Best NES Video Games Of All Time

#15 Duck Hunt (1984)

The orange gun. The flying ducks. The annoying dog that was terrible at hunting and always laughed at you when you had a bad day. All of these features made Duck Hunt an unforgettable game and a timeless childhood classic that most of us will never forget.

#14 Punch-Out!! (1987)

While it moved on to be a successful spin-off (see Mike Tyson's version) and a sequel on the Super Nintendo platform, this classic game was an introduction to fighting platforms that also introduced memorable characters and bosses that seemed almost impossible to defeat.

#13 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time (1991)

Also known as an arcade hit, this installment involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the best side-scrolling action games to date as the difficulty was adaptable and the gameplay was phenomonal for it's time. Plus it made us say "cowabunga" a lot.

#12 Ninja Gaiden 2: The Dark Sword Of Chaos (1990)

If you were into ninjas and throwing stars as a young kid, chances are you were into Ninja Gaiden. The series took off as soon as it was released but the most memorable installment was the second game in the franchise featured slicker controls and graphics which made Ryu's hacking and slashing way more fun.

#11 Tecmo Super Bowl (1991)

NFL games always had a hard time being enjoyable before the Madden series arrived but Tecmo Super Bowl was an instant hit the moment it shipped out to homes across North America. The only real drawback were the uniforms, like which team actually wore pink and white in the 90s'?

#10 Dr. Mario (1990)

Along with Tetris, Dr. Mario was one of the first original puzzle games that everyone knew and loved. The only problem was, most kids didn't know how to play it and were left frustrated by it's difficulty for years, and years, and years.

#9 Contra (1987)

Though Contra never really lived up to it's name after it's third version on the Super Nintendo, the original for NES set the bar for side-scrolling shooters. Collecting lives and different weapons became important and it took a unique level of skill (and a high amount of sugar) to beat levels without dying.

#8 Excitebike (1985)

Compare it to it's Nintendo 64 brother and the original 8-bit version of Excitebike wins by a landslide. The game was intuitive and addicting as it was always a competition to beat a friend's score. That is until the scores were magically erased.

#7 Double Dragon (1987)

Billy and Jimmy spawned numerous sequels and cross-overs throughout the 1990s' but nothing was more memorable than the duo's first installment for the NES that was a lengthy classic in itself. Instead of simple one-punch/kick action moves, combos were also made and those made the minds of 8-year-olds literally explode.

#6 Final Fantasy (1987)

The first edition of Final Fantasy was the game that made nerds. It created and defined the RPG genre which later led into dozens of spin-offs and other platform action puzzles like Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts and even Super Mario RPG that added a spin to the Nintendo world.

#5 Nintendo World Cup (1990)

Again, sports games were rather difficult in the NES days as graphics weren't as smooth and controls were clunky but Nintendo's first take on soccer was fantastic. Right down to the icy fields and concrete playgrounds to the players "dying" after taking too many tackles, Nintendo World Cup was addicting.

#4 Mega Man 2 (1988)

A tiny teenager with in a blue costume/helmet who could shoot lasers? WHAT? Add in simple controls, great NES music and innovative levels and Mega Man 2 still holds up as one of the best classic games out there for the Nintendo console.

#3 Battletoads (1991)

Though the Ninja Turtles were cool, Battletoads were a lot more rad. The characters - frogs and toads that wore spikes and grew giant hands and feet to destroy enemies - were way too cool to begin with but it didn't eliminate the fact that the game was ridiculously hard. Most will agree, not many made it past the second level.

#2 The Legend Of Zelda (1986)

It's hard to imagine a game like Ocarina Of Time could derive from an 8-bit NES cartridge but the first game in the series had everyone and their parents hooked on Link and his mission to rescue Zelda. It was fantasy/RPG at it's finest (no one to this day knows what those orange creatures are).

#1 Super Mario Bros. (1985)

It was the game that started it all. Looking back, the graphics weren't impressive but the idea of touching flowers and throwing fireballs at enemies was enough to keep kids hooked. Plus all of the secret passages to get to tunnels to skip levels was helpful but mostly really cool. It also spawned Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3 where both sequels topped each other with several innovations.

