Capcom essentially created a genre with this game. While one-on-one fighters existed prior to its release (the original Street Fighter being just one example), this game pioneered many concepts which are now commonplace.
The first Street Fighter II on the SNES remains a solid fighter, but pure nostalgia might not be enough for some. When you consider the two direct SNES sequels added so much, it can be hard to go back.
If you're one of the few who preferred the 'purity' of the game before Capcom started tweaking, adding new fighters and filling the titles with daft adjectives and punctuation, this still packs a punch, though.
It's Punch-Out!! with more colour, more character, 16-bit visuals, and the same timing-based gameplay that makes every entry in this series a pleasure to revisit.
The arcade original is available on Switch as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives line, and Super Punch-Out!! comes as part of the Nintendo Switch Online collection, so it's easy to get your hands on these days.
Which is nice, because it's up there with the finest games on the system.
Combining an overhead 'god' mode with some side-on, sword-swinging, platforming goodness, ActRaiser wraps put two distinct styles of gameplay with an incredible score by Yuzo Koshiro (you may have noticed that we're quite partial to his tunes around these parts).
In isolation, the component gameplay parts perhaps don't hold up as well as they might, but taken as a whole with its brilliant soundtrack, Quintet's game is unmissable.
F-Zero was an incredible template on which its sublime successors were modelled, and for that we shall forever be thankful.
That's not to say the original isn't a gem in its own right — it's a racing classic that feels fast and tight to this day — but its lack of multiplayer tends to put it behind its sequels, at least in our minds (a criticism that F-Zero 99 addressed).
Still, this remains a thrilling 16-bit ride and we're more than happy to fire it up again (via Nintendo Switch Online if we don't happen to have our SNES hooked up) whenever the notion takes us.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors feels like what you get if you somehow turned Contra into a second-rate horror movie. If shooting everything in sight and blowing stuff up is your thing (and given your penchant for video games, we'll go out on a limb and say it probably is), you're going to love this unusual Super Nintendo action title.
Developed by LucasArts and put out by Konami, it might be a little on the strange side, but any time you're given the opportunity to shoot a zombie in the face with a bazooka, you know you're in for a real treat.
Another Konami classic, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is a fun, colourful, challenging action-adventure of the kind we wish we saw more of; playing as "Kid Ninja" — or Goemon, for fans of his Nintendo 64 adventures — reminds us that a little personality goes a long way in making games memorable.
Its challenging, deceptively simple gameplay is paired with a wacky, irreverent story, and surprising minigames keep things fresh. Spawning a series that would continue after the SNES was gone, if you're looking for something light-hearted, addictive, and rewarding, it's hard to go wrong with the Mystical Ninja.
For many, Mortal Kombat II remains the absolute pinnacle of the franchise, despite the numerous additions and improvements made by subsequent entries. There was a purity to the game that is just as appealing now as it was back in 1993, but there's also no denying that it's jam-packed with iconic characters, excellent locations, and ludicrous fatalities. Thankfully, Nintendo saw sense in allowing the release of Mortal Kombat II on the SNES in all its bloody glory, and it's all the better for it.
Lufia II is easily one of the top-tier Super Nintendo RPGs; challenging, humorous, and a joy to play. Combine its unique visual stylings, the efficient turn-based combat system, and the beautifully orchestrated soundtrack, and you get one absolutely unforgettable RPG experience on a system with its fair share of those.
Before we all got spoiled with the full-motion video and millions of polygons per second of today's epic role-playing games, we had things like this that had much more to them than flashy visual effects and voice-overs.
Although not as close to perfection as its two siblings — Soul Blazer and the later Terranigma — it's not hard to see why Nintendo themselves published Illusion of Gaia outside Japan.
Known as Illusion of Time in Europe, it is incredibly linear compared to the other two, with not a single side quest other than collecting Red Jewels and many areas becoming forever inaccessible as the game progresses, severely limiting your sense of freedom. Monsters don't respawn, either, making repeat visits to dungeons pointless.
However, aided by a larger narrative, a great soundtrack, and improved visuals, it still manages to be one of the most entertaining action RPGs on the SNES, and a fitting second game in the trilogy.
Following on from Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II added four new fighters and some excellent gameplay modes, yet arguably doesn't manage to overshadow its predecessor.
Turbo was, for many, the game where SF2 reached its peak; by the time Super came around, the SNES was about to give way to 32-bit systems and the popularity of one-on-one fighters was starting to diminish. But this is still an exceptionally enjoyable fighter with plenty of depth, appealing visuals, and excellent two-player potential.
Like so many games in Capcom's blue-hued back catalogue, Mega Man X2 doesn't really do much in the way of innovation. You could argue that it feels more like a level pack for the previous game if you were feeling uncharitable, but given the sheer quality of its predecessor, it's hard to get upset.
While it's obviously a bit less original, X2 is very solid and delivers 'more of the same' with style.
Rounding out the DKC trilogy, Dixie and Kiddy's adventure to find DK and Diddy is still a pleasure today.
It arguably can't quite reach the highs of the second chapter in Rare's trio of DK delights, but Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! looked better than ever and gave you some choice with a non-linear map to explore and options should you hit a roadblock.
So, while we'd start with the earlier games if you're playing via NSO, this capped off the Countries on SNES nicely.
Final Fantasy IV (or II as US gamers knew it in '91) might show its age, but the SNES version remains a brilliant way to experience this seminal series entry. There's something quite charming and engaging about this classic, a testament to its staying power, and any RPG fan who missed out will quickly recognise what all the fuss was about.
Of course, you might want to check it out in Pixel Remaster form now — it's certainly the easiest way if you own a Switch — but whatever way you play it, just know you're picking up an all-timer.
