50 Best Games to Play First on Your R36S (NES to PS1)

50 Best Games to Play First on Your R36S (NES to PS1)

So your R36S has arrived, you've flicked the power switch, and now you're staring at a menu that says it has 15,000+ games. That number is exciting for about ten seconds — and then it's paralysing. Where do you even start?

This is the list we wish came in the box. Fifty games, organised by system, every one of them a title the R36S runs beautifully. We've weighted it toward games that actually mattered in India — the ones you played on a rented Famicom clone, in a smoky arcade, or on a cousin's PlayStation — plus the all-time greats you may have missed the first time around.

Quick tip before you start: on the R36S you can press Select + X (in EmulationStation) to mark any game as a favourite. Favourite the ones you like from this list as you go, and they'll all appear together in the Favourites section — no more scrolling through thousands of titles.

NES / Famicom — where it all began (7 games)

If you grew up in India in the 90s, you probably played these on a "TV video game" Famicom clone with two hardwired controllers and a light gun. They still hold up.

  1. Battle City — the tank game. If you only ever played one cartridge on a 9999-in-1, it was this. Two-player co-op base defence that is still genuinely fun.
  2. Super Mario Bros. 3 — the best 2D platformer on the system, and arguably ever. The world map, the suits, the airships — all of it still perfect.
  3. Contra — run-and-gun co-op at its purest. Brutal, fair, and 30 minutes long when you're good.
  4. Mega Man 2 — pick your boss order, steal their weapons. The soundtrack alone earns its place here.
  5. The Legend of Zelda — the original open world. No waypoints, no hand-holding, just a sword and a map in your head.
  6. Punch-Out!! — a puzzle game disguised as boxing. Learn each opponent's tell and take them down.
  7. Castlevania — stiff, deliberate, atmospheric. The template for a whole genre you'll meet again on PS1 later in this list.

SNES — the 16-bit golden age (9 games)

  1. Super Mario World — 96 exits, secret worlds, and Yoshi. The single best "first game" on this entire list.
  2. Chrono Trigger — the greatest JRPG ever made, full stop. Time travel, multiple endings, zero filler. Perfect for a handheld.
  3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past — two overlapping worlds, flawless dungeon design.
  4. Super Metroid — moody, wordless exploration. The reason the word "Metroidvania" exists.
  5. Street Fighter II Turbo — the fighting game. Hadouken inputs feel great on the R36S D-pad.
  6. Donkey Kong Country 2 — gorgeous pre-rendered visuals and the best level design of the DKC trilogy.
  7. Super Mario Kart — where Mario Kart began. Mode 7 racing that's still tight and fair.
  8. Mega Man X — Mega Man, but faster and cooler. Dash, wall-jump, upgrade.
  9. Yoshi's Island — a hand-drawn storybook of a platformer. Deceptively deep, endlessly charming.

Sega Mega Drive / Genesis (6 games)

  1. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — pure speed. The Mega Drive's answer to Mario, and the best entry point to Sonic.
  2. Streets of Rage 2 — the king of beat 'em ups, with a legendary soundtrack. Grab a friend for co-op via NetPlay if you have the WiFi model.
  3. Aladdin — the Mega Drive version, with sword combat and Disney-quality animation. A huge nostalgia hit for Indian 90s kids.
  4. Golden Axe — swords, magic and rideable dragons. Short, sweet arcade fantasy.
  5. Gunstar Heroes — Treasure's chaotic masterpiece. Contra's wilder, more colourful sibling.
  6. Shinobi III — ninja action with incredible flow. Running on water while throwing shuriken never gets old.

Game Boy & Game Boy Color (5 games)

  1. Pokémon Crystal — the definitive classic-era Pokémon. Two regions, 16 badges, and the best version of Johto.
  2. Tetris — the Game Boy version is still the purest. One more line. Just one more.
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX — a full, strange, wonderful Zelda that fits in your pocket.
  4. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins — weird, inventive Mario that introduced Wario to the world.
  5. Wario Land 3 — greedy, chunky puzzle-platforming. The anti-Mario at his best.

Game Boy Advance — the handheld sweet spot (8 games)

The GBA is arguably the system the R36S emulates best — pixel-perfect, full speed, great battery life. If you're commuting, start here.

  1. Pokémon Emerald — the fan-favourite generation. Battle Frontier included.
  2. Metroid Fusion — tense, focused, and genuinely creepy for a handheld game.
  3. Advance Wars — turn-based tank strategy with cheerful art and ruthless depth.
  4. Golden Sun — the GBA's big, beautiful JRPG with a clever elemental puzzle system.
  5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap — shrink to the size of an ant in one of the prettiest 2D Zeldas.
  6. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow — collect the souls of every enemy you defeat. The best of the GBA Castlevania trilogy.
  7. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga — an RPG that's also a comedy double act.
  8. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones — approachable tactics where every unit lost stays lost. You'll learn to care.

