The SNES Classic had a sterling assortment of games from Nintendo's 16-bit star console, but it's hardly all that system has to offer a modern audience. In each installment of this fortnightly feature, I judge two games for their suitability for a Classic successor based on four criteria, with the ultimate goal of assembling another collection of 25 SNES games that not only shine as brightly as those in the first SNES Classic, but have equally stood the test of time. The rules, list of games considered so far, and links to previous episodes can all be found at The SNES Classic Mk II Intro and Contents.
Well folks, it's taken us an entire year to create a shortlist of some of the best SNES games available that missed the boat for the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Mini, but here we are. After reviewing fifty games for the system - half of which were old favorites of mine, the other half I was playing from start to finish for the first time - we now have to bisect that shortlist to have our goal of twenty-five SNES games that were not only great then, but are still great today.
Ultimately, the goal isn't to find the best twenty-five games that eluded the first SNES Classic, but to find twenty-five games worthy enough of being enshrined in a similar manner as Super Metroid, Super Mario World, EarthBound etc. and provide a convincing enough case why. That's my cop-out excuse why [insert a famously good SNES game] or [insert your own personal favorite obscure SNES game] didn't make the cut.
First, we have a few matters to attend to. The most pressing of which is that the easy route, which was taking the list of games and their attached scores and splitting the list directly at its median point, doesn't fully work out in our favor. If you recall, games are scored by the now-retired (but still formidable) P.O.G.S. system which includes a five-point scale for four separate criteria, for a maximum of twenty out of twenty points. The split is right in the midst of those which scored 15 points total - a 75% percent equivalent, which is no slouch even with my subconscious over-generosity. As such, I have applied what I have called "the Diversity Tilt". What this does is award a small number of bonus points contingent on the genre and its preponderance amid those already pre-qualified (as in, those with scores of sixteen or greater). RPGs and platformers, which I'll be the first to admit I focused on a little too much, will score considerably fewer bonus points than lesser-seen genres like shooters, puzzle games, and simulators. That should hopefully take away some of the top-heaviness of the final list's RPG dominance (though, uh, there's a still a lot of RPGs on there).
Second, I want to take a moment to acknowledge those games that didn't make it into the feature. I opted early on to not fill the list with RPGs I hadn't played - the "candidates" - because they would take too long to complete, so there were a number I left behind. Given how the final list turned out we probably didn't need any more RPGs, but I want to at least give a shout-out to a number of honorable mentions - of any and all genres - that I would've included were there more weeks in the year.
Honorable Mentions
(For the third column, I put whether or not the game would've been highlighted as a Candidate (C), a game I haven't played but came highly recommended, or a Nominee (N), a game I have played before and is a system favorite of mine.)
 | C | As in, Cameltry. The Taito arcade puzzle game that the bonus levels from Sonic the Hedgehog were based on. While it was one of a few puzzle games I was curious about, it just felt a little too... broad. It was a SNES game, but it was also an arcade game and had also been on all sorts of systems. | |
 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time | C | My sole brawler was Shin Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun: Kunio-tachi no Banka, which isn't exactly a household name, but I'll be honest by saying that I only chose that semi-sequel to River City Ransom because I thought it'd have more of a simulation/RPG aspect to it. It was as much of a mindless brawler as the many other SNES and SFC games from that genre however, and I realize now there were better and more interesting options to choose from. From what I can tell, perhaps the best of those objectively speaking was Turtles in Time. |
 | N | Some very obvious logistical reasons were why I couldn't include the best Super Scope game on the next SNES Classic unit, though I would've paid anything to see a miniature SNES bazooka. Battle Clash remains the only mecha-related game I ever got seriously into, besides maybe Front Mission 3, and its simple risk vs reward system of charged shots for damage and rapid-fire to intercept enemy projectiles was enough to carry the whole game. | |
