I just picked up a used NES along with a few staples (Super Mario 1,2, and 3, Zelda, Tecmo Bowl). I'm going to go hunting for used NES games and I've got a list of games I remember playing. However at the time I was a poor high school student and I only had a few games. Mostly I borrowed or rented.

So what really great NES games do you guys suggest I look into?

Excitebike, duck hunt, guerilla war, super contra, super tecmo bowl

Man, I can go on and on.

Was Punch Out an NES or SNES game? I remember that one being great.

Punch-Out was on the NES, but there was also Super Punch-Out on the SNES. Awesome games indeed.

I missed out on so many good NES games when I was young. I always bought crappy games. Star Tropics was the only one I wish I still had to this day.

Lets not forget Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, Spy Hunter, Double Dragon II, Karate Champ, shoot my list can go on and on.

rc pro-am

Ikari Warriors, Castlevania 1-3, Metroid....and like the other my list can go on for awhile.

paper boy

Double Dragon, Caveman Games, and NARC were three of my favorites, but at least the later two were not mainstream hits.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was good also.

Golgo 13, Baseball Simulator 1.000, Kid Icarus, Rygar, Pro Wrestling, Commando, Ghosts & Gobblins, Double Dribble, Deja Vu, and of course... Final Fantasy.

CONTRA!!!

Life Force, Metal Gear, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, Bionic Commando, Dr. Mario, Battletoads. . .

NARC

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 was an awesome game!

Metal Gear
Bubble Bobble 1/2
Arkanoid
1943
Life Force
Gradius
TMNT: The Arcade Game
Ice Hockey (Love the fat guy)
Rad Racer
Super Mario Bros 1/2/3
Megaman 1-6
Captain Commando
Romance of the 3 Kingdoms 1/2
Nobunaga's Ambition 2
Bandit Kings of Ancient China
Blaster Master
Guardian Angels
Zanac


and many many more

The Guardian Legend was one of my favorites. It was set up like a sci-fi version of the original Zelda, but instead of dungeons, there were vertical scrolling shoot-em-up levels.

A highly underrated masterpiece!! Wonderful, wonderful game!!

Also by the same company, the most amazing shooter on the NES: GUN NAC

Tecmo Super Bowl - much better than the original - double the number of plays.

Castlevania was a favorite of mine as well.

RBI Baseball I & II were great. So was Tetris.

I remember spending lotsa time playing river city ransom, super dodge ball, blaster master, and super spike v ball. river city ransom was my favorite game for the nes. 2 players, lotsa variety for an nes game.

Oh.. hell yes. River City Ransom is one of the finest games of all time.

"BARF!"

Here's a few good ones that haven't been mentioned:

Bad Dudes
Marble Madness
Final Fantasy
Any of the Dragon Warriors
Blades of Steel
Adventures of Bayou Billy
Wizards & Warriors (one of my favorites)
Anticipation (still a great party game)

Crystalis.

can't believe no one has mentioned it yet

Yes!! That too!! Wonderful game.. well it's easy to see how many games acan be missed.. the NES just had too many good games for it's own good.

Mem-o-ries..

Second votes for:
Dragon Warrior
Final Fantasy
Metroid

Hasn't been said:

Desert Commander - strategy similar to advance wars
Archon - chess like action game
Batman
Dodge Ball
Baseball all stars