It’s January 7, 2017. RVGFanatic launched on January 7, 2007. Wow, where has the time gone? I celebrate 10 years today. 10 years later my Super Nintendo passion still burns as brightly as it did a decade ago when I first started RVGFanatic. What was the world like 10 years ago?

YouTube was still in its infancy

George W. Bush was US president

Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone

To celebrate this milestone, I figure it’s a good time to finally reveal my Super Nintendo collection in-depth. Most of my 400+ boxed SNES games were acquired from 2006-2008. I was lucky the nostalgia bug bit me several years before it did many others. It’s the only reason I have been fortunate enough to amass the collection that I did.

Each shelf will have certain games highlighted by these categories:

Best Game — What I consider to be the best game on that shelf.

Worst Game — What I consider as the worst game on that shelf.

Guilty Pleasures — Games that I enjoy but aren’t necessarily good.

Unsung Heroes — Overlooked games that I find to be high quality.

Most Disappointing — Games I thought I would like a lot but don’t.

Most Surprising — Games I didn’t expect much from but delivered.

Most Wanted — Games I’ve still yet to play but most excited to play.

Miscellaneous — Random notes on other games not yet highlighted.

Without further ado, let’s get this party started

SHELF ONE

BEST GAME

ActRaiser

HONORABLE MENTION

Axelay

ActRaiser is an excellent first generation SNES game that alternates between side scrolling platforming action and build-a-city simulation. The two parts mesh well together like a perfectly constructed puzzle.

Speaking of alternating, Axelay does that masterfully as well, switching level to level between horizontal and vertical shooting nirvana.

WORST GAME

AAAHH!!! Real Monsters

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Adventures of Mighty Max

Incredibly tedious and annoying.

Mighty Max was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. The game? No.

GUILTY PLEASURE

An American Tale: Fievel Goes West

Nothing fancy here. Just simple, basic platforming with decent visuals.

UNSUNG HEROES

Aladdin

Alien³

Arkanoid: Doh It Again!

Blackthorne

Aladdin is often overshadowed by its Genesis counterpart but I love the brilliant animation and colors of the SNES edition. That and its dramatic hanging-on-a-ledge-by-the-tip-of-your-finger gameplay was so satisfying.

Alien³ is a solid movie licensed game in an era where many of these games weren’t very good. Try playing it with all the lights turned off…

Arkanoid: Doh It Again! is an underrated 2 player gem. It’s so simple that even non gamers can jump in and have a blast. Highly recommended!

One of the most atmospheric games on the SNES, Blackthorne proves there’s nothing like blasting goblins and trolls in a desolate mine with a sawed off shotgun. You can even “accidentally” kill innocent prisoners

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs

Way too hard for its own good.

It just didn’t click with me.

MOST SURPRISING

3 Ninjas Kick Back

The box of 3 Ninjas Kick Back alone commands $500+. The game itself surprised me as being a decent (2 player) action platformer with three different characters to choose from. Surprisingly competent!

MOST WANTED

Adventures of Batman and Robin

The GameFan previews back in the day made it look BEAST.

MISCELLANEOUS

The most unique game here, The Adventures of Hourai High, was never officially released in America. It’s a fan translation of a Super Famicom RPG import that captures the spirit of EarthBound. I bought it from Time Walk just mere weeks before they folded.

Adventures of Kid Kleets isn’t half bad. It stands out a bit from the other me-too SNES platformers on account of having to kick a soccer ball at bad guys in order to subdue them. The ball physics made it a quirky, interesting experience.

Aero Fighters is a quality 2 player shooter.

Konami developed many classic SNES games in the ’90s. Animaniacs wasn’t one of them, and probably stands as Konami’s weakest SNES effort.

Ardy Lightfoot is a curious oddity for me in that part of me wanted to put it in the unsung hero class, but there’s another part of me that considered it for most disappointing. Worthwhile, but it’s not great like I had hoped.

Battletoads & Double Dragon wasn’t as good as I hoped, but it gave me some fond memories. One of the earliest crossovers I can remember, it was a huge deal in my gaming circle back in ’93!

