Famicom Games you should try out
This is a revised version of an older list with descriptions and just being possibly better. Hope this gets you to try out some cool 8-bit titles regardless of the quality. There are some bad ones but everywhere can witness some kusoge every once in a while.
*Note I have not played every game on here so comment if mistakes were made.
*Note I have not played every game on here so comment if mistakes were made.
150 Games
Another kusoge game filled with poor gameplay decisions based off a license and it's brutally hard. Even later Transformers media has referenced its infamy. Play it if you want a impossible feeling challenge.
The only good Sumo game for the console.
A good port of a Konami Arcade game. Really fun if you have a friend to play as Winbee. Only real gripe is the last level is not too well balanced. If you like early shmups, this is one of the best.
A good improvement over the previous Twinbee games and there is still fun co-op to be had, though the three player mode is sadly gone. The presentation is also amazing for a shmup of the time.
A very ambitious Zelda like game that tries many ideas and sort of fails at it at times but it's hard to deny the admiration of it all. It's worth at least playing a bit to see what it's like but if it's not for you, stick with the fun Arcade sequel. This was also remade on PS1.
A popular game for children with some fun little minigames for the boss fights. It should be warned that you better know Japanese because the fan translation unintentionally made the final boss almost impossible.
Another crossover game but is now more of a simple level to level platformer. Fun game and even mixes it up sometimes.
Similar to Itadaki Street, best played with friends.
An arcade conversion by Konami and an early take on the fighting game genre. It might not click for some and they also cut about half the opponents but this one can be fun once you learn how to beat all five opponents. Nice one to pop in and play for about 20 minutes.
A decent Castlevania clone.
A port of a computer game that is one of the weaker versions but worth playing as it has content unique to this version.
A fun and easy platformer that is unfortunately fatphobic.
A somewhat unknown action game in the west. It has some RPG like mechanics and is worth a try if you've never heard of it.
An interesting text adventure game but sadly no fan translation.
An interesting spinoff that feels more like a Rockman game.
It's Arkanoid again so if you enjoyed the first, you'll enjoy this too.
Despite not being a Japanese property, this was Japan only. It's pretty horrible sadly, with an awful attack, uninteresting level design, and just not fun at all.
A 2D action sidescroller with many interesting ideas but doesn't always have the best design.
If you liked the first one, you should enjoy this too.
More Megami Tensei, more hard gameplay and awesome designs. It also has a Super Famicom remake.
This game took over like a decade for someone to actually beat it.
A game normally hated by fans. It does have fans and it would later birth the SaGa franchise. Though some might recommend you play a later rerelease if this is too outdated.
Notable for being the most popular of the three games with a cool class change mechanic. Be warned that the game can be pretty hard. It once again might be better to play the pixel remaster.
A fun puzzle game that you might have played on the GB
Another Goemon RPG, not much to say.
A pretty standard and easy RPG but with the fun Goemon flare to it.
One of the worst games on the system that should be played just for that reason.
More Kunio-Kun. This one seems to be too easy for some so be wary of that.
A compile puzzle game that came out right before their big Puzzle hit.
Honestly you should just play this one so you can see the "Show up you gays" line. Though with how poorly thought out this game is, you might need save states to even make it that far.
Another Heracles game, not much to say, if you like the first well here's another.
Supposedly a Dragon Quest clone by Data East. It would start a series of games that we mostly never got, an interesting series.
One of the worst RPGs ever made. It needs to be seen to believe. It even got a Switch release due to how hated it has become.
A fun game if you like this series but sadly only in Japanese for now.
A fun little puzzle game using the most popular Sanrio character at the time.
Another Soccer game by Kunio-kun
If you know Japanese, play this just to be amazed at how it's one of the hardest games on the system.
A port of a computer game that's infamous for how botched it was. It's got a lot of bad game design like instant death traps. Only recommended if you wanna see how bad it is.
While this did come out here as Bases Loaded, this original Famicom version is infamous for how buggy it is. Despite that, it still sold well and disappointed many Japanese players.
The actual first game using a save feature on a cartridge.
A well made RPG by Pax Softnica. A really neat setting with some nice humor and many memorable moments. It's not as bad as some make it out to be. Though you might wanna play the cancelled US version for some small improvements.
While it's been ported nowadays, this is still a neat block puzzle game to try if you like those on this console. you have to lift them and use them for going higher. It's pretty tricky and if you like it enough, it got remade on the PS1.
A 4 player fighting game that can be pretty fun and addicting though the framerate is poor.
There's too many Kunio-Kun games I'm tired. IT'S BASKETBALL BUT COOL
A very odd game that really has nothing to do with what it's based on. Not good but funny.
More Kunio sports fun!
Notable for what would help Capcom one day make the Biohazard franchise. It's a scary RPG with many mechanics that feel right out of a horror game.
A game centered around a guy who doesn't even like video games. The design of it is insane and unorthodox. It's very easy to lose too and will not play fair.
More of the same but this time the fan translation isn't bad.
Hope you know Japanese
3 Comments
Awesome list!! Sorry to be super nitpicky but a Shogi game was actually the first famicom game to have a save function - super weird right? Here's a source which should be able to be able to be auto-translated into English: https://magmix.jp/post/69839 Here's the backloggd link! https://www.backloggd.com/games/morita-kazuo-no-shogi/
Love the list! i really wanna check out Yokai Club!
Love the list! i really wanna check out Yokai Club!
@Dalaamclouds
seems the source I used was wrong about the saving thing, sorry. It's been fixed now. Thank you for letting me know.
seems the source I used was wrong about the saving thing, sorry. It's been fixed now. Thank you for letting me know.
Angel_Arle
3 months ago