Current Events > "The NES had great games like Mario, Contra, and Zelda..."

(+) Yeah! (+)

Is it just me or is Contra the most referenced third-party game on the NES?

When people list great games for the console, you usually get two or three first party franchises (Mario is always among them) and Contra. That's not a statement that the only good games for the NES were first party games. Rather, it's a statement that Contra seems to be the go-to example of a good game for the system that's not published by Nintendo themselves.

When it comes to third party games, Castlevania seems to be the second most referenced and Mega Man is third. At least in the YouTube videos and classic gaming magazines that I've seen. Don't get me wrong, Contra is great. But it kinda surprises me how universally recognized it seems to be. Behind Nintendo's house stock of games, it seems to be the most commonly cited example of a great NES game.

I hated contra lol, I sold my copy of the alien wars for like 50 bucks a few years back

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Contra III was Super Nintendo.

for good reason, it's one of the best NES games of all time

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Mario
Zelda
Contra
Mega Man
Castlevania
Ninja Gaiden

the list goes on

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There are other mid tier games like Faxanadu that get referenced. But yeah what you named off is kinda the cream of the crop

OH and Ninja Gaiden

Double Dragon

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HylianFox posted...

Mario
Zelda
Contra
Mega Man
Castlevania
Ninja Gaiden

the list goes on

I think you may have missed my point.

And helped confirm it.

My point isn't the lack of great games. It has plenty.

It's just that it never really dawned on me just how universally praised Contra seems to be. If it a movie, it would be something like A Christmas Story. There's a theater that shows that every year and it always sells out.

Contra's in that same boat of, "I knew this was liked, but I didn't realize just how popular it was."

I think Mega Man is synonymous with the NES, even moreso than Contra or Castlevania.

I'm pretty sure most non-gamers probably even think Mega Man is a Nintendo character.


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Wii_Shaker posted...

I'm pretty sure most non-gamers probably even think Mega Man is a Nintendo character.

I wouldn't be surprised.

Wii_Shaker posted...

I think Mega Man is synonymous with the NES, even moreso than Contra or Castlevania.

I'm pretty sure most non-gamers probably even think Mega Man is a Nintendo character.

He kinda was for a long time. Like how final fantasy was PlayStation only for like 2 gens

Also nes had great gamea yes but the games that werent sucked. Most games nowdays are at least okish if they aint great. Nes was either great or shit.

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