Biker Mice From Mars is a nice Rock ‘N Roll Racing clone.

SHELF TWO

BEST GAME

Chrono Trigger

HONORABLE MENTION

Contra III: The Alien Wars

As much as I love Contra III: The Alien Wars, I have to give the nod to Chrono Trigger. No SNES collection is complete without them.

WORST GAME

Capcom’s MVP Football

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Chuck Rock

It’s shocking to see the words “Capcom” and “worst” in the same sentence, but MVP Football was actually developed by Equilibrium.

Chuck Rock certainly has some early generation SNES charm to it, but compared to the other titles on this shelf it’s definitely a weak link.

GUILTY PLEASURES

The Blues Brothers

The Combatribes

The Blues Brothers may look like a typical platformer on the surface but it’s not without some neat tricks. For example, you can carry and throw one another in the 2 player co-op mode. Oddly enjoyable for what it is…

The Combatribes was the second import game I ever rented back in late 1992. My brother and I loved beating up Martha Splatterhead and her delinquent gangs, all in the name of saving the Big Apple.

UNSUNG HEROES

B.O.B.

Brawl Brothers

Bust-A-Move

Captain Commando

I went through all 40+ levels of B.O.B. in the summer of 2007 and had an absolute blast. If someone turned Doom into a 2D side scrolling action platformer, it might be this. Someone once called it “retarded Metroid”

Brawl Brothers has always been a bit underrated in my book. It’s a big improvement over its predecessor, Rival Turf. My brother and I had a lot of fun with it back in the day. Doesn’t really get the props that it should.

There are better versions of Bust-A-Move out there, but that doesn’t take away from the first game still being a competitive 2 player barn burner!

Captain Commando was a late port job — it came out in the arcades in 1991 but didn’t make it over to the SNES until August 1995. It was odd to see that large a gap, but I’m glad Capcom did it. Captain Commando is far from perfect but something I’ve enjoyed revisiting over the years.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Clay Fighter

A classic case of excessive hype.

Yeah, I’m looking at you too, Bubsy.

MOST SURPRISING

Brandish

I went into Brandish with low expectations in 2006. I ended up loving the atmosphere, music and a more cerebral style of play. The underground labyrinths are crawling with monsters galore, from T-Rex to Death itself!

MOST WANTED

Cybernator

Another sin I need to wipe clean.

MISCELLANEOUS

Brain Lord is a rock solid action RPG.

Breath of Fire is a good old school JRPG.

Breath of Fire II kicks everything up a notch. My copy is a retranslation repro. The US translation of BoF II was sloppy. The repro fixes that

Capcom’s MVP Football was a fumble but Capcom’s Soccer Shootout scored a goal. Developed by A-Max, Capcom once again slapped their name in the title. And you thought Tecmo was vain!

SNES Castlevania: Dracula X is often bashed, but I found it to be solid.

ClayMates is a worthwhile platformer. You shape shift into various animals with varying skills. The level designs are based around certain skills so you had to make the appropriate switch to progress.

Congo’s Caper is a fun platformer.

Cool Spot, based upon the 7 UP mascot, is better than it had any business being. It earned mostly positive reviews back in the day for a reason!

SHELF THREE

I like how this shelf ends with the Final Fantasy trilogy. Always nice when the end of a shelf concludes with the last game in a particular series.

BEST GAME

Final Fantasy III

HONORABLE MENTION

Donkey Kong Country

These two epic games made 1994 Super Nintendo’s year.

WORST GAME

D-Force

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Doomsday Warrior

Things start out kind of OK. But then the scrolling gets choppy and there’s some slowdown. Not to mention the atrocious sound. Not a completely worthless game, but it does put the “D” in D-Force.

Doomsday Warrior tried really hard at least. There may even be some merit to be found but it’s pretty underwhelming even by 1992 standards.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Dirt Trax FX

Double Dragon V

Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest

My brother and I played the hell out of the rag tag mode in Dirt Trax FX. It wasn’t the greatest game around but damn did we enjoy it.

