Board 8 > Board 8's Top 20 SNES Games - The Results

(+) Yeah! (+)

V is the better game

I just didn't vote it because I don't associate it with the SNES

Arti posted...

V > IV good job b8

This is mathematically accurate. 6 > 5 > 4.

ff5 is the best game

#12. Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Total Points: 49
List Appearances: 27
First Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/bf47b324.jpg

Write-up provided by LightningStrikes
Donkey Kong Country is truly perfect. If you do not get this amazing new generation of Donkey Kong madness, you are stupid. I know thats insulting, but its also the truth.

Ahem (https://youtu.be/XNXk5nT3SdQ?si=L_hpW92xmoBOfhfW&t=2m27s).

Jokes and strange contemporary video reviews aside, its hard to overstate what a technical marvel Donkey Kong Country was when it launched. Most notably its use of pre-rendered graphics, compressing 3D models as sprites, which felt unlike anything else at the time. The game just looked unbelievable, and honestly the visuals still look good today, backed up by an atmosphere thats a bit rougher and grimier than what you see in the Super Mario games it was based off of. Adding to this atmosphere is one thing Ive always loved about the Donkey Kong Country games: the levels feel like an actual environment you are navigating through, not just a collection of platforms. The sound was as impressive as the visuals, in particular the absolutely excellent soundtrack by David Wise. In many ways this game was an aesthetic masterpiece for the SNES, and its easy to see why it was such a huge hit, was the game that really made Rare, and was such a key factor in the SNES winning its generation. Of course its not just all flash, the actual gameplay is great too. The level design is top notch, the characters feel great to play, and theres even a co-op mode. In many ways this game not only totally changed the style of the Donkey Kong franchise, but in many ways set the standard for platformers going forward. This is that rare (pun unintended) game that worked as a big technical marvel at the time that still holds up as an excellent game today.

Good list so far! The only mild surprise (other than TMNT which was brought up in the voting topic) is to me Mega Man X2, which is a great game but just facing some stiff competition. I thought Mega Man X would be the only one to make it!

Other than that, I really need to play Final Fantasy V one of these days, its one of the only games in the series Ive missed. Also happy to see all three Donkey Kong Country games make it, I played through them all co-op during the pandemic, including playing 3 for the first time and theyre still great even now.

#11. EarthBound (1995)
Total Points: 50
List Appearances: 23
First Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e8c233ac.jpg

Write-up provided by LightningStrikes
On the NES Shigesato Itoi directed the unusual contemporary-set RPG Mother, which was localised and to be released as Earth Bound in the US. The English language version of the game was completed, but never released (until 2015 on Wii U). Mother 2 was released in English as EarthBound, but not released in Europe (until 2013 on Wii U), and its sequel Mother 3 was never released outside of Japan. This all adds up to the EarthBound franchise having an unusual degree of mystery around it, like it is a series of games Nintendo doesnt want you to play. This feeling is only added to by the fact that this game is REALLY weird! Its a SNES RPG in a contemporary (and highly American) setting which is already pretty odd. But on top of that it has enemies ranging from hippies to KKK parodies to the third strongest mole, a story that feels like its barely holding a coherent thread from start to end while still being compelling, a soundtrack that is clearly citing from popular music, and a very strange for its time sense of humour. In particular I loved the password puzzle where it gives you a text box and the answer is just to not press anything for three minutes. These are not aspects that were common at the time but today make it feel incredibly modern and ahead of its time. This is a game that you almost struggle to believe it was made in the mid-90s. It was never fully appreciated on release but has only become more popular. As somebody who first fully played through it in 2013, its easy to see why.

Looks like my top 10 is the board's top 10.

I have the most boring taste!

#10. Super Mario World 2: Yoshis Island (1995)
Total Points: 55
List Appearances: 26
First Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e328632c.jpg

Write-up provided by LightningStrikes
Yoshis Island was, at least to me, always an incredibly nostalgic game. I dont think this is just the childhood memories talking either, the game itself invites this with its crayon visual style, its storybook opening, and its sometimes music box like soundtrack. This creates an emotional pull to this game that you simply dont get in other Mario games. Of course in general its a huge swerve from Super Mario World, in the style but also shifting the protagonist to Yoshi, having Mario as mostly a burden (except when you get a star), a variety of mini-games, vehicle segments and more of a focus on exploration and set pieces than platforming. Some of those set pieces too are excellent, in particular the skiing segment has always stuck in my memory. The boss fights too are a step up from what Mario games had had to this point - Raphael the Raven being particularly cool. And of course the game was a technical marvel with its use of Mode 7. It is a real shame that, despite some good entries, future Yoshi games never really came close to living up to this. Without a doubt this is one of the best, if not the best, 2D platformers of all time.

