2. The Legend of Zelda

Morgan Carlson
While my heart is with Mario, I have to crown The Legend of Zelda as the best overall game of the NES era. It had a depth and complexity you didn't expect in a game back then, mixed with a solid challenge and memorable sound and music. Just seeing the origins of one of gaming's greatest series is a thrill for old fans like me.

Brad Barrett
Everything from the distinctive theme to the heart-beat bleep of Link's declining health, everything about this game is etched on my memory and my heart. The fiendish dungeons and unrelenting jigsaw aesthetic still bring grudging admiration today. The hideous boss creations surpass almost all such attempts today, and without them we wouldn't have Shadow of the Colossus or God of War. Gaming would still be sitting in its own gene pool. Emotion in gaming would be nonexistent. It spawned the greatest series of all time. Enough said?

"Two words: Second quest." -Al

Chris Faria
Why is this the best NES game? Why not, it had a large free roaming environment, interesting and unique characters...and GREAT BOSSES! This game was the first which demanded to be beaten. You couldn't just run through a few levels, you had to save the Princess, and this time she wasn't always in another castle!

Mike Dowd
I am 25 years old, and I still play both quests every 2 years or so. I wake up thinking about Zelda some mornings. The game is so open ended that you can make your own rules and challenges. Like only using the wooden sword or no sword at all and getting all the way to Ganon. (It can be done with time and lots of bombs). Or trying to beat it without anything that you don't absolutely need to solve the game. I just can't stop smoking that Zelda Crack. I seriously want to name my children Link and Zelda.

1. Super Mario Bros. 3

Eddy Fusco
Not only is it a blast and a challenge, but it's also fun with a friend - something that my other choice (Zelda) doesn't have...although you can make a drinking game out of anything with your friends nowadays, multiplayer or not. Anyways, it's a timeless classic that anybody who plays will not only fall in love with but will also remember fondly.

Sean Doucette
I never actually had an NES, but my neighbor did, and I'd spend most of my free time at his place. When he got the game, it was the only one we'd play! It kept us entertained for hours on end, even after we'd finished it for the umpteenth time. I see it as platforming gameplay in its purest form--Nintendo had really outdone themselves with this game. The music and graphics simply blew me away. I'm 19, and I still play it to this day (at a friend's place).

"Kuribo's. Shoe." -Tiberius

Yazu13
This game was the best game that ever came out on the NES. It is a masterpiece that always remains entertaining and is very long. It is fun, colorful, and even has two-player opportunities! You can play a two-player (not co-op but still fun) game with another friend and that even furthers what this game is capable of entertainment-wise. It is the best NES game around, and it was so much fun that I think I'll go play it now. (Yes, it is still that fun!)

Stephen Nichols
SMB3 is a superior example of a work of art in entertainment. Who as a kid growing up in the NES age didn't play this game through at least a couple dozen times? I can still hum the tune and remember the levels. A hundred years from now, this game will still have relevance and entertainment value. There are few games one can go back to and truly enjoy--SMB3 will live on forever as one of them.