20 Super Nintendo Games That Are STILL Worth Playing

“Super Mario Kart” (1992)

To tell you the truth, we almost wound up not putting “Super Mario Kart” on this list. Come on, who really has the patience for the amount of nonsense the AI pulls you through? There’s only one set of item boxes on this course, Toad - it’s impossible for you to launch three bananas in a single lap! Despite this, there is something rather comforting and fun about playing and replaying the first “Mario Kart”. “Simplicity” is the keyword as the music and course layouts bring a basic, arcade-y fun to the racing game genre. That and the multiplayer are what make “Super Mario Kart” worth coming back to. Just not as much as the other entries we have yet to go through.

“EarthBound” (1994)

To this day, “EarthBound” lives on in our minds because of the absurd visuals. We aren’t just talking about the way Ness and pals move about in the overworld. Tell us, what other RPG has you talking to two-legged moustached men while fighting sentient cars and aliens with an affinity for pogo sticks? It’s also an RPG that gets surprisingly dark in its narrative in contrast to the bright and cheery environments. But it’s these surprises that keep us coming back to EarthBound every now and again. If only Nintendo would give the IP the time of day outside of “Smash Bros.” and the occasional Switch Online re-release.

“Zombies Ate My Neighbors” (1993)

There aren’t too many non-Nintendo SNES games we keep revisiting, but we’d be remiss to leave out “Zombies Ate My Neighbors”. Kids today may dismiss this as “that one meh game that Dad grew up on”. As someone who’s parents loved everything about “The Goonies”, I can understand that sentiment. However, “Zombies Ate My Neighbors” really does hold up well in the controls and combat. Whether you’re playing on original hardware or on the port released in 2021, the game feels really good to play between the different weapons and even just from moving around. Really, this isn’t another “Goonies” situation - our parents did have some taste in the 90’s at least.

“F-Zero” (1991)

If you aren’t super compelled by “Mario Kart” for some tragic reason, then you might have been in the same boat as yours truly and preferred “F-Zero”. “F-Zero” is one of the very few SNES racing games that manages to age like fine wine every year. Controls are still spot-on, and the course designs and difficulty are fine-tuned to an almost perfect degree. It’s a really tough racing game, but it’s one worth going back to about as often as one would revisit “Super Mario Kart”.

“Killer Instinct” (1994)

Many fighting games got SNES ports in the 90’s. Many of them sucked. But of them all, “Killer Instinct” manages to earn a Supreme Victory and do so easily. This console port is almost immaculate when it comes to controls and visuals that it almost replicates the arcade experience to a tee. The visuals, the moves, the technical performance - it all works insanely well. The only gripe some of you out there may have is the difficulty. The AI is really cheap, really unforgiving to a point where you may not finish your ladder unless you bump down the difficulty…unless you absolutely love ramming your head into a wall. Regardless, “Killer Instinct” is the best fighting game ever made for SNES.

“Super Mario All-Stars” (1993)

If you can’t get past the 8-bit visuals of the first three “Super Mario Bros.” games (...for whatever reason), this collection is the best way to experience them. “Super Mario All-Stars” remakes all three games as well as the Japan-only “Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels” with brand new visuals and music. And the best part? “Super Mario Bros. 3” doesn’t have the glitched screen on the right side anymore! Every game is just as playable as the NES originals, and they all look pretty good despite the collection being decades old.

“Super Castlevania IV” (1991)

Out of all of the “Castlevanias” that came out before “Symphony of the Night”, we’d argue that “Super Castlevania IV” is the best of the bunch. This is the one that feels the most fair when it comes to checkpoints, knockback, and enemy placement. Because of this change in difficulty, “Super Castlevania IV” has become the perfect starting point for new and inexperienced players. On top of all that, the spritework makes the game look just as good as modern 2D games. Just don’t expect this one to be a total cakewalk.

“Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” (1995)

Now, this game is somewhat of a cakewalk. To tell you the truth, “Yoshi’s Island” is one of those games that will either charm its way into your heart…or straight up put you to sleep. The biggest hurdle you’ll ever have to worry about is getting Baby Mario back after taking a hit. Other than that, “Yoshi’s Island” rarely ever forces you to get sweaty and stressed out. And that’s kind of what we still love about it today - it doesn’t ask for much and focuses more on providing a fun experience with imaginative levels.

“NBA Jam” (1993)

If you’re a hockey fan, sure, maybe the NHL games are some of the best SNES games ever made. However, in our eyes, the best sports game to ever grace the console was “NBA Jam”. Just like the arcade version, the sound design, graphics, and gameplay were way too fun for us to want to play other sports games. Hearing “boomshakalaka” and “He’s on fire” helped get us in the zone when dunking and shooting for three-pointers. It really is a shame that they don’t make games like this anymore; now it’s all about “the simulation” and “look how realistic the players are”. Brother, I have more fun shattering backboards as Pippen than I do looking at LeBron’s sweaty pores. That is why “NBA Jam” is still the best basketball game ever made…next to “NBA Hangtime”.

