Trying (and Largely Failing) to Make a Top 10 NES Games List | Knockback, Episode 279

For this week's KnockBack, we thought we'd do something a little bit different. A major fuel source for the origins of our podcast back in 2018 was our shared love of the NES: The hardware, its games, and the community that's long surrounded it. So we thought we'd delve back into that subject matter by each constructing a Top 10 NES Games list and then trying to fuse them together, a task we almost immediately abandoned when we realized we approached our respective lists quite differently. Thus, what emerges is a robust talk about many of the games from our respective childhoods, and how we still grapple with their undeniable greatness to this day.

[@mrbrandonmartin388]

You could literally make a top 50 NES games list and still have tough calls to make. What a great console.

[@soaDdevil86]

"Safest bet: Mario 3" "Mmmmm...." "...Yeah?" "No. Not on my list (echo: not on my list....not on my list..." 😂😂

[@daganmoriarty1973]

; )

[@AlexCaste]

Colin tells his Top 10 in about 1 minute. Dagan takes about 30 minutes to give his Top 10. LOL Dagster, just spit it out!

[@Not_Liquid]

“To tell you the first game on my top 10 list…I must take us back to a warm June evening in the summer of 1988.”

[@Thisisgood99]

Dagester knows how to set a mood and tell a story

[@bdre5555]

Dagan "I think it's a little Dagster". * Colin shakes head * 😂

[@smeepUCA]

The opening scene of Castlevania 3 is still one of my favorites of all time. When you see Trevor kneeling down before the cross and the lightning and then he stands up and flips his cape back. Just amazing and gorgeous

[@Splathew]

No SMB3 is a hot ass take. Still love you Dagan

[@daganmoriarty1973]

It's my worst take but it's still my take, and I stand by it. (for some reason) ; )

[@desertgsrider1]

Don't worry about messing up the scoring Daegs! 3 out of every 2 Knockback listeners have difficulty with math! And Colin that Beanpot final was awesome to watch!

[@derekhart410]

Bloodborne basically carried the torch/ vibes of Castlevania

[@Thisisgood99]

I’d say fromsoft in general. Dark horror setting, hard difficulty, and in both you have to be deliberate with your moves. Castlevania if you jump you can’t cancel in mid air and fromsoft you have to finish the dodge or attack animation before you do anything else. Then when you get to the metroidvania castlevania games they have a similar exploration gameplay to Fromsoft games.

[@derekhart410]

@@Thisisgood99 Absolutely. So excited for Shadow of the Erdtree

[@Thisisgood99]

@@derekhart410 looks absolutely epic

[@SLtheFMAYT]

Dagan is really forcing this Dagster moniker on us.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

just LOVE it, already

[@burnout713]

My first episode of Knockback and, wow, what a fun listen. There's still a lot of NES games you guys mentioned that I haven't played, the Castlevania and Mega Man games standing out as the most glaring. I downloaded their respective anniversary collections to my PS5 while listening to start to address that. But it's hard to imagine a world where I think any NES games are better than Zelda 1 and Metroid. Dr. Mario is probably still my favorite puzzle game, too. And I haven't played Mario 2, but I just played through Mario 3 for the first time and I think I actually prefer the first one for its simple and clean platforming design.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

well welcome!

[@Whoisleaflettuce]

I really thought/hoped Colin was going to introduce him as the Dagster, maybe one day

[@daganmoriarty1973]

oh it's gonna happen

[@bdre5555]

The Legend of Zelda is definitely my favorite nes game of all time. I got the NES that Christmas after the system came out, along with Zelda and a few other games. No game has ever changed my gaming life like that one did. There had never been a game like it at the time. The sense of magic, exploration, wonder, losing yourself in the giant world like that. It was earth-shattering for the gaming industry at the time.

[@jasondriver3025]

2:06:49 Dagan refers to the Snake-man 8 bit Lego portrait I created! If you look close in Colin's screen you can also see 16 bit Lego portraits of Rush & Treble on the top shelf!! It is an honor to have you display those!! 🙇

[@Moeron86]

I think all last stand fans knew this would devolve into largely a megaman discussion lol. Meanwhile zelda, solstice, wizards and warriors, excitebike, gauntlet and others slip through the cracks

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Honestly I hate Wizards & Warriors. ExciteBike deserves a nod, especially because it was EARLY. Timeless game. We didn't mention Kung-Fu either, which is actually a crime, and I think we should get fined for that one. ; )

[@talesfromthecrypto6681]

Hearing Collin talk about Nintendo is one of my favorite things to listen to. Brilliant episode

[@mrsoulslike570]

Excellent episode bros 😎

[@loutronz4708]

When Colin finally decides to play Bloodbourne, he should equip the Threaded Cane to get his Castlevania fix.

