10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)
What's a 16-bit console without a classic arcade-style side-scrolling beat 'em up? This tapped into the zeitgeist in the early '90s and came from Konami at a time when it seemed the company had trouble producing a bad video game. Turtles in Time matched the popularity of the licence with an impressive game to boot. This is an expensive cart to track down these days and despite tricky licensing issues, it'd be a treat to see it running on a Nintendo console again — and, fortunately, we'll have just that very soon indeed! Until then, we've got our well-loved Super NES cart.
9. Super Mario All-Stars (SNES)
An extremely impressive package featuring the NES Super Mario Bros. games with a 16-bit lick of paint, Super Mario All-Stars was a convenient way to revisit the classics back on Super NES. Ultimately, with the exception of Super Mario Bros. 2 (we'd argue that this collection offers the optimum version of that game), the originals offer the best experience these days. If you're playing this via Nintendo Switch Online, they're all just as easily accessible.
However, for anybody who first experienced the NES games in this package, we understand if this represents peak 2D Mario for you and offers the ultimate nostalgia trip; everyone's a winner now that they're all available via Nintendo Switch Online.
8. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is not only a brilliant game in its own right, it's a history lesson in how the Mario role-playing series began. Anyone who has played the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series should play Square's original title that started it all. Super Mario RPG paved the way and inspired both of these series, and we should be eternally thankful to Squaresoft for this gem.
7. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (not Diddy Kong's Quest) is a beautiful secret-filled game with a gorgeous soundtrack that helps create a atmosphere that sticks in the memory. You end up returning to this simply to enjoy your surroundings and have 'that feeling' again. Debate will rage as to which of DKC games is best, but this is up there with the very, very best.
6. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
Yoshi's Island is the absolute summit of not just Yoshi games, but platformer games in general, with a wonderful vision of pastel colours, majestic backdrops, and character-oozing sprites. Honestly, it's difficult to remember any other game that matches or even comes close to the amount of detail that Yoshi's Island did, past or present. The level of charm is astronomical. Every enemy seems quite intentional. There will be moments when you refrain from killing an enemy just to watch it in action.
With its deep exploration-based gameplay and gorgeous art style, Yoshi's Island is still a joy to play all these years later. Yoshi's Island isn't just a great platformer: it's a reminder of why this silly little hobby of ours is so wonderful.
5. Final Fantasy III (SNES)
In the West Final Fantasy VI cloaked itself in a cunning disguise and carried the name Final Fantasy III back in 1994, but it's an utter gem whatever you choose to call it. The RPG debate over whether Chrono Trigger or this is better wages to this day. For a long time this was the final Final Fantasy from the mainline series to appear on a Nintendo console — indeed, it remains the last one to launch on a Nintendo console, remakes notwithstanding.
The GBA version by TOSE added some bells and whistles, but this is a winner however you play — it's available on the SNES Classic Mini, too. If you're only going to play one old-school Final Fantasy, we'd probably go with this one; if you chose to only play one from the entire series... our answer might well be the same.
4. Super Metroid (SNES)
We dislike overusing the word 'masterpiece', but in this case (and in the case of a chunk of top-tier SNES releases) it's absolutely accurate. Super Metroid is the standard by which all Metroid games are judged, and an impossibly high one, at that. If you're a franchise fan, you'll have played this to death. If, however, you've never dipped your toes into Nintendo's pool of sci-fi action exploration, this is the one you need to play. That's all there is to it.
3. Chrono Trigger (SNES)
Chrono Trigger is, and will always be, one of the most unforgettable RPG experiences ever to grace a video game console. Even the first time you play it, you'll immediately know that you're experiencing something special. It brought so many new ideas to the table that give it its unique look and feel, and on a remarkable system noted for its extensive catalogue of RPGs, Chrono Trigger is at the very top of the SNES pile.
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is one of the best games of all time, and if you haven't experienced it yourself... you probably have through one of the other Zelda games, such was its influence on the series and the action-adventure genre. It introduced many mainstays of the franchise, including various stalwart items and the idea of parallel worlds. Link could move diagonally and run thanks to the Pegasus Boots, and he could swipe his sword sideways, allowing for a much wider range when attacking.
There's no shortage of 2D and 3D Zeldas to choose from these days, but this 16-bit entry codified the core elements of a 'Zelda game' for the decades that followed. It's still got that touch of magic about it many years later. Unmissable.
1. Super Mario World (SNES)
There is endless debate about whether Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World is the better game. For our money, they are two sides of the same coin — two faces of the same monumental peak in the video game landscape. This remains an incredible achievement of invention and sheer entertainment that the 2D platforming genre has struggled to match ever since. Introducing Yoshi and an expanded overworld with multiple paths, this game overflowed with secrets and secret exits, perfect for fuelling playground gossip and elevating it to the upper-est echelons of platform video games, 2D or otherwise.
