Console Wars - Sega Master System vs NES Comparison: the complete list!

Console Wars - Sega Master System vs NES Comparison: the complete list! 

Total war! The best games of each console side-by-side. The ultimate list with almost 200 games of each console struggling in 197 head-to-head comparisons! To be fair, I used external reviews/ratings for
the NES games. Including the following game categories:

1- Similar multiplatform games with the same name;
2- Similar games, but with different names;
3- Different games, but with similar names, characters or style;

4- Different games, but that were classic of each console and direct competitors;

Comparisons of the games were made by playing both and using the direct and comprehensive comparisons available on the internet.  At the end of the article there is a list of additional references /videos with detailed comparison.

Name (Master System / NES)	Type	Master	NES	Winner
Ace of Aces / Stealth	different	C+	F	SMS
Action Fighter/ Spy Hunter	different	B	D	SMS
Addams Family	similar	D+	D	SMS
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes Of The Lance	similar	B	D	SMS
Aerial Assault / Double Strike	different	B+	B-	SMS
After Burner	similar	A	C	SMS
Aladdin	different	A	C-	SMS
Alex Kidd and the Lost Stars / Adventure Island 2	different	A-	B+	SMS
Alex Kidd in Miracle World / Super Mario Bros.	different	A+	A-	SMS
Alex Kidd in Shinobi Word / Ninja Kid	different	A	D	SMS
Alien Syndrome	similar	C+	C	SMS
Aliens 3	similar	A-	C+	SMS
Altered Beast	different	B+	C	SMS
Ariel: The Little Mermaid /  The Little Mermaid	different	D	D+	NES
Assault City / Mechanized Attack	different	A	B	SMS
Astérix (1991) / Astérix (1993)	different	A+	D+	SMS
Asérix and the Secret Mission  / Astérix	different	A+	D+	SMS
Ayrton Senna’s  / Al Unser Jr. Turbo Racing Aztect Adventure / Adventure of Lolo	different different	A B+	C B	SMS SMS
Back to the Future II / Back to the Future II & III	different	C-	F	SMS
Back to the Future III / Back to the Future II & III	different	C+	F	SMS
Baku Baku Animals / Yoshi’s Cookie	different	A-	B	SMS
Batman Returns	different	B-	B-	draw
Battlemaniacs / Battletoads	different	A	A-	SMS
Black Belt / Kung Fu	different	A	C-	SMS
Bonanza Bros. / Mario Bros.	different	A-	B-	SMS
Bram Stoker’s Dracula	similar	B	C	SMS
Bubble Bobble	similar	B+	B	SMS
Buggy Run / Monster Truck Rally	different	B	D	SMS
Buster Douglas / Mike Tyson Punch Out	different	C+	A-	NES
California Games	similar	A+	C+	SMS
Captain Silver	similar	A-	B-	SMS
Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse /Mickey Mouse	different	A+	D	SMS
Chase HQ	similar	B	B-	SMS
Choplifter	similar	A-	B	SMS
Chuck Rock 2 / Bonk’s Adventure	different	A-	B	SMS
Clound Master	similar	C	C	draw
Columns / Tetris	different	A-	A-	draw
Cool Spot / Spot	different	A	C	SMS
Cosmic Space Head / Linus Space Head	similar	C	D	SMS
Daffy Duck / Bugs Bunny	different	B	F	SMS
Dead Angle / Cabal	different	A-	C	SMS
Deep Duck Trouble / Duck Tales	different	A	B	SMS
Desert Speedtrap starring Road Runner / Road Runner	different	B+	C+	SMS
Desert Strike / Cobra Command	different	A	D	SMS
Dick Tracy	different	B	C	SMS
Double Dragon	different	A	B+	SMS
Dr. Robotinik / Dr. Mario	different	A	B-	SMS
Dynamite Headdy/ Mega Man 6	different	A	B+	SMS
E-Swat / Robocop	different	B	C	SMS
