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NES Replay

What Is This? We're playing every English-language NES game in chronological order for at least 20 minutes each. We don't play them to completion, as that would be virtually impossible to do with them. We will also be playing unlicensed games, as long as they were released during the NES' real-world lifespan (approximately 1985-1995). We will not be playing games with unofficial translations or ROM hacks.

What Do You Use To Play Them? We use emulators and ROMs in order to play these games. For those who would like to play along, we use Retroarch with the Nestopia core. If you have a moral objection to the fact that we're not paying full price for 20-year-old games, many of which have been out-of-print for years, feel free to purchase the games and send them to me.

Why Didn't You Review Game X? If you notice a game that you would like reviewed and don't see it on the list, let us know by emailing us at lee (at) downwardscompatible.com. We'll either explain why it's not on the list or we'll put it on the list and get to it.

You Said Game X Sucks, But Game X Is Awesome! This happens from time to time. Dissenting opinions are welcome, and should be expected. If you have a different take on a game, by all means contact us via email at lee (at) downwardscompatible.com and we can hash it out. I might even include your response in a future article.

The List:

1985
1986
June
Japan-Only:
October
November
December
1987
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Japan-Only
August
September
  • 3-D WorldRunner
  • Deadly Towers
  • Double Dribble
  • Lode Runner
  • Raid on Bungeling Bay
  • Ring King
  • Sky Kid
  • Spelunker
  • Spy Hunter
  • Sqoon
  • Stadium Events
  • Star Voyager
  • Stinger
  • Tiger Heli
  • Winter Games
October
  • Alpha Mission
  • Lunar Pool
  • Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
  • Rad Racer
  • Zanac
November
  • BreakThru
  • Goonies II, The
  • Gotcha! The Sport!
  • Jaws
  • Karate Kid, The
  • Kid Niki: Radical Ninja
  • Star Force
  • Super Pitfall
  • Top Gun
December
  • Mega Man
  • Wizards & Warriors
1988
Unlicensed / Undetermined
January
  • Karnov
  • Renegade
February
  • Contra
  • Gun.Smoke
  • R.C. Pro-Am
  • Town & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage
March
  • Dragon Power
  • Ice Hockey
April
  • Freedom Force
  • Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road
  • Major League Baseball
May
  • City Connection
  • Rambo
June
  • Double Dragon
  • Metal Gear
  • Super Dodge Ball
July
  • Bases Loaded
  • Defender II
  • Iron Tank
  • Legendary Wings
August
  • Life Force
  • World Class Track Meet
September
  • Adventure Island
  • Galaga
  • Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode
  • Jackal
  • Jeopardy!
  • Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf
  • Milon's Secret Castle
  • Wheel of Fortune
  • Xevious
October
  • 1943: The Battle of Midway
  • Donkey Kong Classics
  • Ghostbusters
  • Joust
  • MagMax
  • Mickey Mousecapade
  • Millipede
  • Racket Attack
  • Seicross
  • Spy vs. Spy
  • Super Mario Bros. 2
November
  • Anticipation
  • Blaster Master
  • Bubble Bobble
  • Cobra Command
  • Dr. Chaos
  • Super Team Games
December
  • Bionic Commando
  • Blades of Steel
  • Bump 'n' Jump
  • Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
  • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  • Othello
  • Paperboy
  • Platoon
  • Rampage
  • Robowarrior
  • Skate or Die!