#9. Kirby Super Star (1996)
Total Points: 56
List Appearances: 30
First Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/599bdab7.jpg

Write-up provided by Lopen
Still a top Kirby game 30 years later, this is notable for being the first game in the series with power ups that felt like more than one dimensional gimmicks. You had a wealth of powers, 20 if memory serves, and each one had its own full moveset and made Kirby feel like a total badass clowning on all the enemies with them, something that, while enjoyable, previous games had not achieved as of yet.

Boasting a claim that it is 8 (really 9, but Arena must be unlocked) games in 1, the game is structured as a collection of mini games, also had a surprising amount of diversity rather than just feeling like different chapters to the same game or overly basic. My personal favorites are Arena and The Great Cave Offensive.

The Great Cave Offensive is a free roaming metroid style game where the goal is to find your way out and collect all the treasures and is to this day the most satisfying scavenger hunt type game I've played. The Arena is a straight up boss rush to test your skills that highlights how potentially difficult Kirby games can actually be if you're not inundated with health pickups. But the best part of all this is I'm pretty sure Revenge of the Meta Knight (a fast paced story where Kirby must battle Meta Knight to protect Dreamland) and Milky Way Wishes (an ambitious game where you go through levels across the galaxy collecting Kirby's power ups to henceforth use at will) are the ones the fanbase likes most on the whole, so there's something for everyone here!

Damn you, Kirby Super Star and your cross-generational appeal!

#8. Mega Man X (1993)
Total Points: 64
List Appearances: 29
First Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4f4bc281.jpg

Write-up provided by Bitto
Mega Man X is an evolution of the NES Mega Man games, creating a new template for the series to follow. While the structure remains similar to the NES games, there are some major changes. Platforming is a lot more advanced due to the dash and wall kick, allowing for much more expansive maps. These maps hold several secrets that upgrade X permanently, either in health or in mobility options. Mega Man X encourages revisiting old stages multiple times to get these upgrades, which makes Mega Man X feel like a much bigger game than any of its NES counterparts. I especially like that the arm upgrade allows you to charge the boss weapons, many of which are used to find even more upgrades.

Mega Man has never been known for its compelling story, but X does well enough. The story-based moments are integrated in the game well and Zero has been a Capcom icon for a long time. The music, which has always been a highlight in the Mega Man series, continues to be really good in X. I always really liked Storm Eagle and Boomer Kuwanger. Dashing, wall kicking, and the 16 weapons you get allow for boss battles to be more dynamic. Even 30 years later, this is still one of my favorite games to play just purely for gameplay.

tragic back to back

#7. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest (1995)
Total Points: 70
List Appearances: 28
First Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/7c7a792b.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Platforming fans were eating good on the SNES from the very beginning, but when Rare dropped Donkey Kong Country 2 late in the consoles lifespan, they introduced one of the greatest 2D platformers ever conceived. Its been a long while since I played it (I did play some to refresh myself recently), but so much of it has stuck with me. It leans into the pirate aesthetic hard, leading to some really cool setpieces and atmosphere, exemplified by the iconic soundtrack. The controls are buttery smooth, and the steady difficulty curve allows for you to grow your skills and learn the movement. Dixie provides some much needed diversity in how ou can play the game, with her ability to hover in tighter platforming moments. The animal buddies are all really fun to use, with Rattly and Squitter bringing some unique platforming ideas to the table. It really cant be stressed how consistently creative each level is in spite of a relatively limited moveset. And I know I mentioned it earlier, but holy moly the music is incredible. Dave Wise was not fucking around here. You get the somber industrial sounds of Mining Melancholy, the rising chaos of Lockjaws Saga, the serenity of In a Snow-Bound Land, the downright corny bop that is Snakey Chantey, and, possibly most important of all, the beautiful and melancholic Stickerbush Symphony. All of those I just named are fucking classics, and Im not even done. Bayou Boogie, Hot-Head Bop, Forest Interlude, Jib Jig, Flight of the Zinger, Krooks March. Banger after banger after banger. Theres more I would like to go into with the game, but my memory isnt the best on this title. Given that I still think so highly of it is a sign of a pretty incredible experience.