 | Final Fantasy V | N | This one hurt a little, but I already had two Final Fantasy games on the list and adding another seemed excessive. It may have been wiser, in retrospect, to choose FFV over Mystic Quest, but I opted for the latter partially because I wanted to talk up its great music but mostly because it has an official English localization already. Besides, I wasn't going to put two FF games on the system and IV was the clear choice between the two. Still, I know what the first game in the queue will be for the SNES Classic Mk. III... |
 | N | When I devised this "candidate"/"nominee" system - and yeah, I realize those terms are mostly interchangeable - the idea was that I could toss RPGs and other favorite games on the list because I was so fond of them I could remember them clearly enough without a replay, which would've been challenging in the time I allotted to the project. EVO's weirdness and the way it shifts big-time towards the end of the game had since slipped my mind, making it unsuitable for either category. I'm also not sure it would've made the cut regardless, but it's definitely a game I would like to see on a "most distinctive" SNES games list at least. | |
 | N | I have a certain amount of animosity with shooters of the top-down kind, partly due to the fact that I suck at them and would probably need more time than I had spare to actually make my way to the end of one without constant save-states (which kinda defeats the purpose of a twitch action game). I did fit a couple in the list - Alcahest and Operation Logic Bomb, both of which I was interested in seeing - but for as much as I love Natsume's quirky cutesy shooter, it didn't make the cut. Ditto for the sequel. | |
 | The Lost Vikings | N | The Lost Vikings is another game that didn't feel too "SNES" to me. Famously known as Blizzard's best video game (sorry Blackthorne fans), The Lost Vikings is this really cool co-operative platformer that sees three distinct characters with separate abilities work together to solve problems. There's been precious few games that have taken up its mantle in the years since, making it a prime candidate for this feature. My concern, though, was that if Activision-Blizzard wanted to put this game out there they have a thousand avenues to do so besides a new SNES Classic unit. I mean, how long will it be before they have their own digital distribution store also? |
 | Shadowrun | N | The SNES Shadowrun is a special thing: the rare case of a western-made RPG exclusive to the console. I say "western", but it was developed in Australia by a team who were able to imagine life in a futuristic Seattle where magic and technology combined to create two scary unknowns that were even scarier together. It was vaguely truthful to the original table-top game, taking on more adventure game elements than were common for console RPGs at the time. The burning question I had was: is it better than the Mega Drive Shadowrun? It's an odd excuse to exclude a game, that it might have a better version on another system, but it's also what stopped me from considering Mortal Kombat or Aladdin. If that franchise was better represented elsewhere, it doesn't deserve to be on a "best of" system. (Hopefully, I'll try the Mega Drive version for myself some day to confirm.) |
 | N | Another case of a game I was rooting for but largely because it comes from even further back in my past as an Atari ST owner. I ultimately went for Lemmings, Cannon Fodder, and SimCity as sort of my "PC gaming guests" because they're all far better known, but Mega-Lo-Mania is still my favorite god game overall I think. I like it a little more than Populous at least because I feel there's more strategy involved and more variety with what you can build and accomplish. Mouse and keyboard games maybe just don't fit the SNES all that well though. | |
 | Wild Guns | C | This was one of the few games I made the executive decision to take off my list after it received a remastered version available on most modern platforms. The whole idea of the SNES Classic console, as far as I was concerned, was taking a lot of unavailable older games with much still to offer a modern audience and make them accessible again, in the process honoring the library of the best console to have ever been manufactured. Wild Guns and Natsume didn't need any help to make that happen for them, clearly. |
 | Live A Live | N | In many respects, Live A Live is one of the most fascinating video games I've ever played, let alone from the 16-bit era. My one concern is that, while it would've certainly scored well for originality on the P.O.G.S. scale, it would've suffered for every other category - as an RPG, it's fine but not transcendental, not to the same extent that its episodic structure and its statements about humanity are. A weird, beautiful thing that I wasn't about to let get skewered by my draconian rating system. |
 | The Firemen | N | I honestly don't know why I didn't include The Firemen. It's such a distinctive, imaginative game that takes the humble everyday heroism of firefighting and, like the movie Backdraft, almost turns it into this fantastic epic battle between the forces of watery goodness and flaming evil. The fire in this game seems almost sentient, and the way it keeps building new challenges and levels around a raging inferno is pretty clever. I want to say that I left this behind purely because I couldn't come up with a good pun title and companion for its entry. ("Fire and Ice"? But what would be the ice game? One of the EA NHLs?) |
