In a challenging gaming endeavor, critic Jeff Gerstmann is currently engaged in playing and evaluating all 751 8-bit Nintendo games to determine their ranking from best to worst. Over the past three years, Gerstmann, a seasoned games journalist and streamer, has been streaming NES games on Twitch every Friday, spending about half an hour to an hour on each game before adding it to his ranked list.
The project was born out of Gerstmann’s observation that many existing opinions on NES games seemed repetitive and lacking genuine experience. Motivated to provide an authentic assessment, he embarked on this ambitious task to revisit and evaluate each game independently.
Having been immersed in the video games industry for around 30 years, Gerstmann, a prominent figure in the gaming press, brings a wealth of experience to his task. Reflecting on his childhood memories of the NES, he is now critically reassessing the games to identify those that remain enjoyable and relevant today.
Among the top-ranked titles is “Mega Man 2,” praised for its exceptional music and captivating design. In contrast, nostalgic favorites like “Duck Hunt” find themselves in the middle of the list, showcasing the evolution of gameplay experiences from arcade-like brevity to more expansive offerings like “Super Mario Bros.”
At the opposite end of the spectrum lie poorly crafted titles that highlight the challenges faced by Nintendo in regulating game quality during the console’s peak popularity. Gerstmann warns against venturing into these bottom-tier games, including adult-themed casino titles with crude imagery.
As Gerstmann nears the completion of his NES ranking project, with only “Super Mario Bros. 3” left to evaluate, he anticipates controversy surrounding its placement. However, his dedication to exploring gaming history will see him embarking on a similar ranking endeavor for another classic console in the future.