Only 1 first place, criminal

Speaks to the strength of this list! Yoshis Island too low (and Super Mario RPG too high) but otherwise this is good stuff.

#6. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)
Total Points: 76
List Appearances: 34
First Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8f02550e.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Super Mario RPG isn't breaking any new ground through it's mechanical depth or design. In fact, the lack of systems to work with turn this into a fairly repetitive adventure on the whole. If I were attempting to look at Super Mario RPG from the standpoint of a real critic, I would probably look down on the rudimentary roleplaying mechanics on display here. However, I am not a critic, and I enjoy having fun with video games, and despite the many shortcomings Super Mario RPG has relative to other Japanese RPGs of the time, it churns out a memorable, magical, hilarious, and charming adventure. From the very beginning, Super Mario RPG lets you know this will be a family-friendly adventure. Bowser and his minions are written with such absurdity and with so little competence that it soon becomes clear this is not the same Bowser who has been so successfully devastating the Mushroom Kingdom without Mario's intervention. It flips the concept of Bowser as a major villain by having him lose almost immediately, and then eventually become a party member. That's cool stuff right there.

The writing is where most of the joy I found comes from. The same absurdity which Bowser holds drips into every arc in the game. You are constantly bombarded with silly jokes, most of which aren't even very funny, but all completely capable of putting a smile on one's ugly face. I think it reaches its peak with Booster, the greatest villain of all time, but there are lots of laughs to be had with every storyline. It does run out of steam at the end when everything has to be super serious, but even this part is so well done from a dramatic angle that I can't be upset in any fashion.

Gameplay-wise this is pretty basic stuff. You have primary attacks and gradually learn special attacks as you level up. It injects some activity into this, with some attacks requiring you to time a button press or to wiggle the directional pad to reach the attack's full potential. It's fun at first but sort of loses its appeal shortly after. Regardless of how simple this is, the level of polish is insane. Square tried to dumb JRPGs down for Americans with Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, which was very boring albeit good enough for what it was. What that game lacked was the incredibly clean interface and dynamic animations present in Super Mario RPG. JRPGs were already experimenting with more nuanced art and animation, which would be realized as the main draw for players with the PlayStation. But the SNES didn't really have anything that looked this clean. The figurine-like appearance of the characters which give a smooth 3D appearance combined with the brief action required beyond selecting a menu option makes Super Mario RPG feel less like an RPG and more like... I dunno, maybe an action game? Not really that either. But it peels enough of the scariness away. Super Mario RPG isn't about complex numbers and large swathes of text, it's about silliness and action. Obviously most JRPGs aren't actually all too complex, but from the standpoint of someone who doesn't play them, I would imagine Super Mario RPG is far more accessible than anything else from that era.

I've probably rambled on enough, but this game is awesome and deserves ramblings of its quality. There's so little I can say bad about it, but I do wish the special attacks weren't so consistently useless? So many times it just makes more sense to do a regular attack and that's kinda lame, given how you have shared MP and it could've been neat to struggle with how to effectively manage that. But then again, it may have just been annoying? Also, hot take, Geno is pretty boring and does not deserve to be in Smash Bros. Uh... yeah, that's really it? I have a feeling if I played this as a child it would be among my favorite games ever, so it's unfortunate I played it as a jaded, cynical old man. But perhaps I am only noticing the beauty of this game because it directly attacks that same negative energy I put forth throughout my daily life? Who's to say.

Okay Board 8 nailed the top 5 good job all. Im thinking Final Fantasy VI takes it.

Wow I'm surprised DKC2 is 'only' 7th! Guessing #1 will be CT.

I think I'll have played 8 of the top 10 (no SMRPG or MMX), which is more than I usually do for these things.

Why did you guys hate Ogre Battle?

