Top 15 SNES Era Video Games of All Time

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - November 26th 2025, 17:00 GMT+1

Cropped Super Mario All Stars SNES — 15. Super Mario All-Stars (1993)

Booting up this collection feels like opening a time capsule stuffed with pure platforming comfort, only everything inside has been polished until it practically gleams. The upgraded visuals give each stage a welcome refresh, making familiar jumps and hazards feel just a little more alive. There’s a certain thrill in revisiting these classics as a bundle, like rediscovering old tricks you forgot you even knew. The gameplay remains tight and responsive, reminding you why these titles became the blueprint for countless platformers. Whether you’re replaying levels from muscle memory or fumbling through them all over again, the charm sticks effortlessly. | © Nintendo

14. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (1995)

Adventure hits a confident stride the moment the game drops you into its moody pirate themes and pitch-perfect platforming rhythm. The variety in levels feels carefully tuned, swinging between playful challenge and surprisingly intricate layouts. Diddy and Dixie’s pairing allows for a flow that’s satisfyingly nimble, especially once you start noticing how differently they approach each obstacle. The soundtrack stands out immediately, threading atmosphere through every swamp, hive, and bramble. Hidden secrets reward the curious without turning exploration into a chore, making each world feel rich with purpose. | © Nintendo

Cropped Star Fox 1993 — 13. Star Fox (1993)

There’s a retro-futuristic charm in watching those polygonal ships glide across the screen, a reminder of how ambitious the Super FX chip felt at the time. Dogfights carry a brisk pace that still hits the sweet spot between arcade chaos and focused shooting. The branching paths push you to replay missions, if only to see what oddball challenge waits on the next route. Characters like Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy deliver personality through minimalist dialogue that somehow sticks. Every mission adds a slightly different rhythm, keeping the campaign from ever settling into predictability. | © Nintendo

Cropped Mega Man X — 12. Mega Man X (1993)

From the instant that opening highway stage kicks in, the game radiates a sharp confidence that sets it apart from its predecessors. Movement feels unbelievably fluid, and wall-jumping adds a layer of vertical strategy that reshapes every encounter. Each Maverick stage carries its own identity, encouraging you to experiment with boss order until you find the perfect rhythm. Upgrades give the adventure a sense of progression that feels earned rather than handed out. The soundtrack’s energetic pulse helps lock the whole experience together, amplifying every tense moment. | © Capcom

Cropped Secret of Mana — 11. Secret of Mana (1993)

Stepping into its vibrant world means embracing a style of action RPG that flows with a quiet, rhythmic warmth. Real-time combat creates a lively pace, swinging between strategic cooldown timing and energetic movement. The ring menu system keeps the action smooth, letting you swap spells and items without breaking immersion. Traveling with a trio of characters adds a cozy party dynamic, even when their AI occasionally makes bold choices of its own. Towns and fields unfold with a gentle sense of wonder, giving exploration an almost storybook charm. | © Square Enix

Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars — 10. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)

There’s an unmistakable charm in how this adventure blends Mario’s familiar world with a surprisingly heartfelt RPG structure, creating something that still feels one-of-a-kind. Battles move with a snappy rhythm thanks to timed inputs, giving encounters a playful energy instead of the usual turn-based stiffness. The cast grows into a highlight of its own, mixing classic faces with quirky newcomers who carry the story with real personality. Exploration feels cozy yet layered, rewarding curiosity without bogging you down in unnecessary complexities. The humor lands often, balancing whimsy with just enough emotional weight to make its key moments resonate. | © Nintendo

Cropped Super Mario Kart — 9. Super Mario Kart (1992)

Firing up the early days of kart racing brings back that unmistakable mix of friendly competition and pure, chaotic luck. Each track handles differently enough to keep you alert, especially once hazards start piling up in all the wrong places. Characters animate with a certain retro attitude, making victories feel smug and losses feel personal in the best way. Battle Mode steals the spotlight more often than expected, turning quick skirmishes into miniature mind games. Even with its simplicity, the controls have a satisfying precision that holds up shockingly well today. | © Nintendo

Cropped Super Mario World 2 Yoshis Island — 8. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (1995)

Its pastel aesthetic sets the tone long before the platforming brilliance kicks in, giving the world a handcrafted warmth that’s instantly inviting. Yoshi’s flutter jumps and egg-throwing mechanics create a flow that’s distinct from other Mario titles, encouraging a gentler, more playful rhythm. Levels unfold with a sense of creativity that rarely repeats itself, always sneaking in a new twist just when you think you’ve seen everything. Baby Mario’s cries may raise your blood pressure, but they also raise the stakes in a way that keeps you focused. The soundtrack wraps everything in a breezy, whimsical mood that sticks with you. | © Nintendo