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Grand Theft Auto V

It was after waterboarding a man with a canister of gasoline that I realized Grand Theft Auto 5 operates on its own set of rules. While other games have shied away from societal hot-buttons like torture in the past few years, developer Rockstar North runs toward these problems with a loaded weapon, an mad mob of cops in tow as businesses are being robbed and cars explode around them.

As a series, Grand Theft Auto has proudly poked the Western world about its obsessions and the things it finds offensive, offering its own slanted view of that world  a view that refuses to be dishonest. Politicians promise to nuke adversarial countries, a crowdfunding website equates its business model to panhandling, social media moguls brag about selling their users' private information, and the list goes on. Despite Grand Theft Auto's glamorization of virtual violence, which has never irked me, Rockstar's franchise has been able to withhold its likability with broad, believable worlds and a band of interesting and redeemable characters.

Grand Theft Auto 5 has difficulty with its cast, however, as the latest in the notorious series features some of the most unbearable people I've ever had the misfortune of interacting with. Thankfully, interacting with Grand Theft Auto's world is better than it's ever been



Grand Theft Auto 5 features multiple controllable protagonists, a first for the franchise. There's Michael, a family man retired from a life of crime; Trevor, the psychopath looking for the next vast adrenaline hit; and Franklin, a street-wise hustler from the block. Though each character has a valid motivation for his journey, it's difficult to desire them to succeed.

Michael's motivation is to take care of his wife and two adult children, all of whom are a chore to deal with. Living in the lap of luxury, his son and daughter whine incessantly. His wife condemns him for past mistakes, while judging his life choices and sleeping with yoga and tennis instructors. Michael's relatives are a painful bunch, and never have I dreamed so much for a immense red button to detonate the nuclear family. Trevor's motivation sways throughout, but he begins in search of the truth about a moment in his past. Saying more would spoil his story, but it's positive that Trevor is never meant to be liked, as evidenced by the morbid way his character is introduced. Franklin is the standout, a kid who wants to rise past a menial life in his aunt's house. He hews closer to Grand Theft Auto's typical path, as someone who works difficult to prove his worth to those around him  a character mighty enough to kill but not willful enough to say no when ordered around.

Grand Theft Auto 5 brings players to Los Santos and Blaine County - two regions located in San Andreas, a satirized recreation of California. Throughout the campaign you can switch between each character, and sometimes you're required to swap leads on the thesame mission. In one scenario, Trevor hovers a helicopter in place as Michael rappels down a building, every while Franklin stands watch with a sniper rifle on an adjacent roof. Switching among the trio changes the objective, keeping you on your toes and providing momentum. Multiple story missions follow this path, giving GTA's crime-focused gameplay a fresh jacket of paint.

Grand Theft Auto 5 review How to take it in America

Narrative has long been a crucial component of the Grand Theft Auto series, which prides itself on exaggerated social commentary of the Western world, but the franchise has been made well-known for its sandbox gameplay. The core of GTA remains true in the latest iteration. You can run the streets of a fully-realized world, steal cars, cause chaos and attempt to flee from an extraordinarily irritable police force.

There are yet hiccups in the formula that poke holes in the world's particular brand of realism. For example, running over a dozen civilians and accidentally bumping into a police cruiser are roughly equal in terms of illegality, as either action will summon the cops like you're public enemy number one. That silliness aside, creating a mess of trouble and seeing how long you can last against the coming onslaught of police resistance - something I've enjoyed since since GTA 3  is still thrilling.

When you tire of randomly wreaking havoc, the story is prodded along by accepting missions, and Grand Theft Auto 5 introduces a new type: heists. Heists are multi-tiered missions with big cash payouts, and they typically start with a recon overview that outlines the overall objective. Once the story behind a heist is established, you're given the chance to plan how it will play out. Two different options of execution are offered. Generally you're given a "smart" way to complete a heist that lengthens adversarial response time and initial resistance, or the "loud" way that often brings the full weight of your enemies down upon you like a hammer.








