It can be argued that the Nintendo Entertainment System was the greatest console ever made. It revived the failing game industry after Atari almost destroyed it and introduced us to characters that have become video game icons. As such, it's no surprise that the system housed some of the best games ever. Some of our favorite games started their lives on the NES and even more games have been remade for new audiences over the world.

In honor of the NES and its massive library, I've highlighted ten of the system's best games. A quick primer: The games picked could not be made by Nintendo. No Marios, Zeldas, or Metroids. Nintendo's games could fill their own list and I've decided to put them in the hall of fame. I want to show games that were amazing on their own and not part of the House of Miyamoto.

The games also have to still be fun today. A lot of games are remembered with rose-tinted glasses and are not as fun as we like to think they are. Every game picked is just as fun today as it was when it was released.

With that out of the way, I present the Top 10 Greatest NES Games of All Time... That Weren't Made By Nintendo.

10.Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers


Most early multiplayer offering were competitive only, while co-op gaming was reserved for shooters. Capcom came along and decided to change that with Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers. Based on the immensely popular Saturday morning cartoon, the game had you and a friend controlling Chip and Dale as you hopped and bopped your way to stopping Fat Cat's evil scheme. The game was bright and colorful with nicely detailed sprites and characters. The environments were even better, eschewing traditional level design of the time for backyards and power lines. The game had a touch on non-linear progression by allowing players to pick areas from their map in any order they wanted.

Aside from being an expertly-designed platformer, the co-op gameplay was a breath of fresh air in its release and still is today. It's fun running through the environments with a buddy, while picking up apples and acorns to chuck at bad guys. The game is still loved today and the subject of a hilarious MMO parody.



9.Clash at Demonhead


Clash at Demonhead is another platformer that took the non-linear route with its world map. In Demonhead, you play as Bang, an operative for S.A.B.R.E, who is relaxing on the beach with his friend Mary after a mission. Soon, his communicator goes off and you are taksked with rescuing Professor Plum who is being forced to create a doomsday bomb. After the first level, you are presented with the map that has over forty levels, that can be conquered in any order. While defeating enemies, you gain money which can be used to buy upgrades from the shop. Later on, you gain powers which can be used to access closed off areas.

Clash at Demonhead was one of the first games to offer an RPG-like system in an action game. Like Metroid, you had to travel around the map to gain items and powers, while also backtracking to previous routes to gain access to more areas. The game's wacky story was also a plus as it never took itself seriously, and was just a fun game to play. You also can't go wrong when the main bad guy is called Tom Guycot.



8.Blades of Steel


Blades of Steel is one of the best hockey games ever created, ranking right next to NHL '94 for the Genesis. The game didn't have a whole lot of depth to it, but the gameplay was pure gold, making for heated matches between friends and rivals. It was also one of the first hockey games to feature fighting. After bumping into a player three times, a fight would initiate, where you would push A and B to punch your opponent. My brother and I would solve all of our differences and fights over a game of Blades of Steel... and we still do.



7.Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse


Castlevania 3 was the return to sidescrolling action we all wanted after the very weird Castlevania 2. Part 3 stepped it up with multiple playable characters, better enemy sprites and graphics, and more levels and routes. The game set the bar for all other sidescrolling Castlevanias.



6.Duck Tales


Another amazing platformer from Capcom, Duck Tales had you playind as Scrooge McDuck as you traveled the world looking for hidden treasure to become richer. While the game didn't do anything special, it was a very polished platformer that threw some non-linear bits into the mix. You could find certain treasure in one level that would open a path in another level. Another cool feature was the use of Scrooge's cane, which allowed you to bounce to higher platforms or hit blocks and items at baddies. It also sported an alternate ending if you could find the two secret treasures and accumlate $10,000,000.



5.Baseball Stars


Blades of Steel wasn't the only great sports game on the NES. Baseball Stars took the arcade hit and transformed it into a deep, involving baseball game. In Baseball Stars, you could create your own team, choose attributes, and then take them into a 125-game season mode. It also featured the ability to earn money, trade players, or even pick up players off the free agent market. You could even create a player and upgrade them throught their career. Add the fact that the game tracked all of your stats and we could call this game MLB '89: The Show.



4.River City Ransom


River City Ransom took the beat-em-up genre and injected some RPG elements straight into its veins. While the game was linear, you could pick up money from guys you defeated to buy books to learn more moves or food or items to revitalize your stats. The game was also very funny and lighthearted. Who doesn't remember ordering food from a cafe, only to have your character eat the entire dish? Or beating up a bad guy to have him exclaim, "BARF!" Add in co-op play, multiple weapons and fighting moves, and River City Ransom is a modern classic. Every reason to justify its GBA revival.



3.Contra


Contra showed us that alien blasting was much more fun with a friend. Except when he took your Spread Shot. It inspired many of us to learn strategies, look up codes, and even how to break controllers all in the name of blasting aliens. The game also introduced giant bosses, colorful weapons and sadistic levels.

It's a blast to play, even today, and is one of the highlights of Contra 4 as an unlockable. The game was an achievement on the NES, an awesome LittleBig Planet level, and the reason we all know "The Code."



2.Bionic Commando


We all breathed a breath of fresh air when we got home from the rental store with this classic. Playing as Radd Spencer, you are tasked with taking down the Imperial Army all by yourself. That's not a problem for you; you're the Bionic Commando right? The game took the platforming genre and grounded it. You couldn't jump, but you had your awesome bionic arm to swing, grapple, and block bullets. As you and your helicopter companion trekked from area to area, you could gain more weapons and items, or visit neutral zones for information and extra lives. You also could partake in top down stages, like Commando, and take the fight directly to the imperials.

The game even capped off with one of the coolest death animations your 8-year-old self couldn't believe, and would talk about in hushed tones to your friends.



1.Mega Man 2


Here it is. The greatest NES game ever that wasn't made by Nintendo. Everything about Mega Man 2 was simply perfect. The Robot Masters weren't cheesy yet, the levels were expertly designed and the music is quite possibly the best video game soundtrack ever. The game is full of so many moments that gamers remember, especially Flash Man's laser section and its epic intro. Mega Man 2 is the reason the Mega Man franchise is still around today, and is easily the best game in the franchise. Watch the game's intro and if you don't get goosebumps, you have no soul.


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There you have it: The 10 best games for the NES that weren't created by Nintendo. These games were the best offerings by third-party developers for the system and stand the test of time by still being fun to play today. They truly are epic games.

Don't agree with my list? Let me know what you would add, take away, or just tell me how wrong I am.