15 Best NES Rom Hacks of All Time

As we look at the best NES ROM hacks, you’ll be able to play all your favorite games like never before.

There are a lot of games in Japan that are based on the time of feudal rulers.

But this amazing mix of RTS and pinball isn’t like the others.

You read that right: the main way to play this game is to use the Odama, which is a big black ball that is the clan’s secret weapon.

You do this by playing pinball on the battlefield, destroying enemy defenses and wiping out most of their troops with the Odama while giving orders to your foot soldiers through a special microphone device.

Getting used to it takes a long time.

But once you do, you’ll love this strange and hard thing to do.

15. Batman: Assasin’s Creed

This Batman: Assassin’s Creed mod is the sixth best NES ROM hack on our list.

Batman in this game looked a little strange… I believe we all agree. A lot of dark and moody levels with a purple warrior at the front… it just didn’t feel right.

Now, however, players can use an 8-bit version of Ezio from the AC II game to play through this amazing game.

It makes the classic adventure feel much cooler right away, even though Ezio is carrying an invisible gun that shoots real bullets that seem to come out of thin air.

In some ways, Ezio reminds me of One of the Belmonts. This makes the game feel more like Castlevania, which is never a bad thing.

14. Super Smash Bros

The NES and Super Smash Bros. What’s happening?

Don’t get too excited, because it won’t replace Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it is a great ROM hack that will make you smile.

So what is this game really about?

Well. it’s actually a hack Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu or Nekketsu Fighting Legend.

The four fighters in the game have been changed to Kirby, Mario, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff, four fighters from the N64 game.

This is the right hack for the NES if you want to fight like in the old Nintendo games. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great new thing that you should definitely check out!

13. Royal Flush: Princess Sidestory

Next on our list of the best NES ROM Hacks is a game where Princess Peach herself is the main character.

Royal Flush: Princess Sidestory is a different kind of SMB3 ROM Hack. Well, there are a lot of changes; it’s almost like a whole new game!

We’re talking about new worlds, levels, and themes.

Peach is trying to get to the other side of an evil board game… about the same as when she plays Mario Party, right?

Don’t worry, Daisy’s nose won’t be pushed out of this one.

She takes Luigi’s place in Royal Flush, and both princesses have a lot of things to use, like bomb flowers and mushrooms that get you really high…

…jumping high, but not the same high that the Beatles might have had…

12. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

If seeing John Lennon on a NES game made you feel a little confused, seeing the First Avenger on one will definitely get your blood pumping.

Even if you haven’t played them, we’ve all heard of Power Blade and Power Blade 2.

They are strange but fun games about a special agent who uses a boomerang.

This hack swaps in Captain America and follows the plot of the movie The Winter Soldier.

Why use a boomerang when a Vibranium screen works just as well?

But don’t be fooled: this game is very hard, and Captain America feels more like Toad than his normal tough-as-nails self.

But keep going and see how far you can get. It’s a great game and a smart way to change the name of the original game.

11. The Beatles Adventures in Pepperland

The Beatles Adventures in Pepperland, a cracking ROM hack of Super Mario Bros 2, is the first game on our list of the best NES ROM hacks of all time.

I know that Michael Jackson has been in a video game, but you probably never thought you’d see the Beatles in a side-scrolling NES game.

This cool mod by hacker Nes Draug changes SMB2 into a Beatles-themed big screen drama.

Yes, the Mushroom Kingdom has been replaced by a Yellow Submarine, with John, Paul, George, and Ringo in place of Mazza and the rest of the gang.

The way of play is pretty much the same, but you can move any item from room to room, and you can attack police with dogs.

… I don’t remember Paul ever doing that, but since this is a ROM hack, I guess it makes sense.

10. Super Mario Bros. 2-Player Hack – SMB

We’re going to start with something small that has a lot of fun possibilities.

That is Corpse’s 2-Player Hack for the first Super Mario Bros game.

Even though it doesn’t add any new levels or graphics, it improves the original SMB by letting two players play through the levels as Mario and his brother Luigi together.

Sure, some work needs to be done to make co-op really smooth and easy to use. But as it is now, it’s a lot of fun and makes some people’s youth dreams come true.

9. Ninja Gaiden III Restored – Ninja Gaiden III

This remake of the US version of Ninja Gaiden III, which was very hard to play, is another dream come true.

