When the Nintendo Entertainment System hit stores in the United States in 1985, it launched with 17 games. These games all had a standard "black box" that indicates early NES titles. While cover art styles would change in the future, these served as the iconic start to the console's popularity and staying power.

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Although the NES' capabilities would be stretched further over its lifespan, the initial 17 black box games were no slackers. Some are among the best video games of all time, and some established franchises for Nintendo that are still alive today.

9 Ice Climber

Ice Climber Jumping Up The Screen

Ice Climber's strength came in its co-op play way back in 1985. Like Mario Bros., Player 1 and Player 2 were on-screen at once as the characters Popo and Nana. The goal was simple enough: keep climbing up while avoiding enemies and other obstacles.

It may have come across a bit like a Mario Bros. clone, but it was much more than that. Ice Climber also made a significant enough impact that Popo and Nana are now part of the Super Smash Bros. series.

8 Mario Bros.

Mario Bros Mario Hitting A Turtle From Below

Before there was Super Mario Bros. there was simply Mario Bros. The game was more straightforward than its sequel, but that 80s classic arcade feel could get pretty enjoyable on the NES.

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Instead of scrolling to the right, you would spend your time on one screen doing away with enemies on the screen by hitting below them and then kicking them off the screen. Since you could play with your buddy simultaneously, this game tended to have more co-op fun than the "one at a time" approach that Super Mario Bros. had.

7 Kung Fu

Kung Fu Player Punching An Enemy

As one of the proto beat-em-ups for the NES, Kung Fu is your typical early 80s video game where you're going for a high score. The game is concise, and you can play through the five stages in less than ten minutes.

The DNA is all there, though: different types of enemies, boss battles, and fun punching and kicking gameplay. While it was an NES-ified port of an arcade game like Mario Bros., you can't fault Kung Fu for some quick and fun gameplay.

6 Donkey Kong Jr.

Donkey Kong Jr. Climbing Up Vines

While Nintendo arcade classics Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. made it to NES as black box games, the second game is much more palpable on the home console. Donkey Kong Jr. handles better, the levels are busier, the sound design is iconic, and the climbing mechanic is wildly satisfying.

It's no wonder Donkey Kong continued as a beloved Nintendo character on future consoles. He would even go on to star in one of the best 2D platformers made, Donkey Kong Country.

5 Golf

Golf NES Driving A Shot

While you may not play golf in real life, the NES black box version of golf showcased how Nintendo is fantastic about making a game about the links. This 1984 Famicon and then 1985 Black Box release laid the groundwork for golf games in the coming years.

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Golf features a bar for power and accuracy to represent your club swing. This mechanic is the same in every golf video game today, with modern updates and conveniences. Golf would live on in the Wii era as its holes would be updated to 3D for the groundbreaking Wii Sports game.

4 10-Yard Fight

10 Yard Fight Running A Play

Move over Madden. 10-Yard Fight is a vertical take on football and did surprisingly well this early in the NES' lifespan. It featured a two-player mode and allowed for play on both offense and defense.

The graphics were clean and fun, while the offense was simple, as you could choose to either run with the QB, pitch the ball to the running back or throw the ball to a WR. It's not exactly hot routes and audibles, but this was another solid sports entry in the NES' original game lineup.

3 Duck Hunt

Duck Hunt Dog Holding A Duck

Before the Wii and its motion controls, Duck Hunt was the "gimmick" game of the NES that could be seen as a glorified tech demo. Nintendo did a great job with its light gun, and this simple game is considered one of the best hunting video games ever made.

The dog laughing at you is now iconic, and since this was packed in NES purchases with Super Mario Bros. this was one of the most widely played games on the systems. If you say Duck Hunt in everyday conversation, most people will know what you're talking about.

2 Excitebike

Excitebike: A bike taking one of three jumps while people watch on.

Both simple but highly entertaining, Excitebike is another black box sports game that hits the mark. The scrolling track has you speeding up jumps and around obstacles while managing your engine's temperature.

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In a racing genre that nowadays allows you to tweak bolts in your vehicle's suspension and a million other gameplay options, Excitebike shows that all that matters is how the game plays. The added track editor was also incredibly impressive for an NES launch game.

1 Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros Mario Rides Down Flagpole

Super Mario Bros. is the ultimate pack-in, black box, and NES game. It showed that home consoles had more to them than weak arcade ports. The level design was hyper-focused and varied. Mario controlled well and had momentum and weight about him. Power-ups added a whole new layer of gameplay.

You can probably draw World 1-1, as it was one of the most subtle and well-done tutorial levels ever. Nintendo owes a lot to this game, which is considered one of the best video games of all time and sold more than 58 million copies.

NEXT: Nintendo Games With The Best Cover Art