Summary
Out of any gaming company that made home video game consoles, Nintendo is one that had more hits than misses. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as theSNES, was released in 1991, and many of the best games of that era were designed for it.
Not all video games from this era age very well, mostly because of the simplistic graphics and thin storylines, but that was often all the consoles of the olden days could handle. Luckily, some forward-thinking developers madegames with timeless graphicsfor theSNESthat still hold up today.
Earthbound, known asMother 2in Japan,didn’t make a huge impacton the gaming world when it was first released, but in the last few decades, it’s gained an impressive fan following. That’s partly because of simple but endearing, unique, and beautiful graphics.
The graphic capability of the SNES only allowed for a few colors and possibilities, but this game uses them to the hilt. The settings are still fun and beautiful with isometric renditions of typical American neighborhoods, and when it comes to boss fights, gamers will be impressed with what this humble title can do when it comes to sound and suspense.
When it comes to adventure platformers, it’s hard to go wrong with any entry in theMetroidfranchise, andSuper Metroidon the SNES is one of the flagship titles of the IP. The side-scroller was an arcade classic, but not every interaction of the game translated as well onto home consoles asSuper Metroiddid.
The game still looks great, and it could have been released recently as a side-scroller developed ina vintage style. As with other games in the same franchise, the protagonist is Samus Aran, a brave adventurer who travels to the planet Zebes, and this time, the quest is to rescue a baby Metroid creature from Space Pirates.
The third game in theLegend of Zeldafranchise to hit shelves after two NES titles,A Link to the Pastcalls back to the first with its isometric viewpoint and the “chibi” art style. That’s part of why the graphics and gameplay are still so appealingafter over 30 years.
Many players who follow this popular franchise will choose this title as their favorite, and the main reason is that it’s still fun to play after all these years. The nature of the title and the story is appropriate for all ages, as is the tradition with Nintendo games, so many different generations of players can enjoy it together.
Even gamers who aren’t fans of the role-playing or adventure genres will enjoySecret of Mana, and those who are will recognize the impact they had on the whole industry. Many of the most popular and infamous role-playing titles of the present day were inspired by this SNES game.
Secret of Manais the sequel to another RPG game calledFinal Fantasy Adventure, which was a spin-off of the franchise of the same name and takes place in the same setting with similar gameplay and narrative elements. It also includes elements of both fantasy and steampunk in the design, giving the graphics a unique staying power in modern times.
There are various titles in theMariofranchise for the SNES, and most of them are still popular, but the familiar characters and abstract art style ofYoshi’s Islandmake it one of the more timeless choices. Modern games likeOkamimimic its unique animated style, which resembles pencil-sketched figures and settings.
The game is based on the classic platformer style and is the direct sequel toSuper Mario World, another famous title in this popular franchise. This time, however,Yoshi the friendly dinosauris the protagonist, and their quest is to reunite the infant brothers, Mario and Luigi.
The settings and characters ofSuper Castlevania 4look great, even for the period and the genre, but that’s not all that makes this installment one of the most timeless for the SNES. The combat mechanics used for Simon Belmont as he tears through Dracula’s castle were ahead of their time. An example of this can be seen through his signature whip, which could move in eight directions.
Even when it was released,the game was critically acclaimedand is still a great example of what a side-scrolling adventure game can do. The music and effects are as much a part of this as the timeless graphics, adding to the already high immersion factor.