I was thinking I didn't know the top 5

Then I thought again and know the top 5

Hoping Super Metroid or Final Fantasy VI take it but expecting Super Mario World or Chrono Trigger

I think it'll be Lester the Unlikely

1 more

#5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
Total Points: 82
List Appearances: 32
First Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/616e6e3b.jpg

Write-up provided by LightningStrikes
Im sorry to slightly rip off Zens Link Awakening write-up for this one, but its impossible for me to really talk about this game without getting into a personal story about it. When I was very young, I got a SNES for one birthday. I mostly played Mario and after a while went to get a new game, a fantasy themed game Id seen in some in-the-box advertising materials that seemed enticing and unlike anything else Id seen. And that game was Secret of Mana. So my dad and I went to a game store to get it, and I dont think I could find it. Instead I found a mysterious looking box for another fantasy game with a surprisingly ominous sounding description. And THAT game was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. What that game did was show me what games could be. While this could be an exaggeration I would likely not be on this board if I hadnt gotten this game almost by accident! It showed me the potential of deep worlds to explore, of puzzles and systems, of games as a narrative medium and plot twists. It felt serious and dark without being too much so to be alienating for a child.

I was never very good at it when I was younger, not finishing it until the GBA rerelease (though I did get most of the way through on SNES), but I was absolutely transfixed. And thats what A Link to the Past is, its the absolute joy of video games in a nearly perfect form, every part of it from the dungeons, to the navigation, to the items, to the boss and encounter design, to the music, to the world design, to even (for a SNES action adventure game) the story, achieves exactly the effect it intends. There is little wonder that this game defined both Zelda and the action adventure genre. Whether looking at it personally through my own experience or at a remove, this is a truly special game.

Whoa! Was not expecting LttP this low. The big four are pretty big though, so it makes some sense. Just goes to show how strong the SNES lineup is compared to the GB, haha.

So the final four is going to be Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Super Mario World, and Super Metroid. Really deserving top four, hope Chrono Trigger is #1.

Wow surprised by that one, but it wasnt appearing in as many lists as I thought it would.

Yeah I personally didn't have Super Mario World or Link to the Past on my list.

Nothing against the games, they're good, I just really like a lot of games in the SNES library and they didn't quite make the cut.

#4. Super Mario World (1990)
Total Points: 87
List Appearances: 32
First Place Votes: 5
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8e2a3bfa.jpg

Write-up provided by ctesjbuvf
To best share how much I love this game, I will do a mix of gaming analysis and personal anecdotes, but mostly the latter. I don't think there exists any video game that has defined my gaming career to the same degree as Super Mario World. My earliest memories are playing Mario games on my dad's consoles. I sometimes wonder if I have preferred video games over movies and books due to my inability to sit completely still or if I I have developed an ability to sit still due to growing up with a controller in hand.

Super Mario World holds a special place in this regard. I started playing this at the age of 2 years old and first beat the game at the age of 3. This sounds crazy to me now, but a kid as I was years ahead in intelligence and ability in general although the world caught up to me at some point. Anyway, this achievement made my then 29-year-old dad a good mix of proud and annoyed because he could not beat it. Platformers were never really his thing, but still, that really made me proud. I was meant to play Mario.

I always preferred this above the other Mario games, and I have played them all countless times. I think World is the best of them and I always have. I get the arguments for 3, which is also a top 20 maybe 10 game for me to this day, and they're often compared, but to me World tops it. I think both Yoshi and cape are great additions that really allow you to to get creative with how to progress levels. Yes, you can also basically skip many levels using them, but it doesn't hold the game down a bit for me, it's very easy to not do and that anyone can get through most non-castles/ghost houses by flying over everything takes nothing from my joy of playing through them regularly.

I actually really appreciate Nintendo giving this option for easy progress rather than being in your face about lowering difficulty if you slip a few times as the newer games do. The use of the colored blocks is another great way to achieve this. Getting them doesn't feel like you are making things too easy, but you can really challenge yourself if you ignore them. In general, the game knows when to be challenging and when not to. It really has the perfect balance of this that allows any player to have a good time, which is what gaming is all about.