Enduro Racer (Japanese version)) / Exitebike	different	B+	B	SMS
F1 / F1-Hero	different	B+	D	SMS
Fantastic Dizzy	similar	C+	D+	SMS
Fantasy Zone	similar	B+	B	SMS
Fantasy Zone 2 / Stinger	different	B+	B-	SMS
FIFA Soccer / Goal! 2	different	B+	B	SMS
Flintstones	different	C	C	draw
Gangster Town / Freedom Force	different	A+	B	SMS
Gauntlet	similar	B	C	SMS
George Foreman	different	C+	C+	draw
Ghostbusters	similar	B	D	SMS
Ghouls’n Ghosts / Ghosts’n Goblins	different	A+	B-	SMS
Global Gladiators / M.C. Kids	different	A-	D	SMS
Golden Axe / TMNT 2	different	A+	B+	SMS
Golden Axe Warrior / Zelda	different	A	A-	SMS
Golfmania / Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf Golvelius / Zelda 2	different different	A- A-	C- A-	SMS draw
GP Rider / Mach Rider	different	B	C	SMS
Great Golf (Japanese version)  / Golf Great Volleyball / Volleyball	different different	B C+	B- C	SMS SMS
Heroes of the Lance	similar	C	D-	SMS
Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star)	different	A	C	SMS
Home Alone	different	C+	C-	SMS
Hook	different	B-	F	SMS
Hulk / Batman: Return of the Joker	different	A-	D+	SMS
Impossible Mission / Mission: Impossible	different	B+	B	SMS
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade	different	B-	D	SMS
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade	similar	B-	F	SMS
James Bond / James Bond Jr.	different	B	B-	SMS
James Pound 2 / Kid Icarus	different	A-	B-	SMS
Joe Montana Football / Tecmo Super Bowl Jurassic Park	different different	B A-	A- C-	NES SMS
Kenseiden / Castelvania 2	different	A	C-	SMS
Klax	similar	B	C+	SMS
Krusty’s Fun House	similar	A-	B	SMS
Land of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse /Mickey Mouse 3	different	A+	C+	SMS
Laser Ghost / Chiller	different	A-	D	SMS
Legend of Illusion/ Chip N Dale	different	A	C	SMS
Lemmings	similar	B	B-	SMS
Line of Fire / Super Spy Hunter	different	B	C-	SMS
Lord of the Sword/ Dragon’s Lair	different	B	F	SMS
Lucky Dime Caper/ Duck Tales	different	A	B	SMS
Marble and Madness	similar	A	A-	SMS
Marksman Shooting & Trap Shooting / Hogan’s Alley	different	B	C-	SMS
Master of Darkness / Castelvania	different	A	B	SMS
Masters of Combat / Karate Champ	different	A	F	SMS
Mercs / Ikari Warriors	different	A-	B	SMS
Micro Machines	similar	B+	B+	draw
Miracle Warriors / Dragon Warrior	different	A-	B	SMS
Monopoly	different	C	C-	SMS
Montezuma's Revenge / Super Pitfall Moonwalker / Blue Brothers	different different	B A+	F F	SMS SMS
Mortal Kombat / Yie Ar Kung-Fu	different	A-	C	SMS
Mortal Kombat II / TMNT: Tournament Fighters	different	A	B	SMS
Name (Master System / NES)	Type	Master	NES	Winner
Ms. Pac-Man	similar	C+	D	SMS
Ninja Gaiden	different	A-	B-	SMS
Forgotten Worlds / Contra	different	A-	A-	draw
Olympic Gold / Track and Field	different	A-	B	SMS
Operation Wolf	similar	C	C	draw
Out Run / Rad Racer	different	A	B	SMS
Pacmania	similar	B-	B-	draw
Paperboy	similar	A-	C+	SMS
Parlour Games / Side Pocket	different	C+	B	NES
Phantasy Star / Final Fantasy	different	A+	B+	SMS
Pinguim Land / Ice Climber	different	B-	C-	SMS
Populous / M.U.L.E.	different	A	B+	SMS
Power Strike / Life Force	different	A+	A-	SMS
Power Strike II / Star Soldier Predator 2 / Predator	different different	A+ B	C F	SMS SMS
Prince of Persia	similar	A	B+	SMS
Pro Wrestling	different	C+	C+	draw