In the first heist, for example, you can use the air ducts you spotted during recon to knock out the customers and employees of a jewelry store with sleeping gas, allowing your entire crew to focus on cleaning the place out. Or you can go in noisy, forcing one of your team to withhold the crowd in check. Based on the crew you pick and how well you kill your part of the plan, your take of the payout can change. When selecting your team, you have to weigh each crew member's take  their asking price of the sum score  against their abilities, and your greed can come back to bite you if you're not cautious. During a jewelry heist, I hired a gunman with relatively low stats. His asking price was lower than someone of greater skill, but he was ultimately sideswiped by police and knocked off of his escape motorcycle  along with a million in gems. The choices you make all have their effects, running the gamut from changing the difficulty of a mission to altering how much money your crew can pull in.

That these heists can exist side-by-side with random, player-driven shenanigans is a testament to Rockstar's expertise in world-building, which is apparent in its adamancy to create heaps of peripheral content, wrapping an entire world around disparate gameplay systems. There's bad television and movies to watch. You can play a circular of golf or tennis. There are bars, shooting ranges, a seedy strip joint and an entire carnival to explore. There are even missions that can only be discovered by scratching through the surface of your character's in-game cellphone web browser. Visit a few websites, occupy out a survey and suddenly a Scientology-inspired organization takes notice of you. You can go scuba diving for love. Or maybe you'll decide to help an elderly couple collect celebrity memorabilia, culminating in a mission that has you kidnap a movie star. Purchase property and you'll unlock an entire set of new missions, like clearing out nuclear waste at the bottom of the ocean. It's all there for you to explore at your leisure  or entirely ignore. It's exactly the type of discovery you desire from an open-world game.

If these scripted experiences aren't enough, you can also take on random objectives that pop up upon the map. You could locate yourself pursuing a purse snatcher, aiding a few armed robbers that need an escape car or chauffeuring drunks looking for a ride house. Of course, how you select to complete an objective is up to you. I once chased down a stolen motorcycle for a distraught citizen, but decided the bike was too nice to return and instead added it to my own garage.

With so much to do, there's a danger of feeling bewildered, but GTA5 is never overbearing. For one, you're no longer forced to perform peripheral tasks to curry favor with other characters, one of the more onerous parts of Grand Theft Auto 4. GTA5's world exists to be played with the way you want. One component that stands out is a pair of functioning stock markets, one of which is based on global connected player interaction. If many GTA5players purchase weapons and gear at Ammu-Nation shops, for example, the company's stock will rise. Some missions even allow you to affect how the stock market reacts. I found myself cheating the system a little, picking up missions that would affect the market, restarting my game and dumping all three character's bank accounts into the company I was about to tinker with. Pieces like this add character to the world to give you a sense that life is happening around you.

The best of these components are the ones that can tie into missions, two of my favorites being piloting planes and parachuting. Combined with GTA's general freeform style, these features add a great spark to the campaign. In one mission, for example, I was asked to steal a helicopter from a heavily guarded military base. After banging my head against a wall, being gunned down time and time again, I found a parachute, stole a plane and touched down right next to my target. Grand Theft Auto 5 doesn't set limitations on how objectives are completed, and that remains one of the series' best contributions to open-world games.

Where Grand Theft Auto 5 loses its focus, ironically, is where the player has the least freedom: the story. As the three characters grow closer, the narrative goes from an interesting story of past mistakes, redemption and revenge to the story of three men screaming at each other in a seemingly endless cycle. This centers mostly on Michael and Trevor's shared history. After a lengthy time apart, emotions between the former colleagues come to a head, and GTA5 pounds at this conflict for far too long. At every turn, the pair are at each other's throats. Character development is difficult to parse as each refuses to move on from the past, reluctant to show any significant growth, and it became less and less entertaining to watch them interact with one another. Even the final heist – a colossal job that you are told will require nothing but patience and perseverance – devolves into a screaming match between the protagonists.

It's only Franklin, introduced as a kid that knows enough to survive but not enough to succeed, that achieves any meaningful growth. Franklin takes what he learns from his mentors and becomes the most mature of the trio – and ultimately the main character ofGrand Theft Auto 5.

