Released in 1991, the Super Nintendo is widely regarded as the greatest Nintendo console of all time. He set the standard for many games that will appear in the next few decades, even in our time. If you look at the list of the best games of all time on all consoles, many SNES games will be gracing its numbers.
Many of the best SNES games are now readily available to play on Nintendo Switch Online or through emulators. If you are a collector, it is still easy to find working copies of these publications in various retail outlets, although some of them may cost you a lot.
In addition to the list below, be sure to watch our YouTube video, where we also take a look at a couple of our favorite SNES games:
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past introduced several elements that will become the main elements of the series. Master sword. Parallel Worlds. Seven wise men. While all of these elements are familiar to any longtime Legend of Zelda player, they didn’t appear until A Link to the Past.
Top-down gameplay is reminiscent of the original NES game, but with vastly improved graphics and a much larger world to explore. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past can be played on a variety of modern consoles, including Nintendo Switch Online and SNES Mini.
Super Metroid
Another game available through Nintendo Switch Online, Super Metroid is widely considered the best Metroid game in the franchise, even better than the acclaimed Metroid Prime.
Super Metroid expanded on the best elements of previous games to give players a larger map to explore, completely new abilities, and further explained the history of the Metroid race. It also remained the last game in the franchise in eight years, keeping fans hungry for more. Super Metroid is one of the most popular speedrunner games these days.
Chrono Operator
Chrono Trigger is one of the most popular JRPGs of all time. The name was developed by a star-studded cast that included Akira Toriyama, best known for his work on the Dragon Ball anime and manga. Chrono Trigger turns RPG elements into an art form.
You take control of a group of time travel adventurers to prevent Lavos, an evil alien creature, from enslaving the planet. Chrono Trigger had great graphics and smooth gameplay, especially when compared to other games of the time.
While the original cart is hard to find, the Chrono Trigger comes in a variety of shapes for a wide variety of consoles.
Super Mario World
Super Mario World is similar in many ways to earlier parts of the Mario franchise, but introduces new gameplay elements such as the ability to fly. This title was also introduced by Yoshi for the first time, allowing players to roll on their backs and navigate the levels in different ways.
Super Mario World uses a map of the outside world very similar to Super Mario Bros 3. There are many secret routes, shortcuts, and other things to find in the game.
As with many of the games on this list, Super Mario World is now playable via Nintendo Switch Online and the SNES Classic Edition.
Mega Man X
The early Mega Man games were known for their brutal difficulty and slower gameplay, but Mega Man X turned that upside down. The game introduced players to a more mature and complex storyline with a respective hero. Mega Man X gave players the ability to dash and climb, significantly increasing the speed of the game without changing the core mechanics too much.
You can choose which boss to fight as first, and as in other games in the series, some bosses are weak in relation to other abilities. After you defeat all of the subordinate bosses, the game will move on to the final series of battles where you will face the final antagonist.
Despite the huge number of sequels, many fans still consider Mega Man X to be the best game in the series.
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong was originally the protagonist Jumpman faced (the old name of Mario before he became a character in his own right), but Kong has finally come to the fore as the star of his own title in Donkey Kong Country.
The game stood out from the rest thanks to its 3D sprites on a 2D background. The design gave it a unique look that attracted a lot of attention. The game itself can be incredibly challenging at times, but is well worth playing to experience the beginning of the Donkey Kong franchise.
Kirby Superstar
Kirby Super Star didn’t change the core gameplay much, but the existing formula worked better on more powerful SNES hardware. There were seven sub-games in the main Kirby Super Star game, including “The Great Cave Offensive,” a game with Metroidvania elements.
Kirby Super Star has a lot of replays, especially in the multiplayer elements. However, this is not a difficult name. Gamers looking for a challenge won’t find it in this title, no matter how charming it is.
Kirby Super Star is another game available for the SNES Classic.
The place to play the best SNES games
The Super Nintendo is one of the most popular consoles out there, and while a lot of people tend to emulate, Nintendo recently cracked down on ROMs all over the place. Finding SNES game ROMs is much more difficult these days. It is best to search on the 3DS Virtual Console, the Nintendo Switch Online SNES Library, or the SNES Classic.
Remember, emulation is a legal gray area. The official position of Nintendo does not approve of emulators, except for certified retail outlets. While all of these games are fantastic games that deserve your time, be sure to play them legally.
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