7. Street Fighter II Turbo (1993)

Matches snap to life with an intensity that makes every punch, kick, and fireball feel like its own small declaration of skill. Faster pacing elevates each bout, turning quick reactions into the deciding factor rather than sheer memorization. The roster remains iconic, with each fighter’s moveset offering enough nuance to keep you experimenting long after you’ve chosen a main. Multiplayer sessions easily slide from friendly warm-ups into heated rematches, the kind that always end with “okay, one more.” Its balance of accessibility and depth keeps it firmly planted at the top of the SNES fighting hierarchy. | © Capcom

Cropped Earth Bound — 6. EarthBound (1995)

Its offbeat take on suburban adventure transforms simple settings into something strangely enchanting, blending humor and melancholy with equal confidence. Combat leans into quirky mechanics that grow more interesting the deeper you get, especially once psychic abilities start mixing things up. Towns brim with oddball NPCs whose one-liners stick with you far longer than they should. The journey takes unexpected emotional turns without losing its playful edge, grounding its weirdness in genuine heart. It’s the sort of experience that lingers not because of spectacle, but because it understands how small, human moments can make an epic feel intimate. | © Nintendo

5. Super Metroid (1994)

The atmosphere wraps around you from the opening moments, pulling you into a world that feels lonely, hostile, and endlessly intriguing without ever needing to explain itself. Exploration unfolds like an elegant puzzle, guiding you with subtle environmental cues instead of handholding. Samus’s upgrades reshape the way you think about every corridor, turning backtracking into a rewarding loop rather than a chore. Boss battles hit with a satisfying weight, each encounter pushing you to read patterns instead of brute-forcing solutions. The soundtrack ties everything together, creating a slow-burn tension that never fully lets up. | © Nintendo

Cropped Final Fantasy III 1994 — 4. Final Fantasy III (VI) (1994)

Its ensemble cast weaves together one of the richest narratives of the 16-bit era, offering character arcs that feel surprisingly layered and emotionally grounded. Combat plays with smart variations on the active-time system, letting each party member carve out their own identity through unique mechanics. The world itself unfolds across two dramatically different halves, each bringing new surprises without losing the story’s momentum. Visual design pushes the SNES to impressive heights, making even small towns and dungeons feel alive with personality. Layered beneath the big dramatic beats is a quiet sense of resilience that gives the whole journey its heartbeat. | © Square Enix

Chrono Trigger 1993 — 3. Chrono Trigger (1995)

Time travel becomes far more than a narrative gimmick here – it shapes the entire flow of exploration, letting moments in one era echo meaningfully into another. Battles move quickly and fluidly, blending strategic depth with a refreshing sense of momentum that keeps encounters engaging. Each character brings something distinct, and their combined tech attacks add a satisfying cooperative edge to combat. The branching endings make every decision feel meaningful without drowning you in complexity. Its world feels warm, cohesive, and built with a level of care that still stands as a high point in RPG design. | © Square Enix

Super Mario World SNES — 2. Super Mario World (1991)

There’s an effortless confidence in how the game introduces new ideas, plays with them just long enough to delight you, and then moves on before anything overstays its welcome. The cape alone adds a near-limitless playground for movement, rewarding players who experiment with its quirky physics. Secret exits hide in ways that spark curiosity rather than frustration, turning the map into an unfolding web of possibilities. Yoshi’s debut adds a playful rhythm that complements the level design perfectly. Even today, its blend of creativity and precision feels almost untouchable. | © Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past — 1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)

The moment you step outside Link’s house, the world signals that this isn’t just another adventure – it’s a carefully crafted maze of mysteries waiting to be unraveled. The dual-world structure expands the sense of discovery, constantly recontextualizing familiar spaces with clever twists. Dungeons stand out as masterclasses of pacing and design, each one using its central mechanic to full effect. Combat and exploration mesh seamlessly, giving even small encounters a sense of momentum. It’s the rare game that feels endlessly replayable because its world simply refuses to run out of charm. | © Nintendo

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There’s something magical about the SNES era – maybe it’s the pixel art charm, maybe it’s the chiptune soundtracks that still live rent-free in our heads, or maybe it’s just the fact that these games had zero interest in holding your hand. Whatever the reason, going back to this era feels less like retro gaming and more like visiting an old friend who still remembers your save file. The mix of creativity, challenge, and sheer personality was on another level, and it shaped how an entire generation sees video games.

This list dives into the very best experiences the Super Nintendo had to offer, from genre-defining RPGs to platformers that still put modern releases to shame. Don’t be surprised if you get the sudden urge to dust off an old cartridge or fire up a trusty emulator. And hey – if you want to see what were the best games of the Wii, Nintendo 64, DS and GameCube era, we got you covered!