1. Super Mario Bros. 3

By Nintendo | Released: 1990

While The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. are unarguable pinnacles of videogame creation, if we were stranded on an island with a power source, an NES and a single game, it would unquestionably be Super Mario Bros. 3. The most anticipated game on the NES, SMB3 had nothing short of a feature length film (The Wizard) plugging it before it hit store shelves. Despite the unparalleled hype, no one was disappointed. Mario receives some amazing gear in his third game, including the Raccoon Suit that allows him to soar high above the game's carefully crafted levels. Each world in SMB3 features a unique style, and Mario's quest takes him through desert, grasslands, above the clouds and below the sea – there's so much to explore that we still make discoveries every time we dust off the cartridge today. Super Mario Bros. 3 does everything an NES game possibly can, and pushes the NES to the very limits of its capabilities, and we can unequivocally call it the greatest NES game of all time.

Our Fondest Memories

I will always have a special place in my heart for the original Super Mario Bros., but it was this sequel that took platforming to new heights with tighter controls, more complex levels and, of course, special upgrades like the Super Leaf and Tanooki Suits. Soaring around as Mario in raccoon form simply cannot be beat. And besides, the game was officially backed by Fred Savage, the ultimate gaming Wizard.

- Matt Casamassina, IGN Nintendo Editor-in-Chief