Duck Hunt Classic
Best Nintendo Entertainment System sports games
The Matrix has 149 sports games on file for the Nintendo Entertainment System, released between 1983–1994. 124 of them support multiplayer. They're ranked below by legacy score, so the games that shaped the genre on the NES come first, with lesser-known picks further down.
Sports games bring football, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis, wrestling and more to the console, from simulation-style management to over-the-top arcade action.
Typical commitment: quick session (under an hour, or endless arcade fun). Tip: Arcade-style sports games are the easiest to enjoy today; simulation titles may have outdated rosters but still offer satisfying gameplay.
Nintendo World Cup Classic
Tennis Classic
Baseball Classic
NES Open Tournament Golf Classic
Punch-Out!! Classic
Soccer Classic
Ice Hockey Classic
Bases Loaded 3 Deep cut
Bases Loaded 4 Deep cut
Blades of Steel Deep cut
California Games Deep cut
Hyper Sports Deep cut
Lunar Pool Deep cut
Major League Baseball Deep cut
Tecmo NBA Basketball Deep cut
Toobin' Deep cut
Top Players' Tennis Deep cut
720° Deep cut
Aussie Rules Footy Deep cut
More NES sports games
- Ballblazer (1988)
- Bandai Golf: Challenge Pebble Beach (1989)
- Baseball Simulator 1.000 (1990)
- Championship Pool (1993)
- Dance Aerobics (1989)
- Fighting Golf (1988)
- Golf Grand Slam (1991)
- Heavy Shreddin' (1990)
- Hoops (1989)
- R.B.I. Baseball (1988)
- Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball (1991)
- Side Pocket (1987)
- Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular (1990)
- Tecmo Baseball (1989)
- The Black Bass (1988)
- Winter Games (1987)
- Kick Off (1992)
- Capcom's Gold Medal Challenge '92 (1992)
- Cyberball (1991)
- Dynamite Bowl (1987)
- Goal! Two (1992)
- Greg Norman's Golf Power (1992)
- International Cricket (1992)
- J-League Winning Goal (1994)
- Jimmy Connors Tennis (1993)
- Little League Baseball: Championship Series (1990)
- Magic Darts (1991)
- Power Punch II (1992)
- Pro Sport Hockey (1993)
- Rackets & Rivals (1993)
- Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble (1990)
- Skate or Die! (1988)
- Ski or Die (1988)
- Tecmo Bowl (1989)
- Tecmo World Cup Soccer (1990)
- The Black Bass (1988)
- The Blue Marlin (1991)
- Town & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage (1988)
- Ultimate Basketball (1990)
- Volleyball (1987)
- World Games (1989)
- Athletic World (1987)
- Super Team Games (1986)
- Break Time: The National Pool Tour (1993)
- Caveman Ughlympics (1990)
- Championship Bowling (1989)
- Cycle Race: Road Man (1988)
- Decathlon (1992)
- Family Tennis (1987)
- Harlem Globetrotters (1991)
- I Love Softball (1989)
- John Elway's Quarterback (1989)
- Jordan vs. Bird: One on One (1989)
- Metro-Cross (1986)
- Mezase! Top Pro: Green ni Kakeru Yume (1993)
- NFL (1989)
- Paperboy 2 (1992)
- Rollerblade Racer (1993)
- RollerGames (1990)
- Roundball: 2 on 2 Challenge (1992)
- Shufflepuck Café (1990)
- Tag Team Wrestling (1986)
- Wayne Gretzky Hockey (1991)
- World Champ (1991)
- Bo Jackson Baseball (1991)
- Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf (1990)
- Magic Johnson's Fast Break (1990)
- Power Soccer (1990)
- R.B.I. Baseball 2 (1990)
- Sanrio Cup: Pon Pon Volley (1992)
- Super Mario Bros./Tetris/Nintendo World Cup (1988)
- The Golf '92 (1992)
- KlashBall (1991)
- Quattro Sports (1992)
- Venice Beach Volleyball (1991)
- Mini-Putt (1991)
- Arch Rivals: A Basketbrawl! (1990)
- Chris Evert & Ivan Lendl in Top Players' Tennis (1990)
- Family Trainer 1: Athletic World (1986)
- George Foreman's KO Boxing (1992)
- Kings of the Beach: Professional Beach Volleyball (1990)
- Legends of the Diamond: The Baseball Championship Game (1992)
- M.U.S.C.L.E.: Tag Team Match (1986)
- Town & Country Surf Designs: Thrilla's Surfari (1992)
- World Boxing (1990)
- World Class Track Meet (1988)
- Eric Cantona Football Challenge: Goal! 2
- Snowboard Challenge
- Track & Field in Barcelona