Double Dragon V often gets crapped on, but I don’t think it’s THAT bad. Not the Double Dragon sequel we hoped for, but it’s not unplayable.

Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest has a negative reputation, but as a starter kit RPG it’s really not that bad. Plus the music absolutely kicks ass.

UNSUNG HEROES

Demon’s Crest

Equinox

Fatal Fury 2

Final Fantasy II

A ghoulish atmosphere, detailed visuals and a slick Super Metroid-esque style of play makes Demon’s Crest one sublime adventure.

Colorful visuals in some highly bizarre worlds with masterful sound by the one and only Tim Follin make Equinox worth checking out. A “save-almost-anywhere-you-go” system helps keep the difficulty in check as well as encourage repeated attempts to finally snag that elusive key.

Fatal Fury 2 certainly redeemed Takara in my eyes. Fatal Fury on the SNES was the absolute pits. But this one hit the mark with much better control, gameplay and even an option that lets you play as the bosses.

Some would say Final Fantasy II gets plenty of love. But there are times where it seems to get lost in the shuffle especially when people are quick to bring up the “big three” of Chrono Trigger, EarthBound and Final Fantasy III. Don’t forsake this amazing early RPG!

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Fatal Fury Special

Whereas Fatal Fury 2 excelled in smooth control, Fatal Fury Special did not. It’s a shame because otherwise it holds up fine for a 32-MEG port.

MOST SURPRISING

Doom

It’s surprising that it even runs on the SNES!

MOST WANTED

E.V.O.

One of the last remaining SNES RPGs I’ve yet to beat.

MISCELLANEOUS

Demolition Man is surprisingly decent.

Dino City is a nice little platformer.

Many view Donkey Kong Country 2 as the best DKC game.

Donkey Kong Country 3 is sometimes overlooked because it came out late in the SNES’ lifespan (November 1996) and wasn’t quite as epic as the first two DKC games. It’s still very, very good in its own right though.

The Earthworm Jim games are completely bonkers.

F-Zero — forever a classic.

Fighter’s History is an underrated arcade translation that doesn’t get much love. And hey, it’s the only way to play as Karnov on your SNES.

SHELF FOUR

BEST GAME

Gunman’s Proof

HONORABLE MENTION

Illusion of Gaia

My copy of Gunman’s Proof comes courtesy of Time Walk just mere weeks before they closed their doors. Gunman’s Proof is criminally underrated. Think a combination of Zelda, EarthBound and the wild west. It’s a Zelda clone with guns and bazookas! ‘Nuff said, really.

A spiritual sequel to Soul Blazer (which some fans prefer), I love the improved visuals and shape shifting shenanigans of Illusion of Gaia.

WORST GAME

Home Improvement

DISHONORABLE MENTION

The Incredible Crash Dummies

Watching Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor break things and bumble around each week in the mid ’90s was awesome. The game? Not so much.

In the early ’90s I had a weird fetish for the Crash Dummies. Imagine my sadness then when I rented this game one dark October night of 1993…

GUILTY PLEASURE

First Samurai

Not your typical SNES game filled with bright and bold colors, First Samurai is something of a quirky guilty pleasure for me. I kind of like the foreboding visuals and atmosphere. And the sound effect “OH NO! MY SWORD!” is typical of its cheesy goodness, er, mediocrity.

UNSUNG HEROES

Final Fight 3

Fire Power 2000

FireStriker

Goof Troop

Hook

Final Fight 3 is the best of the SNES Final Fight trilogy. Special moves, multiple branching paths and super specials make it a treat to play. It was roasted back in early 1996 when it came out, but became one of those games people grew to appreciate only after the passage of time.

With such a lame generic name, I didn’t expect much from Fire Power 2000 back in the day. A 2 player co-op mode helped for sure, but it was the overall smooth gameplay that made this an absolute winner.

FireStriker takes the classic Pong/Arkanoid style of play and infuses it with heroes and monsters. Quite an interesting mix.

It even sports a spiffy 4 player battle mode!

