10 Best Selling Games on the NES

In 1985, Nintendo launched the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which became a massive success and helped revitalize the video game industry after a major downturn in 1983. The NES is remembered as a classic console with a huge collection of popular games – many sold millions of copies. We’ve analyzed the sales figures for the best NES games to create a list of the top 10 best-selling titles, focusing only on games people bought separately and not those that were bundled with the console.

10) Baseball

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) had a number of sports games, and some of the baseball titles were particularly good, such as R.B.I. Baseball. However, the best-selling sports game on the NES was simply called Baseball, and it was available right when the console launched in North America in 1985. Being a launch title and tapping into the popularity of baseball likely contributed to its success. While the game is quite simple compared to modern standards, it’s a solid baseball experience that allows players to compete against either the computer or another person. Nintendo sold approximately 3.2 million copies of Baseball over its lifetime.

9) Kung Fu

I first got into Kung Fu when I heard it started as an arcade game called Kung-Fu Master (they called it Spartan X in Japan!). It was a huge beat ’em up back then. The game actually takes bits and pieces from a Jackie Chan movie, Wheels on Meals, and even a little inspiration from Bruce Lee’s Game of Death. It did really well, so they brought it to home consoles. I was surprised to learn that Shigeru Miyamoto, the guy behind Mario, helped make the NES version! It originally came out on the Famicom in Japan, but they renamed it Kung Fu when it came over here. It was a massive hit on the NES, selling over 3.5 million copies – a true classic!

8) Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation

Released in 1988 for the Famicom, Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation is the third game in the popular Dragon Quest series. It was a major success in Japan and later gained popularity in North America on the NES. The game stood out for its engaging story and improved gameplay compared to the first two Dragon Quest titles. Due to its success, Dragon Quest III has been remade for several platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PCs. The original NES version sold approximately 3.9 million copies.

7) Golf

Originally appearing on the Famicom and Nintendo VS. System arcade, Golf came to the NES in 1985 and became one of the system’s most popular sports games. Though simple by today’s standards, it remains an enjoyable game. As a nod to its creator, Satoru Iwata, Golf was even hidden as a fun surprise within the Nintendo Switch’s software. The game was a huge success, selling over 4 million copies during the NES’s lifetime, likely boosted by the widespread interest in video golf at the time.

6) Excitebike

Developed by Shigeru Miyamoto, Excitebike is a racing game where players compete on motocross bikes along a side-scrolling track. Originally released for the NES in 1984, it was later made available on the Nintendo VS. System and Famicom in 1988. The game is simple to understand – race, jump, and beat your opponents – but incredibly fun and engaging. Excitebike was a huge success, becoming the best-selling sports title for the NES with over 4.2 million copies sold.

5) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Okay, so Zelda II: The Adventure of Link came out way back in ’87, and it was a pretty big shift for the series. Instead of the overhead view of the first Zelda, this one mixed things up with side-scrolling action – it honestly reminded me of Castlevania! Some people really dug the new style, but others weren’t so sure. It was a cool experiment with RPG elements, but Nintendo didn’t really carry those over in later games. Still, it did really well! I remember hearing it sold over 4.4 million copies, which was huge back then.

4) Dr. Mario

Puzzle games were a big hit on the NES, and Dr. Mario was one of the most successful. The game involves matching pills to eliminate viruses, a concept that might not be ideal for a modern audience. However, Dr. Mario is incredibly fun and engaging, and its connection to the Mario franchise gives it a classic Nintendo feel. Players enjoy the challenge of lining up the right colors to destroy viruses as pills fall from the top of the screen. Dr. Mario was a critical and commercial success, selling over 4.9 million copies on the NES. Although a limited bundle with the game existed, its sales were minimal and didn’t significantly impact the overall figures, so we’ve included it in the total.

3) The Legend of Zelda

Released on the NES, The Legend of Zelda was a groundbreaking action-adventure game that helped define the genre. It also started one of the most successful video game franchises ever, and a cornerstone of Nintendo’s catalog. Originally launched in Japan on the Famicom, it came to North America a year later and was notable for being the first game sold here with a battery to save players’ progress. The Legend of Zelda quickly became incredibly popular, selling over 6.5 million copies.

2) Super Mario Bros 2

Super Mario Bros. 2 has a unique history. Originally created as a different game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, it was completely redesigned with Mario characters and released on the NES in 1988. Although quite different from the first Super Mario Bros., it became incredibly popular, earning high praise and selling millions of copies. It’s been updated and included in several game collections over the years, and the NES version alone sold over 7.5 million units.

1) Tetris

When it comes to NES games, Tetris stands out as the best-selling title that wasn’t bundled with the console. While most people know Tetris as the pack-in game for the Game Boy, the NES version was also incredibly popular and a huge success. It sold around 8 million copies on the NES, making it the top-selling game for that system. However, that’s only a small part of the story – Tetris is actually the best-selling video game of all time, with over 520 million copies sold across all its different versions.

2026-05-13 20:41