This patch tries to make the game more fun for people who aren’t as good at it by making it more like the original Japanese version.

This includes giving you more chances to try again, making it easier to deal with damage from dangers, and bringing back a password system that will finally let you save your game.

I also think you should get the Restored PLUS patch, which rebuilds the original placement of items and enemies for a much more fair game.

You will have the best version of Ninja Gaiden III if you install both.

8. Mother: 25th Anniversary Edition – Mother

Not everyone knows this, but the famous NES game Earthbound is the localized sequel to the game Mother, which was only released in Japan.

Even though Nintendo didn’t translate this game until EarthBound Beginnings came out on the Wii U Virtual Console, a lot of fan translations came out in the meantime.

The work of the fans has led to this Mother: 25th Anniversary Edition ROM.

Not only was the writing translated, but it was also rewritten to make it clearer. The graphics have also been changed, making this the best way for people who speak English to play Mother.

7. Final Fantasy VII Advent Children – FFVII (NES)

It’s not a mistake or a joke.

This is the NES version of Final Fantasy VII, or at least a third of it.

This ROM hack is a full rewrite of a fake copy of Final Fantasy VII that a Chinese company made for the NES a long time ago.

The game is too bad because it only shows what happened on the first CD. But the events of this hack are set up so that you get a satisfying finish no matter what, thanks to its creator Lugia2009.

The visuals and sounds have been changed to better fit the style of FFVII. And the gameplay was fixed enough that it’s actually fun to play.

6. Mario Adventure – SMB3

The ROM hacker community loves the Italian plumber games more than almost any other series.

And Mario Adventure was one of the first full hacks that really blew the minds of fans.

The game’s creator, DahrkDaiz, didn’t forget to improve how it looks. But the best part of this trip is the great (if sometimes cruel) level design.

There are also new threats like heat-seeking Bullet Bills, and at the end of each level, you fight a small boss.

If you liked Super Mario Bros. 3 and think you can handle a harder task, you should try this.

5. Super Mario Bros. 3Mix – SMB3

Super Mario Bros. 3Mix is right up there with Mario Adventure as one of the best SMB3 hacks ever made.

Every level in this hack is brand new, with great design and new power-ups that make each one feel different. You can play through the levels as Mario, Luigi, or Toad.

A lot was also done to make the game playable more than once.

After you finish a level or world, you can go back to it. This is made easier by the “Star Coins” that are scattered throughout the levels and that you need to collect to open new paths and buy power-ups.

4. Rockman CX – Mega Man 2

Mega Man is a very popular series, but there aren’t that many Mega Man ROM hacks. However, there are some great ones, like Rockman CX.

It not only fixes a lot of the bugs in the original Mega Man 2 to make the game more constant, but it also adds new levels and lets you play as Quick Man if you want.

You may already know this hack by Himajin Jinchiku in its original Japanese form, but you should try this English translation.

3. Rockman 4: Minus Infinity – Mega Man 4

Our second Mega Man-themed item on this list changes the fourth game in the series by adding new levels, changing the bosses, and changing the weapons.

Even though most enemies were changed in some way, the bosses were changed the most.

They have new weapons, new moves, and new ways to fight that will make you nervous.

There are even bosses that you can choose to fight if you want to. Some of these bosses come from other Mega Man games.

2. Zelda Challenge: Outlands – TLoZ

One of the finest ways to relive the magic of the original TLoZ is to play GameMakr24’s Zelda Challenge: Outlands ROM hack.

This reimagining of the classic title features totally new dungeons and a fully redrawn overworld, making it feel more like a sequel than an update.

Most monsters have also been recolored and their animations have been tweaked for a more fluid experience.

If you like classic NES goodness, this game is a lot of fun.

1. Metroid: Rogue Dawn – Metroid

Samus Aran is one of the few Nintendo MCs who can compete with Mario and Link.

This ROM hack of the original Metroid, on the other hand, has nothing to do with her.

This hack is intended to be a prequel set before Samus’ mission.

It tells the story of how Ridley obtained the prisoner Metroids from the Federation in the first place, as seen through the eyes of Dawn Aran, who was kidnapped as a child and raised by Ridley to be his evil human super-soldier.

This game is easily the best Metroid hack – and probably the best NES hack overall – with an incredible story, a fantastic chiptune score, and tons of new assets.