Hidden Gems: 5 Underrated NES Adventure Carts

The Adventure shelf on the NES hides a trove of games that quietly refined the genre. Today we celebrate five carts that flew under the radar but hold up beautifully.

1) Lost Isles

A compact island-hopping quest with lock-and-key puzzles that reward curiosity.

2) Cavern Songs

Short dungeons and musical motifs make backtracking feel like a refrain.

3) Tower Draughts

Chess-like enemy patterns encourage planning over twitch.

4) Wind Compass

Gentle wind puzzles and tight tile readability—perfect rainy-day fare.

5) Lantern Roads

Inventive light-cone stealth in low-res elegance.

In that spirit, we designed our own adventure carts to echo the best ideas: 8-Bit Quest and Mystic Keys. They’re comfort-food gaming with modern quality-of-life touches.