The Indie NES Game Hall of Fame
Here are retro gamers’ and retro devs’ picks for the best NES games of this century. Inside you’ll also find the full list of indie NES games that have received Hall votes—150+ NES titles in all.
Introduction
Retro wants gamers and devs to have as much of a voice in honoring indie NES games at Retro as the author of this publication has. This was the impetus for the Indie NES Game Hall of Fame—an archive and ranking created by and for indie NES gamers and those who make indie aftermarket NES games (still often referred to as “homebrews”).
Every two years, a week-plus voting period will lead to the induction of new games to the Hall of Fame. Below you’ll find the first two classes of Indie NES Game Hall of Fame inductees, and the current state of the voting for games not yet inducted. In the future, credits and screenshots for all games will be added; this version of the Hall is only its initial appearance, and readers should anticipate many additions to come.
Scores and scores of voters completed ten-game ballots during the 2022 and 2024 Indie NES Game Hall of Fame open voting periods, with 150 eligible NES games receiving votes. Thus far, 33 games have received enough votes for a Hall of Fame induction.
Total Hall Size
As of May 2024, there are 1,751 identified indie NES titles; approximately 250 more indie NES titles are believed to have been published, but not yet archived. As noted above, there are 34 indie NES games in the Indie NES Hall of Fame, representing just 1.9% of the eligible universe of games; an additional 117 eligible indie games have received at least one vote for the Hall of Fame from retro gamers or developers during the two open voting periods for the Hall in 2022 and 2024, meaning that with all votes tallied the games below represent—in the view of the gamers and developers polled thus far—approximately the top 8% of the indie NES games presently known to exist.
That said, a poll can only be (at best) a snapshot representation of what all the polled individuals believe in the aggregate. It is not sacrosanct, and is necessarily subjective.
Corrections and Link Reporting
If you need to report a dead link, or have a link to your indie NES game that you prefer Retro use over the one being used below, just use this contact form to request a change.
Table of Contents
{Note: Use “Ctrl+F” and the phrases below to find the following ranking sections.}
💮 Key
The Indie NES Game Hall of Fame
💮 Inductee Pages
Title
Logo
Credits (forthcoming)
Screenshots (forthcoming)
Gameplay Video
💮 Inductee List
The Indie NES Demo Hall of Fame
💮 Inductee Pages
Title
Logo
Credits (forthcoming)
Screenshots (forthcoming)
Gameplay Video
💮 Inductee List
Other Indie NES Games with Hall of Fame Votes
💮 Current Vote Rankings
💮 Ineligible Games
Key
{Note: This section, like the Hall of Fame as a whole, is best viewed on a desktop computer.}
✴️ = Voted into the Indie NES Game Hall of Fame by retro gamers and developers.
🔰 = Currently receiving votes for the Indie NES Game Hall of Fame from its voters.
🆕 = A title making its first appearance in the voting for the Indie NES Hall of Fame.
🔀 = A hack receiving votes after being deemed an eligible original-game-equivalent.
🔁 = An eligible NES port receiving votes from voters for the Indie NES Hall of Fame.
🔂 = An eligible NES demo receiving votes from the Indie NES Hall of Fame’s voters.
🔥 = A game outside the Hall of Fame that is moving quickly up the existing vote tally.
