The 1980s were the golden age of the arcade and the birth of the home console: the pixel takes shape, genres are invented, legends begin. This Top 50 gathers the 8-bit and arcade games that laid the medium's foundations. RomWize re-tests and ranks them by its re-evaluated scores, each with its versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"The very first Dragon Quest: the game that invented the modern J-RPG in Japan. Rudimentary compared to its successors but foundational in essence. Historically essential."
"DuckTales on NES by Capcom: impeccable platformer with a cane as spring. Open levels, memorable bosses, legendary soundtrack. Among the best NES games, without question."
"Rygar, Tecmo's NES action-RPG. Warrior with a yo-yo shield in a mythological world. Free exploration, progressive power gain. Inventive mechanics, polished atmosphere. A forgotten classic."
"A Namco vertical shoot'em up with a mythological dragon. The extra-head power-ups are a delight. Polished visuals, well-measured challenge. An excellent overlooked shooter in the NES catalogue."
"Ryu Hayabusa on NES: revolutionary cutscenes, frantic action, legendary difficulty. Tomonobu Itagaki delivers a foundational action-platformer. The NES trilogy remains among the console's greatest games."
"One of the most iconic action games on the Master System. Joe Musashi versus ninjas - an absolute classic. Precise gameplay, well-calibrated difficulty and varied levels make it a must in the catalogue."
"One of the finest RPGs of its era and a foundational pillar of the genre on console. Vast world, memorable characters and solid combat. Still fascinating to play through today, with genuine soul."
"The Japanese original of Castlevania on Famicom Disk System. The source of everything. Perfect gothic atmosphere, mechanics still impeccable. Essential to understand where the series comes from."
"A Nihon Falcom action-RPG where an entire family of adventurers explores a vast dungeon. Each member has unique abilities. Vast, ambitious, still fascinating. One of NES's most original RPGs."
"River City Ransom: the beat'em up RPG blending brawling, shopping and stats. Revolutionary in concept, still perfectly playable. Simply one of the best games on NES."
"The Japanese version of Mendel Palace. Flip tiles to trap enemies in this Hudson and Game Freak puzzle-action. Original and addictive concept. For genre fans."
"Kunio-kun in dodgeball on Famicom. Insane sport with brawls and superpowers. Explosive multiplayer, pervasive humor. The saga at its most exhilarating in sport."
"Super Mario Bros. 2 on NES: Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach in a dream world with different rules. Uproot vegetables, throw them at enemies. Original and surprising gameplay. A classic in its own right."
"The quintessential Konami crossover on Famicom. Goemon, Simon Belmont, Mikey from the Goonies, King Kong... Epic fan service in a colorful action-platformer. Japanese only but visually irresistible."
"The original Wonder Boy: an enjoyable old-school platform-runner. Run, jump, dodge. Simple as can be but extremely addictive. The foundation of a saga that kept getting better."
"The first Mega Man on NES: revolutionary concept of choosing boss order. Elevated difficulty, colorful visuals, memorable music. Some growing pains, but foundational to an entire saga."
"The third Konami TwinBee on Famicom. The kawaii saga enriched with new mechanics and more characters. Just as colorful and addictive. One of the best in the series."
