Written by Robelgordo
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES, is my favourite console. I played far more games in the next gen, and I acknowledge the current gen consoles are amazing, but it’s the SNES that represents my childhood and holds a special place in my heart. These are my ten most memorable SNES games.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
The first Donkey Kong game was pretty special but this one took it to another level. The graphics kicked up another notch, the gameplay was a bit tricker, and there was some real humour in the cut scenes. The game also had massive re-playability – in a time long before achievements, I spent hours and probably days trying to find the last few DK coins. Looking back, this may be the greatest SNES game of all. A third title followed by by that point the next gen was on its way and the series had lost its lustre.
F-Zero
F-Zero was one of the launch titles for SNES. This is evident from some of its limitations – single player only, and just four cars and fifteen same-ish tracks. However, what it lacks in flexibility it more than makes up with its gameplay and graphics. In the early 1990s, this game blew your mind. It’s a futuristic racer, with top speeds reaching 300mph, and it feels like it’s that fast. It’s certainly faster than any racing game before and many for years after.
NBA Jam Tournament Edition
More famous as an arcade game, I was a poor kid without many dollar coins, so I instead spent my time mastering the console version. It’s a very faithful reproduction, great multiplayer fun, and for me represents all that was good about the inexplicable early 90s basketball explosion here in Australia before the sport returned to obscurity. People still get references like “boomshakalaka!” and “he’s on fire!” I think my preferred team was the Utah Jazz.
Plok
This was a weird game and I’ve never come across anyone else whose played it (unless they borrowed from me back in the day). Basically when I got the SNES my younger brother got to pick a game for Christmas and chose Power Rangers. Because that was cheap, my parents got him to pick another and he choose this, I assume based on the cover art. Looking back, I think it was average but that didn’t stop me playing it often. You play as the strange red man and fire your limbs at enemies while collecting flowers. At the end of each level run a flag up a flagpole, but it’s never your flag but something hilarious like dirty jocks. I don’t think I ever finished it.
Super Bomberman
I had a friend with one of those adaptors so you could play Bomberman with five players. That was fucking epic. We were still occasionally busting it out early into this century when every other aspect of the SNES had been abandoned much earlier for the next gen.
Super International Cricket
This will mean nothing to virtually everyone else who reads this. SIC was developed in Australia and I don’t know if it was released anywhere else. As a representation of our national sport, it was epic and it took nearly a decade for anything to surpass it for gameplay, and even now only just. I played it so much I can still recall all the names in the Australian team, and who they were supposed to be had the game been licensed. I can still remember my highest innings of 840 including a top score of 320. I played this so much I broke the L button on my controller from holding it down too much for lofted shots. No mean feat, as SNES controllers were really durable, capable of surviving throws and being crushed and almost anything else.
Super Mario Kart
Recently I’ve been playing a bit of Mario Kart on the Wii. In the last 15 years, it’s got 3D and the graphics have improved massively. The tracks now undulate with hills and slopes and there are more of them. And the wheel is a nice gimmick. Yet the gameplay is still virtually the same. I think that’s a fair measure of how good the original Mario Kart was.
Super Mario World
The most enduring game character of all time is Mario, and this might be the most enduring Mario game of all. Starring Mario and his brother Luigi, and introducing their dinosaur companion Yoshi, it sold an amazing 20 million copies worldwide to be the most successful SNES game ever. Although it’s a traditional 2D side-scrolling platformer, there is some flexibility in how you approach the levels, plus a stack of hidden secrets that give it an extremely high level of re-playability. It had a sequel that was graphically beautiful (for the time) but suffered from being too easy and childish.
Super Metroid
This game broke me. I remember getting really far into it, totally engrossed, then getting stuck at a point where I couldn’t work out how to move forwards or how to go back and find a new path. I stopped playing in disgust and the decision still haunts me, as up until that point the game was an epic experience. These days that feeling is common, as technology has allowed games to create massive virtual worlds for the player to explore. In the early 1990s, it wasn’t.
Tetris and Dr. Mario
Tetris is a timeless classic, but I mention this two-game catridge because my mum spent the hours I was in school mastering these two puzzle games, Yoshi’s Cookie, and to a lesser degree Mario Bros. and Super Mario World. She played the shit out of Dr. Mario especially and was really upset when I moved onto the Sony Playstation. She never recaptured her enthusiasm for gaming and it would take a full decade before Nintendo really capitalised on the bored housewife demographic with the release of the Wii. So now when old people or girls play games I think of my mum as a pioneer that paved the way.