Retro Presents: The NES Indie Game Hall of Fame
✴️ | The Adventures of Panzer, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | The Adventures of Panzer II, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Alwa’s Awakening, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Anguna: Scourge of the Goblin King, Class of 2024 | RPG
Gameplay:
✴️ | Armed for Battle, Class of 2024 | Strategy
Gameplay:
✴️ | Astro Ninja Man, Class of 2024 | Shooter
Gameplay:
✴️ | Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Battle Kid 2: Mountain of Torment, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Blade Buster, Class of 2024 | Shooter
Gameplay:
✴️ | Böbl, Class of 2022 | Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | The Cowlitz Gamers’ Second Adventure, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Doodle World, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Dungeons & Doomknights, Class of 2022 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Flea!, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | From Below, Class of 2024 | Puzzle
Gameplay:
✴️ | Full Quiet, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Haunted: Halloween ’85, Class of 2024 | Fighting
Gameplay:
✴️ | Haunted: Halloween ’86, Class of 2024 | Fighting
Gameplay:
✴️ | L’Abbaye des Morts, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | The Legends of Owlia, Class of 2024 | RPG
Gameplay:
✴️ | Lizard, Class of 2024 | Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Micro Mages, Class of 2022 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Nebs ‘n Debs, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | NEScape!, Class of 2024 | Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Project Blue, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Slow Mole, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Space Raft, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Spacegulls, Class of 2022 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Streemerz, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Super Russian Roulette, Class of 2024 | Zapper
Gameplay:
✴️ | Tapeworm Disco Puzzle, Class of 2024 | Puzzle
Gameplay:
✴️ | Trophy, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
✴️ | Twin Dragons, Class of 2024 | Platformer
Gameplay:
✴️ | Witch n’ Wiz, Class of 2022 | Puzzle
Gameplay:
The Indie NES Game Hall of Fame
✴️ | Adventures of Panzer, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Adventures of Panzer 2, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Alwa’s Awakening, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Anguna: Scourge of the Goblin King, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Armed for Battle, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Astro Ninja Man, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Battle Kid, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Battle Kid 2, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Blade Buster, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Böbl, Class of 2022 (^)
✴️ | The Cowlitz Gamers’ 2nd Adventure, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Doodle World, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Dungeons & Doomknights, Class of 2022 (^)
✴️ | Flea!, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | From Below, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Full Quiet, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Haunted: Halloween ’85, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Haunted: Halloween ’86, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | The Legends of Owlia, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | L’Abbaye des Morts, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Lizard, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Micro Mages, Class of 2022 (^)
✴️ | Nebs ’n Debs, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | NESscape!, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Project Blue, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Slow Mole, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Space Raft, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Spacegulls, Class of 2022 (^)
✴️ | Streemerz, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Super Russian Roulette, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Tapeworm Disco Puzzle, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Trophy, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Twin Dragons, Class of 2024 (^)
✴️ | Witch n’ Wiz, Class of 2022 (^)
Retro Presents: The NES Indie Demo Hall of Fame
Some may wonder at the inclusion of demos in the Hall of Fame, but those who have been part of the retro “homebrewing” scene for a long time well understand that it is often in demos that we see indie developers at their most daring—not to mention the fact that, as most homebrewers are hobbyists with full-time jobs, it is invariably the case that some works of genius first generated as demos sadly never materialize as full NES games. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t honor their ingenuity and dynamism.
✴️ | Super Bat Puncher, Class of 2024 | Action-Adventure
Gameplay:
The Indie NES Demo Hall of Fame
✴️ | Super Bat Puncher, Class of 2024 (^)
Other Demos Receiving Votes
🔰 | Light From Within
🔰 | Minekart Madness
🔰 | Press Start Again
🔰 | Raven’s Gate
🔰 | Zapp & Zapper
All Games With Indie NES Game Hall of Fame Votes
(with listed ranking based on current vote total; the next open voting period will be in 2026)
🔰 #1 | Alter Ego
🔰 #1 | Black Box Challenge 🆕 🔥
🔰 #1 | The Incident
🔰 #1 | Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawl
🔰 #1 | Lawn Mower
🔰 #1 | Little Medusa 🆕 🔥
🔰 #1 | The Mad Wizard
🔰 #1 | Nim & Nom
🔰 #1 | Quest Forge: By Order of Kings
🔰 #10 | Alfonzo’s Arctic Adventure 🔥
🔰 #10 | Gold Guardian Gun Girl
🔰 #10 | Gruniożerca 3 🔥
🔰 #10 | Kubo 3
🔰 #10 | Larry and the Long Look for a Luscious Lover
🔰 #10 | Over Obj 🆕 🔥
🔰 #10 | Star Keeper 🆕 🔥
🔰 #10 | Turtle Paint
🔰 #18 | Blazing Rangers
🔰 #18 | Crabbie Attack 🆕
🔰 #18 | Ghoul Grind: Night of the Necromancer
🔰 #18 | Light From Within 🔂
🔰 #18 | Nalleland
🔰 #18 | Orebody: Binder’s Tale 🆕
🔰 #18 | Skate Cat
🔰 #18 | Spook-O-Tron
🔰 #18 | Tailgate Party 🆕
🔰 #18 | Turtle Party
🔰 #18 | Yeah Yeah Beebiss II
🔰 #18 | Zooming Secretary
🔰 #30 | 0-to-X 🆕
🔰 #30 | 8-bit Christmas 2013 🆕
🔰 #30 | Almost Hero
🔰 #30 | Arlington Apple in An Interplanetary Pickle
🔰 #30 | Assimilate
🔰 #30 | Candelabra: Estoscerro
🔰 #30 | Deadpool 🆕 🔀
🔰 #30 | The Great Gatsby 🆕
🔰 #30 | Kira Kira Star Night DX
🔰 #30 | LAN Master 🆕
🔰 #30 | The Magnilo Case
🔰 #30 | The Meating 🆕
🔰 #30 | Shera & the 40 Thieves
🔰 #30 | Sparky
🔰 #30 | Star Evil
🔰 #30 | Star Versus 🆕
🔰 #30 | Street Fighter II: Nostalgia Edition 🔁
🔰 #30 | Super NESnake 2
🔰 #30 | Super Painter
🔰 #30 | Super Tilt Bro.