In previous Grand Theft Auto games, the narrative is made memorable thanks in part to the slew of interesting characters that interact with the protagonist. Watching these characters react and play off a single persona helps tie the story and its cast together. Since GTA5 features three main characters with vastly different personalities, your time is split, and the narrative isn't given enough room to resonate. Peripheral characters suffer as well, with each protagonist being designated specific individuals throughout the story. You spend less time getting to know the people that make up the craziest parts of the world, which has always been one of GTA's more fascinating components.

Story complaints aside, it's the world of San Andreas that is the main attraction, and it does not disappoint. For every narrative quibble, there are dozens of discoveries to be made, and many of the best moments will be the ones you create yourself.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is an ambitious game, attempting to meld three very different characters together to tell one encompassing story of survival in what amounts to the worst place in America. That story stumbles, but the open-ended gameplay remains a showpiece for the vast amount of content that can be poured into a virtual world.

Grand Theft Auto V (5) GTA V (PC) This product is delivered as (CODE BY EMAIL) When you buy Code by Email goods from Oneplay, you will shortly after receive the code/ serial key for the item via email. There will NOT be sent any physical product by mail. You activate your product online and start playing right away. Download STEAM Installer here. See our FAQ for how to activate your game.   Trouble taps on your window again with this next chapter in the Grand Theft Auto universe, set in the city of Los Santos and its surrounding hills, countryside and beaches. A bold new direction in open-world freedom, storytelling, mission-based gameplay and online multiplayer, Grand Theft Auto V focuses on the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present-day Southern California.

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The 15 Best Video Game Duos

#15 A Boy And His Blob

A surprising fact for hardcore gamers, this particular duo actually made their debut back in 1989 in an under-the-radar title that was overshadowed primarily by “Super Mario Bros.” and “Duck Hunt”. Those who did get to the play the original title took on a quirky NES puzzler that let them take control of a boy who fed jellybeans to his favorite companion, the Blob, so he could shape-shift into different forms.

As it was still stuck in the 80s', the video game proved to be a difficult title to deal with and it wasn't until WayForward's 2009 reinvention for the Wii that fans started to appreciate the relationship between the Boy and the Blob. The remake was cute and instantly loveable as it also added a “hug” button to the gameplay controls which was only there to reinforce the friendship between the two heroes. There's no current plans for a sequel but the original NES adventure is available through the Wii Virtual Console.

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#14 Yoshi And Baby Mario

Nintendo's frog-dinosaur never truly loved Mario but that didn't really matter because Yoshi became a star all on his own. The character gained popularity through “Super Mario World” and “Yoshi's World”, and even though his saddle remained permanent when he was flying solo, it just fit better when Baby Mario became his sidekick.

Adult Mario obviously contributes more (outside of sending his partner to his death just to get a little hangtime in the air) but Baby Mario was an innocent companion that made adventures feel timeless. 1995's “Yoshi's Island” took the adventure away from Nintendo's main stars and continued in 2006's “Yoshi's Island DS”, a pint-sized quest of sorts. Fans of the duo will certainly be pleased when they join forces later this year in “Yoshi's Island 3DS”, which we hope somehow features Baby Luigi, Baby Peach and Baby Bowser.

via http://themushroomkingdom.net/

#13 Sam And Max

Believe it or not, Sam & Max are celebrating their 25 anniversary this year as the crime-solving “Freelance Police”, who first made their debut in comic books and transferred over to the video game world.

Their debut was marked in 1993 with “Sam & Max Hit The Road”, a point-and-click adventure by LucasArts that pitched the animal partners' antics against a puzzle-solving mystery that took away countless daylight hours. The title eventually spawned several sequels including three “seasons” of adventures via TellTale, the same outlet that unleashed “The Walking Dead” branch-off via online gaming in 2012. Those same three seasons of madness – that contain a total of 15 episodes – are currently available as PC/Xbox 360/Wii downloads, and though they aren't as prevalent anymore, they're still inhabitants of the gaming world. Two decades later, Max was a part of the virtual cards game “Poker Night At The Inventory” while Sam also had the opportunity to shuffle the deck in the recently released “Poker Night 2”.

