TOP 20 8-BIT NINTENDO GAMES - Nerds of the Northland, Episode 34

In this episode of Nerds of the Northland, hosts Joseph Mosier and Jacob LeRoux count down their top 20 8-bit games from the NES and Game Boy libraries. Here is their complete ranked list: #20 Tetris (2:02) – Highlighted for its historical origin story involving Alexey Pajitnov and its massive global influence. #19 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (3:05) – Discussed as the original Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, noted for its extreme difficulty. #18 Mega Man 10 (5:23) – A modern 8-bit style game released for newer consoles that surprised the hosts. #17 Mega Man 9 (5:57) – Praised for its soundtrack, specifically the Splash Woman stage music. #16 Final Fantasy 1 (6:27) – Recognized for starting the legendary RPG series and establishing a lasting gameplay formula. #15 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (8:18) – The more action-oriented title of the duo, noted for its focus on combat and seasonal mechanics. #14 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (8:18) – Highlighted for its heavy focus on complex puzzle-solving. #13 Super Mario Land (9:39) – Praised for bringing a high-quality Mario experience to the handheld Game Boy. #12 Mega Man 6 (11:22) – Recognized for its challenging level design on the NES. #11 Final Fantasy 2 (12:54) – Discussed for its grind-heavy gameplay mechanics and its role in lengthening the genre's standard playtime. #10 Kirby’s Adventure (14:08) – A memorable 1993 title that introduced Kirby's versatile copy ability. #9 Metroid 2: Return of Samus (15:52) – Appreciated for its addictive, objective-driven gameplay on the Game Boy. #8 Castlevania (16:55) – A foundational action-platformer famous for its atmosphere and iconic music. #7 Mega Man 2 (18:34) – Regarded as the best Mega Man game on the NES due to its legendary soundtrack and boss mechanics. #6 Final Fantasy 3 (20:18) – Celebrated for introducing the definitive job system and pushing NES cartridge hardware limits. #5 Metroid (22:02) – The original 1986 classic that pioneered nonlinear exploration and the Metroidvania genre. #4 Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal (23:37) – Impressive for packing two full regions and 16 badges into a Game Boy Color cartridge. #3 Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow (25:06) – The original generation that popularized creature collecting and link-cable trading. #2 The Legend of Zelda (26:52) – The iconic gold cartridge that introduced players to the concept of an open-world maze. #1 Super Mario Bros. 3 (28:44) – The hosts' #1 pick, praised for its incredible movement, variety of worlds, and overall polish. Thank you for joining us on this journey! We will talk about games, music, art, culture, history, and more! This is supposed to be as authentic as possible and whatever comes to mind in meaningful conversations with each other and you, the audience. Thank you for all the love and support! You rock! THE NERDS OF THE NORTHLAND ARE: Joseph Mosier: Lifelong Minnesotan Father, Writer, Comedian, Streamer, Game Professional/ Tester, & Editor Jacob LeRoux: Lifelong Minnesotan Game Designer, Owner of CosmoRetro Studios, Admin for Critical Hit Community, Streamer/ Speedrunner, Musician, Full Sail Game Design Alum Contact/ Links: Find us on Twitch! Joe -   / jmosier89   Jacob -   / cosmoretro   To see more of Jacob's independent content, check out these other links!    / @cosmoretrogaming  Jacob LeRoux's YouTube   / criticalhitcommunity   - Critical Hit Community Game Charity Twitch Homepage   / discord   - DISCORD INVITE TO CRITICAL HIT COMMUNITY