Top 10 NES games of all time, game style, genre and more. Do you have a personally top 10? What games live on your Top 10 NES Games ever.

Ice Hockey Video

Game On!

@WorldOfLongPlay Ice Hockey Video

Lab Work – Ice Hockey Video – Full Games, fights and all

Dive into Ice Hockey, a 1988 Classic NES Nintendo Entertainment System video game

Choose a team, set a speed, select a duration, create a team profile, and hit the ice. Simple.

Among the hockey titles, Blades of Steel, NHL 98, NHL 2024, and Ice Hockey, the original NES Ice Hockey game might just take the cake. The differences, are significant, such as more control in the newer games, can sometimes be too much in my opinion. Take it for what it is. There are moments when I simply want to pickup a game, play, enjoy that time, and then set it down. With the newer games, there is often a story mode or a “get into the league” challenge.

In contrast, NES Ice Hockey is all about grabbing a stick and just playing. I believe that’s way it remains at the top of the list of hockey games… maybe tied with NHL’98, but it’s been too long for both. The NHL series of games has some tricks and scoring tips, but the newest version’s AI (NHL 2024) accounts for those said moves, which seems to take away some of the skill from 97′-’98. It’s a bummer, more skill required I suppose. Getting down to the basics, I love the simplicity of grabbing a stick an playing the NES Ice Hockey game…

The play-ability, in-game challenge, speed and accuracy are key in the NES game. The fighting scenes are a bit odd, fun, as it looks like two whirling dervishes glitching out, it’s quite amusing. While some of the other games mentioned above refine the fighting button combinations, and cut-scenes… this is something the game lacks in creativity. Not a reason to skip this as a “buy”. More so, it’s a 30 year old relic, so it’s a matter of appreciation for those developers. Which is fine, it doesn’t take away from the game nor the nostalgia.

Moving past the fighting scenes, the Zamboni cut-scene is great for periods and half-time, goalies… no complaints here! Truly, this game is a gem for nearly 40 years. It’s amazing to think that these original NES console games have had a 40 year shelf life. Who would have thought that at 8, 9 or 10 years old, I would be writing about them 40 years later?

Next, thanks for the coverage @worldOfLongPlays, love the video and complete game play-through. I can always count on the full game from your channel. Helps to explain the nostalgia, since I’ll never own and/or play the game again. In any case, check out the @worldLongOfLongPlays Playlist on NES Ice Hockey on YouTube Logo YouTube… You can always see our video playlists, or check the video category on our website.

Contra Video

Remember – Up, Up, Down… Start

NES Contra

Lab Work – NES Contra Video play-through

Shout out to@Peg, for quickly completing this Contra play-through!

Contra – Up, Up, Down, Down, B, A (select for two players), start… 30 years later, I can still recall the ultimate game saver code made. Yes, that’s the Contra extra lives code. Select/start or Start, once the code is input on the home screen. This game, in parallel is a side-scrollering, run-and-gun game, like Commando (check that out). Contra one-ups Commando, hence the code recalled and shared above. The likelihood of success was higher extra lives code. Not because of skill! Sometimes you have to chuckle… man, I had no clue then.

Although the game was difficult, the extra lives helped me and my fellow players along. The Base 1 puzzle, Energy Zone and Alien Lair were some of the best boards I recall. My Contra play, study..ultimately helped me figure out boss patterns, the ‘thought’ outside the game, or puzzle solving and strategy. Like Mega Man, for those who have played, having the right weapon, in most cases the opposite of the boss. Fire/Water, Earth/Wind… same problem-solving is used today – Elden Ring, The Last Faith, and Black Myth Wukong, etc.

Watch this video and others like it on YouTube Logo YouTube or check out our other videos found under the video category on our website.

Kung Fu NES Video

Kung Fu NES Video

Kick & Punch, Beat ‘Em Up

Video – Kung Fu NES Video

Shout out to @NintendoComplete, for the great play-through.

Best Beat’em Up… games include Kung Fu, TMNT Arcade, Final Fight, and the Double Dragon Series… I don’t know about this one. Kung Fu was the first karate or martial arts game I played, so, maybe a broader category like beat’em up, action RPG, combat, fighting, boxing etc. would be a better pitch. In that case, the game tiles broaden to include the Street Fighter series, Mike Tysons Punch-Out! Batman, Castlevania (while I’m writing this, watching Rondo Of Blood for Turbo Grafx), Shinobi, Ninja Gaiden, God of War, Black Myth Wukong (a buy, so, a soon-to-buy) current the Elden Ring Samurai build, and Rise of Ronin (purchased, but not yet played).

Should I also include Rise, Rampage, Golden Axe, and Altered Beast on this list as well? I didn’t get into the UFC or WWF games as much, but Pro Wrestling yes. When considering all marital arts games, there are only a few: Kung Fu, Street Fighter, Virtual Fighter, Soul Caliber and now Elden Ring.

Returning to Beat’em Ups, martial arts, or whatever it may be and NES Kung Fu. I think Kung Fu is still one of the best games out there, even for a late 1985 release. Horizontal scrolling, punch, kick, and jump kick… a definitive “buy” today if I had a way to play the game. Nintendo Switch* I never understood the bee enemies or the fireball, bee throwing, dragon appearing enemy seems unfair or the final battle, guessing Mr. X. Silva saved. *Is there a Nintendo Switch in my future? We will find out!