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#12 Lee Everett And Clementine

Sure, these two characters are almost completely brand new after being introduced last year, but Telltale did a pretty good job of creating a bond in “The Walking Dead: The Game”. In fact, their bond has set the stage for numerous upcoming zombie titles – including the open world RPG “State Of Decay” - and its partially because of their storylines.

Like most one-offs, Lee Everett could have been just another forgettable protagonist if it wasn't for Clementine, who stepped into his life to form an emotional connection in a world ridden with flesh-eating zombies. Not to point out spoilers, but their trials in surviving kept gamers on their feet as they tried to outrun the undead and prevent the allies they trusted from separating them. Everett and Clementine single-handedly took Telltale's new title to new heights, proving “mini-games” were full-length features on a smaller scale. The twosome also managed to push a rabid fan base into wanting a sequel which has promptly convinced developers to create and release a “second season” of the game.

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#11 Bowser And Princess Peach

Princess Zelda and Link could have easily secured a spot on this list if their backstory didn't eerily resemble the one behind Bowser and Princess Peach. It's a funny pick but to be honest, no two characters in the gaming world have spent more time together since the 80s' than these two.

The King Of Koopas hasn't found the perfect hobby to occupy his time and prevent himself from terrorizing Mario, and Peach just can't seem to not get kidnapped. Even gaming nerds pointed out that their relationship took a pretty creepy turn in 2002 with “Super Mario Sunshine”, which introduced Bowser Jr. - a character that constantly referred to Peach as “Mama”. Nintendo denies the claims but has there ever been a video game title where the two aren't separated? When will Mario and Peach take on a quest to rescue Luigi? Signs say no time soon as the princess is scheduled to be kidnapped yet again this year in the new DLC package for “New Super Luigi”. A new “Super Smash Bros.” is also on the horizon but Bowser will probably throw her over his shoulder again just for fun.

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#10 Billy And Jimmy

Reboot one of the first two “Double Dragon” games and you'll notice that the brothers quests revolved around rescuing a kidnapped friend (maybe girlfriend). That's how dedicated they were to the term “friendship”. Their partnership grew in the first title which allowed two players to take control of both brothers but it only lasted until the end of their quest, where Billy and Jimmy turned on each other to win the heart of the damsel in distress.

Their tendency to fight each other is why they're a bit low on this list but throughout time and space (literally – see 1993's "Battletoads & Double Dragon") they've found a way to put their differences aside. Plus, they must have kissed and made up given “Double Dragon Neon” featured them joining forces again after years of spin-offs and an incredible cartoon television show.

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#9 Pac-Man And Ms. Pac-Man

Can an unforgettable gaming duo also be a romantic pair? While you probably wish we were taking about characters that wore caps on their head, this entry focuses on the video game world's original couple, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man. Their relationship goes all the way back to the arcades of 1981, and while they never worked together as a proper tandem on-screen, they were more-than-happy to devour dots and ghosts independently in their own games.

They also kept busy off-screen as well, because let's face it: Pac-Man Jr. had to come from somewhere, right? Namco has publicly stated they're on the verge of rebooting the Pac-Man brand as a new cartoon series and a revamped 3D platformer this year, but a question still lays unanswered – will Ms. Pac-Man play a role? No one knows if the dot-eater will have a new beau but we sure hope developers make this a family affair!

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#8 Bill And Lance

Before Duke Nukem, Drake and even Solid Snake, bad-assery in video games stemmed from the old-school co-op team of Bill Rizer and Lance Bean. The sweaty and sometimes shirtless soldiers descended into the depths of hell in “Contra” and did it just so they could save the world from alien scum. Unfortunately for them, “scum” didn't solely categorize outsiders that looked like ET.