[@TheUballe]

Punch Out was another genre-defining Nintendo classic that had a long-lasting impression on popular culture.

[@JakesAlterEgo]

Shout out to the Muffster!

[@daganmoriarty1973]

woo-woo! ; )

[@gothichellokitty]

i fucking love knockback

[@daganmoriarty1973]

[@Pixel-Ronin]

I missed the NES, my first console was the SNES. Such a good console.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

OK you started with the best, but now go back and discover the 2nd best ; )

[@TheRealMurKziLLa]

Another great episode from "The Super Moriarty Brothers"!!!!!! Keep up the great work, boys. Love 💚 Peace✌️ and Unity 🤝 to everyone in the LSM Family and LSM Fandom!

[@daganmoriarty1973]

[@clashclay]

Knockback is goated as the kids say 😅

[@chunkylover5367]

My top 10 quintessential nes games (in no particular order): Super C (contra2), Life Force, Mario 3, Zelda, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Megaman 2, TMNT 2, Mighty Final Fight, Duck Hunt. For whatever reason, I could never get into the mechannics of Ninja Gaiden or Castlevania. 😅 Commenting on the retro video game market... It's been exposed to be artificially inflated by a grading company that has ties to a big auction house. It's super illegal, and I'm not sure why nothing has been done about it. Karl Jobst made a few KZbin videos on the subject matter. I suggest checking them out.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Super C is a TOUGH game and it never gets the credit it deserves for that!

[@yogamerbks]

Man last stand comunity is missing out, awesome podcast 🎉🎉🎉 great work to bouth

[@daganmoriarty1973]

[@Jumpman67]

Dagster spending 10 minutes listing off games he's never really played haha.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

THAT'S the Dagster energy

[@jeremyvisser3877]

10. Final Fantasy 9. Metroid 8. The Legend of Zelda 7. Mega Man 3 6. Castlevania 5. Battletoads 4. Super C 3. Castlevania 3 2. Super Mario Bros 3 1. Megaman 2 This would be my top 10 NES games from my childhood

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Battletoads! Finally beat the game like 3 years ago! hahahaa

[@BustaBeware]

32:33 The only reason this may sound bad/regrettable, is because of how Dagan is saying it. I think the way it was meant to said was JAPAN-imation. That actually sounds like an endearing old school descriptor.

[@TechMetalRules]

Dagster never played River City Ransom and he's over here making top ten NES lists!? (I already commented on my bafflement about no SMB3)

[@daganmoriarty1973]

meaningful time, meaningful time. Never owned it! It's a blind spot. Don't revoke my retro gaming cred!

[@TechMetalRules]

@daganmoriarty1973 All good, brother! I'm just throwin' shade in jest, but I got nothin' but love for ya! ...but I can't forgive no SMB3 ;)

[@Maxbeedo2]

My list would probably be (no order) Mega Man 2 & 3, Mario 3, Zelda 1 and 2, Contra, Life Force, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, TMNT 2, and a sleeper pick Xexyz, but there are a good 20 or so others that I would feel comfortable popping in and playing anytime. Some honorable mentions would be: Mario 1 and 2, Bubble Bobble, Based Loaded 2, Double Dragon 2, R.C. Pro-Am, California Games, and Marble Madness.

[@jonesygrets6029]

Dagen, you need to play bloodborne if you want lovecraftan horror. Bloodborne is basically castlevania

[@brandonsoto7225]

Kirby’s Adventure always gets forgotten.

[@Thisisgood99]

Good game but too easy

[@Thisisgood99]

Which is something I could say about basically every kirby game imo

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Yeah that's actually spot on i ALWAYS forget it!

[@Captain_Neckbeard]

Dagan, Lovecraft and Castlevania is literally Bloodborne. You have to play it.

[@bdre5555]

Ohhhh.. now I know why Colin's dog is named Rush

[@matthewwalsh1468]

This ep. was released 10 days ago, why is it STILL not posted on Spotify, am I missing something here? Not angry, just confused...?? 😮

[@matthewwalsh1468]

Well there it is now, finally! Only took 11 days to post to Spotify, what up wit' dat crew??