Goof Troop is a fun 2 player overhead action puzzle game. Goofy and Max complement each other extremely well — Goofy is stronger while Max is faster. One of the better 2 player titles from the 16-bit generation.

Hook plays a bit on the slow side, but I love its visuals and haunting soundtrack. A whimsical atmosphere adds to its overall appeal.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Ghoul Patrol

Remember how cool Zombies Ate My Neighbors was? And remember how good Ghoul Pa… oh wait, no one ever said that. It’s adequate, but considering it’s a spiritual sequel of ZAMN, damn was I disappointed.

MOST SURPRISING

Harley’s Humongous Adventure

The idea of playing a shrunken protagonist navigating everyday objects and environments has greatly appealed to me ever since I saw Honey, I Shrunk The Kids in 1989. Harley’s Humongous Adventure may not have the most appealing aesthetic but it is rather surprisingly decent.

MOST WANTED

Hagane

It’s been over 10 years since I bought it and sadly I’ve still yet to play it. The only thing more mind blowing? I bought it back in 2006 for $5!

MISCELLANEOUS

Just as how it was nice that shelf three ended with the three Final Fantasy games, I love how shelf four begins with the Final Fight trilogy.

A classic early SNES shooter, Gradius III is plagued by bouts of slowdown but it’s got an amazing soundtrack and that vintage Gradius gameplay.

Few companies did bosses like Konami!

Konami also makes a mean soccer game — International Superstar Soccer Deluxe is arguably the best 16-bit soccer game ever crafted.

Harvest Moon is a cute little farming simulation.

SHELF FIVE

BEST GAME

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

HONORABLE MENTION

Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball

Well, that was easy. Not only is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past considered arguably the best Super Nintendo game of all time, but it’s also widely regarded as quite possibly the best video game ever created. It’s a timeless, quintessential adventure that never fails to leave a mark.

My all-time favorite baseball game.

WORST GAME

Izzy’s Quest for the Olympic Rings

DISHONORABLE MENTION

King Arthur & the Knights of Justice

Ironically, these were the last two games ever reviewed by Super Play Magazine. I guess they were so bad that even Super Play had to stop and ask themselves “What are we doing with our lives?”

GUILTY PLEASURE

Lagoon

Released December 1991, Lagoon has that first generation SNES charm. Many hated it but once you work out the kinks and quirks, the game can become oddly enjoyable.

UNSUNG HEROES

Joe & Mac

Joe & Mac 2

Judge Dredd

King of Dragons

Knights of the Round

Sure, it’s a bit slow in places but it’s tremendously fun to throw stone tires and boomerangs at all sorts of dinosaurs, all in the name of saving your special cave lady. Best of all, you could do it with a friend.

Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics is a damn fine sequel. It refined a few things from the first game and makes for a worthy addition to any SNES library.

I didn’t expect much from Judge Dredd but was pleasantly surprised by how well it plays. Shoot, punch and kick bad guys into oblivion. Not great but good for a movie tie-in.

Capcom delivered SNES owners with two of the better beat ‘em ups in the form of King of Dragons and Knights of the Round. Now that’s how you do King Arthur justice!

Blocking and leveling up added depth.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

King of the Monsters

When you take out the game’s best mode (the tornado tag team bedlam mode) and gut two of the six monsters, you’ve earned this “award.” King of the Monsters was as big a disappointment as the monsters themselves.

MOST SURPRISING

Killer Instinct

Given how much had to be sacrificed!

Wow, what an effort!

MOST WANTED

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja

I know, I know.

This WILL change in 2017.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Jetsons is a childhood curiosity I still need to quell.

Ditto The Jungle Book.

If you spotted Side Pocket and wonder what the hell it’s doing there, good eye. It’s a placeholder for Justice Beaver. I funded it back in 2015 and am still waiting for the product to be finished.

King of the Monsters 2 was an admirable port.

All of the Kirby games are terrific.

SHELF SIX

I love how the second row of this shelf begins with the Mega Man quintet. And the first row opens with both Lemmings 1 and 2.

BEST GAME

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals

HONORABLE MENTION

Mega Man X

From recruiting monsters to the IP system, Lufia II rocks!