There are no low points of the game as I see it. All worlds are quite equal in variety. I wish more Mario games would replicate this design. By not grouping all water levels (or later dessert, snow or whatever) together, gameplay doesn't ever take a dip for any duration of the game, the flow is perfect. I mean, thematically the worlds still differ but by keeping the core concept the same, they are all strong.

Finding secrets is also an excellent new mainstay, which also encourages you to not just jump to the end as fast as possible! Dragon Coins serve a similar purpose even if the game doesn't keep track of them. Levels feel less linear and some of the secrets are very difficult to find. The castles and ghost houses are peak gaming. They are probably the best levels from a challenge perspective, while ghost houses excel at both challenge and exploration. These is also when you can't get help from Yoshi. The design philosophy here is more about enemy placement and perfect jumping. The boss battles are more diverse than previously despite there being some repeats. The battle with Bowser is also way better than in 3.

There are secret worlds that combines the best aspects of the game. Sure, some of the levels there are gimmicky, but the atmosphere is fantastic. Most people can save the princess, but the greatest satisfaction isn't given from that. Rather it's hidden for those who put themselves to the test the most. Getting through the special world is the true climax that gives you a greater moment of satisfaction than Mario (or really Nintendo) had done up until that point. The simplicity of Nintendo telling you in coins that You Are a Superstar is a perfect way of telling you that you had achieved everything they had to offer and mastered their game.

I have probably played the game at least once a year since the age of 3. Sometimes it's just the fastest route to Bowser, mostly it's taking some hours off to get all 96 exits. I got the Game Boy Advance remake at some point and now then I would play it a ton on the go as well. I could now also easily beat it on the car drive to our family on the other side of the country. To this day, running through the aforementioned coins at the end still make me smile, every time. This game is comfort, it's a home I can walk into and it (along with the franchise in general) has defined the person I am. Nostalgia is obviously big for me here, but lots of things I'm as nostalgic about I basically never revisit, this holds up perfectly and is enjoyable every single time.

Speaking of nostalgia, as I kid I really wanted to be Mario, be the hero. I played Mario all the time and when I couldn't on consoles I played Mario at the playground instead. My grandmother cared to humor me and my kiddy ideas more than anyone else and so she was always Luigi, but all my family members were designated some character. My mother has embarrassing memories of me introducing myself to her friends and people we met as Mario because she did not want them to think she named her kid that. My grandmother would follow up by introducing herself as Luigi, she really let me be in my own Super Mario world. When I lost this grandmother only a couple of months ago, I was devastated because of how close we were as I grew up, even then my whole family remarked that I had lost my Luigi. It really speaks volumes about how much this universe was a part of me.

Countless pictures of me in a Mario costume exist. Even as a adult too actually, my current Facebook profile pic is exactly this, as I was part of an organizer team for welcoming new students some years back. When video games was chosen as the theme for the trip, I just had to be Mario, anything else wouldnt feel right. My GameFAQs account will turn into a ?-Block maybe right as you are reading this, maybe in a few days, either way its very fitting. I also can't ever vote against Mario in character battles despite better characters existing, it's a different parameter, and it's hard for me to compare Mario to anything else.

I sometimes wonder how good I could have gotten at Super Mario World if I stuck more to that instead of playing most games possible. I mean, I know it in and out, but I think I could compete for records if I dedicated myself, I have been close enough honestly. This is typical me though, I want to experience as much different stuff as possible. I'm generally good at whatever I do but because I want to do too many things, I'm also generally never the best at any of it. Standard jack-of-all-traits kind of guy. You know who else is typically depicted that way? Mario. It's really full circle, and I like to think about it that way whenever I'm frustrated I didn't spend more time on something.

I realize some of this personal stuff isn't fully linked to SMW but rather the franchise in general, but it was without a doubt this game that really cemented it and it's the game that pops up when I think of myself like that. Completing this game in particular is the earliest achievement I remember feeling, it's the one I played and enjoyed the most and it's the one I will play if I ever want to be Mario. It may or may not be the best game ever to me, that depends on the day. However, I seriously doubt that any game will mean more to me and influence my life more than the timeless classic that is Super Mario World.

Beautiful thoughts, ctes

One day after ?-Block, so close!

Wow that almost made me feel bad for rooting for it to drop at 4 haha. Love the enthusiasm even if I'm firmly in the SMB3 camp myself.

tazzyboyishere posted...

