by Russell Cohrs

Created on: October 07, 2009

The Nintendo Entertainment System was one of the key factors in the console system revival after the video game crash during the early 1980's. It was successful for many reasons, but one of the biggest selling points was the amount of incredibly fun games available. Since each person has their own opinion about the best games that were created, my list will focus on the top ten games released by sales.

1) Super Mario Bros. (40.23 million). Known worldwide and loved by millions, this game was so successful that Mario has become synonymous with Nintendo. It was a pretty simple idea; save the princess from Bowser by running and jumping through 8 worlds, but it was executed in a very playable and fun way. The main theme of the game is probably the best known video game anthem, and Mario has appeared in more different games than any other video game character, starring in new games even now at regular intervals. This game was also linked together in systems packages, which boosted the sales of both systems and the game.

2) Super Mario Bros. 3 (18 million). The last adventure for Mario on the NES was a huge effort. This game had a variety of new features, such a world maps, the ability to fly, several different special suits, and the introduction of the Koopa kids. After Super Mario Bros. 2, which was released as a remade Japanese game in America, this was a return to the roots of the original game. The game had incredible graphics, sound, and playability at the time, and is still a favorite of retro gamers.

3) Super Mario Bros. 2 (10 million). Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan was very similar to the first game in style, but with an increased level of difficulty. Employees for Nintendo felt that this game wouldn't sell very well in America, so a Japanese game called Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic was rebuilt with Mario characters and shipped to the US. While this was a strange departure for the series, it proved to be quite successful. This entry stands as one of the most unique in the Mario series, and has been remade several times, along with the original and SMB 3.

4) The Legend of Zelda (6.51 million). This was a landmark in action adventure games, as it featured a vast world to explore, complex puzzles, an intriguing story, and a wide amount of special weapons to find. It also featured an overhead top down view, innovative in gaming displays, and a battery backed save state, the first on the NES. The Zelda series is still being created and revered, and Link has become

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