X marks the spot indeed.

WORST GAME

Lester the Unlikely

DISHONORABLE MENTION

The Mask

Lacking in self-esteem, Lester’s courage and abilities increase as you progress through the game. It sounds intriguing on paper but unfortunately it lacks in execution what Lester lacks in confidence.

To its credit, The Mask was faithful to source material and tried to be different from your typical movie licensed platformer. But its ugly animations and terrible aesthetic brings it down a notch or two.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

They won’t make any top 50 lists but they’re decent.

UNSUNG HEROES

Looney Tunes B-Ball

Lost Vikings

Lost Vikings 2

The Magical Quest: Starring Mickey Mouse

Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems

Mega Man 7

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition

NBA Jam meets Looney Tunes.

Great 4 player fun!

Using three vikings’ specialized abilities to reach the stage exit, The Lost Vikings was both innovative and refreshing.

The sequel introduced Fang the wolf and Scorch the dragon. These were fairly underrated titles that got a bit lost [har har -Ed.] in the fold.

Magical Quest’s classic “take-a-block-from-the-sky-and-use-it-on-bad-guys” system, along with costumes that altered Mickey’s abilities, made it such a bloody good time.

Similar to X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, I prefer this game due to its roster (Iron Man, Spider Man, Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine). Plus you can select any superhero for any stage whereas in X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse you couldn’t. Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems came out October 1996 so it’s often forgotten. Give it a shot!

Mega Man 7 divided the fanbase. His homecoming was met with mixed reviews but I find it akin to slipping on an old comfortable pair of jeans.

The best Power Rangers game ever.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Mortal Kombat

Iffy controls hurt it more than a lack of blood.

MOST SURPRISING

Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City

Michael Jordan in a platformer beating up bad guys with a basketball? That’s as crazy as him retiring from the NBA in his prime to go pursue a baseball career. Both happened, but only one turned out to be any good.

MOST WANTED

Metal Warriors

Shame shield activated.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mega Man X² was not the leap over Mega Man X like many of us hoped, but it’s a quality sequel nevertheless.

Mega Man X³ introduced Zero as a playable character. The Mega Man games are a bit like pizza. When it’s good, it’s really good. But even when it’s a bit eh, it’s still alright. Mega Man X³ falls somewhere in the middle.

Can’t go wrong with the Blue Bomber!



The SNES port of Mortal Kombat II spelled vindication and redemption. The blood and Fatalities were both retained in this second go-round, surprising the hell out of everyone back in 1994.

This shelf ends with two “Mr.” games.

The next begins with “Ms.”

Amusing coincidence

This shelf segregation is NUTZ! [… -Ed.]

SHELF SEVEN

BEST GAME

NBA Jam T.E.

HONORABLE MENTION

NBA Live ’96

NBA Jam T.E. is a riot with 4 players.

Balances arcade style with simulation well.

WORST GAME

The Pagemaster

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Pinocchio

Generic, dull, repetitive and bad control plagued both these platformers. On a system littered with memorable ones, these two missed the mark.

GUILTY PLEASURE

Ninja Gaiden Trilogy

Many Ninja Gaiden fans have been vocal about the mishandling of this SNES port. So vocal in fact that I almost feel guilty enjoying it as much as I do. Such a shame there was never a proper 16-bit sequel.

UNSUNG HEROES

Natsume Championship Wrestling

Operation Logic Bomb

Pieces

From a pure wrestling standpoint, NCW > Saturday Night Slam Masters.

A quietly solid top-down shooter, Operation Logic Bomb is a one man wrecking crew of a good time.

Pieces is an underrated quirky game. You wouldn’t think assembling pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to be that much fun, but it somehow is. Throw in a nifty 2 player mode and you have a surprisingly competitive affair.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Nosferatu

Nosferatu was previewed in 1992 but didn’t come out until late 1995. With that much time you would expect a highly polished game. Instead, its broken difficulty past level 3 makes it a waste of massive potential.

MOST SURPRISING

Phalanx

How did this cover get the green light?!

