The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) holds a special place in all 1990s gamers’ hearts. Released in 1990, first in South Korea and Japan, and a year later in North America, this console redefined home gaming entertainment. Its long-lasting effects still get felt today. SNES-inspired designs appear everywhere, from clothing accessories, to mobile games, and also slots on gambling platforms like Platin Casino online in Ireland. And the recent official SNES mini console is proof that there is a fanbase still willing to spend money on the device.
The SNES had a thirteen-year lifespan and represented a relatively inexpensive console that average households could afford. It featured far more advanced audio-video capabilities than its competitors, thanks to Nintendo’s proprietary technology. The SNES could also accommodate new chip enhancements integrated into future game cartridges. That allowed this console to remain competitive with next-generation products.
The SNES was a massive commercial and critical success for Nintendo. The mere sight of its grey squared design evokes a ton of nostalgia for 1990s players, who have enjoyed a slew of gaming classics on this system. Below, we list five of the best.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
This action-packed adventure game was a massive milestone for Nintendo, and it often gets ranked as one of the greatest video games of all time. A Link to the Past hit retail stores in April of 1992 and wowed everyone with its storyline and developed characters. It sold over 4.6 million units and managed to remain at the number one spot on Nintendo’s Power list for five years.
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
Speaking of records, Capcom’s legendary sequel to their 1987 fighting game, Street Fighter, sold more than 6.3 million cartridges for the SNES. That figure made it Capcom’s best-selling software title for more than two decades. Street Fighter II is as influential as video games get. Some estimates claimed that by 1994, over 25 million people in the US alone had played Street Fighter II.
Final Fantasy VI
Developed by Japanese company Square, Final Fantasy VI was the first game in the series that its creator Hironobu Sakaguchi did not direct. Upon its release in 1994, it received massive critical acclaim., selling 2.5 million copies in Japan. In 2017, IGN ranked it as the second-best RPG title of all time, behind Chrono Trigger.
Chrono Trigger
Speaking of Chrono Trigger, that was another Square product. One that appeared on shelves a year after Final Fantasy VI. Hironobu Sakaguchi was involved in its development, and Akira Toriyama, the author of the Dragon Ball manga, also had a hand in its creation. Chrono Trigger was the third best-selling game of 1995, and its legacy is comparable to any title in the RPG genre.
Contra III: The Alien Wars
Modern-day gamers are likely unaware of the magnitude of Konami’s Contra franchise. Though this series is frequently accused of plagiarism and has a history linked with censorship, its Arnold Schwarzenegger-inspired characters are ones that many SNES gamers remember fondly. Alien Wars got released in 1992 and was a super fun run-and-gun shooter that in PAL regions got retitled as Super Probotector: Alien Rebels, where it had its title characters replaced with robots.