Three decades on, it still doesn't get much better than this. All games have flaws, but if there's an exception to that rule, Super Mario World is it.
Some rather good video games there, wouldn't you agree? Disagree with the ordering above? Remember, you can still influence the ranking by rating your SNES games and, perhaps, elevating one that's bubbling under into the top 50. Either click/tap the User Rating stars on the titles above to rate games from this article, or head to the Nintendo Life games database and search for your game of choice. Click on the title to go to the game page and tap/click the 'Game Rating' box on the right to give the game a rating out of 10.
For any SNES games missing from our database that you would like to see, we're working on adding the full library of Super Nintendo games to our database. With this being an ever-changing list, there's no reason they can't appear once they've been added — we'll let you know once they're live and we can revisit this ranking to see if and how it changes.
Feel free to let us know your favourite 16-bit treasures below.
Comments (183)
I personally disagree with these rankings but a good list nonetheless. Killer Instinct is the biggest omission imo.
These top fifty lists are so interesting! This particular one has a good flavor. Also, it should be considered some kind of international crime that Terranigma never got released outside certain regions! That’s a gem, to be sure. PLEASANTLY surprised to see Gradius 3 on a top 50 that’s not featuring shmups. Nice!
If you haven’t patched that game with the SA-1 enhancement, you are missing out!
Chrono Trigger #1! Can we please get another game in this series
Surprised not to see Evo. That game was amazing. Pretty good list otherwise. Didn't think 3 versions of SF 2 should have made it.
Top 10 is good, congratulations everyone
Chrono Trigger is definitely #1 for the absolute amount of effort they put in.
TMNT IV is in the Top 10, so I'm a happy camper.
Although Kirby Superstar being 26 is just strange. Below Goemon? Really?
The placings are all over the place for me but what a console library there. Just wow.
Super Mario Kart is way too low. That should be top ten.. it's also in my top 3 Mario Karts. I return to it at least once a week now that it's on the Switch. My list is very Mario heavy, though he starts to lose his place in future console rankings:
1) Super Metroid
2) Super Mario Rpg
3) Super Mario Kart
4) Super Mario World
5) Super Mario Allstars
6) F-Zero
7) Link to the Past
8) Megaman X
9) Yoshi's Island
Maybe I missed something...but did I just go through a top 50 list that didn’t include one game from the Super Star Wars trilogy?
Happy to see Chrono Trigger at #1. Absolutely the best game of a generation.
Where is Pilotwings you heathens?!?
The Power Rangers and Gundam fighting games are so much better than most Street Fighters on this list.
Also way too many JRPGs. No Joe & Mac or Super Smash TV, Hagane or Pocky & Rocky, Final Fight 3 or R-Type III? Seriously wtf?
Decent list, I'm disappointed that Pilotwings and Super Tennis haven't made the top 50. I would genuinely say that Super Tennis is my favourite sports game of all time and I still play it regularly.
Agreed that Killer Instinct should be in there. Really enjoyable fighter. Super Mario Kart outside the top 20 in a list of the best SNES games doesn't sit well with me.
How can there be so many Street Fighter games on the list, and no Killer Instinct or Mortal Kombat 3?
Don't get me wrong, I love Street Fighter, but KI and MK3 were iconic, and I played them to death when I was a young kid.
Maybe they were more popular here in latin America than Street Fighter, I guess.
Nevertheless, good list.
Chrono Trigger's top spot is well earned. It was criminal not to see it represented on the mini
Super Castlevania IV on 17th spot? Really?
Fine. Everyone has the right of making errors.
Just about all 50 are absolute classics in my book, and shows just how many SNES games utterly hit the spot. You could probably add another 30-40 top notch games to the list too before running out of excellence.
Glad to see Chrono Trigger at its rightful place. This community knows what's up!
EDIT: The list got updated with Chrono Trigger in #3 and Super Mario World at #1...typical NintendoLife...
We did it, boys and girls. Zombies ate my neighbors is in the top fifty! Truly we are an enlightened bunch.
Aaand number 10.5, Dragon Quest V: hand of the heavenly bride.
It didn't make the list I assume because it is less known to westerners than FFV, which also wasn't localised?
Still one the best, if not the best, dq games, and very worthy of a place near the top of the list.
There seems to be a glitch on the rankings, because Zombies Ate My Neighbors is the greatest game of all time.
Best soundtrack, cruel RNG gods, beautiful level design, intelligent enemy weaknesses - beautiful gem from LucasArts and Konami
I think some of the Games deserves to be in the higher Places, like Chrono Trigger, but are way to high, Games like Earthbound got their recognition later and the Internet spread the Word about some of those Games, but other got played way more and aren't Go bad oder have less Quality.
