The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was Nintendo’s follow-up to the popular NES, offering improved 16-bit graphics and sound. With over a thousand games created for the system—over 700 in North America alone—the SNES provided countless hours of entertainment. We’ve chosen the ten best SNES games based on sales, historical significance, and, most importantly, how enjoyable they are to play. To keep things diverse, we’ve limited our list to one game per franchise.
10) Mega Man X
Released in 1993 for the SNES, Mega Man X launched a new era for the Mega Man franchise. While a spin-off of the original Mega Man games, it takes place a century later and features a new story. Players control X, Dr. Light’s final creation, who teams up with Zero, Dr. Wily’s last creation, to defeat Sigma and protect humanity. Mega Man X builds on the classic 2D platforming gameplay of previous titles, adding fresh features and increased depth. It has been re-released and updated over the years and is widely considered the best Mega Man game on the SNES.
9) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was the third Zelda game released, and the first on the Super Nintendo. It significantly improved on the previous games with better sound, graphics, and more memory. Players control Link as he tries to save Hyrule and defeat the familiar villain, Ganon. The game returned to the top-down view of the original Zelda and is widely considered one of the best in the series. It also established several features that would become staples of future Zelda games, like the Master Sword.
8) Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The Super Nintendo’s powerful hardware opened the door for franchises to experiment, and one exciting result was turning a Mario game into a role-playing game. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was the first to try this, and it remains the best on the SNES. The story follows Mario and his friends as they battle the Smithy Gang, who have broken the Star Road into seven pieces and scattered them across the world. Developed by Square, the game successfully blended RPG elements from their Final Fantasy series with the familiar Mario universe. The game’s enduring popularity is clear from its remake on the Nintendo Switch in 2023, proving how much players still enjoy the original SNES version.
7) Super Metroid
Released in 1994 for the SNES, Super Metroid was the third installment in the Metroid series, following Metroid II: Return of Samus on the Game Boy. It significantly improved upon the previous games, sending bounty hunter Samus Aran back to the planet Zebes to rescue a baby Metroid. The game features a large world to explore, plenty of upgrades to find, and was created by many of the original developers. Super Metroid was a major success for the SNES, selling over 1.4 million copies.
6) Chrono Trigger
Released in 1995 for the SNES, Chrono Trigger is a highly-regarded role-playing game and the first in a series. While a fourth game was planned, it was never made. Despite this, Chrono Trigger is still considered one of the best RPGs on the SNES, a console known for its strong lineup of games in the genre. The game’s creators had previously worked on popular franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Dragon Ball, and their influence is clear in Chrono Trigger’s design. The story follows a team of adventurers traveling through time to prevent a worldwide disaster. Its exceptional story, gameplay, and overall quality made it a huge hit when it was first released.
5) Super Mario Kart
The original Mario Kart debuted on the Super Nintendo in 1992 and quickly became a hugely popular and influential series. While many other games have tried to copy its style, Mario Kart remains the king of kart racing. The first game set the standard for the series, introducing many features still enjoyed today, like challenging gameplay, different difficulty levels, and head-to-head multiplayer. With over 8.75 million copies sold, it was one of the best-selling games on the SNES, which explains why the Mario Kart franchise continues to thrive.
4) Secret of Mana
Released for the SNES in 1993, Secret of Mana is a classic fantasy role-playing game where players control three heroes on a quest to defeat an empire and its powerful flying fortress. While sharing similarities with Final Fantasy and acting as a sequel to the Game Boy title Final Fantasy Adventure, Secret of Mana stands on its own as a unique game. It broke from the typical turn-based combat of the era, opting for a real-time system with a special power bar, and featured the innovative Ring Command menu, which allowed players to pause and strategize during battles. Today, it’s widely considered one of the greatest games of all time, and many consider it the best RPG on the SNES.
3) Street Fighter II’Turbo: Hyper Fighting
When the Super Nintendo (SNES) launched in 1991, fighting games were incredibly popular. Older 8-bit consoles couldn’t quite capture the excitement of arcade fighting games, but the SNES could. The SNES version of Street Fighter II Turbo, also known as Street Fighter II’ Turbo: Hyper Fighting, is widely considered the best version available for the system. Released shortly after Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (which wasn’t released on SNES), Hyper Fighting offered a unique feature: players could choose to play with either Champion Edition or Hyper Fighting rules. This made it a superior port and cemented its place as the SNES’ top fighting game.
2) Super Mario World
When the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) launched in North America, it came packaged with Super Mario World. This made it the best-selling game for the console – over 20.6 million copies were sold – though that’s typical for a bundled game. Even without being included with the console, Super Mario World would have been a huge success, as it’s considered one of the greatest Mario games of all time. It introduced the character Yoshi and added many new gameplay features. With noticeably better graphics and sound than previous games, Super Mario World really showcased the power of the new 16-bit system. The game was specifically designed to take full advantage of the SNES’s upgraded hardware, and it’s clear – it remains one of the console’s best titles.
1) Donkey Kong Country
In 1994, Rare redefined Donkey Kong and created what many consider the greatest game for the Super Nintendo. Donkey Kong Country is a standout title in the series, still celebrated for its innovative use of 3D graphics, engaging sound, clever level design, and a whole lot more. The game offers 40 side-scrolling levels, a multiplayer mode for both teamwork and competition, all packed into a classic grey cartridge. With over 9.3 million copies sold, Donkey Kong Country is easily the best game on the SNES and remains just as enjoyable now as it was back in ‘94.
What’s your favorite Super Nintendo game? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2025-12-03 17:56