🔰 #30 | Tower of Turmoil
🔰 #30 | What Remains
🔰 #54 | 8-bit Christmas 2018 🆕
🔰 #54 | Allison Of Astra
🔰 #54 | Altercation 🆕
🔰 #54 | Arm Wrestling Classic 🆕
🔰 #54 | Babel Block 🆕
🔰 #54 | Bare Metal
🔰 #54 | Base Def Adventures 🆕
🔰 #54 | Berzerk 🆕 🔁
🔰 #54 | Blob Quest
🔰 #54 | Blockage 🆕
🔰 #54 | Burn ‘em Down 🆕
🔰 #54 | Carpet Shark
🔰 #54 | Cheril the Goddess 🆕
🔰 #54 | Chew Chew Mimic 🆕
🔰 #54 | Chibi Monster Brawl 🆕
🔰 #54 | Copper Jacket
🔰 #54 | Cornball C*cksuckers
🔰 #54 | Creepy Brawlers
🔰 #54 | D-Pad Hero I 🆕
🔰 #54 | D-Pad Hero II 🆕
🔰 #54 | Dead Tomb
🔰 #54 | Eskimo Bob 🆕
🔰 #54 | F-FF 🆕
🔰 #54 | Family Picross 🆕
🔰 #54 | Fire and Rescue
🔰 #54 | Garbage Pail Kids 🆕
🔰 #54 | Gemventure 🆕
🔰 #54 | Get ‘Em Gary 🆕
🔰 #54 | Gotta Protectors: Amazon’s Running Diet 🆕
🔰 #54 | Gruniozerca 🆕
🔰 #54 | Gruniożerca 2 🆕
🔰 #54 | HaraForce 🆕
🔰 #54 | House in the Cemetery 🆕
🔰 #54 | Jim Power 🆕
🔰 #54 | Justice Duel 🆕
🔰 #54 | Zelda: The Legend Of Link 🆕 🔀
🔰 #54 | Log Jammers 🆕
🔰 #54 | Minekart Madness 🆕 🔂
🔰 #54 | Mr. Splash
🔰 #54 | NES Virus Cleaner 🆕
🔰 #54 | Nintencat: The Parody
🔰 #54 | Nomolos: Storming the Catsle 🆕
🔰 #54 | Nothing Good Can Come of This
🔰 #54 | Oratorio 🆕
🔰 #54 | Paws of the West
🔰 #54 | Pinky
🔰 #54 | Plants vs. Zombies 🔁
🔰 #54 | Porun-chan no Onigiri Daisuki
🔰 #54 | Press Start Again 🔂
🔰 #54 | Raven’s Gate 🆕 🔂
🔰 #54 | Resident Evil: Bio Hazard 🔁
🔰 #54 | Rollie 🆕
🔰 #54 | Roniu’s Tale 🆕
🔰 #54 | Sam’s Journey 🆕
🔰 #54 | Save the Kuin 🆕
🔰 #54 | The Storied Sword 🆕
🔰 #54 | Super Homebrew War 🆕
🔰 #54 | Super Pakpak
🔰 #54 | Super Stalin Bros.
🔰 #54 | Swords and Runes 🆕
🔰 #54 | Temple Dilemma
🔰 #54 | Ultimate Frogger Champion 🆕 🔁
🔰 #54 | Wolf Spirit
🔰 #54 | Wolfling
🔰 #54 | Zapp & Zapper 🆕 🔂
Ineligible Titles
Four votes were received for three Hall-ineligible indie NES titles: Garage Cart, the beloved homebrew anthology, received two votes; Mojonian Tales, an anthology of all indie NES games from The Mojon Twins, received one vote; and A Hole New World, a soundtrack for a non-NES indie game, received one vote. At some time in the future, Retro may include a Hall of Fame subcategory for anthologies and certain other types of NES games worthy of discrete attention, such as ports from other consoles, but for now these titles are ineligible, because (a) anthologies unfairly benefit—as compared to solo titles—from offering multiple games, and (b) ports aren’t original NES games.