I never had any nintendo systems but my cousins did. Never did enjoy most of the exclusives for snes but loved the fuck out of some sega genesis.
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scots why did you post em both on the same day
Was a sega boy myself, only played through the mario games in the last few years.
you messed with the bull... you're gonna get the horns
I was also a Sega man - Genesis/Megadrive was the fucking bomb, and that was back in the day where Console Wars went straight to the heart, so I was a big anti-Nintendo guy.
Pity as the SNES did seem to have a lot of great games. Mario Kart on the SNES was fucking epic, and despite numerous attempts both by that franchise and other companies, the awesomeness of it has never been duplicated.
TTG will be raging that Mega Man X wasn't on this list I expect.
Also seriously - no Super Punch Out? And Chrono Trigger was fucking amazing, but you were too busy playing Cricket.
GENESIS DOES
LIST!
console warz are serious business, i shed a tear when sega became shit, then aligned myself to the playstation, then jumped ship as soon as i saw a better model
Nothing was more serious than Genesis vs SNES
today Sega makes mostly subpar games and Nintendo makes kiddy shitz consoles
Sega only. A mate had SNES, I pretended I didn't like it.
I played a lot of Mega Man Soccer, Turtles in Time and Sunset Riders on the SNES. Super Mario World would be my fav. Never owned a Sega system.
Congrats on the 320 btw. Impressive stuff.
another bit of typical bender bragging i thought, stapes would eat this up
Cool topic. Great games.
On the console wars... everyone I know had a Sega Master System so I go one of those instead of a Nintendo, even though I think it was a worse system. Then for some reason switched to Super Nintendo over Mega Drive (Genesis). I think it was 50/50 at that point a amongst people I knew.
I never played Mega Man (sorry TTG!). I don't think I played Super Punch Out either.
No Link To The Past and no ZAMN makes this the ttg of lists.
And in Australia everyone had the sega master system?
Link to the Past is overrated
So is your fat face.
Guapo with an incorrect statement.
That should prolly be his sig.
I always fucking hated Sega Master System, even though there was probably some class games on it. I mean #1: The thing just looked ugly as all hell:
And #2 the game covers just looked so low budget and cheap:
Actually I believe back in the day if you had the Master System you were known as a "tramp".
For reference, people that wore "Nicks" as opposed to "Nike" were also called a "tramp".
I also went Master System - Genesis - Playstation. Fuck Nintendo, they're gay as hell (Although I'd love to have a Wii right now, or hell, any game system for that matter).
I went NES > SNES > Genesis > PS1 > N64 > PS2 > PS3
Seeing how we're doing history....
48k Spectrum -> 128k Spectrum -> Commodore Amiga 500+ -> Sega Genesis -> Playstation 1 -> Nintendo 64 -> Playstation 2 -> XBox 360 -> Achievements.
I don't even know what Spectrums are.
I WENT NINTENDO-Genesis-N64-Gamecube-PS2-360-PS3
Intellivision > NES > SNES > N64 > PS1 > GameCube > Wii > PS2 > PS3
I've just listed them in the order I acquired them, not for the amount of hours I used them.
Rubber keys and everything.
worst system was gamecube
piece of shit
NES>SNES>N64>PS1>PS2>WII>360
Oh yeah also had a Dreamcast. Got that after the N64. Was pretty cool but I was losing my appreciations for games then.
Atari 5200 -> Nintendo -> Super Nintendo -> Nintendo 64 -> Nintnedo Wii
C64 was the shitz. Impossible Mission is still fun to play even today.
Colecovision -> NES -> SNES -> Genesis -> Sega CD
-> PS1 -> N64 -> PS2 -> 360
Atari 2600-NES-SNES-TurboGrafix16-N64-GameCube
48k Spectrum -> 128k Spectrum -> Commodore Amiga 500+ -> Sega Megadrive -> Playstation 1 -> Playstation 2 -> XBox 360 -> Achievements.
Atari thing with the twisty controllers -> MSX -> C64 -> Atari ST -> Master System -> Mega Drive _> PS1 -> PS2->
I suppose your active social life has kept you from getting a new system.
The kid is ugly as sin Tucho....this isn't fat you can lose, he needs a nic cage face/off miracle and God's help to conquer that terrible affliction. I thought about this when he posted that 'I'm better looking than that random dude wore similar clothes on the bus.' I mean he obviously can't act that way in real life except when he wears his big boy cap and becomes team leader bender. THE POOR FUCKER HAS NO HAIR.
Let him be e-pretentious, it means nothing. It certainly won't affect my own pretentiousness e or otherwise but I know I'm great. Beauty of being delusional.
