RF Generation Message Board

Please list your favorite Famicom games here:

Platformers/Action/Adventure
Mr. Gimmick!
Holy Diver
Hebereke
Lupin Sensei: Pandora no Isan
Cocoron
Kyatto Ninden Teyandei (Samurai Pizza Cats)
Bio Miracle Baby Upa
New Ghostbusters II
Yume Penguin Monogatori
Goonies
Wai Wai World
Don Doko Don II
Kid Dracula
Juuouki (Altered Beast)
Mitsume ga Tooru

Shmups
Over Horizon
Summer Carnival ’92: Recca
Crisis Force
Gradius II
Parodius Da
Exerion
Salamander

Puzzle Games
Moai Kun
Binary Land
Door Door
Babel no Tou
Nuts & Milk
Quarth

RPGs
Sweet Home
Mother
Fire Emblem
Ys
Moon Crystal

Misc
Flying Hero
Battle City
Hello Kitty World
Onyanko Town
Devil World
Son Son
Bird Week
Wit's
Rod-Land

Akumajou Densetsu
Antarctic Adventure
Armadillo
Bio Senshi Dan - Increaser tono Tatakai
Cosmic Epsilon
Donald Land
All the Nekketsu/Kunio-Kun games
Fantasy Zone
Fantasy Zone II
Galaxian
Hi no Tori
Insector X
Joy Mecha Fight
Layla
Mappy
Mappy Kids
Motocross Champion
Pooyan
Shufflepuck Cafe
Space Invaders
Tetrastar: The Fighter
TwinBee
Twinbee 3
Wai Wai World 2
Yie Ar Kung-Fu

Favorites:

Devil World: While it would be hyperbolic to call this Miyamoto's lost masterpiece, it is a fun dot-munching maze game.  I've never been a big Pac-Man fan, but I love this game.

Goonies: A fun, innovative platformer by Konami that never got an American release outside certain PlayChoice arcade cabinets despite it's movie license.  It's worth noting that this game is much more straightforward than its sequel.

Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graphitti: A cutesy platformer based on the more typical Splatterhouse games.  A fun, wacky game with solid gameplay.

Karateka: A technical marvel by Jordan Mechner. Large sprites, fluid animations, and complex gameplay. It's amazing that this game was released for the Famicom in 1984!

Crazy Climber: A port of the arcade game that makes up for a lack of arcade perfection with some expanded gameplay.  Even without the control stick add-ons that came boxed with it, Crazy Climber's dual-controller, building scaling action is tons of fun.

Daiku no Gen-San: AKA Hammering Harry. A fun platformer with cartoony sprites and simple but engaging gameplay. If I had a hammer...

Metro-Cross: Hard to explain. It's basically a Runner-style game before those were a thing.  You play a jumpsuit wearing man running through scifi hallways dodging and leaping obstacles while collecting Coca-Cola cans. Yes, really.

Holy Diver: It's pricey, but if you want a game that looks like Castlevania with a blistering difficulty level, it's not a bad pick.

King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch: Technically a game based on King Kong Lives, it ends up being a fun romp where you play as King Kong exploring and smashing your way through various locales to find your ladyfriend.

Pac-Land: An interesting early platformer starring Pac-Man and his jaunty hat. Cheerful and Bright graphics and music.

Mighty Final Fight: Tied with Battletoads & Double Dragon for best beat 'em up on the NES.  The experience system, well designed combat, and phenomenal visuals and music make this a classic.  Sure, you could get this on the NES if you're Daddy Warbucks, but budget minded gamers can get the Famicom version.

Dragon Fighter: A challenging action platformer where you sometimes turn into a dragon.  Reminds me of games like Kabuki Quantum Fighter or Vice: Project Doom with slightly less emphasis on platforming.  Again, you could get this on the NES, or you could buy the Famicom versions of Dragon Fighter, Mighty Final Fight, and a copy of Holy Diver for about the same price.

TMNT 2: TMNT III: The Manhattan Project in the U.S. The Japanese TMNT games are numbered differently.  Another great NES beat 'em up.  I enjoyed it far more than Turtles II: The Arcade Game, but I'm a beat 'em up diehard.

Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa: The cartridge release is super expensive, but this Konami platformer is super awesome!


Honorable Mentions:

Mad City: Yes, we did get this on the NES as Bayou Billy, but the Famicom release is, well, playable.

Ninja Ryuukenden 3: Again, we got this here as Ninja Gaiden 3, but the Famicom release eases some of the fake difficulty of the American version's bonkers continue scheme.

Thexder: Cult hit on computers of the time, this is a unique, if flawed, exploration shooter.  Upside? It's very cheap.

Transformers: Convoy no Nazo: Blisteringly hard and of dubious quality, it's another unique title that can be had on the cheap.

Dragon Buster: A simple fantasy action game where you bust some baddies with your sword, some of which are dragons. Plus, it comes in an attractive shiny gold cartridge.

DuckTales 2: I'm not great at DuckTales games, but my love of the cartoon will never day.  Save yourself some bucks and get the Famicom version.

Donald Land: A fun platformer starring everyone's favorite fast food clown mascot.  However, I do prefer M.C. Kids.

Gegege no Kitaro: Youkai Daimakyou - fun and weird little platforming game.  Initially my favorite part was trying to figure out the game play, but after it became the amount of variety this game appears to have.

Final Fantasy III - I don't care what anyone says, this is my favorite version of FFIII.  That being said you might only want this one if you can patch it (ala Retron 5 or the Retrode).  I'll admit with my little understanding of Japanese (and zero of the written language) it was a ton of fun to play it with translation notes, a rough guide, and menu notes back in the day, but who has that kind of spare time anymore?

Again this may not be your thing, but Famicom games had this Wild West feel to them pre-1989, what many out here in the west call "Fami-weird."  Not to say that there were not quirky games released after '89, but the majority (and the majority on the above posters' lists) are from that wonderful time period.  Also, if you have the resources I strongly recommend a FDS system of some kind, preferably the Sharp Twin (cartridge and disk in one).  At posting senseiman has one for $60 but it needs love (power cable and belt drive).