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Best Strategy games on NES

The 8 best Strategy games on NES, ranked from 657 critic and player ratings.

The best Strategy game on NES right now is Adventures of Lolo (1989), with a critic score of 78/100 — updated October 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
  • 8 games are listed on this page, carrying 657 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 12 October 2026.

Top 8

01 Adventures of Lolo (1989) Adventures of Lolo (1989) 1989 · 41 ratings Adventures of Lolo is a puzzle game released in 1989 by HAL Corporation for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is based on the Japanese Eggerland video game series. 78 /100
02 Dr. Mario Dr. Mario 1990 · 208 ratings Dr. Mario is a falling block tile-matching video game, in which Mario assumes the role of a doctor, dropping two-colored medical capsules into a medicine bottle representing the playing field. This area is populated by viruses of three colors: red, yellow, and blue. In a manner and style considered similar to Tetris, the player manipulates each capsule as it falls, moving it left or right and rotating it such that it is positioned alongside the viruses and any existing capsules. When four or more capsule halves or viruses of matching color are aligned in vertical or horizontal configurations, they are removed from play. The main objective is to complete levels, which is accomplished by eliminating all viruses from the playing field. A game over occurs if capsules fill up the playing field in a way that obstructs the bottle's narrow neck. 72 /100
03 Lemmings Lemmings 1991 · 167 ratings Lemmings is a puzzle-platform game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis in 1991. Players guide a group of lemmings through hazardous levels to a designated exit. The gameplay involves assigning specific skills, such as digging or building, to overcome obstacles and avoid traps. Each level has a time limit and requires saving a minimum number of lemmings to progress. The game was released on multiple platforms and is regarded as a classic of the puzzle genre. 68 /100
04 Defender of the Crown Defender of the Crown 1986 · 32 ratings The Age of Chivalry! A time of lusty wenches and black hearted villains. King Richard has been murdered and England is thrown into civil war! Amidst the ringing clash of steel and the thunder of charging steeds the bold Saxon knights have chosen you to lead them into battle against the hated Normans. Victory will not come easy. To save England your skills as swordsman and military leader will be severely tested. But should you succeed you’ll win the Crown of England and the love of many a beautiful damsel! 67 /100
05 Clu Clu Land (1984) Clu Clu Land (1984) 1984 · 33 ratings Are you clever enough to unravel the mystery of Clu Clu Land? The evil Sea Urchin has hidden all the gold in Clu Clu Land in an underground mystery maze. It's up to you to find the gold before time runs out! But beware. The Sea Urchin will do everything in his power to stop you. He'll set up traps to trick you, like inviting you into his house where you'll be swallowed alive! Or bounce you against the Rubber Trap and land you flat on your back! But if you, or you and a friend, can control the Sea Urchin by stunning him with electric shockwaves, you just might find out where he's hidden the gold and move on to an exciting bonus round! This version of Clu Clu Land was released for Nintendo's Versus series arcade hardware as Vs. Clu Clu Land. It also received a home release in Japan under the name Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land. 63 /100
06 Spy vs. Spy Spy vs. Spy 1984 · 32 ratings The black spy and the white spy are out to outsmart each other before the time bell rings. Find the needed objects (money, passport, secret plans and airport door key) by searching rooms in the embassy, which include desks, file cabinets and other furniture. Foil your opponent by setting creative booby traps in the various rooms (a bomb in a dresser drawer, for instance). Traps can be disarmed with objects found in rooms (a water bucket from a firebox on the wall will disarm the bomb in the prior example). When all the items are together in the secret briefcase, head for the airport door. 60 /100
07 Bomberman (2005) Bomberman (2005) 1985 · 112 ratings Bomberman is a robot engaged in the production of bombs. Like his fellow robots, he had been put to work in an underground compound by evil forces. Bomberman found it to be an unbearably dreary existence. One day, he heard an encouraging rumor. According to the rumor, any robot that could escape the underground compound and make it to the surface could become human. Bomberman leaped at the opportunity, but escape proved to be no small task. Alerted to Bomberman's betrayal, large numbers of the enemy set out in pursuit. Bomberman can rely only on bombs of his own production for his defense. Will he ever make it up to the surface? Once there, will he really become human? 58 /100
08 Yoshi Yoshi 1991 · 32 ratings Yoshi is a puzzle game featuring the titular character. In this game, the player must stack two of the same Mario enemy on top of one another to clear them. The concept of the game was inspired by Tetris. 47 /100
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Other platforms

Best Strategy games on PCBest Strategy games on MacBest Strategy games on iOSBest Strategy games on LinuxBest Strategy games on AndroidBest Strategy games on Xbox OneBest Strategy games on PlayStation 4Best Strategy games on Nintendo SwitchBest Strategy games on Nintendo 3DSBest Strategy games on PlayStation 2Best Strategy games on Nintendo Switch 2Best Strategy games on Wii U

Same platform, other genres

Best Action games on NESBest Adventure games on NESBest Arcade games on NESBest Fighting games on NESBest Platformer games on NESBest Puzzle games on NESBest RPG games on NESBest Shooter games on NESBest Sports games on NES

Nearby rankings

Best Strategy games of 2025Best Strategy games of 2024Best Strategy games of 2023Best Strategy games of 2022

Catalog statistics

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best Strategy game on NES?

Adventures of Lolo (1989) currently tops the ranking with a score of 78/100 across 41 ratings. Ranking updated October 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.