PC -> SNES -> N64 -> PS1 -> PS2 -> 360 -> PS3
Friends had Master Systems and Mega Drives (Genesis), so played plenty of them too.
Nibbles. You killing me here.
You keeeling me
SNES slaughtered the Genesis. Other than Road Rash and blood in Mortal Kombat, what was good about it.
Went from NES to PS2.
Bender's list is kinda shit, no Chrono or LTTP but that mom pioneer line got a legit LOL achievement.
Never owned a SNES
Sonic.
Vectorman was class.
SONIC AM DUR. I did have the Game Gear (and the Sonic game that launched with it) over the Gameboy. COLOUR>B&W...or black & green I guess.
lol Game Gear. Of course Ormie was one of those guys.
Sonic on game gear was fucking tough. I couldn't get past the first boss where you had to hop over the stones or some shit. Put in some serious kidhours on that one, sad to say.
I went
Atari -> NES -> SNES... and THAT IS IT!!
Best SNES games for me that weren't mentionned: SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV, NHL 95 (last season where the QUEBEC NORDIQUES were in), and one of the most underrated games ever: SUPER MARIO WORLD II : YOSHI'S ISLAND. Totally different from any game you've ever played, and just about EVERY SINGLE LEVEL is different! one of the most FUN AND CREATIVE games ever!
Those are indeed three fine games you've mention TTG.
Best part of Yoshi's island... it has a STYXX LEVEL!! 1:30 mark!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0lqPsds9Jc&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0lqPsds9Jc&feature=related[/ame]
Yoshi's Island was a great game but it was too easy and felt a little childish even when I was 12.
Ataria 2600 - Atari ST - PlayStation - XBox.
Then, of course, I grew up.
Sega Master System II --> SNES --> Playstation. Then I bought an XBox 360, which has proven to be a very expensive DVD player.
I wanted to do a Sega Master System list but looking back 99% of the games are awful. Whereas there are a stack of SNES games you could still enjoy now.
Next list will either be UK sitcoms or South Park episodes.
Then, of course, I grew up.
lol
Atari 2600 -> NES -> SNES -> N64 -> PS2 -> XBox 360
Also had a Genesis but only had two games for it or so.
and games too
I had a Game Gear and it sucked balls
I learned then to never go against Nintendo when it comes to portable systems
Yeah, games too.
I liked what I had for it... the Sonic games, Jurassic Park, WWF Steel Cage Challenge (okay, that sucked), a bunch of baseball games. I don't regret going with it over Game Boy. By the time Game Boy really started picking up steam, I wasn't playing as many video games.
I never had any portable systems. My brother has a DS. It's okay.
For portables had GameBoy > GameBoy Color > GameBoy Advance > DS Phat > DS Lite > DSi
DSi... They can sell you anything, can't they?
It's a great portable.
Oh, I own a PSP and before that had a hand-me-down gameboy I used when I was little. That's it. Barely play it.
Sgt. Coolguy is here everyone.
DS here too, forgot about that.
Atari 800 -> Atari 1600 -> NES -> Genesis -> SNES -> Sega CD
-> Sega 32X 
-> PS1 -> N64 -> PS2 -> Gamecube -> XBox 360
Wow, I've played way too many video games over the years especially considering I also had a Game Boy and a Game Gear and have a Game Boy Advance that I still use from time to time.
Your avatar is NWS.
Anyone ever have a game.com?
Atari 2600 > Spectrum +2a > Master System > Megadrive/Genesis > SNES > PS1 > Saturn > N64 > Dreamcast > Gamecube > PS2 > 360 > PS3 > Wii
Also: Gameboy > Lynx > Gameboy Advance > DS Lite
I'd rate the SNES as in the top three for certain and maybe even my favourite overall though the Dreamcast was something special, so I dunno. The 360/PS3 are pretty much the same console and they'd be up there as well.
Just upgraded from Game Boy Color to Game Boy Advance last month (I keep up with the times with my portable games) and it's the shit. With Super Mario World and Marble Madness at my handheld disposal, I don't see myself ever feeling the need to update any further.
PS3 is my favorite console now, but Super Nintendo is still by far my favorite old school system.
I do remember getting a Sega Nomad back in the day, and that was spectacular.
PS3 is my favorite console now, but Super Nintendo is still by far my favorite old school system.
Apparently QUOTE does not mean EDIT.
Should have just skipped to DS lite as it has the ability to play GBA and DS games. Unfortunately no ability to play GB/GBC.