Amazingly for a game reportedly created by one person alone, Super Turrican contains some of the most impressive use of the NES out there, great graphics and music, and impressive boss fights abound. Unlike the SNES game of the same name, this Super Turrican is less of an original game, and more of a remix of the original home computer title, with some elements included from Turrican 2 (such as unlimited gyroscope). Unfortunately many of the levels are very cut down here, some bosses are missing, and most lamentably losing a life gets you put back to the start of a level. However the multiple excellent additions such as a run feature, and new rapid fire gun, coupled with the now simpler, more linear level designs, help to create a faster, more action packed experience that feels very different, but equally excellent to the original.

This was the beginning of Capcom's insane quest to bring out as many Mega Man games as possible on NES in as short amount of time as they could. A more ambitious game than it's predecessors it contained some very notable additions such as the new excellent and useful skid move added to the controls, as well as more effort put into a storyline with new characters such as Proto Man and Rush making their first ever appearances.

Has to be one of the more original concepts for a platform game from the period. This sequel to Bubble Bobble (not that you'd be able to tell its a sequel from the game play or style) has you creating rainbows which can be used to climb upwards of kill the enemies. Very Unique

Another great game in the Gradius series this time with bigger set-pieces and more ambitious level designs than before. After careful thought I've decided to place this one lower than Life Force, as I feel that the lack of the 2-player co-op, coupled with some slightly more frustrating level designs makes this just slightly the weaker of these two classics games.

It may not be a real Mario game (this was actually a redesigned unrelated game originally) but it's still a pretty fun, solid platformer, and it sure as hell beats having this instead of the real Super Mario Bros 2 released in Japan (which sucked) it does lack that certain Mario feel though.

Faxanadu is a platforming adventure game which is an offshoot of the Xanadu series (the title being a combination of Famicom and Xanadu) its very well put together and has a pretty nice and unique style of its own created by its earthy colour use.

Archon is a pretty difficult game to explain, its kind of like a cross between Chess and top down shooters, having you move your pieces around a board in a chess style, but taking full control when a battle occurs. It shouldn't really work, but somehow really does perfectly.

Definitely has to be the premier traditional into-the-screen racing game on the NES, it scales and moves pretty smoothly, the illusion of speed is there and the music in the game is also first rate.

Don't let the slightly iffy graphics dissuade you from trying this game, this is one of the pinnacle platform-shooters on the NES, it has the fantastic game play mechanic of allowing you to switch between standing on the ceiling or floor, and all the levels are very cleverly designed to capitalize on this feature, for instance you'll find spike hazards only passable by traveling on the ceiling, and boss fights where the only way to dodge the enemy is to switch back and forth between ground and ceiling.

Another great game from Sunsoft, one of the most underrated of the classic NES developers. Batman feels a little similar to Ninja Gaiden at first, but when it gets going it really starts to stand-out and differentiate itself. Its wall jump move forms the basis of the level design, having you often carefully bouncing back and forth through the levels.