#5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)

My position on LTTP is a little funny. If you had asked me as recently as 5 years ago, I would have told you that it was awful because, as a kid, I had an awful experience. When you're a kid, enemies like the green guards of the castle seem impossible to deal with because if they hit you, they invariably get inside your guard and just maul you and they're hard to get away from. I didn't know how to cope with that. I also didn't own a SNES, so my limited experience with the game was one or two isolated attempts to play the game, die on a green guard, and throw up my hands in frustration. TBF, I had almost the same reaction to the original, except that I was younger and my attempt and defeating octoroks was significantly more pathetic.

Then I saw a GDQ run of a randomizer race, and I was intrigued. Like, really intrigued. I didn't know what any of the items in the game were. I didn't honestly know what was happening. But watching andylt and christosowen take completely different paths through the seed, show off some tech, and more importantly, show off the full game to me made me realize maybe there was something more interesting here.

So I started watching rando runs. And eventually, I decided to try for myself.

Obviously, my experience was radically different from someone who played the game in the 90s since my first vanilla run was with a fair bit of understanding of what the game had to offer. But I did a vanilla run (which was decidedly less interesting to me than the rando runs) and then proceeded to start randomizer seeds.

To date, I've run at least 300 randomizer seeds, and while I'm sure I didn't finish all of those, at 2 hours per, that's like 600 hours spent on a game from 1991 in contemporary times. I'm aware that other games have randomizers, but I honestly have no interest in any of them. ZOOTR's too long. LoZ1 doesn't interest me. Super Metroid doesn't have enough items or route divergences for me. Other games don't have the same feel to them at all. So right or wrong, LTTP makes for peak randomizer experience for me. But it means that if I had remembered to submit a list, LTTP would have been near the top.

tazzyboyishere posted...

first beat the game at the age of 3

wha? Damn, freaking child prodigy here.

#3. Super Metroid (1994)
Total Points: 92
List Appearances: 31
First Place Votes: 5
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/79dfb1d6.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Relatively few games from the 1990s can claim to have aged so well that playing them in the current era requires little to no adjustment in the expectation of playability. Even fewer games from the 1990s can claim to set the standard for their genre. And of course, there are only a small percentage of those games which continue to BE the standard for their genre 30 years later. Super Metroid is the standard for the search action (aka Metroidvania) genre.

The first two Metroid games, on the NES and GB specifically, were highly ambitious experimentations of the platforming genre. The end result was a bit messy in both cases, for their own particular reasons. I feel it's safe to say this was not due to a lack of talent, rather a disparity between ambition and technical limitations. I think this is part of the reason why so many struggle to return to those entries, despite their satisfying gameplay loops when you're able to adjust your expectations. Outside of some awkward button mapping, again a result of technical limitation, Super Metroid plays just as well as modern search action titles. Hell, it plays better than a majority of them, possibly all of them. It does this through incredible map design, steady progression of strength, and unnerving atmosphere. This is gonna be a bit rambly, but I do want to talk about each part of these individually.

If the first Metroid was a game about being lost and alone (It was), Super Metroid is a game about pretending to be lost and alone. The first hour or two of the game, depending on your play style, is quite linear. There's a certain order a new player will go through the various biomes of Planet Zebes. The player slowly comes to grips with the twisting structure of the map, the variety of weaponry at disposal, and the floaty platforming. As you build Samus into the warrior the games tell us she is, the game is slowly and comfortably guiding you into learning its rules, so that when you get to the point where the game opens up, virtually all of the tools and tricks you need are a part of your repertoire. Once the game does become more non-linear, the scariness of such an adventure has ideally melted away.

This is amplified by how quickly you gain power-ups. A lot of modern search action games have pretty slow openings, with very gradual, almost sluggish growth. Not the case with Super Metroid. You are constantly barraged with new movement options, beam types, subweapons, and suit variations super quickly. Its constantly reshaping how you view each individual room and the combat encounters therewithin. Not to mention how perfectly the game is structured to force you into retreading areas in order to progress to new places and unlock bonus upgrades littered throughout the map.

