SNES Collecting

[Demonic Weasel]

I'm thinking I may start collecting for my SNES. I can't start however until I have some advice to go on for titles which is what I want. I'm particuarly interested in RPG's (as always) but if anybody can recommend a couple of action, platformers, fighters, or beat 'em ups that's welcome too.

[j_factor]

All of the SNES RPGs that were hidden gems back then are now widely publicized on the internet. I'd say recommendations are probably unnecessary in this area, because it seems everybody already knows about everything. The exceptions seem to be Robotrek (which is pretty good but not amazing) and The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang (which is absolutely amazing and you need to get this now).

One of the best beat 'em ups ever made was Super Double Dragon. Despite the continuing nostalgia for Double Dragon and DD2, Super DD seems to be pretty overlooked nowadays. Some people consider it to be "too SNES-y", but it's really good regardless.

Also, I hereby forbid you to not get Kirby Super Star. Really great platformer.

[Drixxel]

RPGs, eh? SNES'll do you right. And while like j_factor said there does exist a shocking amount of SNES RPG love on the internet, you asked for details, so 'ere they be.

Some of the more popular choices include the likes of...

-Breath of Fire
-Breath of Fire II
-Chrono Trigger
-Earthbound
-Final Fantasy II
-Final Fantasy III
-Secret of Mana
-Super Mario RPG
-The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past

..and they're all worth exploring, although if you plan to start up a collection, expect inflated prices, especially if you're in the market for complete copies. I've never played the two SNES Lufia games, but I hear they're excellent as well.


Some of my personal favourite SNES RPGs would have to be:

Earthbound: Damn, what a strange game.. but how very awesome. It may require an open mind to accept the simplified graphical style of it, but this is an RPG I have no hesitation in describing as supremely unique and worthy of your time.

Final Fantasy III: Well, what can I say.. it's so widely loved for a reason. Great characters and storyline, and while Espers may not be as cool as the job system of FFV, there is still a lot of depth in terms of stat development.

Secret of Mana: Unless you're playing with at least another human, the game doesn't reach it's true potential, but it's still rather a great action RPG. As far as combat is concerned, it's layed out more like a turn-based system than action RPGs you are probably used to. It features some very "creative" collision detection at times.. but don't let that deter you.

Shadowrun: Gritty, moody, great.

Soul Blazer: a cooly executed blend of Gauntlet-styled combat (complete with enemy spawn points), creative storyline, and exploration. The first of a series of three, and they're all pretty groovy games, although Terranigma (#3) never saw a North American release, in spite of receiving an English translation.

Super Ninja Boy: Outrageous, startlingly translated, and a rather entertaining quest through "Chinaland." Culture Brain put out some wacky shit..

The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past: If you have even a vague fondness for Zelda, this one is almost too obvious.

Ys III: Wanderers From Ys: I've been told this is probably the worst version available, but having not played the rest, I dig it. Muchly.

Robotrek's pretty cool, too. Hilarious translation, but that may have been intentional. I started a game in Dragon View not long ago, and so far am enjoying that for the most part... very much an action focus. If you've not played Arcus Odyssey on Genesis, there's a decent port of it for the SNES.

..and if you're willing to explore the Super Famicom scene, you'll find Shining Force-like goodness in the company of the three Fire Emblems.



In terms of other SNESery, if I were to recommend only one other game, it'd have to be Super Metroid. Damn, there's a game.

[Melf]

I'll be posting my entire SNES collection for sale sometime in the next week or so, so that'll be a great start for you! :p

[Drixxel]

Melf, what madness has prompted this SNES ejection?

[Demonic Weasel]

Much thanks for the answers, and while I've heard of most of the RPG's, my knowledge doesn't run to deep as I was an extreme Sega fan and pretty much boycotted Nintendo back in the day.

And Melf, if I have enough cash at the time then I might think about it.

[David J.]

There's a lot of great SNES games, but a lot of them are way too expensive. So I rarely, and rarely buy games for it. Hell, I don't even have an AV cable for this system which shows how much I use it. And it's not yellowed!

Yes, I know N64 and Gamecube AV cables work fine, just too cheap to buy one.