The pair had to fend off a wide array of aliens throughout 12 titles, but no one will ever forget Konami's Super Nintendo masterpiece, “Contra III: The Alien Wars”. The sequel was harder than a carnival game as players had to cover each others backs like professionals just to defeat mega-bosses after mega-bosses so they could name themselves victorious. Booting up “Game Genie” allowed you to skip the trouble but the macho tag-team was all about winning and wielding weapons of destruction, which they did together until 2007's “Contra 4”.

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#7 Jak And Daxter

Developed by the folks at Naughty Dog, Jak and Daxter were PlayStation's original world-saving pair. As their story goes, the two best friends got in a little over their heads one day and Jak somehow managed to get his pal morphed into the body of a half-otter/half-weasel creature.

Daxter maintained his wise-cracking sacrasm but the pair set out on a new adventure to restore him to his original form, which after a few titles – okay, maybe six in total – that goal has yet to be achieved. What gives their storyline so much intrigue is the fact that they've progressed over the years from title to title. “Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” introduced the characters to first-time players while “Jak II” and “Jak 3” scrapped humour for darker themes and more dire circumstances. The gameplay slightly improved to keep gamers interested but the characters never faded from 2001 to 2009, and there's been some E3 talk about whether the cumbersome adventurers are ready for another quest.

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#6 Ken And Ryu

Next to almost every duo on this list, Ken and Ryu are more rivals than a tag-team. The great gaming pair from the “Street Fighter” series competed against each other from the start as they were constantly trying to one-up each other and even took to beating up cars and brick walls just to prove a point.

The “Street Fighter” series boosted their popularity and made them the face of the fighting genre, provoking other rivalries in titles such as “Mortal Kombat”, “Virtual Fighter” and “Tekken”. Better yet, they were often a first-pick when it came to picking up a title that included them and likely because the special “Hadoken!” move only required the commands Down, Down/Forward, Forward + Punch. Flinging the fireball proved to be a special technique when needed and it also gave fans a cheat move whenever they needed it. It didn't however solve the 25-year-old discussion of who's better: Ken or Ryu?

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#5 Banjo And Kazooie

“Banjo & Kazooie” was originally blasted pretty hard from critics for being a near mimic of the “Donkey Kong” series, but eventually own over fans. Even though they went by “Banjo-Kazooie” and were a hybrid pair of a goofy honey bear and a backpack-navigating bird, its concept was entirely unique in changing the way we approach video games. For one, it steered the 3D platformer genre before the era of the Playstation 2 and the Xbox 360, and from another stand-point, it introduced an action-adventure focus to strategy. Throughout their series, Banjo does most of the legwork across areas looking for shiny collectibles while Kazooie pops out of his backpack to create a super-powered jumps and a gliding mechanism. Situated on the Nintendo 64, it also instilled the idea of taking on a video game title as a duo before “Donkey Kong 64” and other future titles came along with their own ideas. The only downside to the furry and feathery characters is that their most-recent adventure steered off the course with “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts”, which scrapped their teamwork in favour of vehicle construction mechanics.

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#4 Sonic The Hedgehog And Tails

Cute? Very. Highly skilled characters with no sense for physics? Absolutely. Sonic The Hedgehog started off as the sole face of Sega Genesis but after his original solo act, his sequel introduced his sidekick/#1 fan/best friend Tails who adventured alongside the blue blur with his orange blur of his own.

There was quite the issue about whether or not Tails was a he or a she but he's become a staple for the video game franchise ever since as he's helped Sonic fly through the sky and take on enemies and Dr. Robotnik multiple times. As Sonic got older, Sega wound up bringing in more characters than it could handle (all except for Knuckles) – almost to the point where fans now prefer that Sonic's alone in his new adventures. Everyone still has a soft spot for Miles “Tails” Prower however. Not only is his full name a pun on “miles per hour” but plugging into the second controller to take control of the fox in “Sonic & Tails” never gets old.

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#3 Donkey Kong And Diddy Kong

In the beginning of time, Donkey Kong was just an angry gorilla who rampaged about with barrels in tow and stole the girlfriend of a moustached plumber. When he finally got the reboot in 1994 with “Donkey Kong Country”, his barrel-chucking ways were accompanied by a new sidekick named Diddy, a chimp (we suppose) that cartwheeled and made hats look cool. The new tag team worked for Donkey as he was seen as a positive character in the gaming world, one who would take on an SNES platformer and use his unique abilities to deafeat baddies (and rescue his personal banana hoard).

