 20 best
00:15NES games of all time. Picking the best is always going to be subjective, but we've done
00:20our best to select the games that you're definitely going to want to emulate and buy legitimately
00:25and play tonight. Before we continue, we publish content all week long so be sure to subscribe and
00:31ring the bell to get notified of our latest videos. One of the more underappreciated games
00:47on our list is the legendary third entry in the Wizards and Warriors series. A metroidvania type
00:52game that draws inspiration from the fantasy genre, players will take on multiple biomes,
00:56many types of enemies and upgrade their character to different classes and types to progress in a
01:01game whose difficulty is comparable to a souls game. Wizards and Warriors 3 introduces game
01:06mechanics that define games that are succeeding in 2024. It's also just dope as f**k.
01:12Dr Mario
01:28Imagine combining the block puzzle solving mechanics of Tetris with the Mario themed
01:32imagery and a medical twist. Well let me introduce you to Dr Mario. This game replaces
01:38Tetris blocks with viruses and dresses Mario in a lab coat, adding charm to an already wickedly
01:43fun gameplay experience. What we learnt in the early days of gaming is that adding Mario to
01:48anything is a great way to sell cartridges, and also discs for a little bit, and then cards,
01:53really anything Nintendo puts out. Adventure Island 2
02:03Although 3 Adventure Island games were released for the NES,
02:10the second instalment stands out as one of the most refined, and in my own personal opinion,
02:15entertaining. I mean look at the little dinosaur boy go, look at all those little mounts, look at
02:19that map, ah so good. The platforming is precise and the new inventory system adds a welcomed layer
02:26of depth. The game introduced features that would go on to be used in Donkey Kong Country and be
02:31mainstays of that series. Some say without Adventure Island, there would be no Donkey
02:36Kong. I m lying, nobody s ever said that, I just don t know how to transition to the next entry.
02:47Excitebike
02:48Choosing the best racing game on the NES was no simple task. I m lying,
03:00it s so easy because Excitebike is the absolute shit. Riding motorcycles is undeniably fun,
03:07the side scrolling action and epic wipeouts add a tension to the experience that is unmatched on the
03:12console. Excitebike may well have also been the first game to ever feature a level editor,
03:16allowing racers to create their own levels and create their own experience.
03:24Dragon Quest III
03:30With its expansive world and surprisingly deep story, Dragon Quest III holds strong as a fantastic
03:36JRPG experience, even by today s standards, and with the 11 main series games, it still stands
03:41as one of the best. Beyond its innovations, the game s stunning pixel art and delightful
03:46soundtrack perfectly captured the era s charm, even as it pushed beyond contemporary boundaries.
03:52Having a game on the NES that could easily pass as a good experience on the SNES shows you just
03:56how good this 80s classic is. Ninja Gaiden
04:00Ninja Gaiden introduced many to the concept of a truly fluid action game. It truly is Ghost of
04:13Tsushima on the NES. With seamless controls and unrestricted movements, you could manoeuvre and
04:18strike with the swiftness of a ninja. It truly is Rise of the Ronin on the NES. Despite this fluidity,
04:23the game remained notoriously difficult. It truly is Sekiro Shadows Die Twice on the NES.
04:30I m either really lazy or slightly racist. Please tell people I m lazy.
04:39DuckTales
04:47Given that DuckTales wasn t strictly an action show, a game adaptation had many potential
04:52directions. Would it take the root of The Mask and draw cartoon violence from the source material,
04:57or would it go the way of Home Alone and focus on platforming? Capcom opted for a unique hop and
05:02bop approach, combining both elements. As Scrooge McDuck, you use your cane as a pogo stick to
05:07defeat enemies. While the platforming was solid, the real joy lay in treasure hunting. It s a blast
05:12to play and has a warm place in our hearts. Kirby s Adventure
05:20Released in 1993, Kirby s Adventure is one of the later entries on the NES, and it takes full
05:30advantage of what developers had learnt about the console to showcase some impressive technical
05:34feats. The game introduced Kirby s ability to consume enemies and adopt their powers,
05:39a mainstay in the lore of Kirby and abilities Kirby continues to show off
05:43to this day. Although not particularly challenging, it remains entertaining
05:47throughout and isn t that the main goal anyway? Kid Icarus
06:02Kid Icarus is a beloved character and game, but was never taken full advantage of throughout the
06:07middle part of its life. The franchise received an acclaimed Nintendo 3DS follow up in 2012 with
06:12Kid Icarus Uprising. The title expanded on the original s potential and provided a much needed
06:18modern take on the series. The controls in Uprising were notably difficult, which makes sense as the
06:23original was a brutal and challenging experience that caused me to bite through an NES controller,
06:28well before I even had adult teeth. The game is phenomenal.
06:32River City Ransom
06:43Some might know this game based on its very famous hacked version that circulated illegally,
06:48P***y City Pimps. Many who have played this goofy experience don t even realise why its gameplay is
06:53so good, and that s because it s just a re-skinned version of River City Ransom.
