Best NES Platformers of All Time: Classic Side-Scrollers Ranked

The platformer genre was essentially invented on the NES. Before the console, side-scrolling jumping games existed in arcades — but the NES brought them home, gave developers room to iterate, and produced a decade of titles that defined what the genre could be. These are the best NES platformers ever made.

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)

The pinnacle of NES platformer design. Eight worlds, dozens of power-ups, a world map that made exploration feel meaningful, and levels so inventively designed that they still delight players encountering them for the first time. Super Mario Bros. 3 improved on its predecessors in every measurable way without losing the responsiveness that made the originals great. It's not just the best NES platformer — many argue it's the best platformer ever made, period.

2. Mega Man 2 (1988)

Capcom's Mega Man 2 took the Robot Master concept from the original and perfected it. Eight bosses, each with a weakness to a specific acquired weapon, created an interconnected challenge that rewarded experimentation. The level design is relentlessly inventive: disappearing blocks over instant-death pits, the iconic Quickman laser stage, and a Dr. Wily castle with multiple distinct sections. Mega Man 2 also has one of the finest soundtracks in NES history — tracks like Bubble Man's stage and the Wily Castle theme are instantly recognizable to anyone who played it.

3. Kirby's Adventure (1993)

Released in the final months of the NES's commercial life, Kirby's Adventure pushed the hardware harder than almost any other title. Its copy ability system — letting Kirby absorb the powers of any enemy he swallowed — gave it a variety that few platformers matched. Unlike most NES games, it has a battery backup save system and an energy bar rather than instant death, making it one of the most approachable classic platformers. It's also gorgeous by NES standards, with smooth animations and vivid colors that look impossible for the hardware.

4. DuckTales (1989)

Capcom's DuckTales adaptation is a triumph of licensed game design. Scrooge McDuck's pogo-cane mechanic — bouncing on enemies and objects — is immediately fun and satisfying, giving the game a feel unlike any other platformer. Non-linear stage selection, multiple secret routes, and a legendary Himalayan stage soundtrack make it one of the most beloved NES titles. It's more forgiving than most Capcom NES games, which makes it an ideal entry point into the genre.

5. Castlevania (1986)

Konami's Castlevania sits at the intersection of platformer and action game. Simon Belmont's whip controls with satisfying weight — attacks have a brief animation that can't be cancelled, forcing deliberate play. The gothic atmosphere, the memorable boss encounters (Medusa, Frankenstein, Dracula), and the brutal difficulty made it a landmark. The series it spawned — from Symphony of the Night to Hollow Knight — owes everything to this original, which remains one of the NES's most tightly designed games.

6. Super Mario Bros. (1985)

The original still holds up. World 1-1 remains one of the finest pieces of game design ever committed to a cartridge: it teaches you everything through play without a single word of text. The controls are so precise that speedrunners still find new tricks in them 40 years later. It's shorter and less varied than SMB3, but as a pure platformer — just running, jumping, and stomping enemies — it's close to flawless.

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (1990)

A port of the beloved Konami arcade game, TMNT II brought side-scrolling beat-em-up action to the NES with four playable turtles and two-player simultaneous co-op. It's looser than the pure platformers on this list, but its energy and cooperative mode make it one of the most purely fun NES experiences. The pizza power-ups restore health; the enemy designs are faithful to the cartoon; the levels are satisfyingly varied.

Play Them All for Free

Every game on this list is available on ArcadeUnlocked's NES library, playable for free in your browser right now. No download, no account, no cost. Start with SMB3 if you want the best — or work through the list from the bottom up for a history of the genre's evolution.