It's like some Games get a "hidden Gem" Bonus
Edit:
Oh yes, as some mentioned, no Dragon Quest in the List, they just haven't got the "hidden Gem" Propaganda
Also many where left from the Vote.
But i am glad that at least Mystical Ninja was in there.
Sad that Goof Troop isn't in the Top 50, one of the greatest cooperative Games.
not an RPG fan so I’d put Zelda at number one.
then again I didn’t vote so I can’t complaint.
#1 - Is this list updating in real time? I opened the first page, and then maybe 20 minutes later went to the second page and some of the games on the first page had moved to the second.
#2 - "Final Fantasy V expanded the series' job system and came to the West in TOSE's 2006 GBA port Final Fantasy V Advance." Nope. FFV came to the west on the Playstation in 1999 as part of Final Fantasy Anthology.
What's with the bogus release dates listed? Sim City in 2006? ActRaiser in 2007? Hmm...
Starfox should be higher up but good list
A shame that Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War didn't make it. More people need to play that absolute gem. But at least Chrono Trigger and A Link to the Past are number 1 and 2. This site knows what's up.
Still no release date on FFV? Wow.
More seriously, the score seems to be missing. Whatever it is, it's obviously too low for the game to end up in the 40s.
Damn I want that turtles in time x x x
'Sunset Riders'? Did you guys just make that game up? Why did it rank 27th?
@Gaviin those are the Wii virtual console release dates...
some of my favorites: Breath of Fire 2, EVO: The Search for Eden, Demon’s Crest, and Spike McFang.
Pretty good list! Here's my top15
1. Super Metroid
2. Donkey kong country 2
3. Super Mario allstars
4. Zelda 3
5. Lufia2
6. Mega man x
7. Yoshi's island
8. Fire emblem 4
9. Contra 3
10. Super mario world
11. Fire emblem 5
12. The lost vikings
13. Zombies ate my neighbours
14. Secret of mana
15. Chrono trigger
The SNES is not in my top 4 retro consoles, so no strong feelings about any of these rankings
EarthBound deserves to be in the top 5. The second best RPG on SNES, behind Chrono Trigger.
@NinChocolate just curious, what is your top 4?
This felt like the worst of the nintendolife top 50 with having so many of the snes games unavailable to vote on.
@gaga64 Ah ok. That seems strange to include those dates instead of the original release dates on, ya know, the actual SNES. Lol.
I disagree with Nintendolife's choices for old Super Nintendo games.
Where the hell is the love for Big Sky Trooper? Eye of the Beholder? Tetris 2? B.O.B.??
Nintendolife, you suck
The SNES library is so stacked. Going through the list I kept seeing titles I would expect to be better ranked, but as I kept going generally each title arguably belongs where they are (with 1 exception IMO). Being ranked 25 or 30 on this list is no shame. There were just that many great games.
My biggest surprise was seeing Turtles in Time in the top 10. It was a fun game that I loved at the time, but IMO the only title that didn't belong in the top 10. The top 5 were pretty much my top 5, but not in the same order. I would have gone:
5. SMW
4. FF6 (III)
3. Alttp
2. Chrono
1. Super Metroid
@urrutiap I wasn't expecting anyone to bring up Eye of the Beholder (a game I really love). If you played the the PC version, the SNES version was a bit rough. Nevertheless, a really fun game!
@echoplex Haha this was one of the few I had never even heard of.
Nice list 🤠 And no, I can't think of anything more to say.
@GannonBanned This is why I love SNES library. I disagree that Zombies is #1, but it was such a fun, weird, unique game that I can totally see why it is your favorite. It seems like the SNES library is filled with games like this, in the sense that they weren't viewed as megahits but everyone that played them loved them.
@JohnnyC I feel like Turtles in Time should swap places with MarioKart.
@Chozo
Hey Chozo. I only had the Super Nintendo Eye of the Beholder back then. It was a fun game. Some odd stuff in some of the areas later on but i had fun with the game
I can think of better games though for the Super Ninteno. My list better than Nintendolife's list
I wasn't about to go through the whole list or worry about which ones should be in which spot, but it looks pretty solid to me. My personal favorite on SNES (and my #1 game of all time) is Final Fantasy III/VI with Chrono Trigger taking second. The SNES will always be my favorite game system, partly because nostalgia, partly because it just has so many classics that are still defining gaming and inspiring developers to this day.
I lobe these lists, but I hate to scroll through hundred of games. My suggestion: Do a two-step approach in the future. First step is to select the top 50 games, second step is to determine the order.
there were alot of games missing from nintendolifes overall SNES library, and for whatever reason I cannot rate final fantasy v, but ultimately, this ranking is not a definitive list, but a fine good-enough list.
here's hoping nintendo sees this and uses it as a guide as to what people actually want on Switch online, as opposed to whatever games they can dump on there. probably not, but still....