MOST WANTED

Ninja Warriors

Man, I really need to fix this. And soon.

MISCELLANEOUS

I like how the previous shelf ended with two “Mister” games and this one began with Ms. Pacman

NBA Give ‘N Go can be a lot of fun.

Can’t go wrong with EA’s NHL series.

The Peace Keepers was a disappointing follow-up to Brawl Brothers. The US version was “Americanized” and to no one’s surprise, these changes were to the detriment of the product.

Phantom 2040 is said to be pretty good.

SHELF EIGHT

BEST GAME

Pocky & Rocky

HONORABLE MENTION

Rock ‘N Roll Racing

Pocky & Rocky is tough but it’s one of the better 2 player SNES games.

I remember renting Rock ‘N Roll Racing back in the day and loving its music and violent racing. Born to be Wild never gets old.

WORST GAME

Realm

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Power Moves

Released in December 1996, Realm had a chance to be a sleeper hit. It’s a run ‘n gun featuring some nice visuals and unique creature designs. Unfortunately, the broken difficulty renders it nearly unplayable.

Power Moves was the first import I ever rented back in late 1992. Even then as kids we knew it was a bit lacking. Don’t even bother unless you’re going for a complete collection or for the sake of nostalgia.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Radical Rex

Rocky Rodent

Radical Rex is the very definition of fair to middling. But there was something about controlling a skateboarding t-rex with ‘tude that I found somewhat appealing.

Speaking of mascot platformers, Rocky Rodent was hard as nails but I liked how collecting different hairdos gave Rocky different powers.

UNSUNG HEROES

Plok

RoboTrek

Run Saber

Plok is a criminally underrated platformer where you control a strange bloke who fires his limbs at enemies, way before Rayman did it. It looks like a “kiddy game” but don’t be fooled, it’s tough as nails.

RoboTrek’s unique combat system, ability to customize robotic allies and the zany universe made it such a blast to play. Love the art style, too!

SNES fans got gypped when it came to Strider. However, Run Saber is a solid consolation prize. It’s a short, easy and fun 2 player hack ‘n slash.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Prehistorik Man

Slippery control derailed this promising platformer.

MOST SURPRISING

Rival Turf

For all the hate Rival Turf gets — some have called it Rival Turd — I was pleasantly surprised by how decent this turned out to be, especially for April 1992. It was the first SNES beat ‘em up to feature a 2 player mode.

MOST WANTED

R-Type III

Said to be one of the best SNES shooters.

Why haven’t I played it yet?

MISCELLANEOUS

Pocky & Rocky 2 was a worthy sequel.

Prince of Persia is an interesting little game.

Not counting the orange box of Final Fight Guy, Riddick Bowe Boxing is the only North American SNES box that doesn’t have the traditional black side. Instead it’s gray, white and red; it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Another box that stands out on this shelf is Robocop vs. Terminator. It’s the only SNES box that is a hard clamshell and has no title on the side. The game itself can be fun in a dumb, violent kind of way.

SHELF NINE

BEST GAME

Shadowrun

HONORABLE MENTION

Secret of Mana

Shadowrun is a unique action RPG set in a futuristic cyberpunk world. The game opens with your character awakening from his slumber atop a cold steel slab. It hooked me right away and didn’t let go until the game’s satisfying finale. A sequel was hinted at during the end credits that we sadly never got.

Secret of Mana was an innovative action RPG that allowed 3 players to go at it. This was unheard of back in 1993. Mana may be a little overhyped in some circles but it’s still a quality adventure worth venturing through.

WORST GAME

Speed Racer

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Spider-Man & the X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge

Speed Racer switches from side scrolling platforming to a racing game. The former is barely passable but the latter is absolutely atrocious.

Spider-Man & the X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge was way too hard and while not without some redeeming qualities (the music rocks), overall it falls shy of the mark. Not the worst game ever, though.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Snow White: Happily Ever After

Sporting News Baseball

Yes, I own a Snow White video game and yes, I kind of dig it. What the hell am I doing with my life?! The platforming is surprisingly competent. Just not the thing you go ’round talking about, not even on the internet

Sporting News Baseball isn’t the greatest baseball game around, but it features the iconic baseball field from my favorite film, Field of Dreams.

