The Super Nintendo is one of the best consoles ever made, allowing Nintendo to establish an even more dominant foothold in the gaming industry. 16-bit gaming was quite enjoyable, with the timeless visuals being a blast to look at even now.
5 SNES JRPGs With The Best Stories, Ranked
When it comes to compelling narratives, it's hard to beat the following JRPGs released on the SNES.
Sure, the dated nature of this era means that some games are bound to have aged poorly. However, there are other SNES games that are still a blast to play even now and should be experienced by fans of all ages.
8 Zombies Ate My Neighbors
A Charming Run-and-Gun Title With Tough Yet Rewarding Gameplay
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
- Released
- July 19, 1993
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Cartoon Violence
- Genre(s)
- Run and Gun
Zombies Ate My Neighbours is a hard yet challenging shoot-em-up that's best experienced in co-op. As challenging as the game is, the patented LucasArts charm and humor ensure that fans will have a great time with this title.
The difficulty is a product of its time and something that fans may relish, especially given how easy modern gaming is. The visuals still look great and are perfect for fans who enjoyed the point-and-click games of this gaming behemoth and want to check out something different from their usual genre.
7 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
A Legendary RPG That Barely Needed Any Tweaks When It Was Remade
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Released
- May 13, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The fact that the Super Mario RPG remake simply improved the visuals without changing gameplay too much is a testament to how well this title has aged. Mario's quest to save the world from the villainous actions of the Smithy Gang is surprisingly engaging, with SquareSoft's DNA plastered all over this title.
The real-time prompts let players mitigate damage and enhance the effectiveness of their attacks. It's a simple yet fun way to make turn-based combat more involving as players explore the many zones in this game and acquire the star fragments scattered by the Smithy Gang.
6 EarthBound
This Anti-JRPG Continues To Influence Modern Role-Playing Masterpieces
Earthbound
- Released
- June 5, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Crude Humor
- Genre(s)
- RPG
To this day, Earthbound influences some of the best indie RPGs ever made, with notable mentions being Undertale and Omori. This anti-JRPG was so ahead of its time that fans didn't fully appreciate its brilliance until a few years passed.
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Ness and his friends embark on a quirky adventure for the ages across what seems like a rudimentary modern setting as they take out Giygas before his evil annihilates the world. The charming moments of Earthbound, coupled with certain uneasy sections, help this game stand out as one of the best JRPGs of its time.
5 Super Metroid
A Game Responsible For Co-creating A New Gaming Genre Was Bound To Be Ahead Of Its Time
Super Metroid
- Released
- April 18, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Metroidvania
It's only a given that any game ahead of its time would be infinitely playable to this day. Such is the case with Super Metroid, which focused on exploration as players found new powers and used them to traverse inaccessible sections of the game world.
It was a simple yet ingenious way to reward players for their progress, and it still feels great to this day. Super Metroid's iconic boss fights and memorable exploration are in a class of their own and will entertain both new and returning fans.
4 Final Fantasy 6
The Ensemble Cast And Non-Linear Latter Half Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Before Final Fantasy 6, there weren't many games that toyed around with the idea of nonlinear exploration on such a massive scale. This is why fans loved the sheer scale of this plot and how things became more dire than they could've expected after Kefka disturbed the balance of the Warring Triad.
All of a sudden, the world was thrust into a state of ruin, prompting Celes to round up the game and launch one final assault on Kefka's Tower. The World of Ruin is easily the highlight of Final Fantasy 6 and makes it all the more rewarding as players acquire the party members in whatever order they wish before taking out Kefka, who has turned into a pseudo-god.
3 Super Mario World
One Of The Best Platforming Games Ever Made
Super Mario World
- Released
- August 23, 1991
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Super Mario World is hailed by many as one of the best platformers ever made. It perfected the 2D Mario formula, letting players explore unique stages and try to circumvent numerous platforming challenges.
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The sheer amount of charm present in Super Mario World is quite palpable to this day. Modern Mario platformers may have advanced by leaps and bounds, but players who want to enjoy a simpler time will love what this title brings to the table.
2 Chrono Trigger
A JRPG That Is Held As The Golden Standard To This Day
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Genre(s)
- RPG
To this day, Chrono Trigger is held as the gold standard of what JRPGs should strive to achieve. It's a title brimming with endless charm and novel gameplay elements that were ahead of their time.
The lack of a battle screen was quite innovative back in the day, and this title let players tackle Lavos whenever they wished after gaining access to the Epoch. However, most people recommended that players get around to this in New Game+, which was yet another new thing Chrono Trigger introduced to the gaming world.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
A Beautiful Action-Adventure Title That Still Feels Great To Play
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- Released
- April 13, 1992
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
The classic Legend of Zelda adventure games will always hold a soft spot in the hearts of fans, especially when it comes to A Link to the Past. The charming world, simple yet intuitive gameplay, and epic sense of adventure have more than held up in this title.
Players will be missing out on a piece of gaming history if they haven't checked out this title yet. It has aged gracefully, with its amazing art style and visual design putting most modern titles to shame.