 | C | The natural choice for following Mega Man X's inclusion on the first SNES Classic. I ultimately opted for Mega Man 7 because of my affinity for the original series; the truth being that I never found my way into the X series and was loath to begin with the second one. | |
 | C | One of the bigger gaps in my SNES JRPG history, and another one I had to exclude simply because it would've taken too long for a feature to which I could only dedicate a few days out of the week. I'm still meaning to play the first Lufia, though I've tried unsuccessfully a few times now. Older RPGs really need to hit the ground running if they're going to keep me hooked - I've no interest in the early grindfests most antique RPGs start as. | |
 | Mystic Ark | C | Another RPG I took off the list because it would've taken too long. Mystic Ark has a strange reputation: it's a Japan-only sequel to The 7th Saga, though not set in the same universe, and has a similar structure where you choose one of several heroes to play as, each of whom has a different backstory, abilities and path to follow. Games like this are still occasionally worth pursuing, if Octopath Traveller's reception is anything to go by, but it seemed a bit large and intense for what I was planning here. |
 | Chou Genjin 2 | C | As in, Super Bonk 2. A vastly improved sequel, it still didn't feel right to include it without also including the first Super Bonk. Also there's something a little perfidious about considering a mascot platformer franchise for a SNES highlights reel that was really the TurboGrafx-16's (prehistoric) baby, even if the console in question was long dead by this point. |
 | Bahamut Lagoon | C | Too long. One of Squaresoft's many impressive Japan-only RPGs is currently registered as a 30-hours-long game on HowLongToBeat, and I tend to vacillate a lot with strategy games on top of that as I second-guess my every move. Square was in a very special golden period in the mid- to late-'90s and I hope to one day take in everything they were doing back then. |
 | Rudra no Hihou | C | I completed the first of several scenarios of the impressive Rudra no Hihou several years ago, which sees multiple parties moving around the world completing objectives in a fixed schedule - what this means is that, you can often see the results of one party's success through the eyes of another, and the parties will occasionally meet up at set points. There's also its sophisticated text-input based magic system and the always amazing late 16-bit Squaresoft graphics and music. Again, though, I suspect this would've taken a whole month to complete. |
 | Treasure Hunter G | C | Squaresoft's final published game for the SNES (and the last one for any Nintendo console for many years) was also their first collaboration with Sting, perhaps better known for their "Dept. Heaven" strategy RPGs like Yggdra Union. Treasure Hunter G is also a strategy RPG, but a fairly streamlined one that de-emphasizes much in the way of characterization (the characters are literally named for their colors) and story. Oddly, what story there is would be repurposed for Sting's later Dreamcast RPG Evolution. Again, another curious footnote - the last Nintendo Squaresoft game for almost a decade! - that would've taken too long to complete. |
 | Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble | N | Donkey Kong Country 2 was a natural choice for the second SNES Classic. By most metrics, Diddy Kong's Quest is a superior sequel, and was only excluded from the mini console because they already had Donkey Kong Country on there. Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, however, was seen as a step down after the second and came so late in the system's lifespan that most players missed it. There didn't seem to be much point having DKC2 and DKC3 compete over the single slot I was willing to reserve for Nintendo's primary primate family. |
The Final List
And now we have the final twenty-five games I would be happy to see on a hypothetical SNES Classic Mk. II. Even with the hard, cold, logical perfection of the P.O.G.S system, some subjectivity may have sneaked in with the entries below without my knowledge, so for each game I'll try to reiterate - in brief! - my stance on why I feel they should be included. I've also included their final P.O.G.S. scores with the Diversity Tilt added on.
(One minor note is that, despite both scoring more than 15 points on the P.O.G.S. scale, I've removed Cannon Fodder and Lemmings from the final qualifiers. In retrospect, both games are better suited for home computers and mouse controls, even if their SNES ports weren't half-bad. They also didn't really personify the SNES as much as the system's many exclusives, all of which were designed specifically to take advantage of the system's specs and strengths. That's also why I've left SimCity on there: its SNES port was rebuilt from the ground up to better fit the console.)