UNSUNG HEROES

Secret of Evermore

Skyblazer

Soul Blazer

Space Megaforce

These may not be upper echelon but they’re close

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Sparkster

It’s actually pretty good.

I was just expecting a lot more.

MOST SURPRISING

Street Fighter Alpha 2

Amazing what Capcom squeezed into a Super Nintendo cartridge!

MOST WANTED

Star Fox

Hopefully I appreciate this in 2017 as I would have in 1993…

MISCELLANEOUS

Some under-the-radar titles from this shelf:

While none of those titles will appear on any top 10 list, they kind of typify a good portion of the SNES catalog. Ranging from decent to very solid, while they’re not essential, they sure round out a collection nicely.

Saturday Night Slam Masters is classic 4 player mayhem.

S.O.S: Sink or Swim, not to be confused with SOS, is a pretty cool action puzzler. 100 levels of fun that will work the brain muscles!

If you love beat ‘em ups, Stone Protectors is worth a look. Nothing spectacular, but it quietly gets the job done.

SHELF TEN

BEST GAME

Super Metroid

HONORABLE MENTION

Super Mario World

This shelf, man. This f*ckin’ shelf.

WORST GAME

Super Godzilla

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Super James Pond

Thank God for Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen!

But yeah. This shelf is stacked.

Someone had to bite the bullet!

GUILTY PLEASURE

Super Adventure Island



Basic. Bare bones. But that’s the charm.

UNSUNG HEROES

Sunset Riders

Super Baseball 2020

Super Baseball Simulator 1.000

Super Bases Loaded 2

Sunset Riders is flat out awesome.

If you like your 16-bit baseball, Super Baseball 2020 is an entertaining futuristic take on the sport. For another outlandish quirky baseball title, be sure to check out Super Baseball Simulator 1.000. It’s outta this world!

[I see what you did there… -Ed.]

Looking for a more traditional baseball game? Then check out the quietly stellar Super Bases Loaded 2. A bit slow but super fun.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Super Bonk

Not bad but not as good as I hoped.

MOST SURPRISING

Street Racer

Has tons of heart plus a 4 player mode!

MOST WANTED

Super Adventure Island II

Please forgive me, Master Higgins.

MISCELLANEOUS

You know a shelf is stacked when you can’t even list the following as honorable mentions:

Hey, I’m just going by the box title!

SHELF ELEVEN

BEST GAME

Tetris Attack

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Super Street Fighter II

TMNT IV: Turtles in Time

Mega addicting. Bloody brilliant.

Way too close a call between Super Street Fighter II and Turtles in Time. To exclude either would be downright wrong.

WORST GAME

Time Slip

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Tom & Jerry

It wishes it were a homeless man’s Contra.

Not horrible but never passes mediocrity.

GUILTY PLEASURES

SWAT Kats

Tecmo Super NBA Basketball

Reminds me of a 1990 NES game.

And I say that affectionately!

Outdated but still kind of fun.

UNSUNG HEROES

Super Smash TV

Super Turrican

Super Turrican 2

Tecmo Super Baseball

Tecmo Super Bowl

Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose

TMNT: Tournament Fighters

Ranging from pretty good to excellent, any of these games would do well to round out a strong Super Nintendo collection.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Thunder Spirits

Thunder Force III eats it for breakfast.

MOST SURPRISING

Super Slap Shot

I really thought this game was going to suck but it ended up reminding me of a 16-bit version of Blades of Steel. Let me pump the brakes because I don’t want to overstate this game’s stock — but it’s surprisingly decent!

MOST WANTED

Super Star Wars

Super Empire Strikes Back

Super Return of the Jedi

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I played the first one very briefly. It’s time I rectify this and play the other two. R.I.P. Carrie Fisher

MISCELLANEOUS

Time Trax isn’t too shabby.

Can’t go wrong with the Top Gear trilogy.

