Ok, unless someone beats another Famicom game in the next 24 hours, I have next year's list finalized. I added Egger Land, F1 Race, Fantasy Zone 2, and Super Xevious (and I took out Asmik-kun Land and Saiyuuki World). I tweaked a few point values, as well.
2018 Famicom List
Armadillo (1991) - IGS, 5 points
This platformer is the closest you'll get to playing Sonic the Hedgehog on your NES! Well, not counting Somari...
Astro Robo SASA (1985) - ASCII, 8 points
This game has very unique movement, where you get propelled by shooting your gun. I find it difficult to control but it's pretty short.
Babel no Tou (1986) - Namco, 6 points
Puzzle game where you move around blocks to climb. Similar to Gauntlet, you need to get a bunch a clues along the way to access the end. You can just look it up, though.
Bird Week (1986) - Toemiland, 5 points
Rule #1 of Famicom collecting: don't buy any game with "week" in the title. Regardless, it's pretty unique to play as a mama bird feeding her babies.
Captain Silver (1988) - Tokuma Shoten, 4 points
A pirate-themed game with some less than impressive animation. For some reason, the first boss is Frankenstein?
Chack 'n Pop (1985) - Taito, 4 points
It looks like Bubble Bobble, but it plays nothing like it. You have to use bombs to kill enemies and release hearts.
Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chousen (1987) - Vic Tokai, 7 points
Side-scrolling action/rpg hybrid with the usual Vic Tokai lack of polish.
Chuka Taisen (1989) - Taito, 4 points
This shmup was just in the Master System contest on this forum, under the name Cloud Master.
Circus Charlie (1986) - Soft Pro, 2 points
Compete in various circus events in this old Konami arcade game. For whatever reason, they didn't publish it.
Dai Meiro: Meikyuu no Tatsujin (1990) - Epoch, 6 points
It's a first person dungeon crawler, but there's no combat - it's more of a puzzle game than an rpg. You have to find your way through the mazes before running out of hearts.
Daiku no Gen-san 2: Akage no Dan no Gyakushuu (1993) - Irem, 1 point
Hammerin' Harry 2. One of those late FC sequels that's fun, but doesn't change the formula much (Duck Tales, Rescue Rangers, etc).
Dig Dug (1985) - Namco, 1 point
The arcade classic that for some reason was Famicom exclusive, although we did get the sequel in the US.
Don Doko Don (1990) - Taito, 5 points
The sequel was a platformer, but the original is very similar to Bubble Bobble. Both are made by Taito, so I guess you can't really call it a rip off. Great music too!
Door Door (1985) - Enix, 10 points
Slow-paced single screen puzzle game where you have to trap enemies in doors. Music is a huge earworm.
Dragon Scroll: Yomigaerishi Maryuu (1987) - Konami, 6 points
Konami action rpg that's very reminiscent of Crystalis or Zelda. It's more open and non-linear than most.
Egger Land: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (1988) - HAL, 6 points
It's a Lolo game, but with non-linear paths and multiple exits per room.
Esper Dream 2: Aratanaru Tatakai (1992) - Konami, 6 points
Action rpg with more of a story than most. Also features some great enhanced sound!
Exed Exes (1985) - Tokuma Shoten, 3 points
Capcom shmup and another Micronics special. The arcade music was really butchered, but at least it's cool to see yashichis as enemies.
Famicom Wars (1988) - Nintendo, 9 points
First game in Nintendo's long-running "wars" series.
Fantasy Zone II: Opa-Opa no Namida (1988) - Sunsoft, 3 points
We only got the first in the US. More well-known as a Master System game.
F1 Race (1984) - Nintendo, 1 point
Nintendo's Pole Position-esque racer that could've been an NES launch title.
Final Fantasy II (1988) - Square, 9 points
From the very beginning, you can see that this game has more of a story than the first one. Most people hate the lack of traditional experience points and level ups, but it's fun game nonetheless. Beating this game blind would be quite a feat.
