There is one downside, however.
Those 30 games are all that the NES Classic will ever be able play.
You cant download anything else, and it wont play the original cartridges.
Obviously, this means that there are some big omissions from the retro consoles line-up.
The game features 11 fictitious wrestlers with tons of moves, and even 8-bit cut scenes for special moves.
Still, its fondly remembered for its solid beat em up gameplay, detailed graphics, and rocking soundtrack.
Warios Woods
1994 | Nintendo
When it comes to NES puzzle games, everyone remembersTetrisandDr.
Mario(the latter of which is bundled with the Classic NES).
Being such a late release, the game benefits from surprisingly vibrant graphics.
The game is also an especially innovative and deep take on the puzzle genre.
The only thing that can stop the zombies is a samurai wielding an ancient sword.
The action on the ice has held up surprisingly well over the years, too.
Festers Quest
1990 | Sunsoft
Festers Questis a truly strange entry in the NES library.
When you realize that it involved Uncle Fester fighting off an alien invasion, it only seems weirder.
So for the American release, they re-wrote the plot to be about Ken from theStreet Fighterseries.
Ring King
1987 | Namco
Everyone remembersPunch-Out!
!, as THE NES boxing game.
Forgotten isRing King, a quality alternative.
Its sort of like the first real boxing simulation.
And then theres that certain…scene between rounds.
If you havent seen it before, Google it now.
Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers
There were a lot of terrible licensed games on the NES.
This is just one of those simple 8-bit games thats a joy to play.
Its a platformer, but you cant jump.
Instead, you traverse the levels by swinging around with your bionic arm.
And we loved it because the levels and enemies were surprisingly true to the cartoon.
In hindsight, we were kind of dumb.
The game is incredibly, frustratingly hard.
Possibly even broken to some extent.
And make our kids play that damn dam level.
Batman: The Video Game
The NES was home to a lot of god-awful movie and comic book cash-ins.
Well, lets see him shoot a duck without opposable thumbs.
And maybe Nintendo could even throw in some other super obscure Zapper games likeHogans AlleyandWild Gunman.
And theres a ridiculous number of objects to use as weapons.
Thankfully,River City Ransomhas received a lot more attention for its innovations as time has gone by.
Thats a shame, because its turn-based combat has actually held up a lot better than the firstFinal Fantasys.
Mega Man 3
Capcom released an astounding sixMega Mangames on the NES.
Then, things kind of went downhill.
This was the firstMega Mangame to introduce the slide mechanic and robot dog companion, Rush.
Plus, the opening theme song is absolutely iconic and quite possibly the greatest song in any NES game.
Tetris
1989 | Bullet-Proof Software
By now, everyone currently gaming in the world has played some version ofTetris.
While the inclusion ofDr.
Little Nemo: The Dream Master
Capcom was arguably at its very best during the NES era.
NES-era Capcom was second only to Nintendo itself in pushing out high-quality titles.
Virtually everything it touched turned to gold, andLittle Nemowas no exception.
Contra
1988 | Konami
TheContrasequel,Super C, will be included in the NES Classic.
And most importantly, we want it right now.
Yes, the NES version is completely different from the MSX2 version that inspired it.
Its been disowned by series creator Hideo Kojima, but that doesnt make the NES version any less fantastic.
And for that, its well worth including in the next NES Classic.
Chris Freiberg is a freelance contributor.