Closest thing to Out Run on the SNES

I had an odd fetish for Top Gear 3000…

It even sports a quirky 4 player mode!

SHELF TWELVE

The box of EarthBound is so big it needed its own shelf!

BEST GAME

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

HONORABLE MENTION

Wild Guns

Two of the best SNES games to play with a friend.

WORST GAME

Ultraman

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Wild C.A.T.S.

Ultraman was one of the earliest SNES games my brother and I rented. Even back then we knew it sucked. I keep it for the sheer nostalgia…

Wild C.A.T.S. isn’t awful. Just eh.

GUILTY PLEASURE

Wolfchild

The old man’s been kidnapped and it’s up to you to save pops. Luckily, you can turn into a werewolf as well as use a wide variety of firearms. Nothing special, but it’s enjoyable enough, especially on a rainy day.

UNSUNG HEROES

The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang

True Lies

U.N. Squadron

World Heroes

World Heroes 2

Vladamasco is being ruled under the iron fist of the diabolical General Von Hesler. As young Spike, a junior magician and vampire in training, you must traverse many strange lands to put an end to Von Hesler’s wicked ways. Attack with your trusty cape and hat (which can be upgraded) in this short but sweet action RPG. It can be beaten in three measly hours, but what fun you’ll have!

Worthy of the Arnold name, True Lies is barbaric and one of the best 16-bit movie licensed games. Few SNES games can match its sheer brutality.

U.N. Squadron is loads of fun.

I’ve always found the SNES port of World Heroes to be underrated and faithful. Easy to pull off combos, vibrant visuals and those oh-so-vicious Death Matches make this one a winner in my book. Besides, where else can you knock someone into burning ropes?

16 fighters, 24 megs and 32 fists (plus a sword and bearded axe) to contend with, World Heroes 2 is everything a sequel should be: bigger and better. The home port adds in a speed option and the ability to play as the two bosses, bringing the count to a whopping 16. Only Super Street Fighter II had as many at that time. Truly an unsung hero. Pun intended.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Total Carnage

Total Carnage is a semi-sequel to Super Smash TV that fails to recapture the magic of the original. This is further exacerbated by a somewhat shoddy home port.

MOST SURPRISING

Wolfenstein 3D

I saw Wolfenstein at a friend’s house in 1992 but my first time ever playing it was with the Super Nintendo in early 1994. And I freaking loved it. I was surprised by how smoothly it ran, relatively speaking of course. In my book, it stands as a stunning, underrated achievement.

MOST WANTED

Ys III: Wanderers From Ys

It will be my first Ys game!

MISCELLANEOUS

Tuff E Nuff is kind of odd, from the energy bar placement to the title printed on the box, which reads in full: Hey Punk! Are You Tuff E Nuff? It’s fairly decent for a homegrown SNES fighter, however.

Speaking of homegrown fighters, WeaponLord is very deep.

X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse was a step in the right direction.

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is worth a look.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Super Nintendo games represent a sweet spot in gaming for me. It was during a time where games weren’t overly simplistic yet they weren’t yet too complicated, either. It just strikes that happy medium for me. I also find that many SNES games have aged extremely well. Many are as playable and as enjoyable today as they were 20, 25 years ago. It’s a true testament to the timeless quality that many of these games exude.

One of my favorite things to do is come home on a Friday night after a long grueling work week, head to the game room and finally playing that one game that I’ve been wondering about ever since the ’90s. Finding the game on the shelf, opening it up, reading through the color manual, and popping it in to at long last quell a 20+ year curiosity. One guy said it best years ago when he said “It feels like I’m fulfilling my childhood dreams.” Aside from your SNES classics and gems, I find there are also over 100 games that are perfectly playable and enjoyable. Maybe they’re nothing to write home about necessarily, but they can certainly entertain you for a weekend or two. I own over 400 boxed Super Nintendo games and I’d say only a small handful of them are bad. It really blows my mind how deep the SNES library is. It’s probably why I find myself coming back to the system time after time. It’s been a great journey these past 10 years!