At its peak, “Donkey Kong Country” introduced the dynamic of “slapping hands” to tag the duo in and out, which allowed gamers to use strength or agility. That feature was soon lost when Donkey got kidnapped in the sequel and even Diddy was replaced in the series' third game. The duo did make a return with all their animal friends with 2010's “Donkey Kong Returns” and that helped solidify how influential their quests through the jungle actually were.

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#2 Ratchet And Clank

With a list that already includes Jak & Daxter and Banjo & Kazooie, it's hard to pass up Ratchet & Clank, a two-character 3D platform twosome that set standards and records for the PlayStation world. Not only did Insomniac Games follow the success of furry heroes like “Crash Bandicoot” and “Spyro: The Dragon”, but they created an unusual and authentic duo in a Lombax mechanic and his mechanical companion.

Ratchet & Clank also saw developers taking the teamwork aspects that built previous games and they took it the next step, which eventually spawned nearly a dozen different games in less than 11 years. Some companies consider that a little overkill but if it worked for Nintendo and Capcom, then why couldn't it work for an action RPG that pushes the mold for gaming? Fortunately, it's hard to argue against their mini-legacy as sequels are still getting greenlit to this day.

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#1 Mario And Luigi

In all honesty, could there be another choice for the top spot on this list? Ranking the greatest gaming duos of all-time wouldn't be complete without the famous plumbers who helped establish video industry in the 1980s'. With their first installment, the Super Mario Bros. defined a genre with their adventures that went from flag poles and tunnels to almost every other gaming category – including racing, multiplayer and sports.

Mario's popularity helped boost the franchise and Nintendo, but Luigi added a stable balance, with his “Player 2” status that provided another character, option and personality. Nintendo recently realized this and named 2013 as the “Year Of Luigi”, celebrating titles such as “Luigi's Mansion” thanks to the duo's individual success but they've also been an iconic tag team with RPGs, “Mario Kart” and even as tennis doubles. 30 years later (after making their debut in 1983), Luigi can't exist without Mario, and Mario can't exist without Luigi.

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Hardest Video Games Bosses EVER

#20 Bowser

Warning: this is only Bowser's first appearance on this list. The super-famous dinosaur seems to put up more of a fight with every new title in the "Super Mario" series but luckily "Super Mario Galaxy" shows he's willing to fall into yet another pit of lava.

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#19 Mike Tyson

This seems like a cruel joke on Iron Mike, but he was a menace to society in "Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!!". He knocked you down for the first 1:30 of every fight and eventually frustrated gamers with a "Punch Out!!!" series that made them throw their Nintendos across the room.

via http://www.gametrailers.com/

#18 Diablo

"The Lord Of Terror" is the primary antagonist in the "Diablo" series and he's one of the more noted bosses that's incredibly... chatty. Big Red's appearance in "Diablo III" featured him taunting players, even going to lengths to tell them they will fail at doing whatever they're trying to do.

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#17 The Final Boss

It's no secret: all of the bosses from the "Contra" series are insanely difficult to beat but this one from "Contra 3" for the Super Nintendo stands out on its own. Once “The Final Boss” transforms into nothing but its brain, it becomes a whole different face-off as circular shapes show up with varying abilities such as spikes, mobility, and well, even more circular shapes.

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#16 Sephiroth

The direct opposite to Cloud Strife not only appeared in "Final Fantasy VII" but he was also a boss in "Kingdom Hearts" and "Kingdom Hearts II". Defeating him took time and patience, because if you didn't take advantage of those stunned states, you find yourself racing to heal yourself immediately before getting killed.