For those that don’t know, you can still rate your favorite games: “ the order below is fluid and can fluctuate even after publication. Haven't rated your favourite SNES games? Simply click on the User Rating star next to each title below and give it a score out of 10.”
And you can look up any game not on the list and rate it too.
Wish they would just do a list, no need for 5 pages!
@gaga64 NES, Genesis, PS1, Turbografx. No hard order but I’ll occasionally tell people the NES was history’s greatest console
I think you’ll find super Mario world is the best SNES game. Then Metroid then dkc then maybe Zelda.
DKC2 should have been third. I agree with Chrono Trigger and ALTTP being first and second.
Not a bad list, but Kirby Super Star is so, so much better than that. It's definitely better than Secret of Mana, for example. I mean, it's a good game, but it's just that, it has far too many problems for it to be one of the best.
No Killer Instinct or Mortal Kombat II
I haven't play much SNES games when i was a child (my childhood was manly N64 and Gamecube). i recently picked up Super Mario All Stars and Yoshi's Safari and enjoyed both of those games. i can't say the others, as i have catalog of SNES games to go though. (from Wii U and cartridges.)
Difficult to argue with the top 10 but will say the lack of Killer Instinct and Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War hurts (the second one being a bit more forgivable with the lack of a Western release).
Maybe just because I was maybe 12-13 when the SNES landed, or pure nostalgia, but I think this console was the best. So many great games.
I’m sad contra/ probotector 3 wasn’t top 20. I remember the motorbike level that turns into jumping from missile to missile to catch up to the boss. I had a brain explosion about how insanely awesome that concept was. Loved that game
@Gaviin probably data from when the site’s focus was the Wii shop, that they didn’t bother updating when they added non-VC retro titles.
@NinChocolate fair play. Impossible to argue with the NES’ historical importance, though I personally feel a lot of 8-bit games haven’t aged too well, especially compared to the more vivid and complex 16-bit generation. But that’s probably as much down to personal history, as I never owned a NES.
...looks for "F-Zero" on the Top 10
...what is wrong with all of you out there!?
Final Fantasy VI (III U.S.) is better than Chrono Trigger imo. But, I can understand the argument for the other side on that one.
Still waiting on a FF1-6 collection on Switch. Take my money all day on that release.
The Snes has such an amazing library.
Terranigma needs to be higher! Come on, people, play it already! XD
Chrono Trigger and Zelda are unbeatable. Master pieces, two of the finest games ever created.
Glad to see ActRaiser on this list even if it's all the way down at 34. It was an amazing game for its time. It featured a nicely balanced gameplay combo of world building and hack-and-slash action, and the music was incredible for a video game in 1991. The visuals were impressive for the time as well, though they haven't aged as well as the rest of the package.
Reading some of these comments, it seems like the order of this list has changed multiple times in one day. Are they dynamically changing in real time as people on this site are rating games?
I tried over and over and never could get into Chrono Trigger. Earthbound was similar but I came to enjoy and appreciate it over time.
I always love reading through these kinds of lists, especially if it has to do with Super Nintendo, even though the top 10 usually isn't to much of a surprise any more.
Now I just hope they add some more games to the online service soon. I'm getting very close to playing through them all.
Look, I'm glad Kirby Super Star is on the list, but where the heck is Kirby 3? Both are wonderful installments in the series that deserve more recognition.
Most of the other usual suspects are here, at least. Congrats to Mario World and Yoshi's Island!
Evidently the list has changed as more people voted throughout the day. Killer Instinct is finally ranked (#50) and A Link to the Past has slipped into the #1 slot.
I can quibble over some of the specific rankings, but a very good list overall, and affirmation of my preference for the SNES above all other consoles.
@YoshiFlutterJump Kirby's Dream Land 3 is probably omitted because relatively few people have actually played it. It released after the Nintendo 64 launched, and in limited quantities — it's one of the rarest SNES carts today. That said, everyone's had more than a decade to try it on Wii or Wii U Virtual Console, and today via Switch SNES Online, so hopefully it will get more attention.
@JJtheTexan Yeah I can see that--Kirby is the king of late life releases after all, especially on SNES with a late life main game released after another late life main game with yet another spinoff released after that in Japan. But I am hoping that most take the opportunity of Switch Online to try it out.
@echoplex Sunset Riders is cowboy Contra. One of those games that seems to have not gotten much attention when originally released but became well regarded many years later.
I remember the original voting list seemed randomly incomplete.
Was tempting to vote some of the underdog games, but I don't.
Yes, we've all played Chrono Trigger, Super Metroid and A Link to the Past. Good games but we've just seen them so many times.
No love for Smash TV
@dartmonkey
"almost certainly due to Nintendo not wanting to pay The Tetris Company in order to use the name again."
From what I read, Tetris Company probably doesn't want to let them use the name again simply to preserve the name for games that actually use the Tetris gameplay. I think they did commend the game for being a good game on its own.