[Drixxel]

I had some free time today, so I assembled a list of games I deem "worth checking out" to fill the other genres you mentioned, Demonic Weasel. There are undoubtedly titles I've forgotten, but I consider any one of these as being a solid starting point in one's collection. Categorizing between action and platform can be a little shaky at times on this list.. deciding whether a game is more "action" than "platform," or vice versa, is both pointless and unnecessary. Anyways, here goes.


>>>ACTION (shmups, action-platformers, run 'n guns, overhead shooters, etc.):


Axelay ... the mode 7 effects are a little overdone, but I find this to be a very good shooter otherwise. It's not as hard as gaming lore would lead you to believe.

Contra III: The Alien Wars ... well, it's Contra. Many find the mode 7 levels a bit lame, but this is one action-packed blastfest of a game.

Cybernator ... I don't like it as much as others do, but there is some stellar mecha action to be had here.

Gradius III ... one of my favourite shooters, although it suffers from frequent slowdown and new players will undoubtedly suffer from frequent cheap killings.

Metal Warriors ... Cybernator-like gameplay, only a little less inspired in my opinion. Still a fun game.

Ninja Gaiden Trilogy ... a barebones and underwhelming compilation, but regardless of the presentation, these are great games.

Nosferatu ... Fairly deep hand-to-hand combat with Prince of Persia-like level design, but more fluid control.

Operation Logic Bomb ... one of my favourite overhead shooters.

Pocky & Rocky 1 & 2 ... great overhead scrolling shooters, both of 'em.

Run Saber ... a very servicable Strider-styled action romp.

R-Type III: The Third Lightning ... an epic shooter.

Starfox ... superb rail shooter. Dated 3D graphics perhaps, but I can still have a great time with it.

Super Bomberman 1 & 2 ... While they truly shine in multiplayer, the single player modes are entertaining enough to be worth investing time in.

Super Smash TV ... quite the action classic.. very intense overhead shooter.

Super Punch-Out ... probably the finest arcade-styled boxing game ever. Somewhat outrageous and very engaging.

Super Turrican ... an excellent (if a bit disorganized in feel) run 'n gun - large levels, plenty of exploding things.

Super Turrican 2 ... a more straightforward blast fest than its predecessor, but still quite intense and fun.


>>>PLATFORM:


Plok ... a very unique and artistic limb-hurlin' platformer.

Sky Blazer ... I just started playing this, so I'm not entirely sure what to make of it yet, but I've heard good things.

Super Bonk ...not as strong as Bonk 1 and 2 for the TG-16, but it still entertains.

Super Castlevania IV ... a fantastic Castlevania instalment.. very effective control innovations increase playability considerably when compared to earlier Castlevanias.

Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts ... it plays slower than Ghouls 'N Ghosts, and the level design and challenge can be unrelenting at times, but it feels genuinely rewarding when one does well in this game.

Super Mario All-Stars ... well, it's quite the thorough dosage of Mario. A well-done facelift.

Super Mario World ... an enormous, marvelous game. The only detractor is an awkward save system.

Yoshi's Island ... Baby Mario's screeching tends to annoy many, but what you have here is an absolutely amazing, lengthy platformer.


>>>FIGHTING:


Mortal Kombat II ... I find it hard to play Genesis MKII after having played this for so many years. Definately the version to go for, in my opinion.

Saturday Night Slam Masters ... a great fighting/wrestling game. Not much difference between it and its Genesis counterpart, but this genre's recommendations are looking pretty bare without it.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo ... I personally prefer SFII: Special Champion Edition for Genesis simply because of the six-button controller, but this is a very well done arcade port.

World Heroes II ... An interesting selection of characters makes this one worth playing. It handles better than most SFII clones.


>>>BEAT-'EM-UP:


Captain Commando ... a solid, worthwhile beat-'em-up

Combatribes ... if you can get past the somewhat goofy look of it, this is a fun one.

Knights of the Round ... I've played though this one many, many times.. one of the best beat-'em-ups for SNES.

Legend ... another medieval beat-'em-up. It's a little sluggish, but worthy of a test run at the very least. I am personally quite fond of it.

Peace Keepers ... like Captain Commando, it's solid indeed.

Super Double Dragon ... strangely choppy, but an excellent beat-'em-up in keeping with the Double Dragon tradition.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time ... a far superior alternative to the Genesis' Hyperstone Heist.

The Ninja Warriors ... repetitive, but what beat-'em-up isn't, really? Takes place on a truly 2D plane, but there's plenty to beat up, and damn, do these characters do it well.