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#15 Yellow Devil

Also known as Yellow Demon or Rock Monster, Yellow Devil is one of Dr. Wily's creations in the "Mega Man" series and one of the hardest characters to defeat. The original fortress boss in the first title is technically a large yellow blob but it can dismantle itself and change forms to unleash unblock-able attacks.

via http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/

#14 M. Bison

According to superfans, the toughest M. Bison to ever exist appeared in "Street Fighter 3 Alpha" where he had a deadly attack called the "Final Psycho Crusher" that covered the entire screen in blue flames and severed the opposing player. To make things even more frustrating, Capcom made the title unique by making gamers start from the very beginning if they lost.

via http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/

#13 Dr. Wily

The famous doc put up quite a fight in "Mega Man And Bass" but when has he ever been easy? He's always giving Mega Man an extremely hard time and we're just quite surprised that he hasn't forced the Blue Wonder to develop a fear for heights.

via https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/

#12 Psycho Mantis

Undoubtedly, Psycho Mantis is one of the craziest villains in the gaming world. In "Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes" he commanded that you put your controller down (so it could rumble creepily on its own) and no one knew that they had to swap controller ports to finish the fight.

via http://fc07.deviantart.net/

#11 Zeus

Most know Zeus to be a kind-hearted God but that's not the case in "God War II". Earning a victory over him required you to parry his lightning bolts and overcome the awkward tension considering Zeus is Kratos' father.

via http://th04.deviantart.net/

#10 Shao Kahn

If you thought defeating Goro was tedious, Shao Kahn's appearance in "Mortal Kombat II" forced a lot of kids to give up their lunch money. Some succeeded with a win but most left the arcade with empty pockets.

via http://fc05.deviantart.net/

#9 King K Rool

He's one of the most maniacal villains in video game history and he's no different in "Donkey Kong 64". Defeating him in the 3D adaptation is a chore in itself so whatever you do, make sure to pack a lunch.

via http://cdnl.complex.com/

#8 Fontaine

"Bioshock" fans are beyond excited for the video game series' latest installment but the original boss was no cake walk. Fontaine's attacks mimicked a football player overdosed on steroids as he racked up charges like a credit card.

via http://www.visualwalkthroughs.com/

#7 Lou The Devil

Sure you may have had the chops to beat Lou The Devil in "Guitar Hero III" but did you do so on Expert? Being the winner of the final guitar battle took practice, more practice and even more practice, and playing the same old song over and over again didn't help.

via http://www.geek-spire.com/

#6 Emerald Weapon

N64 fans had "Ocarina Of Time" and Playstation One fans had "Final Fantasy VII", an iconic piece of gaming history that also featured a disarming bad guy. Emerald Weapon was unforgiving and in the 1990s', was an exact replica of a mean gym teacher.

via http://fc07.deviantart.net/

#5 Tabuu

The key to beating the major boss in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" is fairly simple. All you need to do is dodge his primary attacks, like the Red Ring Of Death, Whip, Energy Spray, Purple Energy Pounds, Beam Cannon, Spinner, Charge, Eye Lasers and Image Barrage (we're not kidding).

via http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/

#4 C'Thun

One of the few old Gods in "World Of Warcraft", C'Thun was originally known to defeat any top-tier guilds in the game. Now level 70 players can actually join forces to form a faction that's large enough to carry out strategies and take the ancient baddie down!

via http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/

#3 The Shadow Queen

The Shadow Queen was one of the major highlights of "Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door" and because gamers were bedazzled at the sight of an evil Princess Peach. Her ability to restore health was annoying and likely had Mario rethinking his original ploys to rescue the love of his life.

via http://i56.tinypic.com/

#2 Hitler

Modern history's renowned villain got quite the makeover in "Wolfenstein 3D" (his weapons are totally unfair) and it didn't help that the Führer was incredibly fast. Like I-will-actually-reset-my-console-and-cry-alone fast.

via http://files.xboxic.com/

#1 Bowser

Almost everyone associates Bowser with being the first video game boss they ever faced off against and he can easily be blamed for being sneaky. Why? Defeating him actually didn't require you to fight him head-on.

via http://cdnl.complex.com/

Play this free iPhone or Android war game, meet people and have loads of fun. Best RPG game ever!

Play this free iPhone or Android war game, meet people and have loads of fun. Best RPG game ever!

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