Ok, wow, many of my favourites have not even made the top 50. Guess, that just shows how good the SNES is though.
I love you NintendoLife, but you need to fix your Super Nintendo database. there were way to many games missing from there that weren't even available to vote on, including Nintendo published games like Super Scope 6.
Lost vikings 2, Blackthorne, BattleClash, Super Smash TV, Run Saber, Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse, Joe & Mac, Earthworm Jim, Doom, Aladdin.
Those are all games that deserved a chance and being in the top 50, and some of them are definitely in my top 50.
@YoshiTails It wasn't even the voters fault, that game wasn't even available to vote on. Someone mentioned it on their poll comment section https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/11/poll_rate_your_favourite_snes_games?page=1
@Andy_Witmyer Yes, every one of these lists are determined by NL user ratings and the rankings change as the average ratings change. Too few seem to ever catch on to this.
@Papichulo Yeah, I loved Gundam Wing on the SNES 😄
@jump KI is on there, 47ish
Very happy to see Shadowrun on this list, although I do think it deserves to be a bit higher. A superb story, with great game mechanics and awesome music! Much better than the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive version of the game that came out a little later.
Btw, here is a link to the soundtrack!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq9-xrkGXQk
For me:
Super Metroid
ISS Deluxe
Yoshi Island
Mario Kart
Mario World
Star Fox
F-Zero
Top Gear 2
Smash Tennis
Super SF2
Super Castlevania
Contra
Axelay
Donkey Kong Country
Ghouls and Ghosts
No RPGs for me.
Big Sky Trooper was a fun game and it still is
So pleased to see The Lost Vikings ranked so highly (when I expected it to not even be on the list). Such a unique game and it's a shame the series has been lost to time.
However...very surprised to see that Seiken Densetsu 3/Trials of Mana isn't on the list at all. I guess not enough people were aware of it. A shame, because it's definitely worthy of the top 10
I hope they put Chrono Trigger on the Switch soon
In no particular order, games that obliterated my teenage years:
A Link to the Past
Super Mario World
Castlevania IV
Super Probotector 3
Turtles In Time
Street Fighter II Turbo
F-Zero
Prince of Persia (extra levels on the original)
Super Star Wars and it’s sequels
I’m sure there are a ton I’m forgetting too. I used to play a lot of Super Tennis and NBA Jam at a friends place also.
Funnily enough I never got into Super Metroid or Mario Kart or Donkey Kong Country until later. Likewise I just never got into Star Fox until the 3DS re-release. Don’t know how I missed those gems, but god damn just all around an amazing console and game library.
Recount the votes!
So many fond memories of the snes. My first memory was my(not back then) brother inlaw calling me up to look at his new console he had imported from the States. This big silver tin with Street fighter on the front. I was instantly hooked. He then plugged Mario world in and i was in love. My dad got me a pal SNES soon after and i loved it so much. Fond memories of going out with him on his travels and popping in to Dixons, comet or Electronics boutique to get a game after much belly aching from me. I remember being away for a week with him and he got me starwing. I must have read the box and instruction manual about 50 times over that week.Longest week ever.
@T317 Me too! I think Nostalgia played a large part, not in the sense that people are blindly giving credit to games merely because they were good in their childhood, as pretty much everything on this list is amazing, but, like someone mentioned about Kirby 3, SD3 was a late release, and really only known to people in Japan or those that played the fan translation emulated game a few years later. So, some sense of what you remember and loved playing a child will probably come into play a little bit. With Collection of Mana, and the remake, it should be better known, but the playing field is massive for the Switch these days! So many games and so little time to play them all. End of the day, the Snes was glorious though.
@Kilamanjaro Me too. I have never played it, but am very interested. I heard many ideas that ended up on the cutting room floor from Secret of Mana went into it, and, for me, that is reason enough to play, but that it tops the list here suggests it must be very special indeed!
Can't really argue with the top 3. Wouldn't have had Super Metroid or Yoshi's Island in my top 10 but I'd have been surprised if they weren't in this one.
Donkey Kong Country 2 not in the top 5 is shameful.
@jump Fluid list. You can still rate the games so it will change over time
Where’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Racing?
Me and my friends were really into Mortal Kombat in the 90's and we can't even vote for Mortal Kombat 2! Yet we can vote for every single Street Fighter ever released on the SNES! Why?!
As others have mentioned there are plenty of other good games that couldn't be voted for either, such as Micro Machines 2. Makes the 'Poll' a bit meaningless IMO.
@kidfunkadelic - I imported star fox from the states and played it via an adapter on my UK SNES. I’m fairly sure it cost me £80 or £90 even then. I’ve always been an impatient guy....