  • Superman
  • Xenophobe
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
1989
Unlicensed / Undetermined
  • After Burner
  • Baby Boomer
  • Captain Comic - The Adventure
  • Crystal Mines
  • Fantasy Zone
  • Firehawk
  • Impossible Mission II
  • Little Red Hood
  • Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu
  • Metal Fighter
  • Mig 29 Soviet Fighter
  • Raid 2020
  • Road Runner
  • Rolling Thunder
  • Super Sprint
  • Tetris (Tengen)
  • Toobin'
January
  • Bomberman
  • Star Soldier
  • Tecmo Baseball
  • WWF WrestleMania
February
  • Bandai Golf: Challenge Pebble Beach
  • Friday the 13th
  • Gyruss
  • Q*bert
  • Tecmo Bowl
  • Ultima III: Exodus
March
  • Dance Aerobics
  • John Elway's Quarterback
  • Kung Fu Heroes
  • Marble Madness
  • Ninja Gaiden
  • World Games
April
  • Adventures of Lolo
  • Amagon
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
  • Dynowarz: Destruction of Spondylus
  • Fist of the North Star
  • Guardian Legend, The
  • Legacy of the Wizard
  • Mappy-Land
  • Mystery Quest
  • Predator: Soon the Hunt Will Begin
  • Taboo: The Sixth Sense
May
  • Operation Wolf
June
  • Adventures of Bayou Billy, The
  • Airwolf
  • California Games
  • Desert Commander
  • Guerrilla War
  • Hoops
  • Hydlide
  • Mega Man 2
  • Monster Party
  • Nobunaga's Ambition
  • Shooting Range
  • Street Cop
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  • Track & Field II
July
  • Baseball Stars
  • Cobra Triangle
  • Defender of the Crown
  • Strider
  • Thundercade
August
  • Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The
  • Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle, The
  • Dragon Warrior
  • Faxanadu
  • Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll
  • Jordan vs. Bird: One on One
September
  • Adventures of Dino Riki
  • Air Fortress
  • Back to the Future
  • Bad Street Brawler
  • Black Bass, The
  • Castlequest
  • DuckTales
  • Fester's Quest
  • Hollywood Squares
  • King's Knight
  • NFL
  • P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
  • Sky Shark
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
October
  • Casino Kid
  • Goal!
  • Godzilla: Monster of Monsters
  • Jeopardy! Junior Edition
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
  • Stealth ATF
  • Three Stooges, The
  • Twin Eagle
  • Wheel of Fortune Junior Edition
November
  • 720°
  • Tetris
  • To the Earth
December
  • All-Pro Basketball
  • Archon
  • Battle of Olympus, The
  • Championship Bowling
  • Cybernoid
  • Dig Dug II
  • Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
  • Knight Rider
  • Magic of Scheherazade, The
  • RoboCop
  • Shadowgate
  • Shinobi
  • Short Order / Eggsplode!
  • Silent Service
  • Uncanny X-Men, The
  • Willow



1990
Unlicensed / Undetermined
  • Sunday Funday
  • Castle of Deceit
  • Challenge of the Dragon
  • Chiller
  • Death Race
  • Deathbots
  • Double Strike
  • Duck Maze
  • Dudes with Attitude
  • Exodus
  • F-15 City War
  • Galactic Crusader
  • King Neptune's Adventure
  • Klax
  • Krazy Kreatures
  • Menace Beach
  • Miracle Piano Teaching System
  • Mission Cobra
  • Moon Ranger
  • Ms. Pac Man
  • New Ghostbusters II
  • P'Radikus Conflict, The
  • Pac-Mania
  • Pesterminator: The Western Exterminator
  • Puzzle
  • Pyramid
  • R.B.I. Baseball 2
  • Robodemons
  • Shockwave
  • Silent Assault
  • Skull & Crossbones
  • Tagin' Dragon
  • Tiles of Fate
  • Ultimate Stuntman, The
January
  • 8 Eyes
  • A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia
  • Chessmaster
  • Clash at Demonhead
  • Demon Sword
  • Double Dragon II: The Revenge
  • Genghis Khan
  • Infiltrator
  • Kings of the Beach
  • Nintendo World Championships
  • Rescue: The Embassy Mission
  • River City Ransom
  • RoadBlasters
  • Rock 'n' Ball
  • Top Gun: The Second Mission
  • Top Players' Tennis
  • Twin Cobra
February
  • Bases Loaded II: Second Season
  • Batman
  • Dash Galaxy in the Alien Asylum
  • Destination Earthstar
  • Rollerball
  • Super Mario Bros. 3
