36. Super Tennis (SNES)

A powerful serving of 16-bit 2-player net sport, Super Tennis lives up to its name; it is super. As with the best sports games, it's simple enough to pick up and play, but there's plenty of depth to uncover, and a satisfying campaign mode to enjoy if you don't have a partner to play with.

35. Stunt Race FX (SNES)

While you might find the framerate hard to stomach these days, the solid design beneath the ageing facade makes this ambitious 3D racer a fun vehicle to take for a spin. What Stunt Race FX lacks in looks and performance it makes up for with personality, and there's plenty of fun to be had in nailing those corners and shaving seconds off your lap times. It's well worth revisiting, or sampling if you've never had the pleasure.

34. Kirby's Star Stacker (SNES)

This is a Japan-only remake of the Game Boy puzzler of the same name. Released late in the Super Famicom's life (and initially only via the Nintendo Power flash cart kiosk service), the discontinuation of SNES cart production in the States due to the arrival of the N64 and PlayStation meant this one never came to the West. A solid falling-block puzzler that's essentially identical to its Game Boy counterpart with the addition of a story mode, it's worth checking out if you're a fan of puzzlers or Kirby. And if Kirby puzzlers are your jam, blimey, it's your birthday.

33. Joe & Mac (SNES)

Originally an arcade game, Data East ported this platformer to various consoles and both this game and its sequel are now available via Nintendo Switch Online (that's Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics, not Congo's Caper — '90s game series had form when it comes to confusing numbering between regions). If you're after caveman platform combat, you could do a lot worse than Joe & Mac.

32. Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES)

Building on the same basic foundation of the first game, Earthworm Jim 2 expanded the original's run-and-gun platforming with more intricate level design and new elements which arguably raise it above Jim's 16-bit debut. All the crazy comic elements and animation have been turned up a notch and, while it sometimes feels like it's trying a little too hard, there's no doubting that this is in the upper tier of 16-bit platform games — high praise considering the sheer wealth of great platformers that console generation.

31. Kirby's Avalanche (SNES)

Relabelled as Kirby's Ghost Trap in Europe, this is simply Compile and Banpresto's Super Puyo Puyo with a lick of pink paint from HAL. In the battle of the 16-bit Puyo puzzlers, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine arguably has a slight edge over Kirby's Avalanche (for casual players, at least) due to the password system and a better soundtrack. It's hard to go too far wrong with Puyo Puyo, though, and this one's got Kirby in it. Score!

30. Breath of Fire (SNES)

Breath of Fire is a reasonable mid-'90s RPG, but going back to it these days requires a hefty dose of patience for some of its outdated design. It's not without charm if you've got nostalgia for it and you're willing to make concessions, but compared to contemporary 16-bit classics like Chrono Trigger, EarthBound and Secret of Mana, Capcom's effort can't keep up.

29. Pop'n TwinBee (SNES)

Pop'n TwinBee got a PAL release, but it makes its official North American debut on Switch. It's overflowing with charm and colour and is that rarest of things: a shoot 'em up which can be enjoyed by genre fanatics and complete newbies simultaneously. Yep, the special Couple mode enables a less-experienced gamer to join in while the shmup veteran draws all the enemy fire. Throw in multiple difficulty levels and fantastic design and Pop'n TwinBee remains a delight nearly three decades on and is definitely worth a shot.

28. Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (SNES)

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is a solid entry in the Battletoads series. The game retains the punishing difficulty its NES predecessor is known for and the mechanics feel pretty familiar, but Rare kept things fresh with reimagined levels and bombastic boss battles. It's hard to match the original title, but Battlemaniacs isn't too far behind it, and if you loved the NES game, you should absolutely try out this one — it's easily one of the better beat 'em ups on the SNES.

27. Pilotwings (SNES)

Pilotwings is a relaxing salve of a game that requires equal parts concentration and relaxation - a perfect antidote to the distractions of the times we live in. Balancing accessibility and skill-based gameplay in that time-honoured Nintendo way, it's a great title to return to on Switch, especially given the series' lack of new entries of late.

26. Super Puyo Puyo 2 (SNES)

Making its debut in the West, Super Puyo Puyo 2 is the same Puyo Puyo you've been playing for decades, although--and we're as shocked at this as you are, dear reader--there are people who have never played this blob-faller before in any form. This game's availability to anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription makes it easier than ever to sample one of the best puzzle games ever made.

25. Star Fox 2 (SNES)

Star Fox 2 is a fascinating curio — an unreleased but completed Super NES sequel and 'museum piece' until it being officially released on the Super Nintendo Classic Mini console, and later on Nintendo Switch Online. This game was fully developed for the SNES but shelved at the last minute when Nintendo saw the writing on the wall for 16-bit 3D graphics and wanted to avoid direct comparison with the impressive polygonal games incoming on more powerful hardware.

Many of this abandoned sequel's ideas found their way into Star Fox 64 instead, and fans of the series will enjoy seeing the ideas that began here and eventually saw the light of day in other games. Despite being seriously impressive considering the hardware, it's perhaps a little tough to go back to — especially if your Star Fox journey didn't start in the 16-bit days. We're still very grateful to have the option, though, and seeing the genesis of ideas that would come to fruition later is thrilling for any fan.