| Title Screen | Name | Final Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 17 + 2 = 19 | An ingenious co-operative action-adventure game from the mind that would one day become the steady hand at the tiller of The Legend of Zelda. | |
 | 19 + 0 = 19 | A fluid action-RPG with one of the most ambitious and high-concept story progressions of any game of its type. | |
 | 16 + 2 = 18 | A god sim created specifically for the system, featuring overhead strategy and challenging 2D platforming. | |
 | 18 + 0 = 18 | A dream-team collaboration produced this time-travelling adventure, one of the most visually, aurally and narratively impressive RPGs of all time. | |
 | Final Fantasy IV (II US) | 18 + 0 = 18 | Final Fantasy's 16-bit debut was every bit the impressive step forward that their PlayStation debut would be, featuring a much deeper focus on characters and dramatic storytelling. |
 | 18 + 0 = 18 | An action-RPG that streamlined the gameplay of the genre and focused instead on a strong narrative and presentation. It's still the SNES game I have the strongest emotional connection to. | |
 | 16 + 2 = 18 | A top-down shooter that relies on caution and resourcefulness, while still accommodating those wanting a skillful gung-ho approach. | |
 | Demon's Crest | 17 + 0 = 17 | A non-linear platformer that utilizes its demonic anti-hero's flight and other powers to create its myriad challenges. |
 | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest | 17 + 0 = 17 | A step up from the already excellent Donkey Kong Country, with some of the best visuals and music on the system. Dixie's hair-twirling alone improves a lot of sequences immeasurably. |
 | Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventures | 17 + 0 = 17 | The Super Famicom original, NOT the butchered European localization. Another non-linear platformer with Rocket Knight's sense of speed and "fly anywhere" exploration. |
 | SimCity | 15 + 2 = 17 | A special SNES version of Maxis's popular city-planning simulator. Reshapes the game to be more palatable with gamepad controls, and adds ample Nintendo fan service on top. |
 | Sutte Hakkun | 16 + 1 = 17 | A subtle, cute puzzle-platformer that gets insidiously tough pretty quickly. Best suited for those with a combination of wits and reflexes. |
 | Tetris Battle Gaiden | 16 + 1 = 17 | One of the finest competitive puzzle games ever made, Tetris Battle Gaiden takes the venerable block-stacking classic and adds twists to the formula engineered to maximize friendly animosity between rivals. |
 | Tales of Phantasia | 16 + 0 = 16 | The long-running Tales series started here, making it a time capsule of what the still active action-RPG franchise originally resembled. As excellent and story/characterization-rich as the many to follow. |
 | Goof Troop | 15 + 1 = 16 | A co-operative action puzzle game based on the Disney cartoon. Capcom pulled out an arcade classic from their archives to base this on, and for a licensed game it's oddly compelling. |
 | Hameln no Violin Hiki | 16 + 0 = 16 | A licensed anime platformer that makes great use out of a costume mechanic that has your invincible follower take on numerous forms with separate applications. |
 | Kirby's Dream Land 3 | 16 + 0 = 16 | Kirby's other, other big SNES game after Super Star and Dream Course (both on the first SNES Classic). Featuring traditional Kirby platforming action, it benefits from a striking watercolor art direction. |
 | Parodius | 15 + 1 = 16 | The Gradius parody that ended up being more enjoyable than the original, in part because of its multiple characters and the many surprises in store. |
 | Skyblazer | 16 + 0 = 16 | An acrobatic platformer that is centered around its clever boss fights and its speedy, Ninja Gaiden-style movement and mechanics like wall-climbs and air-dashes. |
 | Soul Blazer | 16 + 0 = 16 | A dungeon-crawler that has you reforming the world above by completing floors. As your town regrows, more functions become available. The spiritual predecessor of the Dark Cloud franchise. |
 | Umihara Kawase | 16 + 0 = 16 | A diabolical grapple-hook platformer that requires many hours to properly master. Once you're in its groove, however, few platformers for the system come close. |
 | Zombies Ate My Neighbors | 15 + 1 = 16 | This top-down shooter paean to schlocky B-movies might have a steep difficulty curve, but the cheesy visuals and deep variety of enemies are sufficient reason to keep pressing on. |
 | Alcahest | 15 + 0 = 15 | A top-down action-RPG that proved to be very well constructed, combining a frantic pace with some tactical boss fights. |
 | Secret of Evermore | 15 + 0 = 15 | Square USA's maligned classic has a lot still going for it, not least of which are a silly sense of humor and an atmospheric soundtrack from a young Jeremy Soule. |
 | Ys V: Ushinawareta Suna no Miyako Kefin | 15 + 0 = 15 | While considered the black sheep of its series, Kefin is recognizable as a blueprint for future Ys games with its top-down look, active combat, and banging soundtrack. |
My thanks to everyone who joined me on this journey through the also-rans of the SNES library, and I hope you aren't too unhappy that I missed the chance to review some favorite of yours. Turns out there's a hell of a lot of SNES games and I don't think we've even scratched the surface yet. Even if I thought for a moment that this would be the exhaustive SNES blog series that would be the end of my SNES coverage, I'm sure that time will prove me wrong as more forgotten gems from that era are unearthed (and fan-translated, in many cases) and I find a spare moment to check them out.
But hey, just in case I ever do start on planning out the SNES Classic Mk. III, be sure to let me know in the comments what else I should consider adding to it. Until next time, y'all keep being super.
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