While I casually played a few NSO games here and there, I truly began this challenge back in 2022. One game led to another, and eventually I told myself: “Let’s complete them all.” And I did.
To track my progress, I created a Google Sheet that documents every game I completed:
📊 Check it out the google sheet if curious 🙂
Throughout this journey, I often used manuals (just a quick Google search away) to understand the controls and objectives—especially for older games that just throw you in. I also looked forward to every “Controller Upgrade” as I moved from system to system. I used the classic controllers for each platform, which added to the nostalgia.
Here’s how long it took me to beat every title on each system:
* NES: 155h – 80 games
* SNES: 360h – 74 games
* Game Boy / Color: 156h – 39 games
* Game Boy Advance: 292h – 25 games
* Sega Mega Drive: 151h – 50 games
* Nintendo 64: 441h – 39 games
Total Playtime: 1550 hours(+ roughly 500h reading guides and manuals)
I got to revisit some childhood favorites, but even more exciting was discovering games I had never played before. Here are my Top 3 “new to me” games for each system:
NES
1. Earthbound Beginnings – A surprisingly deep and charming RPG
2. Mario’s Woods – A criminally underrated puzzle game
3. Crystalis – A fantastic action RPG that still holds up
SNES
1. Earthbound – The story, the music… I finally understand the hype
2. Super Metroid – I was never into Metroidvanias—until now
3. Mario’s Picross – Relaxing and satisfying logic puzzles
Game Boy / Color
1. Zelda: Oracle of Ages & Seasons – Two unique experiences with one shared story
2. Donkey Kong ’94 – Brilliant puzzle-platformer mechanics
3. Survival Kids – A hidden gem with Pokémon-style visuals and survival gameplay
Game Boy Advance
1. Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones – My entry into Fire Emblem, and I loved it
2. F-Zero Climax – Tough but rewarding; great for short sessions
3. Wario Land 4 – Creative level design and awesome music, really hope to see this gameplay mechanic again in the future
Sega Mega Drive
1. Shining Force I & II – Great Tactical RPGs; guess I am a Fire Emblem / Shining Force guy now
2. Landstalker – Fun action RPG with catchy music
3. Mega Man: The Wily Wars – Tough but fun, really thankful for the rewind option 😅
Nintendo 64
1. Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Finally beat it after all these years, worth every second
2. Zelda: Majora’s Mask – Is there any other game like this? Masterpiece and unique gameplay gimmicks
3. Excitebike 64 – Pure ’90s gaming vibes (Announcer, Tracks, Music and also a lot of fun)
This journey has been a blast—full of nostalgia, discovery, and way too much controller swapping 😄. For now until the Gamecube NSO App launches or a random drop of NSO Games will happen in the next days I can say:“I beat every NSO Game“. Is there anyone who also „completed“ all NSO Games?I’m really looking forward to the GameCube Classics App on the Nintendo Switch 2. Fingers crossed we get more amazing additions for all Systems in the future!PS: I also played the Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Splatoon 2 DLC so you could add some hours for that aswell 😀
by Paddypat41290
35 Comments
Wow dude. Congrats!
Now you just have to wait and get to the gamecube games when those come out, then start the cycle anew 🙂
This is so cool, well done 👏🏻 based having the Oracle games as your top GBC picks. Who’d you marry in both Harvest Moon games?
Isn’t the Wily Wars just NES Mega Man 1 2 3 but with more Sega type graphics?
Very cool I admire your dedication.
What an achievement! Did you play anything else at all? Or just NSO classics mainly.
If my maths is correct (and it rarely is) you played roughly 10 hours a week since 2022. Hats off to you!
This is super cool and honestly not as much time as I would assume (I guess older games are typically much shorter than newer ones).
I’ve definitely had a good time just browsing and hopping in and out of NSO games. Might actually make a more concerted effort to play more of them even if I don’t finish them like you did!
This list has a lot of impressive 100% completions (17 hours to 100% Banjo-Tooie? What?).
You’re lucky that Donkey Kong 64 isn’t on NSO yet LMAO. That would have added like 1 month alone of just playing that game. Although I understand not beating Round 2 of the Pokémon Stadium games with Rentals, that would just be torture.
This is genuinely incredible
Good use of the subscription.
This individual got their money’s worth.
Where do you have the time to do this lol.
If you liked the escape mechanic of wl4, youll like pizza tower and antonblast. Theyre both inspired by it
That’s super impressive, great job on this! What would be your best/worst played title overall?
This is awesome dude. Do you have all the retro controllers?
Damn
Absolutely amazing! Nicely done dude!
What did you think of Uncharted Waters: New Horizons? That’s one of my all time favorite games
Yooooo
Survival kids and Crystalis are my jam, happy to see them on your top 3s!
They both have some insanely good tracks too!
I’m most surprised at the guide/manual time. 1/3 of your total playtime? That seems like a lot!
The Sexy Brutale has vibes of Majoras mask.
Wow, congrats. What incredible dedication. Here I thought I played the NSO games a lot with over 100 hours in the GBA app and ~50 hours in a lot of the other ones.
You experienced some great games for the first time. I’d be curious to see your “Bottom 3” for each console, as there’s a lot of garbage games, especially on the NES. Takes a lot of dedication to work through those.
I just want to say this is fucking incredible. Well done.
You’re 100% with Earthbound and Super Metroid.
Hell yeah. Love to hear that you got every cent’s worth and then some.
How you like Uncharted Waters 2? Always loved it growing up and it still a solid boat based rpg.
Amazing you’ve inspired me!!
wario’s woods is one of the best puzzle games of all time.
Crystalis is a phenomenal, underrated retro RPG with a banging soundtrack, and I think I might have to do another playthrough now that you’ve mentioned it.
I’m gonna try this when I get my S2. Any tips to not get bored and give up? Alternate between systems and boring/interesting sounding games?
And i thought i was cool beating 150 modern games in that time frame. 500 hours of manuals and guides is just absurd and i could never. Congrats
Edit: what was the most frustrating playthrough?
I admire your dedication and saw your completion for animal crossing, big congrats. What do you plan to complete or play next?
Out of curiosity what did you think Rare’s title Blast Corps?
I have to give you a round of applause on this – incredibly impressive!
Kudos to you! That’s fucking awesome.
Well done! Such a good achievement. Nintendo should send you a pin or something!
I don’t have the determination or time to achieve this but I am trying to hit the ‘must plays’ in the NSO library, so I really appreciate your list. I’m currently playing through Golden Sun for the first time and loving it!
Man you have such a stomach. Most of these games I couldn’t finish the first level for one reason or another.