[@ericklebron2240]

38 mins in...still baffled by Mario 3 comments #biggieD

[@TechMetalRules]

Dagster... no SMB3? Aren't you supposed to be one of the main LSM "Nintendo" guys? Thirty that coulda made the list, and SMB3 ain't one of them!? (I'm goofin' around, of course, but it is still kinda baffling, haha)

[@daganmoriarty1973]

It's a wild take, and I know it. I have said this before, but it's a take I don't even necessarily understand. It's messed up!

[@TechMetalRules]

@@daganmoriarty1973 You're a sick man... hahaha! But seriously, keep rockin' on! Listening to your shows gets me through many long days at work, so thank you!

[@psimon12345]

You are right Dagan, hot takes. First time had to strongly disagree. Age gap? Maybe, I am 42. Love you, but very different nes takes

[@daganmoriarty1973]

SMB 3 is my only 'bad' NES take! I mean, it counts as multiple 'bad' takes, I'll grant you, but it's my take and I love it. ... OK fine, I don't love it, but it IS mine. ; )

[@quezcatol]

mario 3, ice climbers, batman, duck hunt, mega man 2, duck tales, zelda 1, tmnt arcade, punch out and metroid are mine.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Ice Climbers in the Top-10, I like your moxie! ; ) That game has very unique physics, unlike any other game.

[@wiggyp1v255]

Saying Batman on the NES is better than any of the Arkham games is wild.

[@daganmoriarty1973]

I only played Asylum. Great game. We did an Ep on it! But as far as licensed games for that era, Sunsoft Batman was uncommonly AMAZING!

[@Ragucci25]

Wart: THE MISSING LINK OF THE SAGA

[@quezcatol]

mario 3 is the best 2D mario (in my opinion) and the world map, the inventory,the mini games with toads was amazing back in the day HOWEVER, I will agree with Dagan that it is a challenging game and time consuming unless you kind of cheat with the flute - yes you need a few hours every time you play it to get where you want. While in Mario World, its more casual, fun, and you can save. However, if you want some kind of a challenge you dont play mario world, you play mario 3, that game is "hard" (world 8 for ex) but fair. And that is the thing, Mario 3 is the only mario game in 2D which assume you are "good" (beside that shitty spin off, mario lost levels) at these games and is a veteran of mario 2D games.

[@sindri.]

I've always thought Japanimation was a pun, not intended as a slur

[@daganmoriarty1973]

Oh, it wasn't intended as a slur at all back then, as far as I know. It was what OVA enthusiasts called their own beloved hobby! I know, I was there! It just didn't age well. ; )

[@Peteyinchains]

Colin thinking Odyssey is the most obviously overrated 10 of all time. Colin stating SMB2 is special. My brother in Christ that's the same thing!

[@grashoprsmith]

"Dorf"❤

[@terijackson2958]

Super cool :)) 💋👌

[@thefilmdirector1]

wiki is dumb. They have wii sports listed as the best selling wii game, which is cheating, it came in EVERY SINGLE BOX. The real best selling game was cod black ops wii. Try to change it and provide proof and a good argument against a damn pack in game? Nope removed. Be very wary of the "facts" on wiki, all im saying.

[@TyranBatten]

I have a lot of problems with Wikipedia. But this one seems nitpicky to me. More semantics than anything else

[@TheMightySilverback_]

This is a silly point, the wiki very clearly states and highlights that the top 4 games for the Wii as "Game was bundled with Wii consoles during its lifetime" - Also, can we get a source on Black Ops selling incredibly well on Wii lol?

[@TyranBatten]

@@TheMightySilverback_ Yeah seriously. It's not even the best selling COD game on Wii. World at War sold more

[@impotenceaura]

Gta 5 is easily the best selling game anyway

[@TyranBatten]

@@impotenceaura not a wii game

[@jOviTooL214]

Colin Morifarty.

[@AviatorsVEVO]

stop trying to make "dagster" happen... its not going to happen.

[@midgetsparkle]

Hey, no one talks to The Dagster like that! He's Dagalicious.... and Dagabunga and... The Dagiest guy ever.... You're right. We should stop with Dagster. I'm out of control. I need help.

[@AviatorsVEVO]

@@midgetsparkle lol

[@daganmoriarty1973]

It's happening.

[@impotenceaura]

I think the Dagster tried to get too cute with it this time. No way you're recommending top 10 NES games to a newcomer, trying to encompass the best the console has to offer and not include Mario bros 3. Save the deep cuts for your personal favourites list 😅

[@jasondriver3025]

2:06:49 Dagan refers to the Snake-man 8 bit Lego portrait I created! If you look close in Colin's screen you can also see 16 bit Lego portraits of Rush & Treble on the top shelf!! It is an honor to have you display those!! 🙇