  • Super Spike V'Ball
March
  • Abadox
  • Adventures of Lolo 2
  • Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing
  • Astyanax
  • Baseball Simulator 1.000
  • Burai Fighter
  • Code Name: Viper
  • Conflict
  • Fisher-Price: I Can Remember
  • Fisher-Price: Perfect Fit
  • Heavy Barrel
  • Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf
  • Kid Kool
  • Magic Johnson's Fast Break
  • Target: Renegade
  • Terra Cresta
  • Vegas Dream
  • Wheel of Fortune Family Edition
  • Win, Lose, or Draw
April
  • Double Dare
  • Ghostbusters II
  • Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road
  • Phantom Fighter
  • Pin*Bot
  • Snake's Revenge
  • Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular
  • Super C
  • Tecmo World Wrestling
  • WCW Wrestling
  • Wrath of the Black Manta
  • Xexyz
Japan-Only:
  • Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
May
  • Final Fantasy
  • Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
  • Remote Control
June
  • Adventures in the Magic Kingdom
  • Arkista's Ring
  • Bad News Baseball
  • Boulder Dash
  • Cabal
  • Captain Skyhawk
  • Castle of Dragon
  • Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
  • Dragon Spirit
  • Heavy Shreddin'
  • Image Fight
  • Jeopardy! 25th Anniversary Edition
  • Last Starfighter, The
  • Mafat Conspiracy, The
  • Mechanized Attack
  • Michael Andretti's World GP
  • Pinball Quest
  • Puss 'n Boots: Pero's Great Adventure
  • Rad Racer II
  • Rocket Ranger
  • Shingen the Ruler
  • Silkworm
  • Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos
  • Starship Hector
  • Wall Street Kid
July
  • Adventures of Gilligan's Island, The
  • Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja
  • Battle Chess
  • Circus Caper
  • Crystalis
  • Dungeon Magic: Sword of the Elements
  • Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball
  • Little League Baseball: Championship Series
  • Mad Max
  • Pictionary
  • Snake Rattle 'n' Roll
  • Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
August
  • Barker Bill's Trick Shooting
  • Bigfoot
  • Dick Tracy
  • NARC
  • Swords and Serpents
  • Total Recall
September
  • Back to the Future Part II & III
  • Battle Tank
  • Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout, The
  • Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
  • Classic Concentration
  • Cool Spot
  • Destiny of an Emperor
  • Dragon Warrior II
  • Gauntlet II
  • Journey to Silius
  • Kickle Cubicle
  • Little Nemo: The Dream Master
  • Low G Man: The Low Gravity Man
  • M.U.L.E.
  • Maniac Mansion
  • Mission: Impossible
  • NES Play Action Football
  • Pipe Dream
  • Rally Bike
  • RollerGames
  • Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble
  • Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship
  • Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight
  • Thunderbirds
  • Time Lord
  • Ultimate Basketball
October
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Caveman Games
  • Days of Thunder
  • Dr. Mario
  • Gremlins 2: The New Batch
  • Loopz
  • Mendel Palace
  • Orb-3D
  • Sesame Street: Big Bird's Hide & Speak
  • Super Glove Ball
November
  • Arch Rivals
  • Conquest of the Crystal Palace
  • Formula One: Built to Win
  • Immortal, The
  • Mega Man 3
  • Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival
  • Palamedes
  • Punisher, The
  • Puzznic
  • Silver Surfer
  • Werewolf: The Last Warrior
  • WWF WrestleMania Challenge
  • Yo! Noid
December
  • Adventures of Rad Gravity, The
  • Bandit Kings of Ancient China
  • Déjà Vu
  • Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City
  • Dirty Harry: The War Against Drugs
  • Dragon's Lair
  • Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu
  • Little Ninja Brothers
  • Ninja Crusaders
  • Nintendo World Cup
  • North & South
  • Shadow of the Ninja
  • StarTropics
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
1991
Unlicensed / Undetermined
  • Action 52
  • Aussie Rules Footy
  • Bible Adventures
