8. Metroid

Chris Remo
Metroid has not aged as well as some of its classic contemporaries in terms of playability, but its legacy has aged far better than most. The game was utterly revolutionary, introducing the non-linear platformer style that has carried the series for decades through such fundamental changes as a shift to first-person. The solitary, even melancholy, sci-fi tone of the game also stood in sharp contrast to the popcorn-flick sci-fi of most games of the era. And to this day, I do not believe there is a more badass female protagonist than Samus Aran.

Jerrad Hermann
One of the few games where you can spend an entire month playing a game and finally discover a new item without any help from guides or maps and realize how utterly worthless it is (Wave Beam anyone? :p). It was also the first "scary" game on the NES and was just damn fun.

"What??? Samus is a chick!!!!" -Erik Chorn

Chris DesRoches
While I wasn't born yet when the NES came out, by the time I was 5 they had dropped in price enough that my family's income could afford one. One of the great games we got at the yard sale we found the NES at was Metroid (and I still own that same cartridge). I remember being in my room playing the game till well past midnight, getting jumped from the birds coming down at me from the ceiling and almost yelling when I found I needed a new powerup to open the next door. I have rarely had an in depth experience like that, even with epics like Star Ocean or Xenosaga.

Dafinchi
To quote Chris from Family Guy "You're a girl!!" Who knew girls could be so much fun? This game got the ball rolling for a series that is nothing short of amazing. Even though we have the fancy "first person adventure" versions of Metroid games now, nearly everyone still enjoys taking a trip back to the good ol' days. Nonlinear gameplay, multiple endings, vast world to explore, these are things that some video games still can't get right today, and that is why Metroid is THE best NES game of all time. Besides, who hasn't had a dream about Samus?

7.Mega Man 2

Billy Raum
EVERYONE loves this game, and everyone has a different progression of how you beat the bosses. It has the best music ever. And when you jump through a door, Megaman freezes in the air 15 years before the Matrix!

Arsalan
This game presented the best graphics and sound seen on a home TV set at the time. It was so awe inspiring I did not even mind handing over the controller to my brother--watching someone else play was as much fun. And how can you forget the chills you would get when you finally reached the level boss, the music turning sinister and you had only a vague sense of what he would do based on his name. I also remember almost falling off my chair when I saw the giant dragon on the first level of Wily's HQ. The game is breathtaking!

"One word. Soundtrack." -Johnny Garcia

Mark "Shleco" Mina
Tougher than adamantium dipped in concrete, Megaman 2 was a heck of a challenge, but it had that all important 'one more go' factor. The varied levels and bosses were a real test of your brain and your skills - which order should you tackle them in? It's not often you get a sequel which is far better than the original, but Megaman 2 manages just that. Excellent.

Bobby Bokista
Metal Man's stage is the epitome of what is good about the game: variety. The stage doesn't even begin with any enemies. Conveyer-belt floors and crashing spikes familiarize the user with the game play and how our little blue hero moves. Then he moves over the drills coming out of the ground and ceiling. Gear Clowns come crashing down to run you over, and the metal slinkies pop up to knock you off the platforms. As Metal Man begins firing at you, your heart races and you just hope that you can shoot him faster than he can tear you apart.