“Donkey Kong Country” (1994)

“Mega Man X” (1993)

Capcom was really running “Mega Man” into the ground by this point. But none of us expected an entire new spin-off that reinvented the IP. “Mega Man X” is still the blueprint many action-platformers follow today with its plethora of different weapons, mechanics to encourage speedrunning, and creatively designed boss fights. Do we even need to mention the soundtrack, which still slaps harder than most modern games do? If you haven’t already, you need to go play “Mega Man X”. Please, do yourself a favor.

“Live A Live” (1994)

Now, this might seem like an odd choice on account of this never seeing a release in the West. Indeed, “Live A Live” was one of those region-locked games that Westerners could only play by sailing the high seas. But regardless if you became an internet Jack Sparrow or if you played the 2022 remake, “Live A Live” remains one of the most captivating RPGs ever created. Before “Octopath Traveler”, this game had us bouncing between stories from vastly different time periods, each one telling brilliant stories centered on humanity and finding purpose in one’s self.

“ActRaiser” (1990)

Jumping over to another Square Enix gem, “ActRaiser” is one of those games where you’re either going to get it or not. It's unique in how it blends regular action-based platforming with strategy & simulation mechanics. This was one of the first games to start blending genres, and it works rather well despite seeming confusing on paper. Our advice is that you just jump right into it. If you like action-platformers or games centered on managing cities, you’ll enjoy “ActRaiser”. Trust us, it's best to jump into it than try to have someone explain it to you.

“Super Punch-Out!!” (1994)

Those who found the original “Punch-Out” a tad too difficult probably found solace in this sequel. “Super Punch-Out!!” is much easier to play on account of the amount of sprites on screen, making it easier to read opponents. On top of that, the “star” system that powered up your punches was retired for this installment in favor of a single meter. This meter will slowly fill as the match goes on, and once full, you can try to land a devastating punch. This change added a layer of strategy that the other “Punch-Outs” don’t really have, which is why some of us prefer “Super Punch-Out” even if it's the weirder one of the series.

“Kirby’s Dream Course” (1994)

Regardless if you enjoy golf or detest the king’s game to no end, there is not a soul on this planet that can turn down a round of “Kirby’s Dream Course”. Players putt Kirby around small courses, bumping into every enemy until one is left. It's basic in concept, but the different layouts and gimmicks thrown in make this game insanely replayable. And if you ever have a friend over, “Kirby’s Dream Course” will become a new competitive game for you guys to get mad at each other over.

“Chrono Trigger” (1995)

There are so many reasons why anyone who enjoys video games needs to play “Chrono Trigger”. The story, the music, the combat, the character design, the environments, the boss fights - every bit about this game is going to become some of the most memorable moments in gaming for you just as it has with many folks. Unfortunately, “Chrono Trigger” has long been stranded on the SNES. There have been efforts from Square Enix in bringing the game forward, but the PC port was just a shoddy version of the mobile version…which itself was poor quality. Here’s hoping the original game finds its way to Switch Online…or just on all platforms would be nice.

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1991)

While fans of the 3D “Zelda” games will always sing praise of the same three games over and over again, fans of 2D “Zelda” games will always point to “A Link to the Past” as the best of this part of the franchise. And deservedly so! The spritework for the characters and environments is breathtaking, the design of every dungeon boasts fun tricks and puzzles, and the music…truly some of the best the series has ever had. Honestly, this is one of the few SNES games we would never want remade or remastered under any capacity.

“Final Fantasy VI” (1994)

Of all the RPGs you could possibly play from the SNES era, “Final Fantasy VI” is the one. This was the last of the original games that leaned more into the fantasy theme before the series went into industrial steampunk environments. And of the first six games, it is absolutely the best. Terra and Locke have some of the most compelling stories in “Final Fantasy” history, and Kefka is one of those villains you just love to hate. If it ever gets the FFVII remake treatment, expect the fanbase to go into a frenzy.

“Super Metroid” (1994)

Though the original “Metroid” laid the foundation for shooter-platformer games, “Super Metroid” was where the series went full force and found its true footing. From the detailed environments to the colossal boss fights, everything about “Super Metroid” was thrilling through and through. It is absolutely a must-play for anyone who claims to be a Nintendo fan as this was a genre-defining game. One playthrough will only bring a deeper appreciation for future installments like “Metroid Dread”. Even then, there is one SNES game that anyone who likes video games owes it to themselves to play.

“Super Mario World” (1990)

This is the one. “Super Mario World” is the SNES video game everyone should play and has aged gracefully as time marches forward. The levels, the secrets, the castles, the different paths that lead to new areas - it all creates such a beautiful experience where the adventure seems to always have something cool to show you. Heck, it’s fun just running around and messing with the cape’s flying mechanics for giggles. “Super Mario World” is one of those games that is just truly timeless, beautifully immaculate, and above all, flawless in every way.

Which SNES game do you find yourself coming back to? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!