  • Big Nose the Caveman
  • Bubble Bath Babes
  • Championship Rally
  • Crackout
  • Elite
  • Hot Slots
  • King of Kings: The Early Years
  • Linus Spacehead's Cosmic Crusade
  • Mermaids of Atlantis
  • Micro Machines
  • Operation Secret Storm
  • Over Horizon
  • Parasol Stars
  • Peek-A-Boo Poker
  • Quattro Adventure
  • Quattro Arcade
  • Quattro Sports
  • R.B.I. Baseball 3
  • Rad Racket: Deluxe Tennis II
  • Road Fighter
  • Secret Scout in the Temple of Demise
  • Ultimate League Soccer
  • Venice Beach Volleyball
January
  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance
  • Fun House
  • G.I. Joe
  • Hunt for Red October, The
  • Kabuki Quantum Fighter
  • Kick Off
  • Krion Conquest, The
  • Peter Pan and the Pirates
  • Qix
  • Tecmo World Cup Soccer
  • Trolls in Crazyland, The
  • Untouchables, The
  • Wayne Gretzky Hockey
February
  • Adventure Island II
  • Conan: The Mysteries of Time
  • Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones
  • Flying Warriors
  • Galaxy 5000
  • Ikari Warriors III: The Rescue
  • Isolated Warrior
  • Last Ninja, The
  • Magician
  • Metal Storm
  • Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
  • Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants, The
  • Ski or Die
  • Super Cars
  • Touchdown Fever
March
  • Harlem Globetrotters
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  • Metal Mech
  • Power Blade
  • Totally Rad
  • Whomp 'Em
April
  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure
  • Nobunaga's Ambition II
  • RoboCop 2
  • World Champ
May
  • Beetlejuice
  • Family Feud
  • Flight of the Intruder
  • Monopoly
  • Rocketeer, The
  • Times of Lore
June
  • Base Wars
  • Battletoads
  • Castelian
  • Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger
  • Laser Invasion
  • Rainbow Islands
  • S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team
  • Tombs & Treasure
  • Uninvited
  • Videomation
July
  • Frankenstein: The Monster Returns
  • High Speed
  • KlashBall
  • Little Mermaid, The
August
  • Lone Ranger, The
  • Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
1991
September
  • Adventures of Lolo 3
  • Bases Loaded 3
  • Captain Planet
  • Gun Nac
  • Magic Darts
  • Monster Truck Rally
  • NES Open Tournament Golf
  • Rockin' Kats
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms II
  • Smash TV
  • Super Jeopardy!
  • Where's Waldo?
  • Zombie Nation
October
  • American Gladiators
  • Bo Jackson Baseball
  • Darkman
  • Home Alone
  • Pirates!
  • Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball
  • Trog!
  • Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?
  • Wolverine
November
  • Barbie
  • Bard's Tale, The
  • Eliminator Boat Duel
  • Golf Grand Slam
  • L'Empereur
  • Prince of Thieves
  • Sesame Street: A-B-C/1-2-3
  • Snow Brothers
  • Space Shuttle Project
  • Star Wars
  • Uncharted Waters
  • Vice: Project Doom
  • Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth
December
  • Batman: Return of the Joker
  • Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge
  • Captain America and The Avengers
  • Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy, The
  • Shatterhand
  • Simpsons: Bart vs. the World, The
  • TaleSpin
  • Tecmo Super Bowl
  • Tiny Toon Adventures
  • Toki
  • Tom and Jerry
  • Treasure Master
1992
Unlicensed / Undetermined
  • Bee 52
  • Big Nose Freaks Out
  • Blackjack
  • Caltron 6 in 1
  • Decathlon
  • Joshua & the Battle of Jericho
  • Maxi 15
  • Solitaire
  • Spiritual Warfare
  • Stunt Kids
  • Wally Bear and the NO! Gang
January
  • Addams Family, The
  • Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
  • Bucky O'Hare
  • Cowboy Kid
  • Cyberball
  • Die Hard
  • Dragon Fighter
  • Dropzone
  • Hammerin' Harry
  • International Cricket
  • Kick Master
  • Konami Hyper Soccer
  • Legend of Prince Valiant,The
  • Legends of the Diamond
  • Mega Man 4
  • Monster in My Pocket
  • Motor City Patrol
  • Nightshade
  • Noah's Ark
  • Parodius Da!