Fire Emblem: Ankokuryuu to Hikari no Ken (1990) - Nintendo, 9 points
The first game in Nintendo's famous strategy RPG series.
Fire Emblem Gaiden (1992) - Nintendo, 9 points
The second game in the series which reportedly changed things up a decent amount.
Flying Hero (1989) - Epic/Sony Records, 8 points
Arkanoid, but with rescuing people from burning buildings instead of bouncing a ball.
Front Line (1985) - Taito, 1 point
Old arcade game best described as a precursor to Commando/Ikari Warriors.
Galaxian (1984) - Namco, 1 point
Prequel to the much better known Galaga. Simpler, but still fun. After Galaga came Gaplus, also known as Galaga 3. So technically that means Galaxian = Galaga 1 and Galaga = Galaga 2.
Gekitotsu Yonku Battle (1989) - Irem, 4 points
Smash all the other mini-cars in this combat racer. One of six Irem games on this; they had a lot of good stuff they didn't bring overseas.
Grand Master (1991) - Varie, 6 points
Reminds me somewhat of the Game Boy game Seiken Densetsu 1 (Final Fantasy Adventure), which came out the same year. Features multiple endings!
Hello Kitty no Ohanabatake (1992) - Character Soft, 1 point
Water flowers to make them grow, while playing as a cute cat.
Higemaru Makaijima: Nanatsu no Shima Daibouken (1987) - Capcom, 6 points
Another pirate-themed game. Just like Bionic Commando, this was an enhanced port of an arcade title.
Hikari no Senshi Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth (1987) - Takara, 8 points
Spoiler alert - it's not. I hear it's actually quite frustrating to play.
Hokuto no Ken (1986) - Toei, 10 points
Speaking of frustrating, this is the first game in the Fist of the North Star series. We only got the second, and this is considered harder and worse than that. Cool exploding enemies though.
Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hockey-bu: Subette Koronde Dairantou (1992) - Technos, 3 points
Kunio hockey. Just picture Nintendo World Cup on ice.
Insector X (1990) - Taito, 2 points
Insect shmup. Also released on the Genesis, where it looks totally different. Similar to Splatterhouse, the Famicom got the cute, kiddy version.
Joy Mech Fight (1993) - Nintendo, 5 points
The best fighting game on the system? Seems easy, but longer than you'd think for this style of game.
Juuouki (1990) - Asmik, 4 points
Altered Beast on the NES.
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 2: Karakuri Land (1991) - Irem, 2 points
Kid Niki 2. Like 3, this is much easier than the original.
Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Hot Scramble (1986) - Bandai, 10 points
Combines FPS-like shooting stages with Thexder-like (an earlier FC game) corridor stages. Once you beat stage 16 you can game over to get the credits.
Labyrinth (1987) - Tokuma Shoten, 7 points
Based on the movie that starred David Bowie.
Layla (1986) - DB-Soft, 5.5 points
Play as a red-haired girl with a lot of firepower in this space-themed action game.
Majou Densetsu II: Daimashikyou Galious (1987) - Konami, 8 points
Yet another Japan-only Famicom action rpg from Konami. Amazing how many of them they pumped out, and they're all pretty decent.
Metro-Cross (1986) - Namco, 9 points
It's a game about non-stop running and smashing Coke cans, with great music. Seems really hard, too.
Motocross Champion (1989) - Konami, 4 points
Excitebike, but by Konami rather than Nintendo. Seriously, it's almost exactly the same thing.
Mouryou Senki Madara (1990) - Konami, 9 points
Rpg with an awesome soundtrack. I know someone was raving about it on this forum last year.
Nekketsu! Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroes (1993) - Technos, 3 points
Kunio basketball. It was a late release which means that this cart is way more expensive than all the other Kunio games.
Ninja-kun: Ashura no Shou (1988) - UPL, 10 points
One of the many Ninja-kun/Jajamaru-kun games, but this one is more of an adventure than the original.
Penguin-kun Wars (1985) - ASCII, 1 point
This game was actually just remade for modern platforms. Throw balls and get all 10 on your opponent's side.