And everything Ive just said about progression can be thrown out of the window on a second playthrough, because youll have likely learned some hidden tech, that being wall-jumping and shinesparking. The first of which you can use from the first frame of the game. These techniques completely change the landscape of the game, as they allow for access of areas you will need special abilities for without them.Wall jumping alone will allow you to get a ton of upgrades well before the traditional path. And Im not talking about glitches you can perform to mess with the games sequencing. Im talking about intended mechanics the game simply doesnt tell you about. They arent required to beat the game (Unless you fall into a pit in an optional room where some NPCs teach you), so its entirely possible to never figure out about them. And I would imagine quite a few people didnt on their first playthroughs! I certainly didnt. Finding out what a shinespark was years down the road was fucking mindblowing. Especially since I played multiple other Metroids not knowing about it. All of those confusing parts of my childhood with unreachable speed booster blocks suddenly clicked. Crazy stuff.

None of this could be accomplished to the degree they are without the impeccable atmosphere the game curates. The term dripping with atmosphere is one I try to avoid using because it sounds a bit lame, but there are only like, 7 games I can say that for. Super Metroid is one of them. It immediately sinks its teeth in the title screen as a camera pans through scenes of a recent Space Pirate attack on a research facility. A chilling track plays in the background as youre shown dead bodies on cold, metallic floorscapes, eventually centering on the titular Metroid. Soon after beginning the game, in this same facility, you come across this room. It looks exactly the same, but the Metroid is missing. Searching further, you come face-to-face with Ridley, who is much bigger than he was on the NES. He retreats from battle and the ship gets set to self-destruct. What a fucking start! It goes from creepy to scary to shocking to intense in like, 4 minutes tops. The only downside is the unskippable narration from Samus at the beginning of the game, which is way too long tbqh.

Further areas continue this trend, whether it be the dense jungle maze that is upper Brinstar, the cramped corridors of lower Brinstar, the intense action in Norfair, or the stressful yet serene Maridia. The game is constantly doing what it can to evoke intense feelings, and its all jammed into such a small package. Zebes isnt that big, especially when compared to some of the maps you see in search action games today. Every room has meaning and value in Super Metroid. The color palette is quite dark in order to assert dread. Similarly, sounds in the game have this almost fuzzy quality to them, never bombastic until it needs to be, always lying in wait until those blaring tones hit when something crazy happens. The soundtrack contributes to the mood with some downright juicy tunes. They are all incredible in their own specific ways, so Im not gonna highlight them (especially since a decent chunk dont really work out of context) other than my two favorites: The Brinstar themes. They both kick ass out of context and kick even more ass in context.

The problem with discussing a game as highly respected and analyzed as Super Metroid is that I dont think Ive said anything new about it. Usually I try to supplement it with personal anecdotes from my life which the game reminded me of, or how the helped me through a period of time, either through playing it or thinking about it. But I legitimately cant do that with Super Metroid. Sure, I can say it evokes a special type of joy which few games have been able to achieve, but Super Metroid got there without needing to handle any particularly special baggage. Its just a masterpiece of a game that I continue to return to over the years. Its crazy how no game has really comfortably topped this within the 2D search action genre. I like Hollow Knight better, but its still a much messier game. Super Metroid is legitimately peak gaming, and even Nintendo has been unable to replicate its quality.

welp wrong three on the bottom of the top 5, but sadly was expected

FF6 vs CT is what I expected for the final two. Probably what most expected here even

I was half expecting CT would SFF FF6 down to 4 or 5 and it was gonna be an old fashioned Mario vs Crono affair but I guess not.

I think the nomination system gets rid of SFF for the most part, but I suppose the results are a bit more predictable then.

I'm baffled Super Metroid finished ahead of both ALttP AND SMW. Good shit

Super Metroid beats the pants off 99.9% of video games today. It would win GOTY in most years of games.

Super Metroid isn't my personal favorite game of all time, but it's at the VERY top of the shortlist of games I consider to be the best ever made

#2. Final Fantasy VI (1994)
Total Points: 109
List Appearances: 35
First Place Votes: 8
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6280dfe3.jpg

Write-up provided by Lopen
Theres one thing every RPG fan can agree on-- Square was cookin with RPGs on the SNES. For me, Final Fantasy VI is the one that stood above the rest on the console. There was just something about how it all clicked together that was magical.

