The Nintendo Entertainment System is credited with rescuing a flailing industry back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Over the years, hundreds of amazing games launched for the console, and many of the best and most memorable of them are now available to play on Nintendo Switch Online. However, dozens of other fantastic titles still haven’t reached the service, and that needs to change. Out of those dozens remaining, here are 10 NES games that still need to come to Switch Online as soon as possible.
10
Paperboy
Released: Dec. 1988
Paperboy appeared on most major platforms of the era, but the NES port was something special. Many ports to other hardware reproduced the arcade version’s visual design quite closely, but the NES one used more muted colors and simplistic visuals that matched the console’s capabilities perfectly. Tight controls and classic gameplay combined for the perfect weekend rental. The game follows a paperboy as he delivers newspapers to loyal subscribers (and perhaps breaks the windows of nonsubscribers) over the course of one obstacle-filled week. In between rides on his route, he completes a risky training course, then does it all again. Getting to the end of the week with lives and subscribers to spare is pure arcade bliss. It’s not a substantial game, but it would work perfect for players seeking a quick retro diversion and might even prove that it deserves a modern-day remake.
9
Kiwi Kraze
Released: Mar. 1991
Taito was one of the most exciting publishers in the NES days, releasing a strong lineup of games. Many of them have since become highly-prized rarities (though none of them are quite at the level of Stadium Events or other such titles). Kiwi Kraze, a port of New Zealand Story, isn’t all that expensive if you want to acquire the cartridge now, but that’s not a knock on its quality. Like the arcade original, the game has players run, jump, and ride balloons through a zoo world populated by cute monsters armed with bows and laser guns. The goal is to catch up to your nemesis, an evil walrus who has bird-napped your pals. There are hidden warps, lots of temporary weapon upgrades, perilous spiked walls, and deep pools of water to explore. The game is surprisingly difficult, especially the boss encounters, but there are lots of secrets to find and that keeps it highly replayable even if you can’t reach the end. It could do very well for itself on the Nintendo Switch Online service.
8
Adventure Island 3
Released: Jul. 1992
Developed by Now Production and published by Hudson Soft (Mario Party), Adventure Island 3 was the third entry in a series of games about Master Higgins. He’s a shirtless wonder who dashes through tropical stages, gathering fruit to keep up his energy and tossing weapons like hammers to clear his path of various creepy crawlies. The games are difficult but fun, and the third installment never made it to Nintendo’s Virtual Console service on Wii or Wii U. Neither did the fourth entry, for that matter (and it also wasn’t localized back in the day). Either game would make an exciting addition to the service.
7
Destiny of an Emperor
Released: May 1989
Destiny of an Emperor must not have performed super well for Capcom, because the publisher never localized its NES sequel. But RPG fans of the era who gave the game a chance know that it offered a surprisingly deep experience, depicting the brave heroes who banded together to rid China of bandit brigades known as the Yellow Scarves. It features a lengthy quest, with a beautiful world to explore and strategic battles pitting groups of soldiers against one another. Perhaps it even provided inspiration for RPG hits in later generations, like Suikoden. The time is never wrong for a Destiny of an Emperor revival.
Get Polygon’s Wishlister newsletter
A weekly cheat sheet to what you’ll eventually love to play. No buying, no
commitment — just saving for later.
Sign up free
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
6
The Battle of Olympus
Released: Mar. 1988
The Battle of Olympus was the debut title from prolific Japanese developer Infinity (Ribbit King). The game is an overlooked classic that Broderbund published in the United States. It sends the hero, Orpheus, on a quest to reunite with his lover, Helene. Doing so will require him to visit numerous locations while using swords and magic to vanquish fantastic monsters. The action resembles Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, with strong visuals that capture the mythological feel required to tell a story set in ancient Greece. The ambitious adventure attracted a loyal following, and its original creators are working on a Steam remake that is due to launch in early access in January 2027, ahead of its 40th anniversary.
5
Bubble Bobble Part 2
Released: Aug. 1993
Although the original Bubble Bobble cartridge is quite affordable, despite being one of the 35 greatest NES games of all time, its sequel is rare and generally quite expensive. Games in the platforming series feature bubble-blowing dinosaurs that hop around single-screen levels, collecting prizes and dispatching enemies before advancing to the next stage. The sequel offers multiplayer support, cute graphics, catchy music, and a generally fun time based on the arcade original. Either game would make a welcome addition to the service, but the second one would spare us all the pain of buying such an expensive collector’s item just to play it legitimately.
4
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
Released: May 1988
Developed by Hudson Soft, Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom casts the players as the brave Sir Cucumber, who is off to rescue Princess Tomato. She has been kidnapped by Minister Pumpkin, a royal adviser who no one should ever have trusted, clearly. To find her, the player must navigate a lively world populated by talking vegetables. The interface is menu-based, resembling a classic text adventure but with visuals to help tell the wild story. It’s quirky stuff, different from normal fare in most of the right ways. At one point, Nintendo released a version for Virtual Console, though it has since become one of more than 200 classic games that are now unavailable to own when that service ended. The title could work just as well today as a Nintendo Switch Online offering.
3
Faxanadu
Released: Nov. 1987
Fans who actually played the game might recall Faxanadu as one of the most rousing adventures ever featured on the NES. Some folks consider it one of the earliest examples of the Metroidvania format. Nintendo published the game in North America and Europe, which was developed by Hudson Soft as a spinoff of Falcom’s soon-to-be-revived Dragon Slayer series. Sidescrolling action and RPG elements combine to tell the story of a wanderer who has just returned home to find his hometown all but abandoned. Dwarves, formerly allies of the elves, are now wreaking havoc. The hero must find the source of all that trouble, which requires him to embark on an epic adventure. It’s ripe for a release on the service, if someone can sort out any licensing issues.
2
Shadowgate
Released: Mar. 1989
ICOM Simulations developed three point-and-click adventure games that were ported to the NES hardware by Kemco. Shadowgate is the most famous one, featuring a medieval fantasy castle that players of the time couldn’t resist. The environment is dangerous, populated by terrible monsters who will cut the adventure short with little or no warning. A battery save prevented players from losing much progress when they happened across the numerous pitfalls, provided they thought to use it. With its strong fantasy art, dark vibes, and difficult gameplay, Shadowgate appeared frequently in the pages of Nintendo Power during the months surrounding its release owing to its popularity and challenging gameplay. Interest in the franchise remains high, and Beyond Shadowgate on Steam shows what the sequel might have looked like. But it would still be nice to have convenient access to the NES original.
1
Bionic Commando
Released: July 1988
In 1987, Capcom released an arcade game called Top Secret, which launched in the United States the same year as Bionic Commando. Its hero ran and shot his way through a variety of platforming stages populated by enemy soldiers. To reach higher ground, he swung a bionic arm toward distant grappling points, then latched onto them to pull himself to new platforms. Capcom produced an expanded NES port the next year. In Japan, that game featured some plot elements that were modified for the North American release, where Nazi imagery and themes were altered to provide a more generic rival force for the hero to eliminate. The NES port was adapted later for the Game Boy, and Capcom later returned to the franchise with the Grin-developed Bionic Commando: Rearmed and other releases. There’s probably still some life left in the franchise, even now. A Nintendo Switch Online release would be a good way to find it.