5 Most Obscure Games on the NES

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The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) had over 1,300 officially released games, with about 700 of those available in the United States. While classics like Mario and Zelda are well-known, many other games were largely unknown during their time. This was often due to limited production, ineffective advertising, or being released late in the NES’s lifespan. A game is considered obscure if most NES players didn’t know about it when it was originally released – meaning few copies were made or sold. While not always the case, obscure games are often hard to find today. Here are five NES games that fit this description, presented in no specific order.

1) Panic Restaurant

Released quietly in late 1992, Panic Restaurant remained largely unknown because Nintendo was focused on the Super Nintendo. The game features a chef named Cookie who’s been cursed by his competitor, Ohdove, and must battle waves of food-themed enemies using kitchen tools across six stages to reach a final showdown. Despite being overlooked, Panic Restaurant was well-received when it came out, praised for its enjoyable story, clever level design, and unique character sprites. Due to its limited release and low sales, it’s now a popular item for Nintendo collectors.

2) Little Samson

I’ve been digging into some older NES games lately, and I stumbled upon Little Samson. It was released near the end of the NES’s run, and honestly, it didn’t sell very well – the marketing wasn’t great. But now, it’s become a really rare and sought-after title, and for good reason! It’s just a fantastic game. The story is really engaging, the gameplay feels solid, and the graphics are surprisingly detailed for an NES game. You play as one of four different heroes, each with their own special abilities, and you can switch between them whenever you want. That was pretty unusual for NES games back then, which makes Little Samson stand out. They all have to team up to take down a demon king and save the kingdom, of course!

3) Clash at Demonhead

While many people now know Clash at Demonhead thanks to its appearance in the Scott Pilgrim universe – the comics, game, cartoon, and movie – it wasn’t well-known when it first came out. The game was ahead of its time, offering a unique open-ended platforming experience where players could return to previous areas with new abilities. It features over 40 different paths and is sometimes called one of the first “open-world” games. It’s a cool title, but not the best on the NES. Without Brie Larson’s role as the rival band member in Scott Pilgrim, it’s likely few would remember it today, as it isn’t particularly rare or sought after by collectors.

4) Kid Klown in Night Mayor World

Some NES games have uniquely quirky titles, and Kid Klown in Night Mayor World is a prime example. Released late in the NES’s life in mid-1993 (after the SNES had already been out for two years), the game is essentially a re-imagining of the Japan-only Mickey Mouse III: Balloon Dreams. It’s actually a fun game with an interesting story: the Night Mayor tries to use Kid Klown to unlock a treasure vault, but when Kid Klown refuses, the Night Mayor kidnaps his family. Kid Klown then has to journey through the Night Mayor’s world to save them. Because it wasn’t widely produced or promoted, the game remained fairly obscure, though it did lead to a few sequels.

5) Zombie Nation

Zombie Nation is a strange and unique shooting game where you control a massive, floating samurai head that attacks with eye beams or by… well, vomiting on enemies. It has four levels that you can tackle in any order, similar to Mega Man. The objective is to complete all four levels and then defeat the final boss, Darc Seed. Despite its oddness, the game is well-made and enjoyable, encouraging multiple playthroughs. However, it’s still challenging, so be prepared to fail often. It’s definitely a bizarre title, and unfortunately, limited marketing and low sales meant it remained largely unknown towards the end of the NES era.

What’s a hidden gem of a game from the original Nintendo Entertainment System that you love? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-26 19:12