Arcade — the ₹5-per-game memories (5 games)

Before home consoles took over, these lived in arcades, video parlours and game shops across India. No coins needed anymore.

  1. Cadillacs and Dinosaurs — "the Mustapha game." Possibly the most nostalgic arcade title for an entire generation of Indian players. Three-player chaos with dinosaurs.
  2. Metal Slug X — the most beautiful sprite work ever drawn, attached to a perfect run-and-gun.
  3. Street Fighter II': Champion Edition — the version that ruled Indian arcades. Play as the bosses.
  4. The King of Fighters '98 — SNK's dream match. Deep, fast, endlessly replayable 3-on-3 fighting.
  5. Pac-Man — because some classics are compulsory. Perfect for two-minute sessions.

PlayStation 1 — the main event (10 games)

This is where the R36S flexes. Full-speed PS1 emulation on a 3.5" IPS screen feels a little bit magical — and this era is stacked with games Indian players know by heart.

  1. Tekken 3 — let's be honest, this might be the reason you bought the console. The gaming-parlour legend of India, running full speed in your pocket. Eddy Gordo spam optional.
  2. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped — the peak of PS1 platforming. Time trials will keep you busy for weeks.
  3. Crash Team Racing — better than Mario Kart. Yes, we said it. The drift-boost system is genius.
  4. Gran Turismo 2 — 600+ cars and a career mode that defined "just one more race."
  5. Metal Gear Solid — a cinematic stealth masterpiece that still lands today. Play with headphones.
  6. Final Fantasy VII — the JRPG that conquered the world. 40+ hours of story in your palm.
  7. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night — the other half of "Metroidvania." Gothic, gorgeous, and generous.
  8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 — two-minute runs, perfect for a handheld. The combo system is still unmatched.
  9. Spyro the Dragon — a warm, colourful collect-a-thon that's ideal for younger players sharing the console.
  10. Resident Evil 2 — survival horror's finest hour. Ink ribbons, limited ammo, and the Raccoon City Police Department.

Bonus: 6 PSP games that run great on the R36S

The R36S can also play a good slice of the PSP library — it's the console's stretch goal rather than its comfort zone, so we've kept these out of the main 50. These six are picks that run well on the hardware (2D-heavy and lighter 3D titles). Before diving in, set up PPSSPP properly with our N64 & PSP settings guide and load your games via the PSP games guide.

  1. Persona 3 Portable — one of the greatest JRPGs ever made, and its menu-driven portable format is a perfect match for this screen. A 60+ hour reason to own the console by itself.
  2. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions — the definitive version of the deepest tactics game on any system. Turn-based, so it runs flawlessly.
  3. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles — a remake of the rarest classic Castlevania, with the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night unlockable inside it.
  4. Lumines — the PSP's hypnotic music-puzzle masterpiece. Five minutes or two hours, it always fits.
  5. Mega Man Powered Up — the charming full remake of the original Mega Man, with a level editor and unlockable playable bosses.
  6. Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness — the tactics RPG with a thousand hours of content and level-9999 absurdity. Turn-based, smooth, and endless.
Managing expectations: big 3D PSP showpieces like God of War and the GTA stories are beyond this hardware — the R36S is a NES-to-PS1 champion with a PSP bonus round, not a PSP machine. The six above are chosen because they genuinely play well, not just boot.

How to make the most of this list

  • Start short, then go long. Begin with arcade and platformer picks (5–30 minute sessions), and save the RPGs — Chrono Trigger, FFVII, Pokémon — for when you know you love the device.
  • Use save states. Press the function/hotkey combo to save anywhere. This is the single biggest advantage over playing these games in the 90s — no more losing 2 hours of Contra progress.
  • Multiplayer is real. On the R36S WiFi model (₹4,899), NetPlay lets two consoles play Battle City, Streets of Rage 2 or KOF '98 together — the feature that turns this from a solo gadget into a living-room war.
  • Long RPG sessions drain batteries. The stock cell gives around 8 hours; heavy PS1 play is closer to the lower end. A spare 3500mAh battery (₹699) is cheap insurance for travel.

Don't have an R36S yet?

Every game on this list runs on the R36S base model (from ₹3,599) and the R36S WiFi 64GB (₹4,899) — both QC-tested by us before dispatch, with a GST invoice, COD/UPI payment and 7-day returns. If you're deciding between variants, our firmware guide and original-vs-clone guide cover everything else you need to know before buying.

Next up: want to push past PS1? Read our guide to playing N64 and PSP games on the R36S with realistic settings.

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