Excitebike

System: Nintendo Entertainment System Release date: September 1986 Rev your engines for a muddy motorsport mayhem with Excitebike on the NES, the September 1986 Nintendo nail-biter that slings you into 16-track tussles, jumping ramps and dodging rivals like a two-wheeled tornado. This racer’s got simple thrills and track-editing tricks—but does it still skid into glory…

Shadow Warriors (Ninja Gaiden)

System: Nintendo Entertainment System Release date: August 1991 Slice into shadow-shrouded strife with Shadow Warriors on the NES, the August 1991 Tecmo tearjerker that thrusts Ryu Hayabusa into a globe-trotting grudge against the Jaquio’s demonic horde. This wall-clinging, shuriken-slinging saga’s got cutscene cinema and cruelty for days—but does it still shinobi-stun in 2025? Let’s grip…

DuckTales

System: Nintendo Entertainment System Release date: September 1989 Oi, treasure-hunting quacks! Pogo into penny-pinching peril with DuckTales on the NES, the September 1989 Capcom caper that lets Scrooge McDuck bounce his cane across the globe, nabbing gold from Amazon jungles to Transylvanian tombs. This platforming plunder’s got Disney dazzle and duck-sized danger—but does it still…

Punch-Out!!

System: Nintendo Entertainment System Release date: December 1987 Step into the squared circle with Punch-Out!! on the NES, the December 1987 Nintendo knockout that shrinks Little Mac into a pixel pugilist, dodging dodgy hooks from global goons like Glass Joe and Piston Honda. This boxing bonanza’s all timing, taunts, and Tyson terror (or Mr. Dream’s…

Gunstar Heroes

System: Mega Drive Release date: September 1993 Oi, blast-happy heroes! Charge into explosive anarchy with Gunstar Heroes on the Mega Drive, the September 1993 Treasure tornado that arms twin siblings with wild weapons to topple a mad empire’s moon base menace. This run-‘n’-gun riot’s got co-op chaos, combo carnage, and colossal bosses—but does it still…

Desert Strike

System: Mega Drive Release date: May 1992 Throttle up for a scorching Gulf skirmish with Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf on the Mega Drive, the May 1992 EA cracker that slings you into an Apache cockpit for top-down tank-busting and hostage rescues amid sandy showdowns. This isometric shooter’s got missions, missiles, and military mayhem—but…

Streets of Rage

System: Mega Drive Release date: December 1991 Oi, street toughs! Dive into urban uproar with Streets of Rage on the Mega Drive, the December 1991 Sega smasher that unleashes you as a cop-turned-vigilante, pounding punks and syndicates across neon-soaked Wood Oak City. This beat-’em-up blueprint from the golden era packs fists, flips, and funky foes—but…