Served me in good stead when they had a starwing competition on kiosks, I think in Woolworths? I won and got a starwing cap
@Mana_Knight
It is to this day my favorite game of all time. And not even because of nostalgia, since, being european, I first got to play it when it released in the Wii VC. I was in my twenties then. One friend recommended Chrono Trigger, another praised Chrono Cross.
I played them both and both were fantastic.
I'd love for a simultaneous release on Switch.
And like every Chrono-fan I'm still hoping for Chrono Break.
Mario Kart only at 20!!!
and no Pilotwings???
...of course you are entitled to your own (zany) views
No super Ghouls n Ghosts or Demons Crest?
@Chozo that’s such a great point - the SNES had everyone’s perfect game, such an unusually strong library - beautiful system
@6thHorizon there’s a huge majority of people who inexplicably think Street Fighter II is better than Mortal Kombat.
Just one of those harsh truths about the cold universe we share.
Sub-Zero is dead. Long live Sub-Zero.
@Zeropulse one of my favorites, Chuck Rock (amazing theme song) was missing as well.
Not to mention the all-time classic Robocop Vs. Terminator
@NinChocolate what are the best retro consoles to you? I’m curious if we’ve reached the stage of N64 being retro, or are you recalling fond memories of bleep-blooping through Crystal Castles?
This list is pretty damned reasonable. A bit more so than I expected it to be, which says ....reasonable things about your the audience here, ha. The only unforgivable reversal here is putting Street Fighter II Turbo ahead of Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers. Anyone who has played both would never objectively choose Turbo, as SSF2 is the upgraded version, with more refinements and options. Would take the SEGA Genesis version anyway, though.
Good to see Lufia 2 on the list.
@GannonBanned
Yes true!
But not having ANY Mortal Kombat available to vote for is a bit odd considering the game was massive back in the day.
Let the people decide!
With NL updating this list constantly the comments up top dont hold up well.....
Surprised how low the original Street Fighter 2 was. The hype at the time for that game was absolutely unreal, if you think of current expectation for Last of us 2, Cyberpunk etc it was probably similar.
@jump I agree with your disagreement.
Pilotwings, Mortal Kombat & Top Gear. Huge omissions IMO.
Otherwise, pretty good list!
Also, why don’t they re-release TMNT for the Switch? That was fun couch co-op!
None of the amazing capcom beat em ups made the list and there were a lot of them. Knights of the round and captain commando were great but of course final fight 1-3 are always the classic answer to streets of rage. At least that capcom beat em up collection exists on switch.
I would swap Terranigma with for Super Mario ALl-stars, I like mario but this is a launch title remake bundle, but Terranigma is something special.
@Slain I know, Demon Crest is a great game so few people discuss this game or give it crap for not being perfect.
Happy to see Secret of Evermore make the cut. Such a unique game that plays with the style of Secret of Mana, but has its own character and world building. The soundtrack is great as well, being composed by Jeremy Soule of Skyrim fame (despite recent controversy). It's in my personal top 5 SNES games.
Goof Troop was robbed. Also still not a fan of Link to the Past however many times I try. And it’s funny calling Final Fantasy IV SNES ‘challenging’ when the 3D remake is about 4 million times harder.
That list is rock solid all the way through, which is a testament to just how amazing the SNES' library really was, and indeed still in even now, because these 2D 16-bit games hold up nigh-on perfectly even 30 years later.
Here's my personal Top 10 SNES Games of All Time: https://inceptionalnews.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/kirks-top-10-super-nintendo-games-in-pics/
Can't even find Saturday Night Slammasters in the game listings to vote for it...
@Littlemac905 There was actually a sequel for the PS1 named Chrono Cross
Great list, I agree with the top 10 100%.
The problem I have with lists like this that are simply based on votes is that they're more of a popularity contest. And that's understandable since, if you haven't played a game that's not so popular, you can't vote for it. And no one has played every game. But these lists are also for amusement and discussion, and that's fine. Here I am leaving a comment. When it comes to the SNES, a lot of the games that make these lists don't do much for me. For example, I'm not a fan of Castlevania 4, Contra 3, and Axelay, among others. Having had a look at this list, I'd put Ninja Warriors Again above a good portion of this list, as that is one of my favorite SNES games and I never get tired of it.
Still missing of the classics like Star Wars and some of the Disney games.
I mean there's no way that a list compiled by voting will be on point, but boy this list is silly. Earthbound may not be an incredible "game" but I think it has the status of literature. So the fact that Yoshi's Island, Diddy Kong quest, and Super Mario RPG are above it is super disconcerting. Yoshi's island in particular is baffling because its not the worst game, but it has rotten elements and the fact that its sequels codified those elements makes those elements stand out more.
Any list that has Super Mario Kart all the way down at number 20 opens itself up to ridicule.
Oh look, the overrated Earthbound is in the top 10. Surprise, surprise...
