Metroid

The Good
When I think of Metroid, I think of its music. Phenomenal soundtrack for this game! Besides that, the game offers awesome weapons (screw attack, wave beam), great control (high jump, marumari sphere), and dazzling enemies. See if you don't get yourself killed -- by just being mesmerized by how some of the weird and wonderful monsters move around the screen. Challenge level is high, especially Kraid's zone and just before you get to Mother Brain (Tourian). Make sure you have all seven energy tanks FULL before going anywhere near the final sequence. This is another game where the NES Max is indispensable.

The Bad
Can't save energy tank levels. This is a major hassle. Your energy always starts at 30, even when resuming with a password. That means it's best to leave the game turned on from start to finish (and try not to die!). The final stage of the game, just before you reach Mother Brain is frustratingly complex. There is so much happening on the screen, the machine's CPU will get bogged down. I believe they fixed this problem in later games.

The Bottom Line
This was a very advanced game for its time, and like other NES classics, it's still a lot of fun today. When game designers put the focus on gameplay, everything else falls into place. (P.S. this game has possibly the best music of any NES game.)