Castlevania

One of the NES's most mainstream and admired games, Konami's Castlevania, provided gamers EVERYTHING they could ever want from a great action title (and more) via blending gothic architecture, awesome music tracks, eerie enemies, and even by bringing the big man on campus (or should I say "graveyard"): Dracula, himself.

You play as Simon Belmont, vampire slayer extradoire, equipped with his trusty whip, your main weapon. Power-ups are hidden inside of levels and using them depletes hearts, also scattered around the castle. The spooky background and sprites make the game's setting wholly realistic (for the limitations of an NES game), and again, the music is the most perfect horror movie rendition on the NES, easily making Castlevania an instant classic. This is the best horror-themed side-scroller/action game for the Nintendo Entertainment System hands down. It well deserves the number two spot.

Which leaves us now with but one game left..