Perman Part 2: Himitsu Kessha Madoodan o Taose! (1991) - Irem, 5 points
A superhero who's not super - he's just "Per."
Pizza Pop! (1992) - Jaleco, 2 points
Easy, food-themed platformer along the lines of Panic Restaurant.
SD Hero Soukessen: Taose! Aku no Gundan (1990) - Banpresto, 3 points
Platformer featuring several mini-heroes.
Son Son (1986) - Capcom, 2 points
One of Capcom's first arcade games. It's like a platformer/shmup combo. Unfortunately ruined somewhat by Micronics like all their early games.
Space Hunter (1986) - Kemco, 7 points
Similar concept to Metroid, and it came out at nearly the same time. Except, it's missing the quality gameplay from Nintendo's title.
Space Invaders (1985) - Taito, 1 point
Kind of surprising that this was even released on the system!
Spelunker II: Yuusha e no Chousen (1987) - Irem, 7 points
It's nothing like the original, for better or worse. Choose from three characters, use items, etc. Everything had to have rpg elements after the success of Zelda and Dragon Quest.
Super Star Force (1986) - Tecmo, 7 points
Speaking of rpg elements... It's Star Force, but with dungeons and time travel. One of those bizarre 8-bit sequels you wouldn't see nowadays.
Super Xevious: Gamp no Nazo (1986) - Namco, 10 points
This time, you have to complete various conditions to advance from each level. Probably best to use a guide.
Summer Carnival '92: Recca (1992) - Naxat Soft, 10 points
Shooter created for a competition, it really pushes the limits of the system. Easily one of the hardest games on the list.
Sweet Home (1989) - Capcom, 8 points
The horror rpg which inspired Resident Evil.
Taiyou no Yuusha Firebird (1992) - Irem, 2 points
aka "Fighbird." Easy shmup based on a Transformers-style anime.
Takahashi Meijin no Bagutte Honey (1987) - Hudson Soft, 5 points
The weirdest Adventure Island game. It's a spinoff based on the short lived anime series, and this game is mostly a breakout/arkanoid clone.
Takahashi Meijin no Boukenjima IV (1994) - Hudson Soft, 5 points
The final Famicom release, and fourth game in the Adventure Island series. Very different than the previous three.
Tetrastar: The Fighter (1991) - Taito, 8 points
Cool shooter with some great scrolling effects and an actual story.
Time Zone (1991) - Sigma, 3 points
Kiddy platformer with catchy music.
TwinBee 3: Poko Poko Dai Maou (1989) - Konami, 2 points
The third game in Konami's cute shooter series (we only got Stinger in the US, aka Twinbee 2).
Toukaidou Gojuusan Tsugi (1986) - Sunsoft, 10 points
Aka 53 Stations of the Tokkaido, which is like the old Japanese version of route 66. This game seems very hard, but I know there are warps which might it easier.
Uchuu Keibitai SDF (1990) - HAL Laboratory, 8 points
Another well-regarded shooter, from the makers of Kirby and Lolo.
Ultraman Club: Kaijuu Dai Kessen!! (1992) - Angel, 3 points
Best game of the Ultraman Club series, and the only one published by Angel (who also published Solbrain aka Journey to Silius).
Wai Wai World 2: SOS!! Paseri Jou (1991) - Konami, 4 points
I don't like this as much as the first. Too easy, and too many auto-scrolling stages. But people seem to enjoy it.
Wing of Madoola (1986) - Sunsoft, 10 points
Another game from 1986 that stars a red-haired girl. Sort of like Atlantis no Nazo in that it's hard with catchy music. This one's probably not as difficult, but it's longer.
Youkai Club (1987) - Jaleco, 7 points
Castlevania-esque action game.
Zombie Hunter (1987) - Hi-Score, 7 points
Side-scrolling action rpg with some nice voice samples when you load it up.
Zunou Senkan Galg (1985) - DB-Soft, 9 points
Strange shooter where you have to collect parts as you go along, rather than destroy enemies. It says RPG right on the cart, but I don't know if I would go that far.
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