Few role-playing experiences are quite as enjoyable or engrossing as Terranigma, 16-bit or otherwise. Not only is the quest absolutely epic in size, but the way the storyline continues to evolve and unfold gives it a cinematic feel.
Terranigma did for action RPGs what games like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger did for the more traditional RPG market; it's one of those games that once you play, you'll never forget it.
Secret of Mana manages to take the action-adventure stylings of The Legend of Zelda and add that trademark Square RPG feel to it.
Easily available these days as part of the Collection of Mana, the combat may take some gamers a little time to get used to if you prefer more traditional role-playing games or you're coming from Squaresoft stablemate Final Fantasy, but you absolutely don't want to miss this beloved SNES classic if you're an action-RPG fan.
Contra III: The Alien Wars (or Super Probotector: Alien Rebels in Europe) is rightly cited as a shining star in the Super Nintendo catalogue, and the game has lost little of that lustre all these years later. You get fluid run-and-gunning, naturally, plus gorgeous presentation, tight controls, and a sheer intensity and attitude — an inimitable mood and tone — that set it apart from the pack.
Available on Switch as part of Konami's Contra Anniversary Collection, its refreshingly short completion time and ingenious stage structure come together beautifully to offset the one or two design drawbacks in the top-down levels. Those aside, Contra III still manages to strike the same chords it did in 1992.
Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting was a big deal when it launched on the SNES back in 1993. The Street Fighter craze was in full force and it was genuinely exciting to see the original game refined and improved in such a manner; you could finally play as the four boss fighters and the additional speed injection made things much faster and enjoyable.
Turbo is an improvement over its predecessor and offers more depth and entertainment as a result. Coming just a year after its predecessor, this was an essential Super NES purchase regardless.
This is less a game and more a smorgasbord of ideas thrown at the SNES which, somewhat improbably, congeals into a satisfying blend of games, sub-games, and minigames.
There are nine in total but the titular character is a versatile hero that manages to suck up these experimental bits and pieces and meld them into a whole greater than the sum of its parts. 'Cohesive' might be generous, but Kirby Super Star is thoroughly entertaining and well worth a look.
In Europe, Super Castlevania IV actually released before Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, which gives you some indication of why so many fans directly compare them, despite the power difference between the NES and SNES.
On many levels, Super Castlevania IV (which is essentially a retelling of the original game) scales things back. There are no branching pathways and Simon Belmont is the only character you get to control. However, in practically every other respect, Super Castlevania IV is arguably the better of the two.
The visuals and music are taken to an entirely new level thanks to the power of the 16-bit console, with the soundtrack, in particular, being one of the best you'll hear on any cartridge-based system. The gameplay, which makes good use of the SNES' Mode 7 capabilities, is as tight and engaging as you like, even if it's a little less challenging than the NES entries. A true classic.
What's a 16-bit console without a classic arcade-style side-scrolling beat 'em up? Turtles in Time matched the popularity of the licence and tapped into the zeitgeist in the early '90s, coming from Konami at a time when it seemed the company had trouble producing a bad video game.
This is an expensive cart to track down these days and for many years, despite tricky licensing issues, we hoped we'd see it again on a Nintendo console. Fortunately, our wishes came true with the Cowabunga Collection!
Rare's first foray into the world of DK and his cronies. Despite the visuals not wowing like they did back in 1994, the template put down in Donkey Kong Country would influence every DK title to come.
The redesigned DK looked brilliant, Dave Wise's music sounded incredible, and every aspect of the game demonstrated a stunning attention to detail that really showcased the hardware's impressive audio-visual capabilities, even as the dawn of the polygonal era approached.
While not quite as polished as you remember, DKC is still a classic that should be tracked down and enjoyed (which is much easier now that it's included in the Nintendo Switch Online SNES library).
Mega Man X is a fantastic game. It retains the charm and pacing of the classic 8-bit series and adds a much-appreciated spin of its own. With plenty of hidden items and upgrades (don't forget the super-secret one in Armored Armadillo's stage) and a host of fun new weapons to use, Mega Man X is a game worth playing again and again. And again.
Later entries in this sub-series might be a bit of a mixed bag, but there's no denying that this first one was — and is — a masterpiece.
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.
With the exception of Super Mario Bros. 2 (we'd say that All-Stars actually contains the 'best' version of that game), the originals ultimately still offer the prime, 'canon' experience, we'd argue. If you're playing this via Nintendo Switch Online, they're all accessible, so you can easily see for yourselves.
However, for anybody who first experienced the NES games in this package, we understand if All-Stars offers the ultimate nostalgia trip and represents peak 2D Mario for you. Everyone's a winner, however you play 'em.
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 an atmosphere that sticks in the memory long after you've put down the pad. You end up returning to this simply to enjoy your surroundings and have 'that feeling' again.
In fact, we've found that to be a feature of many Rare games, and the second DKC on SNES is a prime example. Debate will rage as to which entry is the greatest, but regardless, this is up there with the very, very best on the console.
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 - either in original 16-bit form or via the excellent Switch remake.
Super Mario RPG paved the way and inspired both, and we should be eternally thankful to Squaresoft for injecting character and humour into the plumber's repertoire.
EarthBound succeeds at not only being one of the most unique and refreshing RPG experiences ever created, but also one of the most epic and entertaining as well. Combining classic RPG gameplay elements with a heart-warming modern spin, the game somehow feels familiar yet strange all at the same time.
With a peerless visual style, soundtrack and storyline, playing EarthBound is like revisiting a vivid childhood memory of fun and adventure. You can't repeat the past, but you can certainly revisit it. Mother!
