The NES library has over 700 games, but which ones are actually worth playing on your portable retro handheld? We've ranked the top 25 NES games that play perfectly on the RetroX's 3.5" screen.
The Criteria
We ranked these based on: gameplay quality, replayability, how well they play on a small screen, and pure nostalgia factor.
25-21: The Essentials
25. Castlevania — The gothic platformer that started a legendary franchise. Tight controls and iconic music.
24. Excitebike — Create your own tracks and race against the clock. Surprisingly addictive in 2026.
23. Kirby's Adventure — One of the best-looking NES games ever. Copy abilities make every playthrough different.
22. Ninja Gaiden — Brutally difficult, incredibly satisfying. The cutscenes were revolutionary for the NES era.
21. River City Ransom — Beat-em-up meets RPG. Eat sushi to power up. Ahead of its time.
20-16: Fan Favorites
20. Battletoads — The hardest game on this list. The speeder bike level alone has broken millions of controllers.
19. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! — Pattern recognition at its finest. Every opponent is a memorable character.
18. Bubble Bobble — Perfect for short sessions. Trap enemies in bubbles and pop them. Simple, brilliant.
17. Tecmo Super Bowl — Still the best retro football game. Bo Jackson is unstoppable.
16. DuckTales — Scrooge McDuck's pogo stick platforming is pure joy. The Moon theme is legendary.
15-11: The Classics
15. Metroid — The original space exploration game. Non-linear design that was decades ahead.
14. Contra — Up, Up, Down, Down... you know the rest. Two-player action at its peak.
13. Double Dragon II — The best beat-em-up on the NES. Every level feels different.
12. Final Fantasy — Where it all began. A full RPG adventure in 8-bit. Perfect for long commutes.
11. Mega Man 3 — Slide, Rush Jet, and some of the best Robot Masters in the series.
10-6: The Must-Plays
10. Super Mario Bros. 2 — Pick your character. Throw vegetables. Completely different from the original in the best way.
9. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link — The black sheep of the series, but the combat system is deeply satisfying.
8. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse — Multiple paths, playable companions, and the best soundtrack on the NES.
7. Mega Man 2 — Metal Man, Air Man, Quick Man. The perfect difficulty curve. The perfect NES game soundtrack.
6. Tetris — The ultimate portable game. On the RetroX's screen, it looks and plays beautifully.
Top 5: The Greatest NES Games for Handheld
5. The Legend of Zelda — The original open-world adventure. Explore Hyrule, find secrets, defeat Ganon. Still holds up perfectly.
4. Super Mario Bros. — The game that saved the video game industry. World 1-1 is the most iconic level in gaming history. On a handheld, it's pure pick-up-and-play perfection.
3. Mega Man 2 — Wait, it's on the list twice? No — this is your reminder that Mega Man 2 is that good. (Fine, we'll give this spot to Punch-Out!! for fairness.)
2. Super Mario Bros. 3 — The Raccoon Suit. The Frog Suit. The airships. World 8. This is peak NES gaming. Every world introduces something new, and it never gets old.
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past... wait, that's SNES.
The real #1: Super Mario Bros. 3 — It's the most complete, most replayable, most joyful game on the NES. On a portable screen? Perfection.
Play All 25 on the RetroX
Every game on this list runs flawlessly on the RetroX. The 3.5" IPS screen makes NES pixel art look sharp and vibrant, and the ergonomic controls mean you can play for hours without hand fatigue.
All 25 games come pre-loaded on the RetroX's 128GB card — no setup required.