Psychic World / Mega Man 3	different	B	B-	SMS
Psycho Fox / Super Mario Bros. 2	different	A	B+	SMS
R-Type / Defender II	different	A+	C-	SMS
R.C. Grand Prix / R.C. Pro-Am	different	A-	B	SMS
Reggie Jackson Baseball / Baseball Stars II	different	A-	A-	draw
Rainbow Island	similar	C	C	draw
Rambo First Blood Part 2	different	A-	F	SMS
Rambo III / Gotcha	different	A	B+	SMS
Rampage	similar	B	C	SMS
Rampart / Conflict	different	B	C+	SMS
Rastan / Demon Sword	different	A-	C	SMS
Ren and Stimpty	different	A	B	SMS
Renegade	similar	A	C-	SMS
Road Rash / Match Rider Robocop 3	different similar	A C-	C D+	SMS SMS
Robocop vs Terminator / Robocop 2	different	B+	F	SMS
Rocky / Karate Kid	different	A+	B-	SMS
Running Battle / P.O.W.	different	A-	B	SMS
Rygar	different	B	B	draw
Safari Hunt / Duck Hunt	different	B	C-	SMS
Sagaia / Gradius	different	A-	B+	SMS
Scramble Spirits / 1942	different	C	D	SMS
Sensible Soccer / Goal!	different	B+	B-	SMS
Shadow Dancer / Ninja Gaiden II	different	A+	B+	SMS
Shinobi	similar	A-	C+	SMS
Shooting G / Trick Shooting	different	A	C	SMS
The Simpsons: Bart vs Space Mutants	similar	C+	C+	draw
The Simpsons: Bart vs the World	similar	C	C-	SMS
Smash TV	similar	C+	C+	draw
Sega Open Tournament Golf/NES Open Tournament Golf Solomon's Key	different similar	A C+	A- C+	SMS draw
Sonic Spinball / Pinball	different	B-	C+	SMS
Space Harrier	similar	B+	D+	SMS
Space Harrier 3D / The 3D Battles of World Runner	different	A+	D+	SMS
Speedball 2 / Speedball Spellcaster (Kujakuo) / Kujakuo	diferrent different	A- A-	B- C+	SMS SMS
Spiderman: Return of the Sinister Six	similar	C-	D	SMS
Spy Vs. Spy	similar	C	C+	NES
Star Wars	similar	C+	C	SMS
Street Fighter 2 / Urban Champion	different	A-	D	SMS
Streets of Rage / Double Dragon II	different	A+	A-	SMS
Strider	different	B	C	SMS
Submarine Attack / Sqoon Super Off Road	different similar	B B	B- B	SMS draw
Superman / Batman	different	B	B-	SMS
Super Racing / Super Sprint Super Tennis /  Tennis Tazmania / Tiny Toon	different different different	B B- A-	D C B	SMS SMS SMS
Teddy Boy / Donkey Kong	different	B	B-	SMS
Terminator 2: Judgment Day	similar	D-	F	SMS
The Jungle Book	similar	A-	B-	SMS
The Lion King	similar	A	C	SMS
The New Zealand Story	similar	B	B-	SMS
The Ninja / The Legend of Kage	different	B	B-	SMS
The Terminator	different	B	D-	SMS
Thunder Blade/ Tiger-Heli	different	A-	C	SMS
Tom and Jerry	different	A-	B-	SMS
Ultima IV	different	B	B	draw
Vigilante / Bad Dudes vs Dragon Ninja	different	A	B	SMS
Wanted / Wild Gunman	different	A	C-	SMS
Wimblendon / Evert & Lendl: Top Players' Tennis Winter Olympics / Winter Games	different different	B+ A	C D-	SMS SMS
Wolfchild / Werewolf	different	B-	F	SMS
Wonder Boy / Adventure Island	similar	B	C+	SMS
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap /Super Mario Bros. 3	different	A+	A	SMS
Wonderboy in Monster Land / Astynax	different	A-	B-	SMS
Wonderboy in Monster World / Adventure Island 3	different	A+	B+	SMS
World Games / World Games	similar	B	B	draw
World Grand Prix / F1-Race World Soccer / Soccer Wrestlemania	different different similar	B B- F	C C+ F	SMS SMS draw
X-men	different	B	F	SMS
Xenon 2 / Xevious	different	B	B-	SMS
Y’s	similar	B+	B	SMS
Zillion / Metroid	different	B+	B	SMS
Zillion II: the Tri Formation / Journey to Silius	different	A-	C+	SMS