@NintendoArchive They are above Erathbound because they are more FUN.
These are Video GAMES. They meant to be PLAYED. Not READ.
@DK-Fan if that's your only metric by which you judge this medium..........
@PeeKayy Thanks but I played through Chrono cross a couple of time. I think there is so much potential to make more entries into the series.
@the_beaver
I probably would have voted it high, but being in America I never got the chance to play it. Which is a shame since I loved Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia.
I love a Link to the Past but Super Metroid is by far the best.
The games Of child hoods Are so fun
@rdrunner1178 Nowadays, it's fairly easy to play SNES games on a PC. And honestly, I don't even think that's considered piracy anymore XD. It's not that they can make money out of that...
There are so many games on this list (mostly from Square) that I wish would end up on the Super Nintendo app for Nintendo Switch Online. Seriously would love an easier way to play the original Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG that Nintendo Switch Online affords.
@DK-Fan Earthbound deserves to be on the list and should be higher up in my opinion. Even if the game had been released in Europe I very much doubt I would have bought it at the time but when it was released on Wii U VC I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and it didn't disappoint. Great game with an amazing varied soundtrack, good story and amusing dialogue.
My favorite game, Chrono Trigger, at number 1 - that's what I like to see!
In response on the video: Earthbound is not on NSO yet right?? That would be great news!! Will check later
@Gaviin Looks like for a few games they’ve included the Wii Shop Channel release date instead of their SNES release date. Which makes sense for games like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy II (IV) and III (VI), Earthbound and Super Mario RPG that never made it to Europe, but definitely not for Actraiser and Sim City!
@Chrysologus I guess because FFV was never released for the SNES in Europe or the US, and didn’t make it to the Wii or Wii U shop either?
Not a bad list but Super Mario Kart is way too low at 20 (should be top 10) as is F-Zero at 34 (should be top 20).
Also having 15 RPGs/Adventure games in the top 50 is a bit excessive. I’d have taken a few of them and the original SFII out and would have replaced them with Gradius III, R-Type III, Pilotwings, Super Tennis, Cybernator, Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts, and Kirby’s Ghost Trap/Avalanche/Super Puyo Puyo.
It still smarts that 4 of the top 10 were never released in Europe until the Wii/Wii U virtual consoles.
@dartmonkey Can we get the four Mortal Kombat games added to the database?
@Chrysologus All added.
Bad list. It's clear that the people who write these haven't played more than 100 odd SNES games. No Blackthorne, Biometal, King of Demons, Battle Master, Pocky & Rocky 1 & 2, Ogre Battle etc. yet The Lost Vikings gets in there? lol. Hell Secret of Mana isn't even as good as it's sequel. Reads like a list made by a complete noob new to SNES gaming, and not someone who should be judging which are the best games on the system.
@Falksi No one wrote the list, it's just user ratings. As such, it's based only on popularity.
@KimboJimbo They need to play more games.
Oh I don't know if SF Alpha 2 deserves to be on this list. Play the snes version and then play the actual arcade version and you'll see what I mean. There's so much slow down it's almost unplayable.
I cannot vote on final fantasy v....
I could see some of these titles eventually getting onto the Virtual Console at some point but I would like to see some lesser known titles like Clayfighters or Out to Lunch added as well.
Megaman 7 is really good, shame it ism't here.
@Falksi I don't think of a couple of those you listed were released outside of Japan?
@CammyUnofficial True, but you could still get them even back in the day. I had most on import.
Some all time great, stellar gaming there. Maybe the two top Street Fighter II iterations could do with being higher.
@Chrysologus fair enough... not to say that it isn't a good game of course. Perhaps there's an error in the algorithm
With the SNES, arguably, having the greatest games library of any system, you'll never get the order right on this list, as it will be different for everyone. That said, this list is completely invalidated by the omission of Mario Paint.... and Axelay... and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts... and Super Star Wars... and Pilotwings... and Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse... and Earthworm Jim... and Super Smash TV... and Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose!
Several iterations of the same Street Fighter game but no Mortal Kombat? At least MKII should've been on the list!
A couple of really good sport games missing but I understand why that genre doesn't show up much. Can't argue too much with the top 10.
❗NO 'Kick ⚽️ff 3: European Challenge'?
DISGUSTING!
😛😛😛
@dartmonkey Super Bomberman "(the first of five, of which we saw three in the West)" Three games for PAL gamers. In America, we only got the first two, even then it seems finding the localized version of the second game was a little rare and pricey.
I guess I'm just a weird nerd; FFIII and Chrono Trigger I loved, hell I loved almost all these games, but Ogre Battle is my favorite SNES game of all time and was left off 😭😭😭
Funny, nr.1 is a game that I've tried so many times to play and I just can't for the live of me get into it.
