Commented list of the 10 best-selling NES games

By André Eduardo Ruschel on Feb 19, 2019, updated Aug 23, 2026 at 2:50 PM —

With approximately 62 million consoles sold, the NES—the Nintendinho to us Brazilians—ceased production in 1995, ending its cycle with unquestionable success. This console was the birthplace of several of the greatest franchises in gaming history, which continue to influence the market today. With almost absolute dominance of the largest markets, we could not even say there was a console war in its generation. It is credited with bringing back disillusioned consumers after the famous video-game crash of 1983. In Brazil, the NES was not officially released until 1993, and in its time we had the so-called "Famiclones," such as the Phantom System. What matters is that, as elsewhere, many of us were able to enjoy several gems on this great console.

10th) Excitebike (4.16 million)

Originally released in 1984, it reached the Brazilian market through CCE and Falconsoft under the names Excite Bike and Super Bike, respectively; it was developed and distributed by Nintendo.

Image 1 from the section 10th) Excitebike (4.16 million) in Commented list of the 10 best-selling NES games

Created by designer Shigeru Miyamoto, it was known here in Brazil as the "little motorcycle" game. The title is not as simple as it appears, requiring skill from players on ramps and in managing the turbo, since excessive use can cause the vehicle to overheat. One highlight is the game mode called "Design Mode," in which we can create tracks—something highly innovative for the period in which the game was released.

9th) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (4.17 million)

Originally released in 1989, it reached the European market as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. It was developed by Konami and distributed by Ultra Games.

The only third-party game in this top 10 was not of especially high quality. Its great success certainly resulted from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles being extremely popular when the game was released. Curiously, this was the first Turtles product released in Japan, even before the animated series. Gameplay highlights include the ability to change characters whenever we wish and freely explore the map.

8th) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (4.38 million)

Originally released in 1987, it reached the Brazilian market through Playtronic as Zelda II: A Aventura de Link. It was developed and distributed by Nintendo.

Much changed in this sequel, especially the original overhead view, which was replaced by a side view in dungeons, blending platforming elements into the original formula. Some of the new features in this title became recurring elements throughout the franchise, such as the magic meter and the enemy Dark Link. This is also the franchise's only Zelda game in which we distribute experience points to level Link up. Despite all the differences, this game is worth a chance and retains the quality that is the series' hallmark.

7th) Dr. Mario (4.85 million)

Originally released in 1990, it was developed and published by Nintendo.

Developed by Gunpei Yokoi, creator of Game & Watch and Game Boy, this Mario franchise spin-off is a puzzle game in which we must eliminate three types of viruses, represented by the colors red, yellow, and blue. During play, we must combine three units of the same color to make the parasites disappear and move to the next level. Like other games in this style, it is addictive and becomes highly entertaining once we find its rhythm.

6th) Tetris (5.58 million)

Originally released in 1989, it was developed and published by Nintendo, though other companies also developed and published different NES versions.

Tetris was the leading title driving sales early in Game Boy's life, and its success on NES was not much different. Computer engineer Alexey Pajitnov managed to create a simple, timeless game that is entertaining even for people who do not like video games and remains as enjoyable today as on the day it was released. For anyone unfamiliar with it—which is unlikely—the goal is to make blocks disappear by forming horizontal lines while always preventing the pieces from reaching the top of the screen.

5th) The Legend of Zelda (6.51 million)

Originally released in 1986, it was launched in Brazil by Playtronic as A Lenda de Zelda. It was developed and published by Nintendo.

The game originated in the adventurous instincts of creator Shigeru Miyamoto, who enjoyed exploring a cave near his former home. This title is regarded as a landmark among action RPGs and open-world games. It was also revolutionary for including a battery to save campaign progress in the American version. Among its achievements, it was the first game for the console to surpass one million units sold. Nintendo knew it was making something memorable and released it on a gold cartridge, a feature that became a tradition in later games in the franchise.

4th) Super Mario Bros. 2 (7.46 million)

Originally released in Japan in 1987 as Yume Koujou: Doki Doki Panic, it was converted into Super Mario 2 (USA) when it reached the West in 1988, and was distributed and published by Nintendo.

After the version of Super Mario Bros. 2 known here as Lost Levels was released, everyone considered it excessively difficult and insufficiently innovative for release in the West. The solution was to replace the characters in Yume Koujou: Doki Doki Panic with members of the mustachioed hero's group—and did it ever work. The title offers considerable quality and lets us play as four characters, each with different gameplay. To explain all this confusion in its plot, everything was treated as the protagonist's dream.

3rd) Super Mario Bros. 3 (17.28 million)

Originally released in 1988, it was launched in Brazil by Dismac as Super Mario 3. It was developed and published by Nintendo.

A guaranteed presence on lists of the best games of all time, Super Mario Bros. 3 simply managed to be incredible in every respect by NES standards. When placed beside other titles for the console, they do not even appear to belong to the same generation. This game introduced numerous features to the franchise, such as the map, the item inventory, and various power-ups, including the famous Raccoon Suit that allowed us to fly briefly. One reason for its incredible sales was its appearance in the movie The Wizard as a form of marketing. Note: if the list did not include titles bundled with consoles, this one would rank first.

2nd) Duck Hunt (28.31 million)

Originally released in 1984, it reached the Brazilian market through Falconsoft as Caça ao Pato. It was developed and published by Nintendo.

Among all the NES accessories, one was more iconic than the others: the Zapper light gun, highly popular in the United States early in the console's life. Duck Hunt is a very simple and repetitive game. We must use the gun to hit the greatest possible number of ducks on the screen with limited ammunition. If we make too many mistakes, the dog mocks the player. One interesting highlight was the ability for player two to control the duck's flight in one of the game modes.

1st) Super Mario Bros. (40.24 million)

Originally released in 1985, it reached the Brazilian market through Falconsoft and Dismac under the names Super Irmãos and Super Mario, respectively; it was developed and published by Nintendo.

This was not only the best-selling NES game, but also the best-selling platform game of all time. Super Mario Bros. defined how platform games should work, with good music, power-ups, and charismatic characters. Many consider it responsible for ending the famous 1983/1984 video-game crash and bringing consumers back to the home-console market. The classic hero's journey formula was used here, with a simple plot that motivated players to head to the next castle in search of the kidnapped princess. Its varied environments, including underwater stages, caves, and castle interiors, were already present. A classic that will always be remembered.

This was the first article dedicated to commenting on the 10 best-selling games for the leading consoles that have inhabited our homes. I hope you enjoyed the information and, if you would like, leave a comment telling us which console you want to see here.