Look up the storied history of AtariAge user "backin89". His avatar was a picture of Shatner as T.J. Hooker, so that's how Shatner became an AtariAge meme.
I agree with unplugging -any- kind of power brick. I had a Commodore 64 power brick crack open after leaving that plugged in for a while. Even those little power bricks for antennas or charging up power tools can overheat if left plugged in too long.
You're best off keeping it. I've seen thrift stores selling them at high prices.
There's also the Phantasy Star series (II through IV) if you're an RPG guy. There's also Beyond Oasis which is like Zelda.
Other games that haven't been mentioned: Comix Zone and Zombies Ate My Neighbors
My picks:
Final Fantasy
Dragon Warrior Series
Adventure Island series
If you're looking for SMB-like games with cartoony graphics, try Tiny Toons and Felix the Cat.