Added Earthworm Jim and Magical Quest to the database
I feel sad reading through this top 50 as there are dozens of better Japanese region games that were either missed or omitted from the master list. People either haven't heard of them or played them.
Use Mystical Ninja as an example. The 3 sequels are all great games and don't get a look in.
The SNES library in Japan is probably the best library of games for any system, ever.
This is a Top 50 of games recognised by Nintendolife and nothing more.
@Jmjfrank Super Mario Kart shouldn't be top 10 or even top 50. But in my opinion it could be top 100. It's a great game, and we remember it for the multiplayer modes. And it's good because if we had focused on singleplayer 100cc as kids, this IP would've had no future. It's just bad. Enemies cheat by having up to 3 superpowers per lap. If they touch you, you bounce away. If you touch them, you bounce away too.
@X68000 Other example: Alcahest. A japan-only game made by Square and HAL. If only this game was released in the USA and Europe it'd be widely considered a top 25 game and Alen, its protagonist, would be in Smash, no doubt whatsoever.
I'm just happy Super Metroid isn't #1 for once. I don't get the fascination for this game. The music is good but heavily misused, and there's a ton of time wasted... to which fans will answer it's the game's charm. I like it, but I'm not extremely convinced it belongs in a top 50.
I'm not sure why Trials of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 3) isn't on the list. It's like a million times better than Secret of Mana, and it's easily one of the best games on the SNES. Awesome list otherwise.
@Blauze Super Metroid is easily a top 50 game. I would say top 10. Everything about it is amazing. I'm not sure what reason you would have for not putting it in the top 50. What game would you replace it with? Also, Super Mario Kart is easily a top 50 game. Do you know of any other racing game on the SNES that's better?
@mandlecreed For a system that's got around 1700 games, that's not THAT good lol
@HalBailman Any man who recognizes the SNES RPG's have dated FAR more than their action games is a wise man.
Some shocking omissions really:
Etc.
They've gone for names over quality, and don't seem to recognize how poorly some of the grindy RPGs have held up. Earthbound is trash which is just obsessively loved by niche fans, and I wouldn't put my worst enemy through the drudge of playing it. Never mind include it over any of the games I listed. I sometimes wonder if the people who do these lists have actually played any SNES games outside of the usual 50-100 which everyone has played lol.
@dartmonkey Could we get the SNES games Space Megaforce (aka Super Aleste) and Tecmo Super Bowl added to the database. The NES version of Tecmo Super Bowl is there, but not the SNES version.
@Chrysologus Added.
❗️My Top 5️⃣ SNES Games:
1️⃣Super Mario World
2️⃣Super Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers
3️⃣Street Fighter 2: Turbo-Hyper Fighting
4️⃣Super Mario Allstars (no SMW)
5️⃣Kick Off 3: European Challenge
There are some classic games that I haven't played, so I can't rank them (yet). For example, I plan/hope to eventually play Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Earthbound, Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, and Terranigma. In the meantime...
Here is my SNES Top 20:
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
2. Final Fantasy III [U.S.] [a.k.a. Final Fantasy VI]
3. Super Metroid
4. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
5. Rock n' Roll Racing
6. Super Mario World
7. Super Mario All-Stars
8. Kirby Super Star
9. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
10. Chrono Trigger
11. Contra III: The Alien Wars
12. Super Mario Kart
13. Secret of Evermore
14. Super Star Wars - Return of the Jedi [Super Return of the Jedi]
15. Super Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back [Super Empire Strikes Back]
16. Gradius III
17. Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures
18. Donkey Kong Country
19. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
20. King of Dragons
The following games are missing from the SNES database:
These are games that I am aware of and checked for in the database. I haven't played all of them (just 8 of them), but the article indicates Nintendo Life's intention to add the full SNES library of games. And I want to be able to rate all of the games I have played, and give other people the same opportunity.
Also, I discovered that Seiken Densetsu 3 (a.k.a. Trials of Mana) currently has a score of 8.5 with 113 votes, which seems like enough to qualify the game to be in the Top 50 Best SNES Games, since the stated minimum number of votes is 50. As the list stands now, it should be in the top 20 games. Is there a rule for this list that only English/Western releases are allowed to rank in the Top 50?
@Littlemac905 yes there is unofficial part of the chrono trigger is chrono trigger crimeson echeos but you will feel its just chrono trigger <3
my first love game is Chrono Trigger <3 specially schala magus zeality
@AspiringSquire Totally agree with the Disney Games. They were amazing, particularly Aladdin. I played that game to death.
Does anyone remember Claymates? I think it started to get too hard and repetitive towards the end but I thought it was really fun and a unique idea.
@dartmonkey Seiken Densetsu 3 is at 8.4 with 115 ratings, why isn't it on the list?
@amixForever As a general rule, we don't include import-only titles in these lists. The only exception that springs to mind is Mother 3 on the GBA one.
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