On the gameplay end, Final Fantasy VI was the first of the series, and frankly to this day one of the only RPGs that hits a good balance of customization (in relics and magicite) while preserving the individuality between the characters with their special skill sets and distinctive stat lines, as well as letting you choose most of your party most of the time to use the team you want. Yes, you can eventually have everyone learn every spell if you grind, but in a normal playthrough this won't come up until the very end. It also has a really nice balance of keeping you on rails to explore the world while giving you some freedom on the exact order you do things-- some people think the second half is a drop off point for the game, and your results may vary, but I liked how it portrayed what it was going for and would change it pretty minimally.

I don't want to get into a huge story dump here but I'll just say the cast and worldbuilding stands above other RPGs of the era in terms of depth and personality, and the story has its share of twists and turns, so while it doesn't have the perfect pacing of certain other favorites of the era, it's without a doubt the RPG story of the time I personally find most compelling and memorable.

CHrono Trigger FTW! Hell yeah!

#1. Chrono Trigger (1995)
Total Points: 133
List Appearances: 40
First Place Votes: 9
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4902f476.jpg

Write-up provided by MacArrowny
There are lots of games that have something special about them. However, when it comes to Chrono Trigger, everything is special, thanks in no small part to the "dream team" that made it. Getting a bunch of the genre's greatest talents together to make a game is pretty much unheard of nowadays, and it was still an incredible feat even back then. The game is beautiful. Dragon Quest games also used Toriyama as an artist, but none of them look nearly as good in-game as CT does. The music is outstanding. This is Yasunori Mitsuda's first big OST, and he pushed himself so hard he was hospitalized, leaving Uematsu to finish things up. While this is unfortunate for the man, we're left with one of the greatest soundtracks on the system, and indeed, one of the greatest ever. Rather than featuring random battles the game has enemies on the map, a more engaging encounter system that most JRPGs wouldn't embrace until two generations later. The gameplay has all the little things people like about the SNES Final Fantasy games, but with the perk of fun innovations like Double and Triple techs.

Gameplay and story are woven together by the focus on time travel, which is executed perfectly. Changing things in the past to prevent a bad future is awesome. The side quests that take advantage of this are great. Traveling to the future to see what happened is mind-blowing. And then, once you beat the game, it has New Game+, a system that lets you carry over your stats to beat it again and again, with different endings depending on when you fight the last boss. I suspect that for many people, Chrono Trigger is one of their most replayed games, because the NG+ system makes it so easy and addictive. The story and characters are no slouch either, with every member of the party having their fanbase, especially the archenemies Magus and Frog. Zeal's one of the best sequences in any RPG, and what happens their shocked everyone who played the game. All that's in a quickly paced package, with as much going on as games twice its length, resulting in an experience where you're always being treated to exciting moments. I doubt there'll ever be a game like Chrono Trigger again, but I'm happy we at least get to enjoy this masterpiece, if nothing else.

tazzyboyishere posted...

My grandmother cared to humor me and my kiddy ideas more than anyone else and so she was always Luigi

This is so cute. Sorry to hear about your grandmother's passing. Great write-up though

azuarc posted...

wha? Damn, freaking child prodigy here.

I think my first game beaten was Mystic Quest at age 4

For reference, at age 4 I was proud of clearing SMB 1-1

really great writeups! love this topic series

Once again, huge thanks to everyone who participated and extra big thanks to those who submitted writeups! Genesis/Sega CD/32X is next tomorrow!

Thanks for the nice comments, was partially inspired by Zen's write up last time and there us really no better game to that with than World.

Pretty good list! This was probably the most unpredictable list in terms of order so far, any of the top 5 were kind of plausible #1s

I think I would flip the top 5. But its a great list, TMNT is the only question mark for me. The rest are all terrific games, and there were some notable ones that missed out like F-Zero, Star Fox, Super Mario Kart and Fire Emblem Genealogy. And on that last one maybe it would have gotten a little boost if this was held a week or two later!

By the way, I tried out Mega Man V from the Game Boy list since all those GB Mega Man games were just added to NSO, and that games really good! Not even a big Mega Man person.

I'll get started on the total stats sheet during my downtime at work today, that way yall can see how narrow the bottom spots truly were!!