>>>Games that don't quite fit into any of the above genres, but are dang cool:


Actraiser ... unique blend of side-scrolling action and town-building simulation. Very groovy.

Arkanoid: Doh It Again ... well, if you enjoy the ol' Breakout formula, this one's pretty obvious.

E.V.O. - The Search For Eden ... a surprisingly absorbing evolution simulation - very action oriented.

Demon's Crest ... one of the greats, in my opinion. Great atmosphere, an abundance of exploration, and an excellent soundtrack,

Pilotwings ... a lighthearted flight sim with an entertaining selection of distinct vehicles. A game that does mode 7 right.

Legend of the Mystical Ninja ... the feel of this game is enchanting. Wackiness abounds, and it's a great two player experience.

F-Zero ... in spite of the lack of a two-player mode and races that drag on longer than they have to (a surplus of laps), this is a fine and fast racing experience.

Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 ... the coolest baseball game. Absurd twists available to pitching and hitting keep the game far more exciting than other baseball titles.

Super Metroid ... quite possibly my favourite game of all time. Some may find it too slow or open ended, but hot damn, it really draws you in if you let it.



There's a lot of fine stuff for the SNES. If you do end up collecting for it, may you discover some greats,

[Joe Redifer]

I inherited Super Smash TV from a friend when I stole his entire SNES collection for $7. God I hate that game. Super Off Road needs to be on that list.

[Drixxel]

^ Man, I love Super Smash TV.. the SNES pad works superbly well for aiming. Super Off Road is a pretty nifty game, but I'm more of a Super Sprint kind of guy, and frankly, I just won't settle..!!

Joe, what other goodies were in that collection that you outright pilfered for $7, besides ol' hated Smashy?

[Demonic Weasel]

Many thanks for such a comprehensive list. Now to prioritize.

[Joe Redifer]

Let's see:

Street Fighter 2 Turbo
Super TMNT IV Turtles in Time
Super ActRaiser
Super Contra III
Super Metroid
Super Ghouls N Ghosts
Super Adventure Island


And a spare SNES.

[extrarice]

The Megaman X titles are excellent platformers, as well. As for RPGs, Drixxel's post covers the most popular ones.

[16bitter]

Saturday Night Slam Masters ... a great fighting/wrestling game. Not much difference between it and its Genesis counterpart, but this genre's recommendations are looking pretty bare without it.

One problem -- they aren't identical. The Genesis is missing royal rumble mode, taking away the game's best feature -- 2 on 2, 4 player madness. I don't know what Capcom was thinking on that one.

Though you can play as Jumbo Flapjack and Scorpion in the one on one mode in the Genesis version, plus there's a new Death Match mode not found in any other version. Still, can't make up for the loss of the four player goodness that made the game great.

[Drixxel]

^ Haha, well then.. I guess the Saturday Night Slam Masters SNES recommendation was more reasonable than I had previously thought.

As I've given it more thought, there are a number of games I'd forgotten from that lengthy list up there, but ehh.. I don't want to risk overload.

Demonic Weasel, if you have any questions about any particular SNES games, feel free to ask. There is undoubtedly someone here who can expand the borders of SNES knowledge.

[j_factor]

I hated Super Smash TV.. Maybe compared to the Genesis pad it's good for aiming, but after having played so much of Smash TV in arcades, I couldn't really go back.

Hmm, I wonder if Smash TV is on any arcade collections for Dreamcast and/or Saturn. Then perhaps a twin stick could be used...

[David J.]

Nope, it's not on any of the DC or Saturn collections.

[Russman]

There's so many good games on the SNES it'd take me too much time to bother list them. Some of the best advice I could give is to start out by getting any game made by Capcom.

[Melf]

Hmm, I wonder if Smash TV is on any arcade collections for Dreamcast and/or Saturn. Then perhaps a twin stick could be used...

On MameoX, you use both the Xbox's analog sticks; it's very awesome. Robotron 2084 uses them too.

[j_factor]

Well on Midway Arcade Treasures you do the same thing, and it's really nice on Gamecube because it has those 8-way notches.

But I really want to use a big ol' Saturn twin stick on Smash TV and Robotron 2084. Perhaps with a controller converter?

[Dartagnan1083]

yo melf. . .weren't you going to post your collection for sale?