For some, the Super Nintendo is the best console of all time. Nintendo fans who grew up in the 90s have strong connections to games like Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Chrono Triggerand more. For the most part, 10/10 games of that era hold up now because the craftsmanship in those games was so solid, making them timeless.
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Anyone can pick up those SNES games and others today and have a good time, guaranteed. So, for the sake of variety, let's go through some of the best games on the SNES and offer up ten classics that are mostly available and holding up relatively well.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Start
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
The Secret of Mana
Sword In The Stone
The Secret of Mana
- Released
-
October 3, 1993
- ESRB
-
E10+ // Fantasy violence, mild suggestive themes
The Secret of Mana is only the second game in the Mana series, and it begins with a young boy finding a sword in the forest. Afterwards, he embarks on a magical journey to find elemental gods to hopefully gain enough power to stop an evil force.
It's a bit of a cliche plot, but the plot is great, and it still looks great, plus it was a groundbreaking RPG at the time that supported three-player co-op. With stunning visuals, tons of weapons to unlock and co-op options, The Secret of Mana still comes across as a SNES action RPG.
Kirby Super Star
A collection of new and old
Kirby Super Star is a collection of new and old Kirby games remastered for the SNES console. For example, there is a short remake of Kirby's Dreamland inside, along with mini-games to check out, like a martial arts competition or a samurai duel.
The best game inside is called The Great Cave Offensive, which is kind of like a light Metroidvania. With amazing sprites, chipper music, an amazing collection of games and excellent platforming with unique powers, Kirby Super Star is essential for all SNES lovers.
NBA Jam
From the center!
NBA Jam is a game that transcends sports, because even those who didn't like basketball at least played this game on the SNES or maybe in the arcades. It was an easy basketball game to pick up, with two-on-two games on a small court, plus there were powers like lighting the basketball on fire to slam it into a basket.
Kids who grew up in the '90s memorized phrases like “He's warming up” and “From downtown.” Whether alone or in co-op, NBA Jam is still fun to play a match in sometimes.
Mega Man X
Super Fighting Robot
Mega Man X
- Released
-
January 19, 1994
- ESRB
-
All // Animated violence
Mega Man X where Mega man reboot that no one knew they wanted, but are grateful every day that it happened. The core concept remained the same, as this version of the battle robot, X, learned powers from bosses and players could choose any of the eight stages in any order they wanted.
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What changed was that defeating certain bosses would affect other levels, such as freezing a fire-filled factory, plus X could get armor upgrades. It's the little details that did Mega Man X a more accessible game with some of the best music in the series, not to mention some of the best on the SNES.
Street Fighter 2
Bar-Knuckle Brawling
Street Fighter 2in all its versions that hit the SNES, is a fighting game that everyone owned. While the future Street Fighter games added cooler powers and had bigger lists, it's safe to say Street Fighter 2 still holds.
As NBA Jamanyone can pick up this game and have a fun, friendly game with a friend or partner, and it's not too violent as Mortal Kombat to restrict age groups from enjoying it. The art is amazing, the controls are responsive, everyone's music themes are catchy and have remained iconic, and there's no better game about beating cars as a side-life.
Final Fantasy 6
Join the party
Final Fantasy 6 is a favorite among some Final Fantasy fans, and it's easy to see why. Everything was reviewed from the five games that came before, especially the story and characters. The roster was huge, every character mattered for the most part, and the story took a wild turn halfway through when no one else Final Fantasy have been bold enough to try since then.
The turn-based RPG was initially good, but it was elevated when the Magicite system was introduced, which allowed characters to learn abilities and magic through Summons called Espers.
Super Metroid
An isolating beginning
Super Metroid is the third game in the Metroid series, and it's the one that perfected the formula. On an isolated planet, bounty hunter Samus Aran must search for space pirates, ancient artifacts, and power-ups to complete her mission.
From super speed to freezing beams, power-ups help players deal with enemies and explore the ever-expanding map. While not quite a horror game, Super Metroid is one of those immersive, atmospheric experiences that will draw players in and never let go until the credits roll.
Chrono Trigger
Repeatedly
Chrono Trigger is one of the best turn-based RPGs to ever hit a system, and it broke so many boundaries at the time. Enemies appeared in dungeons, the world map lacked combat, characters could combine with others in battle, and the time traveling element was out of this world.
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Between different eras, such as the age of the dinosaurs and the future, players can influence reality with choices, albeit small ones for an SNES game. Still, this compact time-traveling adventure became a gold standard that stands up to many AAA RPG experiences on modern consoles today thanks to its innovative ideas, punchy music, and brilliant sprite work.
Super Mario World
Yoshi is here
Super Mario World is the kind of game that's fun to play every day, one level at a time to blow off steam or to complete every year, and the Switch makes this very possible. Decades later, the imaginative level design, world map exploration and power-ups make this a must-play in 2D Mario game.
Yoshi, secret stages, fun music and more are all reasons why kids back in the day even bothered to get an SNES. As good as 3D Mario game is, the purity of this 2D experience is just so mesmerizing that it transcends the third dimension.
The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
Two worlds in one
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the third entry in Zelda series and the like Super Metroidthis third game is the one that perfected the formula that would influence future titles. The open world, while somewhat confined, gave players plenty to explore on the SNES between finding items or entering the dungeons of the main story.
Compared to modern Zelda game now, the map is very small, but back in 1992, for North America, it seemed gigantic. Cool bosses, unique weapons, quirky characters and a twist in the middle of the story made this one Zelda game to remember.
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