Final Results:
SMS wins: 171 (86.8%)

Draw:           21 (10.65%)
NES wins:     5 (2.54%)

Total:         197 (100%)

Detailed comparison:

Adventure Island vs Wonderboy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D53zWOsed2o
Astérix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Swzr6p2iM
Aladdin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YclQ8e5VeUA&t=110s

Alien 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhO6FmeWq88

Adams Family: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgXRa1xKF8

After Burner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwBxDBNn_dI

Altered Beast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcE1dCzWZuA

Back to the Future 2&3 (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOiHjUfH2ZI

Back to the Future 3 (SMS): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkRmG4jBNh0

Bram Stoker's Dracula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dozSSrVNYAc

California Games: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDrY0IwBSvY

Captain Silver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXXXM58Qlno

Choplifter (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJmsywfSCrI

Choplifter (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-iBbZ8suFM

Cool Spot (Master System): : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkllwTMvJq8

Spot (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFJMB2Gv4rY

Desert Strike (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPwM_d0XCVs

Cobra Command (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqk9Qp0JHDQ

Dick Tracy (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6nWDRiv_AQ

Dick Tracy (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlrSTgkLQh0

Double Dragon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H3ZG9_ohhs

Fantasy Zone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ2vHHB0lNc

Gauntlet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjfsBWZbUJI

M.C. Kids (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nKywTkMnAs

Global Gladiators (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWNZreMBI48

Ghostbusters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WDt0HGf4io

Ghost'n Goblins (NES) vs Ghouls'n Ghosts (SMS): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5xByhHjBpY

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (SMS): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQMN36W_oIo

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdMaI5NoDA

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (version2, NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbrejmkDSsw

Jurassic Park (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39DPFa-djqU

Jurassic Park (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8UJQB-bNaU

Krusty's Fun House: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nomh9x_Bq04

Kung Fu (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-gyVEqS1Ts

Black Belt (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4LyIKU2qmM

Mickey Mouse (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQcIYr8LaYc

Mickey Mouse Castle of Illusion (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE-rFtBnvjY

Mickey Mouse 3 (NES):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grwyEb8T344

Mickey Mouse Land of Illusion (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP4VuReh0p0

Ninja Gaiden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RlptxQv8rA

Paperboy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBzAGAHBN-o

Phantasy Star vs Final Fantasy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRPsk1Cra0k

Prince of Persia (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr-bH19FfjA

Prince of Persia (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVKJZeSpDR0

Rambo First Blood Part 2 (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sphZtBCuDU

Rambo First Blood Part 2 (SMS): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WITYnVFbroI (2 player coop)

Rampage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o-p8Jrt5pE

Renegade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QvdanchHuk

Road Rash (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zSqNzOgXUY  vs 

Match Rider (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PbcQhhZfHo

Robocop vs Terminator (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3J1YOSHq1g

Robocop vs Terminator (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9jb6lhYM0

Robocop 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aoh0X4Loac

Shinobi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjRNTmGHqo
Space Harrier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8UAbidlK0Q

Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey5E70MzhNk

Star Wars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nFxxlwY6n0

Street Fighter II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdYKZxzpKz0

The Lion King: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVeazl3yJkw

The Simpsons: Bart vs the World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEKsZ5cbs_4

The Terminator (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9scVSn9nkjA

The Terminator (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGqon5tzWqU

Tom and Jerry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPbInhZ-r7s

Track & Field (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIjDpOFensY

Olympic Gold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLSfjAWHCLQ

Winter Games (NES): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMPd1yhNFWE

Winter Olympics (Master System): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or4m3k2Sr3g

All similar games: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4xBTvvJeijM&t=3s

Zelda / Golden Axe Warrior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swWUQqYFfXE