  • Rampart
  • Sword Master
  • Wheel of Fortune: Featuring Vanna White
February
  • Banana Prince
  • F-15 Strike Eagle
  • Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters
  • Hudson Hawk
  • M.C. Kids
  • Sesame Street: Countdown
  • Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
  • Super Spy Hunter
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day
March
  • Bomberman II
  • Dragon Warrior III
  • Fisher-Price: Firehouse Rescue
  • G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor
  • Gemfire
  • Ghoul School
  • Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  • Town & Country II: Thrilla's Surfari
  • Wizards & Warriors III: Kuros: Visions of Power
April
May
  • Race America
  • Roundball: 2 on 2 Challenge
  • Wacky Races
June
  • Darkwing Duck
  • Day Dreamin' Davey
  • Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge
  • King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!
  • Power Punch II
  • Yoshi
July
August
  • Capcom's Gold Medal Challenge '92
  • Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat
  • Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum
  • Panic Restaurant
  • RoboCop 3
September
  • Adventure Island III
  • Blues Brothers, The
  • Contra Force
  • Krusty's Fun House
  • Tecmo Cup Soccer Game
  • WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge
October
  • Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge
  • Dragon Warrior IV
  • Felix the Cat
  • Gargoyle's Quest II
  • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
  • Legend of the Ghost Lion
  • Power Blade 2
  • Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six
  • Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston
November
  • Goal! Two
  • James Bond Jr.
  • Lemmings
  • Little Samson
  • Prince of Persia
  • Tecmo NBA Basketball
  • Widget
  • Ufouria: The Saga
December
  • Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, The
  • Best of the Best: Championship Karate
  • Caesars Palace
  • F-117A Stealth Fighter
  • George Foreman's KO Boxing
  • Great Waldo Search, The
  • Jetsons: Cogswell's Caper!, The
  • Joe & Mac
  • Mega Man 5
  • R.C. Pro-Am II
  • Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man, The
  • Swamp Thing
  • Terminator, The
  • Tiny Toon Adventures Cartoon Workshop
  • Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
1993
Unlicensed / Undetermined
  • Bible Buffet
  • Cheetahmen II
January
  • Asterix
  • Batman Returns
  • Break Time: The National Pool Tour
  • Dizzy the Adventurer
  • F-1 Sensation
  • Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy, The
  • Overlord
  • Rackets & Rivals
  • Rod Land
  • Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
February
March
  • Alien3
  • Fire 'n Ice
  • Mickey's Safari in Letterland
  • Zen the Intergalactic Ninja
April
  • Bases Loaded 4
  • Casino Kid 2
  • Kid Klown in Night Mayor World
  • Lethal Weapon
  • Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble in Wackyland
  • Yoshi's Cookie
May
  • Kirby's Adventure
  • Mr. Gimmick!
June
  • Battletoads & Double Dragon
  • Cool World
  • DuckTales 2
  • Jurassic Park
July
  • Color a Dinosaur
  • Mario Is Missing!
  • Mighty Final Fight
  • Super Turrican
August
September
  • Battleship
  • Bram Stoker's Dracula
  • NewZealand Story, The
October
  • Championship Pool
  • Last Action Hero
  • Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing
  • Tetris 2
November
  • Cliffhanger
  • Jimmy Connors Tennis
  • Ms. Pac-Man
  • Pac-Man
  • Pro Sport Hockey
  • Ren & Stimpy Show: Buckaroo$!, The
  • Wayne's World
  • WWF King of the Ring
December
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1994
January
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Bonk's Adventure
  • Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers 2
  • Smurfs, The
  • Trolls on Treasure Island
February
March
  • Mega Man 6
  • Mickey's Adventures in Numberland
  • Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II
June
  • Mario's Time Machine
August
  • Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, The
  • Incredible Crash Dummies, The
  • Jungle Book, The
December
  • Wario's Woods
1995