NES Games Buying Advice

[NES Nerd 2000]

I've just gotten into the retro gaming market and I'm looking into buying an NES. If I could buy any ten NES games, what should I buy? Note; Please don't recommend SMB, Zelda, etc. I will definitely buy those. Any and all recommendations are welcome.
Thanks!

[strangenova]

Mega Man 2
Contra
Crystalis
Castlevania 1-3
Ninja Gaiden
Star Tropics
RBI Baseball
Jackal
Ducktales
TMNT 2 or 3

Edit: Honestly you should go check out the defining games article on this site to get a good idea.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/top-nint ... st-defined

[Sarge]

To start out, I'd try to chip away at some of the cheaper titles. There are some out there that are totally worth buying that don't cost an arm and a leg. All of the games strangenova listed are good choices, although some can be a bit pricey.

I guess it really depends on what kind of stuff you like playing. I'm going to aim at some cheaper classics and hidden gems here, and note the must-haves with a star:

*The Guardian Legend - awesome adventure/shooter hybrid
Batman: The Video Game - excellent Sunsoft platformer
Blaster Master - tough but awesome Sunsoft adventure platformer
*Bionic Commando - one of the best platformers on the system
*Crystalis - perhaps better than Zelda
*Willow - ditto
Faxanadu - underappreciated Zelda II-like
*Tecmo Super Bowl - getting a bit expensive, but if you like football, it's the best pretty much ever
Dragon Warrior - not objectively great anymore, but can be gotten for really cheap if you're interested in the origins of the series
Little Nemo: The Dream Master - surprisingly good platformer from Capcom
Mission: Impossible - brutally difficult game somewhat in the vein of Metal Gear, but also super cheap
The Goonies II - a bit obtuse, but a solid action adventure game
Xexyz - another adventure/shooter hybrid, side-scrolling and not as good as The Guardian Legend but still a'ight
Solar Jetman - if you like physics-based games, and perhaps stuff like Lunar Lander, this is a good one, and it's cheap; expect severe difficulty, though
Life Force - starting to edge up, but a fairer shooter than Gradius
The Magic of Scheherazade - a Zelda-like, pretty unpolished but pretty interesting nonetheless
*Kirby's Adventure - getting more expensive, but it's my favorite platformer for the system

There are others, but this is probably enough for now. The Defining Games and Hidden Gems articles would be excellent to look at, and you may want to corroborate prices with something like PriceCharting to get the most bang for your buck.

[NES Nerd 2000]

Okay, this should help a bit. I think I'll look in to the platformers and RPGs, but thanks!

[Sano]

If you want to save a bit of cash get a flash cartridge. They can be a dent in the pocket at first. But the over all saving of not having to buy games that are outrageously priced because you can just ROM them. Just a small suggestion. But hey, if you have the disposable income to get the real thing, GO FOR IT! Having the actual cart in hand is an awesome feeling. I don't know much about the NES so I can't really recommend any games beyond the obvious (zelda and such).

[racketboy]

While the prices may be a bit out of date, I think this guide should still be helpful as well
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo ... s-under-10


Also see here
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo ... ners-guide