06:58In River City Ransom, upgrading your character through food and items is as central to the game
07:02as the fighting itself. When the fists start flying, it turns into a wild brawl, making full
07:07use of its expressive art style. It s one of the few games where you can even use the second player
07:11as a weapon. Punch Out
07:19The game we love to hate, Mike Tyson s Punch Out was a masterpiece for mastering,
07:24taking on round after round of incredibly specific fighters, creating an experience
07:28that encouraged replayability and souls-like difficulty. I ve never made it to Mike Tyson,
07:33and let me tell you something, that fight is harder than any Elden Ring boss you ll ever take on.
07:38Contra
07:46Contra on the NES is the quintessential run and gun shooter that established the series.
07:50It inspired other games with its smooth gameplay, clear visuals, diverse levels and polished
07:55presentation. It had a level of difficulty that created a standard for the NES, for better or
08:00worse, and gave us a turn in mature themed games. Contra is a very, very dope game and its soundtrack
08:07is outstanding, which needs to be more well respected. Creating a soundtrack on the NES
08:11is a difficult task. Final Fantasy
08:30Released the same year as Contra was the JRPG Legend that started one of the most successful
08:34series of all time, Final Fantasy. If you love RPGs, there s much to discover about the genre s
08:40history and plenty to enjoy by dedicating some hours to the original game. Admittedly, I tried
08:45to play it and it was genuinely too hard for me. But, I m a widdle baby, and you re a damn adult.
08:52Go for it. Tetris
09:10When it comes to influential and well known games, not many can reach the same status as
09:15Tetris. Tetris is the quintessential puzzle game, and the game everyone thinks they re brilliant at
09:21until they see competitive players and realise they actually suck terribly. It remains one of
09:25the purest and greatest games of all time, achieving legendary status compared to the
09:29timeless classics that have endured for centuries. Remade, reworked and available
09:33right now on your phone, this game slaps. Mega Man 2
09:44With more than 50 entries, Mega Man is a titan of a series, and Mega Man 2 on the NES remains at the
09:51top of the list of best entries for most Mega Man fans. The games lasting appeal can be attributed
09:57to its memorable bosses, incredible music and amazing bosses, and phenomenal music and great
10:03bosses and pretty sick music. Also, tight as hell music. Iconic foes like Flashman,
10:08Heatman and Woodman stand out in the series, while Wily Stage 1 is arguably the best song
10:13in the entire series. Duck Hunt
10:26It pains me to attach the worst dog in gaming history to this entry of best NES games,
10:31but it's undeniable that Duck Hunt from 1984 is not only one of the best NES entries, but one of
10:36the most influential testing grounds for Nintendo's future, setting up tech that would be used on the
10:41Wii and even the Nintendo Switch. Duck Hunt offers simple, enjoyable gameplay that anyone could pick
10:47up and play. I have fond memories of shooting ducks with my grandpa way back in 1997, 13 years
10:52after the game's release. Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse
11:14Here's one that will split the fans, as many would argue that Castlevania 1 should take this spot,
11:19while others would contest that the third entry is the best of these two options,
11:23and because I sit in the latter camp and I'm not a professional, we're picking the third
11:27game for this spot. Castlevania 3 retains much of the original style and control.
11:32It introduces branching routes, multiple characters to recruit and partner with,
11:36and a greater variety of obstacles and challenges. Overall, it's a fantastic sequel,
11:40and maybe better than the first, depending who you are. And I am me, so shut up.
11:54Metroid I completely understand why some people
11:57don't enjoy the original Metroid, as its unforgivable gameplay systems can be off-putting
12:01at first. However, if you can adjust to the initial difficulty Metroid presents,
12:05there's a whole lot to enjoy here. It's a challenging game with excellent progression,
12:09and let's not forget just how highly influential it was to the gaming world,
12:12with its exploration formula having a significant impact on the console, and even later consoles.
12:17It may be hard to get into today, but it's still worthwhile. Don't be a p***y.
12:23The Legend of Zelda
12:31The game that launched Nintendo's most critically acclaimed franchise, the game that brought us the
12:35Little Green Legend, the game that caused more confusion about the main character's name than
12:40any other game ever created. Let's talk about The Legend of Link. It blended action, adventure,
12:46and storytelling elements in an early open world environment that has both unforgiving
12:50and thrilling elements. While it hasn't aged as gracefully as some of the other games on our list,
12:55and Nintendo has since refined this core concept in later entries, the original still deserves
13:00recognition for what it initiated. I'm playing through it literally right now, and it is still
13:05very, very fun.
13:14Super Mario Bros. 3
13:29Most of the time I have to separate my own personal opinion when coming to the final
13:32entry on any given list. My favourite Final Fantasy game is 6, not 7. My favourite PS2
13:37game is Shadow of the Colossus, not GTA San Andreas. And my favourite NES game
13:42is Super Mario Bros. 3. And luckily for me, it seems to be everyone else's as well. So screw
13:47separating my own personal opinion, this game is the GOAT. It feels like it belongs to a different
13:53console generation, effortlessly featuring 4-way scrolling and fast movement. The level of variety
13:59is extraordinary, the level design is practically unmatched, and there are countless extras and
14:03secrets to discover. Even to this day, it's arguably one of the best Mario games ever made.