The Top 100 Nintendo Games Ever

[BruiserBrody]

In the Summer of 1997 Nintendo Power celebrated it's 100th issue w/ several lists of 100s - including the 100 best games ever. The N64 was less than a year old and the new high tech games swayed some voters clearly to put some obscure titles on here instead of true classics. Take a gander and argue away:

Top 100 Games (in order)

Super Mario 64 – N64 – September 1996
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – SNES – April 1992
Tetris - GB - June 1989
Mario Kart 64 – N64 – February 1997
Super Mario Bros. 3 – NES – February 1990
Super Metroid – SNES – April 1994
GoldenEye 007 – N64 – August 1997
Final Fantasy VI – SNES – October 1994
Final Fantasy IV – SNES – November 1991
Street Fighter II Turbo - SNES – August 1993
The Legend of Zelda - NES - July 1987
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - GB - August 1993
Star Fox 64 - N64 - July 1997
Super Mario Bros. - NES - August 1985
Wave Race 64 - N64 - October 1996
Super Mario World - SNES - August 1991
Tetris Attack - SNES - August 1996
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - SNES - October 1995
Chrono Trigger - SNES - August 1995
Mega Man - NES - December 1987
Super Mario RPG - SNES - May 1996
Castlevania - NES - May 1987
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! - SNES - November 1996
F-Zero - SNES - August 1991
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter - N64 - February 1997
Super Bomberman 2 - SNES - September 1994
International Superstar Soccer 64 - N64 - July 1997
NBA Jam - SNES - March 1994
Mario Paint - SNES - August 1992
Tecmo Bowl - NES - February 1989**
Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream - NES - October 1987
Super Mario Kart - SNES - September 1992
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - SNES - December 1995
Metroid II: Return of Samus - GB - November 1991
Metroid - NES - August 1989
Zelda II: Adventure of Link - NES - December 1988
Final Fantasy - NES - May 1990
Pilotwings 64 - N64 - September 1996
Donkey Kong Country - SNES - November 1994
SimCity - SNES - August 1991
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire - N64 - December 1996
Secret of Mana - SNES - October 1993
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior - SNES - July 1992
Adventures of Lolo - NES - April 1989
Dr. Mario - GB - December 1990
Contra 3: Alien Wars - SNES - April 1992
Super Mario Bros. 2 - NES - October 1988
Shadowrun - SNES - May 1993
Ninja Gaiden 2 - NES - May 1990
Tetrisphere - N64 - August 1997
Golf - GB - February 1990
Contra - NES - February 1988
Mortal Kombat II - SNES - September 1994
Killer Instinct Gold - N64 - November 1996
Bionic Commando - NES - December 1988
Castlevania IV - SNES - December 1991
Actraiser - SNES - November 1991
Mega Man X - SNES - January 1994
Crystalis - NES - July 1990
Earthbound - SNES - June 1995
Maniac Mansion - NES - September 1990
Blast Corps - N64 - March 1997
Blaster Master - NES - November 1988
Star Tropics - NES - December 1990
Earthworm Jim 2 - SNES - November 1995
Final Fantasy Adventure - GB - November 1991
Wayne Gretsky's 3D Hockey - N64 - November 1996
Zombies Ate My Neighbors - SNES - September 1993
Double Dragon - NES - June 1988
Final Fantasy Legend - GB - September 1990
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land - GB - February 1994
Killer Instinct - SNES - August 1995
Shadowgate - NES - December 1989
RC Pro-AM Racing - NES - February 1988
Super Ghouls & Ghosts - SNES - November 1991
Gradius III - SNES - August 1991
NBA Live '95 - SNES - October 1994
TMNT IV: Turtles In Time - SNES - August 1992
Rescue Rangers - NES - June 1990
The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse - SNES - December 1992
Faceball 2000 - GB - December 1991
Breath of Fire - SNES - August 1994
Dragon Warrior IV - NES - October 1992
Metal Gear - NES - June 1988
Illusion of Gaia - SNES - September 1994
Blackthorne - SNES - September 1994
Goonies II - NES - November 1987
Baseball Stars - NES - July 1989
Battletoads - NES - June 1991
Demon's Crest - SNES - November 1994
Lufia and the Fortress of Doom - SNES - December 1993
Ogre Battle - SNES - May 1995
Gargoyle's Quest - GB - July 1990
True Golf Classics: Pebble Beach - SNES - December 1992
Kickle Cubicle - NES - September 1990
Bust A Move - SNES - March 1995
Final Fight - SNES - September 1991
Super Tennis - SNES - November 1991
Ultima: Quest of the Avatar - NES - December 1990
Alien³ - SNES - May 1993

 

[BruiserBrody]

They were somewhat inconsistent as some games got credit for ingenuity in game play (NBA Jam vs it's sequels) - while others got credited with graphics over game play that was established (aka the DK games)

The mag mentioned that Demon's Crest was at one point doing negative sales as more people returned it one week than bought it - yet here it is on the big board.

 

[Youth N Asia]

Nintendo Power was way too partial to games made by Nintendo.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

People returned stolen copies of Devil's Crest? Also, are you talking poorly of DKC's playability?

 

[Jer]

Heh you can definitely feel the N64 hype. Mario Kart 64 right above SMB3, Wave Race 64 right above SMW, yeah, okay then...

Interesting to see perceptions of the SNES RPGs change over time. I doubt you'd have many people putting FF4 over Chrono Trigger nowadays.

 

[Smues]

Mario Kart 64 is an all time great. Wave Race 64 not so much.

 

[BruiserBrody]

People returned stolen copies of Devil's Crest? Also, are you talking poorly of DKC's playability?

No, Nintendo ranked DK 1 lower because they felt the later games had better graphics and improved on what worked. Meanwhile NBA JAM got to out rank its superior sequels.

 

[Mattdotcom]

Any other fifteen year old lists you want to discuss?

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

A list from 15 years ago or a list of 15 year olds?

 

[tekcop]

Demon's Crest kind of rules. Why were people returning it? Too scary? Too hard?

 

[BruiserBrody]

Any other fifteen year old lists you want to discuss?

Let's go talk about Wrestlemania 1 instead.

 

[tekcop]

*high fives Brody*

 

[BruiserBrody]

Demon's Crest kind of rules. Why were people returning it? Too scary? Too hard?

The mag mentioned it sold poorly. Not sure otherwise.

 

[tekcop]

I've never played any NBA Jam sequels, what was improved upon in them? I can kind of see the Donkey Kong Country thing. DKC2 seems to be the consensus best one in the series online instead of 3, though.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I've never played any NBA Jam sequels, what was improved upon in them? I can kind of see the Donkey Kong Country thing. DKC2 seems to be the consensus best one in the series online instead of 3, though.

I'd imagine the Jam variants and graphics. The Tournament Edition version I had (IIRC) sure looks better than the stills I saw of the 1st version.

 

[Skywarp!]

Alien 3 should be nowhere near this list. WTF?

 

[BruiserBrody]

My uber-nerd co-worker was super pissed that Mega Man 1 made the list - he thought it was total shit compared to the many sequels.

BTW This all came about because I bought a cache of Nintendo Power mags (25 cents each!) from the thrift store and issue 100 was one of them and it led to a mini debate at work among the nerd herd I sit with.