A dedicated critic is currently engaged in a unique project of playing and evaluating all 751 8-bit Nintendo games to determine their ranking from best to worst. Jeff Gerstmann, a seasoned games journalist and streamer, embarked on this ambitious endeavor, which has taken him nearly three years to complete.
Every Friday since August 2023, Gerstmann has been live-streaming his gameplay sessions on Twitch, where he spends around half an hour to an hour playing each NES game before moving on to the next. Rather than aiming to complete every game entirely, he focuses on getting a fair impression to assess their quality accurately.
The inspiration for this project stemmed from Gerstmann noticing a trend of repetitive opinions about NES games across various online platforms. He felt compelled to revisit and reevaluate these games to provide an authentic perspective, distinct from the echo chamber of existing critiques.
As a veteran figure in the video games press, Gerstmann brings over 30 years of experience to this exhaustive ranking project. Having grown up with the NES, he now critically assesses these classic titles to determine their enduring appeal in the modern gaming landscape.
Currently, Gerstmann’s ranking places iconic titles like “Super Mario Bros.” and “Mega Man 2” at the top of the list, showcasing their timeless qualities and innovative gameplay mechanics. Conversely, games like “Duck Hunt” are positioned midway due to their simplistic, arcade-style gameplay that offers limited depth compared to later NES releases.
At the bottom of the list lie poorly crafted and unlicensed games that failed to meet Nintendo’s quality standards, reflecting the challenges faced by the platform as it gained immense popularity. Despite encountering subpar titles, Gerstmann remains committed to completing his comprehensive ranking before moving on to assess games from another classic console.
With only one game left to play and rank – the acclaimed “Super Mario Bros. 3” – Gerstmann anticipates potential controversy surrounding its placement on the list. Nevertheless, he remains steadfast in his mission to provide an informed and authentic evaluation of the entire NES game library, setting the stage for future explorations of gaming history beyond this project.
