The Nintendo Entertainment System, NES, is a true legend in the gaming world with more than a few games falling below the waistline.
There were over 700 games developed for the NES during its life, with only a select few getting all the hype and making all the money. Sure there were also some really bad games that were absolute shit and waste of money, but there are the odd ones that deserve more recognition than they received.
So here are 5 Underappreciated NES games that deserve a second chance.
5 – Shadow of the Ninja.
In 1990, Natsume development studio released an all new platform that featured drastically different mechanics than previous games. It was still a side scrolling action hack and slash, but it expanded on the fighting mechanics of your character. Use of chucks, swords, grappling rope, and sneaking have all been seen in previous games, but not all in one, and that is where this game shines.
The game is based in the future, 2029, an Emperor has taken over the US and is held up inside a stronghold in the largest city. Your character sets out to kill him because of the amount of innocent lives lost during his rise to power. A cliché I know, but interesting non the less.
A very colourful game that is both fun and entertaining to play.
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4 – Metal Storm.
Strangely enough, the game was released by Irem development in north America in 1991 before it got a release in japan a full year later. Because when you think about it, anime Mechs and japan both go hand in hand.
This action platform takes place in the future, 2501. a laser defence outpost on Pluto has malfunctioned and threatens to destroy the Earth. Your job is to use an M308 Gunner Robotic suit to get in and destroy it by activating the self destruct.
A side scrolling platform that features some unique gravity properties as you can walk both upright and upside down when the terrain allows. It has some very good puzzles and problems to solve in the 12 levels, each getting harder as you progress and the fighting mechanics are spot on to. It looks and feels very smooth to play and has an awesome sound track to make the game more enjoyable to play.
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3 – Vice Project Doom.
This game was developed by Alcom and released in 91 for both the Japanese and American markets.
The game is primarily a side scrolling action platformer, similar to most other platformers that can be found on the NES. What sets this game apart from the rest is its inclusion of an additional game genre besides the platformer, it also had a driving and shooting portions in the game too, which added some much needed pace to the game, making it much more challenging to play, but equally more entertaining to play.
The game is based in the future where an alien race posing as a corporation who have lived on earth for centuries, there food called 'Gel' is a highly addictive substance that they introduced into the worlds population, you are tasked with exposing them and stopping them by any means necessary. A very fun story line which matches the games aesthetics perfectly.
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2 – Power Blade.
I think I spent too much time playing this one as a kid, I loved it. Developed by Natsume, the game was released only in north America and Europe, never making it to the Japanese market because this was a reworked version of Power Blazer, specifically for the English markets.
Try to think of the main character, Nova, who you play, as a futuristic 'crocodile Dundee'. The game is based in 2191. Nova, the chief of security for a master computer, has to restore the master computer which has been turned off by aliens by retrieving data tapes in the various levels.
The box art was heavily inspired by the 1984 Terminator film art with Schwarzenegger on the cover but having a Dundee vibe by holding his boomerang.
The game shares some features that can be found in other games, such as level selection, but the inclusion of cut scenes is what makes the game more immersive. As you progress in the game, you can get various power ups such as the ability to through more than one boomerang, through them further, conflict more damage, armour and eventually blasters. With its upbeat music, it is a game that everyone should enjoy.
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See what I mean?
1 – Snakes Revenge.
Part of the Metal Gear Series, this game was developed by Konami in 1990 with Kojima at the helm.
The plot of the game is based around in the middle east where plans for a Metal gear have ended up and are constructing a new model that threatens the world if it is ever completed. Your character Solid Snake leads a 3 man team in to stop it.
Just like the original Metal Gear game, this stealth action adventure requires you to infiltrate enemy bases while remaining undetected. While the original game was limited to only 3 sprites on the screen at any one time, this game allowed up to 4 with a number of other waiting. The game also featured other game genres into this too. While initially the game is a top down, screen by screen adventure, there are also elements in the game that are platformer and top scrolling fighters, while keeping various dynamics of the game in there to keep you entertained and immersed, such as mine detecting, problem solving, using truth gas on enemies, releasing hostages, finding air tanks to breath under water, x ray walls, night vision, and so much more.
The AI is not massively impressive, and the foot solders are all the same, the bosses on the other hand pose various difficulties to overcome in order to beat them.
The game is continuously entertaining throughout the gameplay, from start to end, and the story driven aspect is also very immersive. It is a game that you should at least try once and if you are a fan of metal gear solid in any way, this is an icon that requires you to play.
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There are of course a lot more hidden gems and underrated games hidden with the NES library, but these are the ones that stand out to me, especially the last 2 in this list as I have been playing them a lot recently, as well as the others via an emulator, and I can honestly say that they are all very entertaining to play, some are even better that some of the more well known games for the NES. If you have the time and patience, you can find really good games among the ones deemed to be rubbish.
What underrated games from the NES do you think deserve to be in this list?
Thanks for reading.
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