Nintendo’s Famicom console launched in Japan on July 15, 1983. To commemorate the system’s 40th anniversary, why not play some of the best Famicom games? Here are Siliconera’s suggestions, whether you’re digging through old cartridges or sifting through digital libraries.
The best Famicom games to play on modern systems
The first stop for most to check out some Famicom games in 2023 is probably Nintendo Switch Online. It’s handy, and players can easily download the Japanese version of the app and use it with any region’s NSO subscription. So what Japanese exclusives are on offer? Our top recommendations are Joy Mech Fight and Adventures of Lolo 2. The second Lolo, added to the Japan lineup when the West got the first, is a fun block-pushing puzzler with a lot of interesting levels and a satisfying difficulty curve.
That said, it did come out on NES! If you want a true Famicom-only experience, Joy Mech Fight is your best bet. It’s simultaneously a Nintendo-like response to the Street Fighter II craze and an experiment in using multiple smaller sprites to create larger characters on the aging 8-bit hardware. Most importantly? It’s a heck of a lot of fun and doesn’t need language mastery.
Outside of the NSO app, there are increasingly more options too. Arc System Works’ Retro Brawler Bundle collects a ton of Double Dragon and Kunio-kun games, and even translates all the Japan-only ones. Kunio games have a cult following for their focus on multiplayer fun and experimentation with genre, but more than anything else, they’re incredibly Famicom.
And if you want to sink your teeth into something deeper, the Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light translation is cool! But, uh, you’d have to have bought it two years ago. We’re constantly baffled by Nintendo’s digital strategies.
The best Famicom launch games to play today
If you’re looking to truly celebrate July 15, 1983, your options are going to be limited! The Famicom launch lineup consisted of just three games: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Popeye. Honestly, these aren’t the versions of these titles to play regardless, as they’re competent and impressive ports for the time but still inferior to the arcade releases. And since they’re arcade games first, they don’t really lean into the Famicom’s strengths.
Widening the criteria just a bit does get you some interesting little titles from the Famicom’s early days, though! We’d recommend checking out those one-name “black box” releases, like Baseball, Tennis and Pinball. They’re not technical marvels, all safely sticking to what everyone knew the hardware could do at the beginning. Still, they can be a great time, and are a good example of what those first few years offered.
The early Famicom days were also heavily defined by light gun titles. Wild Gunman, Duck Hunt and Hogan’s Alley all launched in the system’s first year, making them a significant portion of the available library. Which makes sense! Nintendo was still near the era of its ‘70s light gun successes, and translating that to the home was likely one of its earliest ideas for the platform. (Also? If you’re busting out original hardware, you may as well try some of the games that are trickier to port or emulate, and light gun releases are certainly that.)
The best remaining Famicom exclusives
Looking for options more off the beaten path? Many great Famicom games never got localizations, ports or remakes, somehow. Some are easier to understand! Take Konami’s Wai Wai World, for example. The mashup platform action game is a lot of fun, but the game mixed Konami properties with some licenses it happened to have at the time, like King Kong and The Goonies. Still, the game (and its sequel!) are definitely worth an anniversary visit.
If you’d rather see just how far the Famicom hardware could go, why not play Lagrange Point? With a special audio chip in the cartridge and an ambitious space RPG design, it often feels too big for the hardware. The diligent work of the fan translation community makes it playable in English, too!
But seriously, the Famicom library is delightfully huge, and there are a lot of experiences worth playing on the platform. If you can manage it, we’d most recommend finding a pile of cartridges and just sifting through and following your heart. Just, you know, be prepared for a lot of baseball games in there.
What do you think are the best Famicom games to play for the console’s 40th anniversary? Let us know in the comments. And check out more of our handy guides!
