The video game industry continues to evolve in surprising ways that only point to an even more exciting future. How this immersive medium is changing is always incredible, but certain constants feel like they will never go away, such as Nintendo’s involvement as a first-party game developer. Nintendo’s Switch has enjoyed unprecedented success and the company doesn’t have to worry about the future.
However, it’s equally important to look back to the past and show respect for the past titles that helped Nintendo get to where they are today. The Super Nintendo was a groundbreaking console for the company that launched a number of iconic franchises. That said, some great SNES games remain in the shadows, but are just as worthy of praise and attention.
10/10 Mega Man Soccer turns the blue bomber into a sports star
Mario is quintessentially Nintendo’s go-to mascot to headline a sports game or multiplayer party, but Mega Man Football is a Super Nintendo game that tries to put Capcom’s popular action-platformer into a slightly exaggerated take on sports.
curious, Mega Man Football is a decent football game and a nice twist on the Mega Man formula, but despite its success it didn’t get a sequel. Once again, Mega Man Football doesn’t seem nearly as niche or weird as Klonoa Beach Volleyball.
Zombies ate my neighbors was a groundbreaking console release from LucasArts that was able to break into the mainstream for its outlandish titles. The same development team was responsible for: Metal Warriorsan even better game that combines action, combat, shooting and exploration missions inspired by mecha anime.
Metal Warriors is ahead of its time, and it’s a game that would immediately find an audience today, but its generic presentation in the mid-1990s led to it getting lost in the shuffle.
8/10 Uniracers does its best with its atypical competitive premise
There’s no shortage of weird racing titles trying to do something different with the competitive game genre. The Super Nintendo is quite limited with what it can achieve in a racing game, and it’s really just Super Mario Kart and F-zero that leave their mark.
Uniracers leans on an exaggerated design scheme with absurd 2D and an emphasis on stunts, all performed by driverless unicycles. The whole concept is weird, and while it’s easy to see why a “Uniracers 64” never came, it’s an entertaining risk worthy of more love.
7/10 Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures Perfectly Recapture the Greatest Movie Franchise
There are some exceptional originals Indiana Jones stories told on PC through point-and-click adventure games. LucasArts’ The Greatest Adventures of Indiana Jones instead functions as the franchise’s equivalent for the SNES’ Super Star Wars series. The extended action platformer covers Indiana Jones‘ original three adventures, showcasing captivating gameplay and seriously impressive graphics, including rudimentary cutscenes, that push the console to its limits.
Modern audiences have become accustomed to sprawling collections that mimic a massive cinematic series through LEGO, but there’s an immediacy to it. The Greatest Adventures of Indiana Jones that is lacking in many newer titles.
6/10 Goof Troop is a Disney game with a surprising depth that comes from a growing design master
Capcom has a history of various modifications to Disney properties, many of which appeared on Nintendo consoles. It’s very easy to underestimate these kinds of games as soulless licensed products, but they sometimes bear surprising fruit.
The Super Nintendos Goof Troopfor example, was one of the first video games designed by Shinji Mikami or Resident Evil, Dino Crisisand The evil within fame. There’s a surprising depth to it Goof Troop adventure, and the game’s structure was even used for a very early beta of Resident Evil.
5/10 Phalanx is a sublime shoot-’em-up action derailed by poor marketing
phalanx is one of the most entertaining space shooters to hit the Super Nintendo, but it’s a game that has been widely overlooked due to its puzzling box art that highlights an actual photo of a banjo-playing prospector rather than something from the shoot-’em-up title.
This box art proved so controversial that the Game Boy Advance was re-released for phalanx created a completely different look to avoid the same mistake. Now, more than ever, the captivating gameplay of phalanx is needed to breathe new life into the swinging genre.
4/10 Blackthorne is a unique world of loss and ruin created by master storytellers
An early attempt by Blizzard Entertainment, blackthorn is an extremely ambitious platformer that throws audiences into the futuristic dystopia of Tuul, a planet where humanity is on the brink of extinction. blackthorn thrives on its maze-like worlds that feel truly otherworldly in nature.
The platformer also has an impressive world build for a game of its nature, and the gameplay features unique weapon-based combat that relies on leaning against walls. It’s a challenging adventure, but well worth it, and the audience for blackthorn only increased after its 2021 release Blizzard Arcade Collection.
3/10 Secret Of Evermore is an ambitious action RPG that gets lost in the shuffle
Squaresoft was synonymous with top-tier RPG titles in the 80s and 90s, and Secret of Evermore is one of their more obscure offerings for the Super Nintendo; the Japanese release was even canceled completely. Secret of Evermore jumps through different realms defined by their contrasting periods, plus the player’s shape-shifting dog sidekick makes for the perfect companion.
However, the game’s base title makes it blend in with any other SNES Squaresoft RPG, and it has to be played to be well appreciated.
2/10 Shadowrun is a cyberpunk action RPG that goes back to the genre’s founding roots
The video game industry has finally reached a point where it feels like it can explore enough and take full advantage of what the cyberpunk sci-fi subgenre has to offer. 1993’s shadow run is a flawed masterpiece that has more success than not, but it deserves serious credit for attempting such a lofty adaptation on the 16-bit console.
Located in 2050, shadow run is an action RPG that takes deep inspiration from the traditional pen-and-paper mechanics of role-playing. This proved too intense for mainstream audiences, but those wanting a mature, old-fashioned RPG won’t be disappointed.
1/10 The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is a unique platformer with endless personality
Many Nintendo fans first got to know Goemon, the Mystical Ninja, through his few inventive titles on the Nintendo 64. However, there are a few more Legend of the Mystical Ninja games for the Super Nintendo that are located outside of Japan.
The legend of the mystical ninja for the SNES stands out as one of the strangest titles on the 16-bit console because of the way it retains its Japanese personality, especially with its boss designs. There’s a lot of depth in terms of what the player can do in this world, and the unusual box art and vague title have kept the audience at bay.
0 Comments